Rolle_7718
Early morning on Lac Leman.
Early morning on Lac Leman.
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May, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Rolle, not far from my home in Switzerland. I had been to the location before to shoot a long exposure and so knew that for whatever reason, the water between the island and the shore is the sleeping ground for seemingly thousands of waterfowl. The first time I visited I was frustrated by their presence and their later than my own waking hour. I had wanted a long exposure with smooth water, not streaky ducks! This time I embraced their presence. Luckily for me, the water was still very calm and the sky was radiant.Time
I woke up very early this morning actually hoping to catch a sunburst through the trees on the island. At the right time of year, the sun rises to align behind those trees and when shot with a small aperture, you can create a gorgeous starburst. But the clouds were not going to let me have that this morning. I had to shift my focus to work with what the location was giving me, ducks, low clouds and all.Lighting
I had hoped for a clearer horizon so that the sun would burst through the trees. My plan was to shoot it with a small aperture to create a starburst. There was no chance of this though, as the light was soft and even and the clouds were streaked through the sky as if they were pretending to be a long exposure.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon 5dmk3, 24-105 lens at 24mm, on a Really Right Stuff tripod and with a Lee graduated ND filter.Inspiration
When I arrived on the day, my inspiration changed. While I had gotten out of bed early to create a sunburst through the trees on the island, the scene I found wasn't going to allow that, so after a moment of frustration, I changed gears. I could go home defeated (which I have definitely done before!) or I could try to find something to make with what I had. Fortunately what I had was still a beautiful opportunity for a calming image. As I stood there I could feel the peace of the birds floating asleep on the water, moving ever so slightly. I hope this calm comes through in the final image.Editing
I am not a big post-processor. I spend as much time shooting and as little time at my desk as possible. This photo has some tonal adjustments and of course a black and white conversion. Most likely also a slight straightening of the horizon since I never seem to get that exactly right in camera. :)In my camera bag
In the time since I made this photo, I have moved on to shooting landscapes with a Sony A7r2 and a Hasselblad x1d. With the Sony, I carry a 24-70mm lens and occasionally also a 70-200 lens. With the Hasselblad, I carry a 30mm lens, a 45mm lens and a 90 mm lens. Regardless of the camera I take, I always bring my filters. My favourite filters are Formatt-Hitech Firecrest filters and I carry a range of ND densities as well as 2 graduated ND filters.Feedback
I guess the best advice from the making of this image is to remain flexible. Definitely have an idea of what you want to create and be prepared to shoot that, but if life doesn't hand you what you need to make that image, pause for a moment, evaluate what you do have and make the best of it. The world is full of beautiful and powerful images waiting for you to see and capture them.
