Apr 11, 2019 | Landscape Photography
Nebraska Sandhills
captured by Z7 / Z24-70
I’m shown a lot of sunrise/sunset photos and when asked what I think, well, I think to myself, “it would have been better-left unshot.” Here’s an example of what I’m talking about, one of my own photos. Saw this real purdy sunset when I was not prepared, so I went inside, grabbed the Z7 / Z24-70 (killer landscape rig), and walked back out to shoot the gorgeous sunset. The problem is, it was no longer gorgeous, just purdy. Those elements which made it gorgeous had faded yet, I went click anyways. And the photo just doesn’t make it. But because I had that memory and I had that photo, heck, it’s gotta be good, right? Actually, the memory is much better and it’s a great example of a photo that was better left unshot.
Mar 27, 2019 | Landscape Photography
As Columbus pointed out, the earth is round. That curve though is often the bane of our photography as we work to square everything up perfectly. Embracing the curve not only requires seeing and thinking about it but having the right lens at the right time to make it all come to life in the viewfinder.
What I have here is a real simple example of what I’m talking about. The bluff on Flaming Gorge Reservoir screamed to curve. So in grabbing the Z7 / 8-15Fish first set to 15mm (top photo) and them 8mm (bottom photo), I brought in the earth’s curve. Doesn’t work with every subject, but by having the 8-15Fish in your bag, you can embrace the curve.
Mar 26, 2019 | Landscape Photography
Flaming Gorge Bridge
captured by Z7 / 8-15Fish
There are times I just wanna take photos but the light, well the light just sucks! When this occurs the first thing I tend to look for are dramatic shadows because that’s what hard light is really great at creating. When I find those shadows I look at what is creating them (other than the sun) and then see if there is a story to be had creating the photograph. That how it was when we ventured down into Flaming Gorge. What we found was not what I was thinking!
Flaming Gorge Bridge
captured by Z7 / 8-15Fish
The Flaming Gorge Bridge isn’t huge but the span it bridges is deep. There are all sorts of signs saying don’t walk (or dive) on the bridge. But the light, the hard light, and its shadow were perfect. There were two cracks, almost perfectly symmetrical on the road leading up to the bridge. Grabbing the Z6 / 8-15Fish, I got right up to those cracks and made an easy, simply click. The storytelling and shadows encouraged me to become a troll and head underneath it. There, the ropes of those much more adventurous then I awaited summer a swing out and down. In shooting B&W in the Z6 produces gorgeous results that are all done in camera. Even in bad light, there are photos to be made, just gotta look for the shadows.
Mar 11, 2019 | Landscape Photography
Palouse Barn
captured by D5 / 70-200f4 / Cessna 185
I am often asked if when I’m doing air-to-air work if I ever shoot aerials. It’s really rare as there is typically no downtime to do such but this weekend, I happened to have a moment. We flew over this barn and I thought it would make a cool shot. Too late though, we’d gone past it. Luckily we went by it a second time, really rare and circled it right when I had a moment to take a snap. I love The Palouse and this simple click was just another way of looking at this gorgeous landscape, from 3500 AGL.
Mar 4, 2019 | B&W Photography, Landscape Photography
I posted this photo on my IG account on the 1st. It’s a real simple click taken jumping out of the truck shooting the Z6 / 180-400VR hand-held and then hopping back in the truck out of the -16 temps. The photo is right out of the Z6 which was set to Monochrome (here are my in camera B&W settings). The only “Post” was done in ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) using the Split Grad to make the clouds look angier. Below are those settings. And that’s it, easy peezy!
click on photo to see ACR Grad Settings
Feb 4, 2019 | Landscape Photography
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is such a gorgeous place! It’s a really photographer friendly place as you can’t take a bad picture there. Shooting from Artist’s Point, the draw up the Canyon to the falls is breathtaking. Then you add in the snow, the wind, the cold, the sound and the color, well that’s a sensory overload that the camera can’t even imagine. How do you smack the viewer between the eyes with all of that when they are looking at your photo from the warmth of their home?
Lower Yellowstone Falls
captured by Z7 / https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1383763-REG/nikon_180_400mm_f_4e_tc_1_4.html/BI/8449/KBID/9350/DFF/d10-v21-t1-x870603/SID/DFF
I quick and simple way is putting it all in their face! Shooting with a telephoto does a great job doing that. In this case, shooting with the Z7 / 180-400VR, the top photo was taken at 180mm and the bottom at 560mm. But coming right in on the ice (making sure it stays blue cause it’s cold!), you bring it to life. The imagination “hears” the roar of the water on the left and the mind because of the warm tone of the rock sees the “cold” in the ice. It’s quick, simple and effective but the nits are in the details.
