Frankfort Lighthouse
Oct, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in Frankfort, Michigan on my way to Traverse City, Michigan.Time
It was early evening, probably about 4 or 5 pm. I was driving to Traverse City, Michigan that evening to spend a few days out of town.Lighting
The sun was sparkling off the water and to me it was too beautiful not to capture. The way the clouds hazed out some of the brighter spots make the light on the water all the much more brighter and makes it pop better than if the sky was bright as well.Equipment
I run with a Canon Rebel XSi, which I have had for eight years. No flash, just the standard lens for this one. I don't use a tripod unless I am shooting at night. I love the freedom of hand holding my camera and setting up the shot the way I see it instead of fighting with a tripod to set it.Inspiration
I was going through a very tough time when I was taking the drive out to Traverse City. My ex-boyfriend and I were arguing pretty much all the time so I took the drive to clear my head. I took my camera with me, because it goes everywhere I do and I ended up on this beach in Frankfort somehow. I met a really nice lady who was walking her dog who told me that God had a plan for me and that she will pray for me. Lighthouses was something my ex-boyfriend absolutely loved, so I started a project to take photos of them for him. Now that we are apart, I take them for me because I find them beautiful.Editing
I do very little post-processing. I edit the levels, the sharpness, and I stamp it with my watermark. I don't believe in over editing every photo I take. I keep it light and quick. I feel over-editing takes away from my skill as a photographer. Very few times do I heavily edit and it is usually just to see what programs can really do.In my camera bag
My camera bag actually just got updated with some new equipment. For the Rebel XSi there is now: The camera itself, along with it's original standard lens. 2 lens pens 1 air puffer 1 star six filter 1 cross screen filter 2 UV filters A set of colored filters for dynamics 1 Telephoto lens 1 Macro lens with fisheye attachment The battery charger The camera manual and the instructions for the lenses and remote shutter 1 Remote Shutter 2 Cleaning cloths (microfiber of course) 1 Flash light A small bag of Q-Tipslo A small bottle of lens cleanerFeedback
Go to where you think is pretty and spend the day shooting. The light changes as the day goes on and my preferred time to shoot is very early in the morning or evening to complete night. Midday light is harsh, but good for certain subjects such as landscapes if you enjoy the stark shadows. I enjoy doing the setting sun where the light is warm but the shadows are long and soft. Learning to see light, in the way to make it work with you and not against you is a journey, and is a very fun one. Look for the color of light, look at how it reflects, look at how it plays across your subject. And don't forget to always have fun while doing this.
