Week 21 - Decisive Moment
Week 21 of a 52 Week Photo Critique Course
Week 21 of a 52 Week Photo Critique Course
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May, 2016Views
466
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Awards
Winner in Spritual Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rank
Top 30 rank
Top 20 rank
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Fred W. Symmes Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville. It is often referred to as Pretty Place by locals and visitors.Time
I ventured up to Pretty Place for the sunrise and arrived about an hour before the sun crested over the mountains. I was taking a Photo Challenge Course at the time and the weeks challenge was Decisive Moments (only taking a single image of that moment instead of choosing from multiple images taken at the time) so I waited till the sky started to lighten before I captured the moment. The photo was taken about 15 minutes before sunrise.Lighting
I used all natural lighting. The morning light filtering through the fog and clouds in the distance created the beautiful silhouette of the cross and strangers taking in the view.Equipment
This image was shot on my Nikon D7000 with a AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm 1:3.5-5.6 lens. I had recently broken my tripod, so to get the stability for the longer exposure that was needed, I rested the camera on the top step of the chapel seating.Inspiration
A good friend of mine invited me to Pretty Place to watch the sunrise and I ended up almost forgetting to grab my camera when I left my apartment at 0400. The peacefulness and beauty that was in front of us was amazing, even in the half light of the morning. While I was waiting for my friend to show up, I was sitting there, taking in the moment and decided that this was the image that I wanted to capture.Editing
I try to keep my images as close to the original as possible. I did some minimal adjustments (darkened the silhouettes) and cropped the image so that it wasn't too crooked.In my camera bag
I tend just to grab my camera body and a lens when I go. The two go-to lenses that I keep are my 18-105mm and a fixed 50mm. If I know that I am going to be taking a bunch of photos, I snag an extra battery and my 35mm film camera. Sometimes I will also have a small, waterproof point and shoot camera and a GoPro, depending on where I plan on going.Feedback
Since taking this photo, I have seen a ton of amazing photos from this same exact location. All of them are different, because each artist sees the world in a different way. The difficult thing is not to compare yourself (or your own photos) to other photographers, but let them inspire you to better yourself. Take in what they are saying through their images and learn from the struggles and processes they share. When you arrive at a location that multiple others have photographed before, let the place speak to you personally. Find the image that you want to capture, not necessarily the image that everyone else is searching for. If you fall in love with a location, return to it and see if you hear it sharing another story, another image that only you are capable of capturing. And always remember to grab your camera before you head out the door, even if you don't plan on taking photos that day. It's better to have it and not need it than to reach for it and it no be there.
