Why Do Photographers Wake Up So Early?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ส.ค. 2024
- In this video I demonstrate the reason why photographing at sunrise is so much better than photographing during the day in most scenarios. I photograph Liberty Bell Peak in the North Cascades National Park in the middle of the day and at sunrise and compare the 2 images. I hope you enjoy the video :)
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#photography #landscapephotography #sunrise
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During my 13 years of photography I photographed sunrise only TWICE. Both times those were some of my best shots ever but they only way I could do them is because they were at the end of an all night hike. Once near the top of mt Blanc and once a sunrise on a top of a different mountain during the summer solstice or whatever you call it. I am however completely unable to get up early, it just cannot be done, nope. So pro tip for night owls - just don't go to sleep, get to the location during the night.
Favourite part of the day, watching the first rays of light to herald the start of another day. Even if the image doesn’t turn out the way you planned there is the bonus of being out there
Yeah totally agree. Lovely time of the day, though a struggle to do in the height of summer! If it's not really close I always try to pack a breakfast etc, so even if the cloud gods aren't in my favour that morning I can still at least sit, eat, and enjoy the tranquil morning with the birdsong etc for a while before heading off.
Such a great composition mr. Heaton! great video as always!
Have you shot this location before Nick? It's right in your backyard.
@@jamesmarko1787 i havn't, North Cascades is beautiful, I need to spend more time up there
Gamers sleep @ 3. Photographer wake @ 3. I am a Gamer Photographer. So i don't sleep
Finally someone I can relate to.
In my view both images have their merrit. While I love the magical twilight colors, I also, in certain favorable circumstances love the intense greens and yellows revealed by midday Sun. What I would've probably done differently to the midday image, I think, would be to expose for the highlights, and then bring up the shadows in post. Also, I don't belive Mr. Heaton used any filtering for the midday image, though he could have. I think I would have. It doesn't feel to me like a balanced comparrison if one is using filters to accentuate tones of the morning light, but them omit the filtering on the midday light. Nevertheless, Mr. Heaton's points are well taken; that getting up early is difficult, though sometimes well worth it, but not always.
IT'S BEHIND YOU !!! (or beside you)
I've recently went to a lake early in the morning and was lucky to catch a lovely misty golden sunrise. But by 6:30AM all the magic was gone already, and the difference was only more striking in-camera. This was kind of revelatory for me, because while I did understand the idea well enough, it's really easy to underestimate just how big of a difference even half an hour can make. This video is a great example of this, would actually love to see more of these - it's a point that can't be overemphasized - conditions are everything.
I used to shoot lots of landscapes - waking up at 3am and in some cases not even sleeping throug the whole night. Your vids make me wanna get back into it but these days I mostly just shoot street . Thx for your hard work~
Great little video Thomas. This is not just for beginners! It’s also for those of us who get rolled eyes and mini tiffs from friends and family when we tell them we’re getting up at 3am (again)
I am in awe! I love both shots. One softer, the other bold & vibrant. Thank you for sharing your knowledge & thoughts. 😃
Great composition and demonstration of the benefits of earling morning shoots. Mist is good as long as it clears enough to capture the composition in your mind.
Very nice Thomas, fantastic image. No haze at predawn.
Beautiful image Thomas my favourite part of the day as you say just getting out and witnessing nature in all is glory is well worth the early start 👍
Our best time to shoot is the pre sunrise to sunrise time. Just beautiful.
Thomas, your videos are always consistently among the best on TH-cam in large part because of your easy personality (or delivery because I, unfortunately, don’t actually know you). Thanks for sharing.
Another great vid Tom, and what a shot at dawn, brilliant image, well done.
Lol in this instance the midday one with a more aggressive filter, I think, would have been better than the sunrise image. Maybe not the best comparison but, still always enjoy seeing a video from you in my inbox.
What filters would you have added? I think the shadows on the peak were too dark to get much detail. I think the morning shot could have improved by waiting a bit to get a second exposure of the meadow with more light, and then combining it with the image of the peak. What are your thoughts?
@@shanefiddle I agree with you on that strategy as a theoretical blended image would have looked great. With a meadow in the frame like you are describing, the photo would have so much more life and color. At the moment, the whole photo is incredibly dull. However, with that change, the image would be much improved. As far as your question is concerned, I would have tried to drop in a two stop filter and attempt to recover the shadows in post. I understand this would be difficult since the mountain is already shaded and quite dark in the midday photo Thomas released, yet i would have still tried it. Honestly your suggestion is a better way to go about improving the photo though. No need to mess around with filters in the daytime.
