The Sirens
I composed this shot while the sky was trying to decide if it wanted to present the evening with rain or sunshine. I call this photograph "the Sirens" because t...
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I composed this shot while the sky was trying to decide if it wanted to present the evening with rain or sunshine. I call this photograph "the Sirens" because these three rocks sit firmly planted in the cool blue waters of the Pacific, while beckoning to those who pass by to come closer and closer. One must remind their self not succumb to allure of these beauties . One wrong step and the mighty Pacific will swallow you whole.
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Apr, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
"Sirens" Was photographed along the California coast just off of The Great Highway. The Pacific coast is one of my favorite places to photograph because you really can see the ocean come to life in a very moody sort of a way. It's a humbling place to be where one realizes the grand force and beauty of mother nature.Time
I will often spend multiple days and nights at a location to better familiarize myself with the surroundings. Although happy little accidents do occur once in a while, it is important not to underestimate the importance of scouting if you want to get consistently good images. I had visited this location earlier in the day while the sun was rather harsh. I did not take any photos but I did take a mental note of the potential. I continued to scout the area as the coastal fog began to creep in off of the Pacific. I took a few reference photographs from time to time, but they were nothing more than that and no real artistic value. As evening time approached the fog began to break illuminating the clouds with moody golden light. I hurried back to this location and took a few shots. It didn't take long for the fog to dissipate so timing was key in order to catch that magical lighting between sun and fog.Lighting
Lighting is everything!!! I can't say that enough. Being a good photographer starts with the ability to recognize little details. Watch how light changes the way an object looks throughout the day and then you will know what good lighting looks like. Seeing good light is usually pretty easy but noticing bad lighting is a little bit harder for new photographers. The biggest key is to make the light work for you. Use it to your advantage and work with it not against it.Equipment
I shot this on a Canon 5D with a 16-35mm f/2.8 L Lens. I used a combination of a Lee graduated filter and a B+W 82mm Kaesemann Circular Polarizer Extra Wide MRC Filter. This filter is great for eliminating vignetting on ultra wide lenses. Lastly I steadied my camera on a Gitzo Series 3 Tripod while sporting a Really Right Stuff Bh-40 Head.Inspiration
While I shoot a variety of photographic subjects, there are few things that make me feel more alive than mother nature. Landscape photography was the thing that inspired me to take photography seriously and dive deep into the never ending wormhole of gear and expression. Today I teach landscape photography workshops and I still find most of my inspiration in nature. The key to a successful image is paying attention to detail. When I head out with my camera I don't always come back with a zinger. With photography, you have to be patient and willing to wait for the light to treat you right. When I saw the golden light in the sky I knew it was time to get to work. I let nature do it's thing while I did mine.Editing
I always post process my images. Ansel Adams said "You don't take a photograph, you make it." That is as true today as it was in his day. Getting the settings right in camera is only half the battle. Some images need more tweaking than others, but the key is to have a vision of what you want the image to be in the end. What do you want the image to convey? Once you know that you can get to work. I usually start editing the file in Lightroom and will often use photoshop for any finishing touches that are needed. In light room I like to start out adjusting the tone of the image. I will often drag the highlights slider down a bit to bring back detail in the highlights. After that I will usually drag the whites to the right a pinch (sometimes more) and usually drag the shadows down a bit in the tone curve panel too. By doing these simple edits I've already increased the contrast of my image and I'm getting closer to where I want to be. If the image calls for it I will increase the vibrance as well but I really pay attention and make sure I don't over do it. I don't want a cartoon when I'm finished.In my camera bag
I always pack my Canon 5D body but depending on what I'm doing I may also pack my Canon 1V 35mm film body as well. When it comes to lenses I have a variety to choose from depending on the project but my pack almost always has a 16-35 ultra-wide, a 24-70 medium reach, and a 100-400 telephoto. In addition to these lenses I have a wide arsenal of Polarizers, ND, Graduated ND, and UV filters. I almost always have a filter on my lenses to project them and a good portion of the time its a Polarizer.Feedback
Whenever you are relying on natural light for your image you must be patient. Good images take planning. You can't just show up to a beautiful place and expect to walk away with a winner. You need to pay attention to weather and ideally give yourself more than one chance to find and nail the shot. If you are shooting near the ocean you will also have to pay attention to tide charts. Keep in mind that the average tidal range on the coast can be six to 12 feet. Thats a huge difference and can be the difference between a masterpiece and a picture. If the shoreline has interesting rock formations but the tide is too low you may only see rocks and no water or vise versa. Part of what makes "Sirens so appealing is the soft water caused by a thirty second exposure. When shooting the ocean you almost always want a slow shutter. How slow will depend on the effect that you are looking for. Two seconds with have a little movement but still have definition in some of the water. Thirty seconds will be pretty milky, but sometimes I will leave the shutter open for a minute or two if I want to completely blur the water. This technique will require the use of a deep ND filter in most cases though.
