Archive for the ‘Landscape’ Category
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Here we are in 2012. Already. It doesn’t seem like a year ago that we ushered in 2011, but calendars don’t lie. 2011 was an interesting year for me. I spent more time in the office building my business and less time in the field doing what we all love to do – photography. As I culled through images made in the past year it quickly became evident that I didn’t get out enough. I live in Moab, for God’s sake. Arches and Canyonlands are in my backyard. There is no legitimate excuse to not be out exploring this beautiful landscape more often. So, in 2012, I resolve to do just that. I’ll spend more time making images and less time marketing them. Not too much less, because I do still need to pay the bills.
Every year I squeeze in a few big trips, consisting of a couple weeks each, to locations throughout the western United States. Looking back on all the photos from our 2011 adventures brought back some wonderful memories. We celebrated my son Jackson’s second birthday at a campground in Death Valley, ate dinner by a campfire on the beach in Cape Kiwanda, summited a 14′er in Colorado (Jackson’s first!) and spent Thanksgiving week exploring Valley of Fire in Nevada. No doubt, I am a lucky man.
The images I’ve chosen to share as my favorites aren’t necessarily my best. One photo was five years in the making, another has tremendous emotional appeal, a couple I just really like and some were made in a place I’m now obsessed with and can’t wait to visit again. If I were assembling a 2011 portfolio to present to an art buyer only a couple of these would make the cut. The important thing is that these images mean something to me. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Slot Canyon & River Rock, Nevada
I found this slot canyon by chance while wandering around Valley of Fire State Park one morning following a sunrise shoot. I was struck by the contrast of warm, colorful sandstone walls and the cool blue river rock in the mud on the canyon floor as well as the three dimensional feeling created by the wide angle lens and striations in the rock. It’s a short canyon but easily one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.
Wildflowers and Storm Clouds in American Basin, Colorado
American Basin may be over-photographed but it’s still one of my all-time favorite alpine locations. The summer wildflower display is obnoxious in a very good way. We camped not ten minutes from where this image was made, in a tent on the roof of my FJ Cruiser. The next morning we summited Handies Peak with my son, Jackson. He was 2. And he knocked off a 14′er. Okay, so I carried him but still, how cool is that?
Storm Clouds Over Rock Point, Colorado
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park plays second fiddle to the nearby San Juan Mountains, which means you’re less likely to find yourself in a crowd. We visited the park for the first time in 2011 and I became enamored with the sheer beauty and ruggedness of the canyon. On this afternoon a breaking storm created dynamic conditions for photography. I was in the right place at the right time when a sliver of light shone through clouds on to the foreground ridge, lasting only a minute or two. These ethereal moments in nature are what we photographers are privileged to witness while the rest of mankind seeks shelter from the storm.
Pothole and Sandstone Buttes at Sunset, Utah
Made semi-famous by Moab photographer Tom Till, this large pothole with an impressive view of a slickrock wonderland has been on my list of places to photograph since moving to the area almost six years ago. It took a while to find it and even longer to wait for the right conditions (great light, good clouds, pothole full of water). In 2011 everything came together and I was able to make the image that had nagged at me for years.
Haystack Rock from McPhillips Beach, Oregon
The charming little town of Pacific City is home to Cape Kiwanda State Park and McPhillips Beach, sort of a local’s beach not commonly visited by the throngs of summer tourists. We discovered it by accident on our trip along the coast last June. Nearly vacant, it’s a beautiful little beach with some interesting basalt (I think?) rock formations that nicely frame Haystack Rock in the distance. I spent a couple hours photographing here before retiring to hang out with my family, running away from incoming waves and finally, dinner on the sand next to a roaring bonfire. It couldn’t have been a more perfect end to a more perfect day.
Cottonwood Trunks and Evergreens, Wyoming
I made this image during a short break while leading a workshop in the Tetons last autumn. Cottonwood trees have such beautifully textured trunks and their autumn leaves rival those of the stately aspen with regard to color intensity. Here I loved how the darker evergreen trees contrasts with the autumn grasses & leaves, and the bold patterns of the cottonwood trunks.
Sunrise Sky and Rock of Gibraltar II, Nevada
I’m having an affair. There, I said it. I’m in love with Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. I can’t get enough of the place. Luckily, my wife knows and even approves of this affair. On our last visit we hiked out to Fire Wave for sunset. While I was impressed with Fire Wave I was more taken by the Rock of Gibraltar and this massive expanse of wonderfully striated sandstone. I came back for sunrise the next morning. You can imagine my excitement when the sky exploded in color right at sunrise. Of all the images I made in 2011 this one may well be my absolute favorite.
