A Paradise Reborn, a photo from Tarlac, Central Luzon

Photographer's Note

From its startling and violent eruption to serene and calm state, the placid turquoise lake of Mt. Pinatubo boasts as soon as you enter the caldera seemingly entices trekkers to plunge into its tranquil mineral-rich lake.
Rain throughout the years, being the primary diluter helped a lot to lower the sulfur content of the caldera making it safe for swimming.

BACKGROUND:
Mt. Pinatubo, a stratoactive volcano, known for it's fierce and ferocious eruption in the year 1991; a cataclysmic phenomena which evoked global cooling and the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century (after the 1912 eruption of Novarupta-thanks wiki) and the largest eruption in living memory. Its eruption was felt worldwide, ash fell over most of the South China Sea and ashfall was recorded as far away as Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. Most of all, the eruption caused a large increase in the destruction rate of ozone.

STORY:
This was the second time I visited this enchanting Volcano. From a 2-hour extremely rough ride 4x4 through the lahar deposists (mudflow or landslide composed of pyroclastic material) and a 2-hour trek to the crater, all the tiredness and fatigue was easily wiped out seeing this pristine caldera. It all paid off and everything was all the worth.

Shot with a cokin GND .9 filter. The weather was fine during the hike, there was no sun, but when we arrived at the crater, storm clouds gathered making it not the most suitable condition for shooting. On the lighter side, I guess it created an interesting effect and as soon as a hint of sunlight showed, I grabbed that opportunity.

vishaal, golus, jjcordier, CLODO, patdeph, timecapturer, PaulVDV, macjake, prasun984, ourania, PecoBud, PecoBud, adramad, SnapRJW, bona, adores, danos, shevchenko, Kitty_the_Wild, Silvio1953, Cricri, delpeoples oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

vishaal (1042) 2012-03-23 21:19

Hi Matt,
Greetings from India !
What a wonderful image from you..of this amazing mountain, with dark sky and still with light and turquoise water. Wonderful composition with great sharpness.
Best regards,
Vishal.

siolaw (38294) 2012-03-23 21:26

Hi Matt
The ominous clouds and dark BG cliffs make the emerald waters and FG stand out strong.
I may have cloned or cropped the little boat on the right side, but no big deal there!
Greetings
Laurent

jimkil (1706) 2012-03-23 21:28

The mood against this coloured water, you can't ask for better contrasts in this image to be honest, love how you included those underwater plants shooting up, well done Matt.
Regards from NZ
Jim

berek (50518) 2012-03-23 21:39

you are absolutely right. this is paradise. I liked the natural color and balanced framing.
I wish a good weekend.
Burak

Sonata11 (34119) 2012-03-23 21:40

Hello Matt,
This is striking beautiful composition of the view wonderfully executed. This an amazing special atmosphere with fabulous managed light, colors, great sharpness, POV and DOF are fantastic. Marvellous picture you've done. I love it.
All the best and have a nice WE,
Barbara

golus (2893) 2012-03-23 22:02

Hello Matt,

A lovely place like paradise as you've already pointed out. I liked your perspective that enhances the depth feel and light management under the dramatic sky. The enlightened area is the point of attraction here and you've naturally not missed the opportunity. I also very much liked the glittering surface on the water and the overall color range that looks so appealing. A masterful work for sure. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes,

Suleyman

Suleyman

mohammad_H (10178) 2012-03-23 22:09

hiMat
Very beautiful landscape of water and surrounding mountains. Hello and stormy. View Good. Moment, and the appropriate resolution.'ve Recorded.
Have a nice day

jjcordier (79299) 2012-03-23 22:51

Matt
Superbe photo de ce magnifique endroit avec ce (trop) célčbre Pinatubo en arričre plan. Le filtre utilisé donne de trčs belles couleurs qui "dramatisent l'image. Belle composition.
Amicalement
JJ

JFS (32459) 2012-03-23 22:58

Another paradise, you know i'm discovering Philippines thanks to your beuatiful shots and i'm really surprised! I have to consider too that you do marvels with your camera...

Thanks Matt and enjoy the WE!

ChrisJ (171888) 2012-03-23 23:45

Hi Matt

You were lucky just to be there. And that sunlight was a perfect chance for a great photo! Good tonal range & contrast with superb colour & sharpness. Well composed with the waterline off centre. Tfs!

