Saurabh Deoras - Landscape and Nature Photography
Gallery 1: Coastal moments, sand, water and the waves
"Bean Hollow Tidepool"
Location: Bean Hollow State Beach, San Mateo County, California.
Bean Hollow state beach has such interesting rock formations that can keep a landscape photographer busy for months. I have a few spots that I frequently visit on this beach and fine tune my images by shooting over and over at those spots. One such spot is this tidepool where, in particular, I like the central rock.
This was shot during sunset when the last rays of the light directly illuminated the rocks. Shooting at sunrise could be tricky but I may just give that a try as well... will see how that goes later.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: EF 17-40 f/4L @22mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 71sec at f/13 and ISO 50
Filters: A circular polarizer to remove glare off water surface, then two LEE ND Grads 0.9 Hard edge and 0.75 Soft Edge stacked together to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground.
I like to bring out the natural colors in the image that are often impossible to capture without good lighting conditions. Most of my images were shot during twilight conditions and have minimal post processing that is often limited to dodging, burning and saturation adjustment. These techniques, though much easier to apply in digital era, have been used since the dawn of photography.
Location: Bean Hollow State Beach, San Mateo County, California.
Bean Hollow state beach has such interesting rock formations that can keep a landscape photographer busy for months. I have a few spots that I frequently visit on this beach and fine tune my images by shooting over and over at those spots. One such spot is this tidepool where, in particular, I like the central rock.
This was shot during sunset when the last rays of the light directly illuminated the rocks. Shooting at sunrise could be tricky but I may just give that a try as well... will see how that goes later.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: EF 17-40 f/4L @22mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 71sec at f/13 and ISO 50
Filters: A circular polarizer to remove glare off water surface, then two LEE ND Grads 0.9 Hard edge and 0.75 Soft Edge stacked together to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground.
I like to bring out the natural colors in the image that are often impossible to capture without good lighting conditions. Most of my images were shot during twilight conditions and have minimal post processing that is often limited to dodging, burning and saturation adjustment. These techniques, though much easier to apply in digital era, have been used since the dawn of photography.
"Pacific Sunset"
Location: Graywhale Cove, San Mateo County, California.
California coastline is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world and what better time to hit the coast other than at sunsets. I have been on this beach several times but it is always a unique experience to photograph it. That is because the sand is constantly changing, sometimes exposing and sometimes covering these rocks. On this particular day everything came together well. I was lucky to get the water motion that spread out from the center and resembled the clouds in the sky. The light was very good and created warm tones that I love to capture. It was a very rewarding experience and hope you enjoyed this image too.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @20mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1sec at f/13 and ISO 50 (1 sec exposure gives nice water motion lines)
Filters: Singh-Ray 2-stop ND Grad to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground.
One of the ways to create dynamic effects in the image is to use long exposure times. When I used a shutter speed of 1 sec for this image the water motion was captured creating a whole new dimension in the image.
Location: Graywhale Cove, San Mateo County, California.
California coastline is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world and what better time to hit the coast other than at sunsets. I have been on this beach several times but it is always a unique experience to photograph it. That is because the sand is constantly changing, sometimes exposing and sometimes covering these rocks. On this particular day everything came together well. I was lucky to get the water motion that spread out from the center and resembled the clouds in the sky. The light was very good and created warm tones that I love to capture. It was a very rewarding experience and hope you enjoyed this image too.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @20mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1sec at f/13 and ISO 50 (1 sec exposure gives nice water motion lines)
Filters: Singh-Ray 2-stop ND Grad to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground.
One of the ways to create dynamic effects in the image is to use long exposure times. When I used a shutter speed of 1 sec for this image the water motion was captured creating a whole new dimension in the image.
"Pebble Beach - On a Cloudy Day"
Location: Pebble Beach, Pescadero, San Mateo County, California.
The eroded rock formations at the Pebble Beach never cease to inspire a photographic attempt. Though I have been to this very spot many times, I could never get the lighting conditions I had on this day. The unique honeycomb eroded pattern on the rock is called "tafoni" and must be seen in person to truly appreciate its beauty.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L at 17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/2 sec at f/13 and ISO 100
Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 (hard edge) and 0.75 (soft edge) stacked together.
I am almost always using graduated neutral density filters (ND Grads) for the landscape images like this one. These filters help balance exposure in the sky and the foreground and thereby avoid too dark or too bright spots in the image.