The Sunflower Experiment, Utah
The Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve just outside Moab is a quiet little sanctuary that seems to catch on fire all too often. The last wildfire that ripped through was the most devastating. Driving by one day I noticed thousands of colorful wildflowers mixed in among the charred trunks. The next day I returned with my camera and made several images of the sunflowers. This was my favorite as it is something entirely different from my typical photography. It was an experiment and I was thrilled that it worked out so well.
American Basin Hiker II, Colorado
I didn’t do much adventure photography in 2011. No idea why, but I’ve resolved to do a lot more of it in 2012. I made this image en route to the summit of Handies Peak in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. My son Jackson was in a backpack on my back as I photographed Melissa crossing a creek below a beautiful sky and craggy peaks. There’s nothing I enjoy more than exploring the outdoors with my family and this image brings back wonderful memories of seeing Jackson on the summit of his first 14′er!
Storm Light at the Fiery Furnace, Utah
One stormy afternoon I took a chance and headed out to a view I’d discovered that overlooks the fins of the Fiery Furnace, Castle Valley and the distant La Sal Mountains. One of three things would happen: I’d get struck by lightning and the whole afternoon would be screwed, the storm would rage on and sunset would be a bust, or it would be epic. Lucky for me, it was epic. It was cold and windy and every once in a while a passing cloud released a torrent of horizontal rain. But right at sunset, the clouds parted and the sweetest storm light I’ve seen fell on the landscape before me. It was an amazing day to be alive!
Three Sisters Sunset, Utah
Assignments are few and far between these days, at least for me. Early in 2011 I was hired by Utah State Parks to photograph Goblin Valley State Park and the surrounding area for a guidebook they were developing. GVSP is a alien landscape, a valley filled with thousands of little hoodoos that have, in fact, stood in for Mars in several movies. One of the most famous features, the Three Sisters, sprout from the surrounding landscape. I was incredibly fortunate to witness a glorious sunset behind the Three Sisters during my time in the park.
Breaking Storm Over Kane Creek Canyon, Utah
Last year I decided to create a new photo tour titled Undiscovered Moab. As the name implies, the tour will take us to locations that are rarely, if ever, photographed. I’ve been spending a lot of time four wheeling and hiking to remote locations while scouting for the upcoming Undiscovered Moab tour (April 21-22, 2012!). On this afternoon a storm was breaking over Kane Creek Canyon, flooding the valley with dramatic storm light below a sky filled with interesting clouds. It was awesome to stand on the canyon rim in complete silence while watching this scene unfold before me.
Virga Above the Bonneville Desert, Utah
En route to Death Valley last March, my son informed us that he had to poop. When a 2 year old has to poop you don’t have time to drive around looking for a bathroom. We pulled off to the side of the interstate and Jackson did his business. When he finished I asked Melissa if I could have a few minutes to make an image of the impending storm unleashing hell on the distant mountains. Thanks to Jackson and Melissa I was able to make this image, my favorite from the entire trip, with semi’s flying by just a few feet away.
And there you have it, my favorite thirteen images from 2011. If you want to see even more “Best of 2011″ images from some of my favorite photographers, check out “A Compilation of My Favorite “Best of 2011″ Image Collections“.
Read more about Bret and get info on his workshops here.
Tags: 2011, Bret Edge, Landscape
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Thursday, January 19th, 2012
With the above average temps that we have been having here in Michigan, the stream ice is about five weeks late, but better late then never. I always look forward to shooting the ice as it is my time to shoot abstracts. I’ve mentioned in the past that the abstract don’t sell, but I like them and it’s just fun being out in the woods.
Here is a nice shot of the stream and how I set up at the edge to shoot. I use my long telephoto macro lens in the 180 range, as it will reach out farther into the stream if I need to.
My camera is the Nikon D7000.
Who is taking the pictures of me? It’s a Panasonic GH2 on a tripod with self timer set at 10 secs.
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This first image was shot in the area you see me in above.
If I’m shooting out into the ice a ways, I will be at an angle that sometimes needs a little extra depth of field, so I will set the f-stop at f/16. With all this cool details, you want to get it all in focus.
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Found another nice group of patterns.
If I can get the lens fairly parallel with the ice, I will set the f/stop at f/8.
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And here is the shot.
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There are some little trickle streams and this one has some really nice patterns.
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I like when I find bubbles.
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Just a couple more.
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Thanks for stopping by and checking out my ice abstracts of 2012.
