I'm back from Kauai with as many good photos as I've made in all of my previous trips to Hawaii combined, but with no huge winter waves of course. I really lucked out with the light I think. So here is a good place to start. The start of the day in Hanalai.
The clouds were heavy before sunrise but they cleared out just enough to allow the sun to light up the 4,000 ft. mountain range behind the beach. Without that light, the scene did not have the punch and depth that is does in this photo. Summer is when the light strikes across the mountains at the best angle.
See the super-big 1920 pixel version!
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/599979019...
---------------------------------------------------------
Settings etc.:
---------------------------------------------------------
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105L @ 28
1/4-second exposure @ F13
2-0.9 (3-stop) Lee soft edge neutral density graduated filters
Lee foundation kit filter holder (3-slots)
Lee adapter ring to fit my 77mm lens to the holder
No polarizer
ISO 160
Small Slik Sprint mini II tripod with Manfrotto 322RC2 pistol grip ball head
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
---------------------------------------------------------
Resources:
---------------------------------------------------------
Google Earth
earth.google.com/
Simply the best way to scout out locations that there is. You can see sun angles and pre-visualize light under lots of different conditions. Sometimes you can actually pre-compose your shots! This has saved me many thousands of vertical feet of climbing by avoiding spots with blocked views etc.
Satellite imagery (choose 'National' for a local US region or use your fave website)
www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/?wfo=mtr
Tide charting and preditions: (chose your area in US, other countries have similar websites)
tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.shtml?gid=235
