Sand Harbor is a world class photo destination. Crystal clear water, granite boulders, pine trees and mountains looming above. This is a location I’ve visited and photographed many times. It is also one of the locations that my photography workshop / tour clients enjoy the most. So, approaching this location can be interesting. In general, as I did here, I had to let Mother Nature take the lead in choosing a specific location and composition. From there, the artistic approach was all up to me.
Traditionally, I would have been facing the opposite direction, toward the sun, during sunset, standing amongst the boulders on the far shore. However, the sky had very little interest to the west and, obviously, the monumental cloud to the northeast grabbed my attention. So, I positioned myself in an elevated location that enabled me to face the cloud, include interesting parts of the landscape in the middle ground (which are unique to this area) and highlight the clear azure water in the foreground. Then I had to wait for the light. Now, let me share my thought process about each of these elements.
To begin with, I wanted to make the massive cloud the main subject. So I chose a vertical composition and a wide angle lens (90mm on my 4x5). Second, I chose a slice of landscape and mountain (middle ground) that added a sense of this unique place and didn’t feel chopped off at either end. It needed to remain balanced. It also happened to create an overlapping pattern with the cloud and sky that added depth. Third, I included enough of the clear water to show off this amazing aspect of the location, but not so much as to create a big empty space in the image. The light reflections and boulders under the water also added interest, as well as patterns (leading lines) that draw the eye into the scene. With the composition chosen, there were a couple of items remaining.
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Now that I was set up and waiting for the light, I had some artistic decisions to make. I didn’t want a standard sunset shot. I wanted to convey a greater sense of drama than I am accustomed to seeing here. I wanted to imbue the emotion of an entire sunset in this place onto one sheet of film. To do this I chose to place a 10-stop neutral density filter ( This is a dark filter, neutral in color, that blocks the light entering the lens. No color is added with this filter. ) in front of my lens. This enabled me to leave my shutter open for 6 whole minutes, capturing a blend of the color that painted this scene during the entire peak of the sunset. This extreme exposure time also softened the edges of the cloud and surface of the water, as any motion was blurred away into a painterly silk.
I began my exposure with just a hint of warm sunset light remaining on the middle ground. As the sun sank below the mountains to the west, the light left the landscape and lit the cloud in an amazing progression of pastel colors that ranged from yellow to pink and red. These colors reflected down onto the foreground landscape, painting the entire scene into a dreamscape. This image not only captured an iconic location, but it encapsulates the wave of emotions I experienced throughout this 6 minute long natural light show. And, thanks to my big sheet of film, I am able to share “The Fine Art of Nature” with you to experience for yourself.
If you are going to be in the Lake Tahoe and are considering becoming a collector, or adding to your collection, I’d love to meet you personally at the Marcus Ashley Gallery in South Lake Tahoe and give you a personal tour of my my work they have on display. They are one of the top galleries in the country, and I’m proud to be the exclusive photographer represented here, amongst another 40 or so fine artists. You can visit their website HERE as well.
Collectors Tip:
After 14 years in my own gallery and 5 years in Marcus Ashley Gallery with many art shows, I have heard the question, “Is it ok for me to buy this piece I love even though I’ve never been there?” the answer, invariably has been, yes. To begin with, if a piece of art makes you feel something, it’s right for you. Another benefit of collecting a piece like this is, as many of my collectors have shared, that it becomes motivation to visit a place you’ve never been, and may very well change your life forever.
Photographers Tip:
Landscape photography is an art. As photographers we have many tools at our disposal. As I did with this new image “Sunset Evolution, Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe” (above) I chose to use my 10-stop ND filter to capture the image creatively in camera, as opposed to making happen in photoshop. While I use Lightroom and Photoshop to fine tune my images after I drum scan my film, I like to “do my art” in the field. In general, you’ll end up with a higher quality image as an end result. Take your time, envision the final image your composing in the field and be thoughtful with the process of “taking pictures”.
Would you like to go out in the field and look through the lens with me? Would you like to take your photography to the next level, capture a particular location with your camera or simply tour the locations of some of my most iconic images? Take a private workshop / tour in your favorite season!
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Details:
Camera: Canham 5x7 Metal Field Camera with 4x5 Film Back
Lens: 90mm
Film: Fuji Provia 100F 4x5 inch transparency film
Filter: Lee Big Stopper (10-stop Neutral Density)
Tripod: Gitzo 1325 Carbon Fiber
Tripod Head: Really Right Stuff BH55 Ball Head
DON'T MISS OUT ON WHAT I HAVE TO SHARE. HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL LINKS:
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My website: https://www.jonpaulgallery.com/
Photography Workshops / Tours: https://www.jonpaulgallery.com/tours/
My Blog: https://www.jonpaulgallery.com/blog/
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