Tips On Photographing Sunrise And Blue Hour

While traveling, I spend many hours a day driving from location to location and am not often near a computer with an internet connection. I find it very important to have access to sun, moon and weather data from the car.

Before any sunrise or sunset shoot, I check Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) app (http://photoephemeris.com/) to calculate sun and moon data for a particular location. (If I’m going to be out of cell range, I will take a mobile screen shot of the location prior to arrival and save it on my mobile device for reference later.) Most often I utilize this app to ensure an on-time arrival at a sunrise location. Not only that, but I can also use TPE to ensure that the subject I’m photographing will be lit from a desired angle.

After checking the sunrise time and glancing at weather, I’m ready to drive to a location and shoot!

In the images below, I hiked up to Zabriskie Point in Death Valley, with enough time to prepare my equipment and pick a composition, but in this case it was still dark, so I needed to take a test shot to check exposure and focus. To do this, I took a 10 second exposure at ISO to 3200. (Depending on the histogram I will add or subtract exposure time and continue testing until I achieve the desired exposure.) For this image, I liked the exposure at 10 seconds and ISO 3200, so I calculated out what exposure I needed to take the shot at ISO 200. To do this, I reduced my ISO by one stop at a time (divided it in half) from 3200 down to 200. I start at 3200, reduced to 1600, 800, 400 and 200. In this example, I adjusted my ISO 4 times (4 stops) and now I want to calculate the exposure time, so I will add 4 stops (double each time) to the exposure. I start at 10 seconds, double to 20 seconds, 40 seconds, 80 seconds, and 160 seconds. After adjusting my ISO and exposure by 4 stops each, I determined at ISO 200, my exposure will be 160 seconds. Once those settings are adjusted in the camera, I am ready to shoot.

I knew wanted to capture the scene on the left during twilight, or “blue hour,” which occurs approximately 30-45 minutes before sunrise and gives everything a very blue hue. During this time the colors of the subject will appear less saturated and the shadows much darker.  The image on the right was taken on another day from the same location. I anticipated that the abundance of clouds would lens to a nice color, so I had to wait 30 minutes from arrival to try getting the shot I wanted. Here, you see the sunlight bouncing off the clouds and the colors of the orange and yellow rock formations beginning to show. As you can see, both images evoke different a different feel based on the light and colors.

But what happens when I’m traveling and hit a snag on the way to shoot sunrise and don’t make it to a spot by blue hour, but I still really want a long exposure or a blue cast? I certainly could adjust the white balance of the image in post, but creating a long exposure effect after the fact wouldn’t be as easy. Instead, I would use a Neutral Density, or ND, filter. This filter allow me to slow down exposure time or aperture to gain a motion effect or to add a specific tint to an image.

Though the two images below were shot within 4 minutes of one another, for the exposure on the left I used a Lee Big Stopper, a 10-stop ND with an inherent blue tint, to capture the look of ‘blue hour’ and get a longer exposure to smooth the slight motion in the clouds. Similar to blue hour, while using the Big Stopper, the dunes lost their saturated orange and the shadows were dark. Alternatively, the image on the right was a short exposure taken without a filter a few seconds after the sun broke the ridge, creating a higher contrast and warmer tones.

If you have not yet shot ‘blue hour’, next time you plan a sunrise shoot, try arriving 30 minutes early and get a few twilight shots to compare against sunrise and see which results you like best. If you enjoy the blue hour images, the Lee Big Stopper can give you similar results.

Amy Heiden:

Amy Heiden is an explorer and photographer with a lust for adventure. For the last five years, her focus has been centered around the documentation of abandoned asylums, factories, houses of worship, military sites and ships before they are destroyed and their stories long forgotten.

In addition, Amy frequently travels in search of landscapes and cityscapes in places like the Eastern Sierras, Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, New York and her hometown of San Francisco.

Website

Google+

Facebook

“Siguenza’d”: Verb. To obtain an epic photograph. Ex: “I totally siguenza’d that shot.” [anytonym: "boncore'd"]

Enjoy!

How I took these 3 Waterscape Photographs with 3 Simple Guidelines.

