Taken with a Minolta 800si, ProMaster AF 28-200mm Aspherical Lens at about 100mm, Kodak Max 800, Program mode, Center to right of sun for good metering and to get the clouds moving in from the right. I waited until the dense cloud covered the sun. Adjustments were made to correct color and contrast to equal 8X10 print.

-- Ben Lanterman (benl@anet-stl.com), December 15, 1998

Answers

Technically, I think the exposure is very close to being dead on, considering the film used. You managed to catch the rays in the haze, and you positioned the sun off center. It's a pleasing composition. Here in the rainy Nortwest we rarely see sunrises or sunsets, much less ones like that. You were lucky to be there with your camera ready!

You have a good eye, try investing in a good tripod (Bogens are affordable, last for decades, and survive falling off of cliffs (don't ask ;>). And slower film. On 100 or 50 speed film this would have been incredibly saturated.

The only problem is in the tree silouettes. I don't know about your location, so it's maybe not fair to say this...but if you could have eliminated the trees entirely, or placed them very low in the frame this would have been a hands down winner. As it is, it's very nice, but the trees detract from the clouds, in my opinion.

Hope it helps. Keep posting. :>

Keith

http://www.spiritone.com/~kclark/

-- Keith Clark (ClarkPhotography@spiritone.com), December 16, 1998.

Thanks Kieth,

I was riding to work when I saw the possibilities coming up. I live in St. Louis and the air gets turbulent reasonably often, you just have to hope the conditions get together at the same time. I was lucky to find a place to stop long enough to get the photo without being ran over. Unfortunately the trees were there. Couldn't stop where there were no trees and then it was over. Thanks for the suggestions on film speed, a tripod would have been nice at the time.

Ben

-- Ben Lanterman (benl@anet-stl.com), December 16, 1998.

OK. :>

Get you burst my bubble: I thought you were one of those lucky few to have time ti hang around and wait for this stuff (laughing ;>).

I still like the image. :>

Keith

-- Keith Clark (ClarkPhotography@spiritone.com), December 16, 1998.

Really a lovely shot of rays of light, must have seemed like the hand of god. Hehe, program mode with a 28-200mm, shall we break all the rules :)

I think having the trees is good for composition, what bothers me more is that they are cut off and look sort of strange.

-- Andrew Kim (andy_roo@mit.edu), December 17, 1998.

Thanks for the thoughts folks. These things happen in a manner of minutes. Sometimes a tornado comes with them! On the trees - if I went lower to make the trees more natural I got all of the industural buildings that are lurking down there and wires and poles and trash, etc. I wish I could have gotten some different views. I have learned to love them.

This shot with the two black clouds was the only one that was generated that morning. Other clouds partially covered the sun but in just a few minutes it was two high to make the cloud shadows and sunrays. People have said it here before but I felt priviledged to be able to just see it much less take a photo. Andrew you are right.

On P and 28-800. I carry a camera everywhere. It's in a small K-mart case that has two sections that separate. I put personal stuff, pliers, medicine, sunglasses, etc in the lower zippered third, and have room for a camera and one extra lens in the top. The 28-200 is just the most handy. I have the 80-200/2.8 and the like (which I really wished for) but too big to carry all the time. The case looks like a cheap computer case and not a purse :-) I am in the process of learning from the camera. I assume the AI in the camera (the 800si is nice) was well thought out by the designers and at this time is more experienced than me but I learn quicky. It will reproduce what I see, it's up to me to try to make it worthwhile. I always check the readings and verify if I am OK. I do have a Bogen tripod and monopod,works great, but I don't haul them around on a daily basis.

I have enlarged some of these images to 11X14 for the wall. The lens was well stopped down so the sharpness of the tree limbs is fine. If you look real close there is some grain but I have used a brush and oils long enough to not be bothered too much. I am still working on the concept of saturated colors but havn't tried the slower Fuji films yet just one 800 which was fine. For a shot like this I should have removed the Max 800 and loaded a slower film, Its would have been worth it. I'll carry some of both in the future. Its a cost vs opportunity of a lifetime tradeoff. Another lesson learned from photo.net.

Thanks again, Your comments are a great learning tool for me.

Ben

-- Ben Lanterman (benl@anet-stl.com), December 17, 1998.

You did a real nice job capturing an incredible moment, especially with the sun's rays bursting out from the clouds. I don't know how many times I have driven to work and seen similar displays... guess its time to start carrying that camera everyday.

Mark

-- Mark (Grafphoto@aol.com), December 19, 1998.