Landscape Photography: Another from the Lost Files
May 13, 2009 by Alec
Filed under Landscapes
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Its really fun to go back through the terrabites of harddrive, search raw images for something you missed. Found one I’d forgotten about and decided to post it.
This image is timely. I recently publish some of my tutorial content on Mark Johnson’s Photoshop website. It was the tutorial on split ND filters. Today’s image is HEAVILY filtered.
This was shot mid-day at the Pismo Beach Pier in California. I started with a Singh Ray Blue Gold Circular Polarizer. Polarizing in general and the BG specifically are favorites of mine when I’m considering black and white images. They provide a higher degree of contrast in water and sky right out of the camera. I like contrast.
On top of that I hung a 4 stop piece of ND glass, and then a two stop Split ND for the sky. Wasn’t sure where all this was headed. Just experimenting at this point.
Maybe that’s the lesson. Sometimes concepts are useful, sometimes its just great to go out and experiment.
Hope you enjoy.
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I think you nailed it with, “sometimes concepts are useful.” It's great that you got a chance to remember what you were thinking conceptually when you were shooting this. We should all go digging through our old harddrives for gems like you do! Thanks for sharing your work!
Alec, you take sunshine and make a cloudy day! You make it cold outside when it's the month of May! (My apologies to The Temptations.) A psychoanalyst would have a field day with your images. Dark and brooding even when the surroundings would dictate otherwise. I love the fact that you elicit an emotional response from your images. That is the sign of a powerful picture.
Hi Alec -
I'm looking forward to learning more about filters in your workshop this summer.
A couple questions about polarizers:
-would you ever recommend getting a blue/gold as a first polarizer, or would I get more mileage out of a neutral one?
-do you use blue/gold polarizers much for doing b/w work with people?
Like it. The lines of the waves are very dramatic. I can almost hear the surf now if it wasn't for my neighbor mowing his lawn.
Hi Amy,
Well, I think if budget is an issue that a good polarizer or warming polarizer (Singh Ray) is a great place to start. The Blue/Gold I consider a more specialty filter and would use it nearly as often as a warming polarizer. I've never used it photographing people and have not been inspired to, but now you've piqued my curiosity.
Hi Kevin,
Yes, I believe you're correct about the psychoanalyst. Thanks for pointing that out!
Also, thanks for the kind words. As always, I appreciate you being here.
Cheers,
alec