213. Landscape - July 16-22, 2017
Byron-
I was visiting a very picturesque part of the world this week. Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Normally it would be impossible to not get a stunning photo. This time there are wildfires just to the west that produce a lot of smoke which the wind carries over the mountains. The photo I decided on was taken from the outdoor seating area of a restaurant that is only accessible by chairlift. What I think is interesting about the photo is that in the middle (left and right) about halfway up the mountain is a small silvery patch. That is Lake Louise. It is a great photo destination on its own. I didn't realize it was so far up the mountain. The smoke really adds "atmosphere" to the background. Our waitress said the day before the mountains weren't visible at all. I should be thankful to see this much.
This photo was taken with my iPhone in the panorama mode.
I was visiting a very picturesque part of the world this week. Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Normally it would be impossible to not get a stunning photo. This time there are wildfires just to the west that produce a lot of smoke which the wind carries over the mountains. The photo I decided on was taken from the outdoor seating area of a restaurant that is only accessible by chairlift. What I think is interesting about the photo is that in the middle (left and right) about halfway up the mountain is a small silvery patch. That is Lake Louise. It is a great photo destination on its own. I didn't realize it was so far up the mountain. The smoke really adds "atmosphere" to the background. Our waitress said the day before the mountains weren't visible at all. I should be thankful to see this much.
This photo was taken with my iPhone in the panorama mode.
Darin-
As a cyclist, I get to see many landscapes... In fact, in Uruguay, I am known as The Man of Many Landscapes... Huh, go figure. The Disney Concert Hall is my official submission.
I went to the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday for work. I remembered they have a rooftop observation deck that overlooks the Concert Hall, so I asked the metal detecting security guard if I could bring in the D-40 (which is actually a silly question, because I bring in a camera, with my phone, every time I set foot in the building).
He said it would be alright, just shoot away from the building. No interiors. Well, duh, don't you know our topic is landscapes???
Anyway, I went to the roof and wasn't real happy with the time that I was there (sun was too high in the sky) and it just seemed like there was a haze in the air, which muted the colors. Oh well, I was committed now. What you see is what you get... Not bad, but not my favorite. Pretty good.
As a cyclist, I get to see many landscapes... In fact, in Uruguay, I am known as The Man of Many Landscapes... Huh, go figure. The Disney Concert Hall is my official submission.
I went to the Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday for work. I remembered they have a rooftop observation deck that overlooks the Concert Hall, so I asked the metal detecting security guard if I could bring in the D-40 (which is actually a silly question, because I bring in a camera, with my phone, every time I set foot in the building).
He said it would be alright, just shoot away from the building. No interiors. Well, duh, don't you know our topic is landscapes???
Anyway, I went to the roof and wasn't real happy with the time that I was there (sun was too high in the sky) and it just seemed like there was a haze in the air, which muted the colors. Oh well, I was committed now. What you see is what you get... Not bad, but not my favorite. Pretty good.
Kevin-
So Byron chose “Landscape” as this week’s theme. Hard to blame him, as he in Canada's Banff National Park touring the Canadian Rockies and Lake Louise. And when I made a trip to the same place and it was my turn to name the theme I chose “Terrain”. At least neither of us got as specific as “Banff!”
But for me at least Landscape is a very challenging Minnesota theme. Perhaps that is do to the time I have spent touring other parts of the country that have felt more unique and more remote. But everything within reasonable driving distance of the Twin Cities feels developed and overpopulated, rather than scenic. And things like remote waterfalls and such even when they are at a drivable I often learn that the hike to them and back while carrying gear will likely be impossible for me to make.
So I wanted to take a different approach. I recalled taking a class called “The Colors of Maine” from landscape photographer Allison Shaw at the Maine Media Workshops who was experimenting with motion blur, Since landscapes really don’t move (unless there is something like an earthquake), she was creating motion by doing long exposures and panning the camera. So that’s the direction I took. My first attempt was on Monday night when I drive down to the Lake Pepin area of the Mississippi River. There were storm clouds gathering and I though the grey skies just after sunset might be appealing. Sadly everything seemed unintentionally monotone.
