Sunrise over fog, Santa Clara Valley, Ca.

Sunrise Over Santa Clara Valley

Posted by Don Smith (California, United States) on 7 August 2011 in Landscape & Rural.

UPCOMING 2011/2012 WORKSHOPS:

Summer Big Sur - 3rd Annual Mystical Fog and Colorful Headlands Photo Workshop - August 23-26, 2011 (Workshop Sold Out)
Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches, and Canyons - 3rd Annual Arches/Canyonlands Photo Workshop - October 9-13, 2011 (Workshop Sold Out).
Bryce Canyon Hoodoos and Zion Fall Color - 1st Annual Bryce/Zion Photo Workshop - November 1-5, 2011 (Workshop Sold Out).
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Join me and Nik Software August 12 at 10:00 am for a webinar where I will be discussing my workflow techniques utilizing the awesome Nik plugins. I'll be discussing and showing you how I process my images using Viveza 2, Sharpener Pro, and many of the fine filters found in Color Efex Pro 3.0. This webinar is limited to the first 1,000 signups so don't delay. You may sign-up using this link: Incorporating Nik Software Into Your Daily Workflow with Don Smith

I love photographing fog. In fact I like it so much, I decided to hold a fog workshop in Big Sur later this month. During the summer months, our typical weather pattern is what is know as an on-shore flow. Our days are mild (high 70's and low 80's) then at night, the marine layer moves in off the Pacific Ocean providing a natural air conditioner. I like photographing the soft light that one finds under the cover of fog, but I also like shooting along its edges and even over the top of it as I did with this sunrise image the other morning. To read more about this shoot, please read The Joys of Photographing Fog.

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Comments (15)

Scott F. Schilling from San Martin, United States

Absolutely fantastic Don! I like your choice of the foreground element and the extra layer and color it adds to the scene! Great capture with the diffraction pattern on the sun also!

7 Aug 2011 6:45am

@Scott F. Schilling: I know you must have something similar Scott - can't wait to see your results. Hope you are having a fun weekend with your family!

Hans ter Horst from Ruislip, United Kingdom

Excellent, as always. In this particular shot, I like how the orange of the sunset in the distance is repeated in the flowers in the foreground. Just a lovely detail that makes your photos outstanding.

7 Aug 2011 7:16am

@Hans ter Horst: Hi Hans, always nice to hear from photographers from the UK (my wife grew up near Leeds). The warm-cool-warm color was fun to find - sometimes we just get a bit lucky. Thanks for your kind words.

Stefan from Thiersee, Austria

Wow, absolutely fantastic....love this photo!

7 Aug 2011 7:36am

@Stefan: Thanks Stefan - it was a fun morning.

Judy aka L@dybug from Brooksville, FL, United States

Incredibly beautiful, Don! I like how the gentle curve of the mountains point directly to the sun, and then the diagonal of the foreground, which you mentioned, pulling the eye to the fog's lines. I think this has a hint of fall in it. ;D

7 Aug 2011 10:52am

@Judy aka L@dybug: Our weather lately has been on the cool side (weird when the rest of the country has been baking), but I don't know if that accounts for the color - it just tends to change all year long out here. But your are right, fall will be here before we know it. Hope you are having a great weekend Judy and thanks for your continued kind words.

klausZ from Kufstein, Austria

wonderful mood with this misty "surface" GREAT!

7 Aug 2011 11:53am

@klausZ: I love shooting fog - yesterday I taught a lesson under the soft-light canopy. It offers so many possibilities. Hope all is well with you Klaus.

James Guillory Photography from Garner, United States

Smith, You could send a little natural a/c this way. 5 more weeks of this heat, but who's counting. Beautiful image as always....

7 Aug 2011 1:23pm

@James Guillory Photography: Thanks James - hang in there with the heat. It has been another mild summer here - probably even below average (at least since I have been back from Kauai).

Irene from San Francisco, United States

The fog is like a blanket. I love it.

7 Aug 2011 5:53pm

@Irene: You could get a similar view from Tilden Park where you live Irene. I love photographing fog and all its nuances!

Barbara Kile from Ft. Worth, United States

Ummmmmmmm.......... I'll take one of these too! :)

7 Aug 2011 9:18pm

@Barbara Kile: We will actually be photographing a sunset into the fog during the workshop about 5 miles up the road from this location Barbara. I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.

steve loos from hollister, United States

Fantastic image Don; I agree with Scott the balance of foreground, middle and background elements in this photo are great.

7 Aug 2011 10:28pm

@steve loos: I tell my workshop participants all the time that foregrounds can be simple. Sometimes I believe photographers leave foregrounds out because they think they lack visual interest. Foregrounds just need to be a part of the landscape - nothing spectacular, but they will aid in creating depth. I try to find them whenever possible.

Dokmateo from Spain

Beautiful! What great shot and treatment!

8 Aug 2011 12:02am

@Dokmateo: Thanks Dokmateo for your kind words.

Ralph Jones from Detroit, United States

Love how you captures the movement of the fog.

8 Aug 2011 12:11am

@Ralph Jones: That marine layer is in constant motion even when it looks stationary to the eye. The low intensity of the light and an aperture of f/16 necessitated a slower shutter. I was just happy that the breeze had died down.

DarkElf from Perth, Australia

superb composition and exposure to capture this fog scene! the fog itself just seems to move ever so gently and creep up on the viewer...

8 Aug 2011 4:22am

@DarkElf: It's a cool (literally and figuratively) scene to see (with or without a camera)!

Denny Jump Photo from Easton, PA, United States

Denny come lately here...I really like that little ridge of trees in front of (on the sun's side) of the larger ridge in the lower middle of your frame..the fog partially enshrouding the trees (probably Eucalyptus) is just totally awesome - I am loving that factor which so beautifully lends to this wonderful image. The foreground vegetation, gold, almost perfectly matches the color of the sky over the far horizon, thereby providing a wonderful "ends with starts with" feeling..And, as I have mentioned to Scott many times, the Sacramento Valley boy in me LOVES the fog layer...Some of my fondest memories are of coming down I-80 from the mountains on a clear winter evening (in the mountais) and dropping into the vally covered with fog... but until you "dive under" the fog, you could see the coast range...I loved that...Like a giant sea. Wonderful text on your blog to accompany this Don. It all makes for a 10 star image and 10 star lesson...Thanks so much - All the best. Denny

8 Aug 2011 7:21pm

@Denny Jump Photo: Hey Denny, I always appreciate your responses. We have had fog every day since I have returned from Kauai - quite a stretch. In fact, it is pretty misty outside my window as I type this. I'll be heading inland quite a bit today and getting back into the heat so I'm not complaining!

Richard from Duns, United Kingdom

Richard, come later still. Fabulous, magical feeling to this photo, Don.

9 Aug 2011 7:15am

@Richard: I just appreciate everyone taking the time to write - we all have busy lives. So thanks for the kind words Richard.

photo sur toile from Paris, France

This photo is really beautiful. It is a beautiful landscape, the clouds almost look like an ocean, it is a very successful shot aesthetically and technically. The colors are beautiful, just like the atmosphere ... félictation for this remarkable image.

9 Aug 2011 7:48pm

@photo sur toile: Thanks photo sur toile!

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Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
1/2 second
F/16.0
ISO 200
35 mm