Reach new heights and reap the rewards

Have you ever stood on the summit of a mountain and watched the sun rise or set? If so; I salute you, if you have not then please put it on your to do list. It’s special. I have always loved hiking, I grew up at the foot of a mountain range and spent every Sunday walking the hills or exploring new parts of the mountain. So naturally when I discovered photography I would combine these two loves and capture my hiking experiences through my lens.

Being able to travel light is incredibly important when hiking and its a blessing knowing you have everything you need to capture these hikes in one small package. Recently I ventured to the top of Ireland’s 5th highest mountain, Galtymore in Co Tipperary. I wanted to capture sunrise from the summit and had been keeping an eye on the weather for a few weeks to seize my opportunity. When the chance came I knew I only needed my trusty Olympus OM-D Em1 Mark II and two lenses, the 12-40 F2.8 and the 12-100 F4. In truth I could have just gotten away with the 12-100 F4 but I wanted the option of capturing a low light star shot on the way up so I needed the F2.8 lens.

In total my pack consisted of just under 8kg, and this included my heavy tripod which I use in windy conditions for landscape photography which can often be the case when on top of a mountain! I ended up using the tripod once so this could have been left at home making my pack even lighter! We were treated to a fantastic sunrise and I took full advantage.

Using the focus peaking feature I could ensure details were tack sharp and with the exposure compensation meter and histogram I could get the exposure spot on.

I was lucky to witness a beautiful sunrise from the summit. The rocks were frozen solid forming these stunning ice formations with many patterns and textures, these were the perfect foreground interest in my composition.

I love fine art landscape photography and the process of creating the images. However I am also now leaning more to the run and gun style by putting on the 12-100 F4 which gives me 6.5 stops of stabilisation, meaning I can shoot handheld at 100mm with no issues. This was a lot of fun on the way back down as the sheep came out to bask in the sunshine, they were great models!

I see you! Shot handheld at 100mm on the 12-100 F4

I done this hike on a Saturday morning, roughly 18km. On the Sunday I hiked another mountain in Ireland, known as torc mountain. Not as high but still roughly a 12km round hike. If I had a backpack full of heavy gear i’m not sure I would have been able to do this. Hiking is something that everyone should do and experience but don’t go alone. Bring a friend, experience the wild. It doesn't have to be towering mountains or the highest peaks but just get out and do it, see the world from a different perspective and don’t forget to capture the moment!

Happy shooting

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