Looking Down at the Sky
Was driving out to do a shoot when I noticed this alley and an amazing sky that was produced after a storm. So I turned the car around and eventually got this s...
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Was driving out to do a shoot when I noticed this alley and an amazing sky that was produced after a storm. So I turned the car around and eventually got this shot!
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Jun, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in my small hometown of Chatfield Minnesota. Believe it or not this is one of the three small alleyways that Chatfield has to offer. That's how small the town is.Time
I believe it was 8:30ish. A storm had just past as the sun was setting.Lighting
This is a great example of why I shoot everything in Manual mode. I wanted to keep most of the focus and clarity in the sky and didn't want to flush out the any of the highlights so I shot it at a higher shutter speed and ISO of 800.Equipment
I used my Canon 6D with a 24-105mm lens. Since the shot was low to the ground I took this handheld without a tripod.Inspiration
I was actually driving to a small waterfall location to take pictures about 15 minutes out from here, but as I was driving I couldn't help but keep looking at the sunset. As I passed this street I knew I HAD TO stop to take a few quick pictures. So I quickly turned around and managed to capture this photo.Editing
Yes. I use Adobe Lightroom to edit all of my photos. Since I wanted to keep the focus on the sky I kept the shadows minimal on the buildings and had them gradually get brighter as they got towards the middle of the image. I have a huge passion for capturing different tones and this was the perfect image to edit to show that. I primarily focused on the oranges, reds, and magentas to have this sort of fiery gradient in the sky.In my camera bag
I always carry my two cameras with me; Panasonic GH4, and Canon 6D. I use my Canon camera for mostly pictures and my GH4 for more videos (4K). I only have two lenses for my Canon and they are the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, and the Canon EF 24-105mm. For my GH4 I have a Rokinon 14mm wide angle and a 45mm Olympus lens. Other than that I just keep a few extra spare batteries for both cameras and some lens cleaners.Feedback
Yes! Whenever you are taking photos with the sky as a primary focus it's always nice to underexpose a little. Keeping your foreground shadows slightly visible and not completely black is the best way in my opinion. That way you have more room to edit the colors of the highlights in the sky without distorting them or bringing in any noise. Your shadows will be very dark but your sky will be very clear. Lightroom does a great job of bringing back shadows, just as long as your shooting in RAW, so don't be scared that your foreground is a little dark when first viewing your pictures on your camera. Tones and clouds are essential for great photos of the sky. So I tend to only shoot these kind of photos when there are clouds in the sky. Finally, the editing process is all about experimentation, so don't be afraid to try and add some exposure gradients, it can add a lot character to your sky.
