I managed to catch this sunset portrait just as the last of the sun was fading away. I had already been to my first choice sunset location and wrapped up when I thought the sun had give all it could. It was so cold, I just bundled the camera kit into the back seat of the car. My fingers were so cold I couldn’t zoom any longer. As I left the site and headed home, a couple of junctions put me at the end of a dirt track leading to the top of a hill with an orange glow behind it.
60 seconds later I’m pulling all of the still assembled kit out of the back of the car trying to make the most of a second chance at the sunset.
This setup shot shows how the shot above was taken.One bare flash, camera right, triggered by the new Pocket Wizard Control TLs at 1/8th power on a light stand at full height (about 3 foot above the subjects head).
Exposure was 1/60 at f13, ISO 800 using a zoom lens at 77mm on a Canon EOS 7D.
I had time to fit in this second shot as well.
By this time it was so dark I could hardly see where things were and it was taking ages between shots as the camera struggled to focus.
The cold was again making me shake as I took the shots.
The Original Location
I’ve attached a couple of the shots that were taken at the first location.
I was pretty happy as the day progressed and I could tell it was going to end with a clear sky and a very useful sunset. I had been to this spot before and made the mental note that sunset shots here would definately be worth coming back for. Right place, right time. I’m never this lucky.
And on top of my right place, right time serendipity, I had the snow to add to the shot. Unfortunately, I was lying down in it to get this shot and although Adam is holding up pretty well in front of the camera, my hands were shaking as I was taking the photos.
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