Kata On The Rocks
Thanks for the tips I've picked up from the Viewbug Community on this one - particularly Wolongshan. First time I've been able to get an opportunity t...
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Thanks for the tips I've picked up from the Viewbug Community on this one - particularly Wolongshan. First time I've been able to get an opportunity to take a reasonable shot using filters to do long exposure and capture silky waves.
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Apr, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on Kata Noi Beach, Phuket, Thailand. I'm an amateur photographer and still experimenting. This was a chance to take a sunset shot in a stunning location and test out ND filters.Time
Seeing the waves swell around the rocks on this west facing location I thought it would make for a good sunset shot. In May the sun in Phuket begins to set at 6.30pm. I set up at about 6pm. This shot was taken around 645pm.Lighting
The light during sunsets is constantly changing which makes them really interest to photograph as a series. The only problem is then picking out the best ones afterwards! What I wanted was to get a balance between foreground detail, colour in the horizon, reflections and the silkiness of the waves. I took about 30 shots in the end trying a few different exposure times and combination of filters. Luckily a few of them worked out.Equipment
This was shot using a Canon600D with a Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens. I of course used a tripod - a Manfrotto 190XPROB with Giottos MH500 head. This served me well and was very stable on the wet sand. I used the XC source filter set. Good value of money if you're starting out. For this shot I combined the ND2, ND8 filters and ND8 graduated filter.Inspiration
I love these types of shots and seen many great ones in magazines and Viewbug. I've also read some great tutorials on how to take them and was keen to put it into practise. I've been hoping to come across such a location for a while and this rocky spot at the end of the Kata Noi beach proved to be a decent opportunity. It would of been nice if the waves had a bit more movement but I'm still happy with the results.Editing
I think there's a lot of fun and creativity to be had in post production and I use Lightroom. Having said that on this particularly shot I didn't need to do too much. Some slight adjustments of the white balance, contrast, clarity and vibrance were enough.In my camera bag
Other than the standard lens kit for the Canon 600D I've only added the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens. From what I've seen so far it's a great lens - versatile and takes decent shots. It's quite heavy when you first attach it up but you soon get used to it.Feedback
Taking photos of sunsets is hugely rewarding. I've taken shots with only a sandy beach in the foreground. I think foreground interest like the rock formations really adds to the image and opens up opportunities for experimenting with longer exposures and capturing silky waves. If you can, set up an hour before hand to try a few different angles and see what works best. Don't forget to keep take photos up to an hour after the sun sets as the light continues to change.
