The following long exposures were taken during daylight hours using an ND400 and ND8 filter stacked together on the front of my Sigma 10-20mm lens. The combination of these two filters attenuates so much light that peering into the viewfinder reveals an inky blackness even during bright daylight conditions.
It’s therefore necessary to compose the image BEFORE screwing the filters onto the lens. It’s also necessary to adjust the focus manually since the auto-focus system has no chance of working under such conditions.
*** (Update October 2012) The introduction of “live view” to many DSLR cameras means that is’s no longer necessary to compose and pre-focus with the dark filters off the lens. I shoot all the time now using live view to peer through the combined darkness of an ND400 and ND8. The filters now stay on the lens which means there is a lot less fiddling around. If you’re looking for a guide to show you how to use an ND400 have a look at my recent blog post here.***
I found that if I set the ISO as low as possible, and set the aperture very small (i.e. a high number), then it was possible to obtain a shutter duration of about 3 minutes. Such long exposures during daytime create some interesting images. I’m looking forward to experimenting more with the ND400.
Crevasse
Dancing with Scissors in My Mouth
Lapping at Tight Spaces
Down by Mother’s Trough
Planet Number Three
February 28, 2010 | Categories: art, Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, filters, images, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, mist, monochrome, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ND filters, ND400, photo website, photographer, photography, pictures, rock pools, sea, seascape, Sigma 10-20mm, Sorrento | Tags: art, Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, filters, how to, images, landscape, long exposure, mist, misty waves, monochrome, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ND filters, ND400, NDX400, ocean, ocean beach, photo filters, photographer, photography, photos for sale, pictures, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento | 6 Comments
The following are a series of images taken at Point Lonsdale at high tide.
Initially we went there in the middle of the day to try out some “black glass” ND400 filters. The idea was to shoot some daytime long exposures of the low tide water interacting with the exposed rock shelves. Unfortunately I felt a bit disappointed by the results, not because of the ND400 filter but because I had trouble finding satisfying compositions.
Upon returning to Point Lonsdale at sunset the tide was high and there was a bit more foreground interest and some colour in the sky. I managed to find these images a bit more satisfying.
Hats and Coats
Emergency Pants
Sunset at Point Lonsdale
February 12, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, low light, motion blur, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, skyscape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, landscape, mist, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, Point Lonsdale, rockscape, seascape, summer, sunset | Leave a comment
A snapshot of a fellow RedBubble photographer catching “last light” at Blairgowrie beach.
February 12, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, camera, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, motion blur, photographer, photography, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, HDR, landscape, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, portrait, rockscape, seascape, summer, sunset | 1 Comment
The following images were taken on an evening excursion to Spray Point / Montforts beach, Blairgowrie.
I’m never really sure where one beach ends and the other begins. 🙂
Tidal Trickle (below) was taken just prior to the sun dropping below the horizon giving some nice pinks in the sky.
Friends and Fatalities (below) is a long exposure shot taken just after the sun had dropped below the horizon.
The extended exposure time makes the moving water take on a misty appearance and blurs the clouds whilst the foreground rocks remain in focus.
The Unpredicted (below) is a long exposure shot showing water flowing off the rock plateaus after sunset.
Despite the deceptively calm appearance of the image this is really a potentially treacherous area with unexpectedly large waves occasionally sweeping across the plateaus.
February 8, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, low light, monochrome, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, landscape, long exposure, mini waterfalls, mist, monochrome, montforts beach, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Spray Point, summer, sunset, waterfalls | Leave a comment
The following three images were taken on an excursion to the rock shelves of Montforts beach, in Blairgowrie.
It’s an interesting place to be during the transition from high to low tide, as the water on the expansive rocky plateaus cascades over the sides on it’s return to the ocean.
Whilst here it’s important to be aware of which way the tide is going and also keep an eye out for occasional large rogue waves that sweep across the shelves. Prepare to get wetter than you expected here.
Montfort’s Cascades
Slide
Montforts Beach
The image below was taken at the neighboring Sorrento beach.
It’s a long exposure taken after sunset giving the oceans surface a deceptively calm and smooth appearance.
Blue Monolith
January 25, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, low light, mornington peninsula, motion blur, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, Sorrento | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, HDR, landscape, long exposure, mini waterfalls, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset, waterfalls | 3 Comments
A selection of images taken from two excursions to Sorrento beach.
Return to Primal is a long exposure taken after sunset. The true motion of the waves disguised by the slow shutter speed.
High Tide Sphinx is a slow(ish) exposure taken at high tide as the sun was setting behind the Sphinx rock formation at Sorrento beach, Australia.
