Oct 9, 2014 | Landscape Photography
One lens I pull out a lot at the Grand Canyon, is the 16Fish. I have written many times here on the website above the 16Fish so it’s not really a surprise. One of my favorite times to use it though at the Grand Canyon is at sunrise. That’s because the Canyon runs basically east to west. In the morning, you can see the rays of the sun, its color on the right and it says, “sunrise’ better than the sun itself. The curve of the earth to me just brings that feeling out even more. It just simply makes the Canyon come to life in the morning.
I was out on a ledge shooting with the Df and 16Fish (image above) and 20f1.8AFS in my pocket (bottom photo). Now the key to working with both of these lenses at sunrise with the exposure range is ACR. Adobe Camera Raw permits us to bring down the highlights (far right edge) and pull out the shadows in the bottom of the Canyon. These are two literal simple clicks but for me, they bring home the serenity that is the Canyon at sunrise.
Oct 8, 2014 | Landscape Photography
The photograph, what we all go through to make, that photograph. There are all those basic sacrifices of time and money, from buying the gear to getting ourselves to the right place at the right time. Then there is all the learning, all the time put in up until that moment when you go click. And yet after all of this, too often when it comes to putting the subject in the viewfinder, most stay within their comfort zone. To me, all of the above puts most way beyond that comfort zone but it changes when … well when what? When there is that possibility that what you see in the viewfinder might be something you have to share with others. When that sharing might put your heart out there, for all to see. That’s when the comfort zone is held onto with dear might!
Walking on the edge, I’ve done it all my life and for better or worse, I’m well known for it. You can take that anyway you’d like and this past week at the Grand Canyon, our group saw it in a very literally way. Pushing past my comfort zone when it comes to the photograph is a everyday MO for me, but it’s not for most. So when, after looking on the LCD of my D750 taken with the 20f1.8AFS some liked the photo and wanted to have it themselves. But to get that photo, they had to go to the edge, literally and figuratively. Now going to the Grand Canyon when you have a sever discomfort with heights might already be considered going past your comfort zone. Well for Richard, Emerson and Tony, just going to the Grand Canyon wasn’t enough. Though very uncomfortable with heights, they wanted to push through their comfort zone to get that photo. Did they get the photo? Perhaps a better question is … does it matter?
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These guys are my heroes! You see, when you go beyond your comfort zone, you often don’t get the photo, the first time. But something inside you goes click. And the more you push past that comfort zone, your percentage of success grows, the better your photography becomes. And that’s the whole goal … isn’t it? I don’t know first hand, but I have the feeling we never achieve a perfection in this pursuit. We do get close, mighty close but that only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Right? But we keep on doing! My hats off to these guys, because with a smile on their face, they went to the edge and pushed themselves and their photography and even if they didn’t get the photo, they took that next big step. It’s one that moves you forward, forward of that comfort zone.
Oct 7, 2014 | Landscape Photography
Mary Colter in 1932 designed the Indian Watchtower that’s at the east end of the Grand Canyon. It was constructed by the Santa Fe Railroad like many of our great historic buildings in our Nat’l Parks, to bring folks the the parks on their trains. Colter though was a very gifted architect who brought to her structures the lore of the landscape and incorporated it into their design. The Watchtower is a great example of this, perched on the edge of The Canyon with spectacular views. So, who do you tell it’s story?
It starts with the obvious, just the tower. The one important element we didn’t have to work with was an interesting background. Bald Skies don’t leave a lot to work with normally. But when you think B&W, you can use the gradient of the sky. So we started with basic symmetry of just the tower. Then in moving around to the next opportunity a new one appeared. The sun was now at the right spot to shine through the window. So shooting with the D750 and 20f1.8 AFS , physically moved laterally so just a smidge of sun creeped around the window to intensify the starburst. The 20f1.8 has a great starburst so it was fun to exploit it.
Then there is the overall shot of the Tower that I had in mind from the get go. It’s really a simple click that, with the time of day and the bald skies is a natural. Shooting with with the 20f1.8, placing the Tower on the right brings in the story of The Canyon. Now the question comes up about making the Tower straight. Well, there isn’t really anything in the Tower that is straight so I don’t worry about it. It’s just part of its character. And when it comes to finishing the B&W, well that’s a simple single click with the new OnOne Suite 9 B&W.
But then there is the last light of day and the desert glow. Moving to the west, you can show on other view of the Tower, that of being part of the landscape. Switching up to the 85f1.8AFS, the bald skies lend themselves beautifully to this simple click. Naaa, these aren’t the most amazing shots of the Watchtower. We didn’t have that “wow” moment to work with. So then you’ve gotta reach down into your experiences as a photographer. Working to make the uncommon out of the common brings up these possibilities to reach the goal to tell the visual story. If nothing else, it was a great way to spend a gorgeous afternoon.
Oct 6, 2014 | Landscape Photography
The Grand Canyon is without a doubt an soul warming, wonder of natural expressing the passage of time like no other. It is hard to understand let along grasp the scale of the place as one stands on the rim gazing down five thousand feet or looking across the ten mile chasm to the other side. Then there is the light. The light that tells the canyon’s story everyday of the year, over and over again today and the thousand and thousand of years before. No matter what, just standing on the rim trying to make sense of this wonder can consume your mind.
The two times of the day when this expression of time really makes itself apparent is dusk and dawn. When the sun first bring life to the landscape and bids it farewell. There is a moment when the light is mellow and warm. Be there clouds in the sky or like we experienced all week, a giant ocean of blue, this moment if you blink comes and goes in a heart beat. In photographic terms, the light is nearly flat but in canyon terms, it has a glow and life to it. You have to be looking for it, waiting for it and ready for it the moment it pops. And that’s the romantic heartbeat of The Canyon that brings me back over and over again. The passage of time in rock and light asking only to be noticed and enjoyed. It’s why it’s the Grand Canyon!
Oct 3, 2014 | B&W Photography, Landscape Photography
Again today, one of the folks with us, Tony, found a really cool subject. And again today, they shared it with the rest of us. And again today we started with their original concept and refined it to what you see here. The “refines” were no more than to not shoot at eyelevel and to finish the photo as a black and white. Shooting still with the D750 and 20f1.8AFS, I had the luxury of simply popping open the LCD monitor, turn on the LiveView and put the camera on the ground and shoot. I so love that feature! And by going low, we were able to bring in the moon that even though small, will look cool in a big print. That took care of changing the angle of view.
The going to black and white was easy and in fact, even better than before. That’s because I’m using the new OnOne Perfect Suite 9 B&W! All I can say about it, is, freakin WOW! Just look at the gradation of that sky, it’s just gorgeous. The best part if simply how simple it is to do with 9 and if you are not really comfortable with B&W, well Suite 9 takes care of that too! So even though we didn’t have clouds, we had a great day at the Canyon and a great day of shooting. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Oct 3, 2014 | Landscape Photography
Some might say that when shooting with a wide angle lens, my “infinity has no DoF” doesn’t really count because you’re shooting with a wide angle. Well, here are two more images shot with the 85f1.8 AFS @f/1.8 (another really spectacular lens) and as you can see, pretty darn sharp. Just a little more food for thought. mtc
