A couple of weeks back I shared an image of Higger Tor viewed from Carl Wark in the Peak District. I won’t publish it again, but you can use the link if you want to see it. The reason I’ve brought it up again is that it’s convinced me I need to change my approach to Landscape Photography. If you want to know why and how I’m changing, I’ve explained it in a video I published on YouTube earlier today.
Now let’s talk about this week’s image.
I shot this back in January of this year on Formby Beach at Sunrise. I had met up with a good friend and the weather forecast looked perfect. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, and sunrise didn’t really happen for us. We ended up being on the very edge of a clearing weather front as the sun came up. You can literally see the line in the weather in this shot. Within 20 minutes the sky was clear blue.
Although it wasn’t an amazing sunrise, I do like this image. I know the post is in the centre and someone will tell me I should have used the rule of thirds, but the shot’s not about the post. What I like is the contrast between the colours and the shape this creates in the sky. I also like the way the shape’s mirrored in the channel in the sand, which also reflects the sky. If you don’t like the post, clone it out.
I shot this with a Fuji X-T3 and Fuji 16-80 lens at 20mm. The exposure is 1/12” at f/11.0 and ISO160 and I had the camera mounted on a tripod. I also used a 2 stop Neutral Density Grad filter on the sky to help balance the exposure with the sand.
Finally, I want to mention that Manfrotto has announced a 50% reduction on memory cards. There seem to be a few good deals out on equipment and software. Fingers crossed for more.
I hope you like the image and have a great weekend.
The Lightweight Photographer 
Absolutely agree with your new approach to no longer expose to the right. And if the darker areas do have noise, Topaz Denoise AI is so good, that I find that fixing the noise is far better than trying to recover the lighter areas. I also find colors seem richer.
I still hear from many sources that one should still expose to the right. But I had concluded on my own that this had it’s own set of short comings that I just didn’t like.
One side benefit is that with possible shorter exposure times, camera shake can be less of an issue.
Thanks Jim and yes colours do seem richer.
I am intrigued about your new approach Robin. I will have a look at the YouTube video – as I always do.
By the way, I practiced the frequency separation technique you displayed in one of you previous ideos. I used it in one of my BW arquitectural landscapes; it is awesome! Thank you for sharing!
From my mobile device with best wishes Jorge.
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Thank you. Great to hear the Frequency Separation technique worked for you. It’s something I now use with a lot of images if I think the detail is becoming too harsh.
‘A lovely image Robin, although it’s not the intended sunrise, there is a lovely subtlety in shades of colour in the sky and water. I love the distant reflections on the water, gives it great depth.
Thank you. Sometimes good things happen when you least expect them to.
I’m glad you addressed this issue.
The ETTR mantra I think has confused and frustrated all but the pixelpeeping techheads.
Personally I don’t shoot much landscape, but rather birds. And getting the detail in the white of feathers has always been my issue.
I’m an old ‘chrome shooter so dropping the exposure a bit to hold the highlight details always appealed to me.
I rarely these days see noise of any significance in shadows I open up in Capture One, and if its really bad, I might run it through Topaz AI Noise.
Glad to see you lay it out so clearly and appreciate the time you’ve taken
I’ll just stick to the sunny 16 rule for my daylight shots. 🙂
Thanks again
David
Thanks David. It’s nice to hear you agree. Given some of the feedback I had on YouTube I was starting to think I went out on the limb a bit too far.
Thank you Robin for the very detail explanation in your new approach, the image is superb I am going to Hanbury Hall tomorrow and I want to try out your new procedure.
John Steadman.
Thanks John. I hope you have a good day experimenting. Good luck
Changing our approach to landscape photography is a sign that we are progressing in the craft. I have lost count of how many times I changed my approach in order to keep things interesting.
PS: I really want to visit this place.
After 40+ years of taking photographs, I’m still changing and experimenting. If I manage to last another 40 years I hope that I’m still changing.
Good video and I agree exposing for highlights works best for me. I like to bracket (usually 3 when exposing for highlights) and no longer use a graduated filter. I can get a better result by stacking bracketed images and using a graduated mask. I can customize my blend and play with it for a blend exactly how I like it. I can still open up the shadows if need be.
Thank you. Yes, image blending can work brilliantly but I find there is still a place for graduated filters in my work.