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Rosy dawn
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Rosy dawn



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The dawn started so promising but faded soon after. I was hoping to capture the sun rising behind the tree but it was not to be....
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The dawn started so promising but faded soon after. I was hoping to capture the sun rising behind the tree but it was not to be.
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cameraPENTAX K-5

settings Aperture f/16.0 ISO 200 Shutter 4/10 Focal Length 1701/100 

upload_dateMay, 2015

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202

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2 Comments |
Etna PRO+
 
Etna May 15, 2015
nice shot
smshaffer PRO+
 
smshaffer May 28, 2015
Pretty

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Tags

#dawn #reflection #sunrise #tranquil #tree
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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken at the edge of a reservoir close to where I live in Lancashire. I'd scouted the location a few days before and headed out on foot in the early hours to work on my night time photography, which is an area of photography where I'm still yet to make an image I'm really happy with!

Time

After a quite few attempts I wasn't happy with, mainly because the moon was really bright and I couldn't figure out how to balance the exposure, I noticed the sky starting to brighten behind this tree to my left and recomposed. There was a hint of drizzle and the wind was just starting to pick up so I was praying it would hold off long enough for me to take something I'd be happy with after a long, cold night.

Lighting

The dawn began with very subtle shades, and as the cloud was gathering with no sign of deepening colour I began to think that I was going to need to wait longer and hope for the rays of the Sun shining behind and past the tree. Suddenly there was the faintest hint of orange before the entire sky lit up! I was shooting landscape and this image is two shots blended. Repositioning myself to take full advantage of the light and fit in the full reflection of the tree meant moving the camera between shots and I only had time for a couple of exposures before the glorious light faded to dull grey and the rain arrived. The rest of the day was dull, overcast, and wet, and I felt blessed to have witnessed and captured this brief moment of radiance while most folk were still tucked up in bed.

Equipment

This was shot on a Pentax K5 with a Tamron 17-50mm. I used a Sirui T-025X tripod and cable release to keep the camera steady.

Inspiration

I live in an area of great natural beauty season round and which, in Pendle Hill, has a feature which dominates the local landscape and is a natural draw for photography. I set off on this shoot wanting to capture an image possessing an aesthetic quality which was it's own and not immediately recognisable as being from my locality.

Editing

I shot in Raw and this is two images, one of the tree and the other of the reflection edited together. I was editing in Elements 7 at the time and not particularly skilled. In creating this image I made a new canvas and added the two shots I was using as layers, carefully lining them up. I adjusted the exposure, levels, brightness and saturation by eye, with only small adjustments needed for the shot of the tree and most of the work going into the reflection. I then carefully blended the images by adjusting the opacity of the erase tool and working along the join.

In my camera bag

I used to try and carry the kitchen sink in my kit bag, but since swapping to a messenger style bag I try and plan more carefully. I usually have my Pentax K3, though sometimes the K5. My walkabout lens is the Tamron 17-50mm, and I'll usually have another lens with me too. If I'm outside and the weather is not guaranteed I'll have the Pentax 18-135mm for its weather sealing and extra range. I also have the Pentax 50-200mm which is also weather sealed and tiny, but not brilliant if the shooting conditions aren't high contrast. My Sirui T-025X fits nicely in the bottom of the bag and is light enough to carry round all the time, and also discretely which is good if you don't want to advertise you're carrying expensive gear. Indoor events mean my Metz 50 AF-1 flash. I've recently bought a Pentax 10-17mm which I'm having fun with. Always I'll be carrying spare batteries and cards, a remote trigger, white balance cards, a mini-reflector/white balance, and a rain cover for the camera.... Maybe I haven't moved that far away from the kitchen sink after all!

Feedback

While this image was dependent on luck with the light I had previously scouted the location and used Photographers Ephemeris to ensure I knew where the moon would be when I set up, and also where the sun would be rising, meaning if the night images I had gone for didn't work out I had a composition lined up ready for the dawn. The final image came about because I realised I needed the reflection and recomposed, so always be ready to respond to changing light or situations. The main ingredient is patience. Sometimes I still shoot just because I've so much to learn, but many times I don't because I've lost count of the times I've made my way to a location and the magic hasn't happened. Finally, if you're heading out before dawn in a country where it gets cold at night, don't forget the gloves. A thermos of coffee and insect repellent are the final things I like to take when I know it's going to be a long wait.

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