Glorious Morning
Sep, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image was a sunrise opportunity at one of the famous barns on the east side of the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming, USA.Time
I arrived in the pitch of darkness. Found the spot with headlamp and flashlight only because I had scouted it out the previous evening. Waiting for sweet light the clouds actually were heavier and didn't really allow for a nicely lit scene. It wasn't until the sun had risen above the horizon that I was able to make an exposure I was happy with.Lighting
Well, if you don't use the natural light in a direction that enhances the textures, colors and shapes of your scene you are not creating the best possible image you could. Light shapes, defines and tells the story of all that we see and experience. As beautiful as light is, a flatly light scene will not have interest to a viewer. Hence, it probably won't sell in a gallery show. Using light at angles that best dramatizes and enhances your vision, will create an experience, an opportunity for your viewer to want to "walk into your image". You have to create an invitation for the viewer to want to engage and interact using their emotions and feelings with your photograph.Equipment
Canon 5d MK3s, 24-70mm f2.8 EF lens. I always use a tripod. I like the Induro C313 with the Really Right Stuff BH-55 head. Remote release is mandatory! And it's all on manual. This was shot at 24mm at f11 @30 sec. I use a Singh-Ray warming polarizing filterInspiration
The pre-dawn sky was amazing and I thought, and hoped that the sunrise would be this magnificent! The placement of the barn in the scene was to show dramatic contrast between the jagged mountain tops of the Tetons and the simplicity of the straight lines of the barn's shape.Editing
I ran the image through Lightroom to white balance, optimize density and add a little clarity to the scene. I then exported it to Photoshop to Use the NIK Software suite and add some more contrast in certain areas.In my camera bag
My camera bag almost always carries this equipment . . . Canon 5D Mark IIIS Canon 5D Mark II Canon 10D - converted IR sensor (FUN!) 15mm f4 17mm-40mm f2.8 24-70mm f2.8 70-200mm f2.8 100-400mm f4.6-5.6 100mm Macro f2.8 2x Telextender Induro CF 313 Tripod Sirui Tripod Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead Hoodman Loupe Singh-Ray Filters * Warming Polarizer Sing-Ray Filter * Vari-ND 8 stop Sing-Ray Filter * Mor-Slo ND 10 stop Singh-Ray Filter * Rowell ND gradient filters * FLV (flourescent light) It's for a fun effect at sunrise/sunset Flashlights, head-lamps, knife, screwdriver, gaffer tape, bubblegum, lip gloss, band-aids, whistle, joke book.Feedback
It requires a lot of patience and planning to get these early morning captures. I research the sunrise tables, weather predictions and do a lot of scouting so I kow I'll be in the right place when the sky and sun are at their best. Many times a bank of clouds sets up as the sun begins it's day and can ruin your shot. Patience....and probably a trip back to the spot on the next day! Pre-visualization is a very important tool to have in your camera bag too. I will see a scene and visualize it already hanging on the wall. This was a regular practice Ansel Adams used with everyone of his images. So you have to know your camera, lenses, software and printing process very well so you can create exactly, or close to it, what you see in your head before you make the exposure. Pre-visualization creates a blueprint for you to know how to finish an image when you sit down to post-process them.
