Images created 7/23/16.
Due to the high pressure front here in Florida, sunrises have not been too spectacular in the mornings at the beach lately. Though not expecting much last weekend, I went to a favorite location in Brevard County where at low tide a reef is exposed. A tong-time favorite subject of mine, this morning proved to be a good morning for a more up close look at the reef.
Cindy framed a composition of the early morning blue-tinged water (blue hour) with a reddish hue on the horizon from the pre-dawn sun. Loving here image and composition, I set about framing a similar image by with the reef in the foreground. I chose infinity focus and an f/11 aperture for the correct depth of field.
Over the course of 25 minutes, the camera created over 100 images of this composition. I chose 40 I liked and 11 for further processing. Below are three examples. Due to the slow shutter speed (5 sec. for the first images and ¼ sec. for the last image), the look of the water is continually changing due to its motion and the use of a slow shutter speed.
Note that the shutter speed changes as time moves on due to the increasing light level. I used Av mode so aperture is constant and shutter changing. Tv mode would allow a constant shutter speed, but a changing aperture. Auto-ISO is an option but ISO is something I want to control. I chose serendipity and let happenstance rule the compositions.
The last is taken a full 24 minutes before the first. Blue hour is over and the water has lost its blue-tinge; showing I rather like.
I use a Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3 to control the camera and create images without my directly having to press the shutter. This allows me to use my Nikon D810 on another tripod to create different composition. I will choose this scenario many times – finding a composition I particular like and letter the camera with remote timer create images while I work other compositions another camera. Every image is different due to the water’s motion – some work a lot better than others.
I used a 3-stop ND Filter to get a lower shutter speed and a 3-stop graduated ND filter (hard-edge) to balance the sky and water into a manageable dynamic range.
Images below created with a Canon 5DSR on a Induro CLT203 tripod with an Induro BHL1S Ballhead.
2016:07:23 05:25:23
24-70mm @ 42mm
5 sec, f/11
Mode: Av
Metering: Evaluative
Exp comp: -1/3
Live view: active
ISO: 400
AF mode: Manual Focus
Drive: Single frame shooting
Self-timer: 2 secs
2016:07:23 05:30:40
24-70mm @ 42mm
1.6 sec, f/11
Mode: Av
Metering: Evaluative
Exp comp: -1/3
Live view: active
ISO: 400
AF mode: Manual Focus
Drive: Single frame shooting
Self-timer: 2 secs
2016:07:23 05:39:57
24-70mm @ 42mm
1/2.5 sec, f/11
Mode: Av
Metering: Evaluative
Exp comp: -1/3
Live view: active
ISO: 400
AF mode: Manual Focus
Drive: Single frame shooting
Self-timer: 2 secs
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