I love working in canyons. The lighting is always interesting because the walls force light where you don’t expect it to be and as the sun moves across the sky it keeps changing lighting up new areas. The contrast between these areas can make for some amazing images. One spot I have spent a good deal of time this year is the Bear Trap Canyon which is part of the Madison River. It runs south to north from Ennis Lake to the Madison Plateau between the Gallatin National Forest, Madison Range and Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Needless to say it’s not the most accessible place in Montana.
When I talk about the contrast in the light a lot of it shows between the shadows and the highlights. Often times a feeling emerges from the coldness of the shadows and the warmth of the light. It’s a lot of fun to play with either with a tight composition or a wide one. One important note though. If you plan to work in a canyon where there is this much dynamic range in light be sure NOT to include any sky. That extremely bright sky will result in blown out highlights. It will also destroy that mood that the canyon creates.
Images Captured with Nikon D750, 24-70 AF-S, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film