How do you make a sunset more than a pretty picture? To really connect with your audience some emotion or feeling needs to be conveyed.
What are you feeling when you are making the image? What attracted you to the scene? What do you want to say?
When I first started asking myself these questions it was difficult! Hmm… what do I want to say about this pretty lake? Ummm…
Oddly my mood when I made this first image was rather annoyed! The bugs were outrageous, I got eaten alive. I thought I probably didn’t want to convey that. But it led me to create an image that is on the harsher side, emphasizing the dramatic clouds with deep contrast. The portrait orientation has more tension. Also in post-processing I didn’t want this image to be too blue, I wanted it to be dark and dramatic.
Please click the image to view a larger version.
Once I put my jacket on and the sun dipped below the horizon, everything seemed to calm down. Fewer bites, less wind, softer colours. Now I wanted to make an image that was peaceful. The long exposure allowed me to blur the water to make it soft. The landscape orientation of the image is more relaxing with the elongated horizon. In post-processing, I emphasized the blue just a little.
Isn’t it amazing how different these images are? Incidentally, they were taken about 45 minutes apart and they are both HDR images made up of multiple exposures.
Beautiful landscape images Anne. It is amazing how our moods affect how we shoot and process. I think you explained it beautifully
Hi Len, thank you so much. It really is amazing how much our mood affects our images. I think sometimes even we forget we are artists and the art comes from within.
Hello Anne,
Following you all these months , I just asked myself a question.
How do you find all these beautiful places, how do you manage to be on the right moment there to capture them so greatly?
Is it all planned, or you stop just when you a spot and then just stay there for the light to become so nice?
Alex
Hi Alexander! Great question! In fact, it is actually the subject of my second ebook which I am in the process of writing right now. There is a lot of planning that goes into some of the images. Having said that though, our travels are not really planned out. We are just going around the United States following the coastline clockwise. But I always research the places I am going ahead of time to make the most of my limited time there. I could say so much more but I don’t want to give away my whole ebook! I really hope that it will be finished by the end of March and I will be giving it away for free. Stay tuned!!
Ok Anne.
Waiting for your e-book.
Alex
Both good shots, but the first one is just killer. Love that sky and the reflection. Such great work, Anne!
Hi Chris, thank you so much for your feedback. I like the first one better too, although the second one is more representative of the type of work I usually do. Maybe that’s why I like the first one more — stretching my wings 😉
Two stunning images, thanks for sharing
Thank you very much for your visit and kind comments Vern! Much appreciated.
Very nice shots Anne. You’ve captured the “depth” of the scene in the first one. Great composition. I know what you mean about being “eaten alive”. Happened to me in northern Florida at Little Talbot Island State Park. Had to keep moving to keep the mosquitos away.
Hi Mark, We spent two months in Florida, but I didn’t see the park you mentioned. Actually we just followed the coast line so I didn’t see much of the interior of the state at all. There’s so much to see!! Florida has been good to us and I’m sure we will be back. Thank you very much for your comments.
Lovely images Anne and each one does indeed pull you in a slightly different direction.
Thank you very much for your feedback Russ.
Truly beautiful images on your trip so far Anne. I have just begun to follow you and can’t wait to see more images like the ones above. Wish you the best on your endeavor.
Hi John, welcome! I’m glad you found the blog and are enjoying the posts and images. I like to share so please feel free to ask questions anytime. Thanks for your comments.
These are both really sweet shot, but the top one does have a little something extra special, and I think ‘tension’ is the perfect word.
Hi Gary, thank you so much for your kind comments on my images, that means a lot coming from a true pro!! Thanks for visiting.
Both beautiful landscapes Anne and both convey what you were setting out to do. Great job. Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Edith, thank you so much for your comments, they are always appreciated.
What a beautiful shot!
Thank you very much John, I appreciate it.
Wow, these are wonderful couple shots.
Thank you so much Darcy, I appreciate that.
Anne, the first photo is truly a spectacular shot and I am bit jealous. I was a bit overwhelmed by it, though. What do you think if the photo was cropped from the bottom up to above the first layer of clouds? It would significantly simplify the composition but I don’t know if it would change the mood you were trying to convey.
Hi Richard, personally I think that cropping out the foreground rocks and the lake would leave the image without a subject. It would just be clouds, which is nice, but it wouldn’t have the same impact because there would be no context. I appreciate the suggestion though, it’s just my opinion.
I apologize. You are right. I actually meant to crop out the top layer of clouds leaving the rocks in the foreground and the first layer clouds above. Then the eye would be drawn from the horizon to the the rocks instead of from the horizon to above and then down to the rocks. It is just an idea.
No need to apologize Richard, I’m always open to ideas 🙂 I’ll try it out.
Hi Anne,
You make it all look so simple but I’m sure there is a lot of hard work and research that goes into all of this, you truely are an inspiration to all of us Anne.I am certainly thinking of taking my photography to the next level.
Hi Bobby, I’m glad I make it look easy, but you are right, there is quite a bit of research, planning, and putting up with bug bites, and waiting around for the perfect moment. It isn’t nearly as glamorous as you might think! 🙂