When we go there we are usualy alone and on this Monday it was no different. The skies were cloudy and rain was threatening when we arrived. Many of the recent winter storms left the area quite wet and the freshwater pond water level was higher than I've ever seen.
The winter storms have come and cut away at the dunes but no more than expected. What was noticeble however was the beach just to the north of the preserve where man made breakwaters are in place to protect some private property. The waves and currents took a big bite out of the dunes as they have started to wrap around and cut inside these massive (and rather unattractive) mounds of boulders).
The trees have been dead for a couple of years but the stumps still have sturdy root systems. The recent weather has removed a couple of feet of sand exposing them.
A friend on Facebook asked, "how did you do that??)
The skies were getting grey and rain was starting to spit as I started to shoot. I was using a wide angle lens (Canon 10-22) on my 7D with my trusty tirpod. I was anticipating the need for it.
For the isolated stump pictures camera was about a foot off the beach (actually a sand mud of sorts) to get the horizon and sky in the background just right. The subject was only a couple of feet in front of the camera to give it the larger than life look.
Three images were shot with a properly exposed shot followed by an underexposed and overexposed image. Combining these three images in post processing is a technique referred to as "high dynamic range" (HDR). The idea is every part of the image has detail. A "regular" image will frequently have areas of shadow and highlights where detail can not be seen. HDR creates some interesting photos and many purists despise them. Much of what is done in HDR does not look real and is finished with oversaturated colors. I have mixed feelings about the overal process but I like it enough to explore the possibilities.
I could have spent hours in this one little area and if the rain had not just started I probably would have. I knocked all these out in less than 20 minutes.
The following is my favorite of the set.
(I have not figured out how to properly size this blog so it doesn't cut off pictures like it does here...click on the pic to see the complete image or view it in the slideshow by clicking on the link)
The stump has some features of "monsters" from low budget sci fi movies made in the 50's. There are several nets and other debris caught up in the mix. As he (it is hard to tell the sex of these types of creatures) holds out his left hand he is showing you the man made structure that has directed the erosion in this area that has prematurely woken him from his sleep.
I also like the crab.
The link to the complete set is found in the column to the right....
I'm flying off this afternoon to Haywood County NC to work 3 night shifts.
Till next time,
Richard
