jasonmontiel
FollowThe sun rises over The Isle of Skye as a storm hits, the old man of storr is visible in the distance.
The sun rises over The Isle of Skye as a storm hits, the old man of storr is visible in the distance.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the Isle of Skye, with the Old Man of Storr visible in the background. It was my first ever sunrise shoot in Scotland.Time
It was around 4:30 in the morning. I had drove to the location overnight and waited a couple hours for the sun to rise. It was actually quite bright all night, as the sky never gets any darker than twilight during the summer months in the Highlands.Lighting
I had planned a shot near the Old Man of Storr prior to travelling to Scotland, so I knew where the sun was going to rise. What I hadn't planned for was the incoming storm from the west. There was a window of about 5 minutes where the sun positioned between the horizon and the storm cloud, producing an incredible light show. About a minute after this photo was taken I had to sprint back to the car as the heavy rain and thunder hit.Equipment
I used a Canon 6D with a 17-40mm L lens, the tripod was an aluminium Manfrotto, which I soon realised was a mistake for long hikes.Inspiration
The idea was to be much closer to the Storr, but when walking to the location I noticed a small waterfall tucked away on one of the hills. I knew I had to choose either this waterfall, or the original plan. Because the Storr is such a common view, and I wanted to come away with something unique, I stuck with the waterfall. Although I did my best to make sure that the tall spikes of the Storr were still visible in the photo.Editing
I added a fair amount of contrast and dodging & burning adjustments. I shot with a very small aperture so no focus blending was required for the foreground plant.In my camera bag
I normally carry around a 6D with a 17-40mm & 70-200mm. The midrange is covered by either moving further from or closer to the subject, and all 3 are weather sealed which gives me comfort. Recently I purchased a Sony a7s mkii, with a metabones adapter, which I mainly use for videography, but it is also very good for night photography. These along with all the various essentials that we all carry around like filters, extra batteries etc..Feedback
It helps to plan locations, but not shots. If possible, 'scout' the location using google maps/street view, some people have been generous enough to supply 360 panos which help to give you a better idea of what is around. I also use SunCalc, which is a website that shows you what angle the sun rises and sets at. So combining this with weather forecasts, gives you a good idea of which days are best to head out and shoot. But most importantly, be original. Don't just head out to copy a shot which another photographer has already done, try to present your own vision for the location. I'm glad that I came away from Skye with a photo that is something of a unique take on a very heavily photographed place.