Photography – Page 40 – Circadianreflections Blog

Eastern Sierras Day 2- 21 minutes in Nirvana

October 17, 2014October 17, 2014Posted in Autumn, Eastern Sierras, Fall Color, Intake 2 Lake, LensBaby Composer Pro II, Moonset, Morning, Nikon DF, San Jose California Nature PhotographerTagged Autumn, Eastern Sierras, Fall Color, Intake 2, LensBaby Composer Pro II, Nikon, Nikon Df, Photography5 Comments

We scouted a few areas for Moon-set/Sunrise and we all fell in love with Intake Lake 2. We were planning to camp on Night 2 and instead of camping a little further north we change plans and camped at Intake Lake 2, and we all agreed it would be a great location for the morning’s shoot. We could sleep a few minutes longer, and be in our chosen spots well before the fishermen arrived. We set up our camp, made dinner, and shortly after dark I crawled into my tent and bag and fell into a deep sleep. My alarm was set to 4:30AM again. I didn’t even take pictures of the campground!

I slept pretty well. I only stirred when my hip started to ache. My pad wasn’t as full as it should have been. When my alarm went off I turned it off and dozed in my warm bag, dreading getting out of it, and facing the cold morning, and dressing, before making the trek up the bathroom. I should have dug out my slip-on pair of shoes the night before, but forgot to do that. Jonathan was out of his tent first and came by mine and rattled it, asking if we were up. Rainey had bunked with me since I have a two person tent. We both murmured, “yes, I’m up.” Next, I heard Rene unzip his tent, and then Jonathan’s car alarm went off, no doubt waking the whole campground! Nik was sleeping in the car and when he got up to exit he set off the alarm.

Someone set the alarm after Nik got in to go to bed. 🙂 As if the alarm going off once wasn’t bad enough somehow it got triggered a second time! I got up and out of my bag and tent after that. I’m sure the whole campground was ready to stone us to death! Hopefully they all were able to get back to sleep.

We dressed, grabbed our bags and headed for the lake for the Moon-set/ Sunrise as quietly as we could.

I found the spot I had chosen the day before, but I was so far from everyone else so I moved to the beach with Rene, and Rainey.

I was very glad to have the company. Daylight was coming fast, and for 21 minutes I was in Nirvana!

Moon-glow on the Eastern Sierra Peaks

Pink clouds and Moon-glow on the Eastern Sierra Peaks

Alpine Glow on the Eastern Sierra Peaks

It’s not often one gets Moon-glow, Color, and Alpine Glow all in one morning! I couldn’t have ordered a more perfect morning shoot. There were even Trout jumping high out of the water to catch breakfast. I wish I timed my images better to have caught just one, alas…I didn’t.

Shortly after the color faded we were packing up when a group of fishermen came to fish where we were. We welcomed them with open arms, and wished them well with their endeavors, and went on our way to find other photographic jewels around the lake.

Rainey, Rene, and I hung out together while Nik,and Jonathan went their own way. Rainey, Rene, and I went around the lake to try and find a Grebe that was swimming around the lake. We weren’t able to get the second inlet to find it, but we did find a lovely little cascade of water we stopped to photograph, and along the way we found a memorial.

I used my Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Soft Focus Optic to try some landscapes. I like the dreamy, painterly

feel the images have.

Fallen tree on Intake 2

Fishing

The color of the morning was gold

Intake 2 was my favorite location this trip. It’s a great place to camp, and there is plenty to photograph

here.

Cameras: Nikon Df, Nikon D700

Lenses: Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8, Nikkor 180mm f/2.8d, LensBaby Composer Pro II w/Soft Focus Optic

More to come…

Fall in the Eastern Sierras Day 1…

October 15, 2014October 15, 2014Posted in Aspen, Eastern Sierras, Fall ColorTagged Aspen, Eastern Sierras, Fall Color, Foliage, Moonset, Photography2 Comments

Myself, and friends Rainey, Rene, Jonathan, and Nik got an early start on Day 1 of our trip to the Eastern Sierras. Our alarms were set for a 4:30am wake up so, we could shoot the Moonset over Convict Lake.

