OBX Sunrise

On a clear morning, there are few things like an OBX sunrise.  OBX is the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Don’t know where it originated or when, but it’s saves keystrokes so I’ll take it.

(And yes, to those of you who’ve seen it up and down the east coast, it’s beautiful everywhere!)

If there is no haze or clouds, it’s a pure unadultered and unobstructed sunrise – the sky lights up and the sun edges its’ way above the horizon.  It doesn’t take all that long to happen either – all of the OBX sunrise photos added to the sunrises gallery on Laughing Frog Images were taken within a span of 15 minutes.

If you’re lucky like I was, pelicans, sea gulls and other shore birds will fly through your viewfinder and you’ll end up with the birds in silhouette.

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Making your own sunrise over the water images like this is fairly easy.  First, take the rule about not shooting into the sun and ignore it.  Second, select a low ISO,  Third, select a high shutter speed.  Fourth, select a medium to high aperture.  Then, shoot away!  Vary your exposures by a stop or two up and down so that you get a broad selection of images to choose from.

The image above was made at ISO 100, 1/1000 second, and f8.

If you’re shooting with a smartphone, tablet, or point and shoot, and you can select the exposure point – pick right in the enter of the sun streak on the water.  Then, move the selection point up, down, left and right so that you’ve got several different exposures to choose from.

If you like sunrises, check out the sunrise gallery.

If you like OBX sunrises, or any sunrises for that matter, but can’t get to the shore to photograph them yourself – well, we’ve got you covered – and covered for 25% off of sunrises and everything else on Laughing Frog Images through December 15, 2015.

Westbound Grain and Glint

Westbound grain and glint.  What’s that about?

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We’re between Fenner and Goffs, CA on the former Santa Fe Railroad, now commonly referred to as the BNSF Transcon.

This is a westbound grain train moving downgrade from the summit at Goffs.  The train is heading towards the setting sun – and I’m shooting at roughly the opposite angle of the sun.  That’s where the glint comes from.  This is an untouched color image.

Note how the colors have largely shifted to black, white, gray and muted pastels.  Those of you familiar with the BNSF know that these locomotives are predominantly orange, and that the covered hopper cars are a red oxide color – but you’d never know that from this image!

But the detail!  Glint shots can bring out details that you wouldn’t ordinarily notice.  You’re looking at the surfaces that reflect light in an entirely different way.  What isn’t reflecting light simply shows as black.  And it’s different.  And interesting.  And not your typical image.

It’s not your typical train picture.  And that’s what makes in interesting.  You can find the image here at Laughing Frog Images.

If Black and White is something that interests you, you can get it in B&W with the click of a mouse.