Dune Photography | How I Scout Locations and Find the Right Composition
Kai Huang Photography
[{'start': '2.576', 'end': '4.576', 'text': 'Dazzling golden sand,'}, {'start': '5.689', 'end': '7.689', 'text': 'clear-cut curves,'}, {'start': '8.037', 'end': '10.441', 'text': 'or the overlapping layers of sand dunes.'}, {'start': '14.354', 'end': '14.854', 'text': 'However,'}, {'start': '14.854', 'end': '17.844', 'text': 'this is the scene I have always longed to shoot in my heart. Will'}, {'start': '18.612', 'end': '20.399', 'text': 'Taiwan'}, {'start': '20.612', 'end': '23.038', 'text': 'have such a scene?'}, {'start': '29.040', 'end': '30.881', 'text': 'Before dawn,'}, {'start': '30.881', 'end': '34.222', 'text': 'I came to the Dingtou Sand Dunes at the westernmost point of Taiwan,'}, {'start': '34.926', 'end': '37.522', 'text': 'enjoying the freedom of the vast world alone,'}, {'start': '37.694', 'end': '40.929', 'text': 'and also doing terrain exploration before shooting. The'}, {'start': '42.186', 'end': '43.772', 'text': "sun will come out at six o'clock."}, {'start': '43.772', 'end': '45.772', 'text': 'Maybe if we wait a little longer, when the'}, {'start': '45.970', 'end': '47.970', 'text': 'sun comes out and there is light, we'}, {'start': '48.580', 'end': '52.602', 'text': 'will be able to see the difference here.'}, {'start': '52.942', 'end': '54.836', 'text': 'Otherwise, there is no shadow now.'}, {'start': '54.836', 'end': '56.836', 'text': 'So it is'}, {'start': '56.996', 'end': '58.786', 'text': 'a bit difficult to'}, {'start': '59.723', 'end': '61.543', 'text': 'find a good composition.'}, {'start': '62.185', 'end': '63.908', 'text': 'If there is wind, it'}, {'start': '63.908', 'end': '65.908', 'text': 'will sculpt some'}, {'start': '65.909', 'end': '67.675', 'text': 'very beautiful shapes.'}, {'start': '67.675', 'end': '69.675', 'text': 'But the wind is so weak,'}, {'start': '70.906', 'end': '72.502', 'text': "I don't know."}, {'start': '72.502', 'end': '74.780', 'text': "I'll go and see."}, {'start': '81.013', 'end': '83.013', 'text': 'Although the light did not fall as expected,'}, {'start': '84.035', 'end': '86.035', 'text': 'and it even rained,'}, {'start': '86.292', 'end': '88.316', 'text': 'in the end, it'}, {'start': '88.316', 'end': '90.000', 'text': 'was the wrong strategy that dragged me down.'}, {'start': '90.000', 'end': '90.699', 'text': 'I took a detour in the morning and had a general idea of'}, {'start': '90.699', 'end': '91.988', 'text': 'what this side looked like,'}, {'start': '91.988', 'end': '92.488', 'text': 'but I'}, {'start': '92.956', 'end': '95.000', 'text': "didn't take the photos I wanted."}, {'start': '95.127', 'end': '97.127', 'text': 'So in order not to make this mistake again,'}, {'start': '97.676', 'end': '100.610', 'text': 'I plan to bring only one lens,'}, {'start': '100.610', 'end': '101.698', 'text': 'with a camera'}, {'start': '102.233', 'end': '104.062', 'text': '24-120mm (standard focal length),'}, {'start': '104.062', 'end': '105.913', 'text': 'and then mount the polarizing filter directly on it,'}, {'start': '105.914', 'end': '107.693', 'text': "so that I don't have to change the lens"}, {'start': '107.693', 'end': '110.000', 'text': 'or polarizing filter there.'}, {'start': '110.000', 'end': '112.000', 'text': "I'm not going to use a neutral density filter. I'll"}, {'start': '112.253', 'end': '115.000', 'text': 'check the batteries and shutter release cable.'}, {'start': '115.333', 'end': '117.333', 'text': 'Just bring the basic things.'}, {'start': '120.616', 'end': '122.616', 'text': "I probably won't bring a drone either,"}, {'start': '123.291', 'end': '124.014', 'text': "because I've been there before,"}, {'start': '124.014', 'end': '126.014', 'text': 'so I already know how to go.'}, {'start': '127.339', 'end': '128.871', 'text': "So that's about it. I'll"}, {'start': '128.871', 'end': '130.892', 'text': 'only bring'}, {'start': '131.382', 'end': '133.382', 'text': 'a very lightweight bag. There are'}, {'start': '134.609', 'end': '136.609', 'text': 'still two and a half hours before sunset.'}, {'start': '137.721', 'end': '139.189', 'text': 'After quickly packing up,'}, {'start': '139.189', 'end': '140.815', 'text': "I'm ready to go."}, {'start': '141.248', 'end': '143.248', 'text': "I'm packing very lightly now. There's"}, {'start': '144.024', 'end': '146.334', 'text': 'a shadow starting to appear on this side in front of me.'