Sunrise or Sunset

Camera equipment and technique for taking photos.
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Mark Curtis
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by Mark Curtis »

Kane wrote:Mark, I don't think I've ever seen the unique and very well done Dune composition in #1 "Dunes Surreal". That's a very cool shot!
Thanks, Kane. It's a great place for unique comps to be sure.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46092977@N07/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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jduncan
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by jduncan »

I was fortunate to capture these photographs on my way to South Colony Lakes on Friday night. The sun setting behind the Sangre di Cristo Range was breathtaking. This was my attempt at capturing the beauty.
Crestone Peak-15.jpg
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Crestone Peak-1.jpg
Crestone Peak-1.jpg (286.82 KiB) Viewed 3190 times
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jlarocco
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by jlarocco »

Image

Image
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vonmackle
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by vonmackle »

I spent a while shooting Longs from near the Iron Gates on Sunday morning and thought I'd post a sequence of photos showing the progression of light. Sunrise on 9/9 was at 6:39. I kept the white balance the same for all photos.

5:41 20 sec @ f4 iso 1600
Longs-3183.jpg
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6:18 5 sec @ f4 iso 100
Longs-3193.jpg
Longs-3193.jpg (166.18 KiB) Viewed 3102 times
6:33 .8 sec @f8 iso 100
Longs-3197.jpg
Longs-3197.jpg (135.92 KiB) Viewed 3102 times
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by vonmackle »

6:39 .4 sec @ f8 iso 100
Longs-3198.jpg
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6:42 1/5 sec @ f8 iso 100
Longs-3201.jpg
Longs-3201.jpg (145.52 KiB) Viewed 3098 times
6:45 1/8 sec @ f8 iso 100
Longs-3202.jpg
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mattpayne11
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by mattpayne11 »

Holy smokes that #1 Dunes photo is SICK.
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by pvnisher »

How much editing (beyond cropping or rotating) are you guys doing to these?
The saturation, balance, vignetting, etc all seems off the hook in some cases.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for making the best image possible. Just like I believe in multitake/multitrack recording of music.
But I'm just curious how much processing is done on the computer to achieve some of these awesome shots.
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by rking007 »

Thanks for posting that progression Cameron. I think I like the overall exposure at 6:18, soft shadows, great deep blues in the sky but I like the alpenglow at 6:39 too. The shadow cast running mid shot from the left almost makes the bottom half of the photo look black and white... crazy!

Question though, what do you do in those situations where the alpenglow is casting crazy dark shadows? Not totally black but dark enough to loose the detail in the shadows and therefore the depth of those areas? Example, your shot at 6:45? Lastly, which of these shots is your favorite and why? Or are you working on one that you didn't show that will blow all the others away? :-D
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by Kane »

rking007 wrote:Thanks for posting that progression Cameron. I think I like the overall exposure at 6:18, soft shadows, great deep blues in the sky but I like the alpenglow at 6:39 too. The shadow cast running mid shot from the left almost makes the bottom half of the photo look black and white... crazy!

Question though, what do you do in those situations where the alpenglow is casting crazy dark shadows? Not totally black but dark enough to loose the detail in the shadows and therefore the depth of those areas? Example, your shot at 6:45? Lastly, which of these shots is your favorite and why? Or are you working on one that you didn't show that will blow all the others away? :-D

Hope you don't mind if I jump in here. Getting technical; here's a good description of Alpenglow, as we know it and refer to it regarding mountain photography.

Alpenglow (from German: Alpenglühen) is an optical phenomenon. When the Sun is just below the horizon, a horizontal red glowing band can sometimes be observed on the opposite horizon. Alpenglow is easiest to observe when mountains are illuminated but can also be observed when the sky is illuminated through backscattering.

Since the Sun is below the horizon, there is no direct path for the light to reach the mountain. Instead, light reflects off airborne snow, water, or ice particles low in the atmosphere. It is this circumstance that separates a normal sunrise or sunset from alpenglow.


So what's my point? Alpenglow by the above definition is some super sweet light that a cameras sensor just eats up (on a tripod... of course). Don't blink, because this light usually lasts for maybe 3-4 minutes in the morning and 5-10 minutes at night. The light is so soft that pretty much any sensor on any camera can pick up the dynamic range. We're talking about a super even flow of light throughout your frame that renders shadows and highlights evenly. The end product is mostly incredibly pleasing to look at. A really well done alpenglow shot usually takes the trophy over the rest. Thus is the reason you like Vonmacle's lovely image at 6:18. That's an alpenglow image!
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by vonmackle »

rking007 wrote:Question though, what do you do in those situations where the alpenglow is casting crazy dark shadows? Not totally black but dark enough to loose the detail in the shadows and therefore the depth of those areas? Example, your shot at 6:45?
I usually start using a Graduated 3 stop ND filter about 20-30 minutes before sunrise to help balance the brightness of the sky with the rest of the shot. Then sometimes in post processing with Lightroom I'll add a little fill light and/or use the brush adjustment to get some details back out of the shadows, but I didn't do that with these shots.
rking007 wrote:Lastly, which of these shots is your favorite and why? Or are you working on one that you didn't show that will blow all the others away? :-D
My favorite is the 6:18. I love the light and the soft shadows 20-30 minutes before sunrise. This light is great for black and whites as well.

And no, I don't have another secret mind blowing super photo I'm working on. Those were the best I got.
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by vonmackle »

Kane wrote: Hope you don't mind if I jump in here.


You're welcome to jump in anytime, Kane. Thanks for the alpenglow info!
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Re: Sunrise or Sunset

Post by Kane »

I’m feeling the Gore Mountains these days. Boy do I love reliving old memories! I know the Gores ring with rugged peaks, beautiful tundra and swift streams of life, so why not head to what I know works.

Let alone try something different?

“Zodiac Ridge,” an unforgettable name, which originates from the stellar view from the Willow Lakes area. When a ridge of rock that connects two great mountains, gets its own name that usually means there’s gonna be something to look at…. Zodiac Ridge connects the great Red Peak to the equally great “East Thorne.” Both peaks show off an elite silhouette when descending the I-70 corridor from Eisenhower to Silverthorne. All of you have seen this view.

After the 7 mile approach I set up a tent at the upper Willow Lake area. I concentrated on the stream area in between the upper lake and the lower lake. I wanted to capture the oranges and reds of the beginning fall season at alpine elevations. When I arrived, I realized there where solid greens outlining the stream, which blended well with the reds and oranges. Combining all of the foreground with the Zodiac Ridge, made for a nice evening and morning of photography.

Techs: "Hints of Fall" & "Ripples and Reflections" are two image Canon 24mm tse stitch's, a top image and a bottom image stitch, thus creating a 12mm wide with zero distortion. The top image is a hand blend of three exposures to overcome dynamic range problems that all cameras can't handle. All images are shot at 5.6, the sweet spot for resolution. The bottom image is a focus stack of 3 images at F5.6 to convey a 3D feel. Then add some selective color, curves and a tad bit of NR, then its done!

BTW, "Ripples and Reflections" includes a lucky Cutthroat Trout stricking the water surface for dinner!


After all that, I think I captured what I saw that evening, I hope you feel my moment.



http://www.kaephotography.com/gallery/zodiac/
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