1020 seconds
A 17 minute single frame exposure of the quirkily shaped lighthouse at Dovercourt. Taken just after sunrise on a beautiful summer morning, exposures of this length are usually a one shot deal – in most cases there’s not enough time for a repeat performance if you mess it up. And so with that, it pays to ensure that the things which you can control are, well….contolled. Such as the focus and the tripod position. There’s nothing worse than nearing the end of a very long exposure to find that the incoming tide has suddenly eaten away your sandy foundations and tumbled your kit into the water. Although this does result in some entertainingly colourful words. But one thing you really can’t control are other people. Specifically ones with dogs. And it seems that no matter how empty the beach is when you first unpack your camera, just as soon as you press bulb mode a hairy ball of trouble appears, all wagging tail and excited dribbling. Now don’t get me wrong- I love dogs but I’ve never understood their need to mark anything which sticks out of the ground with their scent. I mean, I don’t do it, and neither do you. Probably. So rather than a relaxing experience during which I could have smoked 3 cigarettes (if I partook in that habit, which I don’t) or maybe listened to some Pink Floyd, it becomes a frantic game of siege during which you have to gently shoo the offending canine away whilst pretending to smile. On the other hand, dogs are far easier to deal with than curious people, so maybe I shouldn’t complain.
Technical: 1020 seconds, 15 stop ND grad with 0.6 stop medium grad. Thanks to the very talented Linda for showing me this area and putting up with me for a day
1020 seconds
A 17 minute single frame exposure of the quirkily shaped lighthouse at Dovercourt. Taken just after sunrise on a beautiful summer morning, exposures of this length are usually a one shot deal – in most cases there’s not enough time for a repeat performance if you mess it up. And so with that, it pays to ensure that the things which you can control are, well….contolled. Such as the focus and the tripod position. There’s nothing worse than nearing the end of a very long exposure to find that the incoming tide has suddenly eaten away your sandy foundations and tumbled your kit into the water. Although this does result in some entertainingly colourful words. But one thing you really can’t control are other people. Specifically ones with dogs. And it seems that no matter how empty the beach is when you first unpack your camera, just as soon as you press bulb mode a hairy ball of trouble appears, all wagging tail and excited dribbling. Now don’t get me wrong- I love dogs but I’ve never understood their need to mark anything which sticks out of the ground with their scent. I mean, I don’t do it, and neither do you. Probably. So rather than a relaxing experience during which I could have smoked 3 cigarettes (if I partook in that habit, which I don’t) or maybe listened to some Pink Floyd, it becomes a frantic game of siege during which you have to gently shoo the offending canine away whilst pretending to smile. On the other hand, dogs are far easier to deal with than curious people, so maybe I shouldn’t complain.
Technical: 1020 seconds, 15 stop ND grad with 0.6 stop medium grad. Thanks to the very talented Linda for showing me this area and putting up with me for a day