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The view from the top of the deck was astounding…
Justin's mom and I were holding some seats at Bowen's Island Restaurant in Charleston waiting for him and his father to finish purchasing food for us to eat while we watched the sun set. Only, as it turns out, we should have arrived much earlier. The line to get into Bowen's Island Restaurant was out the door and down the winding deck ramp. We had already been waiting in line 30 minutes to even get into the door, let alone find a seat. This was not one of those restaurants where the waitstaff seats you; if you want a view of the sun setting over the river, you have to wait until a table opens up that is facing the river and sunset. And, of course, once a person gets those prime seats, why would they give them up before the sun has set? Clearly, prime seats are meant to be sat in and the view of the sun set meant to be enjoyed until the sun has fully sunken beneath the horizon and the moon and stars have come out to play.
Now, if there is one thing I can't stand, it is watching the sun set and being stuck to a single spot completely unable to move. ESPECIALLY when there is an umbrella obstructing my view. So sitting with my mother-in-law watching the sun set helping to hold seats until my husband and his father were done purchasing food was very nearly torture.
After ten minutes of sitting, watching the colorful sky disappear, I had had enough! With one swift movement I jumped off my stool, grabbed my camera and headed to the edge of the dock where there was no obstructed view commenting only to my mother-in-law that I would be "right back". Remembering what I had read only days before in Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure, I played with my white balance for the first time. I set the white balance to shade, to flash, to daylight; which white balance would give me the gorgeous color I was seeing in the sky? What would bring out the contrast and capture my image the way I envisioned?
As it turns out, the image I captured with a different white balance than expected turned out to be one of my favorite sunset pictures ever! And Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure has become a favorite.
Peterson provides a lot of insight on how best to use one's camera. He offers tips for both the burgeoning photographer as well as the professional. Whether you shoot for fun or for pay, you are sure to find some tips in his book that you had not considered before.
Follow along with Peterson's book and you will learn about exposure, aperture, shutter speed, light, special techniques, and flash. If you attempt the experiments he provides for bettering your images, you will gain insight into "the sky brothers", how to use your palm as a gray card, what the "who cares" aperture is and when to use it, and even how to capture the look of rain.
Even though I approached Peterson's book thinking I wouldn't learn anything new, I was glad to find I was sorely mistaken. I can't wait to try one of his many experiments and get even better with my camera!
With Christmas coming, I highly recommend getting your hands on Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. Not only will you be able to brush up on skills you already have, but perhaps you will learn something new!
* I received this book for free in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
