A 15-minute exposure, started 20 minutes after sunset, creates a painterly image which retains fine detail and takes on an other-worldly atmospheric glow.

 “Golden Gate Sunset, Baker Beach”

Here is a great example of beautiful sunset light bathing the clouds with the entire foreground in shade. I used my 4×5 inch film camera, a 210mm Rodenstock lens, Fuji Provia 100 speed transparency film and a Singh-Ray 3-stop soft graduated split ND filter. The split filter held back the light in the sky enabling me to expose for the foreground with a relatively even and dramatic light. The 45 second exposure enabled the crashing waves of the rising tide to soften and give the water a more dream like quality. I much prefer the real look of the shaded areas to the artificial look of HDR images. This is a personal choice, but I am finding that the slight imperfection of traditional large format film images is one of the qualities that I enjoy about them. As in nature, sometimes perfection is found in the imperfection.

Slow film speed, a small aperture and a split ND filter on the sky enabled me to extend the exposure and create a softer feel with the rough surf in this sunset image.

 “Purple Tide, Newport Beach”

This is an image I had envisioned for quite some time, and was able to create this summer. While on vacation in Newport Beach, I took the opportunity to scout the pier there in Newport and had time to make this happen one evening. I used my Fuji GX617 panoramic film camera, a 90mm lens and Fuji Provia 100 speed transparency film for my one exposure. I metered on the sand to give me a neutral reading, added 1/2 stop to compensate for the light color, and allowed the dark areas to remain fairly dark, but retaining a little detail. Given the fading light (I started the exposure after the sun had set) I added about 75% to the exposure time. This is important, as the light diminishes throughout the exposure as the sun drops further below the horizon. Obviously the dreamlike color that the film records with such long exposures in low light is beautiful. However, my favorite part of an image like this is the “foggy” look of the water. The tide was coming in and waves were crashing all around me. The long exposure recorded all this chaotic motion as a misty fog, which softens and warms the feel of this type of image.  Amongst all of this soft color and feel, the architecture of  this older pier ties the image together with structure and depth.

A very long exposure well after sunset creates an ethereal mood with well saturated color, and a “foggy” look on the moving water.