Paphos Sunset
A sunset cruise on the horizon at Paphos
A sunset cruise on the horizon at Paphos
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Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This particular photo was taken off the beach in Paphos, Cyprus pointing out towards the main town during the month of August.Time
It was about 2030 in the evening after an absolute scorcher of a day. I think that when we were there they were experiencing a heat wave.Lighting
I had walked along the path parallel to the beach each night from our hotel to Paphos town. Most nights pushing a pram and trying to get my 1 year old boy asleep. Every night the sunsets were gorgeous although there was no way that I would have the ability to jump down onto the beach to get the better viewing angle and take a shot. On this particular night I had left my son with my wife, and ventured along the coast in search of a decent photo. I was happy with the sunset that I was rewarded with!!Equipment
At the time I had just switched to a Full frame DSLR (D800) after many years of using a crop sensor (D90). At the same time I had also invested in some decent glass. The shot was taken using a Nikon 24-70 f2.8. The sharpness that this gives you is second to none, and is regularly my 'go to' lens. I did also have a tripod (Three Legged Thing - Dave), as I nearly always like to try and get some low light images whilst I am away in an unusual location. Packing all this heavy gear and getting away with it as hand luggage is certainly a challenge though.Inspiration
The photo almost presented itself. As I was waiting for the sun to set this boat was moving right into shot. I like the old style of the boat, looking almost like a pirate ship. Obviously it was too good an opportunity to miss, and my main focus whilst awaiting the perfect moment was to compose the shot correctly. I wanted to make sure that the boat was roughly on the third of the square crop, and also ensure that there was something of interest within the foreground. My only gripe about the photograph is that I would have loved to have seen some more cloud in the sky, there are traces, but anyone that has been to Cyprus doing August will know that the cloud stands little chance of appearing with such intense heat!!Editing
I think in terms of post processing, there wasn't a great deal. Just the square crop and lens correction. The colours really were pretty intense without the need for modification.In my camera bag
In my bag I have my trusty Nikon D800 (with battery grip), Nikon 24-70 f2.8 (which I use for many situations), Nikon 70-200 f2.8 which I use regularly for sports photography (I support a local club in providing photographs for their promotional material). I then have one of my best purchase the Nikon 50mm f1.8, I think that I bought it for about £70 and for portrait photographs I still love the quality of this lens, so it is always in my bag. I have a selection of ND lenses (Graduated, and some Lee filters (such as the Big Stopper), a clothe/and lens brush. And finally one of the most important things, a set of headphones so whilst sitting and waiting for the perfect light I can listen to a bit of music (usually Ben Howard)Feedback
My best advice is firstly, invest in good glass. I know that it is cliche, however as soon as you experience taking a shot with a decent lens, and you nail the shot, you will never look back. The difference in final image quietly is unbelievable. Take a look at my photograph of a tiger at Chester Zoo to see what I am talking about, the detail you get it outstanding. And during Post processing you will see this by the levels of detail when you zoom in. Getting a new fancy camera body is great, but honestly the reward is much longer lasting with a great lens. The second bit of advice I would give to anyone is to enjoy every shoot, regardless of the end result. As a keen landscape photographer you are getting out into the fresh air, experiencing parts of the day that most 'normal' people choose to spend in the comfort of their beds. If you are rewarded with something spectacular then you will feel immediately like your day has been a complete success. There is no greater feeling than heading back home following a sunrise, or even a sunset with a great image on your memory card. Plugging it into your computer and looking at it properly for the first time is a buzz that I will never get tired of. If the weather is bad and you just get grey, wet weather at least you have been out and about before many people have even risen for the day.
