Big Sur
watching the sunset from our campsite in the Big Sur mountains
watching the sunset from our campsite in the Big Sur mountains
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Jun, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
It was Labor Day weekend, 2015. My friends and I were camping up in the mountains near Big Sur, CA. We had used Hipcamp to get our campsite, so we were camping on a kind lady's property. She mentioned to us that the view of the sunset into the Pacific Ocean was fantastic from almost anywhere on the grounds. This photo was taken as we watched the sun set from one of the trails near our campsite.Time
This was taken close to 530-6pm, after we had been out hiking all day and decided to wind down by watching the sunset from a view that none of us had really ever had before.Lighting
We had an area of about 5-600 sq ft that had the best view. Fortunately, we go there early enough that the sun wasn't too low yet, and while I was standing in this spot, I couldn't help but really appreciate the vivid colors that were enveloping the area we were watching from. The branches hanging from one of the trees that we were standing near provided enough of a cover of the sun that the rest of the photo wasn't washed out with light.Equipment
This was a handheld shot on a Sony a5000 with the kit lens (16-50mm, f3.5-5.6).Inspiration
I really wanted to capture, as well as possible, the vibrancy of the entire scene that was unfolding in front of my eyes. Thankfully I was able to capture in photo form what I was actually seeing in front of me at the time.Editing
I did some minor post-processing in Lightroom, upping the shadows, adding a bit of sharpness, and increasing the vibrance and sautration ever so slightly. This photo really didn't need much.In my camera bag
My bag is a bit different now than it was when I took this photo. Nowadays, I have a Sony A6000 body, 3 prime lenses: a Sigma 19mm f2.8, a Zeiss Touit 32mm f1.8, and a legacy Minolta Rokkor 55mm f1.7 (with adapter); 2 extra batteries + battery charger, Pedco UltraPod II mini tripod, Zomei Z666 55" tripod, adjustable ND filter, StrapsNLife wrist strap, and a Langly shoulder strap.Feedback
Patience + practice. To be honest, as a recent hobbyist of photography (been almost 2 years now), I've learned that photography is just as much about luck as it is about skill. I can honestly say that I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time for this photo - had we decided to watch the sunset from anywhere else, I wouldn't have been able to get the exact shot that I did. So just be patient and try to see the angles. As you shoot more, you'll get a better feel for the shots you want and how to get them.
