Does Flash Scare Critters?
Winter Feeder Fun Favs
Here’s some of the clicks I like from my Winter Feeder Fun. Like I mention in the video, my goal wasn’t to make the image of a lifetime but do some real world testing of a new feature. The fact I got some images I like is just simply icing on the cake. And I like cake! Why do I like these? The top one has a little “human” gesture in it, the next I like the action, the next because of body gesture and the last, it just makes me smile. None of these are magazine covers but simple rewards from simple shooting. I’ve asked why am I using the antler for a perch? When it snows the wind blows. When the wind blows perches move. When perches move when you’re shooting at 1/60, nothing is sharp. Antlers are not only unique, they don’t move in the wind :-)
Many ask how I’m processing my D4 images. Like I’ve always processed my wildlife images. I open Photoshop > Mini Bridge > Select image, hold down the Shift key and double click. All done!
Some read the fine print (unlike my Moose Settings post) and asked about the Custom Setting e4, what’s up with that? Well, I highly recommend you read the IB and do some testing. If you’re looking for info from me, it will be in the upcoming issue of the BT Journal along with a bunch of other info making the D4 an evolutionary tool.
Storms, Light, Patterns
I love storms, especially just before they start and then when they are over. It’s a time when the “normal” view is altered into some romantic gesture of time to make a change in the routine of life to celebrate that life. In the Sierra as the wind whips over the crest, clouds battle the winds to drop their moisture before being carried east. I always challenge myself to bring that emotional response to the click. Be it a tornado or simple snow fall, I just love chasing storms!
And just as much as I look for that grand landscape kind of shot, I seek those small details, patterns that convey the same emotional response. Living in snow country, I have become a connoisseur of snow. What the hell does that mean? Well this photo is a good example of that. Only certain storms produce the right wetness of snow that sticks to trees like frosting. Too light and it looks like hoar frost, too heavy and it’s just a glob. I’m looking for that just right and that’s because it creates the mental picture of a snow covered forest which in reality only last for moments. Once the sun hits it, it melts and falls off. In chasing those storms, I look for these patterns in the light and snow that suggest the amazing serenity that comes after a storm. It’s these moments I cherish, behind the camera and then the time after.
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In the Bag
- D4
- 24-70 AFS
- 300f4 AFS
- Lexar 32gb 600x UDMA digital film
A Moment of Quiet
And while standing for a moment taking in all the meaning and history, the folks do leave and the photo does present itself. Peace is a good thing.
D4 & Cherry Blossoms
After a great day of walking the Smithsonian, Sharon decided we needed to walk another 3 miles so we went to check out the Cherry Blossoms at the Tidal Basin. Well, the whole world knows how I feel about flower photography so I was over joyed to go. I decided to just click to see if I could make some patterns in the branches and as predicted by me, I couldn’t. But what I found interesting are the results. Shooting with 0 exp comp, my intuition was I would have blinkies in some blossoms and loose some shadow details. But when I looked at the LCD on the D4, I saw no blinkies. When I look at the images in PS (I’m processing my D4 images with ACR), didn’t loose the shadow detail. Now I am not, repeat not, saying the D4 has better dynamic range. I’m just clicking away and responding to things like I would the last three years shooting with the D3. I’m not doing any testing shooting a D3s against the D4, I’m just cruising, having fun and getting to know the camera and so far, I’m likin what I’m seeing! At least in the D4, these possey photos are, well, just possey photos.
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In the Bag
- D4
- 24f1.4 AFS
Valley of the Gods B&W