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You can visit Mike's blog and learn about his workshops here: Tiny Landscapes
Mike's eBooks are available in the OPG store here: Mike Moats
Tags: Macro, Mike Moats, winter
Posted in Articles, Landscape, Macro | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Inspired once again by Seth Godin and a recent blog post titled “the difference between a failure and a mistake,” I wondered how I might apply it to nature photography and the issues we all struggle with in our attempt to make successful images. Of course this applies to life in general, as Seth so clearly explains, but I think it provides many paths of exploration for those of us trying to be more creative with our photography.
Casscade Mtn, Adirondacks
Cascade Mtn fails on several levels, but mostly for me it lacks a clear path for the viewers eye to travel, which translates to a weak story. A lack of textural contrast makes the image rather busy, and the light in the background competes with the details in the foreground. I was experimenting with trying to omit the sky and horizon in order to create a lack of perspective, but it didn’t quite work out as envisioned.
As a workshop instructor, I work hard on trying to help students get beyond whatever is limiting their potential. Unfortunately the majority of reasons are due to mistakes and less often to failures. My goal is to reverse this and promote failure as a way to learning. Certainly I don’t want students strictly to fail as that would be rather frustrating and demoralizing in the long run. Who wants to come away from a workshop having only failed at their attempts?
What I mean is that by promoting failure as part of the process of succeeding, I can inspire students to take chances, try new things, and hopefully help them become more creative, successful photographers. It is so easy these days to stick to the tried and true, and get the predictable approval of those who view our images. But approval is not necessarily what we want as photographers if you want to stand out from the millions in the crowd. I much prefer making images that elicit a response or reaction, positive or negative, that keeps a viewer thinking about an image.
Partition Arch, Utah
Partition Arch was an attempt to bring together several elements in a harmonious composition, but doesn’t quite succeed. I was attracted to all of the various lines and how I would get them all to work together. Trying to balance the small trees in the foreground with the rest of the scene proved difficult once I started to work with my camera, and that is a good sign that what I’m feeling isn’t going to translate well to a photograph. I also couldn’t quite get the sky under control, and I feel it dominates the overall balance of the image.
My wife says that she knows if a she really liked a movie if she is still thinking about it a day or two after watching it. I think we can use the same relative comparison in photography. I will often make a sale a few days after an art show because the buyer couldn’t stop thinking about a particular image. And almost always these images are ones I took a chance on and pushed my comfort zone. Perhaps a new perspective or composition, a location I have visited hundreds of times, or a lighting situation that has almost always led to failure in the past. Sure there have many more failures that successes, but what it taught me was worth the effort, and has led to insights I would not have experienced otherwise.
The common issues I see students struggling with usually have more to do with mistakes than with failures. Here are some common ones: lack of sharpness due to a multitude of mistakes ranging from a) improper focusing, b) wrong use of hyperfocal distance, c) improper aperture, or other common issues such as a) not eliminating distractions, b) not being aware of contrast limits, c) wrong lens choices.
These can all be corrected in so far as they do not become mistakes that are repeated. Failures however involve an understanding of these mistakes, and then breaking the rules in order to attempt something new and interesting. For example, using a narrow depth of field in order to eliminate distractions, using extreme contrast as a way to lead the viewers eye, or using blur as a way to convey motion and rhythm in an otherwise static image.
Hudson Highlands, New York
Hudson Highlands tries to blend both a strong foreground and depth in the background to convey the sense of surprise and mystery I felt on this summer day day while hiking along the Hudson River. I like strong and bold foreground elements, and I’m constantly trying find ways to create both visually compelling compositions that also feel fresh and different on some level – almost like using different instruments in an orchestra to play the same melody. Somehow the tree in this foreground dominates in a way that does not complement the image overall, as the tension created is too great for the feeling I wanted to convey. I tried several different compositions, but it never felt quite “right” when I reviewed the images back home. The small trees in the foreground disrupt the rhythm I was after, even though the attempt was to minimize them by trying to emphasize the larger trees on the left.
Sometimes it is not so easy to differentiate between a failure and a mistake when we’re trying to be creative. That’s where practice becomes a mandatory part of the process. I have spent weeks shooting the same tree in my backyard just to learn the characteristics of every lens I own, or to master the cameras controls so that I can make adjustments instinctively. This way the mistakes become less frequent, and the failures become a way of improving my technique and my vision.
Here’s the thing, the best part of all of this seemingly depressing and frustrating work is that the you will experience successes, more than you will remember the failures. Each success outweighs the many failures by an exponential factor. I see them not only as positive rewards, but together with the failures as part of the journey we call creative photography. So go ahead and fail, because it will lead to insights you will not gain any other way. Those who view and enjoy your work will only remember the successes.
