Bryce

Back From Acadia

by RR Jr on August 4, 2009

Somes Sound

(Canon 1DS MK III, EF70-200 f/2.8L IS) 70mm, 1/320 sec at f/11, ISO 200

I’m finally back from my extended camping trip to Maine and Acadia National Park. Although the weather was quite “wet” to say the least, it was a great trip both in terms of family time and photography. I’m quite fortunate in the sense that I try to include my family in as much of my travel as possible, and though it makes for very long and exhausting days, I wouldn’t trade the benefits for anything. While Brenda and Bryce don’t come out with me for sunrise , the rest of the days is always fun while I juggle shooting both nature and them. It provides a very good opportunity for stock images of people in the landscape, and I also get creative direction from Bryce who now points out when I may be photographing something “boring”.

Over the next few days I’ll be posting some of my favorite images and how I made them, as well as an article on my mobile setup which should be ready next week. All did not work as planned on this trip including a drive failure, but thankfully no images were lost due to having multiple backups, and I’ll cover my backup strategies as well. As always your feedback is appreciated.

Biking in Acadia

(Canon 5D, EF24-105mm f/4L IS) 24mm, 1/2 sec at f/22, ISO 100

This image of my son Bryce was created completely in camera without any post-processing except for basic adjustments in Lightroom. While it was very tricky to execute, it was fairly straight forward. I basically followed him on my bike while I held my camera in one hand and the handlebars with the other. The hard part was limiting the amount of light so that I could the get the required shutter speed in order to show motion, while at the same time keeping him in focus. I knew about .5 sec would do the trick, so it was just a matter of getting him to stay in a straight line at the right speed (“…slow down Bryce, you’re gonna get me killed!!!”). About 15 shots later, I had a keeper, and a life-long memory.

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A Self-Assignment At The Mohonk Preserve

by RR Jr on April 27, 2009

Following up on my last post about editing and the fine line that separates a good image from a great image, I thought it would be helpful to share some of my own experiences with a recent “self-assignment”. By this I mean my own personal project, which I highly recommend as a learning tool (I often have several projects going on at the same time).

I was recently asked by the Mohonk Preserve here in New York if I would be able to donate another print for their annual fundraiser held in June. This area, also know as the Shawangunks, has been designated by The Nature Conservancy as one of the “75 Last Great Places on Earth”, and certainly one of my favorite locations for photography, mountain biking, and hiking. I’ve been visiting since 1996, and never get tired of exploring its varied terrain and hiking trails. Needless to say, just as I did last year, I agreed to donate canvas print.

Though I have many images of Mohonk to choose from, I decided I would try to capture something new for the auction, and hence the self-assignment was born. Given the size of the location, and the small amount of time I have to work with, I narrowed it down to a specific composition. You might be wondering why would I limit myself this way. Well, in addition to the reasons I mentioned above, I think it actually helps me in several ways. First, by narrowing my focus, I can really fine-tune my efforts without the distractions of another location or scene. Second, it gives me a better chance of getting “lucky” with regards to weather and timing since I’ve eliminated many variables, and left only those that can have the potential to produce the photograph I’m after.

So far I have a made a few attempts, and the image above is the closest representation to what I originally had in mind. It shows not only the expansive ridge in the background, but what I think are the defining features of the Shawangunks, pitch pines atop the beautiful conglomerate rock with its eroded jagged cliffs and small narrow canyons. It also moves the eye from foreground to background in several ways,adding depth and interest for the viewer. While I’m very happy with this image, there is still something missing for me, and that is the quality of light. Finding that light is so difficult, but when it happens, it can add that magic touch to an image that brings the emotion to the forefront like no other aspect of a landscape can. It can transform an image that is perhaps 99% done to 1000%, and that’s where the patience and perseverance comes into the equation.

Will I manage to find that last 1% in time for the auction, or ever? I don’t know, and it is a risky and potentially frustrating proposition, but I’ll give it my best effort and keep you updated in the weeks to come. I’ve been visiting as often as possible, and my son has also joined me to help with his own “meditation.” Stay tuned…