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Author Topic: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy  (Read 4568 times)

MartinProsperi

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Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« on: November 25, 2011, 05:30:11 pm »

Hello folks,

I0'm wondering if there is some kind of compass to measure with accurate exactitude where the sun is going to fall. I already use TPE for that, but it's not precise in terms of what it shows on the computer screen and the fact that being in the place where you're going to take your pics. I'm very picky with composition when it comes to including the sun into the composition, so I would need an instrument/tool/device able to let me know where exactly the sun is going to fall. Any idea? or I'm just exaggerating :D

Ø3 :)
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feppe

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2011, 06:07:21 pm »

Google Earth has that, and I'm sure Android and iPhone markets have similar apps for phones.

MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2011, 06:16:21 pm »

Yes, I have seen that in Google Earth and found it quite nice, but not perfect. It's not the same detail by looking a gross 3D model of earth than having an instrument to measure the sun's azimuth in order to see where it will fall for the sake of a good composition. I'm having a margin error of about 40% of what I thought the sun would fall (you know, you can imagine by the angle of the sun where it will fall, besides knowing at gross mode in TPE), and that 40% affects the composition by the same number.

Ø3 :)
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feppe

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2011, 06:28:44 pm »

Yes, I have seen that in Google Earth and found it quite nice, but not perfect. It's not the same detail by looking a gross 3D model of earth than having an instrument to measure the sun's azimuth in order to see where it will fall for the sake of a good composition. I'm having a margin error of about 40% of what I thought the sun would fall (you know, you can imagine by the angle of the sun where it will fall, besides knowing at gross mode in TPE), and that 40% affects the composition by the same number.

If you have a smart phone I'd take a look at the markets. If not, go to astronomy boards or google for it, there must be several programs that do just that for astronomers.

MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2011, 06:41:58 pm »

ooohhh... I would love to have those smart phones, but not possible in my third world country budget. I would like an iPhone, but it costs here more around the 73% more the its original price. Anyway, thanks for the help! Will check those sites!

Ø3 :)
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SangRaal

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2011, 01:05:52 pm »

The sun and moon rise and fall along the sidereal equator, the path of this equator is differnt every day of the year and changes with the longitude and latitude of the place you want to photograph. there are a multitude of internet sites for astro photography that either contain instructions for computing this or provide you with just blanks to place the day of the year and your location( either by map coordinate or longitude and latitude) and compute for you. I know i have a link but can't find it to post; however I would begin a search on either the celestron, meade, or Sky and Telescope sites they all have either links or computational info to find what you are loooking for.  All the telescope mfgr's make auto wedge and equatorial mounts that find the sidereal equator for you, compared to the cost of an i-phone or Gitzo tripod they are cheap steady (but very heavy) camera supports.
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MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2011, 02:04:30 pm »

Yes. I use TPE. It manages all about sun/moon, etc. But it's all from above, you know. I need something to compute from my shoes with camera on tripod and in location. I have a compass here. since the azimuth represents the degree of the area where the sun rise in relation to the north, and how many degrees will have when it will fall, if I'm remembering right, I guess, since I know the azimuth degree where the sun will fall, so a compass should point exactly to that direction if it has degrees. But my compass is just one of 1 dollar. It doesn't have any degrees, just lines. i believe that I can calculate, with accuracy, the position where the sun will fall by using a compass, but I don't know any professional compass, so I cannot be sure if what I'm thinking matches the reality.

I'm pretty new at land/water photography, so I'm probably missing something.

This is TPE (planning a shot for tomorrow):

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feppe

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2011, 02:11:49 pm »

The answer is here.

MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2011, 02:19:31 pm »

It's the same thing that says TPE. I'm probably not explaining myself very well. Once I'm on the location, how can I know where exactly the sun will fall? If a little bit more to the right of the tree or if a little bit more to the left of the tree at 08:00 pm once I have put the tripod on ground because I have chosen the composition before hand? My position is permanent. Just sun is moving.
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feppe

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2011, 08:40:18 pm »

It's the same thing that says TPE. I'm probably not explaining myself very well. Once I'm on the location, how can I know where exactly the sun will fall? If a little bit more to the right of the tree or if a little bit more to the left of the tree at 08:00 pm once I have put the tripod on ground because I have chosen the composition before hand? My position is permanent. Just sun is moving.

So this TPE (whatever that is) gives you an azimuth and altitude for any location on earth at any given time to the degree? You only need a proper compass and something to eyeball the altitude with. We have given you suggestions above. I don't see what else you're looking for.

MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2011, 09:40:32 pm »

Yes, TPE does that. You pin point any location in the world, then you select whichever date of whichever year and it gives you all the data you need to know all about moon and sun. It also calculates how much visible would be the sun on the sunset by using the altitude of the ground and sea level, it also takes that into account and you can see even the shadow length at certain hour, how many degrees of altitude the sun will have at certain hour, and many more things. it comes for iPhone and iPad as well. Also, how bright would be the moon for nightspots etc. Very nice program, btw.

I'm looking for something that can help me to eyeball where the sun it will fall on location, not just from a pixelated view from Google or TPE. Just that, because none of these programs gives detailed views of what can be seen in real life, on location. I probably need something like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brunton.JPG
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rsn48

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2011, 01:01:17 am »

You want sextant data.
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MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2011, 01:42:10 am »

YES!!!! That thing. I didn't know why I have had written that weird word on my cell phone 2 weeks ago. I wrote it because I was watching a TV program in History Channel about Heratostenes, who measured the diameter of earth and somehow, the sextant was shown in the TV program and thought that's the device I need, but probably, I can use another cheaper, more easy to get, device. I was in that place taking pics, the same shown in the snapshot of TPE. I took this one:

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REMEMBERING MY SELF ABOUT THAT TOOL!!!

Ø3 :)

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feppe

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2011, 05:47:36 am »

And that data is already provided by TPE and other programs suggested. Didn't occur to me you didn't know about sextants...

AndrewKulin

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #14 on: November 27, 2011, 09:15:37 am »

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MartinProsperi

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Re: Compass for WAter/Landscape Photograhy
« Reply #15 on: November 27, 2011, 01:14:10 pm »

I didn't know its name, but its shape, and more or less what it does, but never thought it could be useful for nature photography. I'm just having almost 2 years of experience with nature photography :)

--

Thanks for the link, Andrew, will check it out :)

Ø3 :)
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