I Love The View!

Kodiak Peak captured by Z 8 / Z70-200f2.8

This time of year, the sun barely rests in Kodiak setting after 23:00 and up before 06:00. I enjoy greeting the sun, it always seems to have something to say. This morning it painted the skies in warmth, color that was reflected off the peaks surrounding my perch on the cliff. As I did a 360, there was no clear view in any direction, the color peaking through here and there adding a bit of mystery to the coming day. As the sun teased an appearance lighting the peak, whose name I’ve been told but can’t remember and it’s not on the map, I was drawn to it. When I looked at it in the viewfinder I saw the obstructions here and there and thought they were perfectly placed. It’s exactly how I was experiencing it and that’s what my heart said to capture. I’ve starred at the peak many a morning, none are the same with this morning being very special. Simply, I love the view!

Oh, The Scale!

Mt Katmia & the Shelikof Straits captured by Z 9 / Z600f4TC

On our way back from an amazing time with the Steller’s Sea Lions in the Shelikof Straits, I happen to see this tug. With the makes naked, it was pretty cool but when I put the 600mm to my eye, wow, now the mountains looked as big as I knew they were (I was on the water in skif)! Mt Katmai reaches over 6k’ in the sky so though we were some fifty miles away, we could clearly see a lot of rock (though not nearly all of it). Sea-going tugs are BIG boats but up against them mountains, they look truly small. In comparison, that “little” tug makes them appear massive. It’s a simple thing but really makes a difference, oh the scale!

Going Back to 1908 School

Sula School House captured by Z 8 / Z14-24f2.8

Site of an American Fur Trading rendezvous and Lewis & Clark route east, Sula is a small spot on the map filled with coolness. The wide open space is great for landscapes, wildlife and requires a stop at the old school house. When you walk up to it you’ll find the door closed but a sign inviting you in. Once inside, you’ll find what you see above. Like any good school room, the blackboards have the days lessons, in this case facts from 1908. And just like days past when in school, I’ve already forgotten the lessons other than they were about the president of the day and the population of Montana in 1908.

When you arrive at the school house, it might look different then the photograph below. That’s because the massive electrical pole / relay / wires are missing from the photography. The modern array was visually just too much so I took the liberty of putting Generative Fill to work to take me back to the day. The B&W is right out of the Z 8 and the clouds, that’s why I stopped in the first place. New lessons, old lessons, it was fun going back to 1908 school.

Sula School House captured by Z 8 / Z14-24f2.8

Waiting for the Light

Currituck Sound captured by Z 8 / Z24-70f2.8 Dark Monochrome

Back for my second day at this amazing Osprey nest, it was raining when we parked. After setting up the Z 9 / Z600f4TC I noticed the skies were breaking in a somewhat dramatic fashion. So I grabbed the Z 8 / Z24-70f2.8 for any landscape opportunities that might arise. No sooner than I was at the nest when the light started to work it’s magic. I set the Z 8 to Dark Monochrome and let it bring home the light on Currituck Sound. The photo above is right out of the camera. Within thirty minutes the energy of the storm was gone, the skies cleared really fast. It was a great show! And with that, I turned the Z600 to the nest that was still in the shadow of the remaining cloud and enjoyed my time waiting for the light.

Landscape with A Twist

Wright Flyer replica, Kitty Hawk Memorial captured by Z 8 / Z24-70f2.8

Had an excellent morning photographing flight! First, a nesting pair of Osprey building their nest and then at the Wright Brother Memorial in Kitty Hawk, NC. The location where first powered flight occurred is where the brothers proved their “wing warping” principle actually worked for sustained flight. Wing Warping is something the Wright Brothers received a patented for in 1906. What is wing warping you ask? That’s where the wing tip are “warped” or perhaps better understood as “twisted” to change the direction of flight. With few folks around today, I was able to shoot through the Wright Flyer to the Memorial erected on the dune they used for their glider experiments prior to powered flight (though the wind moved the dune to where it is today) in the background. Looking through the wings that they “warped”, it occurred to me that I was taking a landscape with a twist!

The Valley is Calling!

Upper Yosemite Falls captured by D3x / 70-200f2.8

The Sierra has a good snow pack, the spring rains are bringing green and the sun is kissing it all creating a gorgeous May in Yosemite. May tends to have the greatest amount of water in the falls, one of Yosemite’s magical elements and it’s calling all photographers. May is the last month before summer when the park swells with people coming to soak in its beauty as well. Now is the time to plan your trip. You want to hit the falls of course, but there are lots of trails in The Valley and upper reaches of the park with great treasures. Hitting the trail is a great way to leave the public behind and have the park all to yourself. Focus in on the trails along any water way will reward you with critters, high sierra wildflowers and the creeks themselves. As Muir would say over and over again, The Valley is calling!
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