August 2018 Photo Challenge - Here comes the sun...

[davent]

Or the unofficial(?) photo challenge thread for August...

It's been a summer of endless dry, sunny days around here, very little in the way of rain or even cloudy days. A local photographer i follow posts a great many images which are taken with the camera pointed at the sun. Sunsets, sunrises, middle of the day, cloudscapes, out in the rural areas, in the woods, in the city... shot into the sun, backlit by the sun, comes up with very striking dramatic images.

So the deal for August is simple, make an image shooting into the sun. (A quick search didn't reveal to me a similar thread done previously.)

Hope the suns cooperating wherever you may be, winter or summer.

Remember we're looking for photos done in response to the month's challenge.

Monthly Photo Challenge rules

• Winner of the previous months challenge picks new theme and starts thread.
• You must be the photographer.
• One entry per month.
• Try and make the image a recent one.
• Competition runs until the 19th of the Month.
• Voting runs from the 20th - 26th.
• The person with the most votes is the winner

dave

 

[MarkM10431]

UMMMM. shooting INTO the sun outside of sunrise /sunset can and will damage the CCD in your camera. I would reccommend changing to something involving the sun, but not a direct exposure

 

[shaveitoff]

How about into the sun or something involving the sun to handle sensor worries? If I can muster up an entry it will be on film, so the sensor is not an issue for me. It's fresh every time!

 

[Shutterbug57]

Yup, shoot film and scan.

 

[davent]

Thanks guys for the feedback.

What if it was termed as 'back lit by the sun' as that was the idea i was trying to convey? Does that present a risk as well?
dave

 

[MarkM10431]

it does not. and in some situations even direct exposure does not. but to clarify, the sun needs to be in the frame or backlighting something? so a sunrise would qualify?

 

[davent]

Good, i wasn't trying to ruin anyone's camera.

Sunset's fine, sunrise is fine, sun doesn't need to be the in frame just evident as the light source and positioned opposed to the camera, backlighting.
dave

 

[whitebar]

This sounds like a fun challenge! I've been shooting sunrises and sunsets containing the sun with a dslr for years and have never damaged a camera. However I have read of it happening. I think the key is knowing what you are doing and stopping down the aperture to a small hole like f/22. For anyone interested in trying there are a number of articles on the web describing technique. Early sunrise and late sunset when the sun is quite low in the horizon is a lot different than shooting into the sun in the middle of the day. That is why you need a solar filter to shoot a sun eclipse. This kind of filter is not necessary for sunrise or sunset. No matter what, DO NOT EVER look at the sun through an optical viewfinder because you can damage your eyes. So, technique is important and anyone trying this should study up and learn what they are doing. Alternately, backlit shots can turn out beautiful so having that as an option this month is great and opens things up to everyone.

 

[davent]

Thank you @whitebar for filling in more of the blanks. Fingers crossed we're fully sorted now!

Looking forward to seeing everyone's efforts.

dave

 

[MarkM10431]

This sounds like a fun challenge! I've been shooting sunrises and sunsets containing the sun with a dslr for years and have never damaged a camera. However I have read of it happening. I think the key is knowing what you are doing and stopping down the aperture to a small hole like f/22. For anyone interested in trying there are a number of articles on the web describing technique. Early sunrise and late sunset when the sun is quite low in the horizon is a lot different than shooting into the sun in the middle of the day. That is why you need a solar filter to shoot a sun eclipse. This kind of filter is not necessary for sunrise or sunset. No matter what, DO NOT EVER look at the sun through an optical viewfinder because you can damage your eyes. So, technique is important and anyone trying this should study up and learn what they are doing. Alternately, backlit shots can turn out beautiful so having that as an option this month is great and opens things up to everyone.

I actually have a camera with a hole burned in the curtain. I was shooting with 2 cameras, left one pointed to sunrise, and the lens did just like you did with a magnifying glass starting a fire. it burned right through the curtain, yes i was negligent but it happens. since then I have made it a point that you can damage your camera putting the sun in the frame.

 

[Shutterbug57]

I will give it a go. This picture is of the Kentucky Viet Nam Veterans' Memorial. The memorial is a giant sun dial and each slain service member's name is on the floor of the memorial and the shadow of the tip of the pointer hits their name on the anniversary of their death. The memorial itself is quite moving.

 

[TrimBeard]

Great start! That memorial sounds incredible.

 

[Bob L.]

If, you need / want more light on your subject a bit of fill flash will save darkroom and/or Photoshop work...

 

[Shutterbug57]

If, you need / want more light on your subject a bit of fill flash will save darkroom and/or Photoshop work...

Bob - I read backlit a bit different than you are. Perhaps the OP could provide a link to his local artist so we could see what he envisions.

 

[Toothpick]

I’m not interested in entering, also am not a photographer. So I’ll just share a few shots I took of the sun with my cell phone

This one is while driving up I57 (I think). In IL (I think)

From my back yard.

At work

Again at work

 

[Bob L.]

Bob - I read backlit a bit different than you are. Perhaps the OP could provide a link to his local artist so we could see what he envisions.

Fill flash adds light to the photo's subject. This is sometimes needed when the subject has a strong light behind it. Without "fill light" the subject is shadowed or very dark. Fill flash does not overwhelm the back lighting. The back light is still obviously present with a fill flash. The picture is not mine.

 

[Shutterbug57]

Bob, I understand fill flash and what it does. When I think of backlit, I think of shadows and silhouettes, which are backlit only.

 

[Chapinahat]

 

[Bob L.]

Bob, I understand fill flash and what it does. When I think of backlit, I think of shadows and silhouettes, which are backlit only.

Good point! Let's ask Mikey/Dave? Who remembers that old tag line?

Hey Dave,

Are all aspects of shooting into or nearly into direct light OK for this picture-of-the-month?

Inquiring minds want to know... ATB!

 

[davent]

I say take it and run with it, the more and varied interpretations/ideas the better. I only get one vote so it's the community that decides whether an image has worked or not.

dave