Sunset at Birling Gap
So I went to Birling Gap to further my exploration of which coastal features work with multiple exposures. I know that multiples work in all contexts but which techniques would work best to capture both the cliffs and the sunset, and, the evening ambience! The image above was in camera and having made some in camera multiple exposures with buildings by turning the camera around in between exposures I wanted to see if it worked with cliffs. Apparently so, but this was the only image that I was really pleased with. All of the others I found were too abstract for my tastes and although they were interesting they didn’t appeal to me aesthetically. This one I liked as to my eye the pebbles at the top of the image look like a starry night - is that the same to you?
I want to split this blog up almost into colours as this seems to represent the stages of the evening and the collection of images I was happy with. So let’s start with blue, as, after all, that was the colour on arrival. Although it was September it was still a warm evening! I think these represent both the busyness of the shore in the evening with the middle image, and minimalism that you can capture even if it is busy with the two outside images.
The middle image is a triple in camera exposure and then combined in photoshop with a close up of just the cliff. I thought I would keep the cliff round the edges as well just to add a bit more atmosphere and interest and I like the way it softens the people - which can be very jarring in a landscape photo.
The more minimalistic images are both in camera multiple exposures and I like the expanse of sky on the right. I am not sure which I favour but I think the one on the right just wins it for me. How about you? Which one do you think is the most striking?
Then came the pink…..
And there were lots of possibilities with these hues both in and out of camera. Firstly I decided that actually there was a lot of merit in using the people on the beach as subjects - they were really interesting subjects and the two on the edges of the below panel were produced entirely differently!
The image on the left was an in camera multiple exposure that I added a texture to in order to soften both the rocks and the people. I felt that that the blur from the double exposure was a little too jarring. It was an interesting use of texture and it worked and bound the image together in a more cohesive manner. The second image (on the right) is a single image where I liked the silhouette nature of the characters in it and I combined this with a photo of the ripples in the sand which made really interesting patterns across the whole image.
The pink cliff in the middle I am really pleased with as it is an in camera multiple exposure of the cliffs and then blended in photoshop with a photo of the pebbles from further down the beach. I used a bright blend mode - those that I usually stay away from and this gave the pebbles their pretty pinks. Which is your favourite pink?
And then came the yellows and oranges!
The top two are more in camera multiple exposures with people as my main subject. I like the way that the in camera makes a nice soft image whereas I find when I do this out of camera I can still be left with more sharp edges and less blending of figures into each other. The sky was doing wonderful things at these points of time which just add to the atmosphere and storytelling of both of the images. To me they seem full of life and yet calm at the same time and I think the colour has a lot to do with that.
The two at the bottom here also started with in camera multiple exposures. The left hand one I left as it was as I liked how the sea seems to bleed into the cliffs on the right. I thought that if I added a background I might lose this - sometimes it is best just to stop editting!
The one on the right is very much an indulgence! An in camera multiple of the sea and sky combined with lots of starlings from outside my house and a lichen covered wall from Nymans national trust garden!! I really like it when I can use images from the same place to create my images…..but it is fun to play from the whole of my catalogue!
If you have liked this then do think about joining one of my courses or contact me and let me know what you think - do you create your images in this way? Is there anything you would have done differently? I always love to hear what you think.
