Sunrise pictures

[hitek79]

Woke up at 5:55 on a Saturday to take sunrise pictures and got skunked. I passed up an awesome picture looking east for what I thought would be an even better picture towards the west and got screwed by some clouds that killed the morning alpenglow. Que Sera Sera.

That's kind of the risk you take with sunrise pictures, but when they go off, man are they good. I much prefer them to sunsets because of the effort you have to put in to get a good picture. So, whatcha got for good sunrise pictures?

One of my favs to date.

[smmokan]

Some great lighting on the right side of that shot. Nice.

I don't do sunrise pictures... I much prefer sunsets (and not having to wake up early, of course).

[The AD]

One of my favs to date.

I think this is a great shot, but did it look anything like this out of the camera? I guess my gripe is you've got a sunset shot that has lighting as if it were shot in full daylight.

[hitek79]

It's 2 images. One for the foreground, one for the sky/sun. They were about 9 full stops apart. Obviously staring right in to the sun it's more than the camera could process, but it's not an HDR shot of 6-9 images.

[Tuckerman]

I was putting up fence on Saturday for the kids the train super G and this was happening. I only had me phone unfortunately.

[Lonnie]

To me there is nothing more amazing than the exact moment the sun cracks the horizon and those long rays of light spill across the landscape. Regardless if I get a shot or not, on those mornings when I wake up early, crawl out of bed, stand around groggy in the cold, waiting on "the moment", it's worth it. It's worth it because I get to see things that 99.99% of people never get to see, simply because they are too lazy to get up at the time required to witness "the magic". The is a definite difference in the quality of first light vs last light, and I much prefer the former.

[kidwoo]

It's 2 images. One for the foreground, one for the sky/sun. They were about 9 full stops apart. Obviously staring right in to the sun it's more than the camera could process, but it's not an HDR shot of 6-9 images.

Even two photos is HDR since you're increasing the dynamic range beyond what can be captured in a single exposure right?

Sick shot. I wish that kind of thing was more what people thought when they thought 'hdr', not that cartoonish shit that all the presets do.

[Lonnie]

Even two photos is HDR since you're increasing the dynamic range beyond what can be captured in a single exposure right?

I'd say it depends on the software used and how the blending technique is applied.....

[splitter]

great looking sunset shots. I'd agree with Lonnie that something is different in the morning. For me, it has to do with looking west and being able to handle the reverse sunrise better than the harsh sunset with a huge dynamic range. Or less people. Or better focus because of the singular reason for waking. I miss sunrise shots with the new kid. I'll get some more I'm sure.

I hate to say it hitek, but that is considered HDR, even if you are manually blending. Does it employ HDR software? No.

But it is still high dynamic range.

I started a thread on the Fred Miranda that turned into a decent conversation about stacked exposures...

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/top...081/0#10097313

All of these are repeats, since I haven't been out, but here are my favorite early rises...

[4-TEEF'S Ghost]

I'd say it depends on the software used and how the blending technique is applied.....

Errrrrr... how so?

I see it the same way as Kidwoo. If you use a second exposure (or even second version of the original from the same RAW) to extend the dynamic range beyond what can be captured in a single exposure it is HDR.

People have been doing HDR long before digital cameras or even computers. Expose for the interior of a room and shoot. Expose for the window and shoot. Put the two together in post.

[HansJob]

********

[Lonnie]

Errrrrr... how so?

I see it the same way as Kidwoo. If you use a second exposure (or even second version of the original from the same RAW) to extend the dynamic range beyond what can be captured in a single exposure it is HDR.

Well, quite simply HDR software tone maps the image on a pixel per pixel basis, analyzing and changing the luminosity of those pixels based on the overall histogram of the image. This has never been possible before digital imagery.

This is quite different from a multi-image blend composite, where separate parts of multiple images are blended/pasted together. Multiple exposure images have been with us for a very long time (before digital imagery). That doesn't mean it's "HDR".

