Story Behind the Photo: How a Sudden Change in the Weather Helped Create This Image

 

© Martin Turner

“Photography is always a bit random in the UK because the weather is so changeable,” Martin Turner says. When he and his friends arrived late in the afternoon at the Weston-super-Mare seaside resort in North Somerset, they were greeted by “absolute, gorgeous sunshine.” Which lasted about 45 minutes. “All of a sudden the sky went black,” Turner says, “and we had to stand underneath the pier whilst it chucked down rain for quite a while.” Then the clouds broke, and at about 8:00 in the evening he was able to capture this sunset image.

“To get to Weston from my house is about an hour’s drive,” Turner adds, “so obviously it was worth sticking around to see what might happen with the weather.”

The leading-line chain is connected to a yellow buoy on the beach, and the neon colors come to the scene courtesy of the pavilion on the Grand Pier. “The image is straight out of the camera,” Turner says. “I haven’t touched it [for color or contrast]…only a little sharpening to the Raw file.” He hand held the camera about 2 inches off the beach and the wide-angle lens did the rest.

Turner is a passionate amateur who loves art and design. He took up photography about eight years ago and has “built a great network of friends” who share his love of photography, “many of whom join me on my adventures.”

Images of architecture, landscapes, and seascapes share space at Martin Turner’s website, www.longerexposure.com.

Tech Talk: Turner used an Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera and an M.Zuiko ED 9-18mm f/4-5.6 lens; his settings were 1/20 sec, f/4, ISO 200, manual exposure, and Digital ESP metering.

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