Posts Tagged Canon 7D
Sometimes you just can’t help yourself
Posted by backup in Photography on March 9, 2010
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Last week I talked about trying to find fresh images in a very heavily photographed National Park. Today’s image is the result of succumbing to the urge to “shoot the icon.” While I normally go out of my way to avoid this type of shot, sometimes you just can’t help yourself.
This is another image from last month’s workshop. We woke to a clearing storm and fresh snow in Yosemite valley. Knowing that the morning sun would quickly erase the night’s work, we rushed our group to as many icons as we could before the light got too harsh. One of those iconic shots was the Elm tree in Cook’s Meadow. A number of photographers, Ansel Adams included, have some pretty well known images of that scene.
After giving the group far too little time, to do the scene justice, we called for them to return to the cars to head to the next spot. The sound of snowing already dropping from the trees added to the sense of urgency. While folks packed up their gear I stood, next to the car, looking up at the falls. The frosty granite, the snow in the trees and the tremendous depth of the scene was just too much to resist. I grabbed my camera and fired off a couple of shots. Sometimes you just have to give in.
Cheers
On frozen pond
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on March 2, 2010
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Couldn’t you just do that in Photoshop? During the last workshop that was the running theme. The conversations varied from whether it was appropriate to add a moon to a scene to “I don’t use filters because I can do everything in Photoshop.” I suppose that’s correct to a certain degree but there’s one filter that Photoshop will never remove from my bag; the polarizer. Adding the moon? I won’t go there.
I’m often surprised to see folks, shooting landscape images, who either eschew or ignore something I consider to be essential. Regardless of your skill, a properly adjusted polarizing filter has no Photoshop analog. Oddly enough those same folks who would never think of using a polarizer often insist on having a, useless, UV filter on their lens at all times. I like to consider the end result when considering any filter or technique; if it’s not making a positive change I won’t bother. In the case of the UV filter, they increase lens flare and cheaper ones actually degrade overall image quality. I believe people come to use them largely because of camera store fear-mongering. If you drop the lens off of a truck, that UV filter isn’t going to save it. Concerned about your front lens element? Use your lens cap.
This shot wouldn’t have been possible without a polarizer. Most people just think about their effect on blue skies, not what really makes them tick: reflections. The ability to increase or negate the impact of reflected light can make or break an image. In the case of foliage, removing surface reflections makes colors really pop; no saturation slider required. In the case of this image, I was able to completely remove the reflection from the surface of this ice. Without the filter, the leaf was completely obscured. Because the polarizer is adjustable, I was able to bring back just enough reflected light to let you see the texture on the ice while letting the leaf shine through.
Got a polarizer collecting dust in your bag? If the answer is yes, throw away that UV filter and start using the polarizer. Don’t be content to just screw it on your lens, check and adjust it on every shot. You’ll be glad you took the time.
Cheers
Nature’s Monochrome
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on February 25, 2010
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Some photographers choose to shoot in color, some in black and white. Occasionally, nature makes the decision for you. Often, I write about the differences between our own vision and that of the camera. Effective photographers exploit those differences rather than bemoan them.
On my most recent trip to the valley, Mother Nature really kept things mixed up. I can’t even count the number of times the conditions swung from rain to snow, from snow to clearing and from sunny back to rain. The constantly changing conditions made for a physically demanding 4 days. The swiftness of those changes required that we push the workshop group pretty hard. I’m not ashamed to admit I was a bit gassed after 4 days of nearly non-stop nature photography. I’m always a bit melancholy at the end of a workshop, but this time the feeling was accompanied by a slight sense of relief.
I made this image near Swinging Bridge in Yosemite last Monday morning. While the group was soaking up the classic reflection scene of Yosemite Falls and the Merced River, I was looking for other compositions. Honestly is wasn’t that hard. When covered in snow, just about the entire park is photogenic.
To isolate this scene I used my Canon 100-400 on my 7D body. The sky was still very cloudy from an overnight storm giving a “soft box” effect to the whole park. The resulting light effectively removed any trace of color from this winter scene. To my eye, the color was perceptible. In the camera the subdued lighting and the compressed tones were rendered as nearly colorless. In a genre of photography where the saturation adjustment slider, in Photoshop, is notoriously abused I’m okay with that.
Cheers
Keeping an eye on liberty
Posted by Doug Otto in Geek, Photography on January 25, 2010
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As I mentioned last week, I find macro photography to be very therapeutic. While I frequently drift from my landscape photography focus, macro photography is very similar; the compositions are just on a smaller scale.
About this time last year, I finished working on a custom macro lens. While sitting at home on a rainy weekend it occurred to me that I hadn’t tried it out on my new Canon 7D. The sensor format of the 7D gives it even more magnification than I get on my 5D. This image is a photograph of a small portion of a US dime. The area depicted is less than 5/16″ across. My, just turned 45 eyes, can’t even focus on it without my readers.
Cheers
Storms are opportunities
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on January 21, 2010
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In Sacramento, we have it good. Compared to the rest of the nation, we really only have 3 seasons. What we call winter would be welcomed in much of the country. When we do actually get a bout of weather, people panic. After a steady stream of very wet storms, this week was no exception. The newspaper and every local news station had their redshirt character doing a spot outside, getting blasted by storm while telling us the obvious; it was raining.
