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Dawn at Meteora

Posted by
Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 20 April 2012 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

Photographed at Meteora in Greece a few weeks ago.

You can see a larger version here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianbramham/7093140911/sizes/o/in/photostream/

This photo looks wonderful as a large print!

NIKON D700 1/13 second F/8.0 ISO 200 16 mm (35mm equiv.)

Like what you see here and are interested in photographic composition?.....the blog section of my website now has a complete set of 5 articles covering my personal approach to the subject: Ian Bramham Photography - Blog

For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to my website Ian Bramham - Fine Art Photography where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.

Marc L. from Auvergne, France

Superbe !

20 Apr 2012 5:13am

@Marc L.: Thanks Marc!

Andrew Atkinson from Hartlepool, United Kingdom

Ian, this looks good small however when you look at the larger image it brings the scene to life. Outstanding work which is in the class of any top travel or landscape photographer in the world. I think it may also work in B&W which is unusual. Did you use filters to balance the scene?

20 Apr 2012 6:08am

@Andrew Atkinson: Thanks Andrew!....yes, I used 2 x 2 Lee nd grad filters positioned with the dark part of the filter over the sky to balance the exposure. When I stack 2 nd grad filters like that I stagger them vertically to make sure the transition line isn't too abrupt.

I always find the post processing of photos taken at dawn and dusk difficult in that I'm always in two minds about how bright or dark to make them. On the one hand I don't want to lose the feeling of the lowish light levels you get at these times of day yet, on the other hand, I don't want an image that just looks dull and muddy (especially important as a consideration when printing!)

On this one for example when I first showed this on-line to a good friend he suggested I darken the foreground which is what I've done for the image you see here but I'm not sure if I've darkened it enough or if it has enough contrast. What do you think - leave it as it is or darken the foreground a touch more?

Hans ter Horst from Ruislip, United Kingdom

That's amazing scenery! BTW, I'll check out the new articles on composition on your blog, the first ones were truly excellent!

20 Apr 2012 6:57am

@Hans ter Horst: Thanks Hans! (I hope you find the rest of the articles interesting!)

Andrew Atkinson from Hartlepool, United Kingdom

Ian, for me you have got it just right. If I was to be really picky I would possible lighten up the very bottom left corner but just a tiny bit. The forgo round really does stand out. Where they hard or soft grads?

20 Apr 2012 6:58am

@Andrew Atkinson: I only have two Lee grads at the moment Andrew (although I'll probably buy more in time)

I initially bought a 2 stop Lee soft edge grad which I found difficult to use as the transition is so subtle that you can't see where it is when looking through the viewfinder! As a result, I bought Lee's 2 stop nd hard edge grad which is the one I normally use. Occasionally I use both together when the dynamic range of the scene is too great for a single one, but as mentioned earlier I stagger them vertically.

Here's another example of a shot where I used both grads stacked together: http://ianbramham.aminus3.com/image/2012-02-08.html

Dimitrios from ATHENS, Greece

BRILLIANT CAPTURE OF THIS HISTORIC PLACE, WELL DONE****

20 Apr 2012 7:05am

@Dimitrios: Thanks Dimitrios, we also visited Athens and Poros during our stay in Greece but our 3 day visit to Meteora was as part of a big group of photographer friends + partners and kids (there was about 20 of us altogether). One of our photographer friends who lives in Athens organised the whole thing - Alex Bazeos, who is a wonderful friend but also a great photographer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexring/

Babzy from Besançon, France

wonderful :)

20 Apr 2012 8:08am

@Babzy: Thanks Babzy!

Ian Smith from London, United Kingdom

Very good control of DR using the grads - teaches the HDR lovers a thing or two :-)
The larger is def. better!

20 Apr 2012 8:23am

@Ian Smith: Thanks Ian (I was never good enough on the computer to manage to get HDR to work properly so I use filters quite a lot for this kind of scene)

Punit from Pune, India

Wonderful image, Ian! I concur with Andrew Atkinson - looks even better when seeing the larger version.

20 Apr 2012 8:29am

@Punit: Thanks Punit!...yes, it needs viewing at the larger size doesn't it.

Sergei Z from Türi, Estonia

It's outstanding!

20 Apr 2012 8:36am

Aubélia from Kortrijk, Belgium

Absolutely beautiful !

20 Apr 2012 9:01am

Curly from South Shields, United Kingdom

Simply outstanding work Ian, it is so good I thought it was an HDR!

20 Apr 2012 9:04am

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

Amazing!

20 Apr 2012 9:39am

Ranita Imposible from Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Fantastic photo! The evening sky is just great! I took a similar one in the afternoon, but the sky and mountains lacked these beautiful warm tones. You can check it here.

20 Apr 2012 1:50pm

Richard from Ellemford, United Kingdom

Sensational photograph.Very, very well done, Ian

20 Apr 2012 3:25pm

bahman parandin from kermanshah, Iran

well done.great shot with nice composition and light.