Beacon Light, Hudson Valley
As I mentioned above, I’m constantly trying to find variations on similar compositional themes, and here it works to my liking. Balance between the two dominant trees and the rest of the trees feels rhythmic and harmonious, the strong green color in the foreground is contrasted by the subtle blue of the sky in the distance and creates a pleasing diagonal, and the light adds the drama in a controlled manner that doesn’t over power the details. I can’t help describing these elements in musical terms, perhaps because they are ingrained in my psyche and influence the way I see the world. Hopefully you can appreciate these ideas and incorporate them into your views and feelings about your favorite subjects.
Thanks as always for reading, and feel free to share your opinions and questions about your failures and successes in photography.
Check out Robert's website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: Adirondacks, arches national park, Hudson Valley, landscapes
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Thursday, October 13th, 2011
Nothing in nature is permanent and I know that. Still, when I arrived at Skyline Arch on Tuesday to introduce some guided clients to my favorite spooky old tree in the entire Moab area, my heart sank. Lying on the ground next to the trail was The Tree. It wasn’t standing defiantly against the ages, its weathered limbs guarding access to Skyline Arch. No, it was on its side, clearly dragged off the trail with broken branches scattered about the red dirt like bleached, gray bones. No dignity, no respect at all.
I don’t know what I expected to happen to The Tree when its roots no longer dug deep enough into the earth to anchor it securely against the elements. Frankly, I don’t think I ever imagined I would live to see it fall. Over the years, The Tree and I developed a relationship. I’d show up once in a while with the goal of creating an incredible image and The Tree would laugh at me, sending me away dejected each time. The photo above is my best attempt at a portrait of this beautiful but curmudgeonly old companion. Not bad, but certainly not the exquisite piece of art I’d envisioned.
Last fall I took my wife and son to visit The Tree. We brought a picnic dinner, which we ate right underneath its curious watch. I brought my camera and tripod, hoping The Tree would be so kind as to give me a break. I enjoyed the process of setting up a composition with the help of my son, who insisted on pressing the shutter button for me. I moved left, right, back and forward. I zoomed in, I zoomed out. I got down low and up high. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. The Tree wasn’t having any of my and my son’s monkey business.
Not long ago I decided to photograph The Tree at night. I would arrive before sunset, set up the shot, and wait for darkness to come. Then, I would use a flash to illuminate the tree during a long exposure that would reveal a million stars sparkling in the night sky. Surely, that would be the image I’d desired for so long. As is all too often the case, life got in the way and I never made it out to Skyline Arch. I’ll never know whether I’d have been successful. Most likely, I’d have walked away crestfallen with the The Tree snickering behind my back as I retreated to the comfort of my truck.
I’ll miss The Tree. I won’t know what might have been. But therein lies a lesson that goes much deeper than simply making a photograph: nothing lasts forever and it’s up to us to make sure we don’t put off doing something today we may not be able to do tomorrow. I think this fall my family and I will pack up a picnic dinner and head out to Skyline Arch, where we’ll sit with the remains of The Tree and reminisce about the most beautiful old tree in all of Moab.
RIP – The Tree: ???? to 2011
Read more about Bret and get info on his workshops here.
Tags: arches national park photography, Bret Edge, moab photography
Posted in Commentary, Landscape | No Comments »
Friday, September 30th, 2011
Autumn is coming soon to a region near you! We wanted to pull together a few examples for inspiration – and some tips to help you make the most of your time in the field.
This image taken from top of Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga National Park. We arrived just before sunrise, and Varina used a wide angle lens to capture the color in the sky before it faded. She bracketed the shot in order to capture the entire dynamic range, and then used our manual iHDR technique to combine three images.
Overcast skies are common this time of year, and they provide soft, even lighting – which is ideal for back-lighting fall leaves. Soft directional lighting lets the leaves glow without leaving them overexposed. Jay took this photograph off-trail at Liberty Park.
While enjoying the fall colors, don’t forget to notice the small details. Varina found these pretty leaves beside the trail. She stacked them to show the brilliant hues side by side. If you are shooting small details in bright sun, use a diffuser to soften the light.
We try to make the most of reflections at any time of year, but in the fall, they can be particularly beautiful. In this photograph from last year, Jay used the calm waters of Maroon Lake in Colorado to capture the reflection of the fall colors on the mountains. Jay choose NOT to use his circular polarizer filter because it would have minimized the reflections of the mountains and clouds.