Stay in the moment:

I took this waterscape photo just up the coast from Santa Cruz while waiting for a sunset that never came. The light was very bright and harsh but there were clouds passing over the sun. I waited until the sun briefly went behind the clouds to help tame the brightness in the shot. I also composed the photograph so that the brightness fell on the right side of the photo, to show contrast with the darker left side. I then used my Lee filter kit holder, with a 3 stop singh Ray Reverse graduated filter, angled to the right to further tone down and soften the sky area. I used a circular polarizer to help with the reflection and the clouds. I was with some fun friends who were talking and not using their cameras, while they waited for the weather to improve.

I was watching things more closely, missing out a bit on their fun conversations while standing knee deep in cold water. Out of all of this, I saw a brief 90 seconds or so where I took several memorable shots that looked very different. The day ended with a fairly uninspiring sunset, but we enjoyed our outing just the same.

An example of Staying in the Moment – Cameron Siguenza

Keeping an Open Mind:

Occasionally I hear that a photographer should always go to completely unknown places, while I simply prefer to find something interesting no matter where I am. This is easier said than done of course, and this challenge continually inspires and motivates me.

In this infrared photograph of popular Multnomah falls near Portland, Oregon, USA, a very popular tourist destination, I used a classic composition of the falls to offset the look of infrared photo. To contrast between the tones of the upper and lower part of the falls, I left out the sky, which also helps to simplify the photo somewhat.

An example of Keeping an Open Mind – Cameron Siguenza

Patience and warm clothing:

For my final photo, I ventured out into the chilly night air up the coast from Santa Cruz, CA to spend most of the night on a salt mist enshrouded beach, with a few bright flashlights, warm clothes, my trusty Induro tripod and a variety of Singh-Ray and Lee filters for long exposure experiments. I spent hours of my time, shivering occasionally, while light painting the water with my flashlight countless times to get the right effect, while trying to stick to a good 30-120 second exposure range. By sheer luck, a meteor appeared, but I took probably 1000 or so photos that night as I was experimenting a lot. I composited in the ocean section in Photoshop, as I liked the way the ocean looked the best from a different exposure. I processed the image 3 times in PS CS6 for foreground, mid ground and sky.

An example of good old Patience and Warm Clothing – Cameron Siguenza

Cameron Siguenza: Cameron enjoys photography, travel, and building software companies.

Cameron grew up in remote areas of British Columbia, Canada,

and happily lives with his family in Santa Cruz, California.

Cameron uses two camera systems, a full frame modern DSLR,

and an inexpensive DSLR that was converted to infrared in 2012.

Website

Google +

Facebook

Processing a photo with a wide range of light usually requires bracketing. In this case, I took two bracketed shots and opened them in Adobe Camera Raw. I selected my color balance for a natural-looking sky, and then adjusted the contrast. I ignored the foreground in the first image, and processed it for the sky alone. The second image would be used for the water. I made sure the highlight areas in the water were not overexposed, and opened the photo in Photoshop… then opened the RAW file again in Adobe Camera Raw. This time, I reduced the clarity of the photo… allowing the waves in the foreground to soften even more. (If you make different adjustments to a single RAW file, you can save a “Snapshot” of each version for easy reference.)

You can see my three adjustments in the triptych below. Notice that the sky in the photo on the left looks good. The highlights in the water are just right in the middle photo, and the foreground waves look nice and smooth in the third. In all, these adjustments took me three to five minutes to make.

Once I’ve prepared these three versions of the same composition, I use our iHDR manual blending technique to produce a final image that is as close to my memory of scene as I can bring it. I stack the image in three layers, and use selections and masks to blend the images very carefully. Sometimes the process takes a while – but if I know what I want in my final image, I can finish in just a few minutes… so an image like this one might take me about ten minutes to process from beginning to end.

To learn more about photography check out our webinars and eBooks below:

Varina Patel

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google

There is nothing more remarkable to me than the power of nature. It is both cataclysmic and subtle. Slow and continuous erosion by water and wind can create landscapes every bit as astonishing as those shaped by catastrophic events – and minuscule details can be as breathtaking as grand vistas that stretch from one horizon to the other. Nature is incredibly diverse. Burning desert sands and mossy riverbanks… Brilliant sunbeams and fading alpenglow… Silent snowfall and raging summer storms… Each offers a unique opportunity. I am irresistibly drawn to the challenge of finding my next photograph, and mastering the skills required to capture it effectively.

