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Striking Sunsets, Getting beyond Postcard-Pretty or Merely Sentimental!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hey Asher, I sais shot for commercial!
This means that the shot was prepared…
We did chose the beach I shot from the day before, set the desired distance of the boat from beach, checked the exact time for sun being in the right place and came back the day after for the real shoot! (of course we were all the time talking with the boat by radio).
For the rest there is absolutely no trick… That was a real sunset! (very usual in the Bahamas ;-)

A few seconds before (the girl at the bow wasn't ready…):

Nicolas,

As skillful as I am in constructing pictures from careful sub-componant shots, I'm coming to the belief in a team large enough to get everything in the one shot, at one time. It's much more expensive, but so logical, sweet and sane in the end. You, of course, do this all the time or you would go cross-eyed in photoshopping!

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
I may add that now I use a lot Google Earth to prepare my photo shoots…
Some days in advance, I also check the weather forecast(s) (marine forecast) to know about wind speed and direction as well as the tide hours (if any) and direction of maritime currents…
Forgetting these aspects may destroy/spoil a photo shoot!
For example, last week I had to shoot a boat coming from La Rochelle to the Baltic sea (sorry I can't show any samples as of now), the shot had to be done while the boat was passing the Great Bridge Belt (what a huuuuuge bridge!) in Denmark.
Everything had to be prepared in advance as contractually the boat will pass once only, no rehearsal!
I (and Romain) was on standby near the helicopter (20 minutes fly from the shooting point) and we did shoot exactly from the point we decided in advance (helicopter altitude and position from the bridge, position of the sun) and we even decided in advance what the helicopter course would be during the 45 minutes shooting as we had to get steady helicopter for the still photo but movements for the video.
All functioned perfectly!
When everything is perfectly and carefully prepared in advance, you also get the chance to be able to exploit all the unexpected!
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Thanks Fahim
Yes work may pay, no preparation will not…

Sometimes things are going quite fast…

Illustrating my post above about Denmark while we were shooting, Marine from our office in Bordeaux followed our work thru a webcam situated on the bridge…

2 minutes between these two views…

image2.jpg

Red arrows are showing our helicopter​

Big boat, huge bridge, tiny helicopter!

Please note that this post is not completely OT, these images are during a sunset…
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Don't take it wrong Fahim…

The webcam were not placed there by us, it is there to control the traffic on the bridge ! ;-)
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Still is mind boggling the effort and precision timing that must have gone into this shoot!!
Hats off to you sir, your son and the team.

Take care and my kindest regards and best wishes.
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Sunset on the Red Sea - View from a yacht

Still is mind boggling the effort and precision timing that must have gone into this shoot!!
Hats off to you sir, your son and the team.

Take care and my kindest regards and best wishes.

Hi Fahim
two more, not so far from your home…

Shot in the Red Sea while returning from a shoot…


_45R9774_SPIIP.jpg


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fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Hi Nicolas,

I am having difficulty downloading the images right now.
Shall see them and let you know if we should go diving there!!

Thanks for sharing.
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Fahim
these shots are a bit too offshore for diving, but I know that if you get closer to the shore, it is one of the most wonderful place for diving!
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Fahim
these shots are a bit too offshore for diving, but I know that if you get closer to the shore, it is one of the most wonderful place for diving!

Hi Nocolas,

Got the images. Is that a canoe!!
Who cares about diving, I want to ride that beauty.

Beautiful shots.

Take care Nicolas and knid regards.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Fahim
two more, not so far from your home…

Shot in the Red Sea while returning from a shoot…


_45R9774_SPIIP.jpg




This shot, Nicolas, is dramatic because of the red lights and the sky having that set of color that is intensified by our associations with the "Red Sea. Kudos!

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Thank you Asher.
This for me the typical kind of shoot you do after a full day concentrating on the job you had to achieve.
"Ok, guys, this is it and I think it's in the box, let's go back for a drink and dinner!"
Then you have about half to one and a half hour to sail back.
Some are sleeping somewhere onboard, some are chating with the models, some others are cleaning there gear while the skipper is sailing you safely to the marina/harbor/mooring.
In this meantime, I oftenly let my brain slow down, cooling concentration, slowly reviewing what has been done during that day, relaxing anyway, sometimes even think of what will have to be done next day.