So on Wednesday I drove out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and photographed various scenes in the same style, eventually landing on the image below.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead and the camera was panned during each exposure, 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens set to 24mm. A 10x neutral density filter was fitted to the lens. ISO 400, f/8 at .8 seconds.
So Byron chose “Landscape” as this week’s theme. Hard to blame him, as he in Canada's Banff National Park touring the Canadian Rockies and Lake Louise. And when I made a trip to the same place and it was my turn to name the theme I chose “Terrain”. At least neither of us got as specific as “Banff!”
But for me at least Landscape is a very challenging Minnesota theme. Perhaps that is do to the time I have spent touring other parts of the country that have felt more unique and more remote. But everything within reasonable driving distance of the Twin Cities feels developed and overpopulated, rather than scenic. And things like remote waterfalls and such even when they are at a drivable I often learn that the hike to them and back while carrying gear will likely be impossible for me to make.
So I wanted to take a different approach. I recalled taking a class called “The Colors of Maine” from landscape photographer Allison Shaw at the Maine Media Workshops who was experimenting with motion blur, Since landscapes really don’t move (unless there is something like an earthquake), she was creating motion by doing long exposures and panning the camera. So that’s the direction I took. My first attempt was on Monday night when I drive down to the Lake Pepin area of the Mississippi River. There were storm clouds gathering and I though the grey skies just after sunset might be appealing. Sadly everything seemed unintentionally monotone.
So on Wednesday I drove out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and photographed various scenes in the same style, eventually landing on the image below.
Nikon D4s, mounted on a Manfrotto 055CXPRO4 tripod with a Acratech GP ballhead and the camera was panned during each exposure, 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens set to 24mm. A 10x neutral density filter was fitted to the lens. ISO 400, f/8 at .8 seconds.
Paul-
Landscape No flowing river tells a tale a single tear can’t know
No carved terrain portrays deep age that wrinkles do not show
No far horizon measures distance lost to weary eyes
No fallow fields or razored scarps are absent in one’s guise
The landscapes caught in oil and brush, or etched in glass or stone
Are humbled by terrain revealed in faces we each own
The view from here: 6:17PM. Nikon D5200; manual exposure; 55-200mm lens at 66mm focal length; ISO 2500; 1/60 sec. at f/6.3; pattern metering; 21-point AF area mode, Auto WB. The camera was on a tripod and remotely triggered.
Landscape No flowing river tells a tale a single tear can’t know
No carved terrain portrays deep age that wrinkles do not show
No far horizon measures distance lost to weary eyes
No fallow fields or razored scarps are absent in one’s guise
The landscapes caught in oil and brush, or etched in glass or stone
Are humbled by terrain revealed in faces we each own
The view from here: 6:17PM. Nikon D5200; manual exposure; 55-200mm lens at 66mm focal length; ISO 2500; 1/60 sec. at f/6.3; pattern metering; 21-point AF area mode, Auto WB. The camera was on a tripod and remotely triggered.
Jerry-
My brothers and I were out blasting clay pigeons Friday morning. I noticed the empty shotgun shells (hulls?) scattered about and took a picture of them in a landscapy manner.
Camera was the a6300 with 16-50mm lens zoomed to 24mm. Exposure was 1/80 @ f22, ISO 1250. Camera was in Vivid mode.
My brothers and I were out blasting clay pigeons Friday morning. I noticed the empty shotgun shells (hulls?) scattered about and took a picture of them in a landscapy manner.
Camera was the a6300 with 16-50mm lens zoomed to 24mm. Exposure was 1/80 @ f22, ISO 1250. Camera was in Vivid mode.
Don-
Backyard landscape...
Backyard landscape...