Orchid Collection on Black

 

These were all photographed with a black cloth held behind the flower to focus on the shape and form of each Orchid.  An external flash was fired to illuminate the tiniest details, and a small aperture was selected to create enough depth of field to keep the entire subject in focus.  Slower shutter speeds were generally necessary, as was a tripod.  

Like Paved Paradise Blues

"You pave paradise, put up a parking lot." - Joni Mitchell from the song Big Yellow Taxi

It was approximately 20 minutes before sunrise when my eyes adjusted to the blue light of dawn.  There within the uneven edges of crumbling pavement I gazed into a grimy puddle and searched for an answer. Is there a photo here, or am I overreaching?  It's in this reflection that I notice the billowing clouds in large painterly strokes with slivers of contrasty daylight. A large tree looms in the still air interrupted only by the chatter of Starlings and the click of my shutter. Several miles of nature trail stretches ahead of me, but I'm here in the parking lot about 20 fee from my car photographing this scene with the same diligence as I would a sprawling waterfall. 

There will be other mornings with cheerful scenes and colorful flowers.  Those are easy to photography, and look great hanging on a wall.  Yet, the truth is, nature like life, is rarely so picture perfect, and the shadows need to be explored as well.  Sometimes it takes the camera and lens to understand what we are really looking at.  

Bend or Break

I found these trees surrounding a nearby bay and noticed how each one seemed to arc in the same direction, almost as if they were protecting themselves from the off-shore winds.  These trees, like many objects in nature, seem to understand the need to bend or risk breaking. In our own personal and professional lives, this can be a challenge as well.  We are often confronted with new demands that require tough decision making and creative problem solving.  Some situations require rigidity, while others benefit from a bit of flexibility.   Those that refuse to budge just may get uprooted. In fact, there are numerous examples of entrepreneurs who made terrible decisions due to narrow tunnel vision. I prefer to stay grounded, listen, and keep my options open.  As Tom Hanks said at the end of Castaway, "Who knows what the tide could bring?"

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite

I just rolled out the new look for this website and blog with an emphasize on simple, clean design that allows the emphasis to be on the larger images.  The white background also makes the text easier on the eyes.  To get things started, here is a classic scene from Yosemite converted to Black and White using CS5.  

Also, please check back soon for the full 2012 photo workshop schedule which is being finalized now.  Thanks!

 

 Happy New Year!

More Autumn Scenes from the Woods of Harriman State Park, NY

I listed the camera settings below each image so you can see the tech details.  As you'll see, a slow shutter speed was key to show the motion of the water, and a small aperture was preferable to achieve great depth of field.  All were taken with a Canon 40D and a 17-40mm wide angle zoom mounted to a tripod.  I used a circular polarizer for the top two images to increase saturation and cut the glare from the water.  

 

Camera settings: f13, 1.3 seconds, ISO 250

Camera settings: f14, 1 second, ISO 250 

Camera settings: f14, 1/4 sec, ISO 250

Here's what one of the workshop participants had to say about the shoot:

"Chris, just wanted to thank you for the Fall Foliage Workshop. I learned so much in such a short time about both the operation of my camera and how to best take photos. I came home with some beautiful photos; some family members have already asked me to print out copies for them to frame. Once I get a chance, I will upload them online and send you the link. Being such a novice I was a little hesitant at first but your style and manner made learning extremely easy (kudos to Sue also for scouting out some wonderful spots) . I look forward to more workshops. Last night I even tried shooting some shots at my son's game using entirely manual mode. Thanks again." - Peter

 If you'd like to be notified of upcoming photo workshops in your area, just send me an email with your city & state.  

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Vivid Display of Fall Color at Harriman State Park

I had never seen red grass before this glorious morning at Harriman State Park.  This was the first scene we stopped to shoot at my 2011 Fall Foliage Workshop.  The sun was about to rise and a low lying layer of fog rolled into the scene.  Thanks to all who came out for a terrific shoot!  We had ideal conditions and came home with hundreds of colorful photos.  More to come...

 

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Thinking About Long Lens Landscapes

If you've been reading this blog for a while now, you know one of my favorite lenses is the Canon 17-40 f4.  I use it for street photography, landscapes, and more.  Sometimes I like to mix things up and work for a different look.  As such, I've been thinking a lot about long lens landscapes.  Generally, scenic photos taken with a 70-200mm or longer.  The narrower area of attention requires a different approach than those sweeping scenics we've all become accustomed to shooting.  Here are a few that work to emphasize lines, shapes, and pattern.  For more on long lens landscapes, check out this terrific read by Bret Edge.

 

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Elk Grazing in the Brilliant Light of Morning

I found this Elk grazing near a playground in the Canadian Rockies.  It was a brisk morning, and the sun rose over my shoulder casting a warm light onto the bucks impressive antlers.  I used a 400mm lens at f5.6 to keep a safe distance.  Of course I took plenty of full body shots, but this one unique frame really stands out due to the play of light and shadow.  The vertical orientation of the frame accentuates the long neck of this powerful creature.  

 

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Sweet View, Great Smoky Mountains

  

A sweeping view of the Great Smoky Mountains at sunset, Clingmans Dome, Tennessee. 

I've been thinking a lot about long lens landscapes lately, and found a terrific read here.  For this particular image, I used a medium telephoto lens of 70-200 @ 125mm.  The greater focal length helped to bring attention to the sweeping patterns of the mountain range while eliminating unneccesary distractions. Camera settings were as follows: f16 for maximum depth of field, 1/2" shutter, ISO 100, tripod mounted.  

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Shadowy Glacier, Canadian Rockies

 

I'll always remember this particular morning as our coldest camping experience ever.  Since the Canadian Rockies are so far north, summer days are long with the sun rising very early (about 5:45am).  In order to catch the golden light, I set the battery powered alarm for 4:15am and went to sleep in the warm sleeping bag.  

Six hours later the alarm chimed, and I quickly sat up to kill the beeping.  The frigid mountain air immediately surrounded me and I pondered going back to sleep.  I remembered my rule, "no decision making first thing in the morning."  As I'm waving the flashlight around Sue groggily says "do you really want to do this."  I tentatively confirm and we start getting ready in record time to keep warm.  Within 10 minutes we were dressed and in the car with the heat blasting on our slowly thawing digits.  

We drove deep into the mountains and found a sign for a trailhead.  The sun had yet to rise so we hiked at a brisk pace to keep our body temperature up.  Suddenly we came upon a beautiful glacier and I made this photo as the first light of day kissed the top of the peak and ice.  You could see exactly where the glacier ended, something I'd never imagine could happen.  The golden glow of morning mixed with the shadows making for a moody photo.  

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