And finally, make the most of Autumn’s beautiful skies! Changing weather conditions can mean quickly-changing skies. When the clouds put on a show, make sure you are ready to capture breathtaking fall color juxtaposed with dramatic skies!
Tips for Photographing Falls Colors
- Fall colors are easiest to photograph under a thin, even cloud cover. This provides soft overcast light that helps balance out the highlight and shadows. Soft, morning or evening light is beautiful as well – but controlling the dynamic range can be difficult.
- Don’t forget to notice the details – pay attention to water droplets on leaves, and the texture of bark on the trees.
- Use a circular polarizer to reduce scattered light and enhance Fall colors. This is especially effective when you are photographing wet leaves.
- When necessary, use a GND filter to balance the light. This will bring out the details in every part of the image.
- Look for reflections to enhance the colors of the fall images. Don’t use a circular polarizer when you are trying to capture reflections.
Jay Patel, with his wife Varina, are professional nature photographers and are frequent contributors at Naturephotographers.net. To see more of Varina's work, visit her website at photographybyvarina.com. Jay's website is here: jaypatelphotography.com.
Tags: autumn, fall, landscape photography, photography tips, Tutorials
Posted in Creativity, Landscape, Tips and Tricks | No Comments »
Monday, September 19th, 2011
Note: if you are in the Louisville area Monday October 3, come see Steve Gettle speak at a free OPG/SmugMug event! Details here.
Due to the fact that I had shows scheduled on the weekends when Michigan’s upper peninsula’s fall color is at its peak, I really thought I wouldn’t be able to do any shooting up there this year. Luckily, I caught a break as we had an unusually wet summer and a very mild early fall. The color was a week late this year, so I was able to take a few days and go up and work fall color.
We struggled a little with the weather because we had bright sunny, windy days. We did however manage to get some shots, but we worked hard for what we got. I say “we” because I traveled up with two good friends. Nature photography is often a solo endeavor, and I really enjoy that part of it. While I enjoy being alone in the wilderness with my thoughts and chosen subjects, it is also very nice to be able to share these experiences with good friends. The friendships and camaraderie I have developed with other photographers as we traveled the beautiful spots of the world is very special to me. I would say in my travels I have met hundreds, no, probably thousands of nature photographers, and as a group they are some of the nicest people I know.
Here are a few fall images from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. These first few images are a theme that I am often on the lookout for as I work fall color. In these images I am shooting a small section of a stream that is in the shade, with the water reflecting fall color that is fully lit by the sun. What is nice about working this subject is that it is usually something that can be done in the middle of a bright sunny day, when my gear would usually be packed up and I would be scouting evening locations.
This next shot was created using a much slower shutter speed in an attempt to call attention to the quite water captured in the rock’s crevice.
The following image is another subject you can work when the wind is blowing. This image shows crimson blueberry leaves with a couple of fern fronds. Because these plants grow close to the ground they are not blown by the wind as much as taller foliage.
On the final day we did get a morning with nice light and calm winds and I was able to make this next image.
Browse Steve’s images, read his blog, and learn about his workshops at his site www.stevegettle.com
Tags: fall, Michigan, Steve Gettle
Posted in Articles, Landscape, Vision | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
If you spend enough time out in mother nature, she will occasionally come up with some cool stuff. I’m always on the look out for those unique opportunity to capture something special.
I was shooting ice abstracts on Stony Creek Lake, and found this outline of a ducks head in the ice.
I saw this face, two eyes and a nose in a flowing river. Some say the nose could be a trunk of an elephant.
In a gorge of upstate NY I found this heart carved in the gorge floor. Don’t know if it was man made or natural.
Here I am trapped in these bubbles shot at the edge of a small stream, bubbles created from a small waterfall.
We have all seen faces in tree trunks, rock walls, etc, look for cool stuff like this when you are out in the field.
You can visit Mike's blog and learn about his workshops here: Tiny Landscapes
Mike's eBooks are available in the OPG store here: Mike Moats
Tags: Macro, Mike Moats, Nature
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Friday, September 9th, 2011
"Hurricane Hal," formerly known as Bull Schmitt from the Light Photographic Workshops, is here in Croton on Hudson, New York shooting with me - because Hurricane Irene washed out his B&H seminar.
Today we photographed waterfalls - large and small. Here are a few tips, from Hurricane Hal and me, for capturing the beauty of flowing water.
• Use a tripod - to steady your camera during long exposures.
• Shoot at 1 second or more to blur moving water.
• Pack a ND (Neutral Density) filter, which will let you shoot at slow shutter speeds in bright light.
• A polarizing filter can also reduce the amount of light entering the lens.