By your guys definition, using gnd and such is "Hdr". What about dodging and burning? There are multiple ways to expand dynamic range in an image. That doesn't make it "HDR"....

[OverTurn]

Beavertail Lighthouse in RI



Elephant Rock in Westport, MA



Alpenglow on the Tetons



Sunrise on the Teton Range



Sweet thread.

[From_the_NEK]

These really aren't as impressive as the shots you guys are taking with the fancy cameras but here are a couple sunrise pics from my front deck.

[Fuzz]

Getting out and shooting at sunrise has become harder with a little one, but I try to do at least a few times when we're on vacation.

Got really lucky on this one -- got up early and headed out to Maroon Lake, but unfortunately it was quite overcast. Still set up, hoping for something. Suddenly the clouds parted slightly and we got this brilliant sliver of light for about 30 seconds; then it was gone for the rest of the morning.

Maroon Bells 03-4 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Monument Valley:

Canyon Country, 2004 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Technically not sunrise, more just pre-sunrise:

Orion over Lake Dillon by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Sunrise through the clouds:

31 | 365 | Sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Love getting up for sunrise in touristy places, since they're so empty, contrary to any other time of the day:

Eiffel sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

This was a disappointment -- the sunrise wasn't that great:

Amalfi sunrise by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

A more recent one:

68 | 365 | Alpenglow by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

[The AD]

Suddenly the clouds parted slightly and we got this brilliant sliver of light for about 30 seconds; then it was gone for the rest of the morning.

Maroon Bells 03-4 by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

Incredible shot.

[OverTurn]

Incredible shot.

+1 Great work. That reflection is killer.

[hitek79]

HELL YEAH! This thread is taking off good now. Some sick shots in here fellas. (Are there any women in this forum at all?)

I totally agree with you Woo, but the acronym HDR has really taken on a meaning of it's own within the last 2 years, and it's typically multiple images with no shadow detail and haloing all over the place. HDR images where the nuances of shadow and light are preserved are few and far between unfortunately.

To me there is nothing more amazing than the exact moment the sun cracks the horizon and those long rays of light spill across the landscape. Regardless if I get a shot or not, on those mornings when I wake up early, crawl out of bed, stand around groggy in the cold, waiting on "the moment", it's worth it. It's worth it because I get to see things that 99.99% of people never get to see, simply because they are too lazy to get up at the time required to witness "the magic". The is a definite difference in the quality of first light vs last light, and I much prefer the former.

couldn't have said it better myself.

[hitek79]

An experiment a few years back. 9 stop ND filter and a CP. 45 second exposure. I've never been to the Maroon Bells on a calm day. I'll get a reflection picture one day though.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I need to go back and re-stitch this using Hugin, which does a much better job of exposure blending than the software I used for this, but here's a pano of first light on Dragontail Peak:



I've posted this before, but it's probably my favorite sunrise shot so far. Taken at Quincy WRA:


This isn't a great picture but it was such a fun trip...


This one was definitely worth waking up early for:


And so was this one:

[warthog]

St Pete sunsets-





Austin Hill Country Sunset-



Little Palm Island Ferry at Dusk-



Little Palm Sunset-



I don't do mornings too well.

[Fuzz]

Incredible shot.

+1 Great work. That reflection is killer.

Thanks, it was one of those "it's better to be lucky than good" moments. I didn't really know much about photography/camera settings at the time. Shot with a Nikon Coolpix 5700.

[Lonnie]

Thanks, it was one of those "it's better to be lucky than good" moments. I didn't really know much about photography/camera settings at the time. Shot with a Nikon Coolpix 5700.

Excellent testament on why it pays to get up early...

Here's one from that phase in my "career"....

[zion zig zag]

point and shoot with no skills:

[pappag]

While skinning towards Dragon's Tail Couloir on Easter Sunday, 2008:







My Donnie Darko attempt in RMNP









James Peak Wilderness







Bear Lake TH