Kilauea @ Night - HVNP

[Mark Fuge]

Canon EOS 5D – EF35–350/3.5–5.6L USM – Focal Length - 35.0 mm - 15Sec. @ f/3.5 - ISO 400


The image is of Kilauea Volcano @ night from Jagger Outlook, in Hawaii Volcanoes NP, on the Big Island. It was a typical night on the volcano, dark, cold and raining. However, as we were only at the volcano a couple of days, the shot was now. As we were leaving the area the next day, bracketing is vital to this shot. Other nice images, from this spot, but this was the best of the rest.


The shot is down the throat of the main vent. The fire is not visible during the day, replaced by a giant acidic plume cloud, which you can see rising to the right in the image. Most people settle for the cloud and say they have been there. But night is the only time to truly view the volcano and understand its mistique.

Enjoy!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Interesting shot Mark. It looks like you got the exposure for the lava right on. I might run some noise reduction on it. Your composition is very nice.

[Ian McHenry]

Nicely composed image Mark.
Strong glow from summit vent.
Having been to Kilauea a couple of times, am most interested to see changes in the caldera.
You probably know this,but here is HVO url http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus.php
Cheers: Ian Mc
Also have HV Nat Park phone number if you're interested for recorded messages about Kilauea.

[Mark Fuge]

Thanks, this was my first major use of the Digital format. Some good some not. Regretted it being to my favorite corner of the world. I've been there five times now. And this was my first night view of the volcano. Past trips have been more like other tourist, "seen it time to go!" :o Not because I felt that way, but had too many places to be in too little time. But this trip we scheduled for things we wanted to see. Next trip we will have the camera down pat!;)

Thanks for the link Ian, I hadn't been there before. Know they exist on the web, but haven't explored it totally.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Mark,
Here's an interesting tip for next time out. I really like the comp with the FG rocks but would have liked more detail inthe FG. My main question to you is: was the moon out? If so, what phase. The reason I ask is that it will significantly affect exposure time and FG details......so you may want to check that and compare it to your return trip phase. In any case.......as the lava vent is much brighter compared to the rest of the FG.......no, I'm not going to recommend the split ND at night,....but something crazier......put your hand in front of the lens, across the top 1/3 of the lens in this case, and move it up and down slighly... without touching the lens....for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the exposure time....maybe even more.....till you tone down the vent to a satisfactory level. No, I'm not nuts....I did it here; http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15832
on just the light/top portion. Very similar situation that you have here and easy to make the adjustment in the field. BTW...the FG was a full moon.....it would be very different if there was a crescent of 1/4 moon.

[Mark Fuge]

Thanks for the comments.

Roman, it was dark and raining ... no moon. It was not a nice night in paradise, due to the cold damp feel, but it worked.

I was trying to get the separation of the tonal scale that I saw. I think I did. Wish I would have had your tip then, but ...

Like the lighthouse. I had a vision of the Jupiter lighthouse that I wanted to get. One night was saw a harvest full moon (ULTRA BIG) come up and I always wanted to try to get that image behind the lighthouse from the bridge area. But never made it there, while we lived there. Still possible, for now...

I like the idea of having visions that may unfold before you, at a later date, as yours did.



Thanks again.