CLODO (45116) 2012-03-24 1:04

hey Matt

Very dramatic sky to darken the mountains and to enhance the lake color. You were rewarded of your long trip.
regards
CLODO

federico (6109) 2012-03-24 1:55

hi matt great contrast and colors, nice POV also, very impressive how fast nature con restore itself and quite encouraging given the times
regards
fred

patdeph (35750) 2012-03-24 2:34

hello Matt
this is a wonderful place, and I understand that you came here 2 times, even if it was difficult to reach.Even with the dark clouds, you have obained splendid colors, the contrast with the sky is surely more beautiful than if you had a blue sky.Magnificent!
Regards
Pascale

kevinos (7517) 2012-03-24 3:22

A beautiful and simple composition.Matt, The frame is devided nicely between areas of colour and texture.This sort of scene can be something of a cleche, but here it is well handled. regards kevin

timecapturer (49288) 2012-03-24 3:58

Hi Matt
a beautiful scene and idyllic capture. The light and colours here are so enchanting as is your composition. A first class execution and stunning presentation. Love it!

Enjoy the weekend - Brian.

PaulVDV (62978) 2012-03-24 4:58

Hello Matt,
I remember the terrible images of the eruption in 1991 and the human suffering of the people living in the neighborhood. This picture shows a different image. No ash gray colour anymore but lots of green and turquoise tones.
Good you've included the few water plants on the foreground. The sunlit water and the green mountain slopes make a fantastic contrast with the dark cliffs of the caldera on the background and with the stormy sky.
Best regards, Paul

lousat (139342) 2012-03-24 10:00

Hi Matt,i'm very jealous for your jump in this magic paradise seen this week in Facebook,fantastic pic,fantastic place and magnificent atmosphere...you are lucky to had been there!! Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

macjake (98456) 2012-03-24 11:00

Hi Matt
wicked shot.
all that trouble was probably worth it, i'm sure you're glad you went through with it.

its funny how those 5 pieces of grass in the fg so easily capture my attention, when i opened up the photo, it was the first thing i looked at.
this place looks so natural, no human presence or disturbance...these places are special indeed.
very well captured.

about your GND filter....i'm not familiar with them...is that the screw on type or the glass sheet?
and which ones are better? any tips or ideas...i'm thinking about getting one.
cheers
craig

prasun984 (5590) 2012-03-24 11:51

Hi Matt,
This is striking beautiful composition of the scenery wonderfully executed. This an amazing special atmosphere with fabulous managed light, colord, great sharpness, POV and DOF are fantastic. Marvellous picture you done. I love it.
All the best and have a nice WE,

Prasun

erdna (5713) 2012-03-24 13:13

This is a nice shot. The filter made the difference.I like that little part of sulight on land and the water. I was here a year after the eruption. I never got to this part of the volcano.

Andre'

ourania (51103) 2012-03-24 13:34

Hello Matt,
this is a beautiful view with a great sense of depth leading to the very imposing and mysterious caldera. Clarity is superb, the natural colours and the light reflected on the sea are fascinating. There's an exciting intensity in the atmosphere. I like very much the way you have managed the light and the way you've captured its unexpected appearances here and there. Well done and thank you for taking the journey and offering us this view.
All the best,
Ourania

dta (98848) 2012-03-24 13:52

Hello matt ,
A gorgeous view of this fantastic turquoise lake . The contrast is stunning with the dak mountains in the clouds in the BG .
regards

brianmcc (6223) 2012-03-24 14:43

hi matt,
this is a cracking picture. the low viewpoint across the water creates a very interesting perspective. the filter has worked superbly well to balance the foreground light with the light in the bright sky. the clouds in the sky have resulted in some lovely areas of light and shade across the scene. superb depth of field.
regards,
brian

PecoBud (3824) 2012-03-24 15:30

With places as beautiful as this, it's hard for me to think why we don't nurture our "Mother Earth" better than we do.

You have captured a beautiful scenery here, with superb detail and clarity. I love the colors and light with shadows harmoniously in BG. Perfect DOF and POV Matt!!

TFS..................Buddy

Miguel82 (47110) 2012-03-25 2:27

A lovely place looking like the lost paradise
excellent picture and congratulations Miguel

cargus (13954) 2012-03-25 2:36

Your picture is an interesting achievement,very beautiful colors,with good contrast and light.Well done.
regards
Adrian

adramad (73006) 2012-03-25 9:21

Hi Matt.
Really a superb and stunning scenery, great POV chosen since this stony shore of the lake and following the hearing by the beautiful color of the water, we see the depth the massive shape of the mountain, with a sky that adds a nice touch to dramatic composition. Wonderful job, I love it.
Have a nice day.
Best regards.
Luis.

SnapRJW (31631) 2012-03-26 0:26

Hi Matt - Superb. Beautiful mood, composition and colour. The few sprigs of weed in the FG make the shot. I may get rid of the sliver of boat but a great image nonetheless. Warm regards rosemary

Gigidusud (21679) 2012-03-26 3:18

Hi Matt,
Beautiful landscape with nice colors and light.Great POV and depth.I like it!
Have a nice week.
Ghislaine

bona (15057) 2012-03-26 18:09

Hi Matt,

this really a paradise view. The colors and game of light is great. Nice note about the volcano and how you get there.