20 Apr 2012 7:06pm

Ted from South Wales, United Kingdom

you were up with the gods by the look of it! Excellent work Ian...maybe a tad darker foreground?

20 Apr 2012 7:56pm

Bill Brown from California, United States

Gorgeous landscape!

20 Apr 2012 11:51pm

Marie LC from Entre montagnes et Bretagne, France

I had the opportunity to visit Greece several times and if this particular site of Meteora in 2000. I think the Monastery that you see on your image is Varlaam. In any case the landscape is beautiful and the plain that extends beyond these rocks so characteristic and beautiful.

21 Apr 2012 8:18am

DarkElf from Perth, Australia

a brilliant photo with amazing and wonderful colour tones! a magical morning in such a mystical place!

21 Apr 2012 2:24pm

Ralf Kesper from Fröndenberg, Germany

Amazing !

21 Apr 2012 3:33pm

omid from mashhad, Iran

Congratulations! :)
.
.
very nice!
so beautiful colors!

21 Apr 2012 9:05pm

Dokmateo from Manila, Philippines

Congratualtion on your color spotlight!

21 Apr 2012 9:23pm

Stefan from Thiersee, Austria

excellent!!!

21 Apr 2012 9:34pm

Enzo from Lausanne, Switzerland

Wonderful !

21 Apr 2012 10:07pm

Baldwin VW from Bejuma, Venezuela

Congratulations on the C. Spotlight !!!! Amazing view ...

21 Apr 2012 10:13pm

john4jack from Corvallis, Oregon, United States

Exquisite. Congratulations; well deserved; it should have been the full Spotlight.

22 Apr 2012 1:53am

Hiro from Kyoto, Japan

Really nice picture. I would like to display it in my office.

22 Apr 2012 5:03am

@Hiro: Hiro, all my photos are available for sale as prints. You can contact me via the AM3 contact form or via my website: http://www.ianbramham.com/contactform.html

Wendy from Canterbury, New Zealand

Gorgeous, congratulations!

22 Apr 2012 6:49am

Tinx from Kuressaare, Estonia

Wonderful!

22 Apr 2012 7:28am

Florence from Paris, France

Truly an exceptional shot with all these appealing colors.

22 Apr 2012 7:55am

Jeff from Honolulu, United States

Truly inspirational photography. Always a pleasure to view your work.

22 Apr 2012 8:03am

Aubélia from Kortrijk, Belgium

Congratulations on the color spotlight !

22 Apr 2012 8:40am

fereshteh from tehran, Iran

lovely SKY

22 Apr 2012 11:23am

Loretta from Pretoria, South Africa

Magic shot and mood and wonderful control of the light. Congratulations.

22 Apr 2012 3:39pm

Richard Geven from Montferland, Netherlands

Breathtaking beauty....

22 Apr 2012 5:55pm

Elaine Hancock from Rockville, United States

Fantastic image! Congratulations on the Spotlight!

22 Apr 2012 10:11pm

fereshteh. from Iran

Fantastic...

23 Apr 2012 3:47am

Ian Bramham from Manchester, United Kingdom

Thanks for the comments everyone and for letting me know it was chosen for an AM3 colour spotlight!

23 Apr 2012 7:02am

Pavan Kaul from Mumbai, India

A magical frame Ian with colors that are beyond beautiful! Congratulations!

23 Apr 2012 8:02am

Aly from Annen, Netherlands

Fantastic view
Magical photo
:)

23 Apr 2012 9:35am

stormtrooper from Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Fantastic work. Love to see it in a higher resolution.

23 Apr 2012 1:30pm

Moein from Bandar-e-Anzali, Iran

excellent

23 Apr 2012 7:34pm

Véronique from Here & Now, France

Magnifique. Tu nous offres un super voyage Grace a ton cliché

23 Apr 2012 8:15pm

BlindPoet from Whangarei, New Zealand

lovely

24 Apr 2012 3:02am

Anita from Redon, France

Impressionnant !
Des maisons dans ce lieu, c'est étonnant.

24 Apr 2012 10:49am

HAMZEH from MINOODASHT, Iran

very Beautiful

24 Apr 2012 6:32pm

alex centrella from California, United States

FANTASTIC ..

25 Apr 2012 5:31pm

Bruno F from France

Fantastic landscape. And Fantastic shot !

25 Apr 2012 8:53pm

☺ ► ƸɼiϾ ◄ ☼ from Narbonne, France

wow wow wow, so beautifull 5*****

26 Apr 2012 8:04pm

Josh from New York, United States

I am consistently blown away by your photographs....I mean really...every single one.

27 Jul 2012 2:51pm

NIKON D700
1/13 second
F/8.0
ISO 200
16 mm (35mm equiv.)