Storm clouds roll in as the sun sets in Manhattan Beach, CA.
Storm clouds roll in as the sun sets in Manhattan Beach, CA.
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chrisantoniniphotography
April 08, 2018
That you very much. The skies certainly put on a show for me.
chrisantoniniphotography
July 10, 2018
Thank you. I haven't been able to capture a sky like this since. There's just something about how the light breaks through in the middle.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was shot at the iconic Manhattan Beach Pier in Los Angeles, CA.Time
I shot this image just as the sun was setting. It had been cloudy all day and I wasn't sure there would be a good sunset. But I caught a break between storms and raced (which is slow-moving in Los Angeles) down to the pier. I was able to get set up and snap several other angles of the pier, but this one perfectly framed the pier.Lighting
Given the uncertainty of the sky before I shot this, I was really pleased to see how the light interacted in a unique way with the approaching storm. I especially love how the cloud bank stayed off the horizon enough to let that rich color to come through. My favorite part of this image is how the light breaks through the clouds above the pier. It gives the illusion of lightning striking in the distance.Equipment
Shot on the Canon 6D, Rokinon 14mm f2.8, Manfrotto tripod with ball head. And flip flops.Inspiration
I am always drawn to the ocean. I usually prefer to take images without man-made structures, but I love this pier so much and find it to be extremely photogenic. I also love to play with long exposures on water.Editing
I work exclusively in Adobe Lightroom with non-panoramas. I only did clean up and color adjustments for this shot. Nature did most of the work herself.In my camera bag
My go-to camera is the Canon 6D. My favorite lenses for landscape photography are the Rokinon 14mm f2.8, which I believe is the superior 14mm prime lens on the market, given it's price-point and optics. My other preferred lens is the Canon 16-35mm f.28. I also carry a pretty standard set of filters, including a variable ND, a pole, and an ND grad.Feedback
Be patient. Don't turn your back on nature, as sometimes the best shots come at unlikely times or conditions. Enjoy shooting because you enjoy the art of photography. I always suggest shooting RAW. Your camera makes gorgeous jpg images, but limits your creativity. Two people can see the same scene in very different ways. I can't say the same for cameras. Shoot in live view if your camera has it to help lessen vibration and make focusing easier. Mind your histogram to make sure you aren't clipping in the highlights or shadows. There is nothing more frustrating than not having the information you need to produce the image your mind sees. To me, composition is the most important element. You can't teach that as well as other aspects of photography. Have interesting ways to lead the eye into the image. Find a nice balance of elements. Hope you enjoy this image. Hope you enjoy your next photography experience. Chris