}, {'start': '149.766', 'end': '152.466', 'text': 'When the sun is slanting, it'}, {'start': '156.092', 'end': '157.858', 'text': 'would be great if there were fewer footprints on this kind of sand dune, like the one in front.'}, {'start': '157.858', 'end': '158.666', 'text': 'Or you'}, {'start': '158.666', 'end': '160.091', 'text': 'can find'}, {'start': '160.091', 'end': '163.049', 'text': 'which angle is cleaner. I have to be very careful with the'}, {'start': '165.802', 'end': '167.802', 'text': 'footprints I just stepped on. I'}, {'start': '169.120', 'end': '171.354', 'text': "won't ruin the"}, {'start': '171.354', 'end': '173.120', 'text': 'scenery I want to shoot.'}, {'start': '176.064', 'end': '177.747', 'text': 'I want to climb a small hill now to'}, {'start': '177.747', 'end': '179.572', 'text': 'see the dead tree I just saw.'}, {'start': '179.572', 'end': '181.173', 'text': 'Is there any other better angle?'}, {'start': '183.722', 'end': '184.818', 'text': 'This dead tree is the'}, {'start': '185.000', 'end': '187.564', 'text': "theme I'm going to preset for the photo."}, {'start': '188.011', 'end': '188.899', 'text': 'The sand on the left is'}, {'start': '188.899', 'end': '190.686', 'text': "also very clean. I'll wait for the shadow."}, {'start': '193.140', 'end': '195.140', 'text': 'The sun is here now. Let'}, {'start': '195.851', 'end': '197.417', 'text': 'me see. This side may be completely covered by shadows in a while.'}, {'start': '203.377', 'end': '206.292', 'text': 'You can see that the sand dune next to it is high. So when'}, {'start': '206.395', 'end': '207.544', 'text': "the sun gets lower, my side may be completely covered. Before it's completely covered, this side The"}, {'start': '212.395', 'end': '214.395', 'text': 'edge of the shadow here.'}, {'start': '214.565', 'end': '215.751', 'text': 'When you walk here, you'}, {'start': '215.826', 'end': '217.826', 'text': 'can take a picture first.'}, {'start': '218.336', 'end': '219.591', 'text': 'This number is about . It is'}, {'start': '219.591', 'end': '222.422', 'text': 'blown by the wind all year round,'}, {'start': '222.422', 'end': '224.422', 'text': 'so this shape is formed.'}, {'start': '224.528', 'end': '227.018', 'text': 'If I have time later, I will come back to capture it.'}, {'start': '228.188', 'end': '231.955', 'text': 'But considering the angle of light and shadow and the distance to each scenic spot,'}, {'start': '232.263', 'end': '235.306', 'text': 'I decided to concentrate on finding a fixed point as a target.'}, {'start': '236.052', 'end': '239.223', 'text': 'Look at the overlapping sand dunes in front,'}, {'start': '240.086', 'end': '242.980', 'text': 'but I don’t know if my height is high enough'}, {'start': '242.981', 'end': '244.981', 'text': 'to compress them'}, {'start': '245.938', 'end': '247.938', 'text': 'or go up to the sand dunes above to have a look.'}, {'start': '247.938', 'end': '251.939', 'text': 'I walked to the very high sand dune I just mentioned,'}, {'start': '252.775', 'end': '254.775', 'text': 'but the angle here'}, {'start': '255.988', 'end': '257.988', 'text': 'is just blocked. And the lower'}, {'start': '257.988', 'end': '259.988', 'text': 'place is'}, {'start': '259.988', 'end': '260.753', 'text': 'not high enough,'}, {'start': '260.753', 'end': '262.042', 'text': 'so I can’t compress it.'}, {'start': '262.042', 'end': '264.042', 'text': 'I saw'}, {'start': '264.042', 'end': '265.829', 'text': 'this very high sand dune, the illuminated side, so'}, {'start': '267.404', 'end': '269.276', 'text': 'I went to find its other side.'}, {'start': '269.276', 'end': '270.382', 'text': 'Because it is very high,'}, {'start': '270.382', 'end': '272.786', 'text': 'it must have a ridge on it. I want to find its ridge and'}, {'start': '275.260', 'end': '277.962', 'text': 'shoot from its ridge.'}, {'start': '286.968', 'end': '287.605', 'text': 'Is there any? I have seen it. There are no footprints on this one. It is'}, {'start': '292.143', 'end': '294.143', 'text': 'very clean.'}, {'start': '296.285', 'end': '297.451', 'text': 'Good,'}, {'start': '297.451', 'end': '299.451', 'text': 'I think.'}, {'start': '301.008', 'end': '303.008', 'text': 'Good. I will set up my tripod. I think, without a'}, {'start': '303.750', 'end': '304.849', 'text': 'doubt, it'}, {'start': '304.849', 'end': '307.253', 'text': 'is the picture I have been looking for.'