Scale!

Mar 21, 2011 | Landscape Photography

Just how big are those cliffs? If you’ve not been there, you wouldn’t know. Without some object we can relate to in the photo, demonstrating the size of a subject can be a challenge. Typically, I have a dime in the photo when I need to show scale but as you might imagine, a dime wouldn’t even show up in the photo,

What happens when you put a 60′ boat in the photo? You really don’t know how big that boat is in real life but when you see it as a micro dot in the bottom of the frame in the lower photo, you get a sense that these are one big ass set of cliffs! And by waiting to click for when your scale, the boat is partially obscured by a wave, you can manipulate the scale to make it look even bigger.

Here’s something to chew on. These days with CS5’s Content Aware file, you can include scale all you want and remove it when you don’t want it in post. This makes it pretty simple to make those scale shots that when you need that extra drama, can really come in handy.

Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Na Pali Coast

Mar 21, 2011 | Landscape Photography

As per tradition, the DLWS staff came in early and we did it up big! We added a new adventure to our fun, a six hour cruise to the Na Pali coast. Sharon booked us with the Kauai Sea Tours group and they simply rock! I was an amazing morning of fun, adventure, learning and of course, photography.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0073.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0061.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0085.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0099.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0334.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DLCKINC0277.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

It was simply gorgeous and the clouds came and went and the sun danced on the landscape. Being off shore with the ability to look back at the mountains made for some big time drama. The fourth image is my favorite, I just love the “lightning” feel the light has squeaking through the aperture in the clouds. Now being an air head, I left my card wallet in the van so I only had with me the two, 16GB cards loaded in the D3x. So to make room, I switched to 12bit from my normal 14bit. I regret that now and won’t do that again. Why? The clean, subtle gradation I so work in moody clouds photos just weren’t as clean and it’s bugging the hell out of me. I can’t wait until I get back in the office in a couple of weeks and make some prints. I wanna see if I did myself in or not. But it doesn’t take away from the magic of the morning. It was spectacular!

Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Simple Rhythms

Mar 18, 2011 | Landscape Photography

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP89311.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP89321.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP89281.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

There is just something about shooting down on waves that grabs my eye. The shades of blue and white, the patterns, the shimmer, I spend so much time trying to make the single click that captures that rhythm. Nothing complicated to photograph, just watch and click as you like and then admire. The bottom frame I’ve been staring at for an hour as I get work done. I have no idea what it is about this one frame that has caught my eye, but it has.

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 (handheld) on Lexar UDMA digital film

When Size Matters

Feb 23, 2011 | Landscape Photography

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp01341.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

I hear from a lot of folks saying they don’t have a 600mm lens. They ask “How do I get a large subject in the frame without the big lens?” This is a really great question. Here are some suggestions when you feel lens challenge and your desire the large subject size. The first option is demonstrated right here. Can you tell what it is?

Compostionally, I think this is a vertical photo with the tree trunk being so strong visually. But when you rotate the camera vertically, even though that is all we’ve done, the subject now “feels” much smaller in the frame. Nothing has changed other then the camera’s orientation yet in the vertical format the Bald Eagle appears smaller. This is because of the space above and below the eagle in the vertical format compared to the horizontal format. Yeah, you can make your subject size appear larger that simply. Is this the only way? Not hardly but it doesn’t cost you a thing and it’s really simple to do. Just thought I would pass it along.

Photos captured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-20e3 on Lexar UDMA digital film

YA Wk2 D4-4

Feb 18, 2011 | Landscape Photography

And just as quickly as the storm comes in….

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp58971.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

What I’m doing to make the contrast pop is 1st, shooting in Vivid and then underexposing -.05. And that’s it.
Photos captured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film

YA Wk2 D4-3

Feb 18, 2011 | Landscape Photography

And just as quickly as the storm comes in….

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp56011.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]

The storm blows out but the crusties remain. And how you ask am I getting the contrast I am in camera? You’ll have to read the next blog….

Photos captured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film