This is a concept I’ve been working on for the last three nights. Getting closer, but still not quite there. First night was playing around with the settings. Second night there was great light but no waves. Tonight there were waves but no fire in the sky. Regard this as work in progress…
In the background is Morocco, with the lights of Tanger just coming on.
Hugo, many thanks for taking the time to help here. Let me explain what I'm trying to do in a little more detail. I'm quite happy with the composition and landscape orientation. I'll go back to this location night after night until I get it right (I've got a few nights left before I have to go back to Warsaw for a while... and if I still haven't cracked it I'll try again when I get back). But I believe it has to be "night" ie. dusk. That's because I want to capture the softness in the movement of the water, creating a misty effect around the rocks, while maintaining a sharpness in the rocks themselves. Since I can't push the ISO lower or the aperture smaller, this can only be done in failing light, unless I am missing something. I'll post another now that was taken earlier in the same session that perhaps works a little better - but it's still missing something exciting happening in the sky.
As far as the tripod is concerned, I would have to go back up the beach a long way to find any solid ground! But the idea of weighing it down certainly helps. Nevertheless, I realise that I need to invest in something far more solid than the tripod I currently possess.
I quite agree, there's lots and lots of potential in this concept, and I've been toying with it (although with different subjects) occasionally too. A few of my findings and ideas:
1. Emphasise the symmetrical / centered composition by taking it in portrait format.
2. I now understand the get in closer part - I used a wide angle (12mm) lens and practically stood on the subject in question
3. Yes - get a sturdy tripod, and set it down on solid ground - the waves may wash the sand from underneath.... If you have it set up on "solid ground" you can also weigh it down with your camera bag - that'll lower the center of gravity, and will make the contraption more resistent to the blows of the wind.
4. Chose a different time of day - Although dusk is probably the best moment to create this kind of feel, a bit earlier will probably be easier to get it right, before you move on to more challenging lighting conditions - I've learned my lesson the hard way....;)
Hope this helps, but I doubt any of this is new information to you.
I've attached a sample - same time of day and shutterspeed, but no water. Not one of the photos I'm very happy about, but I believe the concept is quite similar.
Yes, I think that's one of several issues here. I think I may need a more solid tripod - the bigger waves that cause the softness in the water also tend to mean stronger wind, which seems to have introduced a very slight camera movement in all these shots.
I can see great potential in this concept but know I'm still some way off. So many thanks for your comment - my reason for posting was to get some help and some more ideas.
Getting closer is always a good thing - and sure, you can get closer, but I don't think that's the main objective of photography - getting in as close as you can is always dependant on its functionality, the physics (sometimes, you just can't get closer) and the subject to be photographed (and I'm not referring to the question if you're even allowed to get closer...;))
The tones and exposure are great - but the image itself - I think it's just too soft... The slow shutter works miracles with this type of light - vivid, yet somewhat gloomy, and the softened water adds to the atmosphere - but the static opjects need to be static too, I think. Hope you see what I mean...
Hi AJ-- the photo has a lot of potential. Maybe a little longer on the exposure to brighten it up a little?? Hard to say, it's a difficult time of day to capture details in the rocks while not washing out the sky... have you tried exposure bracketing with the D70?
Oh well, I like the composition very much, I can't wait until you repost with the effect that you're trying for.
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