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Wet Feet | Emerald Isle, NC This one is appropriately named ‘Wet Feet,’ because that’s exactly what I got while shooting it. I am also pretty sure this is the same wave that filled the moving parts of my tripod with saltwater and sand. It was all totally worth it though.  This was part of this evening that provided probably the best light that I’ve shot in. The late afternoon sky was deep blue with wispy clouds, the sunset too on the hues above and after the sun went down, the sky turned deep pink and red! Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | 500px | Google+ The Shot: Nikon D90, 8mm Rokinon lens, tripod held. f/22, 1/8 sec., ISO 200.
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Wet Feet | Emerald Isle, NC

This one is appropriately named ‘Wet Feet,’ because that’s exactly what I got while shooting it. I am also pretty sure this is the same wave that filled the moving parts of my tripod with saltwater and sand. It was all totally worth it though. 

This was part of this evening that provided probably the best light that I’ve shot in. The late afternoon sky was deep blue with wispy clouds, the sunset too on the hues above and after the sun went down, the sky turned deep pink and red!

Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | 500px | Google+

The Shot: Nikon D90, 8mm Rokinon lens, tripod held. f/22, 1/8 sec., ISO 200.


Carolina Sunset | New Bern, NC With some high wispy clouds in the sky and unseasonably warm weather, tonight seemed to be the perfect evening to head out for a sunset shoot. One of the best parts about this time of year is that I can shoot the sunset and be home in time for dinner! The location I shot this from, the boardwalk behind the North Carolina History Center, is one of my most frequently visited sunset spots. However, with the changing seasons, the sun continues to inch closer and closer to the land to the right of this frame. I fear that I may need to find a new spot to shoot the sun setting over the water this winter! The Shot: Nikon D90, tripod mounted, remote triggered (first time out with my snazzy new wireless remote). 3 bracketed exposures. Tonemapped in Photomatix and then masked together with the original three exposures in Photoshop with the help of my Wacom tablet. Pro Contrast filter from Nik Color Efex added before completion. —Join me on my other social networks: Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | 500px | Google+
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Carolina Sunset | New Bern, NC

With some high wispy clouds in the sky and unseasonably warm weather, tonight seemed to be the perfect evening to head out for a sunset shoot. One of the best parts about this time of year is that I can shoot the sunset and be home in time for dinner! The location I shot this from, the boardwalk behind the North Carolina History Center, is one of my most frequently visited sunset spots. However, with the changing seasons, the sun continues to inch closer and closer to the land to the right of this frame. I fear that I may need to find a new spot to shoot the sun setting over the water this winter!

The Shot: Nikon D90, tripod mounted, remote triggered (first time out with my snazzy new wireless remote). 3 bracketed exposures. Tonemapped in Photomatix and then masked together with the original three exposures in Photoshop with the help of my Wacom tablet. Pro Contrast filter from Nik Color Efex added before completion.


—Join me on my other social networks:

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First Light | Assateague Island, VA After a few days’ hiatus, I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. I spend a long weekend at Chincoteague Island, VA with my family and wife as we celebrated our wedding anniversary. My family has been going on vacation to Chincoteague since I was too little to walk, so I never miss a chance to meet up with them on the island. This visit wasn’t as ‘eventful’ as last year’s (read the blog post here) and that made it just about perfect. Before making the short four hour trip up the coast, I made a shot list of the things I wanted to photograph while on Chincoteague. Right up at the top was a sunrise. So, at 5:00am I set out across the island to the adjacent barrier island, Assateague, to get my shots. Much to my surprise, my mom and dad came along with me. It’s always nice to have company when out shooting photos, especially when it’s my parents who I rarely get to see. We shot the sun cresting up over the ocean and then we headed back down the road to this spot. Those of you familiar with the National Wildlife Refuge on the island will recognize this cluster of trees along the Wildlife Loop trail. I don’t know why, but these trees are synonymous with Assateague Island for me. I guess I’ve just seen them so many times that they have buried themselves in my mind. The Shot: Nikon D90, shot at 18mm. This is a three exposure HDR, shot from a tripod and remote triggered. Merged in Photomatix Pro, finished in Photoshop CS4 with Nik Color efex Pro and Nik Viveza pro plug-ins. In post processing, I added a pretty pronounced blur to the water in the foreground at the very end. The heavy detail in the water seemed to take away from the serenity of the whole scene. Now, it all flows together. Facebook | 500px | Google+ ©2011 Zach Frailey
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First Light | Assateague Island, VA

After a few days’ hiatus, I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. I spend a long weekend at Chincoteague Island, VA with my family and wife as we celebrated our wedding anniversary. My family has been going on vacation to Chincoteague since I was too little to walk, so I never miss a chance to meet up with them on the island. This visit wasn’t as ‘eventful’ as last year’s (read the blog post here) and that made it just about perfect.

Before making the short four hour trip up the coast, I made a shot list of the things I wanted to photograph while on Chincoteague. Right up at the top was a sunrise. So, at 5:00am I set out across the island to the adjacent barrier island, Assateague, to get my shots. Much to my surprise, my mom and dad came along with me. It’s always nice to have company when out shooting photos, especially when it’s my parents who I rarely get to see. We shot the sun cresting up over the ocean and then we headed back down the road to this spot. Those of you familiar with the National Wildlife Refuge on the island will recognize this cluster of trees along the Wildlife Loop trail. I don’t know why, but these trees are synonymous with Assateague Island for me. I guess I’ve just seen them so many times that they have buried themselves in my mind.

The Shot: Nikon D90, shot at 18mm. This is a three exposure HDR, shot from a tripod and remote triggered. Merged in Photomatix Pro, finished in Photoshop CS4 with Nik Color efex Pro and Nik Viveza pro plug-ins. In post processing, I added a pretty pronounced blur to the water in the foreground at the very end. The heavy detail in the water seemed to take away from the serenity of the whole scene. Now, it all flows together.

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©2011 Zach Frailey

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.”  -Ansel Adams After a long dark cloudy day, the rain finally came down in the evening. The rain storm, however, was short lived. Almost as soon as it started, it stopped. What happened next was one of the strangest and amazing displays of cloud and sunset that I’ve witnessed. With the sun to my back, the storm clouds lit up in oranges and yellows for a brief minute. I was able to shoot a few images before the sky darkened. As always, I invite you to join my growing Facebook community at www.facebook.com/uprootedphotographer ©2011 Zach Frailey
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“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.”  -Ansel Adams

After a long dark cloudy day, the rain finally came down in the evening. The rain storm, however, was short lived. Almost as soon as it started, it stopped. What happened next was one of the strangest and amazing displays of cloud and sunset that I’ve witnessed. With the sun to my back, the storm clouds lit up in oranges and yellows for a brief minute. I was able to shoot a few images before the sky darkened.

As always, I invite you to join my growing Facebook community at www.facebook.com/uprootedphotographer

©2011 Zach Frailey

‘Hole to Heaven’ On a little journey from New Bern to Oriental, I happened to be waiting for the ferry when the setting sun broke through a hole in the clouds. The colors and rays of light were amazing! Join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uprootedphotographer ©2011 Zach Frailey
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‘Hole to Heaven’

On a little journey from New Bern to Oriental, I happened to be waiting for the ferry when the setting sun broke through a hole in the clouds. The colors and rays of light were amazing!

Join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uprootedphotographer

©2011 Zach Frailey