Nature Light Photo

Photo of the Week – Eastern Sierra Lake

Eastern Sierra Lake

The photo of the week was taken in 2009 in mid-October along Highway 395. The first snow had fallen a few days before and the clouds were moving overhead. As they passed by, their bright white reflections showed in the lake below. I couldn’t believe how bright they looked and reflected on the lake at this altitude.

The image was taken with a Nikon D300 and Nikkor 18-70mm 35.-4.5 lens. The exposure was 1/160 of a second at f11 and an ISO of 200.

Photo of the Week – Bodie Weasel

Mountain Weasel

If you’ve been following me, you know I love Bodie, CA. The ghost town turned into a state park is one of my favorite places to visit at almost any time of year.

I was there last year in the early spring on a full day shoot at the park. I shot from sunrise to sunset. In the middle of the day, this little guy popped out from beneath the snow and started scampering around. He is a mountain weasel (Mustela altaica). It was the first time I’ve ever seen one.

I got this one good shot after working and waiting for over an hour. He would dive down between the snow and the bank and then suddenly appear somewhere else. I sat down behind a small bush, put the camera on the sticks, and waited, sitting fairly still. Eventually, he came out, posed for me, and took off across the field. Never saw him again.

The image was taken with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens with 2x teleconverter. The exposure was for 1/800 of a second at f6.3 and an ISO of 200.

Please leave comment and let me know what you think.

Photo of the Week – Valley of Fire

Taken in the Eastern Sierra near South Lake near Bishop.

Captured with a Nikon D300 and a 50mm/f1.4 lens at f8, 1/800, and an ISO 200.

Valley of Fire

Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think.

E.D.F.F.A.T.

Once in a while you might hear a photographer refer to “working a subject”. What exactly does that mean? Well, they are referring to trying to find new way to capture a different image of their subject. Every photographer should learn to work a subject, but sometimes it is hard to find new ways to do so. That is where E.D.F.F.A.T. can help out.

E.D.F.F.A.T. is the acronym for Everything, Details, Frame, Focus, Angle, and Time. Most photographers refer to it as EDFAT, and include the Frame and Focus in the same idea, but I like to include both as separate ideas for images. When trying to capture a subject, these are the five ideas that you should keep in mind to tell the whole story.

For instance, on one of  my trips to the Eastern Sierra to shoot the fall colors, I wanted to document what it was like to be in the area during fall when the colors were at their peak.

E- Everything
I documented the area.

This was shot at South Lake near Bishop. It shows the colors and the grandeur of the mountains and the clouds at the same time.

Everything

D – Details
I tried to show the details.

Here is a close-up of some of the aspen leaves as they change color.

Detail

F – Frame
I tried to get a shot that framed the scene differently than in the original Everything image.

In this image, I wanted to get the pattern of the granite in the mountains and the pattern of the fall colors as they wound their way up the slope.

Frame

F – Focus
I tried to change the focus point or depth of field.

In another image I tried to get just the leaves in the front in focus and let the view put the rest of the image together in their mind.

Focus

A – Angle
I worked to show the scene from a different angle.

In this image I used a pole to get the camera high and bring the trees, the fisherman, and the color in the background into the scene.

Angle

T – Time
I found a way to show how time passes.

By lowering the shutter speed, I was able to blur the water in the stream and show it’s movement over time.

Time

E.D.F.F.A.T.
Everything, Details, Frame, Focus, Angle,  and Time
I was able to show an entire trip’s experience with just six images.

Give it a try next time you are shooting a subject. By using those six ideas, you should be able to capture the story of your subject.

You can view more of my Eastern Sierra fall color images here.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Eastern Sierra Fall Colors – Convict Lake

Two weekends ago I traveled to the Eastern Sierra to shoot the fall colors. Again, the Aspen trees did not disappoint. Using the Sacramento Bee’s website that has an great interactive page that highlights the fall color along that part of 395, I was able to determine the best places to visit in order to maximize my shooting.

