Baker Lake

squirl033

went up to Baker Lake a couple of days ago, to see what i could see. hadn't been up there before, but it's now on my list of places to go back to for some spectacular mountain vistas... this was one of the last shots before ileft to head home. the midday light had been harsh - clear sky and bright sun - but as it got on toward evening, the clouds moved in and softened the light. it cost me some contrast, but also let me get more detail, so fair trade. this was shot across Baker Lake, with Mt. Baker, an active volcano, in the background. looking at this shot, i can't help wondering what those dead trees on the shoreline would look like in fall... i'm gonna mark my calendar to go back up there and find out! taken with a 5D and Tamron SP 24-135 lens at 59mm with a 4ND grad filter, 1/60 @ f/13, then a pass through ReDynaMix to bring out some foreground details and a little tweak in Photoshop to make the colors pop more, and voila!

Eia

Spectacular! Such clarity! Great job capturing this...it looks like a mirror image!

Awais Yaqub

Superb Job ! amazing view

coscorrosa

Well, you just made me put this spot on my calendar too - is the road snow free right now? Wow, great photo, nice clarity, and of course, a beautiful mountain.

Looking at the map, it seems that this would be best at sunrise when you would get some nice alpenglow (especially this time of year when the sun is rising further south than it will in summer) water should be calmer then too (although it looks pretty good in your photo). It also looks like Mt. Shuksan could be in view from part of the lake (depending on how accessible the lake-shore is). There's also Lake Shannon just from the south that might also be interesting.

I definitely need to scout this place out! Thanks for the nudge, and like I said, great photo

squirl033

coscorrosa wrote:

Well, you just made me put this spot on my calendar too - is the road snow free right now? Wow, great photo, nice clarity, and of course, a beautiful mountain.

Looking at the map, it seems that this would be best at sunrise when you would get some nice alpenglow (especially this time of year when the sun is rising further south than it will in summer) water should be calmer then too (although it looks pretty good in your photo). It also looks like Mt. Shuksan could be in view from part of the lake (depending on how accessible the lake-shore is). There's also Lake Shannon just from the south that might also be interesting.

I definitely need to scout this place out! Thanks for the nudge, and like I said, great photo

thanks, Ron! yeah, early morning would give you the best light on the mountain, but from the spot i was at, the trees on the right would be in pretty deep shadow. i'm thinking later in the evening, just before sunset would be good... you'd get the light on the lake and the trees (especially in fall), and possibly some nice golden light on the mountain too.

Shuksan is clearly visible across the lake, and you can drive right to the water's edge. that would be the "dawn shot", IMHO - you could get some nice reflections if the water's calm, as well as the morning alpenglow. if you turn to the left, you can get Baker from the same spot, though not with the water like i got in this shot... you have to walk down a levee a ways to get that angle, and from there, Shuksan is behind the trees.

the roads are bare and dry all the way up there now, though there's snow along the sides much of the way. take the Baker Lake road just east of Lyman/west of Concrete; it's about 22 miles from the turn-off from SR20. take the "Baker Dam" turn off the Baker Lake road, then turn left just past the entrance to Kulshan campground. go about half a mile and you'll be looking at Shuksan across the lake...

coscorrosa

squirl033 wrote:

thanks, Ron! yeah, early morning would give you the best light on the mountain, but from the spot i was at, the trees on the right would be in pretty deep shadow. i'm thinking later in the evening, just before sunset would be good... you'd get the light on the lake and the trees (especially in fall), and possibly some nice golden light on the mountain too.

Shuksan is clearly visible across the lake, and you can drive right to the water's edge. that would be the "dawn shot", IMHO - you could get some nice reflections if the water's calm, as well as the morning alpenglow. if you turn to the left, you can get Baker from the same spot, though not with the water like i got in this shot... you have to walk down a levee a ways to get that angle, and from there, Shuksan is behind the trees.

the roads are bare and dry all the way up there now, though there's snow along the sides much of the way. take the Baker Lake road just east of Lyman/west of Concrete; it's about 22 miles from the turn-off from SR20. take the "Baker Dam" turn off the Baker Lake road, then turn left just past the entrance to Kulshan campground. go about half a mile and you'll be looking at Shuksan across the lake...

Great, thanks for the info, much appreciated. I'll definitely put this on my places to go soon list (I've been jonesing for some mountain shots), and of course, I'll have to be there at dawn and dusk and then I'll have a better idea of where the best spots are

Dooginfif20

Totally beautiful! Thats all I have to say!

Abiciriderback

Rocky

Gorgeous image great detail and the clarity and DOF is fantastic and ReDynaMix is one heck of a plug in for under $20.00 I use that one all the time.

Ray Still

squirl033

thanks, guys... this is definitely on my list of places to check back on regularly!

Diamond D

Wonderful image, the reflections and the lines/texture under the water are subtle, but give us a lot to look at throughout the image. Nicely processed as well!

*Edited to add that your Northwest gallery is phenomenal!

redleash

Ditto to everything that's been said!!! I am so glad you shared this shot--it made me go "WOW!"

grimace

Beautiful looking shot!! Nice comp and color!!

squirl033

thanks, everyone, for the kind words!