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a stitched panoramic gives an unseen view to a familiar setting |
don't give up too early! ... dr. jeff johnson
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from a great location, flat light as sunset approached dimmed hopes for images |
As landscape photographers we often have preconceptions of what things are going to look like, what images we are going to see, and even what the weather is going to do. A little bit of this can be helpful by allowing proper planning and preparation, but locking yourself in to a pre visualized outcome can often lead to disaster. Let's explore the last case. If possible, I try to see what the weather is supposed to do. I check sunset, sunrise, moonset, moonrise times and directions.
I look at maps and if possible previous images of a site before going. Sometimes I have help from someone who has been to a particular location. That was the case on the recent Yosemite Valley workshop with Steve. After digesting all the information I could get, we arrived at the location for our last sunset, Valley View. I had ideas of what I thought would happen and what shot I wanted to take. Unfortunately the skies were overcast, with no hint of color and nothing to make me think things would change before dark. I took several photographs of the overcast scene, but I was disappointed because it didn't look like the shot I had preconceived would happen.
I'm sure most of us have sat through many sunsets and sunrises when, for many reasons, the shot didn't happen. Usually it's weather. Either too much or not enough. I've done the opposite also as I'm sure many have; giving up too early and then having something spectacular happen. The worst of these I can remember was sitting for a couple of hours on the Grand View overlook at Canyonlands with dense clouds and no hint that the sun could peek through on the horizon.
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in the last moments before sunset ... gold! |
I packed up and drove away, only to be surprised by a red glow in the rear view mirror. It was gone before I could get my camera out again, and I missed a great sunset. This time, I was going to stick it out till there was no chance for something good to happen. As the time for sunset came, people were yelling, "Stick a fork in it. It's done!" Then, just at the time of official sunset, a slight red glow appeared on El Capitan. It deepened and brightened.
It was one of those rare moments when things all fall into place. One of those times when the scene is so beautiful and so surprising (especially after my negative preconception of what the weather would do) that I almost forgot to open the shutter. Fortunately I did, and got the image below. As others have said, "If you don't open the shutter, you won't get the shot." You surely won't get the shot if you give up too soon. F8 and be there!
Comment
A story that we have all experienced and told over and over! Sometimes you just wait and sometimes you don't. I've shared the same experience and story for many years also. It took place in exactly the same location in the same month a decade or so ago. Mine was a sunrise and that image can be viewed in the gallery (three down, middle) under Yosemite Winter.
The great part of being in a workshop situation is that you allow for the time to be in the best possible location and you also allow the time to wait. If you are alone the urge to leave the location in search of something else is sometimes overwhelming. Here we did what time allowed, we talked about the feeling of both the photography and the Yosemite, the essence and the presence. When the moment occurred, it was a casual exercise to open the shutter and f/8 and be there!
Thanks Dr. Jeff ... this is what workshops are all about.
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