Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
30 Days and 30 Photos – Day 5
Since sunrise is coming at a more reasonable hour now, I decided to set my alarm and trek down to the cliffs for an early morning photo opportunity. Sunrise today was technically 6:01 am with first light coming at 5:31 am. I wanted to get down to the cliffs by first light so I could shoot pictures over the course of 1/2 hour. My alarm went off at 5:00 am and I hit the snooze button like I always do. As I rolled over for a few more minutes of sleep, I gave myself a pep talk. It’s now or never, I thought – crying out loud – “Get’r done!” (A phrase that my niece Grace coined at some point in time that always comes to mind during moments like this) I cancelled the snooze, vaulted out of bed before I’d change my mind and hastily pulled on my clothes. My motivation was basic – if I relinquished the extra “snooze” minutes, I’d have time to make some coffee!
I brewed a quick thermos of coffee to bring with me, grabbed my camera and tripod (which I had set out the night before) and headed down to the coast. Walking the small social path along the cliffs, I came to a secluded spot devoid of other sunrise worshippers. Positioning the tripod, I set up the camera and took my first picture just a few minutes after “official” first light. Close enough, I reasoned! I continued taking photographs for the next 1/2 hour until the sun rose above Otter Point. Looking back at the photographic progression, it was amazing to see how the light and the sky changed in less than an hour’s time.
The photo I chose for Day 5 was actually taken after sunrise by about 19 minutes – but it was at the point where the sun finally rose above Otter Point.
- I used the Aperature-priority setting and had it set to f/16. My ISO was set at 100. The final shot was recorded at 1/40 sec. f/16 24mm
- Live View was activated and manual focus was set to infinity
- The timer was set and used in conjunction with my tripod.
- Exposure Compensation setting was at -0.7 for this photograph
- In Lightroom, I played around with adjusting the Highlights setting to -60, the Shadows setting to +76 in order to bring out more detail in the foreground and the Vibrance setting to +26 to intensify the color. I could have really just left the Vibrance setting alone – at “0” it was just fine.
I thought I would just add a few of the other photos taken this morning – starting with the first light. It’s an interesting study in how the sky changes in such a short period of time.
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 
Ahh, the rewards of being an early riser!Thanks for the extras (you only promised ONE PER DAY). I love them all and you chose the best with the most drama to tweak and present as your “photo of the day”.
Have you considered an entry in the photo exhibit at the Tunbridge World’s Fair? Comin’ right up! Definitely blue ribbon quality–and possibly best in show.
Stewart
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Oh the Fair! I actually entered a photo in the fair years ago – from the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. Its framed and hanging in my house. It was a blue ribbon winner! If I was in VT for the fair I’d consider that!
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Lynn, you are a wonder! Just getting out of bed like that is a monumental feat… Gorgeous photos, thank you! I just hiked 103 miles of the Northville-Lake Placid Trail, but had to quit 30 miles from the end because of heel pain – damn! Unlike you, I never got up for the sunrise, though. Frank is still hiking, and I’m home alone with the tomatoes and elderberries. There are worse things that could happen! Ciao, ciao…
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Wow! Congratulations on your hike! A great accomplishment! At the beginning of the summer here, sunrise was at 4:45 am. I just could not muster getting up that early! I did wait for more acceptable hours 🙂
It was such a beautiful morning. I got lucky!
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