Mystic Morning
Sunrise captured of Milford Sound in New Zealand. It is Maori legend that this land is where the "spirit world meets the physical world". After spending time in...
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Sunrise captured of Milford Sound in New Zealand. It is Maori legend that this land is where the "spirit world meets the physical world". After spending time in the area it is easy to feel this phenomena within you as it connects with your soul.
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Jun, 2015Views
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Awards
Top Shot Award 21
Lucky 3 Award
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Contest Finalist in The Outdoors Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Still Waters Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Rule Of Seconds Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 22
Contest Finalist in Celebrating Nature Day Photo Contest 2015
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 12 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Enchanting Waterscapes Photo Contest
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
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Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took my first big step towards becoming a travel and landscape photographer by setting any fear aside and I went on my first solo trip to New Zealand. I backpacked there for three weeks around both the north and south island. This picture was my last stop: Milford Sound. It is Maori legend that this land is where the "spirit world meets the physical world".Time
When I first arrived to Milford Sound it had been raining a lot that evening. But I didn't let that stop me as I still adventured from my hostel to the location of this picture. That evening I had met another travel photographer from Italy. We set up to wake up before sunrise. We woke early and looked out at the sky and you could see stars, we knew we would be in for the opportunity of a good sunrise. We headed down to this location before any glimpse of daylight. We watched as a low hanging cloud was hovering into place. As the sun began to rise behind us we went from a beautifully silhouetted Milford Sounds to different shades of blues, purples, and pinks as the sky began to become painted in different colors. This picture was taken at 5:54am on April 13.Lighting
Often times when we think about sunrise or sunset, it's so easy for us to look at the direction of the sun. When we do this we can fail to see the beauty that is behind us. In the case of this picture, the sunrise was coming from behind us, and I had to patiently wait for it to paint the sky in front of me. Often when shooting the opposite direction what you want to look for are clouds over your scene to capture the colors from the sunrise or sunset. In the case of this picture, I did not have high hanging clouds at this early stage of the sunrise. however it did cast beautiful soft tones of purples, pinks, and blues. Waiting a little bit longer this morning some over head clouds did move in and they captured vibrant yellows and oranges.Equipment
I shot this picture with a Sony A77II with a 16-50mm 2.8 lens. My settings were ISO 50, f/9.0, an exposure time for 30 seconds, and a focal length of 220/10. To help steady my shot for the 30 second exposure was a Manfrotto Tripod.Inspiration
When I was looking at my trip to New Zealand, I had seen pictures of Milford Sound and new it was going to be an incredible place to go. I saved it as my last location as I felt it would be an incredible final destination. The location itself is inspiring. When you are there you can see why the native Maori's had a name for it that translates to. "where the spirit world meets the physical world". It's easy to feel that connection between this place and your soul. I had also met a professional travel photographer my first night in Milford Sound and we connected and both wanted to capture this scene for sunrise. I was able to learn a great deal from my conversations with him.Editing
Often times with sunrise or sunset pictures it requires some post processing. With these shots the camera will either pick up the color and detail of the sky and make the foreground dark, or pick up the depth of foreground and wash out the sky. So with this image I did have to go into photoshop and give it the effect of a double exposure by creating multiple layers to keep the integrity of the sky but still add some detail to the mountains and grass within the water. It is a great way to make the picture look as if someone is standing at the scene and how their eyes would perceive it.In my camera bag
For my backpacking trip to New Zealand I knew that I had to be limited in my camera equipment for the trip. So within my trip I took my Sony A77II, my 16-50mm 2.8, 50mm 2.8, and 75-300mm 4.5-5.6 lens. I also brought with me my Manfrotto tripod.Feedback
With any location you go to, it is important to do some research about the location. Often landscapes are diverse and weather can change quickly as well. It is important to have a plan. Whether shooting sunrise or sunset it is important to get to your location early before the expected sunrise/sunset time. This is important as you may need to move to a different or better place within the scene. When shooting with water for a reflection, this is incredibly important as there may be different tides as well as pool spots. For shooting reflections in water, it is vital to find a place with a very calm pool, so there are no ripples or water movement, as this will give the mirror appearance. When shooting sunrise or sunset pictures it is easy to fall into a comfort of looking into the direction of the sun. But it can be even more incredible to turn around and see what the rays are painting the other direction. Do not be afraid to go to a location that does not have the sun rising or or setting over it. Have patience, experiment, but importantly have fun and take in and love your surroundings.
