LIGHT MATTERS - The View Through My Lens

[noelcasaje]

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Thanks DPP!

It's been a little over a year since I joined and I learned a ton just by looking at the posts of the masters here. Needless to say, It reignited my passion for photography.
2010 was a very busy year, I started 6 threads here and I still have backlogs of captures that only now I'm able to view after months of lying dormant in my hard drive.
Travelling is a part of my job and I made a vow to bring my camera with me in all my travels, at least it gives me a reason to leave the comforts of my hotel room. I'm starting this thread for all those captures - day trips, business trips , family outings, places where I managed to squeeze in a few frames or any other picture I just feel like sharing. Not in any particular order. Just another excuse for me to work on those pixels one image at a time .

LIGHT MATTERS - The View Through My Lens





CABO SAN LUCAS- MEXICO





"POINT OF IMPACT"

The importance of a tripod.
Shooting landscapes when you're with a tour group is very difficult. During our Mexican cruise we scheduled stops to 6 cities in 7 days. Lugging my heavy tripod with me for the first 5 days and not once being able to use it was not fun . But there was simply no time to set up . On our final stop I decided to leave it , BIG MISTAKE, we were brought to this beautiful beach and with no tripod, I had to find a rock where I can prop my camera up for this shot ( you could see a portion of the rock on the right). This shot was extremely difficult to make, between composing the shot, timing the wave, hand holding the filter and keeping the camera steady (I felt like a contortionist) I was lucky to come up with this capture.

Tip : Get the STURDIEST tripod that you'll be WILLING to bring with you everywhere you go, you'll never know when you'll need it.

(CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico - Lover's Beach )

click image for a 1000pix size

[noelcasaje]

MORRO BAY AND MONTANA DE ORO STATE PARK - CALIFORNIA



"ECHOES OF MORRO ROCK"

I wanted to come up with a unique view of the iconic MORRO rock. Came up with this, the rock reflected on wet sand. I just inverted it in post.

(MORRO BAY, California)

click image for a 1000pix size

[noelcasaje]

"SUNRISE SPLASH"

Who said the Pacific ocean ( US side ) is only good for sunsets?

I was in an outcrop of rocks extending 50 ft. from the beach trying to capture wave actions during a sunrise that was rather dull and uneventful. I called it a day and when I turned my back to walk towards my car , this scene blew me away . I immediately knew what I wanted to do, the problem was actually doing it.
It was already past 8AM and the sun was extremely bright at this point. I had to use a 3 stop ND filter and a set of 3 GNDs (.3,.6,.9) just to balance the light. I'm not a fan of putting too much glass in front of the lens since it degrades the quality of the image, but the sun was just too bright. In hindsight, it would be easier and probably better just to bracket the shot of the sun and combine 2 exposures in post, but trying to do this in one exposure is more fun- I guess.

Tip: Be aware of your surroundings at all times, the best vantage point might be right behind you.

( MONTANA DE ORO state park, a few miles from Morro Bay)

[noelcasaje]

"ABANDONED DREAMS"

This shack was right behind the gas station, I picked the perfect place to get gas.
(note: moon was added in post )



(MORRO BAY , CALIFORNIA)

click image for a 1000pix size

[noelcasaje]

"THE ROAD TO PERDITION"

The lonely stretch of road between Morro bay and Montana de Oro.

[noelcasaje]

EBB AND FLOW

Arriving late, it was already dark and there was this huge fog bank blocking the view. I decided to pack it in for the night, took a few frames and not expecting anything to come of it, I never even bothered to check my captures until several months later.

Tip: Check your entire file, you'll never know what hidden treasures lie within.

( MONTANA DE ORO - state park)

click image for a 1000pix size

[angelopingol]

great set noel!!! post some more!!!

[noelcasaje]

great set noel!!! post some more!!!

thanks for the visit ANGEL!, i'll post more soon.

[bingpena]

impressive work sir… i must say tis refreshing to see a deviation from the "usual" landscape shots out there. nice insights too

[allantrodriguez]

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really awesome set noel. i love this one.