deanharris
FollowViews
4052
Likes
Awards
Featured
Contest Finalist in 1K Edited Shots Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Painting With The Sun Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Haze Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Exceptional Contrast
All Star
Jaw Dropping
VIP Favorite
One Of A Kind
Top Ranks
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in Hagley Park, Christchurch, New Zealand as I was riding my bike to work. I was running late, so I could only stop really quickly. Fortunately a lot of commuters ride along the path through the park, so I didn't have to wait very long for someone to be in the frame.Time
This was about 7:15 in the morning in May which is our winter so it was quite cold. It was probably about 30 minutes after sunrise.Lighting
The sun was starting to get higher in the sky than I normally would have liked, so I tired to position it a bit behind the big trees. The fog really helped to diffuse the sunlight and balance the lighting so that the trees and cyclist are not a complete silhouette which I think make the image work better.Equipment
This was taken with an Olympus E-PM1 on a Joby Gorrilapod. From memory, I think a polariser was used to get the reflection off the lake to my liking. Small and light equipment was great for carrying on a bike.Inspiration
I had been waiting about 2 months for this shot. I had seen this opportunity previously, but wasn't carrying a camera, so I had to wait for another foggy morning. I liked how the rays of like were broken up by the trees and the soft lighting through the fog.Editing
I always shoot in RAW which allows greater flexibility for post-processing. In saying that, this particular shot was taken now long after I had purchased Photoshop Elements which I was still learning, so very little was done to it. Colour temperature was bought down very slightly, highlights also down a little (-8) and blacks up a touch (+12), but that is all because I didn't know how to do anything else at that time.In my camera bag
These days I have a Nikon D7100 with a Sigma 17-50 f2.8. For landscape work I use a Lee little stopper (6 stop ND filter) and a 0.6 graduated filter. I have a 3 Legged Thing Jack tripod and ballhead which is fabulous, and also a Joby Gorillapod for times when I don't want to carry too much weight. Whenever I use a tripod I also have a wireless remote. I don't usually carry the Olympus E-PM1 anymore, but do use it from time to time when I need something small and portable.Feedback
Get up early and be patient. I waited 2 months for this shot. Look at the weather forecast when planning sunrise shoots. I prefer times when it is foggy or partly cloudy so that there are better colours in the sky. I look at the weather forecast the night before and tend not to go out for a sunrise if the sky is going to be clear