One Rock – Rock – Photo

One Rock – Rock – Photo

It’s hard sometimes to say exactly what it is about a collection of elements that makes it “worthy” of making a photo of.

Rocks and I get along. Maybe that is why.

At any rate I have quite a few rocks in my collection of photographs from the last number of years.

This particular rock was and probably still is located along the shores of Lake Michigan. It was another of the images that I made almost exactly a year ago when I was visiting a friend in Michigan.

Technically

I honestly am having a hard time remembering exactly what all I did to make this photograph. So instead of rehashing what all I did to make the image I think I might instead give you sort of a “recipe” for how you would create an image like this.
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First off is the capture. You will need a tripod for such a thing as this. Also, if it isn’t a cloudy, dark day you will need a neutral density filter. In this case it was an overcast day and the clouds provided enough “darkness” that I was able to do what I needed to.

The reason for the neutral density filter is to slow the shutter speed down. Another good way to do this is to stop your lens down. (Bigger f-stop number) At any rate, between the three things that make up exposure, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture, you will need to come up with an exposure that has a duration of between 3-5 seconds. The longer the shutter stays open the more movement the water will do during the exposure and that movement creates a “brighter” exposure in those areas.

For some truly amazing long exposure black and white photography check out the work of Joel Tjintjelaar. (Find him on google+ or his website.)

That is the basis. If you do all of that you will be able to create some really cool images.

And with that, I’m out for today…

Chow, Eldon.