fun with sun rays

[forestgnome]

Since these aren't seen everday I really had no idea how to shoot, other than check the screen and try a few different settings. How would you approach this scene? The warm sun on the snow made the fog, so maybe we can all anticipate this on warm, sunny days in the winter woods.

Actually, is there more to the conditions that create the fog, such as humidity level,etc? I noticed it would build up, then dissapate, then build up again. DougPaul?

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Very nice photos. Many photographers call these "god beams", although the term is also applied to shafts of light coming through clouds as well.

These vapor shafts of light (god beams) are most often photographed in the early morning when vapor is lifting from a body of water or from moisture on vegetation. Capture them as quickly as you can because the conditions often evaporate away very quickly. These warmer days with melting snow may be the exception in that the conditions may persist for many hours. Using a small aperture to create diffraction rays, as you achieved in the first photo, can be very effective in combination with god beams.

I do not think there is much magic in the techniques to capture god beams. What you see is generally what you will get in an image. As with any atmospheric condition combining these beams with a strong subject can be very rewarding, e.g. another hiker, an animal, waterfalls, flowers in season, dewy spider webs, a lean-to or other building, etc.

 

[Grumpy]

Wonderful photos! I especially like the first one, with the diffraction “starburst.”

Approaching an opportunity like this I definitely would concentrate on exposing to preserve detail in the all important light shaft highlights. That is what you did, and the fine results tell you all you need to know.

This is a case of photographing the light itself, rather than objects illuminated by it. It is primarily an exposure problem. A good generalized starting formula would include: low ISO + relatively high shutter speed + small lens aperture. Then, like you, I would zero in on the best combination using my preview screen to evaluate results after each shot. That is where digital photography really can shine.

G.