}, {'start': '307.371', 'end': '309.723', 'text': 'I hope I can shoot slowly here. Every time I find some scenery,'}, {'start': '311.584', 'end': '313.335', 'text': 'I will be very nervous and say that'}, {'start': '313.335', 'end': '316.037', 'text': 'this scenery may disappear soon because the sun leaves, the light leaves, the'}, {'start': '319.413', 'end': '320.000', 'text': 'clouds come,'}, {'start': '320.000', 'end': '320.500', 'text': 'or in'}, {'start': '320.500', 'end': '321.438', 'text': 'various situations. But it looks like'}, {'start': '321.438', 'end': '322.832', 'text': '(This time) it should be okay, I hope. About 50mm is enough. I met a fellow photographer who told me that the sand dunes near the National Saint Lantern were blown away by the typhoon last year... I now set up my tripod a little lower and I am thinking about what angle I'}, {'start': '325.000', 'end': '327.229', 'text': 'should use to capture the shadow of the sand dune. But in fact, the (shadow) will be more beautiful if the sunset'}, {'start': '369.265', 'end': '371.215', 'text': 'angle is lower later. But I can take the horizontal picture first. I think it may not be so'}, {'start': '378.950', 'end': '380.844', 'text': 'beautiful (because it is unbalanced). A lower angle and then using a vertical picture may be better.'}, {'start': '381.090', 'end': '382.856', 'text': 'But in the end I still used the'}, {'start': '382.856', 'end': '384.856', 'text': 'horizontal picture with cropping. ISO 50 F8 1/25 second. I plan to only keep the shadow of the lower half, the shadow on the upper ridge, and a small part of the clouds and the sky. Because the sky is not my focus, you can see his'}, {'start': '384.856', 'end': '386.856', 'text': '(the sand dune next to him)'}, {'start': '441.298', 'end': '443.681', 'text': 'shadow here. Because the sun is now on my left hand side. It is about 5:40 now and the sunset is at 6:20, so during this time, I want to'}, {'start': '449.133', 'end': '452.559', 'text': 'look at the changes of these sand dunes here. To be honest,'}, {'start': '452.559', 'end': '454.559', 'text': 'I am looking at'}, {'start': '455.112', 'end': '458.538', 'text': '120mm now. If I use the current distance, there'}, {'start': '458.843', 'end': '460.000', 'text': 'is a 200-300mm. If'}, {'start': '475.398', 'end': '476.653', 'text': "I have a 400mm telephoto lens If I only shoot at the top of the dune, I'd better concentrate on using the tools I have. For example, the composition I found now is that there is this shadow in the front, so I think it's OK."}, {'start': '481.872', 'end': '483.872', 'text': 'If I use a 400mm lens to'}, {'start': '484.829', 'end': '488.064', 'text': 'shoot only the upper part, it becomes that you only have the upper part. If there is only the upper part, and there is no'}, {'start': '495.907', 'end': '497.617', 'text': 'wind today, I will expect that there will be wind in the front on the ridge, bringing a feeling of wind blowing sand,'}, {'start': '497.617', 'end': '498.841', 'text': 'that is, the feeling of sand being'}, {'start': '503.289', 'end': '505.103', 'text': 'blown. There is'}, {'start': '508.862', 'end': '510.000', 'text': 'no wind today, so 400mm may be a little monotonous. The'}, {'start': '510.000', 'end': '512.862', 'text': 'sand dunes are beginning to feel more and more burned red. Compared with just now, the light is getting softer. The sun has set, and there are still some shadows on the sand dunes. I think this is also'}, {'start': '519.748', 'end': '523.217', 'text': 'quite beautiful. Originally, I was wondering if there would be a moon, but I saw that the position of the moon was wrong, so... As the sun sets, walking on this beach, listening to the'}, {'start': '530.000', 'end': '533.596', 'text': 'sound of the waves'}, {'start': '534.806', 'end': '536.381', 'text': 'accompanied by the'}, {'start': '536.381', 'end': '538.381', 'text': 'blues and the falling of'}, {'start': '555.342', 'end': '556.895', 'text': 'night, looking up at the'}, {'start': '556.895', 'end': '558.895', 'text': 'stars in the sky, I am reluctant to'}, {'start': '569.792', 'end': '571.640', 'text': 'leave. At the same time, in my heart, I am also thinking that in the near future,'}, {'start': '578.618', 'end': '581.299', 'text': 'I should also bring my telephoto lens to visit again I have seen this! Please leave a message to let'}, {'start': '583.890', 'end': '585.890', 'text': 'me know what you think'}]