Rock on Black Beach
Shot in Vik, Iceland
Shot in Vik, Iceland
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Dec, 2013Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in The Zen Moment Photo Contest
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Contest Finalist in The Ocean And The Clouds Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Landscapes Of Iceland Photo Contest
Runner Up in Serenity Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Serenity Photo Contest
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BowmanLifeStudios
January 11, 2014
Excellent B/W very moody feel with the clouds... Beautiful textures with the sand and waves, Nicely done!
RolandRuttenPhotography
January 12, 2014
Strong shot, the sea seems to be a mist! This photo has a meaning! well done!
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stuarthowarth
January 12, 2014
I am over the moon to see this photo featured. Thanks for all of your comments :)
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Reynishverfi beach in Vik, Iceland.Time
This was shot just before dusk.Lighting
Light was pretty low due to the stormy weather we had been having and the setting sun was blocked out by the clouds. That said the clouds had begun to break slightly so it wasn't a dull grey blanket.Equipment
This shot was taken on a Canon 7D with a Tokina 11-16mm Lens attached. It was shot on a Slik 400DX tripod as i had to use a long shutter speed. It was a 10 second exposure at f/11, ISO 100 at 14mm.Inspiration
I wanted to frame the rocks in the background by the black beach, however the black beach is pretty dull on its own and i knew to make a decent shot i would need to find some interesting foreground features. Dotted along the beach were these pebbles, both large and small. I spotted one that was on its own and was big enough to create enough foreground detail whilst still creating the simple shot i was looking for.Editing
The photo was converted to black and white and I had altered the exposure, highlights and blacks to add a good level of contrast and make the image punchy. Other than that nothing else was done.In my camera bag
I usually carry a Canon 7D, Canon G12 and a GoPro Hero 2. I always try and take one of my vintage film cameras too but I have too many to list here. Lens wise for my 7D I shoot with a Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 70-200mm f/4 L, Tamron 24-70mm F/2.8 VC and a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. I tend to always have my CPL filter and my ND filters. I also carry an intervelometer for night time shots and my timelapse videos that i like to shoot. Since taking this shot I upgraded my tripod to a 3 Legged Thing Brian but depending on where I am going I may decide to take my Gorrilapod Focus instead. Depending on how much equipment I decide to carry I will either have them in my Crumpler Cupcake bag or Kata 3n1. I also carry a Sigma 500DX flash.Feedback
The trick to creating an image like this is to find interesting foreground and background features that will not create clutter. I never had a glorious sunset but for this image I'm glad I didn't as the stormy clouds contrast against the calm looking sea and beach. I followed the rule of thirds for this shot and the beach created a nice lead in line that leads the viewers eye along the beach up to the rocks in the background. A tripod was paramount for this shot so a good sturdy tripod is a must and I got down pretty low to make the rock look bigger than it actually was, using a wide angle lens enabled me to get close to the rock, again making it look bigger. Shooting with the lens at f/11 ensured that detail and sharpness was apparent throughout throughout the whole image and the slow shutter speed simplified the angry sea. Move around the subject and take shots so that you can choose the best ones as your first composition you take might not actually be the best one. Using a shutter release is also useful but should you not have one then put your camera on to self timer mode as this will allow you to press the shutter and let the camera settle down. other than that, have fun :)
