Oct 11, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
Saturday came and went and the images started to pile up. Despite continuing bald skies the photography just kept getting better and better. It’s now Sunday night and we’re home and I have 1800 images to select from and finish in an attempt to get caught up. So I’ll start with this.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1789.swf, 444, 585 [/swf]
We headed up to Bristlecone Pine for the afternoon and evening and were treated to a royal light show. We were working at 11,285 in altitude and just lovin it! To make this shot, I did a 7image HDR composite and to get the starburt, shot closed down all the way. This is the worst of the images I came back with from the afternoon. Sure didn’t expect the photography to be this hot with bald skies. There is mtc
Photo captured by D3x, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
Oct 10, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
What can I say, the magic wore out, karma used up, weather gods didn’t want to play. whatever it was, the morning just didn’t have any drama. Not that it’s a particular horrible thing because we were still in a gorgeous place. Took the gang to a favorite haunt of mine, one few get to and they enjoyed it so it was rewarding very much so in those regards.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1604.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
My small victory this morning was cheating the wind of taking away the one subject that was working, the blooming Rabbit Brush. The only tool I know of combating the wind is shutter speed. But when it’s dark and you want DOF, shutter speed is really on the skinny side. Well, I wondered to myself if I used the PC-E correctly for a change, could I tilt the lens enough to pull DOF while shooting at f/2.8 which permitted the fastest possible shutter speed (no, I don’t raise ISO to solve the problem).
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1677.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
I was quite pleased to see that I could. The top photo was shot at f/2.8 & 4 degrees of tilt (pretty impressive range of DOF) and the bottom image shot at f2.8 with 4 degrees of tilt. And both are sharp, no blossom blur from the wind. Something to stick in the back of my mind for future use. That’s actually the bigger challenge, remembering what I learned.
Photos captured by D3x, 24PC-E / 85PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film
Oct 9, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
The afternoon was one of those classic Eastern Sierra days, warm sun, clear skies and the sleepies on the breeze. So we took a drive and the gang was introduced to some parts of California none knew existed. We then headed up a canyon that is not well known either and we played with the Aspens. The snow of last week sent the trees into fall color mode only to be hit by a heat wave so the leaves are just turning brown rather than any show. Despite this, the elegant trunks against the Sierra gray granite made for a ton of great photography. Enjoy.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1411.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1425.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1482.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1522.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1537.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1586.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1569.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Photos captured by D3x 70-300VR / 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
Oct 9, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
The radar picture was clear when I went to bed, it was clear when I awoke, it was going to be a bald sky morning. If landscape photography weren’t a challenge enough, we had this to deal with as well. We’re so lucky here on the Eastside to have a great place for just such a morning, Convict Lake.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1295.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Before the sun is even close to making an appearance the light starts to bounce around in the massive bowl. Shooting at -2, photo opps abound when you think in a more graphic style of shooting. This is when symmetry comes into play and probably when I chimp a lot. I tend to have the image on the monitor and stare at it just to be sure I like how all is aligned.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1339.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Then once the light does hit the top of Mt Morrison, the color is as one of our adventurers put it, spiritual. The intensity in the color is from the underexposure and nothing else. It doesn’t last long but it’s long enough. We ‘re heading south today to explore some more of the East Side. I’ll be blogging through the weekend to keep you informed and inspired.
Photos captured by D3x, 85PC-E, 24PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film
Oct 9, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
The afternoon found my favorite, bald skies, staring us in the face. Decided to take the gang to a special place, an old mine up in the hills. You’ve seen many images from here over the years as I often take photographers up to the old site. Why? It’s a bloody challenge! As soon as you walk in you just know there are images all around, they just tend to not be in the viewfinder. I’ve made a couple of favorites here though so the challenge keeps calling me back. I knew this image was here, today though I found it in the viewfinder
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1121.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
It’s an screened, outside cooler for pies and cakes (must have smelled great). The black tar paper is just about everywhere so not including it is not an option. Making it something is the challenge and the light this afternoon along with the weathered warmth of the wood just clicked for me.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1139.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
I like both images though they are totally different. I think one is stronger than the other, just don’t know which one, yet.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1166.swf, 444, 585 [/swf]
A monkey could have found this last image so the moose fell into it easily. It was a good day!
Photos captured by D3x, 85PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film.
Oct 8, 2009 | Landscape Photography, Moose Adventures
It was one of those mornings for me when 1+1=2 and 2 was the right answer for the day. After a solid, productive shoot at Mono Lake, as McNally would say, we heard the call of the wild pancake. After breakfast the light was getting had so perfect time to hit the falls. Up the hill we went and we were rewarded with a couple of hours of sweet photography.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1008.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
I was just starting to get in the grove when I came up to this subject. The nasty highlights on the left just wouldn’t leave though the cool light on the right was fading. I’m already shooting at f/32, ISO L.1 and polarizer attached to get the blurred effect I want. Normally I would just dial in exposure compensation and be done with them, but what’s the problem with the solution? Yeap, you got it, it would increase my shutter speed making it faster and the water sharper. That’s not a solution.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1005.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
So what was the solution? I’m so proud of myself to think of this. I used a 2 stop screw-in neutral density filter and rotated it so it basically darkened the left side while not effecting the right side. of the image That’s such an obvious solution and when I actually think of those right at the time I need them and not after I’m putting the tripod in the trunk, I’m proud of myself.
Photos captured by D3x, 45PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film
