It was such a cold day for a football game. I know most people would say it was perfect weather for a football game, but not me. I’ve certainly become a fair-weather person in my “old” age. But the sunsets are no less spectacular – that’s one reason I could photograph the sunset every day. Maybe that’ll be my theme for all of next year – what a challenge.
Another awesome sunset over what has turned into my favorite place to shoot these days. Go figure.
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There was going to be a great sunset at the school this evening, but I had my first complaint about the aerial camera that cut me short. A lady was going to go walk somewhere else this evening (as opposed to her usual walk at the school) because she was “uncomfortable” with the drone. I was just hovering taking a shot every couple of minutes – just waiting for the money shot. This is the last shot I was able to get. I never did get a clear answer as to what made her uncomfortable. Oh well.
Another great sunset over Handley High School. | Order a print of this image.
About 10k from finishing my ride this evening I realized that it was going to be an awesome sunset. All I could think about was getting back in time to send up the aerial cam and get some great shots. The race was on. That was a pretty fast 10k especially at the end of the ride.
My view at the end of my ride this evening in Clarke County, VA.
There’s a feature on the aerial camera that I didn’t think I’d be using, but it came in handy last night. It’s not really auto pilot, but for a photographer it comes pretty darn close. The camera can be set to snap a photo every 30 seconds for as long as I want. So I can concentrate on getting some cool HDR series on the ground while the aerial cam just hovers and snaps away. I used it last night to shoot an awesome sunset. I sent it up as the sun was hitting the horizon and just left it there until I was done on the ground. Pretty cool if you ask me.
This is my go-to spot for awesome sunsets. I’ve never been disappointed. | Order a print of this image.
And I did promise that I would reveal what last night’s photo actually was. Here’s a before/after comparison.
When you can get above all the mess on the ground level, that golden hour is more like a golden hour and 15 minutes. My class ended at 6:30, but I was determined to get the sunset today because I just had a feeling that it was going to be a good one. I think I made a good call.
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Every sunset and every sunrise is different to me, which is why shooting them will never get old. But if you’re wondering “how can I shoot them differently?” Simple answer…turn around. You’d be amazed at what it sometimes looks like behind you.
I’m surprised none of the birds that were attacking the drone showed up in this image. | Check out my other sunset/sunrise images.
While my laptop is on the fritz (my GFX processor has all but blown up), it’s next to impossible to do anything creative while I’m traveling. I shot some amazing images this evening at James Madison University (my alma mater), but am essentially “flying” blind in post. I have absolutely no idea what this actually looks like (until, of course, I post it and look at it on one of my mobile devices. So, here goes…
I like to shoot sunrises and sunsets. I’ve said this before. But after a while, as with anything, it gets harder and harder to shoot it differently. Granted, each sunset and each sunrise is different, but how do I create something unique. A big deal for a perfect composition is to have depth to your images and that’s done by introducing foreground elements. That’s kinda tough when your camera is 250 feet up in the air. I just wonder if I’ll get any backlash from this image because of how close I was to it.
By the way, if you live in the Winchester-Frederick County area of VA (and maybe even if you’ve driven through), you’ve seen this water tower along I-81 at exit 310.
So, this is what the sunset looks like at an altitude of 400 ft. I’m dying to try 1,000 now.
The sunset over Sherando Park in Stephens City, VA
You know when you look out your back window and you see those colors of the sunset and think “wow, that’s an awesome sunset?” Well, you’re right, it is an awesome sunset.
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Sunsets have never been easier. Granted, it’s not the highest quality sunset image that I could take, but it gets me above the power lines and mess of the city and gives me a clear shot at one of the best parts of the day.
Was able to grab the gear and catch the sun setting over Winchester. That’s the elementary school (bottom) where both my kids attended.
Yeah, I know that’s not the title, but that’s not what I’m going for here. With so much attention to the sunRISES lately, I needed to turn around and give some time to the sunSET.
This one is in an effort to be more timely with my photos. It is, after all, Palm Sunday.
How timely is this? Another great sunset captured. Order a print of this image.
Proper sunsets are simply awesome. I shot close to 300 photos before it was all said and done, but this one stood out from the rest. All the “contrasty” things going on were screaming for some post-processing. Hopefully gonna turn the other way in several hours and the catch up with the sun.
Could you see yourself retiring here? Order a print of this image.
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
– Ansel Adams
A very bold sunset near Strasburg, VA. Order a print of this image.
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