Sep 7, 2010 | B&W Photography, Landscape Photography
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What is the subject? If we got with just the tree, then how do we arrange the elements in the photograph to support that subject? I moved physically a little close to the Juniper for this shot. When I did that, what happened to the cloud? Look back at the 1st posting if you need to but when I moved closer, I effected that could and that changed the whole image. Can you tell? The cloud is now higher, bigger and bloody white! The eye screams to it and there is stays because there is nothing else in the frame bringing the eye back down to the tree. This is not a workable solution to making the image.
Photo captured by D3x, 18AF on Lexar UDMA digital film
Sep 7, 2010 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp5275.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
There’s more to share from our Monument Valley adventure, I want to start with this one pretty picturesque Juniper. This is one old tree in a pretty schweet locale probably been photographed by hundreds of shooters each year. Tucked up against a mesa with this million dollar view in nearly every direction, just how do you make the image? Regrettably on this day, I had a date with a sand dune so the ticking clock was most definitely not my friend. With the gorgeous light and sky though a stop had to be made. This is the view we say when we got out of the truck. The question is, does this tell the story of this tree in this place at this moment in time? Stick around today as I share what I found told the story best for me.
Photo captured by D3x, 18AF on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 31, 2010 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp4810.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
We came out of Valley of the Gods and the road sign which predicts nothing short of death if you drive it, just begged us to explore. So of we went.
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After this wicked drive up the side of a mesa, we cruised along this long stretch of Cedar Mesa taking us to Natural Bridges Nat’l Monument.
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As the name suggests, the bridges were formed by water erosion creating some really cool formation. Whie Russell huffed it down to the bottom of the canyon for the first bridge, the rest of us just hiked down to the vista point. You climb down a wood ladder (as in tree trunks) at one point but it was well worth the effort. We all walked down to the last bridge and just in time to get some clouds floating by. This is another locale I would love comeback to and camp and do stat trails. Gorgeous place we’d never been to before but need to comeback to!
Photo captured by D3x, 18AF on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 31, 2010 | B&W Photography, Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp4614.swf, 402, 600 [/swf]
The Valley of the Gods is an amazing location that I just love to visit. I’m making plans to spend a whole bunch more time there, but that requires different travel plans.
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This incredibly small slice of UT when the storms are rolling through is simple, without a doubt, hands down one of the most romantic landscapes in the southwest. There’s a ton of red here, not a issue. I wanted to do a little exploring in B&W and was happy with my results. I can do better but that requires days of on foot exploration. I always love having to have to return to a location :)
Photos captured by D3x, 18AF, 16Fish on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 31, 2010 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp41451.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
There are times when despite your best efforts, you find yourself in an interesting place in the worst light. Highnoon! Ever been in that position, I sure have and was again the other day. What do you do?
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp4165.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
I tend to work with the contrast and underexpose to make more of this abundant element. That means you have to think of black as a design element so with these massive mesas in Monument Valley, you use the black to speak of the natural design of the rock. The underexposure also pumps the blue sky and red in the rock. So then it’s just back to the basics of arranging the elements and going click. So, highnoon isn’t that bad once you think through the problem and come up with a solution. And those folks joining us shortly on the NAPP Safari at PSW, you might need this thought process for the first moments of our safari.
Photos captured by D3x, 18AF, 24PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 30, 2010 | Landscape Photography
When you are incredibly fortunate, the storm breaks at sunset and performs the magic only Mother Nature can produce. With the opening in the clouds, the pedal hits the metal to get into place.
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I mean, we’re talking illegal speeds because for me, a gorgeous sunset works ONLY when you have something interesting with it from the landscape. Just pretty colors in the clouds just doesn’t cut it for me. On the western horizon I saw an opening in the clouds, that means a brief beam of light was going to make it through. Watchout cars…crazy Moose comin through!
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With the dust in the air, you knew the light would be blood red. What do you want in that kind of light in Monument Valley? Monument Valley!
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And here’s the gold and the end of the rainbow! As simple a click as one can make. Just got in place, dialed in -2 exp comp and click. For me, this one click of this one mesa makes all the time this trip, last trip and all those times dying to be here worth while. Mother Nature, she knows drama!
Photo captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
