Emil Davidzuk  


Storm Clouds over the Lake  by Emil Davidzuk

September 2020 - Storm Clouds over the Lake

September 2020 - Emil Davidzuk

Original

About the Image(s)

I like to take long exposure shots using my IR 9 stop ND filter. A storm was building that afternoon as luck would have it and the clouds had an interesting mix.

Workflow: I converted my raw image to BW using Topaz Studio 2, LR local adjustment filters/brush to adjust highlights and shadows. I did work on contrast,

Shot with Canon 5D, MK II 590nm at 50mm, 15 sec, f16, ISO 100, 0 EV.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
7 comments posted




Gary Potts   Gary Potts
Hi Emil,

I have never done long exposure with my IR camera and my ND filters. You've sure accomplished an artistic cloud formation. To my eye, everything from the roadway back to the camera looks 'soft' (on focus), and that distracts my eye greatly. I know you used a tripod for a 15 second exposure, but I would have thought that focusing on the road or just before it (perhaps in manual focus mode) would have given a sharper, cleaner foreground.   Posted: 09/02/2020 14:00:42
Emil Davidzuk   Emil Davidzuk
It is the price I paid for contending with a breeze that day.

I wanted to smooth out the water as well but it wasn't possible even at 15 seconds

I will take two shots on windy days henceforth when shooting clouds, one at short exposure and blend the two in PS   Posted: 09/02/2020 15:51:06



Palli Gajree   Palli Gajree
Hi Emil
To me its all about the cloud formation and creating some kind of mood with the long exposure as you have done. Great work!
Having said that I was tempted to take this a step further to create some additional impact ... which I've done. See what you think!   Posted: 09/02/2020 19:21:33
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Jack Florence Jr   Jack Florence Jr
You often seem to find beautiful cloudscapes, Emil.

Good comments posted above. I think since you didn't get the effect you were after on the water, one possibility might be able to crop it out altogether, making the image about the bridge, and the sky. The way the shoreline seems to tilt downward unsettles me a bit, maybe that's just me. Interestingly, when you took the shot, you took the shoreline level and the bridge slanting, so maybe you were conflicted by this as well.   Posted: 09/05/2020 17:00:15



 
Emil, The sky is an ideal subject for a long exposure but I have not tried it myself. You image will motivate me to try it soon. For me, the image seems to lack sufficient focus in the bridge and that is what I notice first. I think if the bridge was sharper, I would be able to appreciate better the long exposure of the moving clouds. Thanks for sharing.   Posted: 09/06/2020 15:08:53



Melanie Hurwitz   Melanie Hurwitz
Hey Emil, Those clouds are just so gorgeous. How could you resist. The longish exposure has enhanced them Even so, I think a little more contrast(I would use curves) would be great. Like Jack I think having the shoreline straight is more important than having the bridge level. I cheated on your water by smoothing it out. Not sure you will be happy with my result   Posted: 09/07/2020 10:59:32
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Charles Walker   Charles Walker
Emil, another powerful image of clouds and a dramatic stormy sky. I like the way the bridge is used to anchor the base of the image. Some of the foliage and trees are sharp and others less so (a consequence of the 15 sec exposure?). I wonder if processing that part of the image in a program like Topaz Sharpen might help?   Posted: 09/14/2020 08:04:18