After the Hunt
We were done with duck hunting for the afternoon, standing around talking and someone noticed the color in the sky to the west. I shot a few pictures while eve...
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We were done with duck hunting for the afternoon, standing around talking and someone noticed the color in the sky to the west. I shot a few pictures while everyone else went home.
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Oct, 2015Views
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Fall Award 2020
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Absolute Masterpiece
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was on a farm in Minnesota owned by some of my relatives.Time
It was late afternoon / early evening, around 6:00 p.m. We had just finished up an afternoon duck hunt (it could more-accurately be called stand in the duck blind and visit as opposed to a hunt) and were now standing by our vehicles getting ready to leave. I was not necessarily planning to take any pictures, but I'm always watching for opportunities and I almost always have my camera nearby.Lighting
I was talking with my uncle and cousin after our afternoon hunt, and I had my back to this sunset. I noticed some clouds high in the sky to the east taking on a pinkish-orange tint and I commented on them, wondering if I might be able to make a nice picture out of them. My cousin said, "Yeah, it looks pretty nice back this way too." I turned around and saw this. Ten minutes before when we were getting our things out of the blind, there was hardly any color in the sky. Although it was getting dark, I'm thankful for lens stabilization, because I just grabbed my camera and started shooting, hand-held. This was at 1/60 sec, f/4, ISO 320. Since the color came to the sky so quickly, I was concerned it would disappear quickly too, so I just started shooting and didn't pull out my tripod or any other equipment.Equipment
I used a Sony A99 camera with an 18-250mm lens. No other equipment was involved.Inspiration
As often seems to be the case with me, this was being at the right place at the right time. I was out hunting / visiting with some relatives and was kind of surprised by the beautiful sunset. I am always looking to opportunities to capture the beauty of the creation, so I try to always have my camera along in case I see something worth shooting. My back was to this sunset as it was becoming colorful, and once it was pointed out to me I grabbed my camera and started shooting.Editing
I pull everything into Lightroom. I try to make minimal adjustments. Typically I adjust the blacks and whites, sometimes the shadows and/or the clarity. Mainly I try to get the picture to look like I remember it actually looking.In my camera bag
I carry a backup camera, a few lenses, a few filters, a cable release, and a tripod. I have a second bag that I sometimes bring that has a few more lenses and some equipment I use much less often.Feedback
I think my best advice is what I have heard from many others and said myself--always keep your camera with you. This shot was unplanned, but because I had my camera in my truck only a few steps away, I was able to grab it and capture the sunset.
