All Hallows' Eve
As if streaming through a giant jack o' lantern's eye in the sky, the sunset through the storm clouds is the only illumination for the cemetery of Lib...
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As if streaming through a giant jack o' lantern's eye in the sky, the sunset through the storm clouds is the only illumination for the cemetery of Liberty Church.
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Oct, 2017Views
500
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Creepy Photo Challenge
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
We regularly drive by the amazing Liberty Barn Church in the Delaware county of Ohio that was built by the Amish! Even in broad daylight, the church and cemetery grounds have a character that is pregnant with photographic opportunity.Time
My first thought was to try to capture this with a blood-red dusk in the weeks leading up to Halloween. So I took my chances and set up for an early October evening golden hour to see what moody conditions might result.Lighting
When I was ready to shoot, storm clouds were predicted. So I steeled myself to be patient, and I was very lucky to capture a break in the clouds for the sunset to filter through. It just so happened to be a triangular shape that very much resembled a giant jack o' lantern eye in the sky, and positioned right where I needed it in the composition. This was the only illumination for the scene, and it fit the mood I was trying to capture perfectly!Equipment
After finding the right spot (respectfully treading in the graveyard), I set up the tripod to take multiple exposures on my old Nikon D3100 with my go-to Nikkor 35mm/1.8 prime for a wider angle shot.Inspiration
Inspired by other wonderful captures on ViewBug, I envisioned something with a "spooky" feel if I could get the right light. I wanted to create an archetypal Halloween image, and this place was screaming at me to shoot it every time I drove past.Editing
I knew I wanted to shoot this with high dynamic range to capture all the details even in low light. My camera doesn't have auto exposure bracketing, so I had to manually set the 5 exposures I wanted for each attempt. I had to move quickly, as the clouds were moving and the light was dimming. It was a fun intensity that brought sweat to the brow, but I definitely wouldn't look down my nose at a newer model camera with AEB! Once I got home, I used Lightroom to merge the best set of photos, and applied orange-green split toning to achieve the effect I had envisioned.In my camera bag
Along with the Nikon D3100, I have the kit 18-55mm lens, the kit 55-200mm telephoto lens, and my go-to Nikkor 35mm prime lens. I keep a neutral-density filter on hand, as sometimes you just gotta shoot at high noon. Cleaning wipes are a must, and I've also learned the hard way to keep an extra SD card in the bag after too many embarrassing instances of leaving the one I had in the laptop at home.Feedback
Rural Ohio has a surprising amount of picturesque viewpoints, and I hope to explore it much more extensively with my camera. No matter what equipment you have, no matter where you live, you can find and capture inspiring shots. I've learned not to wait for the "perfect" conditions or light, because when you are in the moment, something better may come along than what you have planted in your mind's eye. If you are looking for the "spook" factor for outside shots, then it is worth the patience for the dusk hour, and even better with partly cloudy conditions to catch the rays and colors of the setting sun. Become an amateur meteorologist, or use tools like The Photographer's Ephemeris.