• Use your camera's self-timer or a cable release to avoid camera shake during a long exposure.
• Check your histogram to check your exposure.
• Bring a lens cloth to keep your lens clean.
• Use Live View to check your scene - composition, focus and exposure. Zoom in for precise focus.
Hurricane Hal and I hope to see you at the California Photo Fest in October in California.
Explore the light,
Rick
Explore all things Rick Sammon at www.ricksammon.info.
Tags: Rick Sammon, Tips and Tricks, waterfalls
Posted in Creativity, Landscape, Quick Tip, Tips and Tricks | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
 Here’s a common question: How many shots do you take on location?
I generally shoot lots of images – but as I shoot, I delete the ones that aren’t worth keeping. Let me walk you through a typical morning shoot.
I’m up bright and early, ready to shoot. Here I am at Graveyard Flats in Banff National Park (Alberta, Canada). Lovely mist is rising, and the world looks positively blue. The sun isn’t up yet, so I set up my camera for a long exposure. I take my first shot… maybe it’s a little underexposed, so I take another to correct the damage. I will compare the two images, and then delete one of them. I might take another shot or two from a different angle. But each time I shoot, I compare the tiny image on my monitor, check the histogram, maybe even zoom in to check the focus… and delete any image that isn’t quite right. When I get home, I choose the one that looks the best and delete the others after I’ve processed. (ISO 100, 20 seconds at f/7.1)
The light changes as the sun nears the horizon, and I want a shot that shows the strange landscape surrounding the lake. So, I set up my tripod for another shot. I follow the same steps, and I’ll pay close attention to my histogram. I need to make sure that I’m capturing the entire range of light as the sky gets brighter… and that my shadows aren’t too dark. The histogram shows me that I need just one image for this photo – but I take two anyway… one a little brighter than the other, just to make sure. In the end, I don’t need that brighter shot, so after processing, I delete it.
While I’m waiting for the sunrise, I try out a couple of compositions. This one survives because of the mist still hanging around the mountain, and the appealing curve of the lake… but I’m hoping for something better.
Now the sun is rising over my left shoulder. I’ve been waiting for the sun to light up the top of the mountain because I want to capture its reflection in the lake. My tripod is already set up with one leg in the water at the edge of the lake. I’ve found these interesting stones that make appealing foreground objects, and I have my camera set up low and as close as possible. I’m glad to see a little bit of mist still hovering at the base of the mountains, and although the sky is clearing, I still have some pretty little clouds hanging over my mountain.
At this point, I might have 10 or 15 shots from this location. A few bracketed images, a couple of different angles and compositions, and shots from different times. When I get home, I’ll pull the images off my card and compare them at a larger size. In this case, I end up processing four images. And then, I take this last shot and convert it to black and white. Everything I haven’t used gets deleted. In the end, the file for Graveyard flats contains 9 files… four RAW, 4 processed color tifs, and a black and white tif.
Five processed shots. Typically, just one will end up on my website - and the rest will never see the light of day… unless someone asks specifically for an image from this location.
I know so many photographers who shoot thousands of images at each location – and if that’s what works for you, by all means, keep doing it! For me, the problem with that approach is that I can’t process all those photos. So, if I shoot and keep that many, most will never get any attention. Worse – the good ones get lost in amongst the junk. On an average day, I’ll leave a location with 2 to 5 images (maybe as many as 20 if I’m bracketing). Even if I visit several locations in a single day – and get great skies all day long – I won’t end up with more images than I can handle.
So the question is this… how hard is it for you to delete photos as you shoot? I know lots of photographers who won’t delete anything until they see the image at full size on a good monitor… and others who don’t delete at all. Ever.
Do you come home with 50 shots? Or 5000?
Varina Patel, with her husband Jay, are professional nature photographers and are frequent contributors at Naturephotographers.net. To see more of Varina's work, visit her website at photographybyvarina.com. Jay's website is here: jaypatelphotography.com.
Tags: canada, Jay Patel, Varina Patel
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Monday, August 22nd, 2011
How often do you see photos posted in online forums or hanging in a gallery, accompanied by a description wherein the photographer recounts the miles hiked, grizzly bears fought off, violent storms encountered and years of preparation before they were finally able to create the image before you? I see it on a regular basis. Usually, I have no doubt about the authenticity of the story. Other times, the claims are a bit dubious. Regardless, a recent experience left me wondering whether the effort expended to create an image is somehow tied to the value viewers place on an image. Is a photograph made deep into an inhospitable wilderness more inherently valuable or artistic than an image where the greatest physical effort expended was simply pressing the shutter button?
