WendyHudnall

Midnight Ghosts

A full moon illuminates the Ghost Tree on the famed 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach.

A full moon illuminates the Ghost Tree on the famed 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach.
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Jul, 2014

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Nice shot. Love the boulders and trees jetting out.

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Great shot!

Love the composition

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Behind The Lens

Location

This shot of the famed Ghost Tree was taken just off 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach, California.

Time

It was a full moon illuminated night around midnight which added to the spooky factor for me. I really shouldn't have been out there alone.

Lighting

The full moon that night was intensely bright and made for a really fun shoot.

Equipment

Canon 5D Mk III, Canon 16-35 2.8L II, B+W Polarizing Filter, Really Right Stuff tripod & head, remote release

Inspiration

The Ghost Tree, a famous landmark in Pebble Beach, is a Monterey Cypress that has long since passed but still keeps constant watch over one of the most gorgeous pieces of California coastline I've ever seen. I've shot it before and the memory of its haunting beauty brought me back when I found myself in Carmel on the night of a very big and bright full moon. It was the perfect feeling for the image I hoped to capture.

Editing

A 30 second exposure at f5.6 1000 ISO caught enough info in 1 frame so I didn't need to blend exposures. I used my standard workflow...Lightroom adjustments for capture sharpening, lens correction, and basic adjustments. Photoshop used to adjust mid tones & highlights and sharpen for web. Luminosity masks were used on curves layers to fine tune highlights and shadows.

In my camera bag

I'm a gadget girl at heart so my bag is always full. It makes me happy except when I'm climbing up that steep hill. Camera, various lenses (I'm a huge believer in renting lenses I don't own to fit whatever situation I will be in), Lee ND & grad filters (can't get enough long expo water shots), remote release, Hoodman loop, multiple flashlights, Pano head and nodal slide for panoramas, extra batteries & memory cards, extra lens cloths (I'm always loosing those) sunscreen & lip balm...small weatherproof speaker

Feedback

A lot of shots taken on nights with a full moon feature the moon as the focal point. Consider using the moon light to illuminate a more traditional landscape to create a new twist on an old composition. The necessary long exposure for night created a beautiful frothy effect on the water. Also, don't shoot alone at night! While I didn't run into anyone on this evening it was really creepy out there alone. Every little bump in the night was amplified by x100 in my head. The fact that I spent most of my time looking through the viewfinder means I was vulnerable. I won't be doing that again. Not smart.

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WendyHudnall

WendyHudnall

Midnight Ghosts

A full moon illuminates the Ghost Tree on the famed 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow WendyHudnall

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