[ 52mm - f/11 - 1/400 - ISO160 - D3x with 24-70 f/2.8 ]
One of the places I visited this winter for a snow shoe hike is Le Chapelet. This is a small skiing area just of the Grand Saint-Bernard pass in the Swiss canton of Valais. There is a snow shoeing trail there, that takes you out of the skiing area up to a mountain summit, where a 8 km panoramic trail starts. From there onwards the views are a real treat, with the Mont Blanc massif on one side and high peaks of the Alps of Valais on the other side.
The image above was shot during this hike and features the mont Blanc Massif. I framed it quite aggressively to try to draw you into the image and to give the impression that you are flying towards them. I processed the image in black and white to emphasize the raw nature of these mountains. Most of the peaks you see have an altitude between 3500 and 4810 meters (11500 to 15750 ft), with the Mont Blanc (4810m/15750ft) being the highest. Other mountains you see are: Aiguille d’Argentière, Aiguille du Chardonnet, Grand Darray, Le Châtelet and the Tour Noir. I shot the image from an altitude of 2105 meter (7000 ft).
More images taken during this trip will follow later!
Click on the image, if you are interested in buying a print or license. For more images like this:
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yes!
Congrats on your PhotoShelter mention!
Incredible shot!
Beautiful scene!
Wow! That’s about all I can come up with. The detail is stunning.
Beautiful scene Johan and such sharp details.
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Absolutely gorgeous!
The little trees in there are amazing. So many great details. Very nice, Johan!
Love this. The B&W conversion suits the scene perfectly!
beautiful and majestic!!
So beautiful!
Brilliant capture of scale. Love it.
Thanks Mark, Alen and Daniel !
Lisa: thank you! Quite happy about that
Thanks Dane, Stuart and Kerry! Credits for the detail go to the camera … which I am about to trade-in … maybe … argh
Wonderful rugged scene Johan!
Thanks Lauri, David and Luca!
Younes: glad you like it. Thanks for the confirmation
Thanks Leonardo and Lance !
Such amazing shapes and tones. Really beautiful!
Super shot! Great details.
Amazing shot, glad you did it in BW!!!! Definitely worth selling as a fine art print !!!!
Thanks Dave. Yeah I still need to look into doing that via FAA. Nice task for the muddy months ahead
So beautiful ! It is difficult to find some simple words…I only prefer to admire and to be silent !
thank you for the compliment. Glad you like it! There is more coming
Really a great photo, perfect contrast in every detail. I wish I could see this one in original resolution (cropping included). Btw, the agressive crop fits perfectly. That is not only the camera…
Thank you, Johan!
You succeeded in every way with this. It definitely gives the feeling that this was taken from an aircraft and the B&W portraits the RAW beautify that only a well done B&W can.
Thank you! You should do this trail, really! Go up with the ski lift and snow shoe down. I have some great pano’s coming up from this trip as well !
Just magnificent! I tried to see these beauties up close and personal but was denied due to cloud cover. Perhaps one day again… Great job.
you definitely have to try again. It is so worth it! I am lucky that I live reasonable close
Thanks for the compliment!
Thanks Andy and Sumit !!
You can have the original if you want. I can send you a large jpg or tiff if you want!
Wilfried: thanks! Cropped it only a bit. I framed it aggressively when I shot it already
Beautiful shot ! Like everyone above, I love the B&W detail. The feel is fantastic
Would you mind explaining your method for converting to B&W ?
thank you! I used Lightroom 3 for the initial processing: a bit of contrast, a bit of clarity and a bit of playing with curves. No sharpening yet. Then loaded the image in to Nik’s Silver Efex Pro 2 for the B&W processing and the sharpening using the structure sliders. I applied structure to some tones but not all. When I was done it came back in Lightroom, where I added a slight vignette and did a bit of noise reduction (which is necessary after using Silver efex Pro). Some like the grain, but I mostly don’t. Hope this is helpful. Silver Efex Pro 2 has a price but is so worth it!!!
thanks very much for the description ! I’ve never played with Silver Efex… Might have to give it a try !
you can get a free trial for two weeks or something and there a plenty of coupon codes flowing around. Make sure to check out some of the tuts on YouTube!
Tiff, tiff, tiff…! Drool!
I will send you the file at a size of 2560 ok. Otherwise it would be 128MB large …
Well, then we should switch to JPG. But the hires would be pure sugar anyway… Thanks, Johan!
the tif is 23mb for 2560 wide. That should be large enough no?