@@graysonlane8878 Good thoughts! My other thought was the daytime photo might have been interesting as black and white... Thomas H did that in one of the previous videos when the light get more extreme.
Glad you mentioned the filter. It is always nice to know and test.
I love the colors of the sunrise, but I like the clarity of the other. Always enjoy your videos.
its actually very interesting mate. I liked the foreground better in the midday shot but the mountain in the sunrise shot.... this video does show each to their own even in the finished product etc
Both photos/scenes are gorgeous. I like both equally. They have different looks, sure, but I can’t rightly say one is better than the other one.
Great video - and made me realise I can work around work, and dog commitments, and do the same, just have to get up at 4.30, go take photos, take the dogs out, work 9-5 and then sleep all evening instead of watching junk TV!
Thanks for sharing this mind set of us early rising photographers, as well as the rewards. I classify this as my Happy Hour, everyday 30 mins. before and after sunrise: Serenity - coffee - magic. Keep up the great work Tom!
Thank you for sharing. Sunrise and sunset are always the best times for the most part. Some US National Parks don't open their gates until sunrise which makes it a bit difficult unless you have someone willing to drop you off before sunrise and you walk around the gate. I've discovered it's best to do the sunset thing. At least they wait until the parking lot is clear before they close the gate but if one sticks around for blue hour they will close the gate. It can be a challenge.
Great video Thomas! We tend to take the obvious for granted. Therefore, I think it is important to remind and demonstrate everyone of the obvious - beginners as well as advanced.
Your calendar arrived on Tuesday to the east coast of the U.S.A. Gorgeous! Rock on!
The Best light is in the morning hands down
And I think your two photographs show a perfect example of that
Such an enlightening video for beginners Thomas!
Absolutely beautiful image Thomas! Never thought to wander into that beautiful meadow up there. Love that area. Shot a few telephoto images at the Washington pass lookout just down the road. Thankfully it’s only a beautiful 2 hour drive from where I live in Eastern WA. Come back in the Autumn sometime, we have gorgeous pine trees called larches that turn a beautiful bright yellow in October in the north cascades.
I like the color of the mid-day grasses, but you're right, the mountain and sky are best at dawn. Darn, now I have to start getting up early.
Absolutely best time of the day!
Just received my calendar!!! it's absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much .
Great video. There's something special about watching the sunrise especially if you've had to hike to where you plan to take your shot. Would have been interesting to have also compared sunset.
Thanks for making this video. As you said it's obvious to most photographers, a lot of people don't know why harsh sunlight is not good for photos. The example in this video may not be the best one to explain the difference, but I am glad you thought about making a video just about this topic.
Thanks for doing a this video. This is how I currently take photos and how I wish I could! Very inspiring. These side by side comparisons really help me learn. Thank you.
Great image! Also shows you the importance of inches left, right, up and down. To get that reflection perfectly framed!
Nice video! Keep creating these kinds of videos. Even though I know sunrises are sublime, with work, kids, etc. I rarely make it out. But watching videos like this one motivates me to try the next chance I have a bit of time off.
"Seeing the landscape wake up" Like that and I'll be using it :)
Bonus video from the North Cascades! Really lovely stuff, Thomas.
I was in that very spot 2-3 years ago, but the forest fires were particularly bad that year, with LOTS of smoke coming from BC, including ash (One of the reasons that I'm glad that my Canon R covers the sensor with the shutter when lenses are removed. No time for sensor cleaning on the trail!). Subsequently, I didn't get great shots of Liberty Bell Peak, but I did of other mountains, shrouded in smoke. So glad you had great conditions for your stay there (Well a bit more cloud activity would have been great, but the uncertainty is half the fun!).
Great idea to show
I'm definitely not an early morning person, but I have just been camping for a couple of days on the shores of a lake here in Western Australia. I was up before sunrise both mornings and I have to say it was spectacularly beautiful light. I was there principally for bird photography rather than landscapes but early morning is brilliant both for the special light and the bird activity. 👏👏
Your calendar arrived yesterday the 28th to the east coast of Australia, awesome.
Owen Langburne haven’t received mine in eastern Australia yet
A great simple tutorial about the value of early light.
Thanks for the demonstration of visualizing a shot when the conditions at that moment aren't the best.
