I Got Skunked…Finally!
You’re seeing the FIRST time I’ve ever been able to photograph a skunk (Stripped Skunk) in daylight. Not the best shot but at least I now have a photo to post when I say, I got skunked!
I Love Them Shaggy Dogs!
I love Bison! It comes in part because of all the 1850 history I’ve read, I see Bison and my mind goes back in time when the west wasn’t won, a timeless landscape waiting to be discovered (the eeky part of history I try to ignore). Here’s a photo tip.
You might notice how in these top two images, the Bison seems to “pop.” This is a combo of using 600+1.7, shooting at f/6.7, getting down low, having the Bison on a ridge and the clouds in the background. I set up so I had all those things working for me. A recent question I’m getting alot is how to work in highnoon light. Here’s another example of that and this case, all that tan grass is bouncing light up into the dark Bison filling in some of the shadow.
And this photo? Oh, I posted it just because I love that face!
Photos captured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-17e / 600VR (handheld) on Lexar UDMA digital film
Prong on the Plains
I’m at one of my favorite places, the Black Hills in SD. I’ve been coming here for 24yrs and I just never get tired of the views, the critters and the tranquility. One of the great species here are the Pronghorn. I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds watching and photographing them. There is one very important secret to making the shot work that was past on to me by a dear friend so I’m going to pass it along to you.
It’s real simple. Look at the eye(s). What do you see?
You don’t see anything in the middle image, just a black hole. That big bulbous eye is the biggest dang reflector you’ve ever seen and when it isn’t reflecting a thing, the pronghorn looks as dead as dead can be. The bottom photo, it is obviously backlit. If that the case, then how come it’s not in shadow and more importantly, you can see into the eye. How come? The Suburban and gravel are bouncing light into the pronghorn. Use everything you’ve got to make the shot!
Photos captured by D3x, 600VR (handheld) on Lexar UDMA digital film
I was Mentally Spent
And after a couple of hours, I was mentally spent! There is only so much I can do and then my mind says no more when it comes to finding subjects in the macro world. I know better then to keep pushing myself because that’s when the delete button becomes your best friend. So I went outside, sat down and watched the light change. That’s when I saw these really simple clicks.
I’m probably funny in that way, but I just don’t see going nuts for a photo when it’s going to suck. Oh yeah, I can take suckie photographs with the best of them but I really try to avoid it. I realized long ago that my suckie images come from pushing the photograph, this kind of guilt that since I’m out and have a camera in my hand I should be shooting when, there really is nothing showing me any love at that moment. When this happens, I’ve found that if I just sit down, watch life go by for fifteen or twenty minutes that the mind will clear out, the light changes enough for new treasures to be found and creativity comes back to my mind. I have a large collection of window photos. I have no freakin clue what I will ever do with them all, I rarely is ever share them so I thought I would this time just because.
Photo captured by D3x, 105VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
Practice Is So Important!
With the 105VR in hand, I pushed myself to find more details, macro shots that I could make that I actually liked. I hate shooting because I feel I should be because I know there is something in front of me even though I can’t find it. It’s was a called a “forced” photo, which is a nice way of saying it sucks! So I went into moth mode, seeking light!
I always go into the print shop since as a kid, I worked in one and really enjoyed the process. I’m not so old I set type but I sure did learn about it which is what you’re seeing in these top two photos. Drawers where the type was stored, one letter at a time. With the 105VR, I focused in on patterns, color, and texture and made a couple of clicks that I really like. I’m still hand holding, using the same settings but this time, I’m holding the lens up to the plexiglass keeping honest folks honest.
Wondering into the next building I came to this wall of old radios. I looked at them for a moment, they were lit with plane old exhibit lighting. Then I saw this one radio face and noticed the grain in the wood so walked over and took a closer look. The radio dial have Havana, Mexico City, all sorts of places that I wouldn’t think you’d tune your radio into, especially back when this thing was in use.
And then into the doctors office I went where there are a TON of photographs to be made. I was intrigued with all the bottles on the glass shelf in the windows and started to look for one that might not be light directly by the sun. I found this one and was delighted with the play of light wrapping around the bottles. I was shooting with the 105micro still so I took my time to line up the lines and compose what you see to include everything else all around the bottles. This is really not my kind of photography but by this point was feeling pretty good about my efforts so took the time to make the shot. Not bad for a guy is sucks at macros!
Photos captured by D3x, 105VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
Things Like This Drive Me Nuts!!!!
I think these pieces of our past are just fascinating subjects. The sun was bouncing off the naked wood just in front of it bouncing in some nice light so I walked over to make a click. I put the camera to my eye and for the next ten minutes cussed and sweared as I tried to find one, single, bloody, solitary plum line! I turned the camera this way and that, click, click, click, cuss, cuss, cuss, click, click. I tried every way I could think, I ever went so far as to Free Transform trying to make it look “right” but as you can see, no such luck. Of course, that’s part of its character and charm, but I like at least one line to look right in a photo!
Photo captured by D3x, 105VR on Lexar UDMA digital film