Difficult to resist

It's all well and good deciding that I've had enough of taking photographs on the local beaches, but once a few clouds start appearing in the sky during the afternoon it is difficult to resist the urge to be there and get shooting.

Anyway, there are some particularly low tides next week... and a supermoon. Just need the right skies, to be honest.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. Monopod. ISO 100



© 2018

Just around the corner

I've had my fill of seascape photography for winter (you wish), and the signs of Spring are already with us. Crocus are in full bloom here and there, and the blossom buds are getting ready to burst on the tree in my garden. What's more, it isn't as cold as of late, and it is noticeably lighter in the afternoons.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/80 second at f/8. Matrix metering. Monopod. ISO 100



 © 2018

Cliché #14,497

I actually took the long exposures under the local pier yesterday afternoon. After processing the image I uploaded it to here, intending to write a short piece of text to accompany it later in the evening... then promptly forgot all about it. Returning to finish the blog post 24 hours later, I decided that the original colour photograph would look better in monochrome.

After the mono conversion I still wasn't happy with it, so I decided to change the crop to a square format, before finally replacing the picture altogether with this one.

I got there in the end.

Probably...



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 20 seconds at f/11. 10x ND filter. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2018

Hmmm...

I'm feeding on scraps this afternoon, there is so little good light available. In fact, by the time I arrive at the beach it has started to rain. I do get a sliver or two of sunlight, but by and large it's of little use.

It isn't until I begin to pack up my gear that I glance towards the local pier and think: hmmm... monochrome! I take two frames, both near identical, and head for home.

Some judicial burning-in of the image, plus some added grain to accentuate the grittiness of a winter's afternoon, and the job's done. I even blue toned it for good measure.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/50 second at f/6.3. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400



© 2018

Late afternoon shooting

I nearly didn't bother with today, but the concrete skies of the past week gave way to some stunning late afternoon light, and I wasn't going to let it all go to waste.

The rainbow appeared minutes after I arrived on my local pier, and it is always gratifying to get something in the can early on. After waiting for the shower to pass, it was down to the water's edge for some more snapping. It can be frustrating for the photographer when unwanted elements enter the frame, but this time I decided to use the man with the metal detector as part of the composition.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor.
Top: 1/250 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 100
Below: 1/320 second at f/8. Matrix metering. + 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 100



© 2018

Yeah, says you.

Terence Donavon, the 1960s fashion photographer, once went on record saying: "The problem for the amateur photographer is that he/she has no reason to take a photograph."

So, self indulgence it is, then (insert winking emoji here).



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 30 seconds at f/11. Tripod and remote release. ISO 100



© 2018

Perspective changer

For the second day running I get a boot full of water whilst shooting by the sea, and on both occasions it's the left one. Hmm... just a coincidence? Yes, it is, but wearing rubber wellington boots - or wellies in the vernacular - for this sort of work is invaluable to the photographer shooting along the shoreline.

Of course, you can get over confident when looking for a better angle, as my left foot will attest, but for the most part they are a perspective changer.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 100



© 2018