Jan 17, 2011 | Landscape Photography
Horsetail Falls is a late February occurrence, that is the magical shot. This is because of two factors, water and light. (Update: the falls did not look nearly as nice the next day to the point we didn’t go to the falls.)
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp56951.swf, 402, 600 [/swf]
With our recent storms in the Sierra, we have the water so the falls are flowing. This is special because they don’t always flow each year. So with the water, I wondered if we’d have the light.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp56781.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
After the sun set, you could see the red glow grow. What I find really cool is that even though we didn’t have that magical light of Feb, you look, you can see that red band of light that does occur off to the left of the falls. I just find it fascinating to know the sun / earth will move enough in three weeks so that red shaft of light will hit the falls.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp57181.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
After the sun had set, we kept on shooting. The glow from way out in the Pacific still worked it’s magic. This is the face of El Cap and that granite acts like a great reflector forever bouncing around the last beam of light. That little bit of “alpine glow” was brought out by using AWB A6. Don’t know what that means? Grab your instruction book, it’s worth learning about!
Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film
Jan 16, 2011 | Landscape Photography
OK, I’ll admit it was a great macro opportunity. The best part, I didn’t have to get down on the ground and stick my ass up in the air to take it. So I decide to get in the swing of things and work the subject a little better. So here’s my first click.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp53571.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
The 1st thing I did was improve the background. In the last blog the dark background didn’t work for the conditions, snow. So I moved so I had a white background. Next, from the 1st to 2nd photo here, I titled the camera from plum to the earth to plumming the subject to the frame.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp53681.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Yeap, still shoot in HSC mode with AWB A6 to warm up the leaves. I’m only shooting at f/8 to maximize sharpness on the hoar frost while not pulling in the background.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp53791.swf, 402, 600 [/swf]
And lastly, I went vertical with the camera still plummed to the subject and not the earth. And for Moose, it’s not a half bad macro shot.
Jan 16, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp53321.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
So we’re working the meadow, it’s simply gorgeous! I start walking and walking and walking. I have just the 70-200VR2 which is working great. I end up about 3/4 of a mile from the van when I turn around and realize how far I’ve gone. I look back and see the gang standing around a small valley oak in what appears prayer so I head back the short distance to them. I reach them to find them photographing the frost on the oak leaves. Darn cool!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp53351.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
My problem is, I only have the 70-200 and I want a bigger image size and I’m at its MFD. To be really honest, and this will sound bad, but I was too lazy to walk back for my 105MC so I simply turned on the High Speed Crop and shot away. With the D3x, the images quality is still killer and besides, it’s just a macro shot :-)
Jan 15, 2011 | Landscape Photography
They have all these “retro” early 1900s postcards for sale featuring that kind of garish color look of the era. I think they are kind of cool so I decided to see if I could create the same feel photographically you see in those old cards. Here’s my first attempt.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp55611.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
I think I have a ways to go but I like the thought process behind it. It might lead to new discoveries.
Photos captured by D3x, 24f1.4AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
Jan 15, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp5306.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
We’re here in the Valley getting ready for our first DLWS of 2011. We’re not scouting, have the locations down pat. Rather, we’re taking our newest staff member Jeff and guest instructor, our dear friend RC around showing them the sites. That means of coarse taking them to a few favorites which includes what we call El Cap Meadow.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_bmp5317.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Here, as the air temps above warms, the air cycles in the valley and with the snow, fog forms making for some fun clicks. Simple, gorgeous, fun. Good start!
Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Jan 15, 2011 | Landscape Photography
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP52621.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
We’re back in the valley again, last time we were here was about 45 days ago. Yeah, we get here a lot. This is my 1453 visit to the valley and it is just as spectacular today as it was the very first time I hiked down to it from Little Yosemite Valley back in 1971. Photographically…..
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP52651.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
It’s probably one of the more fascinating and challenging locations for me since I am here so much. So when I get here, the first thing I do is just click to get the mind flowing. It’s hard at times because even doing this, what I see in the viewfinder I have seen before. The falls for example, this is the standard, from the lodge road shot. The snow, I have that in the front yard. And you know what, they never grow old. I just wanna improve on the last. It will be my personal challenge of the week. Stay tuned.
Photos by D3x, 70-200VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
