[Markulous]

The time: 06:00 - 07:00
The date: 8 April 2007
The place: Cosmeston Lakes Country Park
The scenario: grab the sunrise, the mist on the lake

Set off early, via Penarth Pier but the combination of lack of cloud (so not a great sunrise), the presence of someone at the Pier with a white lens and the knowledge that there'd be mist on the lakes made me proceed to Cosmeston!

Very early
Even one of the swans is still asleep!
OK, there's a bit of motion blur in this but I don't mind overmuch





Early
Swans beginning to awake with the dawn chorus





Quite Early
Ever hopeful of my having food for them (which I did - but feed afterwards!)





Earlyish
They've pretty much given up hope - so look for food elsewhere






Not Early
Sun well up @ 7:00. And it's moving on time for me to catch sunlit, dewladen flowers






Any comments - good, bad or indifferent, all gratefully received!

[Victoria]

These are all quite stunning!

2 Early and 4 Earlyish really grab my attention. Well worth getting up early for.

[Gary Bagshawe]

Gorgeous, the exposures are spot on and the colour saturation too, just goes to show that getting up early to use the quality light that is around at that time of day is well worth it. Now if only I didn't go to the pub every night and not wake till around 9ish. That said this has made me think that maybe 1 or 2 nights off wouldn't do me any harm and I may even get some decent shots.

[Hacker]

Stunning, absolutely stunning. Well worth the early start!

[kjbkix]

Number 2 (Quite Early) and Number 4 (Not Early) both have the very unusual quality of a blurred water (as with long exposures) and perfectly focused, sharp geese. Was the water really this still or did you do multiple exposures? Also, the abnormally dark shadows present a wonderful contrast to the white, gentle swans.

Very well done.

[Angela]

Stunning set of shots Markulous! I am definitely going to have to get myself down to Cosmeston very early next time I'm staying with the folks!

[Boofers]

Someone is haveing fun, very nice set,,

[slocookn]

WOW. I really love these pictures! Very nice!

[Sonsey]

Great set Mark, wonderful lighting and detail

[Rob Barron]

Not keen on first one, the motion blur does spoil that one really, but hey, look at the rest! Lovely shots full of atmosphere and peace, great set

Cheers,
Rob

[Soupdragon]

I am getting a touch fed up with this.
Great pictures and how the hell do you squeeze that much detail out of a miniscule JPEG?

[JMitchell]

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

I am getting a touch fed up with this.
Great pictures and how the hell do you squeeze that much detail out of a miniscule JPEG?

Me too! Fantastic set!

[P-E]

Looked at these several times today and not got any work done

Wonderful set........really inspires me to get up early to try and catch something like this

[Soupdragon]

Thay are good aren't they!

Trouble is, he will not tell me the secret of his post processing.

[Markulous]

Many thanks for all the comments, everyone! Much appreciated!

Must admit that I have a thing about 1st thing in the morning. I think light is better than the end of the day and you can get a day's shooting done and get home in time for breakfast.

Swans forewarned of your visit, Angela! (As if they perturbed by anything - they hardly ruffle a feather with dogs, never mind people!). It's a great spot - loads of friendly walkers, dogs, occasional twitcher...... and NO 'togs!

Soup, there is no real secret! Honest! Will do a step by step to a typical shot (let me find one where I did make fairly significant changes)

[dwramynydd]

Despite my almost pathological dislike of the swan I have to say you have produced an excellent series of images here ΜΛЯΚ. I can live with the motion blur in the first, I like the way you have retained detail in the moon in that one. Good stuff indeed.

I shall have to get myself down to Cosmeston one day....when I find my crossbow that is

Gwyn

[Markulous]

Thanks, Gwyn. Expect a knock on the door any day soon - well, of course I did the good, upright citizen thing!

[skipper954]

My gawd, Mark, these are wonderful. The thing I really like about them is that each one has a very different feel.

I think that you should go back and get the first shot in landscape form, then sell the whole set for the money for your next piece of equipment.


skip

[Soupdragon]

Originally Posted by skipper954

My gawd, Mark, these are wonderful. The thing I really like about them is that each one has a very different feel.

I think that you should go back and get the first shot in landscape form, then sell the whole set for the money for your next piece of equipment.


skip

Don't big him up too much Skippy, he'll never get his head through the cyber door.

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by skipper954

I think that you should go back and get the first shot in landscape form, then sell the whole set for the money for your next piece of equipment.

Thanks, Skip! Actually, I got the landscape but didn't work so well - clipped the top of the tree (and there were even more blurry swans! Will await Gwyn with his crossbow to nail 'em down )

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

Don't big him up too much Skippy, he'll never get his head through the cyber door.

Ahh, but the virtual door's virtually infinite in size!

[skipper954]

Soupy - please don't call me skippy

[Soupdragon]

Originally Posted by skipper954

Soupy - please don't call me skippy

You call me soupy! [:smiley-wink-emoticon:]

[P-E]

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

You call me soupy! [:smiley-wink-emoticon:]

[skipper954]

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

You call me soupy! [:smiley-wink-emoticon:]

Yes I did, Soup, and for that I am truely sorry.

Mark....I still look at these images and I aspire. Now all I have to do is get up before dawn. I know, that is just the first step!

skip

[bob]

wonderfull set of shots
like everyone else, i have got to get out early one morning

[Soupdragon]

Originally Posted by skipper954

Yes I did, Soup, and for that I am truely sorry.

Mark....I still look at these images and I aspire. Now all I have to do is get up before dawn. I know, that is just the first step!

skip

You crack me up Skippy.

[CathieT]

These are absolutely stunning and have inspired me to ......... get up early - and look at them again!!

Congrats!

[skipper954]

Originally Posted by CathieT

These are absolutely stunning and have inspired me to ......... get up early - and look at them again!!

Congrats!

I like the way you think!