That’s perfect. Thanks, Johan!
You know what? Every monitor is way too small for such an detailed image. It is absolut pure pleasure to look at all the fine details. It’s a real big-print candidate. Thank god you’re using the right equipment for creating your top photographs. Thank you very much, Johan!
Glad to hear that Wilfried! So should I sell the equipment?
No, trade in for even better stuff
!
It’s like giving away my baby Wilfried
I know, I know… But in the end, I’m not better
! And we get two…
You are right Wilfried and it does make sense
yhis is a dream! a real dream! superb superb superb,
Really draws you into the scene, lots of details to look at, Good choice.
Thank you Ada and Douglas. Glad you like it and the choices I made!
Wowowow Johan WOW! (wow!)
Wow for that comment Cho! Wow!
Ze zeggen ‘soms zegt een wow meer dan 1000 woorden’
ik vind wow een mooi woord, dus dank je wel!
Fantastic, dramatic image Johan! Love it.
Thanks Layla!
Beautiful moment captured with these clouds so low. The tones of black and white and details are exceptional. Great work Johan !
Wonderful
Daryl .: thank you!
Emanuele: glad you also like this one! I have plaxed a while with this image to get the tones just right. How is/was the Carnival in Venice?
This is a super photo Johan!
This year everything went well in Venice even if they were three days with snow, ice and very freezing wind! Thanks!
Johan, this is incredible beautiful! I love the crisp detail on the mountains and looking down on the clouds rolling in. Awesome!!
Thanks Margaret !
Such a brilliant capture of the majesty these wonderful mountains, Johan! I really can’t say enough good things about the stunning photograph. Well Done!!
Emanuele: thanks! well looking forward to the images then
Jerry: thank you and thanks for stopping by!
Absolutely magnificent!
beautiful image!!
Thank you markus and Rao. Thanks for stopping by!
Wow. This is like you’re flying towards it all (I really thought “aerial” when I saw this). Brilliant perspective. And great B&W conversion – it looks so barren and inhospitable.
thank you for the compliments Peter !
Gorgeous! What a view! Excellent work Johan.
Fantastic Shot Johan It’s Beautiful
Thanks for the kind words Patricia and Meg
wonderful shot of the cuts in the mountain here to this artists eye
Thanks Robert. Glad you like it!
Spectacular mountains Johan – and they look good in BW! BTW just saw on your FB profile you also studied at the KUB Tilburg, same period as I did so we must have met before without knowing it:)
Thanks for the compliment Joel! That is indeed an interesting fact. You should upload an image of how you looked back then. I know I played a lot of cards back then
Your name always has sounded very familiar. What did you study over there?
Hey Johan – I’m younger than you:) I studied Law… BTW: I will put up a photo from around that time.
don’t think so … the 50 was referring to your awesome page
I studied business economics, so we should indeed have run into each other!
Wow, this is wonderful !
Superb image, Johan – such a beautiful scene . . .
Great B&W!
Love the title… Beautifully done Johan!
Really beautiful image Johan
Francis, Randall and Filippo: thank you!
Thank you Louisa! I came up with that title already when I shot it. Sometimes these alpine scenes are so inspiring!
Chris and Susan: thanks for the kind words and for stopping by!!!
wow what a shot!!
Fantastic photo. Perfectly processed in B&W. I enjoy watching.
…………………………………….. (so this means that I cannot find the words to do justice to this image
Thanks Davorin, Debby and Alan !
Gorgeous
a grandiose landscape, again an excellent B&W editing, a stunning view Johan!
Thanks Tim and Cédric!!!
i definetly love to came and fly! Magical view Johan! Love mountains and this is such amazing capturing! so beautiful and still mysterious! Very powerful!
I like the view it gives me a feeling of flying above the mountains ! Very good picture!
absolutely incredible Johan !
Thank you Mikko and Dwayne!
Thanks Matthias. It’s all mother nature’s doing
Im from texas. looking at this i say HOLY SHIT!
lol Lexy. I can imagine
There is so much going on this shot. So many peaks, the low level cloud, the snow and the trees. I could look at this for ages!
Super shot+Johan.
I love it – I sure miss the Alps.
Thanks Gerard! You can always come back later
Thanks also Rolf. I can imagine. I don’t want to leave anymore!
wow!!!
Thanks Jaycee
This is fantastic Johan! It have me goosebumps! Love it! I’ll send the link of this photo to my dad ’cause I know he’ll love seeing it too!
that is really nice to hear. I had goose bumps as well up there. If you like, I can send you a large version of this file by mail for you dad.
