Into the light...
Apr, 2013Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of Australia. It's a great destination to explore beachscapes and seascapes and offers a wide variety of subject matter.Time
I love to shoot at local beaches early in the morning to catch a glimpse of the world before sunrise. I started shooting a series called 'The Dawn Sessions' and soon found my niche in early morning silhouettes. I never tire of capturing a subject enveloped in the glow of the sun as it presents itself from below the horizon. Time of day: 5:44am, Date: 30-11-2011Lighting
I wanted to get in close to the subject to allow the sunlight to reflect off the wet sand and produce more warmth to the image. Personally I find the first light is always a little more subdued and forgiving but you only have around 20 minutes to get your shots before the sun pushes too high in the sky and the harshness starts to show.Equipment
This was shot on an Olympus EPL-1 camera. It's a Micro Four Thirds camera and had a standard kit lens attached (14-42mm f3.5-5.6). As I was trying to capture candid moments I shot this handheld and due to the size of the Olympus (small) I was ale to simply walk up to the subject, shoot the images I required and then move on to the next subject. ISO - 200 Focul length: 36mm Aperture: f11 Shutter speed: 1/640Inspiration
I knew this beach was well known for dog walkers and hoped to find a subject matter that would be natural and relaxed. Soon after capturing this image I figured I should try and capture a whole series of images to depict life before the sun rises. The concept evolved and 'The Dawn Sessions' was born. It's been amazing discovering a whole culture of surfers, fitness enthusiasts, animal lovers and more out and about before dawn!Editing
Generally I try not to alter my image too much. I use Photoshop to crop, sharpen images and correct horizon lines etc but with this image it remains as pure as it came out of the camera! Shot as a JPEG and uploaded as such.In my camera bag
I have recently transitioned over to Sony gear and love the size and simplicity of shooting mirrorless. When I'm clambering over rocks and walking along beaches to shoot my 'go to' kit needs to be lightweight and versatile so now includes: Sony A6000 body, Sony 50mm f1.8 lens, Sony 18-50mm kit lens, Metabones adaptor with Canon 18-135mm lens I also use a lightweight Manfrotto tripod for those shots requiring a slower shutter speed or long exposure. It literally packs down small enough to fit into a backpack.Feedback
I find that consistency is the key. I venture out every morning in the hope of capturing something truly special. You can shoot at the same place everyday of the week and not find that magic moment then a few days later everything aligns and the tides, ocean, clouds etc all work in your favour...consistency has helped me to learn more about photography and given me a greater love of the outdoors. Go on, step outside before dawn...I dare you!
