Camera Labs

1. I find myself constantly looking at the sky when some dramatic clouds fly over it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38912116@N00/373754256/. You also get nice sun rays through the holes in the clouds sculpting the landscape and giving it a dramatic posture.
2. The sun standing low over the horizon also increases the 3D-effect of landscapes and also gives incredible colors that change fast
Add (1) and (2) and you can almost sit still and have a complete photo session just watching the clouds fly by and the sun change the color.
3. Another favorite is shooting at beaches where the sky is reflected in the wet sands. Plus the structures in the sand...
Look here for an example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38912116@N00/373750314/ of what I mean (location: Bergen aan Zee, The Netherlands)

Hope to find some dramatic clouds and light @ New Zealand...

B.t.w.: Are there any limits, if you shoot a landscape with the sun shining into your lens? Burning a hole in your sensor ?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Just curious how would you get the sun to appear as less of a glow and as the sun itself with the same detail in the clouds? An ND filter?

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My PC: AMD X2 4600, 2gb ram, 8800gtx, Monitor; NEC 20WGX2
Gear: Nikon D80, 18-70mm
80-200mm F2.8

That's just as it came out of my Sony P200 set to automatic (it applied f/5,6 and 1/400 sec) with D-Lighting set to 1 (out of 100) afterwards in CaptureNX - which made the blacks a little deeper.
No filters, no other trick. It's just that special combination of sun and clouds that I so love...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

hi tombomba2,
Yes, i know exactly what you mean. I also look for interesting cloud formations which can be very dramatic and add so much to a landscape scene. i'm also trying to improve on capturing rays breaking through clouds:

I took this shot this weekend of the 2010 Fifa World cup Stadium being built in Cape Town (I only wish they would hurry up a bit!)

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Canon EOS 400D, Canon EOS 30V, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, EF 70-200mm f/4L USM, Speedlite 430EX, Kenko & Cokin filters

Looks like it's coming along nicly.....they have some kranes........and....some dirt.

Thanks for the tips

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Nikon D80 | 18-135mm Kit Lens | 50mm f/1.8 | 4GB 150x Card | SB-600
http://flickr.com/photos/antmanisfubar

I've created a special set with my fav cloud-photos here.
Some of them are quite heavily tweaked (no HDR, though) to increase the drama. Enjoy!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Ohh, and I thought, I am the only one interested in taking photos of clouds...
I just love the way the sunrays play with clouds. I am not a pro, so be aware of this fact when viewing my pics.

Here are two pictures taken with my Panasonic FZ30:

http://img1.tar.hu/hdanesz/img/24768465.jpg#3
http://img1.tar.hu/hdanesz/img/24768464.jpg#3

#1: I like the true blue colour of the sky...
#2: It is like the gates of heaven...at least creates the impression...

If you love clouds and skies, you should know this place: http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

I to love clouds and skys here one i took handheld a couple of weeks ago late afternoon.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/198 ... b2d7_b.jpg

Yes, lovely!
How do you call these rays of light through the clouds?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Usually "shafts".

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

heres one that i took a while back.. i didn't much post processing, just messed with some levels in photoshop..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2319/1523826347_6ce92171f9_o.jpg



luis had actually suggested that it could have benefited from a horizontal orientation and i agree with him.. i dont know why i took like this but oh well..

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Nikon D40 + 18-135
My Flickr.

I took this one with my old canon powershot s45, click pic for a bigger view:

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flickr

Olympus E510, Zuiko 12-60 SWD, 50-200 SWD, 14-42 and 40-150

Love this one!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

same here thats awsome

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Nikon D40 + 18-135
My Flickr.