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Patrick Smith Photography - Isla Mujeres, Mexico |
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Trade Winds Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 1/4-second exposure @F11 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The amazing quality of the light is what impressed me first when I witnessed this scene.
On this stretch of coastline on Isla Mujeres, the trade winds blow constantly, sending clouds and storms from Africa and keeping temperatures
moderate. These rocks were under the sand until hurricane Wilma scored a direct hit on this area with wind gusts exceeding 200 mph. The newly
exposed rocks were sharpened by the winds, so my legs got rather badly scratched up by the time I arrived at this spot. In this photo, a tropical
storm warning had just been issued and the winds were kicking up increasingly large surf, but the storm turned and headed out to sea later that
day.
I used the light to show the reflectivity and color of the water. Also, the light filtering through the cloud deck shows its layers. A colorful sunrise
is nice but this is more about the warm breeze blowing along the water and through the clouds. Fortunately the sky opened up for just a
minute. Most of the time, it was either overcast or too bright. Good even filtered light is usually best when shooting towards the sun. Bright
light and blues skies might be good for tourist brochures, but low warm light enhances the mood of an image.
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 1/4-second exposure @F11 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The amazing quality of the light is what impressed me first when I witnessed this scene.
On this stretch of coastline on Isla Mujeres, the trade winds blow constantly, sending clouds and storms from Africa and keeping temperatures
moderate. These rocks were under the sand until hurricane Wilma scored a direct hit on this area with wind gusts exceeding 200 mph. The newly
exposed rocks were sharpened by the winds, so my legs got rather badly scratched up by the time I arrived at this spot. In this photo, a tropical
storm warning had just been issued and the winds were kicking up increasingly large surf, but the storm turned and headed out to sea later that
day.
I used the light to show the reflectivity and color of the water. Also, the light filtering through the cloud deck shows its layers. A colorful sunrise
is nice but this is more about the warm breeze blowing along the water and through the clouds. Fortunately the sky opened up for just a
minute. Most of the time, it was either overcast or too bright. Good even filtered light is usually best when shooting towards the sun. Bright
light and blues skies might be good for tourist brochures, but low warm light enhances the mood of an image.
Isla Mujeres
This is a small island located a few miles offshore from Cancun, Mexico. The pace of life is slow and the ocean is well lit and beautiful. Perfect for
seascape photography. Every few years, a major hurricane strikes and created some truly rugged looking shoreline that contrasts to the long
sandy beaches that exist on the more sheltered portions of the island.
This is a small island located a few miles offshore from Cancun, Mexico. The pace of life is slow and the ocean is well lit and beautiful. Perfect for
seascape photography. Every few years, a major hurricane strikes and created some truly rugged looking shoreline that contrasts to the long
sandy beaches that exist on the more sheltered portions of the island.
Pillars of the Past Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 0.2-second exposure @F11 with ND grad 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
A few days before I made this image, I noticed how the sun would soon be setting right behind this old eroded pier as the summer solstice
approached. So I returned to make a long exposure at sunset. (See “Exposed” on this page.) Before that happened however, the light became
quite dramatic so I went for a shorter exposure in order to show the light glistening on the water and lighting up the clouds. It is good to arrive
at a location with an open mind because you never know what to expect. I try to see with an open mind and observe what elements attract the
eye. In post processing, this image had an overwhelming amount of color, so I had to de-saturate the sky in order to get back the details, which
had become lost in blobs of bright orange.
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 0.2-second exposure @F11 with ND grad 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
A few days before I made this image, I noticed how the sun would soon be setting right behind this old eroded pier as the summer solstice
approached. So I returned to make a long exposure at sunset. (See “Exposed” on this page.) Before that happened however, the light became
quite dramatic so I went for a shorter exposure in order to show the light glistening on the water and lighting up the clouds. It is good to arrive
at a location with an open mind because you never know what to expect. I try to see with an open mind and observe what elements attract the
eye. In post processing, this image had an overwhelming amount of color, so I had to de-saturate the sky in order to get back the details, which
had become lost in blobs of bright orange.
Exposed Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 30-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine Flickr
Story:
As mentioned above, in October of 2005, Hurricane Wilma scored a direct hit on this island with category 5 winds gusting over 200 miles per
hour. Many beaches were stripped of their sand, revealing old features not seen in many years, like this old pier on the north side of the island. I
was told that before the hurricane, these pilings were under many feet of sand and that the beach used to extend well past the last post seen here.
On the first day of my trip, the sun had set to the left of end of the pier, but I knew that over the next few days, the sun would move a little to the
right each day. (In landscape photography it pays to know how the natural world works, just as a bird photographer must know the habits of
the birds to get the best shots.) On the last day of my trip, the sun set right at the end of the pier. I was ready and had an image in my head of
what I hoped I could capture. Fortunately the sun dropped below the clouds at the last minute and because visible right as the sun set. I had
taken photographs on the previous evenings just in case this evening turned out to be cloudy just to be on the safe side.
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 30-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine Flickr
Story:
As mentioned above, in October of 2005, Hurricane Wilma scored a direct hit on this island with category 5 winds gusting over 200 miles per
hour. Many beaches were stripped of their sand, revealing old features not seen in many years, like this old pier on the north side of the island. I
was told that before the hurricane, these pilings were under many feet of sand and that the beach used to extend well past the last post seen here.
On the first day of my trip, the sun had set to the left of end of the pier, but I knew that over the next few days, the sun would move a little to the
right each day. (In landscape photography it pays to know how the natural world works, just as a bird photographer must know the habits of
the birds to get the best shots.) On the last day of my trip, the sun set right at the end of the pier. I was ready and had an image in my head of
what I hoped I could capture. Fortunately the sun dropped below the clouds at the last minute and because visible right as the sun set. I had
taken photographs on the previous evenings just in case this evening turned out to be cloudy just to be on the safe side.
Swept Away Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 30-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
Similar image to 'Exposed, but with a diagonal perspective. Isla Mujeres is a small island just a few miles northeast of Cancun, Mexico. I was told
that before the hurricane, these pilings were under many feet of sand and that the beach extended well past the last one seen here.
Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Details: 30-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
Similar image to 'Exposed, but with a diagonal perspective. Isla Mujeres is a small island just a few miles northeast of Cancun, Mexico. I was told
that before the hurricane, these pilings were under many feet of sand and that the beach extended well past the last one seen here.
