Tangled Reflections
Here is a shot I got on Christmas Eve Morning at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, GA. The tide was retreating and the reflections were incredible. I spotted th...
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Here is a shot I got on Christmas Eve Morning at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, GA. The tide was retreating and the reflections were incredible. I spotted this composition and waited for the perfect moment.
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Dec, 2016Views
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People's Choice in Your First Photo on Viewbug Photo Challenge
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Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, GA. The beach isn't well marked, but it can be easy to find during the day since cars often are pulled off the road near the entrance of the beach.Time
I caught this shot on Christmas Eve morning. I arrived right as another photographer did and we both put on our head lamps and trekked out to the beach in the dark. As the sun started to rise, the beach filled and it became more difficult to find the perfect spot. Luckily, while I was wandering around getting shots from all over the beach, I found this location, which was perfect due to the tide level leaving a reflection in the sand.Lighting
With this shot, I was waiting for that perfect moment right before the sun truly came above the clouds and gave too much harsh light on this dramatic scene.Equipment
This was taken with a Canon 6D, EF 24-105mm F/4L IS USM on a tripod at 24mm, 100 ISO, f/22, 1/2s.Inspiration
I had been out to Driftwood Beach a few times before this, but I never caught the moment I had in my mind when I tried to describe this place to people. On this particular morning, I looked out the window as my alarm was going off around 4:30am and thought that it has the potential to be a special morning. When I arrived and saw the tide was crashing through the rocks, I thought a nice long exposure with the rocks would be great, especially since I knew more photographers were bound to show up. When I spotted this scene, my heart started to race because I knew I had something; it was the perfect combination of light, tide, and angle. I've been back many times since this shot and I've never again been this lucky.Editing
I edited this shot in Lightroom. The biggest thing I did was splice two shots together to create a panorama. Before combining the shots, I opened the shadows and decreased the highlights. I turned up the vibrance and enhanced the blacks and whites. From there, I played with the tone curves to get the lighting and contrast just right, and added a couple graduated filters, and a circular filter to emphasize the areas of the photo which are most important.In my camera bag
I usually am pretty bare. I keep my camera, tripod, a 50mm lens, 70-200mm lens, and an external flash.Feedback
The most important thing with catching sunrises, especially in popular locations, is to get there early. If the sun rises at 6:30am, you need to be there at 5:30am. Scout the location while you're there (using a headlamp, preferably) and use a sun tracker app to try and figure where the sun will rise. If you know where the sun will be, you can start picturing your scene and hoping for the right light. Be patient, but ready. Many times, you get perfect light for 2 minutes, and then it's gone. Other times, you get great color half hour before the sun comes up, get a weak sunrise, and then the sun adds something 5 minutes after the sunrise. Don't give up. There will be a shot to be had, even if it's not what you initially imagined. The best photographers are prepared, patient, observant, and damn lucky. Even if you miss on a great sunrise, remember you're outside in nature. That in itself is a blessing. Good luck, my friends!
