By Peter Bauer
Golden hour. Every photo magazine emphasizes that landscape photographers shoot during the golden hours of perfect light in the morning and evening, loosely defined as an hour before I wake up and during dinner.
As an aspiring amateur photographer, I realize I need to be at beautiful spots during good light more often, however much my current biorhythms dictate otherwise. Recently I was inspired by the DAD patrols (dusk and dawn) popularized on this website: Go to a great nearby location, and stay overnight to be there at the prime times. So it was that Gary Schimelfenig, a friend and accomplished photographer, accompanied me to a campout at Ancient Lakes.
We arrived at the trailhead about 7:15 p.m. carrying water, photo gear, and camping supplies. Missing the essence of 'going light', Gary lugged 40 pounds of exquisite photography gear while I carried my more modest setup and a tent. The packs were shed at the flat isthmus between the lakes closest to the main waterfall, and off we went with our lenses, cameras and tripods. I have descended the loose, rocky, and steep goat path along the waterfall three times, and ascended it twice. Each time I was encumbered by either a mountain bike or a camera-tripod-multiple lens combination. The photo setup transports more easily than lugging a mountain bike, but not by much!
We shot photos until after dark Friday evening, returned by headlamp, set up the tent (unnecessary as it turns out), and watched the stars lying on our backs. The light woke us at 5 am, and we happily snapped away for four hours. As advertised in the photo magazines, the light was much more interesting at dawn than several hours later. Only the waterfall failed to pose in appropriate light, so we had to make do.
Would I do it again? You bet! Does it make for better photographs? You decide.
Details, Details
- The Ancient Lake area is a photogenic place—interesting water features, rock forms, and vegetation variety. Trip details for a longer approach and for a short approach.
- During these long days of late June, the sun is an uncooperative mistress if you want to position yourself somewhere interesting and shoot during the golden hours. This time of the year, if you’re shooting at dawn find areas that will be bathed with light coming from a NE to ENE. If shooting at dusk, look for areas catching light from the NW or WNW.
- Here’s the current sunrise, sunset info as it applies to Seattle (similar, though not exactly the same, for us here in Central Washington. Duration of the day on June 25 is: 15 hours, 58 minutes (20 seconds shorter than yesterday). The sun in south at 1:12 p.m. and at an altitude 66° above horizon.
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Sunrise at |
5:13 AM |
in direction |
53° |
Northeast by east |
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Sunset at |
9:11 PM |
in direction |
307° |
Northwest by west |
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Civil twilight |
begins at |
4:32 AM, |
ends at |
9:52 PM |
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Nautical twilight |
begins at |
3:36 AM, |
ends at |
10:48 PM |
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Astronomical twilight |
ends at |
12:19 AM, |
begins at |
2:05 AM |
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