Roadtripping Denmark
Jun, 2020Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Magical Outdoors Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol11
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Contest Finalist in ViewBug Homepage Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on Rømø - a small island of Denmark - on one of my roadtrips through the north of Europe. I am traveling in my van for a good part of the year, experiencing lovely new places and encounters on the way. My dogs (who were patiently waiting in the van while I took photos of it) and my camera are always with me :)Time
I took this picture in the early evening (around 7pm (19:00)) of a balmy summer's day when almost all people had already left the beach. It became very quiet once again - except for the soothing sound of the sea, the wind and some seagulls and smaller birds in the dunes. There was a soft feeling of wilderness and comfortable secludedness. A moment of really conceiving the boundless expanse around me while simultaneously feeling nestled up in nature's sounds. It was just magical.Lighting
It was windy and cloudy, as you can see on the photo, but there was always a little bit of blue sky and sunlight in the mix. A very interesting light situation - in one moment it looked dark, moody and almost threatening, like a thunderstorm was approaching. And in the next there was this careless summer beach feeling again with soft evening sunlight and pastel colors. This photo ends up combining a little of all these different feelings for me.Equipment
I used my Pentax K-1 body with a Pentax 31mm/f.1.8 prime lens.Inspiration
The infinite horizon! The moment I drove on that beach for the first time, I was lost in the beautiful vastness of it. On some days you couldn't distinguish between sand, sea and sky and it felt like you could walk into infinity. Literally. Pure Freedom.Editing
I did some color grading and very subtle adjustments to the lighting (the DNG is slightly darker) and contrast in LR, so a rather less complex edit here. Although I would edit it a little different now than I did back than (so that the texture of the clouds would not be lost in the brighter parts), I am still in love with it.In my camera bag
I normally pack my Pentax K-1 body and some prime lenses (31mm/f1.8, 77mm/f1.8, 100mm/f4.0 - a second hand, fully manual one) as well as a 15-30mm/2.8 wide-angle zoom lens and some ND filters. Depending on the project, location and time of day, I add a (Metz) flash, tripod and remote shutter release. And - always important - spare batteries and SD cards ;)Feedback
It is never the equipment that takes the shot - it is you, the photographer using it. So go for things you are interested in, moments that enthrall you, people that amaze you and don't ever be afraid to 'fail'. You just can't. Photography is art - and art is totally free. It helps a lot to know your craft and your tools - to know which settings on your camera have which impact on your exposure is key to get your mind off of it and be free for inspiration. To learn about light and shade and to feel the atmosphere they create is also key in transporting what you want to tell through your photography. For me it really is all about emotions, about freedom, tranquility, connection, nature and peace. Feel for yourself what you want to transport in your shot before you go shooting. Know what is necessary on the technical side to capture it and be patient with yourself and your surroundings. So intuition, feeling, a little knowledge and patience are what it takes to take your very own shots.
