'twixt the waves...

Overnight strong winds and rain quickly give way to bright sunshine by mid morning, and having taken care of the day's business early on I decide it's time for some photography. Conditions seem about right for kite surfing, so I pack a long lens and set off for the beach for some action shots. All too often I have the wrong lenses with me when these people are zipping about 'twixt the waves, so this time I feel I have all bases covered. The only thing stopping me is the total absence of any kite surfers whatsoever. Well, the was one that had been out there, doing it, but he was now in the process of packing up and no use to me at all. Very unusual, for the conditions. Perhaps they are all still at work.

I eventually find three canopies bobbing around in the distance - each one denoting a surfer somewhere beneath - and I get some shots before the light goes. Not quite what I was hoping for, but better than drawing a blank.


300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor with TC-14EII converter.  1/640 second at f/6.3. ISO 640



© 2013

Easy drama...

At last I am given a bit of drama. It has either been overcast and raining, or sunshine and blue skies over the past week or so, and although I subscribe to the maxim: 'there is no such thing as bad light for photography', I have been itching to shoot something moody, even if it isn't mean.

The seascape idea is very much on the top of my list at the moment, so once the forecast showery weather started rolling in off the Atlantic I am down on the local beaches as soon as the sun is low enough in the sky.

The tide is also falling during late afternoon, so I walk along the low water line, making photographs as I go. I decide to convert the images to mono whilst shooting as I find the monochrome combination of waves and clouds appealing. However, I go one step further at the processing stage and selenium tone the finished image (above).

Some images are made; some are waited for, and some are walked into, as with the backlit photo of two kite surfers on Boscombe beach. I simply strolled along behind one coming out of the water, and as he set the kite onto the sand and began to dismantle his rig, I took a sequence of images before the sun disappeared behind the cloud bank.

Easy





24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor.

Top: 1/8000 second at f/8.  - 1.33 EV compensation. ISO 400
Right: 1/3200 second at f/8  -0.37 EV compensation. ISO 400



© 2013