As you may know, Jay and I generally travel and shoot together. Our trip to Oregon was no exception. The weather was just right for a trip to the Columbia River Gorge. Occasional rain kept the mosses and stones wet – and helped to bring out rich colors. Overcast skies gave us perfect, even lighting for waterfall shots like the ones you see here. And when the skies cleared up, we spent some time photographing nearby peaks and scouting for other locations.

Here are a few of the shots we took at Elowah Falls on McCord Creek. This is an easy-to-access spot, and it’s incredibly beautiful. Locations like this are great because the options for compositions are unlimited.

Up close, blowing mist is a constant problem – especially in Spring when more water is falling. Varina set up her camera on a slippery rock just beyond the falls. She chose her composition, selected the appropriate camera settings, and wiped her lens clean before replacing the lens cap. With everything ready to go, she needed to wait for clouds to cover the sun, and a moment of calm wind. She protected her camera from the water with her jacket, and when the moment was right, she removed the lens cap and released the shutter. A quick check of the histogram was enough to be sure the photo was just right. And then it was time to get the camera – and the chilly photographer – out of the wet mist.

After drying everything thoroughly, Varina set up her camera for a second shot. This time, she wanted to show more of the gorge surrounding the falls. Since she was further back, the mist was no longer a real problem – but she still needed to wipe the lens before shooting. This was a quick and easy shot – camera settings were already just right, and the sun stayed hidden long enough for her to snap a quick image. Notice that both compositions avoid the sky. Without the sky, the waterfall is the brightest element – and it can claim the full attention of the viewer. The image is less complicated in terms of composition, and is much easier to process as well.

Jay decided to climb right into the creek to shoot the falls. Luckily, he’d remembered to bring along his neoprene water shoes! He wanted to hide the human element – the bridge – and he found that he could do that be placing it behind the large rocks in front of the falls. Notice that Jay’s image is a bit darker overall. Because he was lower in the gorge, the shadows are more obvious. He also waited until the sun went behind a cloud. That meant that the camera could capture the entire dynamic range of the image – from the dark shadows under the rocks, to the bright water of the falls. He needed to process the image twice – once for the water, and once for the rest of the scene – but he was able to get all the detail from a single exposure.

The beautiful golden glow you see in all three images comes from the filtered sunlight as it touches the mosses and trees. We’ll definitely take students to Elowah Falls when we return to the Columbia River Gorge for a workshop.

To learn more about photography check out our eBooks below:

]]> http://www.thegivinglens.com/guest-post-varina-patel/feed/ 1 http://www.thegivinglens.com/guest-post-vincent-mcmillan-on-tgl-peru-2012/ http://www.thegivinglens.com/guest-post-vincent-mcmillan-on-tgl-peru-2012/#comments Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:35:00 +0000 Kate http://www.thegivinglens.com/?p=1738 TGL Participant and Toronto Photographer Extraordinaire Vincent McMillen talks about this time with TGL: Peru. 

When I first read about The Giving Lens, I heard about it through Colby Brown on Google Plus. I looked at the cost of going and realized I could make ends meet. I figured learning from the best in the business wouldn’t hurt as I really wanted to learn more about photography and diversify my landscape portfolio. What I actually got in return was beyond valuable.

The volunteer aspect of the trip really intrigued me. That part sold me on applying for the trip. I loved the idea of spending time with Picaflor House Community and volunteering our time to help grow awareness for this fantastic NGO. Instead of just travelling to a third country and photographing it; being a part of it and helping people who live there was much more rewarding. Having the opportunity to photograph Machu Picchu was also a big bonus while I was there too!

What The Giving Lens provides for you is honestly incalculable. At first it’s strange telling people at home you’re going to meet with a whole bunch of people you haven’t met in some distant land to take photos. But when you get there – wow! The fun never really stopped. My group immediately bonded – it was like hanging out with old friends all over again. I learned how to take better pictures from everybody. I soaked up everything like a sponge. I asked (and asked and asked) so many questions while I was there so I wouldn’t stop learning. I helped when others asked me questions. We were all there to make a difference; providing expertise, knowledge, and thoughts made the entire experience better.

I’d never hesitate to travel with The Giving Lens. Simply being there to help make a difference really makes you a better person, photographer and a human being.

We are still taking Applications for our TGL: Peru 2013 trip, to jumpstart a Photography Club at Picaflor House and make the journey up to Macchu Picchu once again! More Info Here! 

