Sunset at Mendocino Headlands

Posted by Don Smith (California, United States) on 14 June 2008 in Landscape & Rural.

The setting sun warms lupines growing along a bluff on the western edge of the Mendocino Headlands in Mendocino, California. Gusty winds required a high ISO of 1600 (this was also an experiment to see for myself how well this camera could handle noise), which in turn allowd me a fast enough shutter speed of 1/200th to freeze the lupine at f/11. I ran the image through Noise Ninja which removed the little bit of noise produced by the 1DsMKIII (I was very impressed). Other combinations of shutter/aperature/ISO did not produce desired results. Once I find a composition, I begin the process of problem solving. It's rare to come across a situation in nature where everything is a green light. In order to balance the brightness of light from the left to right side of the frame (due to my position of roughly 70 degrees off axis from the sun), I held a 3-stop split grad diagonally across the top 1/3 of the frame. It's the little things that can make or break an image! To learn more about a workshop I will be teaching next June in Medocino, please visit my website at http://www.donsmithphotography.com

Comments (14)

Marie Le Corre from Dauphiné, France

I like it !

14 Jun 2008 5:08am

ajo from madrid, Spain

Awesome...

14 Jun 2008 8:56am

Don Smith from California, United States

Hi Marie and ajo,

Thanks!

14 Jun 2008 2:55pm

dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, United States

another superb shot. well done!

14 Jun 2008 3:11pm

Don Smith from California, United States

Thanks dj,

This is where the technological advances of digital made this image possible. The Canon 1DsMKIII's in-camera noise reduction for high ISO's allowed me to use 1600 ISO, which in turn allowed me a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the flowers without an abundance of noise!

14 Jun 2008 4:55pm

Stéphane from Near to BXL, Belgium

Hi don, great shot. Indeed noise level is unnoticeable in this picture. How do you believe the IDs compares to the Nikon D3 for the High iso ?

I love the composition. I am just a bit annoyed with some strange light on the rocks in the water. Could it due too flare?

14 Jun 2008 10:17pm

Zygene from morlaix, France

Superbe paysage et magnifique photo

14 Jun 2008 11:18pm

Don Smith from California, United States

Hi Stephane and Zygene,

I have not personally tested the Nikon D3 but from reports I have read, I'd have to believe the Nikon is perhaps a stop better in terms of noise control. Stephane I'm not sure what "strange light" you are speaking of - it does not show on my monitor. The sun is setting to the left of the compostion, thus the rocks would (and should) appear lighter on that side of the frame. To overbalance them would look unnatural. If you could be more specific that would help. Thanks again for your comments. This was a very difficult shot to pull off due to the high wind.

15 Jun 2008 5:55am

Stéphane from Near to BXL, Belgium

Hi Don

Sorry my English is not very good, so I had some difficulties to precise correctly what rocks I was speaking about. I was not speaking about the littles rocks but rather the small hill in the water, the one with the door. This hill is very dark due to back-light but there are small variations of light on it that I could not really understand. I guess that my monitor must be more limited than yours to correctly render the micro-contrast in the low light conditions. Also some details must be loss by the high JPEG compression rate applied by Aminus.

Nevertheless, the picture is great.

15 Jun 2008 9:39am

Don Smith from California, United States

Hi Stephane,

First off, I think your English is very good! It could be your monitor as it displays well on mine (I am using a 24" Dell LCD which I keep calibrated once a month). I get some comments every once in a while with issues I cannot see on my monitor. I know my wife's laptop does not always display my images correctly and monitors vary across the board. Also, you are correct in that there is some loss of quality with Aminus3's compression. I am contemplating upgrading to the A+ service but haven't done it as of yet. I do apreciate and enjoy your comments - please keep them coming. I like that you look deeper into an image than just what is there at first glance. I try to add a bit more about how my images were made and the situation(s) I encounter while out in nature. It is probably the teacher in me coming out (I teach 8 workshops per year). I've been a professional for 30 years (many spent shooting sports) and feel it is time I gave back as a way of honoring all of those who helped me. Photography is the universal language that has allowed me to meet and exchange ideas with people all over the world such as yourself. Again, I appreciate your input on ths blog! Thank you for participating.

-- Don

15 Jun 2008 2:20pm

shahab from Qazvin, Iran

Beautiful work,master!But I have a question here:Was it a good idea to use a open aperture instead of 1600 iso?I know it would decreased the depth of field,but i think it`s always proper to avoid the nuisance of noise.As you said your camera noise reduction works great at high ISO,and processing can make it even better too.But I want to know that which preference is preferred?Specially if your camera did n`t have noise reduction or if it did n`t work properly.
And about the point that Stephane mentioned,I have the same problem on my monitor too(it looks like some mist there)!Can it be because of the reflection of sun on the lens?Or maybe some spotlighted dusts in the air(by the sun rays)?Or anything else... & or nothing!But if it is,could it be avoided?Maybe the high contrast level of your monitor correct it,itself ,and you are not able to see it.But it can turn out if you print it ,I think.Excuses for too much asking!But I`m really waiting for the answer, to learn more of a great teacher!Thanks a lot!

15 Jun 2008 10:07pm

shahab from Qazvin, Iran

Disturbing again!:D.But it`s intresting!I found same thing on one of the Stephane`s shots!At the center of this shot ,this problem appears obviously!I`v came acroos this problem before & think it should be a common thing.Is n`t it?!

15 Jun 2008 10:24pm

Don Smith from California, United States

HI shabab,

No problems with the questions, that is what a blog should be about. As for the issue (or lack thereof) with the rocks, I can only say I do not see it on my monitor. See my reply to Stephane. As for the issue of using a wider aperature and less ISO to avoid noise, I tried f/8 at ISO 800 and felt the water and rocks were too soft if the image was to be enlarged (I check all my images at 100% on a 24" monitor). Many times photography (as in life) is about tradeoffs. My feeling is it really doesn't matter if a shot is technically correct if you can't produce the image you want. Do what it takes to make the image. If your camera produces too much noise at higher ISO levels, and cannot be corrected with noise reduction software, then you may have to let the shot go. A little noise doesn't bother me anymore than a little grain used to with film. I reference Galen Rowell's Horsetail Falls image which was taken in 1973 with ASA Kodachrome 25 film. I've seen the image enlarged to 4' x 8' with plenty of grain in the Mountain Light Gallery. Not once have I heard anyone complain of noise - they simply admire the image! Thanks for checking in!

15 Jun 2008 11:12pm