The weather forecast for the second part of Good Friday was quite decent for East Sussex and I planned to head in that direction after visiting a long-time friend in hospital at Hawkhurst, Kent.
I wanted to try some sunset photos with my recently acquired reverse grad nd filter and I checked weather plus tide times, initially for Seaford/Birling Gap areas that I am familiar with.
However, a mid morning 'light bulb moment' saw me decide on Hastings for a change as I would be within easy reach of there. The plan formulating in my head was for sunset from on top of East Hill, though I was aware that the actual sunset might be a little to the right of my main focus.
The plan was to include the fishing fleet on the beach and the fishing huts etc at Rock-a-Nore as the left main part of the photo, with a wide enough view to include some of the old town and the seafront towards the distant pier.
Having arrived and then parked easily at Rock-a-Nore beach car park (open until 11pm, so not a problem), I walked round to and then up the steps that go to the top of East Hill. I had anticipated that I would be able to go along the top of the park there and look out over the Fishing fleet and fish hut area as my foreground. That part didn't quite work out though, as the rows of bushes at the top of the cliff prevented me from obtaining the hoped for view.
Therefore, my best option for the view I wanted was for me to be part way back down the steps I had just climbed (that had made me puff a bit) and use one of the large platform areas between the sets of steps.
I framed up a suitable composition and adjusted the camera settings according to the tips that I had picked up from Jack Lodge on Monday in Dorset. I took a few photos and was delighted to see that using the tips he gave me had allowed me to retain foreground detail.
However, I wanted to capture more colour in the sky from the improving sunset, so I quickly attached my Reverse Grad ND Filter and lined up the grad edge with the horizon while using 'live view' on the rear screen.
This filter gave me the colour and cloud definition in the sky and I still retained foreground detail, where my previous lack of knowledge regarding settings etc would have given me large areas of black silhouettes.
Just as the old town lights and street lights were being switched on and the next stage of my plan looked like coming to fruition (with the old town lit up) it started to rain. A few spots first and then it became heavier and with some breeze it meant rain on the filter and the need to clean that in between shots. Plus I suddenly needed to use the rain cover for the camera bag.
After a few more shots and with the rain seemingly settled in for a while, I decided that maybe I should pack away for today. Once I was back to sea level down the steps, the rain eased enough for me to consider light trail shots at a road junction with lit up buildings as part of the photo.
I managed a few shots there, including one where a bus went through the shot during the long exposure (buses are that bit taller than cars and have extra lights that add to the shot), before the rain increased and I decided to pack away - happy with what I had seen on the back of the camera and happy that I had indeed learned some useful tips on Monday.
So, a successful trip out. Would have been nice if I could have got the sunset to be nearer to centre for photo, but that angle was not possible. The rain curtailed my activities before I had taken all that I had hoped for, but at least I am happy now that I know how to retain the foreground detail in the sunset scenarios.
The time spent with Jack on Monday has taught me several useful tips and I have changed to using different shooting mode and settings than I would previously have used for this type of shot.
I look forward now to many other rewarding shoots, trying new locations and ideas as my confidence has grown . My next investment will be a set of magnetic Kase Filters, like the ones that Jack uses and that he allowed me to use and showed me how to use on Monday - magnetic ones are so easy after fitting the adaptor ring to the lens and you can stack them to create the desired effect. Monday showed me what a decent set can achieve and it will be a worthwhile investment, as I now have a better understanding of their use and what is possible.
Thank You so much PhotoPlus the Canon Magazine and Jack Lodge Photography.
Comments