A cold sunrise at Start Point (with hopefully improved image in post 10)

[grebeman]

A cold, frosty morning but with some cloud, so a pre dawn trip to Start Point was on the agenda.
When I arrived there was already some pre dawn light, and for a few short minutes the lighthouse was still in operation.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 35mm, f/2.5 Color-Skopar @ f/5.6, 1/15 second, iso 200

Behind me was the setting moon

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 12mm, f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar @ f/11, 1/13 second, iso 200

By the time there was more light in the sky the light in the lighthouse had been extinguished.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 12mm, f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar @ f/11, 1/100 second, iso 200

The clouds altered slightly as the sun continued to rise behind the more solid bank of cloud on the horizon.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 12mm, f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar @ f/11, 1/200 second, iso 200

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 12mm, f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar @ f/11, 1/125 second, iso 200

I had not been alone, another photographer had been there when I arrived, along with his friendly canine companion, who would rather have been playing than sitting to watch the dawn. He'd made a 45 mile journey as opposed to my 5 mile one, was using a large SLR, spirit level and ND filters, a much more professional approach than mine.
We found time to discuss the merits of :43: after we had finished shooting.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Panasonic GF1 with 12mm, f/5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar @ f/11, 1/60 second, iso 200

I'm posting this some 2 hours later and I'm still shivering.
Sorry about the short comings of my rotate and crop to correct the slightly sloping horizon on the next but last shot, such that my borders haven't come out as planned, still not fully mastered all the aspects of GIMP.
The raw files have been post processed in Bibble Pro 5.

Barrie

 

[Pelao]

So much to photograph in one place! You could probably go almost every day and have something beautiful to shoot.

 

[grebeman]

So much to photograph in one place! You could probably go almost every day and have something beautiful to shoot.

That is certainly true, at the moment I'm taking advantage of the free parking in the winter, perhaps I'll invest in a season ticket when summer comes, although early in the day and in the evening it would be free.
Other projects come to mind for the location, and it cries out for some stormy weather photographs, although it is very exposed, so windy rather than wet

Barrie

 

[Spuff]

Had a quick fiddle.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[grebeman]

And what may I ask did you fiddle?

Barrie

 

[Spuff]

And what may I ask did you fiddle?

Barrie

It was Lightroom and Topaz Adjust (via the thing that links Topaz to Lightroom).
I am finding Adjust very useful for giving stubborn images some extra bite that I can't get with the normal contrast and stuff.

 

[Pelao]

That is certainly true, at the moment I'm taking advantage of the free parking in the winter, perhaps I'll invest in a season ticket when summer comes, although early in the day and in the evening it would be free.
Other projects come to mind for the location, and it cries out for some stormy weather photographs, although it is very exposed, so windy rather than wet

Barrie

Yes, a stormy shot crossed my mind too. Not much fun to make maybe, but in B&W could be amazing. Would make a nice print.

 

[grebeman]

Stormy shots

There are some post stormy shots on this thread https://www.mu-43.com/f56/gale-has-passed-surf-up-sun-going-down-7336/ which is a location about 1 mile to the west. They were fun to make, but then the sun was out :smile:, the worst of the weather having passed quickly up channel.

Barrie

 

[grebeman]

Start Point has a bad reputation with smaller ships, on 18th January 1974 the 780 ton Danish coaster "Merc Enterprise" capsized in what were described as hurricane force winds and 50 foot waves some miles to the south. I was out on the coast some 15 miles to the west and remember seeing 3 Sea King helicopters fly low over me, one bearing German markings as they went to the rescue.
14 of the 19 strong crew were rescued from liferafts, at times the winchman was under water, at others 40 feet above it as they attempted to recover the survivors. Some 2 hours later I saw them return on there way to land at the old naval hospital in Plymouth
When south westerly gales are forecast small coasters often anchor up in Start Bay under the shelter of this peninsula until the storm has passed.

Barrie

 

[grebeman]

Had a quick fiddle.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Since I have no experience of Topaz or Lightroom I wasn't really able to understand your "fiddles", however it prompted me to look further into the plug ins available for Bibble and I've now downloaded a neutral density filter.
This is my first attempt and I've been able to significantly lighten the foreground. Whilst the sky has lost some impact, or perhaps more to the point had less impact added to it, I'm happy that this result reflects more what my eye was seeing at the time.
It has certainly given me food for thought and further way of controlling the final image, so thanks for that, now back for more experimentation.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Barrie

 

[Mort]

Very nice set Grebeman, maybe take some ND grads next visit, seriously they do work!

Mark

 

[grebeman]

Mark,

I do have a set of Cokin ones, but have yet to devise a way of mounting them to either the 12mm or 15mm Voigtlander lenses, the screw versions don't have any filter threads.

Barrie

 

[Mort]

Ouch, forgot their not easy lenses to filter!

How about making an adapter out of a flash bracket and glueing or fixing the holder to it?

Mark

 

[grebeman]

One of those problems that need some pondering, one day the light will dawn, certainly some sort of bracket that holds the holder (poor English but you know what I mean) in front of the lens might be the way to go, thanks for those thoughts.

Barrie

 

[JudyM]

These are absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing them. I'm envious of your location.

Regards,
Judy