NZPhotographer Issue 2, Dec 2017

CANON EOS 70D WITH CANON 15-85MM LENS
WITH A POLARIZING FILTER.
IT WAS 9.25AM AND THE SUN BEHIND THE FOG
WAS VERY BRIGHT SO MY SETTINGS WERE 1/125
SEC F18 ISO 200 15MM FOCAL LENGTH.
Behind The Shot with
Karen McLeod
“Tree in Fog #1” taken 19.07.17 – Gained Judges Commendation
at Art Waikino at Labour Weekend this year.
Did you plan this shot or was it more of a lucky moment?
This one was definitely a lucky moment. I live in Whitianga and was due to
be in Auckland for some meetings. I had already left earlier than needed
time wise for the drive as it was a foggy morning and I had been waiting
for an opportunity like this to capture some sunlight coming through the
trees in another location. Even though I must have driven past this tree
literally hundreds of times I had never noticed it before, until at 100k’s I
finally caught sight of it out of the corner of my eye. About 1km up the
road, I told myself I had to find somewhere to turn around and go back.
Finally doing so and the having to go back the other way a considerable
distance to find yet another place to safely turn around I was in luck that
there was a good area to pull right off the highway and get a clear view
of the tree.
What was happening behind the camera that we can’t see?
Thankfully I was on my own, but felt a little pressured with time and even
though off the road, the cars speeding past at 100ks rubber necking to
see what I was doing were a worry.
If you could re-take the photo, what would you change? Or are you
100% happy with it?
I took 14 images of the tree from slightly different angles and focal lengths.
This was the 6th shot and I don’t think I could re-take it and improve it. The
conditions were just right and the sun was at the perfect level.
Was any editing done after?
I used Adobe Lightroom to adjust the white balance, contrast & remove
some dust spots, then Photoshop to remove a couple of shining cow pats,
diffuse the sun spot a little more and crisp up the colour to what I saw.
Anything else we should know about this shot?
Every time I drive past that tree now, I slow down to look and have even
stopped to take a couple of photo’s, but it is not the same as it was that
morning. Those other days it has returned to being just a tree, a somewhat
unnoticeable tree. It was the day after my birthday that I got this image,
so I just accepted the gift of time & place and am grateful for the
opportunity.
20 NZPhotographer
December 2017
21