We spent most the day in the Bishop Creek Area. The foliage there was very good overall. Some portions were stripped by the storm the week before, but for the most part it was full, dense, and pretty. I used my new Df, and had my D700 for back up.

I took only two lenses; my Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8, and Nikkor 180mm f/2.8D. I wanted to be fairly light, and not have too much stuff to worry about. My pack was still heavy!

ICM- (Intentional Camera Movement) Nikon D700 w/180mm f2.8 lens. Getting pleasing blurs gets easier

the more you do it. The trick is slowing down your shutter speed then moving your camera up, down or zoom it!

On the one below I zoomed, and shook a bit. Does it make you dizzy?

I also took my LensBaby Composer Pro II with the Soft Focus Optic. I had fun playing with it, and used it more than I thought

I would. I even took an image of my friend Rainey. I’ll ask her if she minds if I post it later.

I think we had our timing just right for the foliage, and weather. It’s overcast, stormy looking, and windy in the Eastern Sierras now which will strip the leaves off a lot of trees. But Jeff Sullivan of JeffSullivanPhotography says there’s still hope! He writes, ” We still have the cottonwoods coming in the 5000 and under elevations, (Bishop to Lone Pine and many Nevada counties) so there will be another round of opportunities if we don’t have a deep frost that rushes them towards brown.”

Let’s hope there’s no deep frost and there will still be some color to enjoy for a few more weeks!

More to come…

P52 42/52 Lee Vining Creek

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014Posted in Camera Gear, Creeks and Streams, Inyo National Forest, Nikon DF, Photography, Project 52-2014, Slow Shutter SpeedTagged Camera Gear, Creeks and Streams, Eastern Sierras, Nikon Df, Photography, Project 52, Slow Shutter Speed10 Comments

I’m back! I had a lovely 4 days in the Eastern Sierras with friends, Rainey, Rene, Nik, and Jonathan. We got lucky and went when the color was peaking in the spots we visited. I have quite a few images I like from the trip that I’m still rating and tagging, but here’s one image I made yesterday at Lee Vining Creek. It was so nice to see the creeks, and streams with water. All the creeks near my home are bone dry!

I made this image with my new camera: The Nikon Df. I’ve been saving for it since I rented one back in February.

I used it for 4 full days of shooting and it performed very well in daylight, and low light. I love how light it is compared to my D700.

Right now I only have two complaints:

1) Nikon did not provide a LCD screen protector with it, so I need to get one STAT!

2) The battery drained too quickly when shooting the last morning in 26º ambient temps. I’ll have to get a 3rd battery soon.

Other than those two complaints I’m happy with the camera. I hope we have many good years together.

As of now my D300s will either be passed down or possibly sold, and my D700 will be my back-up/second camera.

Image 1) Nikon Df| Nikkor 17-35mm w/B+W 6 stop ND filter

Image 2) Nikon D700| Nikkor 180mm f/2.8D

More to come…

Fairs and Festivals- Renaissance Faire II

October 3, 2014October 3, 2014Posted in Events and Fairs, Fairs and Festivals, Northern California Renaissance Faire, PhotographyTagged Candid Portraits, Fairs and Festivals, Northern California Renaissance Faire, Photography, Renaissance FaireLeave a comment

I am finally getting around to sharing more of the images I took at the Renaissance Faire a couple of weeks ago. Time sure flies I can’t believe two weeks have passed already!

Here’s the Queen listening intently to a Lord in her Court.