Have a nice week,
Andre

adores (46979) 2012-03-27 16:59

Hi Matt!
This is a really good one, not just because of the beauty of this place, but also because of the light. I like the contrat between the sun light in foreground and those dark clouds and darkness in background. These plants in foreground are also a very nice detail!

danyy (0) 2012-03-28 7:52

Hello Matt,
qui croirait que cet endroit est si dangereux, il paraît idyllique vu d'ici avec ses jolies couleurs turquoises.
Le ciel est tout de męme dramatique et pourrait laisse présager du pire.
De trčs belles couleurs, un paysage qui séduit.
Regards.
Daniel.

danos (110407) 2012-03-28 7:54

Hello Matt,
a really outstanding scenery that looks like as a paradise on earth.Great presentation with the green-turquoise waters and the moody atmosphere makes the image even more effective and adorable.Excellent presentation.

Regards,danos

sacimar (38173) 2012-03-28 10:53

Hello Matt,

this is a beautiful place, I like the dark sky here, the light management is excellent, the different tones of the water are also interesting, well done

Best regards,

Sergio

xavshot (69835) 2012-03-28 22:16

Superbe lumičre et couleurs magnifiques dans cette image.
J'aime beaucoup la profondeur de l'image.
Bravo
Xavier

shevchenko (20560) 2012-03-30 2:10

Hi Matt,
Good pov and good frame to show a distinct lake that surrounding by mountains, clear to show the unique geographical features too, the contrast in between the dark sky and colourful foreground nature environment creating fantastic effect, thanks for sharing an impressive and fascinating scenery.
Ally

TopGeo (38220) 2012-03-30 10:06

Hello Matt,
this is a beautiful view with a great sense of depth leading to the very imposing and mysterious BG mountain. A picture of high quality, well balanced and beautiful colors. The effect of reflections is simply fantastic. Clarity is superb, the natural colours and the light reflected on the sea are fascinating
Congratulations,
Georgios

rabdelnoor (3423) 2012-03-30 20:22

Hi Matt,
What a great view. The beautiul colors of this limpid lake contrasted very well with the heavy sky and the imponent mountains. Great note too.
Regards
Ricardo

Kitty_the_Wild (1169) 2012-03-30 21:52

Impressive colors and interesting note. I hope it will be quiet for a long time.
Ciao,
Elena

jemaflor (147248) 2012-04-02 3:57

Hi Matt,
Lovely place with a good choice for this pov, intersting visual impact with the contrast between the darl bg and the sunny fg , nice blue color for the water, tfs.

tober (8797) 2012-04-02 5:40

Hello Matt, that's simply a corner from paradise. The volcano seems silent for the moment:) Congratulations and best regards.

Silvio1953 (221751) 2012-04-03 0:35

Ciao Matt, sure, like a paradise, great view of fascinating place, superb Grey sky, splendid light and wonderful bright colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

ciakgiak (30) 2012-04-03 14:07

Ciao Matt,
Un paesaggio vulcanico bellissimo, molto intenso ed attraente.
Incredibile la palette di colori, soprattutto il verde smeraldo dell'acqua con quei nuvoloni neri.
Un caro abbraccio.
Giorgio

Turkoglu (0) 2012-04-05 9:28

Selam
Fotoğrafınız tüm ayrıntılarıla şahane bir fotoğraf gerçekten.tebrikler ve iyi akşamlar

mkamionka (74577) 2012-04-17 8:00

Hi Matt,
spectacular place and photograph. I like the effect achieved with the ND filter which emphasized the foreground. Fantastic colors. I like especially the gradient of the green tones across the water and some plants sticking out of the water. The dark clouds introduce a dramatic touch.
Excellent work!
M

chrisvek (7003) 2012-04-17 18:01

Dear Matt,

Amazing shoot of this totally exotic landscape.Great colors with depth and perfect graduation.Very nice background and excellent frame!Very well done.TFS

Have a nice day,
Chris

Cricri (176) 2012-04-17 23:34

Hi Matt
Magnifique beauté de ce paysage, terre, mer et montagnes, des couleurs incroyable en bon contraste avec le ciel sombre, fantastique image
Belle journée
cricri

bartekp (4746) 2012-04-18 1:20

Hi Matt,

Great compo, POV and vivid colors. Superb place You found.

Regards

Bartek

delpeoples (60342) 2012-05-08 9:29

Hi dear Matt

Fantastic shot, superb landscape and amazing use of colours. The sharpness is superb, as is the way you framed it with a good low Point of View. COngratulations, thanks for sharing this magical place with us.

Cheers
Lisa

npecanhuk (79329) 2012-05-24 6:41

Hello Matt!
Magnificent natural location!
Wonderful picture!
Special regards to the chosen pov, composition, colors and management of light!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

dale54 (17768) 2012-05-29 10:46

this is amazingly beautifull,this is a wow shot!great light and color,love it!have a great day matt! dr