THECLAPPCOLUMN
Medicine Lake, Canada. 17:18pm. 11 March 2010
How poor driving and stupidity in extreme cold could have cost a man and his family their lives
Lens Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Exposure 1/30 secs, f/16, ISO100
Living in the western world on a relatively large island, it is difficult to grasp the concept of being vulnerable. Wherever we seem to go in the UK, other than the most remote of locations, there is society. For the traveller, there are supermarkets everywhere, fuel stations dotted around and, should you need help, you can go to a police station. In trouble? Just pick up your mobile and call someone. Now let me take your phone away. In fact, let’s take all of that away. How do you feel?
It is 2010 and I have made it over to the Canadian Rockies to shoot the splendour of the mountains in all their snowy glory. I have been here before, in the fall, as our American friends call it, so it is a delight to see it draped in its winter coat. I am with my friend Royce, and after leaving Calgary, we head west along the highways and make it to Banff.
Vermillion Lakes are completely frozen over and I realise that my memories of reflected lakes are not to be revisited. The daytime temperatures are around -10ºC, the scenery is stunning (but overcast) and the complications are relatively minimal, as our route sits mostly alongside Highway 1.
One afternoon after moving to Jasper, we head towards Maligne Lake to shoot the famous boathouse against a backdrop of mountains. With a raft of broken cloud above, it is relatively sunny and the mountains look spectacular. Royce is driving particularly slowly and I request we could perhaps speed up, but he’s not going to break to the law.
We pull up to Medicine Lake and take a few shots from the bank. There are beautiful pillow mounds, as well as a mountain scene. I shoot the pillows with my tripod-mounted Canon EOS-1Ds Mk III and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS at f/16 and ISO100, and shoot the mountain with my EF 24-105mm f/4L, also at f/16 and ISO100. They look really eye-catching, especially the pillow mounds.
Lens Xxxxx xx Exposure Xxxxx xx
Lens Canon EF 70-200 f4L IS
Exposure xx secs, f/16, ISO100
Lens Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Exposure 1/30 secs, f/16, ISO100
Another car pulls in – a family. Father, mother and daughter walk down to the water’s edge from their small hire car. In high spirits, they are enjoying this winter wonderland, throwing a few snowballs before heading
