The Symphony
The Rocks, Sydney, Australia. Where the land, sea, and sky, come together in beautiful harmony. Imagine this image without the moon....
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The Rocks, Sydney, Australia. Where the land, sea, and sky, come together in beautiful harmony. Imagine this image without the moon.
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Aug, 2016Views
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Awards
Great Shot
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Absolute Masterpiece
Genius
Top Ranks
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Top 20 rank
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I worked on the sailing yacht in this image. Our voyage took us from Tahiti to Sydney with numerous stops along the way. We tied up at an area of Sydney, Australia, called The Rocks, an area that is full of seaside bars and restaurants. I try to get images of the boat with known landmarks whenever possible to chronicle my travels, and this was a perfect spot.. Without a frame of reference the photo doesn't tell a story. I ended up inside a restaurant on the dock sharing space with a couple trying to have a romantic evening. When I was done the guy said, "Great, now we can get back to business." I was so focused I forgot all about them. In the end I sent them copy and all ended well.Time
It is difficult to remember what time it was. I think it was around 7:00Lighting
My goal was to get both the highlights on the opera house and the lights on the boat mast without blowing out the moonI. I usually underexpose by 1/3 stop to get more depth in the colors. A second shot had to be made exposing for the moon. I closed the shutter by a stop to to get the moon's detail. Then I blended the two images. The initial shot required several tries. Since I was shooting a boat on water I had to try numerous exposures to aviod motion. My final camera settings were: ISO 1000; f/9; 27mm, for 2s.Equipment
The camera I used was a Canon 1DS MK3 with Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L lens. The tripod I used was an, Induro, carbon fibreInspiration
Beauty is my inspiration. To start with, the boat was way beyond any fantasy I ever had of where my life would take me. That, thrown in with the setting, had me on the move.Editing
Yes. Since this required two shots I had to blend them. Beyond that there was some noise reduction and slight sharpening involvedIn my camera bag
Canon 5D Mk3: Canon 16-35 f/4L is; Canon 24-105 f/4L is; either Canon 100-400 L or 70-200 L; Canon 40mm f/2.8; Canon 85mm f/1.8; cable release; remote shutter trigger; grey, and warm, polarizers; lens cloth and flashlight. extra battery and memory cards; and a Canon 550 flashFeedback
Get there early, find your spot and wait, try numerous settings, don't be afraid to ask people to move. People are usually very helpful. One example. On the same night I wanted to shoot the boat with Sydney as a backdrop. I knew I could get the shot from the third floor of the hotel next to restaurant. I found the hotel manager, told him I was from the boat and what I was trying to do, and would it be possible to shoot from a vacant room. He allowed me to do it. I sent him a copy in case they could use it in their advertising. It is always appreciated when you offer to share the result. And, as an aside, if they do use it, they may contact you for work. Finally, make sure to keep track of your procedure for the next time your in a similar situation.