The image you see above was not photographed in a wild and remote location. I didn’t backpack 30 miles wearing a 100 pound backpack in stinging rain with lightning crashing all around. No, all I did was pull to the side of I-80 so my son could go pee. I saw potential in the cracked mud, mountains and ominous sky so I casually strolled to my truck (in flip flops) where I reached in, grabbed my camera and tripod, then walked 30 feet to the very spot where this image was made. My biggest challenge was wrangling a persistent 2 year old who was intent on peering through the viewfinder and making his own photo while I tried to nail the composition before the fast moving storm in the distance was upon us.
I posted this image on flickr and, to date, it has received 793 views, 41 favorites and 21 comments after flickr added it to the explore page. If you’re familiar with flickr you’ll understand that 800 views is nothing compared to what truly popular images receive. For me, it’s a bunch. I didn’t mention that I made the photo mere feet from a busy interstate with cars and semis whizzing by at 80 MPH. I wonder if I had, would the photo have received so many likes and comments?
Read more about Bret and get info on his upcoming fall workshops here.
Tags: flickr, landscape photography
Posted in Commentary, Creativity, Landscape | 1 Comment »
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2011 – My Year in Photos by Bret Edge
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012Here we are in 2012. Already. It doesn’t seem like a year ago that we ushered in 2011, but calendars don’t lie. 2011 was an interesting year for me. I spent more time in the office building my business and less time in the field doing what we all love to do – photography. As I culled through images made in the past year it quickly became evident that I didn’t get out enough. I live in Moab, for God’s sake. Arches and Canyonlands are in my backyard. There is no legitimate excuse to not be out exploring this beautiful landscape more often. So, in 2012, I resolve to do just that. I’ll spend more time making images and less time marketing them. Not too much less, because I do still need to pay the bills.
Every year I squeeze in a few big trips, consisting of a couple weeks each, to locations throughout the western United States. Looking back on all the photos from our 2011 adventures brought back some wonderful memories. We celebrated my son Jackson’s second birthday at a campground in Death Valley, ate dinner by a campfire on the beach in Cape Kiwanda, summited a 14′er in Colorado (Jackson’s first!) and spent Thanksgiving week exploring Valley of Fire in Nevada. No doubt, I am a lucky man.
The images I’ve chosen to share as my favorites aren’t necessarily my best. One photo was five years in the making, another has tremendous emotional appeal, a couple I just really like and some were made in a place I’m now obsessed with and can’t wait to visit again. If I were assembling a 2011 portfolio to present to an art buyer only a couple of these would make the cut. The important thing is that these images mean something to me. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Slot Canyon & River Rock, Nevada
I found this slot canyon by chance while wandering around Valley of Fire State Park one morning following a sunrise shoot. I was struck by the contrast of warm, colorful sandstone walls and the cool blue river rock in the mud on the canyon floor as well as the three dimensional feeling created by the wide angle lens and striations in the rock. It’s a short canyon but easily one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.
Wildflowers and Storm Clouds in American Basin, Colorado
American Basin may be over-photographed but it’s still one of my all-time favorite alpine locations. The summer wildflower display is obnoxious in a very good way. We camped not ten minutes from where this image was made, in a tent on the roof of my FJ Cruiser. The next morning we summited Handies Peak with my son, Jackson. He was 2. And he knocked off a 14′er. Okay, so I carried him but still, how cool is that?
Storm Clouds Over Rock Point, Colorado
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park plays second fiddle to the nearby San Juan Mountains, which means you’re less likely to find yourself in a crowd. We visited the park for the first time in 2011 and I became enamored with the sheer beauty and ruggedness of the canyon. On this afternoon a breaking storm created dynamic conditions for photography. I was in the right place at the right time when a sliver of light shone through clouds on to the foreground ridge, lasting only a minute or two. These ethereal moments in nature are what we photographers are privileged to witness while the rest of mankind seeks shelter from the storm.
Pothole and Sandstone Buttes at Sunset, Utah
Made semi-famous by Moab photographer Tom Till, this large pothole with an impressive view of a slickrock wonderland has been on my list of places to photograph since moving to the area almost six years ago. It took a while to find it and even longer to wait for the right conditions (great light, good clouds, pothole full of water). In 2011 everything came together and I was able to make the image that had nagged at me for years.
