Photo
Feb, 2012Views
115
Likes
Awards
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in South Haven, Michigan during a family vacation. This was on a lesser-known beach, and this specific spot was in a forgotten corner of the beach. Just outside the frame were tire tracks from ATVs and footprints and trash from previous visitors.Time
I took this photo at about 2 or 3 in the afternoon after spending the majority of the day at the beach. I decided to turn my attention away from Lake Michigan and start seeing what else was nearby.Lighting
I depended on natural light for this photo. I was only 18 or 19 when I took this, and so I was just beginning to learn more about composition, lighting, angles, etc.Equipment
As a sophomore in high school, I spent months researching digital cameras. After reading reviews of the Fujifilm Finepix F30, I saved my pennies and bought it. That camera was my companion for most of my teens. I learned a lot using that compact digital camera. The photos taken indoors and outdoors were crisp and impressive for a simple point-and-shoot camera.Inspiration
I really liked the way that the water had gently changed the sand. I also liked the shape of the driftwood above the rocks. The color and line from the rocks played well with the composition. Overall, I thought it was a beautiful, untouched corner of the beach and I wanted to remember it.Editing
I did not use post-processing for this image. I let the water and sand make its own natural artwork and simply captured that.In my camera bag
Nowadays, I have my trusty Nikon Coolpix P7700 (another camera purchase with months of deliberation). It is about the nicest compact digital camera you can get with many personal choices in the menu and the dials. I am an amateur who recently moved to 'middle of nowhere' Taiwan, so I don't have the heavy camera equipment to thwart off wild dogs and giant cockroaches yet, but hopefully soon! I would like to get a DSLR once my meager music teaching salary allows, but for now I focus on what I do have and try to capture the beauty all around me.Feedback
Keep your eyes open to the forgotten or quiet places. It always helps me to be away from large groups of people and to simply look around. I know that my compositions usually have a lot of energy - it is that way in my sketches, painting, and music too. Find where harsh and soft meet. Sometimes it's important to simplify, and other times it is your responsibility to document what is right in front of you.
