You can see the VLOG to the BLOG at the bottom of the page or you can reach it via this button:
Gear:
Sony a7IV
Sony FE 2.8/16–35 mm GM
Sony FE 4/24–105 mm G
I can preach it so often in my vlogs and blogs, but if I don’t even manage it myself, what is my word worth? I’m talking about taking/planning enough time. Something I’ve found a little more difficult since the birth of our second child.
Landscape photography is not something you do on the run, as if you were passing by. You plan, weigh up, scout, visit places in advance, assess locations in terms of lighting and weather conditions and thus get an idea of the finished work. It’s not unusual to come home with different results than you had imagined. Sometimes the pictures you take deviate more or less from the target photo in your head. This is not tragic and is probably the case for most landscape photographers. The important thing is to set off with a certain intention. Plans can always change. And despite all the technology, apps and pre-planning, you still need a healthy intuition in the field. Sometimes also a certain ability to improvise and make quick decisions.
The latter points become particularly important when we underestimate the aspect of time and have too little of it. Especially at a sunset spot like this one on the coast of the Netherlands, there should actually be enough time to get there on time. And especially in summer, when the sun doesn’t set until 10 p.m. or later. But today, of all days, our children just didn’t want to go to sleep. It’s bad enough that I sometimes leave my wife alone on evenings like this to pursue my hobby, but leaving her alone with two whinging children who don’t want to sleep? No, I’m not doing that.
By the time the children were finally asleep, it was already after 9pm. I knew it would take a few minutes by car and a good 20-minute walk, so off we went. What else did I know in advance from my online scouting? Hilly, a lake, dunes with a heath-like landscape, possibly a view of the sea, even a few trees, so… there must be something to be found. Once we arrived at point A, a lake, it wasn’t too long until sunset. Should I go on to point B, a viewpoint on the dunes? Or stay here?
I walked on. It shouldn’t be too far now and as long as I have direct light from the sun, grazing light will sculpt the dune landscapes. This gives pictures depth and a better three-dimensional look. When the sun has gone, it will probably be time to go back to the lake for the sunset.
I had to make quick decisions and quickly grasp potential motifs and image compositions. Something that often doesn’t lead to the best results. But when time is short, it helps to concentrate and try not to make any mistakes. Picture in the direction of the sun? Bracketing shots! For all cases! Very close to the foreground? Quickly take 3–5 shots for focus stacking! Do I really need them? Maybe not, but if I do, then I have them.
I move from one image composition to the next. Not in order to have as many images as possible to flood social media with, no, to feel my way towards an optimal result image by image. Sometimes you go too far, then you go back a bit. Wider angle? Yes! Closer! Even more! Hm… no, not at all. Back a little again. Camera a little higher or lower? Back a little. Zoom in. Now it fits! Press the shutter release again and again in between. I recorded this process in the vlog so that you can see that sometimes it’s really hard work to achieve the desired result. The intermediate results are often not bad and sometimes it’s just the details that stop me from seeing them as portfolio-ready.
This results in 200–300 pictures in one hour. At the end of the day, 20–30 are finished. Also because many are very similar. Some make it into the online gallery and onto Instagram. Maybe a handful will make it into the portfolio or at least into a photo book or illustrated book? Maybe a picture will even make it onto the wall — mine or that of a customer. That’s just the way it is.
This and all other shots of this post you can request under “Prints” as an art print for your wall at home directly from me.
What happened next? The plan certainly worked out and after the sun had disappeared, the sunset over the lake lasted for at least a few shots and different perspectives. However, there was a slight lack of ‘opportunities’. The lake itself was surrounded by herbaceous bushes, which didn’t provide too much for the foreground. Nevertheless, I used it for the foreground, but in such a way that it wasn’t obtrusive. The shots by the lake are characterised above all by the reflection of the sky and the silhouette of the vegetation. The effect is created by the colours of the sky.
If there had been more time, I might have found a better job. However, the options and the chances of success were really slim. I managed to get an interesting perspective on a dead piece of wood and I was also able to take a few nice pictures of the interesting trees in the immediate vicinity.
In the end, I was able to get quite a lot out of it under time pressure, I think. If you’re struggling a bit in situations like this, there are three main things that help: Practice, practice, practice.
In photography, the more you photograph and the better you question yourself, the better you become. So stay inspired and don’t forget your camera when you go out!
I was able to take many beautiful pictures within a few metres in the dunes. However, there are a few small differences in the details, which is why only a few of them will make it into my portfolio after a thorough selection. But take a look for yourself, here are all the pictures from the VLOG to look at.
Today will perhaps be less educational, but all the more about photography and discovery. I had scouted this location online as best I could beforehand, but didn’t discover too many pictures or information. As good conditions materialised faster than I had expected, I didn’t have time to plan everything in advance. Once again, intuition and improvisation were required. Take a look for yourself at the beautiful pictures that were taken.
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