Dead Sea Sunset
Sunset over the coastline of the Dead Sea in Jordan
Sunset over the coastline of the Dead Sea in Jordan
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Jan, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken on the banks of the Dead Sea in Jordan, while on holiday there. It took a while to find a spot where I could clamber down a shallow, rocky cliff to get to the shoreline, and the flies and sweat were phenomenal, but I had an hour or so of snapping away and it was worth it.Time
Dusk. I got into position as the sun was fading and took a series of shots from different angles, trying to get the perfect shot with the right amount of light. Eventually I realised it was too dark for any more photos so packed up... then realised I was on a deserted, rocky shore, somewhere at the bottom of a 100-foot rocky cliff in darkness with a load of camera gear to carry. Was an interesting and faintly panicked scramble back up onto the road...Lighting
The light was getting very low by this point so exposures were long. The problem at that time of day is that the light changes constantly, and having to wait 15 seconds for an exposure is tense. I was basically taking one after another, trying various settings and compositions and constantly lengthening exposure times.Equipment
All the equipment was relatively modest - and EOS 40D with a Canon 10-22mm lens and some nameless, tiny cheap tripod. I also had an ND filter - but I'm still yet to buy anything myself in this area, so just had an old Cokin one borrowed from my Dad. He bought it in the 70s and it's old and scratched and lives in a small plastic bag in my camera case. I don't have any kind of mount so just hold it in place with my fingers. To be honest, I'm not advocating this approach, it's awful! Only 1 in every 3 or 4 shots is usable and doesn't feature my fingers in it, or reflections from not being able to hold it straight. The problem here was that the tripod was small and wobbly, and I wanted a low angle anyway, so I was having to squat. Over an hour in 40 degree heat, squatting while trying to hold a piece of plastic exactly still for 15 seconds at a time at arm's length over and over again while ignoring the giant flies settling on my face was tiring! I was dripping in sweat for the entire session.Inspiration
The Dead Sea is a once in a lifetime experience and something I had to try and capture. Plus, it's beautiful, in parts anyway. Most of the coastline is just shear cliffs with a road running around the edge, but spotting a shallower area with rocks in the sea by the shore on the drive to the hotel, I promised myself to return in the evening. Spent a fair bit of time trying to find a decent spot that was actually accessible by foot as well as with some interesting features, but luckily the sunset didn't disappoint.Editing
There's actually very little processing here. The colours in the sky and the sea's reflection were all there - I just lifted the contrast and added some vignetting to focus the eye on the centre of the image (a regular weakness of mine).In my camera bag
I now have a Nikon D750, so that and a Sigma 35mm is the basic I'd take anywhere. On top of that, I'd started getting much more into flash photography so would take my Yongnuo 568. After that, there's a big case with all kinds of goodies in, but the key is to take what you need and not everything ever made.Feedback
Find a spot well in advance. Sunsets move fast and you need to be in the right place and fully set up long before the light starts to fade. Also, if you're way from civilisation, plan your escape route in the dark! And buy a mount for your filters.