On a quick side note about the Sacramento Bee’s website, I had the opportunity to actually meet the author of the website, David Henry, at the Morro Bay Photo Expo. He is also a Canon rep, but we can’t hold that against him. He makes the trip from Sacramento to the Eastern Sierra to visit every one of the spots he reports on and he does it every weekend. He is a very nice guy, if you get the chance to meet him, you are lucky. The photography world needs more people willing to give like Dave.

Last year, Convict Lake was the place I went and saw my first real fall colors. Just south of Mammoth, I saw a sign  saying Convict Lake was only 2 miles up a small road and decided to visit. WOW! That was the only thing I could think to say. I went back this year and once again, the mountains with the lake at the base was great, but when you add in the bright yellow colors…

Convict Lake

I spent about two hours there taking pictures along the south shore. While there you are surrounded by fishermen. I tried to use them in some of my shots to show the environment, but this is the only one that I really like.

Fishing Convict Lake

I also tried to get some details of the area. I wanted to show how the leaves look while changing and the damage done to the aspens by woodpeckers or what I assume are woodpeckers.

Changing Leaves

Apsen Holes

The holes created by the woodpeckers also attract insects that want to use the sap for energy.

Five & One

Finally, I liked the details in this image of the Aspens at the far end of the lake.

Convict Lake with Sierra Details

You can view all of the images of the Sierra Nevada from my trip by clicking here: Sierra Nevada

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Fossil Falls, CA – The Details

Revisiting my trip to Fossil Falls last weekend, one of the things I tried to do was to capture the small details that a large, landscape/panoramic picture can’t show.

Here are some of those shots.

Grass in Fossil Falls Lava

Water Warn Lava

Clinging to Life

Window Rock

Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Fossil Falls, CA

I took a trip last weekend to the Eastern Sierra Nevada to shoot the fall colors. My first night was spent in the Fossil Falls campground on 395, just south of Olancha.

Fossil Falls is a lave flow that used to have a river flowing through it. The result is some beautiful, worn lava formations that can be very photogenic.

The only issue with shooting there is that there are huge dynamic range possiblities or problems. The black lava against the blue sky or against clouds can create some metering concerns. Most of the problems, if you have exposed correctly, can be taken care of in post processing by recovering the highlights or adding some fill light.

Fossil Falls Lava Flows

Fossil Falls

Fossil Falls with the Sierra Nevada in the Background

OH! How Time Flies!

I knew I would run out of time today!

Due to a scheduling conflict I am unable to get this week’s 5/5 post out today. I will be posting it up on Sunday afternoon. Thanks for your understanding.

Ok, seriously, I’m in the Eastern Sierras shooting fall color, but…

…until then, here is a shot from Convict Lake from last year.

Convict Lake Fall Colors

Sierra Nevada Fall Color Trip

Next weekend I will be heading north up one of my favorite roads in California, Highway 395 to find some fall color to shoot. I love this time of year up there with it’s crisp mornings, warm days, and cold nights.

I have been checking lots of sites for the best locations for shooting the color I am looking to shoot. Some of the sites I am looking at are The Sacramento Bee’s Fall Color Map and Natural History Wanderings Fall Color Reports. I’m also reading sites for ideas and inspiration. Among my favorites are the G Dan Mitchell Photography website and Ron Bigelow’s website.

Here is an image I took using my Lensbaby from last year.

Eastern Sierra Aspen with Lensbaby

Please feel free to leave a comment below telling me what you think.

Grasses at Mono Lake

On my trip to Bodie last month, I stopped at Mono Lake on Friday evening to shoot the tufas. While there, I turned around and saw these beautifully back-lit grasses. Working with different focus points and depths of field, I tried to capture the beauty that I saw. These are the results.

Also, while I was there, I ran into a Nikonians workshop group under the direction of Michael Mariant. I spent some time talking to him and he offered some much appreciated tips on shooting in the snow at Bodie. It was nice to see some fellow Nikonians out & about. They were nice people.