Milky Blue
Caused by minute phytoplankton, 2.7kilometers of electric blue biofluorescence light up rolling surf in southern Tasmania on the night of 18-5-2015. Set off by ...
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Caused by minute phytoplankton, 2.7kilometers of electric blue biofluorescence light up rolling surf in southern Tasmania on the night of 18-5-2015. Set off by the overarching magnificence of the Milky Way.
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May, 2015Views
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Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Sometimes night photography presents an unexpected opportunity to capture nature in a totally different way. I was gifted this chance while I was waiting for a potential aurora on Tasmania's Park Beach, 45 minutes south of Hobart. While the aurora was a no-show, bioluminescence was extremely active in the incoming waves that night and the Milky Way was providing a glowing backdrop in the clear Tassie air.Time
It was mid evening on a not so chilly April night, I'd arrived at around 9pm and time lapse shot some bio wave action when the blue began to appear in the incoming tide. Noctiluca Scintillans react in agitated water by flashing an electric blue, some think as communication, some as a defensive display. Whatever the reason it can be spectacular, when one fires off it's luminescence it triggers others nearby to do the same, resulting in a spreading explosion of electric blue. It can be a bit difficult to catch in camera, too long an exposure will blur the waves, too short might under expose the glow. I opted for 4000 ISO so I could limit the time lapse to around 8 seconds, which was about the time of one wave's run from the break into the beach.Lighting
It was a moonless night, the sand and shallows were dimly lit by the few houses along the dunes along this 2.7 kilometre stretch of surf beach. The scene had the overarching grandeur of the Milky Way dimly lighting the background landscape and I had it all to myself. After half an hour in the dark my eyes had adjusted to the low light and the night air felt good. The Milky Way glowed above me and the waves broke with a comforting repetition. I thought I'd get some astro shots since the aurora was in no hurry to show up and the Milky Way was looking so good. I'd taken a couple of shots at about 10 seconds with the ISO backed off to around 800. Then I noticed I was getting a hint of blue in camera, in the waves beneath it. I bumped the exposure time to 13 seconds, figuring the waves were a long way down the run of beach and wouldn't move too far in camera, I was using a 24mm prime lens as well and that would help avoid blur a bit. It was then that the entire beach lit up, all 2.7 kilometres had blue in the waves as some heavier waves came in. I took about 10 shots while the run of surf and the taking was so good.Equipment
I use Canon, a 6D Mark 1 full frame, ideal for low light exposures with excellent low noise capability. My lens of choice for low light, particularly for aurora shooting, is a Samyang 24mm. Set on a predictably efficient Manfrotto and I use a radio remote shutter release.Inspiration
The difference in the light at night can result in a shot way out of the mundane. Digital photography has given us the opportunity to explore low light photography in ways only limited by our imagination. A shot lit by the stars was unheard of in the film days. The chance on this night to get both the Milky Way and such an expanse of sea lit by bioluminescence in the same shot was a great experience.Editing
I shoot in RAW and process in Lightroom, this shot was boosted slightly in the shadow areas, but not so much that it would interfere with the intensity of the highlights. Contrast was upped slightly as well.In my camera bag
I usually carry a Canon 100-400mm zoom for day shooting, land and seascapes. I have a 1.4X teleconverter as a goto for extra length on the zoom. I also use the 24-105mm Canon kit lens a lot for general shooting. For night shooting, Samyang 24mm and 14mm prime lenses. A sigma macro for bug shooting. Radio remote, Manfrotto pod, a rainhood, ND filters. Oh! and hand warmers, a must for night shooting.Feedback
Patience and determination are useful tools to wait out the arrival of a possible event in the dark. An aurora no-show or a bio no-show. We all go home empty handed at times, but often we go home satisfied that we've bagged a shot that'll knock somebody's eyes out. That brings us back out again. Rug up, I have a snow hood, beanie and gloves. Take munchies and a warm drink flask and a fold up chair. If you have to wait, do it in style. Good shooting.
