First Light
When in the morning do you begin photographing? Many photographers wait until the sun rises. I, on the other hand, will begin much earlier. I have found that many of my best images have been made long before the sun rises or long after it has set in the evening. I find the light to be quite fascinating prior to sunrise and after sunset.
This image, “First Light,” is just one such example. I was out with several photographers one morning and everyone, except me, was looking around and setting up cameras for their first shot, as the sun rose over the horizon and skimmed across the landscape. Yes, that would be impressive, but instead of mapping out what would later become a good image, I was searching for what was a great image right now! The western sky was wonderful! The light was already hitting the clouds coming over the mountains just a little, just enough to be able to capture them. This is my favorite image from a wonderful morning of photographing. The long shutter speed created some motion in the clouds to create some mystery, enhanced by the dark mountains below them.
I always teach to use a tripod, even when you think that you don’t need one. It forces you to slow down and think while you compose and shoot. In early morning and late evenings, it is a necessity. Also, using a cable release and the mirror lockup function on your camera helps to ensure that the camera is completely stable during the exposure. Using these techniques, the mountains are rendered completely sharp while the motion in the clouds creates the mood and feeling. Exposure in these situations is also extremely critical. A little over and the subtle highlights in the clouds will be ruined, a little under and the detail in the mountains is lost. Just right and you have a masterpiece!
Slow down, think, compose, expose. Take these steps and watch your images improve.
Recent Comments