Life in the Good Pond is a slow(ish) exposure taken at sunset. A polarizing filter was used to take the reflection off the surface of the rock pool allowing the scene below the surface to become visible. The blurring on the water was caused by the wind rippling the surface.
I Peek Around the Corner is another image from Sorrento where a polarizing filter was used to remove the unwanted reflection of the sky from the surface of the water enabling us to see the wonder below. In the distance on the horizon the Sphinx rock formation is visible.
January 16, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, low light, monochrome, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, HDR, landscape, long exposure, monochrome, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset | 1 Comment
These images were taken while visiting the Sphinx rock formation at Sorrento beach.
It was quite a windy day causing a lot of ripples on the surface of the rock pools so I used a long exposure (several seconds) to smooth them out and make the ripples disappear.
Behind the Sphinx – Sorrento
Sorrento Afternoon
January 5, 2010 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, seascape, Sorrento | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, long exposure, mornington peninsula, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, Sphinx, summer | Leave a comment
A series of long exposures taken at Sorrento beach, Australia.
The Last Blaze
Aspects of Night
The Thin Green Line
Surge – the pants wetter
December 18, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, landscape, long exposure, low light, mist, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, dusk, HDR, landscape, long exposure, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset | 17 Comments
These images were taken on a recent dusk excursion to Koonya beach on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia.
Dusk is my favorite time of day for shooting, ……it’s certainly MUCH more user friendly than that other time of day, …….what do they call it, ….”dawn” or something like that. 🙂
Koonya Blue
Reflections
December 8, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, camera, landscape, landscape photos, long exposure, low light, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, photo website, photographer, photography, seascape, sunset, Uncategorized | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, Koonya beach, landscape, long exposure, mist, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, sunset | Leave a comment
This image shows the Burrabong Creek meeting the ocean at Bushrangers Bay near Cape Schanck, Victoria.
Bushrangers Bay is a secluded beach located about one hours walk from the Cape Schanck car park.
The walking track winds it’s way through beach scrub, up and down hills including many stairs, and along scenic clifftops.
I would advise anyone taking this track to wear sturdy footwear as the path is shared with aggressive bull ants for much of the way, and of course there’s always a chance of encountering a snake sunning itself. Oh, and don’t forget a bottle of drinking water.
Burrabong meets the Bushranger.
November 26, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, bush, bush walking, landscape, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, river, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Bushrangers Bay, landscape, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, river, seascape, summer | Leave a comment
A seascape image from Cape Schanck in Victoria, Australia.
The image features the well known landmark Pulpit Rock as incoming waves rush across the surface of the surrounding rocky platforms.
The Chant of the Pulpit.
November 24, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, camera, flinders, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, low light, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, cape schank, HDR, landscape, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photos for sale, pulpit rock, rocks, rockscape, seascape, summer, sunset | Leave a comment
After a short hike through the “Fingal forest”, see previous post, I arrived on the beach with the sun high in the sky.
Of course this isn’t the best time of day for photographing this kind of environment.
Landscape and seascape images are best captured around dawn or sunset when the scene is always less contrasty.
In the image below I was attracted by the shimmering, sparkling highlights on the surface of the water as the sun managed to poke its way through a break in the clouds.
Fingal beach.
November 3, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, landscape, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Fingal beach, landscape, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape | 1 Comment
This image was taken at Beaumaris beach, Victoria, Australia.
Walking along the beach at sunset was a hazardous proposition as sand was littered with the stranded bodies of hundreds of jellyfish. Poor things!
This shot taken with the Lumix LX3.
Stranded
October 23, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, compact camera, HDR, landscape, LX3, photo website, photographer, photography, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, beaumaris, HDR, jellyfish, landscape, LX3, ocean, photographer, photography, photos for sale, seascape, stranded, sunset | 4 Comments
This is a reworked version of one of my first images posted to Redbubble. I’ve finally had time to tweak it the way I way I like it.
It was a taken on the beach at Blairgowrie as a storm was rolling in from the ocean. It was an amazing storm to see, …dark swirling clouds, lightning, halos formed by the sun shining through sheets of rain, ….marvelous stuff !
Tempest over the Ocean – Blairgowrie
Tempest over the Ocean is available as a high quality print at my Zazzle and RedBubble websites.
October 6, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, HDR, landscape, landscape photos, mist, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, seascape, storm | Tags: art, Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, clouds, cloudy, Crepuscular rays, god beams, god rays, halos, HDR, images, Koonya beach, landscape, mornington peninsula, ND filters, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, pictures, rocks, rockscape, seascape, storm, sunbeams, sunlight streaks | 1 Comment
After a long pre-dawn walk along tracks through the tops of the coastal cliffs I arrived at The Pinnacles in time to see the sunrise. Access to the Pinnacles beach area here is via a steep (slippery when wet) track running down the face of the cliff area.