Location: Pebble Beach, Pescadero, San Mateo County, California.
The eroded rock formations at the Pebble Beach never cease to inspire a photographic attempt. Though I have been to this very spot many times, I could never get the lighting conditions I had on this day. The unique honeycomb eroded pattern on the rock is called "tafoni" and must be seen in person to truly appreciate its beauty.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40 f/4L at 17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/2 sec at f/13 and ISO 100
Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 (hard edge) and 0.75 (soft edge) stacked together.
I am almost always using graduated neutral density filters (ND Grads) for the landscape images like this one. These filters help balance exposure in the sky and the foreground and thereby avoid too dark or too bright spots in the image.
"Crashing Waves"
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey, California.
The relentless forces of nature beat down on these two very famous and often photographed sea stacks of the Garrapata coastline. The stacks were once part of the coastline that has long been eroded and claimed by the sea. Every winter the pacific ocean kicks into action sending large waves that constantly redefine the geology of this place.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @70mm
Camera: Canon 30D
Exposure: 1sec at f/8.0 and ISO 100
Filters: Solid Hoya ND filter with 8 stops of light reduction to allow 1sec long exposure.
This image is the result of so-called continuous shooting. I realized that it was terribly difficult to press the shutter button right at the moment when a wave would hit the stacks. Fortunately today's SLR's have continuous shooting mode where a burst of images can be shot allowing for one of them to have all the right elements in place.
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey, California.
The relentless forces of nature beat down on these two very famous and often photographed sea stacks of the Garrapata coastline. The stacks were once part of the coastline that has long been eroded and claimed by the sea. Every winter the pacific ocean kicks into action sending large waves that constantly redefine the geology of this place.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @70mm
Camera: Canon 30D
Exposure: 1sec at f/8.0 and ISO 100
Filters: Solid Hoya ND filter with 8 stops of light reduction to allow 1sec long exposure.
This image is the result of so-called continuous shooting. I realized that it was terribly difficult to press the shutter button right at the moment when a wave would hit the stacks. Fortunately today's SLR's have continuous shooting mode where a burst of images can be shot allowing for one of them to have all the right elements in place.
"Shores of Garrapata"
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
As a contrast to the crashing waves beating down on the stacks I decided to go for a more surreal image. Here I exposed the image for one and a half minute that caused ripples in the ocean to "average" out and render the ocean smooth. This way a minimalist composition can be achieved and the beauty of the seastacks can be highlighted.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @89mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 90sec at f/18 and ISO 50
Filters: Solid Hoya ND 8 stop SinghRay ND Grad 2 stop hard edge
Some amount of light is often required to obtain a good contrast in the image but that makes it difficult to obtain long exposure times. For such cases a solid neutral density filter is very helpful. An 8-stop filter can cut down enough light to allow for a minute and a half long exposure time.
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
As a contrast to the crashing waves beating down on the stacks I decided to go for a more surreal image. Here I exposed the image for one and a half minute that caused ripples in the ocean to "average" out and render the ocean smooth. This way a minimalist composition can be achieved and the beauty of the seastacks can be highlighted.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @89mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 90sec at f/18 and ISO 50
Filters: Solid Hoya ND 8 stop SinghRay ND Grad 2 stop hard edge
Some amount of light is often required to obtain a good contrast in the image but that makes it difficult to obtain long exposure times. For such cases a solid neutral density filter is very helpful. An 8-stop filter can cut down enough light to allow for a minute and a half long exposure time.
"California Coastline"
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
The rugged California coastline around Big Sur area is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. I have been fortunate enough to see and photograph it several times. My favorite time of the year to visit the coastline is during winter months when you can see interesting cloud formations and vibrant hues of sunset colors. This is a long exposure image which renders the water smooth and helps to bring out the beauty of the place further.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @32mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 30sec at f/11 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 2 Stop ND grad hard edge
The vibrant colors in the image are the result of sunset glow and long exposure time. It is often possible to obtain rich vibrant colors in an image if it is captured during twilight conditions when the light is warm and the shadows are not harsh. I emphasized the mood further by using long exposure that "averaged" the ripples in the water and created a surreal minimalist look.
