You Can't Have it Both Ways

[Michael13]

Not on this day. Hopeful for a lovely sunrise, I got up early and drove to the DeMartin Beach parking lot. It was mostly overcast, and the terrain blocked my view towards the rising sun, so I set up and waited. Then it happened - the light hit False Klamath Rock and I squeezed off a few frames. I was watching the waves for the best foreground and had to wait a bit between shots for the best waves. Then I needed to get a long exposure while the light was good. I slapped on my 10 stop magnetic filter and took the shot, thinking this is perfect, everything worked out as planned. Then, at about 3 seconds into my 30 second exposure, the light just died. I waited there, not moving the tripod for another half hour but the sunlight did not return. You win some and you lose some.

 

[JimFox]

It's amazing just how fast light can change!

I actually like #1 the best, not only for the light on the rock, but I also really like the action in the water.

Where is DeMartin Beach? That's a beach I am not familiar with.

 

[AlanLichty]

I like the fast shutter speed version with the better lighting and more interesting water textures. Kinda sounds like Mother Nature was lying in wait to thwart your plans for the long exposure.

 

[Michael13]

It's amazing just how fast light can change!

I actually like #1 the best, not only for the light on the rock, but I also really like the action in the water.

Where is DeMartin Beach? That's a beach I am not familiar with.

Thanks Jim. The long exposure would have been epic, had it been captured 27 seconds earlier!

DeMartin Beach is about 10 miles south of Crescent City, CA.

 

[Kurt Harrigan]

Nice work with the wave in the front on that first one - pulls the scene together. Have you thought about doing an exposure stack on these? You could probably pull some nice light into the face of that rock.

 

[Michael13]

I like the fast shutter speed version with the better lighting and more interesting water textures. Kinda sounds like Mother Nature was lying in wait to thwart your plans for the long exposure.

Thanks Alan. I think Mother Nature has it in for me.

 

[Michael13]

Nice work with the wave in the front on that first one - pulls the scene together. Have you thought about doing an exposure stack on these? You could probably pull some nice light into the face of that rock.

Thanks Kurt. Exposure stack? Blasphemy! Mother Nature would start throwing lightning bolts at me.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Another nod to the first image with lots of detail in the water along with the light on the rock. Too bad about the timing on the second one. Still a worthy image.

 

[Michael13]

Mid-morning across Whitney Pockets - Gold Butte, NV. Jan., 2026. View attachment 87447

Another nod to the first image with lots of detail in the water along with the light on the rock. Too bad about the timing on the second one. Still a worthy image.

Thanks Jameel. Re: the timing on the second one ... with Long Exposure noise reduction, that's one minute I'll never get back!

 

[JimFox]

Thanks Jim. The long exposure would have been epic, had it been captured 27 seconds earlier!

DeMartin Beach is about 10 miles south of Crescent City, CA.

Oh sweet. I have been to Crescent City several times for the Redwoods. I stayed one time in the Redwood motel that's built out of Redwoods. I don't recall that name for the beach, I might have been there though since I did explore that area. It's on my list to get back up there again.

 

[Kyle Jones]

I'll join the others with liking the wave action in the first. I wouldn't feel bad about blending the exposures if the long exposure smoothness of the 2nd is what you wanted. One exposure for the foreground, one for the background - that's fair for me

 

[Michael13]

I'll join the others with liking the wave action in the first. I wouldn't feel bad about blending the exposures if the long exposure smoothness of the 2nd is what you wanted. One exposure for the foreground, one for the background - that's fair for me

Thanks Kyle!
I guess my tripod moved a bit between exposures because they didn't align exactly, so here's the manual blend. I like it, but wish that it could have been made with the single exposure. Get it in camera if you can.

 

[Jeffrey]

Nice! I think your final blend is as worthy as if it had been one frame. I might have chosen to use the more colorful sky above the softer water. Image blending is perfectly acceptable. Have you heard of the Milky Way?

 

[Michael13]

Nice! I think your final blend is as worthy as if it had been one frame. I might have chosen to use the more colorful sky above the softer water. Image blending is perfectly acceptable. Have you heard of the Milky Way?

Thanks Jeffrey, I think I am finally coming around to where I need to be on this.

 

[Jeffrey]

Thanks Jeffrey, I think I am finally coming around to where I need to be on this.

View attachment 87595

Now THAT is cool photo art!

 

[xpatUSA]

Thanks Jeffrey, I think I am finally coming around to where I need to be on this.

View attachment 87595

Nice Milky Way:- my taste would be a big crop off the bottom leaving a 5:4 image less over-powered by the bright blue water.

 

[Michael13]

Nice Milky Way:- my taste would be a big crop off the bottom leaving a 5:4 image less over-powered by the bright blue water.

Thanks xpatUSA! I do like your idea of a crop - This 1:1 crop looked the best to me, I think it strikes a good balance of warm rock and cool ocean. I'm ready to call this one the final.