christopherhawkinsimages
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Behind The Lens
Location
"Coastal Dreams" was taken at Rialto Beach on the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, USA. The photograph was shot facing west after the sun set behind the split rocks.Time
The photograph was in the evening, shortly after the sun set. This allowed a beautiful combination of warm and cool colors.Lighting
I was pretty deliberate about dimming the lighting for a longer exposure for a blur in the waves and having the sun set so there were no hot spots in order to maintain the ambiance, a calming sensation. It was still a little bright outside for my goal, so I used a 2-stop neutral density filter.Equipment
This photograph was made using a Nikon D5200, Nikkor 10-24mm lens, set on tripod with a remote release, ND2 filterInspiration
The plan to visit the peninsula was set up quickly as a weekend escape. My brother suggested Rialto Beach for a photo shoot. After a little research, a point was pinned on the map of a potential place to shoot. Unfortunately, my day hike at Sol Duc had me running a little late. When I arrived at the beach, the sun was already setting and the pin was about a mile or better north of my location. Basically, I had to quickly haul all of my gear out to the spot and get set up, quite the tiring venture. But arriving at the marked location, I couldn't have been more stricken by the amazing sight. From there it was just figuring out how to best communicate the visual to an audience.Editing
"Coastal Dreams" definitely required a little post-processing. As you can see in the photo, waves were crashing in on me the entire time, as I was set up in the water getting sprayed with mist pretty consistently. Though I managed to get the lens mostly clean, there were several drops of water I had to clean up after the fact. But, that's where the vision lead me, right into the water to get nice and close to the rocks.In my camera bag
Well, I am one of those guys that brings everything just in case because you never know what may find you. Most great photographs find me, not the other way around. I just go outside constantly and let nature astound me, as it frequently does. My equipment consists of two Nikon D5200s, Nikkor 10-24mm, Nikkor 18-55mm, Nikkor 55-200mm, Tamron 150-600 mm, tripod, monopod, remote release, compass, several batteries, cleaning materials, and a group of UV and ND filters.Feedback
My advice to photographers looking for a similar shot, or reproducing similar results: 1. Using a tripod and remote release is a necessity for stability if you want a quality shot with longer exposure times. 2.Timing was very important to the mood, because dim lighting was the key. 3. Neutral Density filters are very helpful in lighting adjustments as well as increasing the exposure time for blurring moving elements of your photograph. 4. Don't neglect the clouds, they change frequently and go a long way in accenting a scene. 5. Be prepared to wait for the right moment, even if that requires days or weeks. 6. Be prepared for the elements, consistent weather is never guaranteed. 7. Take in the moment to connect with nature and have fun, the point of photography is to live in the moment and find a way to connect others to that moment or the message behind it.