Rays of Hope
Skessudrangur basalt sea stack with the first sun rays in the New Year. Image captured in southern Iceland on Reynisfjara black-sand beach on the 1st of Jan...
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Skessudrangur basalt sea stack with the first sun rays in the New Year. Image captured in southern Iceland on Reynisfjara black-sand beach on the 1st of January, 2021
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Jul, 2021Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Skessudrangur basalt sea stack with the first sun rays in the New Year. Image captured in southern Iceland on Reynisfjara black-sand beach on the 1st of January, 2021.Time
This shot was taken at 11 AM at sunrise.Lighting
I was holding my tripod and moving around to position the rising sun behind the stack. As soon as I found the right angle with the rays coming through, I shot a few images. The sun was rising quickly, so I only had a short time frame to capture the rays. The orange hues of the sky gave a nice contrast to the black sand beach and dark blue water.Equipment
I used my mirrorless Canon R5 with the 24-70mm f2/8L II USM lens on a sturdy Really Right Stuff tripod. I also used a 6-Stop ND filter from VFFOTO to blur the water.Inspiration
We stayed near the beach for New Year's Eve. We watched the Story of Fire Saga filmed in Iceland and sampled some nice Icelandic beer. We went to sleep quite late, and I forgot to set the alarm. I woke up at 10 AM, having just enough time to pack my gear and head down to the beach to welcome the first rays of the sun in 2021. I was tired. I walked down the beach, soaking in the magical atmosphere with no tourists around. I visited this place a few times before, so I had some composition ideas, but I had no plans. As I got closer to the stack, the sun was already rising, and I zoomed in to 70mm and played around with the sun rays and composition. I enjoyed this moment so much that we almost missed the breakfast and the checkout time!Editing
I used a 6-stop ND filter to blur the water and it caused a little sun flare, which I removed in photoshop. The dynamic range of the scene was high, so I had to adjust the highlights around the sun.In my camera bag
Whenever I plan to shoot outdoors, I usually carry my full-frame Canon R5 with the 15-35mm wide-angle lens in my bag. I often use my 24-70 mm lens, too. If there is a chance to spot wildlife, I also pack the 100-400mm lens, as I love animals! I am a big fan of long exposure shots of running water or moving clouds. Therefore you can always find several neutral density filters as well as a polariser in my backpack. I use a sturdy tripod from Really Right Stuff. Spare batteries and memory cards are a must!Feedback
If you have visited the photo location before, you will find compositions quickly. Planning and scouting locations will give you creative freedom when shooting in unexpected situations. I recommend planning the shot - you can use various applications for the sunrise/ sunset times and angle. If you are shooting on the beach, it is good to know the tide times, too. Reynisfjara beach in Iceland is particularly hazardous and has claimed a few lives. I didn't go too close to the water and used my lens zoomed in at 70mm. I still got some waves up to my ankles. Fortunately, I was wearing rubber boots.
