Light thinks it travels faster…
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it.” - Terry Pratchett
This quote has a significantly deep meaning, but its more literal interpretation has been one of my most handy tools in recent photos I have taken. The traditional photography light triangle is best assisted by the shadows existing wherever light chooses to pour through. The intensity of these shadows is helpful, but the question I always ask when I recognize a perfectly lit scene is; what is my subject? Standing before a mountain vista, a coastline of sandy textures and rocky shores or a crowded woodland, endless focal points come into view.
Focus:
I recently took a nosedive into the exploration of light. One of my most apparent changes since that exploration is, I rarely get to a location and remain determined to shoot a specific subject, if the light isn’t right. Actually, that’s not true, I will still photograph that subject under whatever light I am facing. However, I have come by some of my favorite photos of 2021 thus far by simply hunting the light, waiting a scene out, letting the light and the shadows create the focal point I am interested in.
Bits Between The Cracks
Lens: Sony 20mm F/1.8
Apeture: ƒ/8
Shutter Speed: 30s
Focal Length: 20mm
ISO: 50
Filter: 10 stop
Winter in 2021 was a bit Jekyll and Hyde. It felt as though some days would be the coldest day we have experienced, and others were so mild it almost felt like Spring was right around the corner. This snap was taken on February 21st. I was standing in the middle of this breakwater, anticipating a deep orange and magenta sunset. Imagine my disappointment when the sky only offered this light pastel sky. The tide was rushing in and naturally because the light was not intense, it was disappearing quickly. I decided a long exposure was the way to go! The snow clung to the contours of these rocks, adhered with the salty water that splashed on the craggy surfaces during high tide.
In short, the shot I anticipated when I came here wasn’t available! I was looking at a truly stunning scene, and as I “settled” for this composition, I was excited about exposing it, but I was disappointed it wasn’t what I imagined.
A few days later once my emotional connection to this shoot passed, I revisited my plunder. I couldn’t be happier. Even though it wasn’t what I wanted to capture, I somehow walked away with the entire scene before me in these shots. The movement in the water from the tide creeping in, made this long exposure the smoother. The boulders that almost felt thrown into the water were steadfast and stretching - showing off the critical element that drew me to this shot; the warm sunset light. Where the sun dared to tread was encased in rich shadows, and as the sun dropped those shadows were taking over the creases previously lit uncontrollably.
Every color took on a new shade once I concentrated on shadows, and using it to focus the light in my compositions. I was crazy about these colors as well. I have just come off several months of de-saturating my photos. The colors in the skies were enchanting, and the quietness of golden hours, when the sky is most impressive meant each scene felt truly composed. Every instrument in the natural soundtrack filling the atmosphere was perfectly pitched and I only needed to focus on the target at hand; capture the light!
Pouring Out The Sky
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.4
Apeture: ƒ/3.2
Shutter Speed: 1/125
Focal Length: 35mm
ISO: 100
One of my favorite places to catch a sunset, in particular a sunset after a clear day, is Sand Point Beach, Cousins Island, ME. From this vantage point the sun is at my back and the shadows are minimal. On an evening like this one the sky is clear and the clouds are faint. Most importantly about the compositions I capture here; the tide is low and I truly feel almost as if I am witnessing Atlantis expose itself.
Drive by this beach during high tide and most of this scene isn’t visible. Though the water is calm, one would never imagine the barely visible natural debris is waiting to create a perfectly lit stage. Tide pools and reeds, lichen covered rocks and in the distance, tree lined rocky shores with water marks reminding anyone drinking this scene in where the water will rise to, are subtle hints of the expose scene.
Capturing a place is just one part of the photo. Anyone trying to capture a scene knows, it never appears as spectacular in camera as it does in person. I try to spend more time on site finding a composition and ensure I highlight the interesting elements as ideally as possible in camera. I like minimizing the amount of cropping and editing I need to do afterwards. This adventure with light has me pushing my wide angle and telephoto lenses to the limit. Of course, the deeper I delve the more I think about how much I need new kit!
