Feb 10, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp03731.swf,404, 600 [/swf]
We headed out to Artist Point at the Grand Canyon. The combination of steam and the height of cone basically made the falls disappear from this vantage point. No problem, there is always lots to photograph from here. I took out the big lens knowing this and had some fun. First, I photographed an old friend. I don’t know how many times I’ve photographed this tree on the point but made a note to myself to this time go home and pull them all up. I’m curious how much my photographic impression is of this tree and its change over the decades.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP04151.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
Then while I was looking at the cliff face, I started to see a face here and there. I like this one, look like Luke just before getting zapped by the snow monster. Yeah, I have a vivid imagination.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP03891.swf,404, 600 [/swf]
But no sooner then I find Luke, I find the snow monster. It makes me smile and any photograph that does that, is a keeper!
Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Feb 10, 2011 | Landscape Photography
It was -38 when we headed out today, I knew it was going to be a great day. And it was! Once again, after the day and dinner with the gang it’s late and I’m cramming to get it all done so I’ve picked a couple of my favorites of the day to tell the story.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp03341.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
We were at Gibbon Meadow before the sun hit. It was just glancing off the immense ground fog bank created by the super cold temps. I love this meadow, spent hundreds of hours here and this morning was just another special one. Here’s the key to the photograph. How do you want to express your feeling from standing out in -38 air as the hoar frost floats by and bites your nose? You could underexpose and bring out the coming light. You could expose with zero comp and just let mother nature do the work for you or you could dial in +1/2 exp comp and bring out the lightness of the morning. All are correct, all would work and all could tell the world how you felt at experiencing this moment. Personally, I went with zero, I let mother nature do the work. What a great start to the day!
Photo captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Feb 9, 2011 | B&W Photography, Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP91541.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
After making an A Stop, we turned south down the road taking us up the Firehole River. The day had warmed up to -10 by this point which isn’t great but still made for some great drama with light and steam. We came around the corner to see this gorgeous view. There was NO WAY we were going to pass up this magnificent offering to the B&W gods!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp92171.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
As I mentioned yesterday, the trick to making steam images I think is to click, click, click. In the case of both of these images, a total of 75 were taken to come up with these two I really like. What is it about them I like? The main subject, the couple of black, predominant trees amongst the rest. Those blacks set the stage for the rest of the shades of gray and white. Then there is the stair step pattern to those shades that is highlighted by the rising steam. The last key to the puzzle is knowing the power of Silver Efex Pro 2 and its Structure slider. It can pull out detail, subtle detail that makes the B&W really zing! What a great second stop to the day!
Photos captured by 24-70AFS / 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Feb 8, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP89761.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
One of my personal challenges I’ve set for myself these next two weeks shooting in Yellowstone is the ultimate “steam” shot. With the cold temps, the steam from the geyser, steam vents, mud pots freeze on the branches of the trees. This in combination with the steam creating the “icing” is what I want the ultimate photo of. The elements needed then are the steam, the trees, light and luck. Why luck? The steam is never the same, never! The pattern is in constant flux with the wind. So you have to find the first three ingredients and make the last. How do you make the luck? With the first three in the viewfinder, you hit the hammer and let the motordrive create some luck for you. BTW…this is not a B&W image. Stick around, we’ll see how I do.
Photo captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Feb 8, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP87941.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
The Firehole River when it’s cold and there is snow is a great venue to shoot. What makes it unique is the fact the water is hot so the snow is sharply sculpted around the rocks in the river. When it’s cold enough, the snow piles up and the shapes come to life. All you have to do then is pick and choose those that you like.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP88981.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
To pick and choose, you need focal length since you’re shooting down from the canyon wall. This is a challenge because you are also shooting at a slow shutter speed, these taken at 1/2sec. For many, that slow a shutter speed when shooting with a long lens with the tripod perched in snow is difficult. But that’s how these images were taken. How did I get my shutter speed down that low? Closed down the lens all the way and set the ISO to L01. I finished the images using Silver Efex Pro 2, that was the easy part!
Photo captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Feb 7, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/Coyote 0604.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
I’ve had a ongoing conversation with some shooters of late, it all resides around image size and cropping. You could also bring into the conversation real easily how much is enough lens. It comes in part from a statement mine in Captured that I’m not an eyeball shooter and I don’t crop. “Just why is that?” It’s a very valid question and one I try hard to answer. It has to do with my “style” of photography and my drive for the perfection of my craft. It’s a Moose problem that really no one else has to worry about…unless…
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/Coyote 1614.swf, 595, 482 [/swf]
When I started out in wildlife photography, all the rage were extreme close ups, where you would see just the eye of the critter, very intimate portraits (where I came up with the phrase eyeball photography). My main problem with this then and now is, I want to show the world my subject lives in. I feel that is important to show a critters world to tell its story in one click. At the same time, I love the challenge of taking in so much of the world in one click making the subject physically small and yet, your mind’s eye goes right to it. That has truly propelled my photography to where it is today. I started out shooting film and the photo buyer would see my images within the confines of a small, cardboard window, the slide mount. Cropping simply wasn’t an option, I couldn’t put silver tape all over the mount to crop an image because that showed the photobuyer really fast I couldn’t make the click right in the camera. It’s not an option, for me.
Should this matter to your photography? Not in the least since we all need to do what makes us happy because in the final analysis that’s what matters. But some want more from their photography, I can appreciate that. Many in that process look for those images they like from other photographers and make that a goal for their own photography. Taking that further and you wanna be successful on the business side, you have to recognize those marks both in content and quality that are successful. Since after 30yrs I’m still hanging in there on all fronts, then there is the slight possibility that I might be onto something when it comes to image size and cropping. Just understand, YOU’VE gotta make the call, it’s YOUR photography!
