Hunting Island Sunset

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
A couple months ago I took some time out from work while on the road and made the short drive out to Hunting Island in South Carolina. While not typically a sunset location, sunset was all I could take time for. I am infatuated with these coastal trees in the water, standing or otherwise...I plan to go back out there later this month to try to shoot the Milky Way over them. I was going to about two weeks ago but it was so miserably hot and humid I didn't think the skies would cooperate much. Anyway...two shots from the one evening.

#1: Final Resting Place
Sony A7r2 | Zeiss Batis 25mm | 280 Seconds | ISO 50 | f/13 | 13 Stops ND
FinalRestingPlace-F.jpg


#2: Hunting Island Sunset
Sony A7r2 | Zeiss Batis 25mm | 30 Seconds | ISO 50 | f/9 | 10 Stops ND
HuntingIslandSunset.jpg
 

Ben Egbert

Forum Helper
Staff member
The tree in the first image is cleaner looking to me because there are no secondary ones, but the second has the better sky. But both are very appealing to me
 

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
The tree in the first image is cleaner looking to me because there are no secondary ones, but the second has the better sky. But both are very appealing to me
I agree Ben, I didn't have much time to explore...on the way there I got stuck at a drawbridge that broke down for over an hour...eliminating all of my scouting time! Which is just one of the reasons I want to go back...I saw just one spot of this beach...it has so much more to offer.
 

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
Travis,
2 excellent photos. In #2, IMO if you clone out the branches on left, it would make this a much stronger photo
While not a purist, there is something in the back of my head that cringes at the thought of removing that much of the scene...I shouldn't care on an image like this, just the use of ND filters and extended exposures means I have already presented a world our eyes can't see...but the real life elements are all still there...
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Hey Travis, what a cool location! Those trees out in the water are so sweet, and the long shutter speed works great. They must be somewhat anchored down as they don't seem to be moving much and are still pretty sharp looking even with the long shutter speed.

I agree with Ben's analysis between the two. I might still pick #1 as my favorite as I think that single tree is just that much stronger.

The Milky Way over these, or other tree's you might find there would be so awesome! Especially if you can get part of the Milky Way or surrounding stars to reflect a bit in the water? Though sometimes the reflections of stars can look odd since they streak a bit. But I think a Milky Way there would be really cool. Even if there wasn't a tree in the shot, just having the water in it with the Milky Way arching above would be cool. One of my favorite shots from the Philippines I got was a shot of the Milky Way just arching over the blue/green ocean. So even if you do set up with a tree in mind for the Milky Way, maybe try a shot without a tree too if you have time.
 

AlanLichty

Moderator
I like these - the satin water surface is perfect for the isolated old snags and the nice sunset pastels. The isolation of the tree in the first one is neat but I wouldn't be inclined to try to make the second one match it - it's fine as is.....
 

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
Hey Travis, what a cool location! Those trees out in the water are so sweet, and the long shutter speed works great. They must be somewhat anchored down as they don't seem to be moving much and are still pretty sharp looking even with the long shutter speed.

I agree with Ben's analysis between the two. I might still pick #1 as my favorite as I think that single tree is just that much stronger.

The Milky Way over these, or other tree's you might find there would be so awesome! Especially if you can get part of the Milky Way or surrounding stars to reflect a bit in the water? Though sometimes the reflections of stars can look odd since they streak a bit. But I think a Milky Way there would be really cool. Even if there wasn't a tree in the shot, just having the water in it with the Milky Way arching above would be cool. One of my favorite shots from the Philippines I got was a shot of the Milky Way just arching over the blue/green ocean. So even if you do set up with a tree in mind for the Milky Way, maybe try a shot without a tree too if you have time.
It is a really cool place Jim, and not many places like it left, hurricanes keep destroying what is left of them. These trees are big, really big. They were not going anywhere with the fairly calm, shallow water around them. I could walk out to them and be no more than knee deep. I hope the MW images or shoot works out...weather is sketchy here this time of year...

I like these - the satin water surface is perfect for the isolated old snags and the nice sunset pastels. The isolation of the tree in the first one is neat but I wouldn't be inclined to try to make the second one match it - it's fine as is.....
Thanks for the feedback Alan, much appreciated. I prefer #1 all around, for the reasons mentioned, and like that it does that on its own.
 
A couple months ago I took some time out from work while on the road and made the short drive out to Hunting Island in South Carolina. While not typically a sunset location, sunset was all I could take time for. I am infatuated with these coastal trees in the water, standing or otherwise...I plan to go back out there later this month to try to shoot the Milky Way over them. I was going to about two weeks ago but it was so miserably hot and humid I didn't think the skies would cooperate much. Anyway...two shots from the one evening.

#1: Final Resting Place
Sony A7r2 | Zeiss Batis 25mm | 280 Seconds | ISO 50 | f/13 | 13 Stops ND
View attachment 19793

#2: Hunting Island Sunset
Sony A7r2 | Zeiss Batis 25mm | 30 Seconds | ISO 50 | f/9 | 10 Stops ND
View attachment 19795
I like the simplicity of the first one, Travis
 

Bart Carrig

Well-Known Member
Wow, really beautiful images. I agree # 1 has beauty and balance. But #2 is a very fine capture of nature's beauty, and I'd be most satisfied to have it as is. I know artistry as its draw, but I'll take all of nature any time dressed in this color. Great use of the long exposure.

Bart
 

Travis Rhoads

Well-Known Member
These are great!
Thank you Linda.

I like the simplicity of the first one, Travis
Thanks Douglas, #1 is my favorite of the two as well, the different color and longer exposure being just a couple of reasons.

Wow, really beautiful images. I agree # 1 has beauty and balance. But #2 is a very fine capture of nature's beauty, and I'd be most satisfied to have it as is. I know artistry as its draw, but I'll take all of nature any time dressed in this color. Great use of the long exposure.

Bart
Thanks for the kind words Bart, I agree...I will take all I can get when the color is good like this...not always the case!
 

pepper

Well-Known Member
both are very nice, but i think you nailed it with the first image. the sky seems to burst from right behind the tree. i love the hint of movement in the clouds, very dynamic.
 

Vieri

Well-Known Member
Beautiful work, Travis, on both of them - I agree with preferring the simplicity of the tree in the first image and the sky in the second :) Might I offer a small suggestion of my own? Have you considered changing image ratio to crop the bottom of both images slightly, leaving perhaps half of the water you have now or so? I think it would make the composition even stronger, concentrating the view on the tree + sky. Just my .02 of course :)

Best regards,

Vieri
 
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