Apologies, I am about to delve into a bit of the kit and technical aspect of these shots. Not too heavily, but enough to put the rhythm of this volume off.
I shoot Sony and usually only purchase Sony Lenses. I made an exception for a Rokinon 35mm f/1.4 lens because, well, at the time Sony did not make a lens with those specs. I wanted to be able to capture some low light images and really take advantage of some blue sky action late in the evening and early in the morning. I also like a 35mm focal length. In addition, I also picked up a telephoto; the Sony 70—300mm f/4.5 - 6.5. This latter lens has really been a handy tool for isolating compositions, allowing me to really accentuate the specifics of a scene.
The buoys in the carousel above were just bobbing and rippling in the water on a chilly March morning. We experienced rain and stormy weather along the southern Maine coast leading up to the day I took those shots, so the light coming in beyond the clouds couldn’t be more focused on its subjects. What a perfect morning for a telephoto lens! Ripples in the water as the tide shifted and the dark water meant the only distractions in the scene were truly welcomed! I loved the way these shots turned out and I plan on turning them into a printed series. Who knows? I will likely pass them around to galleries and see if I get any bites.
The Veteran’s Memorial Bridge flows traffic to and from Portland and South Portland. Along its edges are the metal sculptures seen in “Drawing Lines” and “Just a little bit” above. This bridge is right on the watershed of Portland International Airport which means: uninterrupted skies! I have attempted these shots during the late evening in the past but none have come out as successfully as when I snapped them with my 35mm F1.4. I was happy with how sharp the images came out in low light and how at a high shutter speed I was able to still capture the subtle light off the back of these metal lines. All of this contrast with the flat colored skies made for some of my favorite minimalist shots to date.
Frosted Tips
Sony 70 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6
Apeture: ƒ/5
Shutter Speed: 1/500
Focal Length: 100mm
ISO: 800
Shadows win in my book. The areas where light does not pour into at a scene cause my eyes to search and help me gather my composition. This image of frosted seaweed shows what that search looks like for me. These rocks specked with lichen and small mollusques were easy to gloss over when I first showed up. As the sun came up and the light slowly crept over the rocky coast, the details in the seaweed really started showing off all their best features. What really caught my attention when looking at this scene through my view finder is how shallow the depth of field was throughout the entire image and still so much dimension was present. Shadows at their best!
Contrast has also been a close friend as I have explored light. I am continuing to learn how bokeh and depth of field can be played with, and help to evolve perspectives as I manipulate the light. The dimension in this photo was further accentuated by positioning myself so the light is not pouring directly into my lens, but instead lighting this scene from the side. My focus distance, and the fact that there are minimal colors in this scene meant I could concentrate entirely on how the sun was painting the seaweed and the darker areas were being overcome.
Still, shadows are my favorite! I easily fall into taking moody shots on the edges of daytime. With a texture filled scene like this, making the mundane stunning becomes a bit easier!
Patience is something every photographer battles with. Sometimes, I personally feel like I should take an image and run. I am learning more and more that in instances like the images below, to stay put. I will see what the change in light does to the overall photo. My curiosity won the battle of impatience by figuring out which version of light in these snaps I would prefer. The sky being beautifully colored and lit once the sun goes down so there is reduced harshness in the scene. Or, would I prefer my subject and the foreground having interesting light pour through?
I came here specifically to snap this shipwreck (The Howard W. Middleton Shipwreck). A couple attributes of this scene that make it particularly intriguing; it is only visible at low tide, and it is directly impacted by the light from sunset. I got here early during golden hour when the sand, tide pools and water surrounding this barely existing shipwreck made for an enchanting scene. All the skills I have learned about texture, shadows and the like came perfectly into focus to take advantage of what I was seeing.
“Lit Lowtide Skeleton” was snapped first. Now, even just three or so months ago I would pack up satisfied that I got what I came here for. Instead filled with fresh knowledge, on this occasion, I waited. I was not satisfied I captured the sky I wanted. I camped out hoping for perfectly adjusted light as the sun went down a bit more. For the colors to blend, for the light to dim. I snapped the long exposure seen in “Shadowy Low Tide Skeleton”. To this day I am still not sure which I prefer and frankly I never look at just either one of these photos. The story of time is lost by isolating these images. I also refuse to pick which photo I prefer in totality but instead enjoy both for their unique attributes.
