Monday, March 10, 2014

By Dawn's Early Light



Sunrise. So lovely, but so darned early! Nevertheless as photographers we haul ourselves out of bed in eager anticipation of a bold and beautiful morning. On this morning a 3AM departure was needed in order to drive to the vantage point, 2  hours away, in time for sunrise at the top of Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This sunrise did not disappoint. There was a clear sky above, with thick mist in the valleys and hollows below. As the sun rose above the far ridges it cast a warm glow on the higher mist and left the other misty areas in shadow. This created a lovely combination of warm tones against cool.

In addition, the shape of the misty areas, based partly on camera position and cropping, created triangles throughout the image, enhancing the overall composition. Notice the dark triangle of trees in the lower left, upper left, and the triangular shape of the warm-toned mist.

All elements in any photograph should be evaluated and considered when tripping the shutter. The more you can incorporate graphic shapes, complementary colors, and different textures, the more interesting your images will be.

TECHNICAL DATA
Shutter Speed 1/3 sec.  Aperture f/32.  ISO 100.  Lens: Canon 70-200 F4L IS, set as 176mm.  Camera: Canon 40D. Gitzo tripod with ballhead.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “ We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness.”   --Unknown

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