Illuminated path to the Milky Way
With so many amazing Milky way images out there I've really been wanting to play more with the influence I have over the image and push the creative bounda...
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With so many amazing Milky way images out there I've really been wanting to play more with the influence I have over the image and push the creative boundaries. So on a recent trip to Beaverlac in the Cederberg Mountains in South Africa I found the perfect spot to play with a few ideas I had. Using my Fuji Xt-1 with a 12mm Rokinon lens I exposed this scene for 30 seconds on ISO1600. During the 30 seconds I maneuvered myself in the dark to 2 different positions and flashed the foreground with my LumoPro speedlight using a MagMod diffuser and colour gels. Processed slightly straight out of Lightroom with no Photoshop or composite work. I was very pleased with the result SOOC. The stone path leading into little waterfall and then extending into the sky through the Milky Way gave the picture a beautiful flow, coupled with the coloured lighting it created an almost otherworldly look.
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Mar, 2017Views
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Awards
Peer Choice Award
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Superior Skill
All Star
Virtuoso
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photograph was taken in the Cederberg mountain range in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It's known for its dramatic landscapes, beauty and clear dark night skies. It's just a few short kilometers from the main astronomical observatory in Sutherland.Time
This was taken at about 11 to 12 PM at night, based on the rising of the Milkyway's galactic center over the horizon and the new moon which insured pitch black skies.Lighting
I've been fascinated with tweaking the expected narrative. Lighting an organic scene with the most artificial lighting possible. To me, the result is quite surreal. It feels like a stage set built our in nature, ready for a cult story to take place in. And with the Milkyway rising in the background and the way things have lined up who knows what epic story may unfold here.Equipment
I used my Fuji XT-1 with a 12mm Rokinon lens in a MEFOTO tripod. I manually flashed 2 colors over the 30-second exposure using my Lumopro Speedlight and MagMod color gels.Inspiration
It reminds me that nature is wonderous but we see so many beautiful landscape photos, that it becomes the norm and a bit expected. Lighting and framing it this way almost shows it in a new light, a new appreciation for whats out there in our known visible universe.Editing
My whole goal is to capture the most interesting shot in camera. Anyone do photoshop these days to create amazing photos but to capture it all in camera is the real challenge for me. As such, I only have basic RAW adjustments I made in Lightroom.In my camera bag
I normally have 2 bags! One just has lighting modifiers and speedlights, batteries etc. and the Main bag has my Fuji Body, 12 mm Rokinon lens, 56mm Fujinon prime, 18-55mm Fujinon Kit lens. I also carry a MavicPro Drone, a gorilla tripod, headlamps and 2 Lumecubes. Other than that I have some ND filters for the lenses and the drone, loads of spare batteries and cable ties. Not to forget my MEFOTO tripod on the exterior of the bag.Feedback
Fellow South African and world famous golfer, Gary Player, said "the harder you practice the luckier you get". I didn't quite plan to shoot that exact shot when I left home that day, but I was ready to capture it when it happened. I knew it was a black moon perfect for Milkyway shots, I knew I wanted to use to colored gels to shoot a natural scene, but I never knew that the location would line up the way that it did. If you don't go out and look for things, interesting things will never happen to you. It's like the lottery, you have to play to win. And when the moment comes, you have to stay calm and make sure you remembered what you practiced so you can get the best result possible. Don't be scared to experiment.
