When the sky broke into sunset... and the water caught fire.
One of the most vibrant sunset I ever witnessed.
One of the most vibrant sunset I ever witnessed.
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May, 2016Views
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Contest Finalist in Surf And The Ocean Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photograph was taken at Natural Bridges State Park, near Santa Cruz, California.Time
December 31st, 2011, at 6:28 pm. Roughly 10 minutes past sunset.Lighting
The best light they say is the after glow 10-20minutes after the sunset. This was that afterglow taken about 10 minutes after the sun had set.Equipment
Canon T2i, also known as Canon 550d, a 18-55mm Canon kit lens, with polarizing filter to get the best reflection and a Targus tripod. The shot was taken at 22mm on a crop sensor camera, so at an effective focal length of 35mm. Exposure was 3.5secs, and ISO 100. I had used a 2 sec. self-timer to avoid shakes.Inspiration
" Nature is the biggest inspiration." As a landscape photographer, I can say, nothing's truer. The view in front of me was awe-inspiring. The light was perfect. I was at the right place at the right time and I took the shot. :)Editing
Yes. If capturing the shot is like cooking a dish, then post-processing it is like tempering and garnishing that dish to make it appealing and complete. But am not much of a surrealist. Usually my style is to stay true to what I saw and what I see at the back of my camera. That is what I did with this image too. I had captured this image in RAW and had used Adobe Lightroom 5 to edit this shot. Post processing involved slight noise reduction and adding clarity. I dodged and burned a bit locally to get the final picture.In my camera bag
A Canon T2i Camera, a Canon10-22 lens, a Canon 18-55 kit lens, a Canon 50mm, a Rokinon 14mm f/2.0 lens, a crystal ball, a remote trigger, a GND filter, a big-stopper and a filter holder. All my lenses usually have a circular polarizing filters on, which I remove occasionally to use a GND. I also carry a shower cap and blower when traveling to shoot.Feedback
My advice to anyone looking for one... 1) Master your gear. That way, when the time comes, you get it right. 2) Always be prepared. Batteries charged. Cable release handy. Filters in place. One of the common mistakes I see folks starting out do, is to not be prepared. 3) Don't be fixated on one shot or one shoot. Be open to alternatives. I had gone to shoot migratory monarch butterflies at a sanctuary by the beach, but was out of luck as far few butterflies had come that year. Was returning home disappointed, when I saw the sky filling up with clouds. Had driven out a few miles, when I turned back, returned and ran down to the beach. And am glad that I did. If I had left the place after not getting to shoot butterfly kaleidoscope, I'd never have witnessed the best sunset of my life, let alone have gotten this shot. 4) If shooting a sunrise, be at the spot at least 30 minutes before the sunrise time. If shooting a sunset, plan to stay at least 30minutes after. The best light, often is before and after the sunrise/sunset respectively. So plan accordingly. 5) Try and learn the basics of reading weather. You may have to travel a bit to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right conditions. Being able to read weather is one of the useful skills of a landscape photographer that'll save you a lot of trips. And being patient is the other. 6) When you are out there, enjoy what you see. It's more than just a shot. It's a memory. :)
