Yellowstone Adventure Week

In the blink of an eye, the warm temps give was to zero degrees and the magic appears. We woke to hoar frost covering the Madison River corridor, steam from the geyser sucking up the sunrise, with the silence of the moment only interrupted by the sounds of our motordrives, it was one of those special mornings.

The range of light because of the depth of the corridor required light compression techniques. Some used exposure comp, others split grads, I went with my multi image bracket set to make these top two  images. I’ve always wanted to get a star burst through a tree with deep shadows shot. This was my first attempt using my technique. Not too bad, there is room for improvement though. That fact you can’t see the star burst with this smaller image is the first thing I need to fix.

This last image didn’t really need to be captured using this process, the range of light was just a tad beyond five stops. I wanted though more detail in what was available, capture that glow from the hoar frost crystals.. After processing, the image was run through Nikn Color Efex Pro Dark/lighten Circle to finish.

Photos captured by D3, 14-24AFS / 45PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

Yellowstone Wrap Up – Week 1

We kinda took the day off, I spent the morning putting together a little video (105MB) of our Yellowstone DLWS. If you watch it, you’ll see how and where some of the images I blogged were taken. You’ll hear the sounds of Yellowstone, the wind, water, steam and boiling earth. And, you’ll find out why Joe is cocking his head (and it’s not from what he learned this week). For your enjoyment….

Photo captured by D3, 45PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

Moose Cam captured by P6000 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Sharpness Series #5 – Hand Holding

It’s early morning, the first rays of the day are just striking the ground. The buck comes up from a draw, the tripod is not within reach. Can you handhold down to 1/15 and get the shot?

It’s freezing cold out, it’s dark and your adrenaline is pumping, can you hold the lens steady (even I always can’t). But by using basic hand holding technique and practicing it so it becomes second nature, you can do it! This is a technique you should practice everyday, I do whether I’m actually shooting or in the office. It’s gotta be second nature and I’ve always prided myself to do so (feel real let down when I miss a shot because of my technique). It’s the same technique if you’re a longer lens like the 200-400VR (prong image) or shorter lens like the 70-300VR (bison photo) or even shorter like the 14-24AFS. Hope this will help by establishing good technique to hold your camera.

The Bison photo was just taken in Yellowstone using the D3x. You can’t make it out, but the dark dots in the distance, upper right are Ravens on a old kill. We didn’t have any predators like wolves come in, but we sure did give it the old college try.

DLWS Yellowstone Day3 AM

Wow….day’s like this is why I love being a photographer! We visited two of my favorite locales in Yellowstone today. In the morning we were in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with Lower Yellowstone Falls being are main focus.

We ventured to both the North and South Rim. This images is from the South Rim, Artist Point. This is a classic spot that calls for a longer lens to compact the scene and aid in eliminating some unwanted elements. We had an overcast day so White Point / Black Point was need to bring out the color of this beautiful canyon.

Mark Kettenhofen from Nikon NPS brought with him the new 45 PC-E and today was my first day to shoot with it. I naturally tried some of my “miniatures” with it. I’ll post more on the lens and what I think shortly. Saying it was fun thought is just a hint.

Photos captured by D3, 70-300VR/45PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

DLWS Yellowstone Day2 PM

We spent the afternoon in one of my favorite location, Upper Geyser Basin, home of Old Faithful. As you can see, it was a gorgeous afternoon with magical afternoon light.

This is Castle Geyser, many years ago the site where its steam took the coating off my 16mm. Even so, it’s one of my favorite geysers because of all its character. The color in the foreground, the shape of the cone, the steam and blue sky just always grab me!

Photos captured by D3, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

DLWS Yellowstone Day2 AM

I don’t know if we’re just lucky, someone watches out for fools or, life is just good, but what a great day from basic disaster! Just when most folks would be receiving their wake up calls, the electricity within 25miles went out. We still got out. With three vehicles going down in the snow, we still shot. Great group of folks, none of this even phased them.

I continued on with my steam from yesterday. We stopped just for a moment to do some long lens, Fountain Paint Pot steam work. It’s one of my favorite places at oh dark thirty no matter the time of year just to shoot the plumes of steam.

We then headed (two new vehicles later) down to Grand Persmatic which I just love in the morning. Thankfully we had a cold breeze come up which numbs ears and makes for great steam. This is locale where you walk around with a hand towel to help keep the constant steam/condensation from forming ice on your gear. Both photos were finished with Nik Silver Efex Pro in a heartbeat.

I want to thank the amazing folks at SeeYellowstone.com for making what could have easily been a disaster, not even a hickup. Thanks guys!

Photos captured by D3, 200-400VR / 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

DLWS Yellowstone Day1 PM

The afternoon was just as spectacular as the morning. We headed to Midway Basin for some great fun in the steam and ice. This is Turquoise Pool, a favorite of mine that dog gone it, I’ve still not captured to its best. Oh well, just have to go back again. You know that this reminds me of? The space ship in Tom Cruise’s War of the World. On man, I’m tired!

