Watching a scene transform with the light can produce some great results.
The landscape image below is of a pretty average subject but waiting for the light to bring it to life and make it interesting was the key tactic.
PATIENCE
This sunrise photograph, although not spectacular as a topic, comes alive when the photographer applies some patience.
Initially I pulled up along the roadside because I spotted a light mist across the paddock and realised the sun was going to reflect through the diffused cloud.
I set up and waited……. All in, I captured around 50 images of this scene but I was most excited by the way the sunlight, at this particular angle highlighted the tops of the fluffy grass seed heads. This provides a depth to image and creates the 3D effect.
SETTINGS
Lens: I did not have my tripod so I needed a reasonable shutter speed because I used 70-200 lens at 200mm to tighten the shot and bring the hills in the background closer. A telephoto lens brings foreground and background together.
Shutter: I chose higher than 1/200th of a sec. Remember the rule-“Shutter speed should at least = lens focal length” (this was shot at 1/400th sec.)
ISO: I needed to bump it up a little from the preferred ISO100 to ISO400 which allowed me to use a reasonable Aperture setting.
Aperture: I used the aperture setting to adjust my image exposure. The setting here of f/8 is not ideal for a landscape which would normally call for a smaller aperture of at least f/16 to get enough of the scene, foreground to background, in focus. I focused on the trees which are about 1/3rd distance into the scene and are the main subject.
MOOD
Any photograph is that particular photographers own vision, another photographer may have captured a vastly different image of this scene. I like the soft focus of the foreground it adds to the “soft light” mood of the photograph, it has a ethereal quality that in another moment of light would be lost.
Capturing this frozen moment made me late for work.