Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON
Sometimes you have to react quickly to a brief flare of colour. It was long after sunset this weekend when I noticed something I haven’t seen before. The bottom-most part of the horizon was a pastel mix of gentle orange and gold, while the creek was a mirror for the pink that was much higher in the sky.
I shot this quick sequence without a tripod, choosing my 18-125mm lens rather than the 70-300mm zoom. Why? Because I wanted to make use of the tall trees that stand like silent sentinels on the far edge of the creek. Their silhouettes, I figured, would almost enhance the gentle colours on show.
When you need a long exposure time, your shutter stays open longer, so in this sort of situation the chances are that you’ll end up with a bit of image-shimmer, which looks like an off-focus image. This is simply caused by the lens taking in the slightest hand tremor that takes place while the shutter is open.
In case my images were not as sharp as I hoped they would be, I shot different compositions. Sure enough, if you look at the high-res version of the first image on this post, you’ll notice that the sharpness is compromised. But by using different viewpoints and employing the silhouettes across the surface of the water, the results aren’t too bad.
Here’s a tip, though. If you’re using a camera in very low light, such as this, try propping the camera itself on a fence post or some such object. If all else fails, try and steady your elbows on a rock or even on terra firma. One other trick is to hold your breath – but make sure you don’t run out of puff.
For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch HQ.
