{"id":156188,"date":"2021-06-29T08:49:15","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T13:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=156188"},"modified":"2021-06-29T12:47:07","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T17:47:07","slug":"how-to-create-sharp-images-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/how-to-create-sharp-images-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Images Aren’t Sharp Near The Coast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Heading to the coast for some fun and sun? Here’s how to make sure your memory-creating summer vacation footage comes out sharp!<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After so many of us spent last summer<\/a> staycationing in backyard kiddie pools, it looks like summer ’21<\/a> will offer opportunities to find fun and relaxation a little farther from home. In fact, we’d be willing to bet that some of our readers are only days away from packing up and heading out to the coastline or a sandy beach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Beach<\/a>
Let’s sharpen those images up! Image by Alexandr23<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thank to innovations by manufacturers like Blackmagic Design<\/a>, today’s most compact cinema cameras<\/a> fit into even the smallest suitcases with ease. This creates fantastic opportunities for the video-minded to document their summer vacation<\/a> and capture the sights and sounds of their holiday destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if that destination is the coast, where the waves are slightly choppy and the air is salty, you might note that the coastal landscape isn\u2019t all that sharp<\/em> once you start reviewing your footage. It will be even more apparent if you were relying on autofocus. So, what do I mean by sharp? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the general viewer (and even to most filmmakers), the images are going to be more than adequate. Take the image below, for example. It looks fine, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Coastal<\/a>
Original shot prior to zooming in. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, when I zoom in to 105%, we can see that our image’s sharpness falls short of the quality expected from both the camera (C300 Mk III<\/a>) and the lens (Canon 24-70mm f\/2.8 II). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zoomed-in<\/a>
Zoomed in at 105%.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This was filmed at f\/8 with the focus positioned more toward the rear of the composition to retain the detail of the landscape. But, it’s just mush. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, if I pull a still from the camera—same focal length and settings, same 105% zoom—at a different<\/em> coastal location, the image’s sharpness is retained throughout until it naturally becomes diminished due to the distance between the ocean and camera. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sharpness\"<\/a>
You can see the retained sharpness before and after zooming in on the still.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly is going on here? The answer is found in the primary difference between the two locations: One has sporadic waves with lots of ocean spray. The other has flat, calm water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scattering of Light<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To understand what\u2019s going on here, let\u2019s first look at a phenomenon that happens with mountains in the far distance. If you\u2019ve ever been in a mountainous region, you may have noticed that the mountains in the distance lack contrast and even appear blue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Distant<\/a>
The mountains further away begin to lack in texture. Image via LIUSHENGFILM<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This occurs due to Rayleigh scattering<\/a> of light within our atmosphere. Here comes the cool science part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We perceive sunlight as white light. However, shorter wavelengths of light (blue and violet) scatter more predominantly off the nitrogen molecules within the atmosphere. This is why the sky is blue. The scattering is even more pronounced when the sun is near the horizon, as the light has to travel farther and with further dissipation of the blue and violet wavelengths. This is why we have a golden hour<\/a> at sunrise and sunset<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main takeaway—with more distance between you and the mountains, there\u2019s an increase of atmospheric molecules, too, resulting in a more bluish appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Side note—I\u2019ve previously covered light scattering elements for the Shutterstock tutorial “Circular Polarizing Filter<\/a>.” Be sure to check it out after you\u2019re done reading this article.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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