The Morning with the Falls

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The DLWS gang hit the meadow this morning and the meadow as always, delivered. From past experience, I knew that Upper Yosemite Falls really preforms one the sun reaches its base. With that in mind, I went armed with the 200-400. While waiting for the show to begin, I trained the lens on the falls face. When shooting this mighty water, I rip the shutter. This is because you just don’t know the pattern of the water and it’s really difficult to predict.

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The top image is an example of a really wimpy lookin body of water. It’s not robust, full of drama or the dynamic lines of the second photo. To heighten that power of the water crashing, I went to B&W using Silver Efex Pro.

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Then when you add a little light, then you really have a strong click. There is a few minutes as the sun paints down the face of the falls when you have light like this streaking across. The reason I prefer this shot and this moment is the base in shadow. That black just makes the white of the water whiter and more powerful. Because of this I can turn horizontal and I like that format for this scene. The sun has just begun to light things up, it’s time to boogie to the other side of the meadow for the big show.

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

Ol Timie is Getting More Predictable

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In the happy travels of experimenting with RC’s HDR technique, I found a path of predictable production of the ol timie look I started a few days ago. I’m psyched and if it works, I’ll put it out in a video in the next few weeks. It’s a fine line between the ol timie look and the cartoonish look. I like the challenge, it pushes the clicks!

Photo captured by D3x, 18AF on Lexar UDMA digital film

RC is Taking Over DLWS!

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This is a total rip off (poor one) of a photo RC took the other night. It’s a 5 image HDR which is the part I think if pretty darn cool. What made him think to take on this image as a HDR? We’re had that discussion and I know he’ll be writing about that soon. It’s just darn cool and just another example of how great this week has been with the sharing of ideas and photography. Just don’t tell RC that’s an outhouse, he thinks it’s a mountain cabin!

Photo captured by D3s, 24f1.4AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

The Cool Influence of RC

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If there is one thing I love about working with peers, is learning from them. And when that peer is a crazy Mexican who is a genius, full of energy and totally new to a location, nothing but amazing happens. RC is with us at our Yosemite DLWS infecting us all with his approach to HDR. It’s not HDR for the sake of HDR, but a way of bringing more of the world through our heart and out to others.

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Above is a simple click finished in ACR only. The 2nd image is the start of my learning RC’s technique (not too well I might add) shooting a 9 image HDR processing in Nik HDR. I have to admit, my efforts from the morning shoot learning this technique were pretty disappointing to me. I see so much more in RC’s images then mine. I just love failure when I know there is a solution, I just have to work my way to it.

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And my final, a HDR B&W that I like! We have a really nice group of folks with us this week at DLWS. The new format is a ton of fun and we are off to a great start thanks to Yosemite and RC. Stay tuned, more to come.

Photos captured by D3x, 24f1.4AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Still Workin the ol Timie

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While attempting to make the most of what RC is teaching us, I still worked on my own “nostalgia” look mimicking the old 1920s post cards from Yosemite. With some colors washed out, others pumped up, finding the right combo for each scene is a fun challenge. It first requires finding the right scene such as the outflow from low Yosemite Falls. Then there is the exposure and finally the processing. This image which is a combination of HDR, Color Efex and curves gets pretty close to the look. Still have a ways to go but I have a workflow foundation which is half the battle. Having the energy of RC and the folks makes trying this fun more then a chore. So I’m looking forward to the morning fun!

Photo captured by D3x, 18AF on Lexar UDMA digital film

There is Fun after Dark!

We’re here in Yosemite having one helluva a great time. This is in part because we’re in Yosemite, and in Yosemite with this crazy Mexican who has never been here before.

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RC is like a kid in a candy store and he just keeps on sampling. Well, just because the sun is gone doesn’t mean you can’t keep shooting. Na, you can slip and slide on the ice and photograph Yosemite Falls. So, off we went!

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This is a real simple shot. The D3s is set to ISO 1600, M 8sec f/2.8 with AWB. You look at the upper photo and compare it to the lower photo you’ll notice the lower photo, the rock face is “warmer.” That’s because the AWB is A6 (there it is again). And all the light on the trees? The majority of it is the moon. The tree trunk on the right that is all lit is from headlights. I just wish I had a video for you because RC and his antics had us laughing the entire time. Photography should be fun and that is all we’re having!

Photos captured by D3s, 24-70AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

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