Montagu: Behind the Scenes

Day 1

We arrived on the farm just outside Montagu late on a Thursday evening. After unpacking we made a fire and gazed at the stars while enjoying a few cold beers. We decided that experimenting with exposures for our planned star trails is a good idea.

This was where we learned lesson #1: Have an equipment check-list!

We had our tripod, but no mount plate and shooting long exposure without a tripod does not work.

We were worried for about 10 minutes… then we just laughed at ourselves and MacGyver’ed a solution.

Anything can be solved with a little grey matter…

Day 2

We drove around Montagu’s back roads scouting for a few locations. We saw a couple of good spots and took some reference shots so we can discus them later.

Evening came and it was time to do the star trails with the subject in frame.

HOW TO…

We had 2 speedlights left and right from camera at 45 degrees. We lit the barn with a separate handheld 580 (this being a 2 ½ hour exposure we had all the time we needed to light it.)

The vehicle’s lights were switched on for about 60 seconds to add some more light and effect.

Day 3

We were up EARLY… I was up before sunrise for the first time in about a year! (I’m not a morning person!)

The previous day we arranged to have the gates to Poortjieskloof dam opened at 06:30 so that we could be set up and ready to shoot at sunrise.

We picked a nice location the previous day while scouting and we had to drive on the edge of the dam to the specific spot.

HOW TO …

The vehicle was lit from the right with one speedligt and another flash was used to light the bushes and log to the left.

It was with this shot that we learned our 2^nd and 3^rd important lessons.

Lesson #2: Don’t drive into a dam… cars tend to get stuck! Even Bakkies

Lesson #3: Don’t drive around without recovery equipment!

After struggling for an hour to get the car unstuck, we managed only to get ourselves deeper into trouble.

We had no choice, the only option left: we had to do what every man never wants to do… We had to phone for help!

While waiting for help to arrive we got bored and the harsh sun came out: The perfect excuse to fool around with cameras!

We also had some interesting visitors…

Day 4

Sunday morning we did our last shot.

HOW TO…

We had 2x 580’s left and right from the camera at 45 degrees. Another 580 at the back to put some detail into the roof of the barn and a 4^th light, a 430, at the front left to light the tire. We did not need a 5^th flash for the right tyre because we had sunlight filtering in from that side to give some detail.

The 4^th and final lesson we learned: The back of a bakkie is a dusty place!