SUMMARY

Nature photographer Juan Jesus Gonzalez Ahumada earned recognition for his image 'The Souls of the Swamp' using a complex in-camera technique. He utilized a 13-year-old Canon EOS 6D DSLR and a 70-300mm lens to capture dead trees in southern Spain. The method involved a long exposure starting at 70mm, illuminating the foreground, then zooming to 200mm in darkness to light the background, all without focus stacking and under a moonless sky.

TAKEAWAYS

Surreal image created using a dual focal-length long-exposure technique.

Captured in-camera with a 2012 DSLR and minimal post-processing.

Technique involved changing focal length and lighting elements during a single long exposure.

Shot in complete darkness with no moonlight or light pollution.

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