mwagstaff
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Experimenting with graduated filters!
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NatureLoverJJWal
August 13, 2015
Congratulation to this very interesting landscape. Catches my heart!
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Behind The Lens
Location
I must spend several hours each week gasping at some of the extraordinary places in the world, photographed by Viewbug members. Once or twice a year I get the opportunity to travel somewhere that gives me an opportunity to compete. One such visit was to the beautiful island of Gozo, a short swim from Malta. The west coast of Gozo is quite rugged and includes the Azure Window that every visitor photographs (including me). For the more intrepid tourist, a 15 minute walk along the coast brings you to a stunning bay, wonderfully shaped and with Fungus Rock at the mouth. The rock is a protected site, so visitors are prohibited in order to protect the sea birds from capture by humans!Time
In an ideal world I would have visited the site before 8am and captured the morning light, however when on holiday, the day doesn't start until a hearty breakfast has been consumed. As it happens, having arrived around 11am, the sun lit up the rock face on the right, allowing plenty of detail and with a bit of assistance from a graduated filter, I was able to deepen the blue of the sky and get a great angle of Fungus Rock. It was a fantastic place to kill a couple of hours, undisturbed and meant my return walk to the Azure Window was timed nicely so I could capture the famous arch in excellent light.Lighting
I'm the first to admit that as a part time hobby photographer, I rarely force myself to use the golden hours of natural light and indoor photography isn't my thing. However with a landscape, it's worth researching and looking at detailed maps to establish a sensible time to visit. It sounds obvious, but there's little point in arriving at mid day to point the camera southwards! I'm still practicing with graduated filters and much of what I do is trial and error, but a little forward planning is worthwhile.Equipment
I've already mentioned that I'm a casual hobby photographer, so I do suffer from lazyness when it comes to carrying equipment, so I usually plan ahead the style of pictures I'm going to take. The permanent fixture is my Sony A380 camera body and the standard 18-55 lens. I do however own and frequently use either a 300mm or 500mm Tamron lens when I'm out with the aim of capturing wildlife. Invariably I regret my decision and wish I had a different lens with me, so I'm still learning to "expect the unexpected".Inspiration
For a few years now my wife and I have been putting together a calendar of our photographic year, which we pass on to friends and family at Christmas. I've never seen the point in taking the same shot as everyone else, so our holidays are often spent in pursuit of a different angle and the least discovered places. I just love rugged coastal scenes and Gozo didn't let me down, so much so, we're going back later in 2015.Editing
Post-processing is a subject that gets me into trouble. Yes I'll crop a bit, maybe lighten a block of shadow or boost the contrast, but that's about it. To me, Photoshop and the skill involved to use it properly is not photography, it's photographic art, a different medium altogether. I do appreciate the skill in the creations, but I don't vote for them, sorry.In my camera bag
My camera is a Sony A380 and my lenses are Tamron, supported by a monopod (or borrowed tripod), a spare battery and ND graduated filters. From there it's a bottle of water, crisps and chocolate in the bag.Feedback
Coastal shots are a joy to capture, Whatever the weather, the sea and shoreline will offer endless opportunities for something interesting. Give some thought to where and when (sometimes if) the sun will be in the sky so you can at least have the sun anywhere but in your face! Contrast is vital to capture the detail of landscapes, so look for something that has opposites of light and shade, blues and creams and detail. Find an interesting feature to make the pictures focal point to draw the eye into the shot and although the rule of thirds is good advice, don't be afraid to break that rule.