Exquisite in black and white, Johan
Great image!
Gorgeous and it looks so cold
just incredible!
Great work yet again Johan, you achieved your goal, i thought this is an aerial shot!
Excellent processing and subject Johan – love everything about it.
And I did come back later!
you did! Cool!
absolutely gorgeous and exactly looks like we are flying, thanks for the ride only is a little cold ☃ for me…
))).
Definitely a master piece and thank you for the description, too. Tomorrow I will love to visit your blog. Have a great weekend!.
dress up right and you will be fine
Thanks for the compliment!
massive!
Awesome!!!
Bill, Franka, Lisa, Agustin, Johan, Tilman, Margaret and Nicholas: thanks very much for the kind words!
Superb shot Johan!! Compositionally and from all the other points of view. The vaste range of tones makes this landscape so powerful and charming! Great work indeed!!
thank you very much! Very nice words
Berlin sounds tempting btw!
Yes Johan, Berlin will be great. I can tell you that!! I hope you’ll be there as well, I’d love to meet you and it’s not too far away from where you live either
would love to meet you and the others as well. My only doubt is that I am not really a city shooter …
I don’t think there is such a thing as city shooter Johan! You’re a great photographer and that’s all that counts! Come and I’m sure you’ll like it!
You are probably right Julia Anna
I love mountains and this is one of the best images of a range I’ve ever seen. Amazing detail and mood. Thanks for sharing Johan
thank you for the compliment!!
Just spectacular Johan. I am breathless just thinking about the hike but also the image – it is wonderful.
Stunning!!Wonderful scene,excellent b&w treatment,well done Johan
Thank you both Andrew and Giannis !!!
Beautiful high altitude shot Johan!
I love the soft glow over the top ridge.
Thanks Athena! You should try out your new snow shoes there with the family. They’ll love it!
I am sure I would love it Johan! Although yesterday I ended up completely lost in the fog on the side of the mountain! Visibility was down to about 2 meters. It was a bit scary for awhile.
Thank god for trail markers and gps Athena
Actually Johan, it was more thank goodness I can understand Swiss German so I could talk to the guy in the hut I finally found. haha I was actually really close to a piste and a T-bar lift, but could not even see it! The fog was crazy…
Hope the foggy images resulting from that adventure are worth it
The lunch and beer in the berg restaurant was worth it. It was way too foggy for images – no subjects could be seen through it. lol
you could have done a shot of a lonely beer in the fog …. and one big beer and one small one in the fog … and one full one and one empty one …. and a dark one and a blond one … and 6 of them fading away in the mist …. would have been a cool minimalistic series!!!
I totally agree with you Johan, but I had to get unlost before I could get a beer and by then it had cleared. I think maybe that is the only reason I got unlost – I could finally see the t-bar lift. Unfortunately I had to walk up the piste by it to get to that restaurant. Exhausting! All part of the adventure though.
speechless.. breathtaking indeed
Stunning!!!
So amazing capture !!!
That’s perfect capture! Johan
Wonderful alpine landscape Johan … it does feel like an aerial !!
Hope, Neil, Michał, Dawid and Andy: thanks for the kind words! It’s appreciated
Sir – that is awesome work!
Beautiful image Johan. Congratulations on having it selected by Photo Extract!
congrats on Top Photo Feature 16th february
Congrats!!. This is one outstanding Image.
Beauty!
Majestic!
Thank you Benjamin and Kenny!
Paul: dank je wel
Gail, Lisa and Philip: thank you! Just notice myself
love the view real beautiful place you live .
This is incredible! So dramatic. Really excellent.
Shit! —Sorry, but damn this is so great!
erg mooi gedaan
Thanks for the kind words Jay and Sinead !!!
Peter en Robert: dank jullie wel!!!
amazing shot and place!
thanks! You need to check back in later as I will be posting an image of the bird that was carrying my camera
I’ll stay tuned
Congrats again, Johan! This image is truly magnificient and I’m happy Jarek chose it! Great!!!
Hey thanks Wilfried … just trying to keep up with you
[...] ] A few weeks ago I posted an image with an aerial view of the Mont Blanc massif (see this post: Come fly with me), which I shot at the end of January. I went back to the same area at the end of February to [...]
Excellent!!!
Love it Johan
Thanks David and John !!
Congrats!!. Johan excellent image, well deserved.
