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dKi_Photography

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Sunset over Riveira Nayarit, MX

Sunset over Riveira Nayarit, MX
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Canon EOS 5D Mark II

settings

Aperture f/10 ISO 50 Shutter 30/1 Focal Length 46/1

upload_date

Nov, 2015

Views

1317

Likes

+271

Awards

Contest Finalist in The Sun Behind Photo Contest

Peer Award

+137

Superb Composition

+21

Absolute Masterpiece

+10

Top Choice

+10

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Magnificent Capture

Superior Skill

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 2

Top 10 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This was taken on the shores of Riviera Nayarit in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.

Time

Sunset, though my EXIF shows 812pm, I'm sure it was more like 712pm.

Lighting

Not quite golden hour, but fairly close, I took multiple shots of this rock formation from different angles. As I circled the formation, looking for a fun perspective, I noticed this particular angle. A small rock for the foreground, wet sand for some reflections, the sun cradled in the V of the rock formation and the clouds reflecting the colorful sunset. Yup, right place at the right time. To keep the rocks from being a silhouette, I did strobe an EX530 at 2x power for some fill light.

Equipment

Whenever I shoot directly into the sun, I am always equipped with the Singh Ray Daryl Benson RGND and some Lee Filters, as well. For this shot, I used the RGND and a 3 stop Lee soft grad to execute a 30 second exposure. Fill light was courtesy of an off camera EX530 strobe at 2X power, rear curtain sync, hand held. Camera was a Canon 5DMKII with an EF 24-70 f/2.8L on a Manfrotto 190CXPro, triggered by a Satechi remote intervalometer.

Inspiration

Nuevo Vallarta is our annual Thanksgiving retreat. It is situated right on the beach with multiple rock formations, albeit man-made, a marina and a bird sanctuary for multiple photo ops. It is also one of the few locations that allows for both sunrise and sunsets over water, as well. Sunsets over Banderas Bay are always beautiful. Inspiration is never too far away. This particular shot was inspired by the sun, surf and clouds coming together and being fortunate enough to spot the sun being cradled in this V formation of the outcropping.

Editing

I did add some soft light to the rocks to bring out some additional details and a slight crop to the image to straighten and tighten it up. In NIK Viveza, I added some structure, contrast and warmth but otherwise, a minimal post.

In my camera bag

Normally the following; Canon 5DMKII, Canon 7D and occasionally a Life Pixel modified T1i. Canon 17-40 f/4L or 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f/2.8L ISII, Canon 50mm f/1.4 Lee Filter system, Lee GND filters, SinghRay RGND Yongnou wireless triggers Wrigleys Cobalt gum. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on what I want to shoot. On this day, it was just the MKII with the 24-70 f/4L, my strobe, plus my trusty filters.

Feedback

When shooting sunsets or sunrises, look for some element to ground the photo and guide the eye. Don't just shoot the sun, that is such a novice move. Personally, I like clouds in the sky to reflect the colors and soften the light. I like to find a foreground element to guide the viewer into the frame. I do not pay attention to the rule of thirds, as I try to balance foreground and sky, but I do look for a leading line of some type. Equip yourself with some filters, and invest in an RGND. An RGND is a neutral density filter that has the darkest ribbon in the center of the filter, clear at the bottom and gradually lightens towards the top. They are designed for shooting into the sun, and should be in every photographers' toolbox. I also like to smooth out the water, so I generally utilize a long exposure of some sort with the aid of a additional ND filters. For this particular shot, I kept the Lee Little Stopper and Big Stopper in the bag, as I was looking for some texture in the water. Instead, I opted to lower my ISO to 50. Combined with the RGND, this gave me just the effect that I was looking for. Know what you want to accomplish when setting up for the shot. Survey the location for different perspectives. Don't be afraid to get wet, or even getting physical for the shot. Set up and frame the shot. Sunsets and sunrises provide a very short window for shooting, so having an idea of what you want to accomplish will give you more time to execute it. And when on vacation, get ready to apologize to your family for being late, or even missing dinner.............

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dKi_Photography

dKi_Photography

atardecer en la playa

Sunset over Riveira Nayarit, MX

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow dKi_Photography

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