Also I think these videos are invaluable to beginners. I well remember about 5 years ago when I got into photography that I didn't have any idea as to what went into making photographs look great. Kind of ironic in a way; in that you can see other photographs but you don't quite, for some reason, take the time to put your finger on it and properly think about it. It's only after you've gained more experience that you begin to understand what makes photography work, the light, the composition, the conditions, aperture, focus points etc. etc. so you shouldn't feel like these videos are a waste of time or silly in anyway whatsoever Tom. I think we all suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect when we get better at something and I think it's important to try and stand back from that 'take it for granted' kind of skill set that you attain through experience and take stock of how far you've come. There will be those of us who know this, but if anything it's nice to see it reaffirmed, but there will definitely be people starting out watching this who will very much appreciate these videos.
Nice demonstration and gorgeous photo (s!). Thanks again, Thomas.
Excellent example and discussion
Again a good video Thomas. The view at 4:48 led to spontaneous thoughts. You are a great photographer, but in this scene by the great nature you are only a small colored spot. Without the great nature that surrounds us it would not be possible to make these beautiful photos. But when I see what happens for eksampel on the lofoten I do not understand the world anymore. Thousands of visitors who want to experience nature leave their rubbish in the nature, toiletpaper on many bushes and footprints in nature reserves. We have to protect the nature, so that our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to take such beautiful photos.
Tom, nice video as usual. Nice to have a photographer of your caliber consider the plight and learning curve of newbies. The video I would love to see from you is one that describes for your followers exactly what you consider in taking an image. Start at the very beginning of considering a photo. How do you expose your photos? Do you rely mainly on liveview or do you also use the view finder? What metering technique do you usually use? Do you expose at the O point of the exposure meter in the viewfinder or do you mainly rely on the histogram and expose to the right? I really think that issues like these would really help a lot of enthusiasts in addition to your many videos centering on composition.
Thomas, why didnt you look to your right. The sun on that peak is amazing
Martin Hoyle I thought exactly the same!!!
Me too!
I was thinking “ it’s behind you” 😂
there was another photographer in the shot!
Am i the only one who loves the bright green of the midday foto also in between the dark green of the trees? I agree to the light but this fresh green is nice...
Amazing landscape photograph and video as always Thomas, looks like it was an awesome trip out west
i have always done a sunrise because it is the best part of the day for so many reasons, no people until this video lol, the best light and colour of the day. and mainly no one wants to get up and be committed to getting the best photo of the day. oh yes and great for those bags under the eyes lol.
maybe blend the foreground of the midday one with the peak and sky of the morning pic to bring out the best of the detail and colours...
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, much appreciated.
I agree that sunrise is a special time of the day for lots of reasons especially the atmosphere. I liked the composition too 👍🏻
Just to GET THAT PERFECT LIGHTING, I HAD DONE IT, ESPECIALLY, SHOTS OF DEW, on a spiderweb, sunrises , etc, , great example, the ARCH, IN ST LOUIS MO, the light changes in. Mere minutes,
Cheers from NJ, USA
Was pleasantly surprised to see mail from the UK which could only mean your calendar has arrived....thanks mate. Dawn shot always a better chance for a great shot.
Beautiful is beautiful whether it’s sunrise, sunset or the middle of the day.
Great video, thanks! Beautiful photos also! :)
At roughly the 7-minute mark if you had looked behind you while talking you would have seen the sunlight cresting on top of the other mountains as well. Otherwise, another good video.
Putting the two images side by side also shows the different emphasis in each. The lighter areas (which catch the eye) are the meadow at midday and the peak at dawn. Which would you prefer to be the subject, the thing that catches the eye? The other reason for shooting at dawn is the peace, the stillness, the other tripod wielder photobombing your vlog... (5:00, centre frame!!)
Hardly a fair comparison Thomas. The mid day shot was hand held and no filters, the sunrise shot was on a tripod and with filters. Not exactly the same conditions for a fair comparison.
Having said that, the real difference, and what I think you were eluding to, is the light. Soft morning light versus harsh mid day light generally, not always, makes for a better shot.
What difference would filters have made to a clear blue Sky?
That's not the point I was making@@hanchesterman5661, but, to answer your question, they can help reduce the harsh light, especially at mid day.
