06 All about the light

I promise this is all about Ansel Adams, and much of his work and learning was driven by the light. While many of the photos I’m going to show are fully color images, and are not related to Ansel, I’m diving in to learn more about how the light changes. This is also about being present as a person and slowing down. So often I have to fight my inclination to run to the next stop and start moving off that too quickly. This series reinforced the need to be patient, to be present, and appreciate how much can change in a very short time.

Today’s blog is about more than the technique but the rapidly shifting light that can make or break an outing. I recently went to a local beach to capture what was again suppose to be a spectacular sunset. I was met with an overcast day that almost looked foggy when I arrived.

Fujifilm GFX100S 23mm, f/10, 1/7 sec

It was a bummer, but I tried to make the best of it by capturing what I thought would make for reasonable frames later and take advantage of what was there. I still need the Ansel Adams training wheels of framing and look forward to getting back to mimicking his shots. But as I was here, I took advantage of what I could.

Fujifilm GFX100S 23mm, f/11, 1/20 sec

I had written off the supposed beauty of a sunset, and thought that what I watched for 2+ hours was what the evening was going to be. The light started to fade, and before I found myself stranded on a dark beach, I packed up my gear and headed for home. However, as I was walking back to the car, I looked over my shoulder to see a thin ribbon of light as the sun began to peak below the clouds on the horizon.

Nikon Z7ii, 70mm, f/9, 1/100 sec

…and in a matter of seconds the whole night changed. As the sun set lower more light hit the water and beach. The sun dropped below the distant clouds and provided a show unlike anything I had ever seen. It again reminded me to be patient. To slow down and appreciate what is there, and how it can shift. This whole transition wasn’t more than 90 seconds apart and only lasted a couple of minutes.

I have stayed true to my initial mission of getting out there, and doing what I hoped to accomplish, but I have an additional tenant to add to the mix. I need to slow myself down, and take the time necessary to experience all that I can. So often I feel rushed, or that my equipment is in the way of what I’m trying to capture.

I think by taking my time I can do more, and enjoy the experience even more deeply.

Nikon z7ii, 24mm f/8.0 1/20 sec