The Beacon

From the town of Browning, MT take Route 89 north toward Babb. Go west on Many Glacier Rd.(Rt. 3)to Swiftcurrent Lake.

ISO 100, 3.2 sec. @ f16. Single RAW image, 2 stop grad ND filter.

The view of Grinnell Point from Glacier National Park is one of the most iconic views in the National Park system. I had visited Swiftcurrent Lake near Many Glacier several times to increase my chances of special lighting. In order to separate my image from the many others out there, I tried to simplify the scene and make use of the natural symmetry of Grinnell Point and colorful FG rocks as an interesting lead-in to the shot. Ultimately, calm waters and spot lighting of Grinnell Point during sunrise enabled me to capture the scene in a unique way. Had the peak and background been equally illuminated as is the case normally at sunrise, the image might not have had the same impact. The strong sunrise light and reddish rock separate it from the rest of the landscape to make it stand out. Single exposure using a 2 stop grad ND filter with movement to avoid a sharp grad line during exposure.