Oct 11, 2013 | Landscape Photography
Or as I think of it, too lazy to walk closer, is a simple technique using long glass and its properties to extract the photo. This can be in many ways, this is just one of them. While not everyone’s cup of tea, I saw a photo long ago like this that has really stuck with me and I keep working on getting my own. The foreground and subject is the winterized Aspens which in themselves can be a very interesting subject. The background are willows that are at their peak of fall color. By using a long lens, in this case the 800mm, a very small slice of the scene is photographed. No, these are not perfect but they are the closest I’ve gotten in years of what I remember and I live them. Here’s the flip side to this, if I don’t push myself to keep looking for that “perfect” shot and fail along the way, then I don’t fail. If I don’t fail, than I won’t learn to make the better shot. In this case, I like the light, love the background color but the aspens themselves, one is too busy the other, to heavy on one side of the frame. Lesson learned, copy light, copy background color, need less branches and more character in small diameter trunks. Now, if I can only remember that combo.
Oct 9, 2013 | Landscape Photography
It was late in the afternoon, dinner was done as we’re out heading over to where a griz was grazing. The wind was still blowing, gusts earlier that day hit 60knt on the gauge but it didn’t keep the bears or us inside. Now I was walking as I normally do with the 800, D4, Gitzo, Wimberley over my shoulder with D4, 80-400 on a Vulture strap also on my shoulder as we walked single file through the meadow. As you might know, I have the 800mm wearing a LensCoat. On this particular venture, I had the Hoodie on the 800mm covering the front element as well. all I was really pleased about because the sand was blowing bigtime! So we leave the beach and crest the small knoll and a gust of wind hits and the takes the Hoodie off the lens. I retrieve and keep on going thinking really nothing about it.
Three hours later finds us down on the other end of the beach walk back towards camp after photographing this great family group, a mom and three spring cubs. Well the wind had picked back up keeping our heads down as we walked. It was so bad the sand was sticking to the chapstick on my lips! Depending on where we were, the gust of wind would hit us with sand causing us all to protect our gear a little more than normal. Well, a huge gust of wind hit us again and this time, it took the Hoodie again. Man, can that Hoodie sail! Before we know it, it’s traveled the sixty feet to the waterline. Than another gust of wind hits it sending it out into the surf. Did you know them things float! Did you know that the part that hugs your lens barrel is a great sail? Well, I didn’t but I do now! I think that Hoodie got back to Homer across the inlet before I did. All I know if I’m Sooooo glad I have LensCoat protecting my gear. The stuff works! Oh, the bear photo above? They could care less about us or the wind or my Hoodie sailing across the inlet. It just kept on moseying on down the beach.
Oct 7, 2013 | Landscape Photography
Dear Moose Cruise folks; I’ve not forgotten you, it’s only been a couple of days and I’m just now getting back in the office. Like I offered, the finishing videos will be posted here in the next couple of days. Honest :-)
Oct 7, 2013 | Landscape Photography
I made it home long enough to see our Aspens that ring our meadow turn yellow. I’ve not seen that the past few years. I have lots to catch you all up with, hope to get it going this week. I wanted to start by posting a photo of home that I can see while I’m on the road the next week. This is a real simple click with Sharon’s Nikon V2 w/10-30. It’s really a great little camera that she pounds shooting stills and video. Nikon just introduced the Nikon 1 AW-1 “underwater” camera (a sample I’m told is on its way to me). Nikon states,
From outdoor adventures to family events, don’t miss a moment with the world’s first waterproof, shockproof, interchangeable lens camera*. The Nikon 1 AW1 is built for life with astonishingly fast autofocus, rugged construction and an intuitive interface. From the epic to the everyday, it delivers high-quality images.
I have to admit, a mini “Nikonos” really has me intrigued if it produces the same quality as Sharon’s V2, I’m in!
Oct 3, 2013 | Landscape Photography
WHAT an AMAZING Cruise! Lots to share, lit’l time … stay tuned for more images and the post processing videos to finish them to come next week. THANKS to all the folks, B&H & Lexar for making it a great day!
Oct 1, 2013 | Landscape Photography
I’m right the with you, I’m dying to get them all out! But as life would have it (kinda my fault since it’s how we planned it), we no sooner got home from AK and we’re back on a plane heading to NYC (and blog late because United wifi not turned on).
Traveling in AK in the fall by bush plane is truly one of the simple joys of life. But you’ve gotta take a deep breath when flying by bush plane, not because of the plane but because of delays. In our case, we were delayed getting into the lodge by two days by 50knt winds out of the west. Then there was a window and with two aircraft, Cessna 207 & 205, we safely landed at Hallo Bay. Seeing griz from the air as we came into land on the beach was great, I’ve missed that site. After getting planes unpacked and gear stowed, we took care of some housekeeping and than headed out to shoot. We were in Homer on our way to dinner when we got the call to fly, it was that late in the day. So we left the Hallo Bay Camp for a short walk to see our griz neighbors. We had barely left the camp when we came upon this bruin. With just the D4 / 80-400VR3 on a Vulture strap with the fading light, I raised the ISO to 1600 to make a couple of clicks. Photos like this I use to just keep track of individuals as I get to know a population. Being that I plan on haunting Hallo Bay, I want to know the neighbors.
They are calling the flight and I’ve got to run. And I really need to get the story out … tired of all the “bear eat me” myths out there. The truth while boring is still the truth. mtc …