Unfortunately it turned out to be a dud sunrise so there wasn’t much colour in the sky but after getting down to the beach the view of the rock formations was wonderful. An interesting feature of this beach is the large round rocks covering the ground, great for photos but a challenge to navigate at times.
Pinnacle Dawn
When Time Stands Still
Dinosaur Days
August 15, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, landscape photos, Phillip Island, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, Phillip Island, photographer, photography, photos for sale, Pinnacles, rocks, rockscape, seascape, sunrise, winter | 1 Comment
This image was taken at Sorrento beach shortly after the sun had dropped below the horizon.
The long exposure (30 seconds) smooths out the motion of the waves and gives the ocean a smooth, almost cloud like appearance. The pink hue is a remnant of the sunset.
This image is available to purchase as a high quality print here.
April 17, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, landscape photos, low light, mist, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, fog, long exposure, mist, mornington peninsula, motion blur, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Leave a comment
A surfer takes advantage of the last light of day at Sorrento to paddle out and catch one more wave.
This image is available to purchase as a high quality print here.
April 17, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, low light, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, seascape, skyscape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, sunset, surfer | Leave a comment
This sunset image taken at Blairgowrie beach, Australia, turned out to be much softer than I expected but I like the final result. The softness of the image is due to a build up of ocean salt spray on the lens filter.
April 3, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, filters, landscape photos, low light, mornington peninsula, motion blur, photographer, photography, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, mist, mornington peninsula, motion blur, ocean, ocean beach, photo filters, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, sunset | Leave a comment
A sunset taken at Blairgowrie beach, Australia.
I never get sick of visiting this ocean coastline along the Mornington Peninsula. The rocky landscape remains as a constant, however the continually changing sky and tide never fail to create a new captivating scene.
Generally the best time to visit this area are when the sunset corresponds with a low tide.
This image is available to purchase as a quality print here.
April 1, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, landscape photos, low light, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, mornington peninsula, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, sunset | 1 Comment
End of day at Sorrento beach, Australia.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
March 1, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, landscape photos, photographer, photography, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, mornington peninsula, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset | 2 Comments
A monochrome sunset shot taken at Sorrento ocean beach.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
February 24, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, HDR, landscape photos, monochrome, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, monochrome, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset | Leave a comment
A glorious sunset taken at Sorrento ocean beach, Australia.
This photo is available as a print here.
February 23, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, HDR, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, summer, sunset | 1 Comment
A sunset shot taken at Sorrento ocean beach, Australia.
This is one of my favorite areas to photograph when the tourist season has finished.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
February 22, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, skyscape, Sorrento, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, mornington peninsula, night photography, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, Sorrento, sunset | Leave a comment
A monochrome HDR image taken at Blairgowrie beach, Australia.
The sun struggles through gathering storm clouds.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
January 25, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, HDR, monochrome, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, black and white, Blairgowrie, HDR, monochrome, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, Rye beach, seascape, summer | 1 Comment
An afternoon shot, taken at Blairgowrie ocean beach.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
January 24, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, seascape | 1 Comment
The Archway to Yesterday – a seascape shot taken at Blairgowrie ocean beach as the sun drops below the horizon.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
January 9, 2009 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, landscape photos, low light, mornington peninsula, photo website, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, seascape, sunset | 1 Comment
Sunset at Koonya beach, Blairgowrie, Australia.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
December 22, 2008 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, mornington peninsula, ocean, ocean beach, photographer, photography, photos for sale, rocks, rockscape, Rye beach, seascape, sunset | Leave a comment
An HDR seascape sunset taken at Blairgowrie ocean beach.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
December 7, 2008 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, HDR, landscape photos, mornington peninsula, photography, rock pools, seascape, sunset | Tags: Blairgowrie, HDR, ocean, seascape, sunset | 1 Comment
A sunset seascape at Blairgowrie beach, Australia.
December 3, 2008 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, Blairgowrie, low light, mornington peninsula, photographer, photography, sunset | Tags: Australia, Australian, beach, ocean, seascape, sunset | 3 Comments
After multiple attempts I finally caught her, ….and my angel was beautiful.
Pareidolia is a wonderful thing.
This photo is available to purchase as a print in various forms and sizes here
November 2, 2008 | Categories: Australia, Australian, beach, photographer, photography, seascape, Sorrento | Tags: Australia, Australian, ocean, photographer, photography, seascape, wave | Leave a comment
Photography by Jim Worrall 