#52weeksofnature Photo Contest Week 4 Winner
The winner of Week 4 of our #52weeksofnature photo contest is Ethan Hockridge (@ethanhockridge). The right combination of color, light and clouds along with a little luck can turn an ordinary photo into something spectacular. Ethan has won a $100 gift code to hippytree.com and we are donating $100 to the Access Fund in his name. Learn more about Ethan below.
Where was the image shot?
Stelvio Pass, Italy.
What camera did you use and what were the settings?
Camera: Sony a7
Lens: Sony FE 24-70mm f4 ZA OSS
Shutter Speed: 1/125'
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 80
Was there any special preparation required to capture the photo?
As my friend and I woke up for our first day of skiing in Stelvio, we opened up the blinds of our hotel room window to find a sea of clouds blanketing the valley below. We quickly rushed for our cameras and started shooting away. We both hung our bodies out of the fifth story window precariously to get the shots we needed until it was time to go skiing.
How long have you been shooting?
I have been shooting for four years and don't plan on stopping any time soon.
What's your camera of choice?
My trusty Sony a7 with a battery grip but I hope to soon upgrade to the Sony a7iii or a7riii.
What’s your favorite subject matter to shoot?
Adventure sports because it combines landscape photography with sports photography and it is always fun to see my friends get stoked about a cool shot that I took of them while skiing or mountain biking.
Do you shoot with a crew or shoot solo?
I mostly shoot solo but I sometimes require a helping hand to operate my studio flash while I shoot sports.
What excites you about photography?
It gives me a medium through which I can express my thoughts and emotions. Lately, I have been moving away from taking pictures just because I think something looks neat and focusing more on how I can portray myself through a scene using composition and editing. It is also fun to go adventuring with my friends and make cool images that we can all look at together and reflect on what a great time we had.
