A suggestion to anyone lucky enough to be standing – with camera in hand – atop a suitably elevated vantage point, contemplating an “epic” alpine landscape:
don’t forget to remember that your “grand panorama” photo may well benefit enormously from it including what is immediately in front of your feet!
On 05 July 2010 my beloved and I hopped of the westward-bound TranzAlpine train at Arthurs Pass.
It was an utterly perfect walking day, and we had six hours until the eastward-bound TranzAlpine would depart Arthurs Pass, then return us to Christchurch, in time for a delicious dinner.
A telephoto lens often proves very useful when one is attempting to capture “mountain grandeur”.
However, the best photo taken during our unforgettable (and not hugely demanding) hike up/from and down/to Arthurs Pass railway station involved a short, wide-angle (27 mm) lens…and – crucially – my having remembered to look down to my feet, as well as to the valley floor, far below them.
(deploying a wide-angle lens ensured that everything would be in sharp focus…and that mountains, clouds dancing high above – and the actual Arthur’s Pass on the valley “floor” – could all be accommodated)
Great Shot Doug.
I did a similar hike up Avalanche Peak in same area. Several hours with experienced NZ and German hikers
I also recall while descending at 4.00pm a small group of Japaneses tourists heading up the climb walking in thongs, poor clothing and asking how far it was to the summit.
Goodness knows if they perished or nightfall sent then back home.