Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Eruption

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default Eruption

    On my recent Costa Rica workshop, we spent several nights getting up close and personal with the Arenal Volcano. To say that it's an absolutely incredible experience is an big understatement! It rained as we approached the lodge on our first evening, and the volcano disappeared from sight (a common issue). At dinner that night the volcano reappeared and gave us a little taste of what it had in store for us. By the time we got back to our rooms to start photographing, it had disappeared again. We set up our gear on our private porches and began the waiting game. Within an hour or two the clouds started to dissipate. We were rewarded with clear skies and great volcano activity all night long! We'll be going back there on next year's workshop, which is in the final stages of planning as I post this image. BTW it's quite challenging to get quality images of a volcano in the dark.



    Canon 1D Mark IV, 70-200mm f/4 @ 85mm, f/11, 8 min, ISO 400, tripod
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  2. #2
    Roman Kurywczak
    Guest

    Default

    Hey Doug,
    Very cool! One subject I have yet to photograph! I know how difficult this is to photograph but will offer you something to possibly try next time out......cover the lens on the flow part for part of the exposure time.....this may allow you to bump up the ISO a touch or even lower the DOF a hair to get a bit more seperation of the volcano and the sky. Make sense? Another possible thing to try....Jack the iso to 6400....and do shorter exposure times....using the hand technique.....lower ISO to where you want.....do math. Hope I made this clear enough.
    As presented, just see if you can get a touch of seperation on the mountain top.....but otherwise very cool and nicely done!

  3. #3
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    New Delhii, India
    Posts
    3,690
    Threads
    269
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Doug,
    Photographing a volcano in a bird photography tour sounds way cool. I am sure you had a fantastic time. Nice image.

    Some more sky would have been nice as well. I like Roman's suggestion. I used to use that for recording forest fires. Thanks for sharing. Look forward to more.

    Cheers,
    Sabyasachi

  4. #4
    Robert Amoruso
    Guest

    Default

    Very cool Doug and great idea by Roman

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member Doug Brown's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    11,879
    Threads
    917
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks for the great tips Roman. I'm assuming you're giving me ways to lighten the sky. Once the moon set, I had no idea of how to deal with the separation between volcano and sky. I've got other cool volcano shots with better separation thanks either to the moon or to the sunrise.
    Upcoming Workshops: Bosque del Apache 2019, Ecuador 2020 (details coming soon)
    Website -
    Facebook - 500px

  6. #6
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Rock Hill, SC
    Posts
    886
    Threads
    57
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Thanks for sharing Doug. And some great ideas from Roman!

  7. #7
    Roman Kurywczak
    Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Brown View Post
    Thanks for the great tips Roman. I'm assuming you're giving me ways to lighten the sky. Once the moon set, I had no idea of how to deal with the separation between volcano and sky. I've got other cool volcano shots with better separation thanks either to the moon or to the sunrise.
    Hey Doug,
    You are correct. let's just use your settings in the OP....f11, 8 minutes and ISO 400. this was dead on for the lava flow....but the sky and mountain ridge is dark....so now go to ISO 800.....cover the lava flow with your hand for 4 minutes.....moving it slightly around.....this should allow more of the glow/natural light to illuminate a bit more of the sky and give more seperation...this is in camera burning!

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Jay Gould's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    In the whole wide world!
    Posts
    2,788
    Threads
    332
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Roman Kurywczak View Post
    Hey Doug,
    You are correct. let's just use your settings in the OP....f11, 8 minutes and ISO 400. this was dead on for the lava flow....but the sky and mountain ridge is dark....so now go to ISO 800.....cover the lava flow with your hand for 4 minutes.....moving it slightly around.....this should allow more of the glow/natural light to illuminate a bit more of the sky and give more seperation...this is in camera burning!
    Doug, most cool.

    Roman, your suggestions certainly underscore why a week with you is on my near-future bucket list. :D
    Cheers, Jay

    My Digital Art - "Nature Interpreted" - can now be view at http://www.luvntravlnphotography.com

    "Nature Interpreted" - Photography begins with your mind and eyes, and ends with an image representing your vision and your reality of the captured scene; photography exceeds the camera sensor's limitations. Capturing and Processing landscapes and seascapes allows me to express my vision and reality of Nature.

  9. #9
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    6,829
    Threads
    569
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Hi Doug, As noted great advice by Roman. Obviously some trial and error in figuring out the best combo of hand shading etc but really works once you get it down...

  10. #10
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    1,881
    Threads
    192
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very dramatic, Doug, and interesting tip from Roman to try next year!

  11. #11
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Auranagabad ( MS ) India
    Posts
    12,833
    Threads
    766
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    this is terrific image Doug
    TFS

  12. #12
    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    14,858
    Threads
    1,235
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    what a dramatic image!! I must say the suggestions by Roman give me much food for thought! :)
    Morkel Erasmus

    WEBSITE


  13. #13
    Super Moderator arash_hazeghi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Posts
    18,545
    Threads
    1,318
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    very dramatic image Doug, well done!!!
    New! Sony Capture One Pro Guide 2022
    https://arihazeghiphotography.com/Gu.../Sony_C1P.html


    ------------------------------------------------
    Visit my blog
    http://www.arihazeghiphotography.com/blog

  14. #14
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Miami Beach, FL
    Posts
    555
    Threads
    193
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Doug, I am envious. Arenal was enshrouded for the two nights of our visit. I had great plans for my long exposures. Since I have no images I will resort to being a critic.

    I agree with Roman about separation of sky and mountain-top. Also I would have liked to have seen either longer star-trails or maybe just some stars. This might involve making several different exposures - one for the sky and one for the lava-flow and them putting them together in Photoshop. Is this allowed in landscape forum?

  15. #15
    BPN Viewer
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    805
    Threads
    85
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Great capture Doug

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics