- Blue Hour
- Horizon Line
- slow shutter speed
- Sitting
- simple
- Posed
- Natural Light
- natural frames
- muted tones
- Motion Blur
- Moody
- Middle Thirds
- Mid range
- Leaning over
- hat
- Blur
- fast
- Evening
- Directional Light
- Desert
- Creative
- cool pose
- Cool
- clear sky
- chilled
- Center Framed
- calm
- brown
- blurry
- Soft Light
The story behind the image
It was already blue hour when we reached that gorgeous spot. I always try to experiment and innovate my shots, so I decided to create a ‘longer shutter speed’ image to achieve the “ghost effect”. These are best to do when the light is not bright and you can play with the shutter.
And while the result is quite predictable, in some cases it turns out even better than you would expect. Never stop experimenting and doing the “reliable things”, rather settle for the “unknown” and get an extraordinary image.
Directions
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
My directions were here very simple as I just asked them to sit down in the most comfortable way and get close to each other + look towards the light. I asked them to look towards the light as this meant their faces would be lit and I’d have a beautiful show of highlights & shadows.
What did you say?
Let’s have you sit down, make it 100% comfortable for yourselves. And if you please would get a little closer to each other and face the direction of light. Don’t stop moving, or communicating, or touching each other hands, etc.
Tone of Directions
Calm
Composition
I shoot a lot in a “portrait format”, it gives me a closer feel of the people in the picture. Here, I positioned myself in a way that I have them within the mountain line. I guess I didn’t want to have it cross through their heads/bodies, it would be a little eye-disturbing to me.
framing
Center Framed
Focusing
Describe how you spoke to your subject(s)
Just anywhere on them, I typically never try to focus exactly on the eyes or face – I feel it doesn’t really make the difference unless you shoot reaaaaally wide open. This particular picture I shot with slower shutter speed (1/6); I pressed the shutter button and slowly moved the camera sideways. I just love getting this artsy blur in the images!
Focus Mode
Live View Continuous
Focus POints
Multi Point
Focused on
anywhere on the subject
Equipment &
Exif
Camera
Lens
Flash
Filter
1/6 @ f/11 ISO500 WB-Auto
The way the EXIF is written out follows the common photographic method (with the inclusion of White Balance at the end). Here it is broken down:
Shutter Speed @ Aperture ISO White Balance.
Light & Weather
This shot was taken during the later part of the blue hour (it was just about to disappear) and to me, this is the best part. It’s a really beautiful light in the sense that the tones it can bring out are just awesome, and how soft everything can feel. When I had my couple sit, I specifically asked them to turn their faces towards the light so that they wouldn’t be cast in shadow.
Light Type
Natural Light
Time of day
Blue Hour
Editing Workflow
How did you edit this image?
I always try to leave the true tones of the moment in which the picture was shot. I kind of stick to the “honest editing” and I want my clients to look back at their photographs and feel that day again as if they time-traveled. I use my own presets, but they are not out for sale just yet but keep an eye here for when they are as they will be linked below.
Editing Software
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Preset Used
My own, unpublished
Challenges
The speed at which the light disappeared was definitely challenging, as we obviously didn’t have too much time to shoot.
Solutions
The only real way was to just shoot as fast as I could. I knew the ideas that I wanted and didn’t waste too much time.
Location
Location Name
Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Location aDDRESS
Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Loation Type
Desert
Country
Spain
This shot gives me all the feels and I wouldn’t change a thing in it. The most important thing is to not stop experimenting and practicing “different” things”, find new ways and methods to communicate your feelings and ideas.
