On an cold and wet day I decided to go through my huge archive of transparencies and I came across this one taken about 6 years ago. When looking at the image it is funny how you are taken 
back to that exact moment. So I scanned the shot on my Imacon 343 scanner and when viewing the shot in Photoshop memories of the morning I took it started to come back to me. I recalled shooting in the other direction waiting for the sun to come up when I heard a sound behind me. I was initially taken by suprise when I turned and saw this curious fellow standing right behind me. I took one shot before he realised I was actually quite boring and he waddled off.
The shot to the right is taken on my Canon on a recent trip to Terrigal Beach on the Central Coast and the shot below is the sunrise shot I took that day after my feathered visitor left as the sun breached the horizon.
The shot below was taken on my Fuji G617 camera on Velvia 50 slide film. Wish I could remember the settings but it is a while ago now though I usually shoot at f16 and this looks like a 1/4 or 1/2 sec exposure.
ALL IMAGES ARE BEST VIEWED LARGE
great shot’s Matt.
love the sunrise one, amazing colours and pretty awesome water movement.
i think the pelican one looks great because of the empty space. most of the time these bird photos are close ups but this image really makes it look at home in it’s environment. really like it.
Love the sunrise! Do you shoot at f16 on 90mm? I’m always afraid to go wider than f32 on 90mm if I’ve got close foreground.
Hi Richard,
The general rule of thumb for the sharpest point of your lens is two stop up from wide open. So on my GX617 with the 90mm it would be F11. But you have to keep in mind your Hyperfocal distance / Depth of Field. So I still shoot at F16 and I will go up to F45 if needed to get a slower exposure time or my subject is close in. Don’t be afraid for going to F32 and beyond, just give it a go and keep in mind your results for future shooting.
Hi Matt
Thanks for the reply. I always try to get a bit close to my foreground, as if I was using 5×4 or any camera with tilt, so I’m often stuck with a small aperture to get depth as a result. I guess I should just move back a bit! You can see that you have captured the drama of the water at f16 that you wouldn’t have done at f45.
Cheers
Great set of shots Matt ,
Like the top Pelican one the vertical pan works well with the comp . They all ways make good subjects to shot .
Nice motion capture of the water in the bottom shot as well , like the parts with sun reflecting off the white wash
Wow Matt thanks for stopping by my blog. I have IMMENSE respect for those who shoot film still…especially that last long exposure you did of the waves, that’s just stunning!
Its true wedding photography is tough, I can really feel the drain after one…hence their grotesquely high price for hiring one lol.
Keep up the stunning work mate.