Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

[tombennett]

I made this image last night during my evening walk at lookout point. While in hospital quarantine I read a lot about filters and so I purchased some LEE ND grads. This image needed a 0.9ND hard grad with the bottom edge over the river, setting the exposure for the foreground. I still have to hand hold the camera as I can't use my stick and carry a tripod, the settings are 1/20 - f/8.0 - ISO400 - no processing


lookout-point1 by tdubya2013, on Flickr

[tesarver]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Beautiful red sunset.

Tom

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Without the grad it was a pale and washed out pink. I spent a lot of time in hospital reading about landscape photography, I suppose so I could have different windows to look at while in a 6' x 8' box. I wanted a longer exposure time, couldn't hold it still enough for that. I must find something I can walk with and hold the camera still, my job for this evening.

It's a lovely spot about 1/8 mile away from here, so gives me a nice little walk.

Thanks.

TomB

[AndyA]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

I like that, nice image Tom.

[Bill53]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Beautiful sky Tom.

Bill.

[digiman]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Great sky Tom. Glad to see you're out and about again. You managed to hold it well at 1/20th too!

Well done,

Garry

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Thanks Gary, and Bill and Andy. It's great to be up and about again, let's just hope I can stay out of hospital a little longer this time!

To hold it quite so still I must confess I had help from the grass bank I was sitting on allowing me to balance my elbow on my knee. I took Paulstw's lead and had my 17-85's aperture blade problem fixed too, so I can use wide-angle again.



TomB

[colin C]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

That's a belter of a sun and testament to how useful grads are.

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

After reading the 'Inspiring Professionals' books produced by Lee I thought I would give it a go, it seems one can get a much more realistic exposure than with HDR which is what I want. I have played with HDR but it is more fun and I think professional to learn about the differences in light throughout a scene such as this, HDR feels a bit like a quick fix. With HDR you need a totally unchanging scene otherwise when the bracketed images are compiled you get inconsistencies in sharpness and quality.

As Joe Cornish says in many of his books "get it right in the camera", this is a simple philosophy I wish to work by. I get it a lot when working in sound production when people would say "ah well, we can sort that out in post!". I have always been of the belief in getting things correct first meaning that post-production time is kept to a minimum and a more creative experience. I am also not sure that you can get the tones and colour with HDR as one can with ND grads, definitely the way forward.

Thanks Colin, I'm looking forward to many more experiments with my Grads.

TomB

[Bloosman]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Great sunset shot Tom...

Have you checked out getting a mono-pod, or even one of those snazzie walking poles with a camera mount in the handle...???

Dougie.

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Hi Dougie, thanks. The more I look at it I feel, compositionally, I should crop some of the foreground, bringing the estuary closer to the viewer.

I've only seen one brand that is an actual walking stick with a camera mount and seems to be the same as my normal stick, I got mine last year before I bought a camera and not very impressed with its construction. If I can find one that will act as a proper walking aid I'll snap it up. Most are just strong enough to hold the camera but not my weight if I get into trouble, I don't really want a staff.

I'll have a look at the monopods and maybe just carry it in my other hand as they're not very heavy, the weight of the camera is enough for me at the moment. Just noticed some new ones on Amazon, I'll give one of them a try.

TomB

[Coryman]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Very nice shot Tom, but may be as you say a bit of a foreground crop would improve the overall look and feel.

Ian

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

Hi Ian,

I think this is where the crop should be, I've used another shot.


SUNSETS-lookout-point-01-crop by tdubya2013, on Flickr

[Coryman]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

I think I would have cropped the left as well, to remove the eye catching buildings that sit up in the water line, it would also take the sun a little off centre. Just me thinking out loud Tom, its a great shot whatever is done to it.

Ian

[tombennett]

Re: Sunset over the Severn Estuary.

A bit of a crop and an airbrush. I did quite like the way the red glow of the sun reflected in the rooftops of the warehouses, I see what you mean bout eye-catching. Thinking aloud is good Ian, helps me see what I am learning and my own critical eye.

Cheers m'dear.


SUNSETS-lookout-point-01a-crop by tdubya2013, on Flickr