Thank you Javier !
the textures and contrast are amazing! the trees look like rows of shark’s teeth! love the misty goodness! congratulations on the Photo Extract! Well deserved Johan!
Don’t know how I missed this one until now, but it is wonderful. The framing and BW conversion are excellent!
thanks so much Alan and shane!
Gorgeous processing Johan !! Wow! Love the b&w treatment!
Thanks for the feedback and compliment Tim! Highly appreciated
Fantastic!
Danke Andreas !
what to say !! Everything has been said in the previous posts! It is a stunning picture. Moreover I know this region and you did a wonderful job!!
thank you very much for the compliment! Think you are about as close to this region as I am
That’s right Johan! In fact we are quite neighbours!
31.4 km according to my calculation
Wow that is accurate! We could eat a fondue one of these days
We should Dominique. Looking forward to meet you. I will be sending out a photo walk announcement soon. Maybe you could join
Great Johan ! Brilliant idea, the photo walk. I have never participated to a photo walk.
We did quite a few already at the end of last year and this year and the group of people is growing. It’s a nice mix of people and skill levels and quite fun Dominique. You’re in the invitation list already by the way!
Cool… Johan , I am interested!
Majestic
W.O.W.
Hengki and Caroline: thank you for your kind words and the visit!!
this is stunning, congratulations!
thanks and thanks !!
Lovely…great detail on the mountain…
Thanks again Milena! Apprecated!
Brilliant!
Thank you Klaus-Peter !!
Great shot and BW editing Johan. Yeah it doesn’t get much better than a BW mountain scenery. Especially this one.
Thanks Radek. Tanks for the compliment and stopping by. Hope all is well!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is absolutely stunning!
Thank you Jean-Luc and Candace !!
Amazing contrast and details! I love it!
Johan the details are amazing.
Again it needs to be seen large to appreciate all the details! Brilliant contrasts! I love those clouds stuck in the valley and you did a great job getting us to fly into the scenery!
Thanks for the compliments Laurent, Jessy and Markus!
Wonderful image
Thank you Anette !
Beautiful scene Johan. Couldn’t have said it better than Laurent ;-D
Thank you very much Myrna! Hope you are having a great weekend!
I am, thank you…playing with flowers and 100mm macro Johan Come see!
Will do Myrna
This one has lots of depth! With the contrast as well, it is superb.
Thank you and thanks for stopping by Alan !
Absolutely gorgeous capture and congrats on the PE inclusion!
Thanks again Kurt !!!
This is really amazing – really almsot looks like a model given the 3dness – it is not flat like many landscape shots.
Thank you Melissa! My favorite of the year so far
Wow! That really rocks the mountains +Johan Peijnenburg
Thanks Sophie! You should consider visiting that area when you are in CH
Yeah, I really have to do that!
These are amazing mountains in that area!
The Mont Blanc massif is a lot less rugged when viewed from French side, that’s why I love this region Sophie !
Senza Fiato!
Wow! This is amazing Johan. You can really get a sense of just how magnificent the peaks are — especially with how small the trees and clouds look. Excellent!
Thanks you Maurizio !!
Thank you!
@Wes: they are even more impressive in real life. Did my best to get it across
Perfect job my friend
You have really excellent work Johan. This makes me want to visit Switzerland again.
Dank je wel Robert !!!
Daniel: thanks for the compliment
Great framing and stunning landscape Johan!
Thank you Harry. Nice to hear that
Wow, it really is stunning, superb details and the the scale from the trees, whoa
One of the best views I ran into this winter Rohan! Thanks for checking it out!
Simply… beautiful. I like this one very much.
Thanks again Serban! Glad you do
great photos Johan
Überwältigende Aufnahme!
Thank you very much Dalibor and nice to meet you!
@Eva: danke
You are very welcome Johan
I must repeat once again awesome photos!
Hope to visit your country, maybe even this summer, but we will see.
you will certainly enjoy Switzerland
wonderful work…..<
Only just noticed your comment Christian. Thank you!
[...] view” and gives the viewer the feeling of flying into a scene. I published and image called Come fly with me a while ago which had that perspective. The image above is another good example. For the image [...]
For sure this is a magnificent shot, Johan!
Many thanks for checking this “oldie” Yasmin
I like the graphism of that one…
omgosh I can’t stop looking … this is the most fantastic gallery of images I have ever seen
@Patrick: merci Patrick!
@Sweedon: I am really enjoying your comments Sweedon!! comments like these make posting fun! Thanks for that