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Next photo in my series from the Northern Beaches, not a slow shutter speed as I typically do bur more of a normal but with alot of DOF

LostDingo, keep these coming I could look at your beach images all day. I really like the sunbeams and clouds in this one.

Thanks Alpha, I do need to work on some of these shadow areas. The shadows at times can add to the mood but I agree as from my previous submission a reflector would help

This is a beautiful shot. IMO a reflector would not be of much help with such a large area to cover. Experimenting with fill flash on an SB800 might give the kind of result you are after.

Very nice shot.
I live on Nth Beaches and never take this type of photo.
Now I don't need to as yours are so good...!!
Keep up the great work.
Marty

LostDingo, are you using a Grad ND filter?

Btw, take a watering can with you aswell, and a rake. Think some of the guys on NSN sometimes do this to sculpt the sand and water rocks to give them a wet look.

sirhc-thanks for the comment. Yes i do need to play with the light, that's what it is all about eh

Marty-take advantage of your surroundings, everyone has a differnt view and perspective!

Kipper-I usually don't have to worry too much about applying water to the rocks, my clothes can attest when I get home! Yes, a definite ND grad on this facing directly into the sun, lucky no flares

Another beautiful photo, LostDingo. I'm disappointed you haven't been knocking on my door to take me with you!

When is the Northern Beaches morning shoot mini-meet? Wasn't this idea discussed before? What ND filter do I need to get first?

you can use a polariser as a starting filter.......

Potatis, get a neutral Grad ND filter. Also a +2, +4 ND filter are also good to have in the kit.

This is really good dingo. You've got foreground interest and the vieweres eyes are lead to the main point of interest which is the sun/suns rays. Very well composed and exposed...

kipper wrote:Potatis, get a neutral Grad ND filter. Also a +2, +4 ND filter are also good to have in the kit.

Thanks kipper, I will get them. Which is the best brand?

B+W, Tiffen are pretty costly, than Hoya is your sort of run of the mill brand.

Getting a Cokin system is pretty good too and provides a lot of filters that aren't available in the circular threaded mount. If you get the various adapters for different lens sizes (think that's what you do) you end up just using the one filter glass for all lenses.

With the Grad ND filter look for around ND+4 (log 0.6), seems like this is the most widely used over the +2.

Out of interest, how many here use the screw in style Grad ND Filter and how do you orientate it so that the graduation runs parallel with the horizon? Is there a marker so that you can rotate it to the up direction?

Thanks kipper. I'm not too worried about cost, as long as it works very well. I don't want to wish I had something else. Years down the track, the cost will be forgotten, and I'll have some nice shots in my album. I'll look into the filters you mentioned.

I'm not sure I'd ever get a screw in grad ND filter though. I'd want to adjust the horizon to where it is in my viewfinder, not have my horizon dictated to me by the filter.

Nice one mate, like the sunburst. Do you have one where there is slightly more sky than ground ?

Potatis-I knocked and I knocked but you wouldn't get up You should have been standing in the street waiting on me The shoot on the Northern Beaches was discussed but reading between the lines sounds to be busy for all involved this time of year. I'm open

Owen-appreciate your comments, as is often thecase when you have clouds and the sun there was limited precious minutes to work in

kipper-personally I prefer the rectangular ND type filters, easier to position overall. That said Singh-Ray as a variable ND grad circular grad I would be interested in

gooseberry-thanks for the comment I may have one from that day as I haven't gone through all of the pics yet

G'day LD,

I've been staring at this for a few minutes now, nice calming image... I''ll bet you'd been waiting there for quite a while to get those rays like that, and it was worth it

Never used an graduated ND, always wondered about whether they'd only be suitable for a "straight-line" type of horizon (well a screw-in type anyway), hmmm, dunno...

sirhc55 wrote:This is a beautiful shot. IMO a reflector would not be of much help with such a large area to cover. Experimenting with fill flash on an SB800 might give the kind of result you are after.

Chirs, even an SB800 would be struggling to cope with the area needed here.

It's a difficult scene to get right.

Thanks Mudder, I did have to watch as the clouds positioned where I wanted but I was also taking other shots at the time.

Gary, you are right especially with a wider angle lens but don't tell Birddog! He may conince me to purchase 5 or 6 SB-800s

Wow!! What a shot. This almost convinces me to go out right now and buy an ND filter!!

Potatis wrote:
I'm not sure I'd ever get a screw in grad ND filter though. I'd want to adjust the horizon to where it is in my viewfinder, not have my horizon dictated to me by the filter.

Cokin P series ND Grads and holder is the way to go . they have 2 different stop models,
you adjust the height of the horizon...