Nature Light Photo

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.

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.

Fall Color at June Lake

Again, posting an image that I got at June Lake on my ill-fated Bodie trip.

Driving on the June Lake Loop from north to south, I looked over at the lake and saw all of the white trees trunks against the dark background of the lake with the yellow leaves as a “foreground” element. The leaves weren’t really a foreground element, but I thought they anchored the bottom of the image well.

I stopped, flipped a U-ey, and found a place to park, walked up the road several hundred yards, and found the composition I liked. It got kind of hairy every time a car would drive by due to the narrowness of the shoulder (or the lack of one altogether), but I stopped and stepped off the road each time.

Fall Color in the Sierra Nevada

A very busy October is slowly coming to an end. The weekend of the 16th, 17th, and 18th was spent driving up highway 395 to Lee Vining and spent Saturday shooting around Bodie. But on the way home, I took a short detour through the June Lake area and shoot the fall color.

This scene was right next to the road. I got out of my car, turned around, and it was waiting to be captured. As I stood there looking at it, I immediately noticed and liked the dark green pine tree in the middle of the yellow with the semi-green aspens in the upper left.

I was very impressed with the color in the area and all along the eastern Sierra. I am going to have to plan trip up there next year.

I still have lots of images from both the ill fated trip up the 395 and the Morro Bay Photo Expo with George Lepp and will be posting LOTS more images over the next few weeks.