Well, The Giving Lens Nicaragua team is quickly realizing what makes Nicaragua such a unique and beautiful place. After yet another sunrise at Lake Granada, the team kept experiencing the region’s natural marvels with the photography students of Empowerment International by visiting the amazing Volcan Masaya for a sunset tour. Unlike most active volcanos, the Volcano Masaya is continuously emitting carbon sulfur dioxide gas, which gently sweeps through the Santiago crater, positioned perfectly in front of the western sunset. This unique geological feature creates the perfect storm for photographing the sunset. The smoke from the crater helps light the cloudy sky on fire as the sun dips below the horizon.

The Giving Lens Nicaragua team started day three of our workshop by doing what this team has come to love: waking up early. Every photographer knows the best light is at sunrise and sunset, and we have continued to introduce the photography students at Empowerment International to this concept. And the best part? They love it!

This is now the third photography workshop that The Giving Lens has done here in the quaint and beautiful town of Granada, and we are constantly amazed at the improvements the students continue to make. They are now shooting in manual mode, and understanding the connection between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. But what we have really noticed is they have continued to train their eyes. The compositions and subject matter has grown leaps and bounds. They also understand that these photography skills can be used in jobs other than that of a professional photographer. Juan Jose, a 17 year old long time student at EI, can’t wait to use his photography skills in his future career as a chef. It looks like we need to add a food photography course before the week is over.

Here is the TGL Nicaragua team, lead by Jay and Varina Patel, and their Empowerment International students posing for a group photo after a sunrise shoot at Laguna De Apoyo .

The TGL Nicaragua team at Laguna Apoyo!

TGL Nicaragua is the first of our return workshops, where we continue to teach the photography club of Empowerment International skills that will not only apply to their photography, but also, help them become successful adults. During our first workshop in July 2012, the teams came home with hundreds of photos of the students and and their families. We promised the kids and their families that the next time we came to see them, we would bring them prints to always have and cherish. 

juanita gets her photo, taken by Varina Patel

 

photography and post by Michael Bonocore

Little Jerrison is up early to meet the day. Everyone took a turn to have a snuggle, but it was Denis who took it further, sponsoring Jerrison through Empowerment International.

With not much of an agenda about what to expect personally from this workshop and regarding our interactions with Kathy Adams, the Empowerment International crew or the kids they support, I just went there hoping to benefit from this new experience and give a little bit back to the world while spending a week with people as interested in photography as I am. During this workshop I thought that I would learn a lot about photography. That, I did. But surprisingly, I did learn a whole lot more about me!

The photo critique session made such an impression on me. When Colby or Michael noticed good aspects of a picture, the pleasure I felt was immense and I promised myself to integrate these good techniques in the future. When they identified some weaknesses, I agreed with them each and every time. Today, when I look through the viewfinder, these same potential weaknesses glow red, warning me and alerting me of potential pitfalls.

Another excellent capture by Denis, while walking through the barrios where EI’s student live.

In the pictures that I showed that evening, there was this picture of a little girl in a really nice dress, probably too nice for the occasion. She was outside her house, a house made of rusted corrugated metal sheet on a wooden structure. Sitting on dry mud with her hair perfectly combed she glanced at me. That night, I remember clearly the emotion I felt when Colby, Michael and others where commenting on that picture.

This picture was telling an awesome story. It was telling the story of proud Nicaraguans people that lives in very harsh conditions and nonetheless hope for a better future. This picture is now hanging on my wall and I still feel the emotion that came to me the day I saw her in Granada. So what did I learn? I learned that it is so satisfying to me to tell a story, a vivid, screaming story. I still do Landscape, I love being out in the wild at sunrise. However, telling a story is so important to me now. Today, the life that I capture in the eyes of a person I connect with is brighter than the setting sun.

I am proud of the work I have done with these kids over that too short week in July 2012. I gave a little; I got back so much more.

A note from the Operations Manager: In a recent exhibition in Denis’ hometown in Quebec, 43 talented photographers presented their works. It was this same picture of the little girl in Nicaragua that stole the night and was awarded the first prize.

Denis’ Award Winning and Cherished Photo of the Girl in the Dress. Congrats Denis!

to apply for our February TGL Trip back to Nicaragua, head over to the Workshops page! Three spots still available!

to see more of Denis’ work, head to his website, http://denisgrenier.com/