Wanted to give you a little taste of Yellowstone winter shooting, so here’s the first Moose Cam of the trip. It was taken this morning at Fountain Paint Pots. Video editing while a sleep, this should be good for a giggle.

Photo captured by D3, 24-70AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Shooting Note: I get to shoot with the new 45PC-E and 50AFS tomorrow, I’ll post some thoughts on these when I have them.

DLWS Yellowstone Day1 AM

I’m sitting in front of my notebook, face burning from the wind burn, my toes, hell I don’t know if I have any toes they are still so cold, blurry eyed looking over a great day of images on my computer monitor! I’m toast and I have a real weird confession, I missed the detail of the D3x in a couple of my photo opps today. Here’s an example, the steam frost lining Paint Pot trees. I’m not sure what I’m going to go about this. A problem to explore.

The temps are actually not that cold and that directly effects the steam and what photo opps I’m finding that move me. I started today with the frozen steam as you see above, to just photographing the steam itself, moving to

photographing steam and the life around it. The life around it today was our DLWS photographers exploring for themselves this winter wonderland. Apologize for the more than normal typos, it’s 3am and I have to get up in two hours. My reading glasses aren’t enough at this point to see.

Photos captured by D3, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

DLWS Yellowstone – D3x

Oh man, I’m in heaven! I’m out in the snow where it’s nice and cold, it’s gorgeous and I’m with family! Life just doesn’t get any better.

Saturday was a great day of shooting. You’ve already seen the run we had with the Bobcat, but that was just frosting on the cake. We had the gorgeous landscape unfold before us. Here is a closeup at Black Sand. One thing that really attracts me at the hot springs are the “areal” photo you can find by just bending over (sticking that ass in the sky) and looking straight down, you can take a photo of the entire world with a three foot span.

These images are not officially from DLWS, but from the staff’s Saturday scouting. These images were taken with the D3x and by no means are good representations of the amazing, just amazing detail these big ass files present.  The photos I took of the hoar frost and the detail in them, I just can’t wait to print really large because YOU will see that minute detail that is so cool about hoar frost. I’m really looking forward to having more time with the D3x, basic shooting, side by side and 12 vs 14bit testing. Once I have the info, I’ll bring it to you. I do appreciate the out pouring from folks for just the basic of basic info I’ve been able to post so far.

Photos captured by D3x, 14-24AFS . 70-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

OMG II

The DLWS staff spent a killer day out in Yellowstone Nat’l Park this day and the photogods were, very, very, good to us! We had some great opportunities, none finer to funner that our time with this gorgeous Bobcat! Na, the light wasn’t great. Na, it wasn’t that close…wait you say, that’s not close?! It’s only close when you look and this mega crop of the original.

What you’re seeing above is a crop in post of a D3x file taken with a 200-400VR handheld at ISO 100 at 1/60 (why it’s not tack sharp, cold, wind, slow). To repeat because this quality is blowing me away, the photo was taken with a production D3x file taken with a 200-400VR handheld at ISO 100 at 1/60! OMG! The head shot was taken from this file taken at these settings. Anyone who says the D3x is overpriced, well,  they just doesn’t get it. This is a camera that produces quality revealing at the very least $20k medium format backs that can’t accept the biggest and grandest arsenal of lenses medium format can only dream of. Those who know me know I don’t crop images, not even when you have this kind of quality. Others are going to say something stupid like, “That example ain’t that great” or “If it’s so good, why doesn’t he make the whole file available for download?” But those of you who understand photography and digital will instantly be amazed by the quality of this infinitesimal section this file.

Some quick stat: D3x – ain’t cheap! D3x – 14bit, uncompressed Nef = 26MB: Tiff from said file (above) processed by NX2=143MB! 16GB card holds 426 Raw+ Jpeg, counter says 213 when card is first loaded. Cannot load D3 setting into D3x using card load option. Frames Per Second shooting 14bit, uncompressed at CH…well…..

Final images from the D3x…freakin stunning!!!! D3x is not for everyone…NOT freakin even! Does Moose love it? Final file, hell yeah! Firing rate, crayons are faster and I can’t draw. More to come….

Photo capture D3x, 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

Nuttin’ Purtier!

No matter the weather, there simply is nuttin’ purtier on the planet in winter than Grand Prasmatic Springs in Yellowstone Nat’l Park. We’re back up here, will be for about three weeks, out exploring on our own and with other folks the grandeur that is OUR national wild heritage! I’ll be posting more images and video from our adventure as well as continuing the Sharpness Series. We’ll also be posting our 2010 dates for our very, very limited Yellowstone adventure so stay tuned!

In the meantime, go out this weekend and find your own piece of wild America even if it’s just in your backyard and bring it back in your images and share it with the rest of the world!

