Posted by David Clapp on October 13, 2007 at 5:17 PM
The first official UKNP Dartmoor meeting was a huge sucess. Chris Lloyd and myself waited for hours for all you lot but knowone else showed only joking, I just met Chris today as we fancied shooting some waterfalls. He's a great bloke who doesnt mind my excessive swearing phase I am going through for some reason. And may I 'big him up' and say he's only 19 and already has a great portfolio as well as supplying picks to the RSPB. All I was doing was playing Slayer on my cassette deck and riding my moped when I was his age. Keep it up Chris!
The Devils Cauldron is a fabulous feature of a popular walking spot called Lydford Gorge, on the west side of Dartmoor. Its a one trick pony in my opinion as even though there are many more interesting features they are rather inaccessable for any wide angle work. The White Lady Waterfall is a long white streak, which I have never found I can do any justice, but even if I could the hostile staff at the visitors centre took one look at my tripod and soured the moment with some commercial photography lecture, saying they are hunting poeple out. Yes yes...
Anyway this shot was taken using Chris on the flash gun me at the helm, a combination of three exposures here...
one for the highlights (full polariser, no flash ISO 400 for a short shutter of 1.5secs to retain water detail and expose some texture beneath)
one for the shadows ( 25secs with flash burst back to ISO 100stop any unnecessary noise in the shadow detail)
one for the green moss (full polariser to richen the colour and at ISO 100 again)
Hope you like it and next time you all better turn up!
Posted by Brian Phipps on October 13, 2007 at 6:04 PM
Hi David,
Very nice image, very nice indeed, superb detail.
An interesting story also, give me a shout when another UKNP unofficial meeting takes place in South Devon......I ain`t too far away
Posted by Graeme Lee on October 13, 2007 at 6:16 PM
Not far from me either! Obviously technically very good, for me I don't like the white water star effect. Looks unnatural - not saying it isn't real, it just looks out of context with the rest of it. Sorry
Posted by David Clapp on October 13, 2007 at 6:32 PM
Well it was that or have it completely blown out as the rest of the shot was a 25sec exposure. The light levels just wont allow you to retain water movement, it was that or completely soft which I find even worse. I went here three years ago, the water was higher and the effect was even bigger!
Posted by Graeme Lee on October 13, 2007 at 6:57 PM
I see your problem David. Looks like you did well...under the circumstances
Posted by David Clapp on October 14, 2007 at 2:47 AM
Heres a repost witht the centre toned down even more -
Posted by Chris Lloyd on October 14, 2007 at 4:16 AM
Hi Dave,
Great image, better look at mine now!
Thanks for your kind words.
Chris.
Posted by Elliott Neep on October 14, 2007 at 5:52 AM
Hi David. I like the mix of exposures as vast tonal range in this. Although the white water looks like a fluffy-bunny's tail it doesn't distract for me. I'll have to make a mental note of this location. I know Chris very well and is sure to be a rising star.
Excellent Dave - I have to say I prefer the first image with the brighter water to the second though. Interesting use of flash - I might put the flashgun back in my bag. Tristan
Discussion
8 repliesThe Devils Cauldron is a fabulous feature of a popular walking spot called Lydford Gorge, on the west side of Dartmoor. Its a one trick pony in my opinion as even though there are many more interesting features they are rather inaccessable for any wide angle work. The White Lady Waterfall is a long white streak, which I have never found I can do any justice, but even if I could the hostile staff at the visitors centre took one look at my tripod and soured the moment with some commercial photography lecture, saying they are hunting poeple out. Yes yes...
Anyway this shot was taken using Chris on the flash gun me at the helm, a combination of three exposures here...
one for the highlights (full polariser, no flash ISO 400 for a short shutter of 1.5secs to retain water detail and expose some texture beneath)
one for the shadows ( 25secs with flash burst back to ISO 100stop any unnecessary noise in the shadow detail)
one for the green moss (full polariser to richen the colour and at ISO 100 again)
Hope you like it and next time you all better turn up!
Very nice image, very nice indeed, superb detail.
An interesting story also, give me a shout when another UKNP unofficial meeting takes place in South Devon......I ain`t too far away
Great image, better look at mine now!
Thanks for your kind words.
Chris.