This is very generalised. It depends on the atmosphere you’re after... or the composition etc. And not everyone has the leisure of being on holidays and always being at the right place to choose when and where we want to take a photograph and some of us have jobs which mean we have to adapt to different styles of photography and master daylight (which is definitely achievable). Sometimes we only have a few days of holiday and have to keep moving... we can’t come back to that nice scene at sunrise because we’ve had to move on to another destination. It doesn’t make us beginners... it just means people can and do master photography in different ways. It would be more useful to demonstrate to beginners how to master different light than call them beginners because they do their photography at different times of the day. The longer I’ve been doing landscape photography (35 years) the more I realise that beginners think there’s only one way to do things. Those who’ve learnt how to use their camera in a multitude of light settings are the more experienced.
I don’t think it’s possible to master mid day light, besides composition what can you do other than maybe shoot in black and white? Photography is all about good light, I have seen compositions of empty shopping trolleys that look great due to good light, yet I don’t think Ansel Adams could make the Grand Canyon look good at midday besides with a lot of darkroom work.
tallaganda83 this only demonstrates that you have not mastered it, and the fact you say it’s not possible reveals your own limited viewpoint. Just because you haven’t mastered it or can’t see how to doesn’t mean it can’t be done. It most certainly can in colour or in black and white. Open your mind and open your possibilities
@@MinutesWithMates get your own TH-cam channel! Tom is just sharing his opinions and his experiences. It's not the bible, just how he prefers to do it.
Jeff Simbro a bit touchy aren’t you? I actually have really enjoyed Tom’s channel and have watched every video from day dot for years. I’ve recommended him to numerous colleagues and newbies alike and purchased from his store. But on this occasion I disagree with him and I’m allowed to do that. I’m pretty sure Tom can cope with that. He’s dealt with much worse than someone disagreeing with him. And I do disagree. Can you handle that Jeff? There’s no end to people making channels and sharing their opinions and Tom”s is one of the better ones... but we don’t have to agree with everything that’s said. I know, and I’ve seen Tom do it on this channel, that daylight can be mastered. I’ve done it myself on numerous occasions and have sold many daylight prints because people do like them if you know how to pull it off. His example here was point and shoot without a tripod and without filters etc. I’d like to see him show people how to do daylight properly. He does know how. So, Jeff, I don’t need to ask your permission to have my opinion. You don’t need mine to have yours. But I’m concerned about you... you are ok aren’t you?
@@MinutesWithMates I have learned that you certainly love the sound of your own voice. Congrats on all of your experience....try not to suck the joy out of photography for others.
Actually Nigel Danson had an interesting vlog recently about taking photos in midday. Using shadows and so on. Perfect for me who really struggles to get up early. :-)
Great spot there. Sometimes conditions don’t pan out but you don’t know unless you go. You should also mention personal safety when hiking in the dark, more so in bear country. Don’t want to stumble upon a startled bear or mating elk.
Can also work well with sunrise behind you. Rising rays illuminate peaks/buildings etc like a spot light, often against a darker surrounding sky for a pop out type contrast effect.
Fun video, thanks from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Obviously dawn is better but I like the midday one as well
Yes, the midday one is good as well. Just point of view... I like the colors at 2-4h pm more then 5-7h pm
Wish he would of used a tripod with a filter on the day one?
@@bendover-yr4oq I think the same effect can be reached with ND filter, tripod and the correct camera setting at midday .
@@genecatcher1 A nd filter can create a rising sun at midday? wow never too old to learn I guess...
I find infrared sometimes works for sunny midday photos too... but you need more kit then! I got some lovely sunrise images this weekend, I just wish I managed to get up early more often!
Love that you used Spam to help illustrate a photography tip!
6:20 This made me laugh so much, you are awesome Thomas!
I usually ask newbies who don't want to get out of bed if they want their light on top of the subject or lighting the side of the subject toward the camera. I heard a cute expression while photographing China. The dark place below the eyes in a mid-day shot was called "Panda eyes," by a Chinese photographer friend. Cheers!
Is this the place that one of the 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' episodes was filmed? The one with Tom Waits... looks so familiar!
Very beautiful spot. Good scouting, looking forward to more of the same area.
Because the sun doesnt wait till you get up.
travel to Lofoten in October and you can sleep long and still see the sunrise
Reldies that is soooo true haha
Always watch your vids to the end and find them very informative! :)
Good topic and video (per usual). I photograph (of course) but also hunt and fish. That is the same reason I also get up at zero dark thirty for fishing (especially Steelhead): those are nature's magic hours around dawn and dusk when her creatures come alive. The lead hours into and out of "Entre chien et loup" is Nature at her most magnificent. Maybe I am strange, but all my life I rise and sleep around the sun, never been a night owl.