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
The rugged California coastline around Big Sur area is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. I have been fortunate enough to see and photograph it several times. My favorite time of the year to visit the coastline is during winter months when you can see interesting cloud formations and vibrant hues of sunset colors. This is a long exposure image which renders the water smooth and helps to bring out the beauty of the place further.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @32mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 30sec at f/11 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 2 Stop ND grad hard edge
The vibrant colors in the image are the result of sunset glow and long exposure time. It is often possible to obtain rich vibrant colors in an image if it is captured during twilight conditions when the light is warm and the shadows are not harsh. I emphasized the mood further by using long exposure that "averaged" the ripples in the water and created a surreal minimalist look.
"Pacific Sunset II"
Location: Graywhale Cove, San Mateo County, California.
A long exposure with minimalist composition was definitely the way to go for this image. The sunset light that was reflecting off the water was very subtle and using long exposure the water was rendered smooth and quiet adding to the mood of the image.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 15sec at f/16 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND grad hard edge to balance exposure of the sky and the foreground
An image shot directly facing the direction of the sun can often result in excessive contrast or dark areas. Using graduated neutral density filters I could "even-out" the exposures in the sky and land but that was not enough. By selectively working on the shadow areas in post processing I could obtain this image that resembled what I saw.
Location: Graywhale Cove, San Mateo County, California.
A long exposure with minimalist composition was definitely the way to go for this image. The sunset light that was reflecting off the water was very subtle and using long exposure the water was rendered smooth and quiet adding to the mood of the image.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 15sec at f/16 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND grad hard edge to balance exposure of the sky and the foreground
An image shot directly facing the direction of the sun can often result in excessive contrast or dark areas. Using graduated neutral density filters I could "even-out" the exposures in the sky and land but that was not enough. By selectively working on the shadow areas in post processing I could obtain this image that resembled what I saw.
"Passage of Time"
Location: Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, California.
If you go to Santa Cruz, California, one of the interesting places to visit is the Natural Bridges State Beach. The name comes from a few naturally formed arches which once stood here. The very forces that create the arches gradually erode and cause them to collapse into the ocean. As you can see only one arch now remains. As the storm clouds move over northern California this last standing arch battles the elements one more time.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @43mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 55sec at f/14 and ISO 50
Filters: Three 8 stop Solid ND filters stacked together to drastically cut down the light and allow long exposure of up to a minute.
Direct light on the arch is a rare event. I have been to this beach countless times and have never seen it like this. A unique combination of dark sky behind the bridge and the late afternoon light lead to a nice contrast between the arch and the sky.
Location: Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, California.
If you go to Santa Cruz, California, one of the interesting places to visit is the Natural Bridges State Beach. The name comes from a few naturally formed arches which once stood here. The very forces that create the arches gradually erode and cause them to collapse into the ocean. As you can see only one arch now remains. As the storm clouds move over northern California this last standing arch battles the elements one more time.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @43mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 55sec at f/14 and ISO 50
Filters: Three 8 stop Solid ND filters stacked together to drastically cut down the light and allow long exposure of up to a minute.
Direct light on the arch is a rare event. I have been to this beach countless times and have never seen it like this. A unique combination of dark sky behind the bridge and the late afternoon light lead to a nice contrast between the arch and the sky.
"Doomsday Forecast"
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
It is sometimes fun to venture out on a stormy day. As the clouds were just getting ready for the downpour I decided to make this final shot before heading back to shelter.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @28mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 0.6sec at f/11 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND grad hard edge
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California.
It is sometimes fun to venture out on a stormy day. As the clouds were just getting ready for the downpour I decided to make this final shot before heading back to shelter.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @28mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 0.6sec at f/11 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND grad hard edge
"San Gregorio Sand Pattern"
Location: San Gregorio State Beach, Half-Moon Bay Area, California.
There are hardly any visitors on this beach, which I found quite surprising. The beach has spectacular sandy shores that are patterned by the water movement. Few ancient volcanic rocks, similar to the one seen here, punctuate the seemingly infinite expanse of these shores.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/50sec at f/9 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND Grad hard edge
Location: San Gregorio State Beach, Half-Moon Bay Area, California.
There are hardly any visitors on this beach, which I found quite surprising. The beach has spectacular sandy shores that are patterned by the water movement. Few ancient volcanic rocks, similar to the one seen here, punctuate the seemingly infinite expanse of these shores.
[Purchase print or digital license]
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @17mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/50sec at f/9 and ISO 50
Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND Grad hard edge
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