A Lady

Details- Lady of the Queen’s Court

A Nobleman or Lord

Plus the Conjurer’s Table

Nikon D700| AF-D Nikkor 85mm f/1.4| Hand-held

More to come…

Daybreak in Santa Clara Valley

September 3, 2014September 3, 2014Posted in California, Fine Art, Landscapes, Photography, SunrisesTagged Blue Period Imaging, Daybreak, Fine Art, Lonely Trees, Photography, San Jose California Nature Photographer, Santa Clara Valley, Sunrises5 Comments

I woke up wide awake just before 4AM and before I could talk myself out of a morning “stretch my legs” hike I got up, dressed, ate, and left the house and headed to my lonely tree on the “Steep Hill” overlooking Santa Clara Valley.

Once I got to the top of the hill I set up my camera and took a few images of Blue Period and the little bit of color that was in the sky looking East, and then I heard to my right an Owl Hooting its morning greeting. It wasn’t too long after that the Blue Jays, and Sparrows started their morning songs, and two ladies came up over the top of the hill stretching their legs too with an early morning hike. We chatted a few minutes then they continued up the hill.

I waited for the Sun to crest the Diablo Mountain Range, but just before it did and during the Sun’s rise the colors grew in intensity, and splendor. All the while the Owl and birds continued their morning salutations. It was glorious!
Just a few minutes after this the colors began to fade so, I packed up my gear and hiked up to the tippy top of the hill then headed home for another cup-a-tea.

More to come…

P52 34/52 Dawn Santa Clara County

August 24, 2014August 24, 2014Posted in California, hikes, Landscapes, Photography, Project 52-2014Tagged Dawn, landscape, Lonely Tree, Photography, Project 52, Sunrise4 Comments

Mornings are arriving a little later, and chillier these days and with that I’m finding it a little harder to get out of the house for a hike or walk. Once I get out I am usually very happy that I did.
This morning was especially nice as we had a lot of clouds which meant there might be some color, and I got lucky and had “God Rays” too, and there was a bonus; the sign marking the trail’s boundary is gone!

YEAH! I have spent years framing around it, cloning it out, or cropping it out. It was lovely shooting and not have to deal with it, or deal with it later in post development. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they don’t replace it, and if they do they put it somewhere that doesn’t hinder the view.

Morning’s Golden light on Delicate Arch Moab, UT

July 30, 2014July 30, 2014Posted in hikes, Landscapes, Photography, TravelTagged Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, Golden Hour, hiking, Landscape Photography, Morning, Photography, San Jose California Nature Photographer3 Comments

Alex, Theresa, and I started our hike to Delicate Arch at 4:10am and got to the Arch in 42 minutes with only head-lamps for light. There was only one other car in the parking lot when we arrived. We met the two guys that it belonged to on their way down.

The trail-head to Delicate Arch is right off the parking lot at Wolfe Ranch inside of Arches National Park. The elevation gain is about 500 ft up rough and steep terrain. Length of the hike is 3 miles round trip. Most the trail you’re hiking on giant slabs of sandstone. The trail is marked by cairns, but some are widely spaced so, if not carefully looking for them you can miss one.Theresa and I missed one on our first hike up to Delicate Arch back in 2010 we ended up about quarter of mile off course and had to back-track to find the trail.

The last bit of the climb is along the side of sandstone fin. There are several steps and a path that was carved out of the stone that wind their way up to the Arch. This part of the path is fairly narrow and has no cable or guard rail- If you fall you could be toast.

Here’s an image Theresa took of us hiking down that part of the trail. That’s Alex, with me in the lead, and Theresa’s shadow on the sandstone wall. Thank you T for giving me a copy of this image! xx

Image by Theresa Johnson. Used with Permission — Image by © 2014 Theresa Johnson. Used with Permission

There was no one else up at the Arch when we got there, but it wasn’t too long before other hikers were coming up the trail, and by 6AM there was quite a crowd, and it was getting warm already. We stayed up through Golden Hour and when the light went flat we packed up and hiked down, starving and ready for breakfast then a nap.

More to come…

NIkon D700| AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8| Tripod

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