New days dawn
Jul, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was take not far from my home in Southern Alberta. Just off the main highway, there is always an abundance of lush and colourful fields of canola, wheat, alfalfa and many others.Time
This was very early in the morning, around 6:30am. I was headed to work, the sun had just hid behind a narrow band of clouds for a moment, and the fields were a brilliant green. I was in my full professional 'going to work' outfit, but there I was on a muddy dirt road from the morning frost, a bit cold on this Spring morning, crouched to get this shot. Thankfully it wasn't windy that morning, or I would have been much colder.Lighting
I loved how the fields looked with that diffused sunlight, brilliant green, still glowing with the morning dew and a bit lit from within. I wanted to try and capture what the quiet prairie morning looks and feels like in the Spring. Never ending landscape, big sky, very quiet and calm. You could take a morning stroll through that field and fell like you could continue walking forever. I lived in the city for years, and you never really find quiet there. You don't always find space without seeing suburbs, buildings, cars, people and pollution. Moving out to the country, you can see what colour the sky is supposed to be, you can hear the hum of the honey bees, you can sit outside in blissful silence. And you can enjoy the full spectrum of the sunrises and sunsets without anything blocking your view.Equipment
Shot on a Canon 5D MII with a 17-40mm f/4 Lens. No tripod, no flashInspiration
I had just finished up the 100 Day Project the day before, mine was 100 Days of New photos. And I wasn't quite ready to give it up. 100 days taking a new picture was so much fun, and such a challenge. I got back into the habit of taking my camera everywhere with me again, and I thankfully still had it with me. I added this as a bonus shot to my project, and I thought it was a nice end to that year's project.Editing
With this kind of back lighting from the sun, there is a bit of processing that needed to be done on the clouds. A gradient filter just over the sky to adjust the exposure and some highlights, and a bit of fill lighting for the field to balance the darkness there. I always add a little bit of vignette back into a shot, I just like the way it helps to draw your eye back into a shot. And a slight saturation boost on the sky to bring back some of the blue tone that had gotten blown out.In my camera bag
At bare minimum I have my Canon 5D MII and the 17-40mm f/4 L Lens. I find that lens so versatile for landscape photography, that it's my go-to lens. I also carry a EF 50mm f/1.8 and a EF 70-200mm f/4L. I do carry my Speedlite 430EX, but don't use it too often. Usually only when I really need that little extra boost, and I don't want to over process the file in post.Feedback
To get the good sunrise shots, pick a day and get up early. Scope out a location you like before hand so you don't waste any light trying to find the perfect spot. Check your weather too, make sure you will have the weather you are going for. And even if it changes, go out anyways! An early morning start is essential for something like this. A sunrise changes so rapidly, and it is full of magical moments, so get up early. Find your spot, and enjoy watching it rise. I say it a lot but, always have your camera with you. You never know when you will come around a corner, drive over a hill, look outside and see something beautiful. Stop and take the shot. Lighting can change in an instant, and you will miss a lot of shots. But better to be prepared to capture when you can, than miss it completely. Also don't discount how good phone cameras are becoming. In a pinch they can be very useful.
