24.11.2021 Emily Endean

Golden Moments

Emily Endean

I am a chaser of light, ocean addict and lover of nature. I enjoy being outside as much as possible. I absolutely love capturing the beauty of the world through my lens and chasing the light and the weather at its best, mainly around my home county of Dorset or wherever I can escape to. At the age of four, I moved to the beautiful seaside town of Bournemouth. It was not long after that I picked up my first camera and I became captivated by seizing moments through my lens. Following that, when I was given my first DSLR I was hooked! I am obsessed with the ocean. I mean obsessed! If I’m not photographing it from the shoreline then I’m neck-deep in it shooting on my Fujifilm X-T3 in an underwater housing. 

Crafting the glow and gleam of a transient sun, Emily Endean discusses her top tips for photographing ‘magic hour’

At dusk and dawn, dreamlike configurations of light split the skies, casting the shadow of the day in a warm, gold-leaf hue. As the sun sits atop the horizon, rays permeate the atmosphere at a lower angle than usual. Glimmers of light pass through droplets of water and dust, filtering with a softened, dampened contrast. Denser aspects of the atmosphere scatter blue and violet wavelengths, decreasing the sun’s colour temperature as deep, orangey reds become more prominent and pronounced. Without question, it’s a startling sight, and something of an age-old favourite for photographers and filmmakers alike.

Fleeting and short-lived, this time of day features some of the most striking forms of natural light, producing a remarkable array of colour and shade. It’s a perfect canvas for the visual artist. Joining us to discuss the perfect golden landscape, Emily Endean is one such practitioner of this style. Based between Dorset and Hampshire, her work focuses on dazzling seaside landscapes and sumptuous coastal portraits, encapsulating the crispness of an outstretched ocean, peeling away from the shore. Outlining the differences between spontaneity and planning ahead, she stresses the importance of integrating both approaches into the creative process. “I always head out with some kind of plan in mind. I check the relevant apps for weather, tide and swell forecasts, then visualise the type of scene I want to shoot. That being said, it’s important not to be too rigid when on location. Sometimes curveballs are thrown – you just have to follow what’s presented. I try to let my creative eye do the heavy lifting. I’ll experiment until I land on something that I feel really works. That might mean remaining in place, or moving and adapting to constantly changing conditions. Ultimately, it’s a process that depends entirely on the situation.”

Photo 2021 © Emily Endean | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, 1/125 sec at F7.1, ISO 320

Finding the ideal place is hard at the best of times, but it can prove especially difficult when trying to pinpoint a backdrop that complements the tint and tinge of golden hour aesthetics. “It’s always good to find a prominent subject or landmark, or even some leading lines, to start you off,” Emily notes. “Be on the lookout for aspects of the environment that might correspond with the rising or setting sun. When I’m in unfamiliar territory, I use Google maps – a lot! A good amount of cloud, with a break on the horizon, usually allows through the perfect amount of beautiful golden light. From here, you can illuminate your subject and set it off perfectly.”

A multifaceted procedure, Emily considers the factors at play when shooting in such exacting conditions. “There are lots of things to consider,” she considers. “But, most importantly, pay attention to the direction of the light, and how it’s behaving. For instance, you might have no access to direct light before sunrise, but be confronted with a beautiful red sky. Logistically, this kind of scenario presents a challenge. Once it’s risen, the sun can be impossible to shoot without encountering flare. You also have to deal with the unavoidable silhouettes that are bound to appear, due to the dynamic range of the scene. Filters can help, but I’d always recommend getting it right in-camera. Post production can be an invaluable tool, but I prefer to do as little editing as possible.”

Photos 2021 © Emily Endean | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, 1/125 sec at F18, ISO 200

Opting to establish the look and feel of her images in the camera itself, Emily’s compositions are largely determined by what she does before taking an exposure. “My camera settings depend on location and what I’m looking to achieve. Most of the time, I’m either on the shoreline at sunrise, or submerged in the water with my FUJIFILM X-T3 underwater housing,” she explains. “I’ll think about whether I want to freeze the waves, or use a slightly slower shutter speed to showcase the movement. I love to get creative and try out different techniques. Playing around with shutter speeds is probably my main setting variation.”

Though more focused on the act of shooting itself, Emily does speak to some of the post-processing techniques she utilises. “As I mentioned before, I always aim to get everything sorted in-camera. It makes things much easier to deal with afterwards. The dynamic range of sensors is pretty good these days, so highlighting both the shadows and subject is easy to accomplish.” Ensuring that her images don’t become artificial or contrived, Emily endeavours to keep her edits minimal, and her adjustments subtle. “I try not to change the image too much. I use Lightroom and make sure it resembles what I originally saw with my eyes. I like to keep it real, so I only really fine-tune with light tweaks: shadows, highlights, textures, sharpening, etc. I shoot in auto white balance, which works really well on my X-T3. If you want my advice, always shoot RAW. It allows you to push the image further in post.”

  • Setting sun beyond gentle sea
  • Orange sun on horizon beyond blurred waves of the sea

Photos 2021 © Emily Endean | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, 1/1000 sec at F3.5, ISO 100 | FUJIFILM X-T3 and XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, 1/500 sec at F5.6, ISO 200

Finding inspiration in experiences, Emily remains inquisitive, and it’s this curiosity that drives her forward. “It’s always good to keep learning. I like to push myself to achieve new and different aims. That’s why I recently purchased an underwater housing – to explore and engage with a different perspective. As a photographer, I know that I need a personal project to keep me focused, and that’s what being out in the sea does for me. It helps me push those boundaries. 

“I’d always recommend capturing your subject before sunrise, or after sunset,” she continues. “The fleeting glow of a golden sun will really make your images stand out. Great light can turn a good scene into a great one – whatever the subject matter. Keep an open mind, and when opportunities arise, go for it. Venture outside when it’s raining. Look for a rainbow. Watch the light change as it moves across the land. One thing’s for sure: it will transform the scene in front of you.”