Lovely little video. Especially after I was up at 4am yesterday after an image 😄
When I started taking images with a DSLR it took me ages to work out that it was all to do with the light and time of day. This video sums it up perfectly however as you point out even sunrise and sunset light can be poor. 👍🏻
I really hope you filmed this in reverse in some sort of incredibly planned inside joke. Or maybe it was genuinely a scouting mission as intended. Either way it’s an excellent pair of images and another lovely, paced video! Thanks Tom ✌🏻
Great Comp!
Great video, Thomas. If only you'd made that when I started out, you'd have saved me a good few years of frustration!
perfect image right behind him as he was waiting for the light. sad day.
wrong time of the year, one day, just one day the light will be there.
July of last year ,I left Sedona, AZ at 3 AM to drive over 2 hours on mostly unlit mountain roads to the Grand Canyon before sunrise at 5:25. It was totally worth it. Glorious light and the South Rim was empty. That said, I still really hate getting up that early but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
P.S. - the last 3 minutes you had the sun blowing up those peaks above the tree line to your right, with pink clouds right over them. I know you were focused on Liberty Bell Peak for the video, but it looked like a lost opportunity.
Cracking vids mate
I know exactly where you’re at, Thomas, this location is the best
I like to echo Dave Giffney's points from three weeks ago if I may. Also..LOOK BEHIND YOU!!
Very good to see the difference between the light in both photos. The sunrise image is beautiful. Just one question: focal length? 24-ish? To the people who says this is not a fair comparison: I disagree with you and I think you completely missed the point. The light is very different and I think it is an excellent example of why it pays off to get up early!
Would you consider making a video comparing physical grad filters with Lightroom’s digital one? I find the new masking tools in Lightroom make the grad filter more effective than glass ones. Plus a lot cheaper and less prone to breaking.
Learn how to exposure blend, you'll never need grad filters again.
Those early morning wake ups for shoots and trips are something totally different then waking up for work haha
Alternate Title: Taking an Image vs. Making an Image
There should be a third photo of a night composition with stars)))
Sure sun rise and sunset increases your odds of great light substantially but you just never know what the light will do and the quiet of sunrise is definitely my favourite time of day. My take away here is that you need to put the time in and do what you can to increase your chances of good light. If you can't make it out for sunrise or sunset then just get out and enjoy the world around you whenever you can! There is always a shot to be taken and something to be learned by being out there. It may not be your best shot but it's better than sitting around inside!
I have always felt the same about sunsets. There just seems to be more productive light at sunset or the hour before and until 30 minutes or so after. It might just be me but I do seem to connect with the end of the day better than the beginning. But as you rightfully pointed out there are many variables that you need to keep in mind regardless of what time you choose. You mentioned you focused on the mountain. I would interested in the sharpness you were able to achieve on the foreground grasses. Even though most may think something like foreground grasses are okay to have a little soft it makes a big difference if you can get sharpness in them. It produces better contrast and texture which I believe in this scene would be very beneficial.
Anyway, nice short to the point video.
Hahahaha me, at 3 o'clock, especially in summer 😅
I like sleep too much to get up for sunrise, the only way it's happening is if I camp at the spot I'm shooting and I can roll out of the tent, shoot, and then roll back inside in one seamless motion. Otherwise, I'm a sunset guy :)
For a mid day shoot:
a) You have to use CPL filter, GND is mostly useless for mid day shots
b) Best photos are from high points like mountain peaks towards down (lakes, rivers, valleys) because that is most effective use case of CPL at mid day
c) You have to under expose for at least -2/3 and correct that exposure later in a post
d) You'll need plenty of dynamic range so don't use Canon cameras for mid day photos
The best capture movement in early morning ( 🐦 ⛅) in low light conditions
Unfair, you didn't use the magic filter in the first shot!
Got to be honest and say I actually prefer the midday shot. But I suspect the real reason we get up so early is the softness of the light which fits our cameras better. A technical reason rather than an artistic one. We've just become used to the mantra that the best images are at sunrise/sunset, it is a self-perpetuating compulsion.Looking at traditional landscape art, painters are not so limited and a lot of that stuff is done at mid-day.