5/09/11

We are generally of the philosophy that our images should be the best they can be in camera, and accurately reflect what we previsualise and then see. This is why we often spend hours in the one location waiting for the right combination of light and natural elements to come together.

However, this is not always possible. A particular example occured this past weekend while we were shooting on the rock ledges at Maroubra Beach in Sydney.

After some scouting, I had chosen this composition:









However, the sunrise and light were still not ideal and I had planned to stay in that position for another 45-60 min while waiting for the right light as the sun rose.

The best laid plans often go awry, and the problem was the tide was coming in:









After being swamped 3 times with water up to hip high, it was obviously time to move. I chose a composition some 5 metres away on higher ground, and eventually captured the light that I wanted:






However, this composition I thought is weaker than the first image. The question was now what to do?

At the suggestion of some fellow photographers, I decided to blend the first and second images together:



This is the image I had previsualised but unable to achieve in-camera because of the incoming tide. As to whether this is acceptable or not, I'll leave that for the individual to contemplate. At least there are options available if the conditions conspire against you.