My favorite from 2019, the epic Apalachicola sunrise

My personal favorite from 2019, the epic Apalachicola sunrise.

By far, the most incredible, magical, epic light I experienced this year (and was able to capture on my sensor), was the sunrise in early November at Scipio Creek Marina in Apalachicola. I was able to not only do a panoramic, but to do a video as well, if you are interested the link is below. What an incredible morning! 2020 is going to have to work hard to give me better conditions than I had that morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agvN5wbxx18

Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD mirrorless lens on a Sony a7Riii, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 50, shutter speed of 1/2 second, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 30L backpack, stitched and processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1728mirrorless, #SiruiUSA, #Acratech, #ShimodaDesign, #BearWoodsPhotography

Using Neutral Density Filters for Dramatic Effects

Using Neutral Density filters for dramatic effects.

 

Below is the link to my video about using filters to slow down water and movement for a dramatic look. Hopefully you will chuckle at my obvious frustration of trying to exposures. At one point I felt I should contact NASA to figure out exposure coefficients. I will follow it up with an in depth video about the different systems that I use. As magnetic filters are becoming more popular hopefully the use of filters will be easier and their use will increase by photographers to expand their creativity. Here is the link:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWVYl1uYcg

 

This image information: Tamron 17-35mm Di OSD lens on a Nikon Z6 via the FTZ adapter, Manual Exposure mode, f5.6, ISO 100, shutter speed of 130 seconds, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1735, #SiruiImaging, #Acratech, #ShimodaExplore, #MarumiFilters, #Apalachicola, #NatureInFocusPhotographyWorkshops, #BearWoodsPhotography

Playing with long exposures and filters

Playing with Long Exposure and filters.

 

I will have a video out in a few days talking about some filters I have been experimenting with and testing different brands. Very often, we as photographers, walk away from scenes that are in less than perfect light. I like to use tough lighting situations to expand my creativity in the field. One such way is to use Neutral Density filters and Circular Polarizers to slow down the exposure and change the scene completely. This particular image was done on a cloudy and flatly lit day. In order to make something of the scene I tried different filter combinations to slow down the exposure and smooth out the water which had many ripples because of the wind. I will release a more in depth look at some of the filter systems I am using in a week or so, but for this image I used a new magnetic system from Marumi and filters. In the past when you start stacking filters you would have light leaks that did funky stuff to the image, but with the magnetic systems you don’t get that leak. I used a 2 and 10 stop Neutral Density filter for the image which changed my shutter speed from about 1/6th of a second to 144 seconds.

 

Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD mirrorless lens on a Sony a7Riii, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 100, shutter speed of 144 seconds, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1728mirrorless, #SiruiImaging, #Acratech, #ShimodaExplore, #MarumiFilters, #Argraph, #Apalachicola, #BearWoodsPhotography

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Good News, Bad News…

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Good news, bad news.

 

Sometimes images come with a “good news, bad news” disclaimer, and this is one of them. The good news is this Eagle perched across from the boat docks from our workshop group one morning this past weekend. It was waiting and wanting to fly in to feed on a deer carcass someone had dumped. Every time it would approach it got mobbed by a bunch of Grackles and Gulls. I am guessing from the location they dumped it, they were hoping for a gator to get it. No, this wasn’t in Bear Woods, it was in Apalachicola. So what could be the bad news? Well the day before 2 folks with us left a few minutes after us and captured images of a beautiful mature Bald Eagle sitting on the dock feeding…

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 450, shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second, handheld, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #ShimodaExplore, #Apalachicola, #BearWoodsPhotography

My “Epic Sunrise” Video

My “Epic Sunrise” video.

 

Last week while I was scouting for Apalachicola I almost stayed in bed one morning, but decided to push on and get out and photograph. I made coffee and ventured out to witness one of the most incredible sunrises I have ever seen. I did some video of the experience of my morning, and here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agvN5wbxx18

 

Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD mirrorless lens on a Sony a7Riii, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 50, shutter speed of 1/6th of a second, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1728mirrorless, #SiruiImaging, #Acratech, #ShimodaExplore, #Apalachicola, #BearWoodsPhotography

Epic Sunrise!

Epic Sunrise!

 

I had one of those mornings yesterday…a morning of doubt. I looked at my apps and they all said clouds, rain, chance of thunderstorms, but I could see a slither of a clearing on the horizon to the east. I was up so why not go out and see what happens. As I crossed the bridge it was raining, but I could still see that slither of space on the horizon…a little color peeking through now. I went to Scipio Creek, the far northwest side to be exact, and again doubted my decision to get out of the warm bed. It stopped raining about 15 minutes before the official sunrise though. A little more color appeared. I got out, set up my video gear and then my camera gear and walked out to the boats. As I watched it get more and more color I walked down the docks to find the right angle surprising a gator sitting on some wood. I’m not sure who was more surprised the gator or me, but now my adrenaline was pumping. The sky now was lighting like none I had seen before in this location. I moved left and right changing compositions as the light changed. I even did this 9 frame panoramic at the peak of the color. What an epic sunrise! I will have the video of the morning next week for you!

 

Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 Di III RXD mirrorless lens on a Sony a7Riii, 9 frames, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 50, shutter speed of 1/2 second, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC, tweaked in Photoshop 2020 using Lumenzia. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1728mirrorless, #SiruiUSA, #Acratech, #ShimodaExplore, #Apalachicola, #BearWoodsPhotography

Scipio Creek reflections

Scipio Creek reflections.

 

When sunrise didn’t light up the sky like I hoped, I turned to photographing reflections of the Shrimp boats docked in the marina. There was a little breeze and it was just enough to interfere with the reflections. I took out a 5 stop ND/Circular Polarizer and was able to drop my exposure down to 6 seconds, which smoothed out the water enough to restore some of the reflections. On mornings like this I will often put one a 10 stop ND (neutral density) filter and then convert my final results to Black and White processing it so the results will be fairly high contrast.

 

Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 Di III RXD mirrorless lens on a Sony a7Riii, Manual Exposure mode, f5.6, ISO 50, shutter speed of 6 seconds, Breakthrough Photography 5 stop Dark CPL, Sirui SR 3204 tripod, Acratech GXP ballhead, Shimoda Explore 40L backpack, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron2875mirrorless, #SiruiUSA, #Acratech, #ShimodaExplore, #BreakthroughPhotography, #BearWoodsPhotography