_DSC1475___tonemapped-2v2
Dec, 2014Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Around The World Photo Contest Digital Camera World
Contest Finalist in Travel Destinations Photo Contest
Winner in Iconic Landmarks Photo Challenge
Peer Award
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Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo outside of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.Time
I shot this photo in the late afternoon at around 4pm. We had been caught in a rainstorm and then there was a break in the weather. In this time a rainbow had formed behind the colosseum and the clouds had formed a strange pattern to the east of the structure. I unpacked my gear and ran around the building to find the perfect point to shoot. I managed to get an angle where the rainbow fell behind the colosseum and the warm sunlight reflected from the cloud to the right of the iconic structure.Lighting
I used all natural light in this image in order to capture the colours of the rainbow and the sky. I used a fairly wide aperture and fast shutter speed in order to enhance the saturation of the colours.Equipment
I shot this image with a Nikon D7000 and a 10-20mm sigma lens. I didn't use a flash as I was too far away from my subject and it would have made no impact of the final image. I also shot this handheld without a tripod for this shot as I had very little time to capture the moment!Inspiration
Right place and right time to be honest. Once I saw the rainbow forming behind the colosseum it was a no brainer. A truly once in a lifetime opportunity for a photographer that I was extremely fortunate to be able to capture.Editing
I used a lot of post processing in this image. Firstly I used three RAW files from my Nikon and converted them to HDR in Photomatix Pro. In Photomatix I used a painterly style finish to create the illustrative design of the shot. In terms of setting in Photomatix I adjusted the tone compression, contrast, saturation and sharpness before exporting the image into Lightroom. In Lightroom in increased the clarity, sharpness and contrast and applied a very slight vignette to bring out the detail of the sky.In my camera bag
Most of my work is produced on the street and I have a comprehensive kit for that purpose. If I am out shooting I always make sure I am carrying a range of gear. Firstly I have my Nikon D7000 body as well as a battery grip and some extra batteries. You never know when you will find something interesting and sometimes a 2 hour walk can turn into 5 hours of shooting. Theres nothing worse than wishing you had more battery life to capture something. Regarding lenses I carry a range. Firstly I have an 18-300mm Nikon lens that is my go to lens and usually attached when i'm walking. I really like the flexibility this lens gives me and I can shoot anything from a low wide angle to a medium close up at all times. Secondly I have a 10-20mm sigma lens that I use for architectural imagery. I used this lens for the shot in Rome and I rarely find myself wanting for exterior shots with a limit of up to 10mm. When 10mm just doesn't cut it I have 2 fish eye lenses that always do the job. I have an 8mm fixed focus that I find is a great substitute for the 10-20mm and then in extreme cases I have a 6.5mm fish eye if a focal length of 8mm really isn't enough.Feedback
Always be aware of the weather forecast before you leave to shoot. I was extremely lucky to get this shot and it really was a case of right place right time. If however the forecast is for sun and showers there is always a good chance you will be able to spot a rainbow during the day. Make sure your gear is weather sealed or you have something to protect your equipment from the rain. Some shots are worth damaging gear for but most aren't especially if you have expensive high end equipment (something I hope to attain one day). If it is going to rain or snow when you are out and about try and find a sheltered location to shoot from, a lot of the time this isn't possible so its always worth investing in a weather cover for your camera if you are using your gear regularly in bad weather. Finally have a good filter on your lens. Even a bog standard UV filter helps with lens flare but can also protect your glass from scratches and wear an tear in this kind of environment. Most importantly you will need a good wide angle lens. I always carry a 10-20mm lens with me and I find it is excellent for nearly all architectural based shots. You can also get 8-16mm lenses which also give you that little bit of extra flexibility at wide angles.
