Ocean Sunset with Hailey (South Shore, Nova Scotia)

On this evening, Hailey and I had about 90 minutes to work before sunset, so we headed out to explore the possibilities. We've both explored the shore on which we were working extensively, but still managed to find a space completely new to both of us.

Digital infrared original

Below a high rocky outcrop we found a narrow pseudo-cave, formed between the outcrop and a massive granite boulder. With some care, we both moved into the space and Hailey found a perfect rock shelf to lie upon. The light coming into the crevasse was quite delicate, and provided lovely highlights on Hailey's reclining torso.

Digital infrared original

After emerging from the crevasse, the evening light was even more striking than it had been earlier, so we made a series of images taking advantage of the low, raking light. Working right by the calm Atlantic ocean permitted me to keep the horizon low, and balance the busy, highly textured foreground against the largely empty sky above.

Digital infrared original

In contrast to the dramatic wide-angle of the shoreline images, I created a set of images of Hailey posing in high grasses just inland from the rocks. Using a portrait lens and large aperture to create a wonderland of shallow depth of field, I took advantage of the magic of infrared kept the image from being too contrasty (I was photographing directly into evening sunlight, after all)

Digital original, 4 image exposure blend

The last images of the session were spent enjoying the warm wash of light the sunset provided; Hailey and I had moved right down to the shore for these images, and I used a super-wide lens to set Hailey's figure against the broad Atlantic shore she posed upon. A lovely end to a September session.