All this happens many times a year
And suddenly, I just feel that I have to get my camera out of its Lowepro case and shoot that sunset…
Now, you get the story!
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Maybe an unusual setting, but I believe that it fits in here:A almost drove past this, but stopped fortunately. I immediately liked the combination of reflected sunset and bus stop.

Best regards,
Michael



Michael,

Stopping on impulse like this is important! We do it for friends routinely to give them one moment of recognition and bonding! This stopping creates a lot of opposition from my family and that's why I like to drive, so I get the choice. This shows what many folk miss!

Asher
 
Chris, your image is very beautiful and even with all the boats etc., it still feels very serene. It simply feels overcast and as if it might rain, actually and not a sunset but it does have a very calm, end of day type of feeling.
 

Chris Calohan

Well-known member
Thanks, Maggie (one of my favorite names). I've given thought to perhaps cropping a bit of the sky but am held back bcause the tonal range never goes to pure white in the sky, nor in the reflective quality of the water.

To me, the long shadows, and gradual darkening of the sky down at the treeline portend the impending nightfall, yet nearly everyone who has made a comment on it suggests an overcast sky.

At least the serenity of the day's end was felt. I was not so serene when I discovered I was laying on an ant bed...silly me.
 
Thanks, Maggie (one of my favorite names). I've given thought to perhaps cropping a bit of the sky but am held back bcause the tonal range never goes to pure white in the sky, nor in the reflective quality of the water.

To me, the long shadows, and gradual darkening of the sky down at the treeline portend the impending nightfall, yet nearly everyone who has made a comment on it suggests an overcast sky.

At least the serenity of the day's end was felt. I was not so serene when I discovered I was laying on an ant bed...silly me.

I just saw the color version and that definitely feels like either dawn or end of day. And such a soft peaceful color of sky. I think the soft sky does not really show us long shadows as they are softened out but what we see mostly are long reflections which is a matter of perspective and not of time of day. I do think that the reflections may be more contrasty at this time of day as the light may not overwhelm them. Either way, I like both images. :)
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
8561219906_44cbf4c163_c.jpg




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Try blending them! Experiment with mode and percent of the B&W version, you might enjoy the possibilities.

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
These are traditional sunsets taken a couple of hours ago - - - but I see them as a little different with the foreground breaking water being the focus as well as the sand dune like waves in the other shot. Colour and tonality is virtually as taken. Olympus E-PL3 at 300mm (efl)



20130318-0001-6.jpg


20130318-0001-7.jpg


 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
These are traditional subsets taken a couple of hours ago - - - but I see them as a little different with the foreground breaking water being the focus as well as the sand dune like waves in the other shot. Colour and tonality is virtually as taken. Olympus E-PL3 at 300mm (efl)



20130318-0001-6.jpg


This picture is a treat to my eyes! I love the going against the "slow-shutter-speed" for water fashion that has banished the feel or spray and droplets from the sea and rivers! I like that you bring drops we'd never be able to see so clearly.

As a sunset image, it's unusual and worth investing a lot in fathoming as to how it should be printed.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief



20130318-0001-7.jpg




Here, again, the importance of the form of the water takes precedence over everything else, distinguishing it once more from the common romantic versions of sunset. The water seems very energetic but soft, and alive. A good combination and unique.

Asher
 

Chris Calohan

Well-known member
Just Another Sunset

This one is about color...radiant, warm, glowing color.

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ease me gently into the night: chris calohan​
 

Chris Calohan

Well-known member
Color Me Saying Goodnight

Another in a series of shots (0ne of which Asher is being so kind to move) of a truly bodacious sunset the other night. The colors were close to sensual. There is almost no PP work done to this image.

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Color Me Saying Goodnight: Chris Calohan​
 

Jean Henderson

New member
Thanks Asher. As for that crepuscular looking light, I must admit it was one of those serendipitous accidents that I decided to keep.

Jean
 
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