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Sunset III – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

November 29, 2007

Sunset III - Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Click the photo for a larger version.

I normally don’t write about the background of most of the photos I post here but this was the first time I ever had difficulty shooting a sunset.

It was cold, it was windy, really windy, windy enough that I was able to lean backwards with my full weight and not worry about falling over and I’m not a small guy.

Trying to hold the camera steady was fun too, all 6+ pounds of it catching wind (Canon 40D with grip, Canon 70-200 2.8 IS if you’re curious) while trying to get the correct (for me) exposure (f5.6, 1/8000, ISO 100 @ 200mm if you’re curious).

Although there was salt and dust whipping around, the altitude (3,673 meters) and lack of pollution gave me a hard time, nothing to really diffract the sun like the smog in L.A or general moisture in Florida.

It took me a while to get a shot that I was happy with, this is one of them.

I’d do it again, the same way, in a heartbeat.

Click on it for a large version, hope you enjoy it.

R(etc…)




Related posts:

  1. Patterns – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
  2. Tracks into the Sun – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
  3. Hit The Road – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
  4. Islands – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
  5. Cracks In The Sal – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }

Truddle November 29, 2007 at 7:44 am

WOW — beautiful Ron!

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amuirin November 29, 2007 at 9:57 am

It’s pretty amazing, Ron. It looks like the sunsetting over a vast desert.

And I love the contrast, looked at this after seeing Robin’s ocean runner. An eternity of cool blue and then an eternity of exotic gold.

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amuirin November 29, 2007 at 9:58 am

It’s pretty awesome when you put a few words with the photos, too.

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narziss November 29, 2007 at 10:07 am

This is easily the best photograph I have seen in the past couple of months…anywhere…

Tell me, (since I have been photographing only with point-and-shoot’s, and am eagerly awaiting my first DSLR due next month), is the CMOS censor (or any sensor your camera has), not likely to get damaged in direct exposure to the sun?

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Pamela Cabrera November 29, 2007 at 11:00 am

Hi Mr.Ron!
This is Pamela from the front desk in La Paz. wow this photograph is amazing salar uyuni is incredible and you took the photo as the salar´s sunset is…

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Robin November 29, 2007 at 12:39 pm

I’m speechless…

This is amazing, Ron. Breathtakingly beautiful.

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fish November 29, 2007 at 4:13 pm

my 21 inch Sony flat panel, wide screen, computer monitor says “you nailed this picture”

i say “wow, and awe”

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Ron in Bolivia November 30, 2007 at 3:51 am

Thanks so much Truddle…

A, thanks. I’ll try to write more often, right now, internet is a luxury and I agree, Robin’s Pac Ocean photos are fantastic.

Narzis, thanks for the very kind words. I truly appreciate them. To answer your question, I’m sure i’s possible to damage the sensor but with a reasonably fast shutter speed, I kind of doubt it. Pure speculation but I think there are probably more photos taken of sunrises and sunsets then anything else (except possibly people’s cats) and if that’s remotely true, the camera makers would go broke on the returns, again pure speculation. I’ve never hesitated in pointing my cameras, with any lens includinng my 100-400 directly at the sun, just don’t look at it long through the viewfinder.

Pamela – Muchos gracias. Eso es muy agradable de usted decir y ser la venida mucho más apreciada de un boliviano. Fotografiaré Tiawanaku hoy. Espero que usted goce esos retratos y los otros que he tomado de su país hermoso.

Robin, thanks as always. I hope you lose that ear worm soon :)

Fish, good to hear from you and thanks. I’ll take “wow and awe” over “shock and awe” any day. How are the ponies doing?

R(etc…)

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fish November 30, 2007 at 8:53 am

they are doing quite well, thanks for asking Ron, was able to get Precious Kitten at around 4-1, and she ran first, was the only horse i played last week, but then again, i only play horses that i pretend that i own, lol!

be safe, have fun, live life

oh, and maybe we’ll cross paths next year at Santa Anita, i am going to play stringer for the Breeders’ Cup, i’ll throw my R e u t e r s pass around your neck, and you go get me pictures of the horses i want, LOL!

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davidlind December 1, 2007 at 3:11 pm

Very nice. I liked it a lot.

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loopyloo350 December 1, 2007 at 7:03 pm

simply beautiful

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