I learned a new lesson in patience during this shoot, if not a bit more about picking my scene based on the light. This place which has so much history and drama was totally transformed before my eyes within minutes!
I bet you also noticed the sand to the right of the belly of the ship in “Lit Lowtide Skeleton” - so did I. Before I honed in on what I wanted to snap I went in for some gratuitous abstracts of the surrounding scenery when I arrived here.
Pools of Sand
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.4
Apeture: ƒ/2
Shutter Speed: 1/800
Focal Length: 35mm
ISO: 100
In the shadow of this image is a tide pool. That shadow is created by the column of wood reaching as high as is can out of the sand, covered in barnacles. I was tempted in post processing, to remove all the debris in the image. When I did the image lost some sense of place. Those flakes and shards add bits of color and contrast, but most importantly, each bit catches a touch of sunlight in a unique way.
The sand was entrancing. The colors were impressive on their own, but with the sun fighting to peer through the remains of the boat, the angles of that light transformed this portion of the scene into something ethereal. I really enjoyed capturing these shots particularly because there were no footprints in the sand.
Mirror Stump
Lens: Sony 70 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6
Apeture: ƒ/11
Shutter Speed: 20s
Focal Length: 288mm
ISO 50
Filter: 10 stop
When the sun is high in the sky, these are often the most intimidating light conditions to capture photos in. But, if you wait just a bit, for those hours when the sun is getting ready to creep low it allows one to survey the scene and find subjects that initially did not stand out.
I found myself out with my friend in photography Jack Bjorn recently. During our trek along the marshy wetlands of Knight’s Pond Preserve, I captured this gem. With a 10 stop filter and my telephoto lens, I could use the flat water in the background to absorb the light blasting through this scene. Considering the sun was quite high in the sky, this long exposure came together as perfectly as I could hope for.
My experiment with light will likely never end. The more I explore it, the more I feel I am capturing the photos I truly find captivating. My minimalist bug takes over where appropriate, but my abstract senses tend to signal on first sight of a scene.
Once the full scope of photography skills, tools and elements expose themselves, my own instincts show themselves in refreshing ways. Long may the adventure continue!
Meter:
The photographers I’d like to recognize in this volume are masters in their use of light. The utilize contrast and abstract subjects in their own unique ways. In particular they take advantage of natural light and carefully craft their scenes around its softness and intensities.
I really enjoy looking at their work. Please go check out their content and give them a little love. It takes a great deal of time to plan capture and curate the scenery they do.
Jack Bjorn
Jack is a Mainer who knows his surroundings very well. He loves a great sunrise shot and I find myself relating directly to his abstract landscape scenes. I really enjoy seeing the way he takes advantage of contouring shorelines, reflections and a new obsession of his; astrophotography. He’s a very impressive artist and hopefully we can collaborate on a series soon!
Website: https://jackbjornphoto.wixsite.com/my-site
Instagram: @jackbjornphotography
Richard Martin
Richard is an experienced photographer who dabbles in creating surreal scenes. His colors are stunning! Many of his compositions bare resemblance to paintings, and his work with light is well balanced, rich and full of contrast. The content he shares on Instagram is usually accompanied by captions that any photographer can learn from.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/richard.martin.photo/
Instagram: @richard.martin.photo
Expose
Next up is taking advantage of the colors around me. I am thinking about getting into macro photography, or focusing on more narrow detailed shots. Maybe, i’ll track down vintage elements around the street, wildlife trouncing around the landscapes I get out to shoot, or leverage elements of minimalism everywhere. Mundane everyday scenery is packed full of interesting colors I can take full advantage of.
Follow along on my Instagram to see how this is going, or pop over to my gallery to see a few of the shots I am particularly proud of!
Thanks for stopping in…
Warmest,
Stanley