Haystack Rock from McPhillips Beach, Oregon
The charming little town of Pacific City is home to Cape Kiwanda State Park and McPhillips Beach, sort of a local’s beach not commonly visited by the throngs of summer tourists. We discovered it by accident on our trip along the coast last June. Nearly vacant, it’s a beautiful little beach with some interesting basalt (I think?) rock formations that nicely frame Haystack Rock in the distance. I spent a couple hours photographing here before retiring to hang out with my family, running away from incoming waves and finally, dinner on the sand next to a roaring bonfire. It couldn’t have been a more perfect end to a more perfect day.
Cottonwood Trunks and Evergreens, Wyoming
I made this image during a short break while leading a workshop in the Tetons last autumn. Cottonwood trees have such beautifully textured trunks and their autumn leaves rival those of the stately aspen with regard to color intensity. Here I loved how the darker evergreen trees contrasts with the autumn grasses & leaves, and the bold patterns of the cottonwood trunks.
Sunrise Sky and Rock of Gibraltar II, Nevada
I’m having an affair. There, I said it. I’m in love with Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. I can’t get enough of the place. Luckily, my wife knows and even approves of this affair. On our last visit we hiked out to Fire Wave for sunset. While I was impressed with Fire Wave I was more taken by the Rock of Gibraltar and this massive expanse of wonderfully striated sandstone. I came back for sunrise the next morning. You can imagine my excitement when the sky exploded in color right at sunrise. Of all the images I made in 2011 this one may well be my absolute favorite.
The Sunflower Experiment, Utah
The Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve just outside Moab is a quiet little sanctuary that seems to catch on fire all too often. The last wildfire that ripped through was the most devastating. Driving by one day I noticed thousands of colorful wildflowers mixed in among the charred trunks. The next day I returned with my camera and made several images of the sunflowers. This was my favorite as it is something entirely different from my typical photography. It was an experiment and I was thrilled that it worked out so well.
American Basin Hiker II, Colorado
I didn’t do much adventure photography in 2011. No idea why, but I’ve resolved to do a lot more of it in 2012. I made this image en route to the summit of Handies Peak in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. My son Jackson was in a backpack on my back as I photographed Melissa crossing a creek below a beautiful sky and craggy peaks. There’s nothing I enjoy more than exploring the outdoors with my family and this image brings back wonderful memories of seeing Jackson on the summit of his first 14′er!
Storm Light at the Fiery Furnace, Utah
One stormy afternoon I took a chance and headed out to a view I’d discovered that overlooks the fins of the Fiery Furnace, Castle Valley and the distant La Sal Mountains. One of three things would happen: I’d get struck by lightning and the whole afternoon would be screwed, the storm would rage on and sunset would be a bust, or it would be epic. Lucky for me, it was epic. It was cold and windy and every once in a while a passing cloud released a torrent of horizontal rain. But right at sunset, the clouds parted and the sweetest storm light I’ve seen fell on the landscape before me. It was an amazing day to be alive!
Three Sisters Sunset, Utah
Assignments are few and far between these days, at least for me. Early in 2011 I was hired by Utah State Parks to photograph Goblin Valley State Park and the surrounding area for a guidebook they were developing. GVSP is a alien landscape, a valley filled with thousands of little hoodoos that have, in fact, stood in for Mars in several movies. One of the most famous features, the Three Sisters, sprout from the surrounding landscape. I was incredibly fortunate to witness a glorious sunset behind the Three Sisters during my time in the park.
Breaking Storm Over Kane Creek Canyon, Utah
Last year I decided to create a new photo tour titled Undiscovered Moab. As the name implies, the tour will take us to locations that are rarely, if ever, photographed. I’ve been spending a lot of time four wheeling and hiking to remote locations while scouting for the upcoming Undiscovered Moab tour (April 21-22, 2012!). On this afternoon a storm was breaking over Kane Creek Canyon, flooding the valley with dramatic storm light below a sky filled with interesting clouds. It was awesome to stand on the canyon rim in complete silence while watching this scene unfold before me.
Virga Above the Bonneville Desert, Utah
En route to Death Valley last March, my son informed us that he had to poop. When a 2 year old has to poop you don’t have time to drive around looking for a bathroom. We pulled off to the side of the interstate and Jackson did his business. When he finished I asked Melissa if I could have a few minutes to make an image of the impending storm unleashing hell on the distant mountains. Thanks to Jackson and Melissa I was able to make this image, my favorite from the entire trip, with semi’s flying by just a few feet away.
And there you have it, my favorite thirteen images from 2011. If you want to see even more “Best of 2011″ images from some of my favorite photographers, check out “A Compilation of My Favorite “Best of 2011″ Image Collections“.
Read more about Bret and get info on his workshops here.
Tags: 2011, Bret Edge, Landscape
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