Along the riverbank
Trekking along the floodbank on a cold November morning.
Trekking along the floodbank on a cold November morning.
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Apr, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Photo was taken on a floodbank south of the Narev River in Sikory, Poland.Time
It was a cold November morning, close to 9 am. I hoped to catch some early morning fog but somehow I ended up close to the river later than expected. As it turned out the luck was on my side. Some fog was still there but at the same time sun was already well up.Lighting
It was a cloudy day but the sun was struggling bravely to cut through the clouds and it created some interesting lighting. At this hour (close to 9 am) the fog which usually appears close to the river should be gone by then. But it was pretty cold and I guess that was the reason why some fog was still there. It was disappearing fast, though, so I wasted no time for setting up my tripod and shot 5 brackets handheld.Equipment
I used Samsung GX20 (which is a rebranded Pentax K20) and Sigma 18-50mm EX MACRO lens. I shot at F/9.5, 20mm wide. I did not bother setting up the tripod fearing that the traces of fog might be gone in the meantime. Pentax has always had a very good stabilisation in the body so I hoped it'd work for all the five brackets.Inspiration
Well... a cat. Honestly! I had an idea of going right to the riverbank, which is just a short walk behind the floodbank. But there was that homeless little guy running with me all the way through, just like a dog. It was cold and I felt so sorry for the cat that I decided to give up shooting and turn back to my wooden lodge (which is just nearby) to feed the craeture. I then thought the view along the floodbank was not that bad and shot a quick bracket. I wouldn't stop there if not because of that cat. It was the only photo I made that day. And yes, the cat was awesomly happy:)Editing
I merged 5 brackets in NIK Software HDR Efex Pro 2 just to get the even exposure. It helped to put some light into the deep shadows but at the same time kept a bit of a hazy look. It also helped to pull light from the sun cutting through the clouds. It was more than I hoped for! I then converted the resulting file into b&w in NIK Silver Efex Pro and added some toning.In my camera bag
I use Pentax DSLRs (K20 and K200D). They are built like a tank and are dust and water-proof. This is vital for me since I usually shoot derelict things and places (like ruined pillboxes, etc), sometimes crawling on my belly deep underground. I always carry Pentax flashguns and small (but tough) flashlight. It tends to be dark over there:) I use various Pentax (waterproof) lenses but I also like Sigma. Most often I use variations of 18-55mm, they are the most versatile, as well as wide angle lens to shoot in tight spaces. I have two tripods (Benro) but I do not use tripod very often.Feedback
If you are not lazy (like me) early morning fog is something incredible to shoot. Fog looks great in the forests or near the rivers and I'm lucky to have both near my summer house. Fog is also one of two things (the other being polarizing effect) which cannot really be replicated with software. There are many "fog" filters in various software suites but none comes close to the real thing. The cool thing about shooting fog is that you don't really need tack sharp (and expensive) lenses. After all, how much can you see in the fog in real life? It's all about capturing the feeling and the brain will tell you what might be lurking in the foig, even when you don't see it clearly. Zeiss lens won't help here:) Also, the good lesson from this shoot (also for me!) is: always pay attention to your surroundings! Even if your destonation and idea for the day are still somewhere else. You never know what you may miss if you don't stop for a while and look around:)
