JulianneBradford
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Behind The Lens
Location
I was practicing with slow shutter speeds and went to WindanSea beach in La Jolla Ca. on a cloudy day.Time
This was my first time at this popular beach and not quite sunset, so there were no other photographers. The sunspots through the clouds seemed like they appeared just for my camera.Lighting
Cloudy days always seem to make more dramatic lighting. I've found that long exposures accentuate drama and I enjoy the movement accentuated in the photo. I used a 10 stop ND filter and 30 second exposure to slow the water. A ND filter acts like sunglasses would to your eyes, it blocks light coming into the lens like sunglasses blocks light coming into your eyes. ND stands for Neutral Density which means it blocks the light in a neutral way without changing the color of the light. Then Nik Silver FX filters were used here in post processing to accentuate dramatic highlights and contrasts in black and white.Equipment
Canon 7D, Sigma 10-20mm Lens, 10 stop ND filter, automatic shutter release, tripodInspiration
I went to WindanSea beach inspired by the photos of another photographer and was not disappointed. The clouds were forming, there had been a light rain earlier and sunspots were playing on the ocean. What more inspiration could you ask for?Editing
Yes, I worked with Silver FX in Nik filters and different settings to bring out the structure in the clouds and enhance the lighting for dramaIn my camera bag
I carry my Canon 7D and love wide angle shots for my landscapes, so have a Sigma 10-20mm lens attached most of the time because I love jumping out of the car and grabbing landscapes that I can be on top of instantly with the wide angle lens. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS, Canon EF 55-250, 10 stop ND filter.Feedback
I studied long exposure techniques by watching YouTube videos on the subject. Then bought some ND lenses and a automatic shutter release so I could time the 30 second exposure and have more control without moving the camera by accident in the middle of a timed shot. Tripod is a must. Set your camera settings first before you put the ND filter on the camera. I used the 10 stop ND filter. You won't be able to see your shot through the viewfinder with the filter on the camera. This shot is equally as dramatic in color, so you don't really have to change it to B/W or do much post processing if you don't want to. We are so lucky to be able to take multiple shots of the same scene and pick the best these days..Take your time and use different timing on your exposures with the 10 stop ND filter..Enjoy!!