Photo captured by D3, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Nuttin' Purtier!

No matter the weather, there simply is nuttin’ purtier on the planet in winter than Grand Prasmatic Springs in Yellowstone Nat’l Park. We’re back up here, will be for about three weeks, out exploring on our own and with other folks the grandeur that is OUR national wild heritage! I’ll be posting more images and video from our adventure as well as continuing the Sharpness Series. We’ll also be posting our 2010 dates for our very, very limited Yellowstone adventure so stay tuned!

In the meantime, go out this weekend and find your own piece of wild America even if it’s just in your backyard and bring it back in your images and share it with the rest of the world!

Photo captured by D3, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Please, Pile It On!

I’m now in Raleigh and as it should be this time of year, I’m sweating out the drive home this weekend from the airport because of a pending snow storm. I just hope it hits, we so need the moisture!

This image is from Yellowstone earlier this year, steam from the vents that has frozen to the nearby trees. This is what I’m hoping to see next week at our home where, we have only dirt in the front yard right now. Hopefully your photographic desires come to your viewfinder this weekend!

Photo captured by D3, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Introducing the Moose Cam

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Here we are in Yellowstone shooting. While bringing you select stills from the shoot and a little text might help you improve your photography, I’ve been wanting to do more on the blog. My mind turned to video earlier this year when we started to post on the D3 microsite. We’re working on our 4th Kelby Training video, but still wanted to do more. Then came the Coolpix 6000.

Its video mode got me to thinking and you’re seeing the beginning of that thought here. The Moose Cam is the P6000 affixed right over the lens barrel so you can see what I saw with my naked eye at the time of shooting. Now this is in its beginning form, I will be refining it as time goes on. I hope it helps your photography with what little I can pass along.

In this first one, Jake & I are shooting with 600mm lenses this lone bull elk we found for one of our segments in the new upcoming Kelby Training video on big game photography. Enjoy!

Doing a little catch up #1

We’re in Bozeman at the moment, getting ready to film that next segment in our Kelby Training series, this time the big game of Yellowstone (the more you watch them, the more I’ll be able to produce for you ya know). Since I have a couple of moments off, I took to processing some of the landscapes I was able to capture last week in Yellowstone.

Roaring Mtn is this place you drive and most of the time, you can’t tell how it got its name. Well, go by when it’s 24degrees and you see it come to life. Steam pours out of many fissures on the hillside. It just takes the breeze to take the vents in one direction or the other and you have a totally different scene and photograph. Shooting it was a challenge in that without some reference, it just looks like, well, a steamy hillside. With a foreground anchor point and a little Bleach ByPass, the image comes to life.

Photo captured by D3, 70-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

BC Day5 AM

While the clouds might have come in, they didn’t put a damper on our day. We hooked up with the led wolf biologists in Yellowstone for a peronsal show of griz and wolf. We just missed the wolves but the griz was really cool. We had two this week, that’s amazing! While we couldn’t photograph everything we saw, it was very rewarding to be with photographers who, like me, just loved being there. Yeah, we made a few snaps too today like these sparing Bison.

We spent some time at Mammoth Hot Springs as well. We were able to work the hot springs and the elk that call it home. It was a marvelous morning to further explore the wonders that are Yellowstone. And Lamar Valley, just as special as ever.

Photos captured by D3, 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

BC Day4 – 30GB in 1 hour!

Up and out before dawn to another beautiful day in Yellowstone. Wish you could be here, it’s just a grand place to simply find the majesty of the wild world this time of year. And man, did we find it today! We had a great morning, marvelous lunch location, field class and then went out looking for Rocky Mtn Bighorns. We found a group of 5-6 rams, all of whom were trying to claim the throne. The activity took place on a cliff over the road, more or less closing the road with all the rocks the rams were knocking down on it.  These two rams decided to take a break from the action until they heard the clash. Than they were up checking it out.

And here’s just one of the many clashes we witnessed and photographed. The action was hot and heavy, filling nearly 30GB in an hour. Now that’s wildlife photography!

Photos captured by D3, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

BC Day3 critters

Our amazing morning which included shy subjects like Porcupine was filled with this fellow. Like most Coyotes of Yellowstone, we found him in the middle of the main road. But shortly after introductions he led us into a parking lot where we spent nearly an hour photographing him. He had obviously been fed a lot by folks (which sucks) which I discovered when I made a quick hand movement to drive a fly from the truck which it mistook for food being handed out. Our encounter ended with me lying on the blacktop flat so as to put a green background behind him.

Our afternoon started off just heartbeats after setting  up our rigs so we could shoot from the vehicles. This loan bull was taking an afternoon swim and came out right in our laps. He was a brief but very cool experience. I’m in the midst of editing the 1800 images from the day. I wanted to get a couple of images up just to bring you into the world of Yellowstone in fall. There is more to come.

Photos captured by D3, 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

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