Clouds in the Valley
Sunrise is still a difficult time for me to get up, so I compromised and slept halfway through the evening, woke at 1 and began planning for my sunrise shoot. I expected some partially cloud skies, and decent light. Originally I was going to head towards a lake, setup and catch the sun as it splashed some color over the water. It wasn't to be though I saw the signs as I left my house at 5 in the morning [latter than I had originally intended too] low lying fog all around. Plans changed, evolved. I knew exactly where to go. Up to Looking Glass Rock I went with my traveling partner, and here is the result. Once again the sky is somewhat cloudless, but with the partial thermal inversion in effect, it takes this already stunning view to a new level.
This is another example of getting out, just to see what’s going on. Compositions you have previously scouted will change with the weather, this is actually a different composition than I have previously tried. There’s nothing wrong with moving around, getting new ideas as you go. You have to take your time, get to know your subject. In this instance the subject is Looking Glass Rock, the mountain on the right hand side foreground, but within that I’m using the weather as a supporting element. It’s important to know where to put your subject in a frame to make the best use of supporting elements.
Supporting elements can give your subject depth, keep your viewers looking for longer. At the end of the day, if a viewer is only glancing at your image, have you succeeded as a photographer? I feel, and mind you this is my personal opinion, I want to stop my viewers and truly draw them in. That’s the difficulty, drawing them into your image and getting them to pay attention. So this is where you frame a subject, how we build our compositions.
You can practice this at home before leaving the house, or on a late evening. Empty a table, and place an item on it. This is going to be your subject. Your subject should be somewhat interesting to your eye, so take a moment to select a good one! Now, you have your subject sitting atop an empty table, begin building a small scene around it, don’t overcrowd it, start with one piece of set dressing at a time. Help build out this small scene, and take a photo. Change things around until you, as a photographer are happy. It’s a simple controllable exercise, and while you can’t move elements in large landscapes around, it will give you a better idea of how to frame an image once you have found your subject.
Until next time.
ISO: 640
Aperture: f8
SS: 1/125th
Focal: 50mm