For nature photographers, weather is an opportunity. Frequent readers of this blog often see me lament the blank blue skies that plaque California. While great for picnics, cloudless skies make for boring photography. Weather, especially right after a storm, can absolutely make a scene. Such was the case with this shot.
Last Monday, we got hit by a very wet storm. Around 2:30PM, we got a partial break that looked like it might last for a few hours. I threw my gear in the car and headed up to the foothills in the hope of catching a great sunset. About 20 minutes after I’d arrived, Gary Hart, pulled up behind me; completely unplanned. After shooting a while, we consolidated cars and headed down the road. With an eye on the developing sunset color, we found a spot that he’d shot at previously. On a fairly narrow road shoulder, we set up and tried our best to keep from being run over. At one point a friendly California Highway Patrol officer stopped by and told us: “I know it’s pretty, but you’re going to get killed.” Thankfully he was wrong and we both got some great shots.
To get this capture I used a Singh-Ray 3 stop reverse graduated neutral density filter. This special filter has a dark band in the center and slowly transitions to clear. For sunsets, on a fairly straight horizon, it’s a great tool. Bringing down the brightness at the horizon, the filter allowed me to get a good exposure on the rest of the sky. The same result could have been had by combining multiple exposures during processing but it’s always more rewarding to do it with the camera.
Cheers
Tiny Landscapes
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on January 19, 2010
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There’s something very therapeutic about macro photography. When you shrink your view of the world to that of a tiny object it’s almost reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. It’s very easy to get lost in the land of giants created by the lens.
A few years a go we had to remove a beautiful Ash tree in our yard. We were sad to see it go but it was beginning to damage our home’s foundation so we had little choice. The tree company ground up all of the surface roots but left a ton of organic material in the ground. Every time it rains we get some new fungus growing up through the lawn. The dog vomit slime mold is especially nice.
This little patch of mushrooms appeared about a week ago. To make this image, I used my ground tripod, Canon 7D and my 100 macro lens. I’m pretty sure my neighbors thought I was nuts, crawling around the yard.
Cheers
Just a leaf
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on January 14, 2010
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If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know I often eschew the grand vista in favor of a more intimate view of the world. Such was the case with this image from my last Yosemite trip.
Along Southside drive in Yosemite, there is an unmarked parking area with two large trees protruding from the asphalt. Not far from Cathedral beach, it’s about the only location where you can see El Capitan from end to end. (Capturing that view requires a pretty wide lens) Since El Capitan gets its first light roughly 30 minutes after sunrise this location is a great place to head after you finish shooting sunrise.
On this particular morning I’d stopped, waited for the light and decided that breakfast was calling. The only clouds in the sky were jet trails and the light just wasn’t very interesting. On my trek back to the car I walked past this leaf. The frozen texture was what initially caught my eye but the angles of the branches is what really tied it together. With nothing but snow in the background it was a perfect setup for a high key approach.
The exposure was very simple. With the aperture set to f/11 I dialed down my shutter speed until my meter read +3 and took the shot. Overexposing the snow caused the entire background to go white, removing any distracting elements.
Cheers
Happy 2010
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on January 5, 2010
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To steal a quote, stumbled upon while browsing the net, “Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you are to the end, the faster it goes.” After how fast 2009 seemed to blaze by, I think it’s appropriate. I hope the New Year finds you and your loved ones well.
It’s a challenge to go to a place as widely photographed as Yosemite and come back with fresh images. The challenge isn’t the availability of the subjects as much as learning to see them. Once seen, the next step is figuring out how to make it into an image.
On New Year’s day morning, I did what I often do when presented with overcast skies, I went to Bridal Veil fall. Bridal Veil is one of the few waterfalls in Yosemite that flows all year. While the water fall is a beautiful sight, most of the photographic opportunities are in the three streams flowing out from its base. Often requiring scrambling over rocks, you can be completely alone while the tourists stream up the path to the viewing area at base of the fall.
What caught my eye here was the foam on the top of the water. Directly above my location was a small cascade that was creating these bubbles on the surface of the water. Caught on a long exposure, I knew they would imply motion. The trick was finding something else to put in the frame. I walked around the area, doing my best to keep from falling in, looking through my camera to find a scene. (When shooting in the area, my Canon 100-400 is my most useful tool. Using a long lens helps compress perspective and lets you “carve” out scenes and make them stand alone.) After finding this leaf, I knew I had my shot. While seemingly simple enough it took 10 frames, at varying exposures, to get this pleasing pattern. I settled on f/16 and 3.2 seconds.
Finding a scene like this is far more satisfying than creating it. While I didn’t place this leave, in the spirit of full disclosure, I did wash away some foam stuck to the near side of the rock. I almost never place a subject but I have no issue with removing a distraction. While something that could easily have been taken care of during processing I prefer to do it in the field.
Cheers
Snow day!
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on December 10, 2009
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Last monday it snowed at my house. That might not seem like a big deal to you but it’s a pretty rare sight in Sacramento. Supposedly we had some flurries a few years ago but it’s been over 20 years since I’ve seen snow on the ground in my home town. For the record it was only a dusting and it was gone by 10am, but it gave me an opportunity to get out and do some shooting close to home that afternoon. I found this pretty little scene up in the Sierra foothills off of highway 49. I couldn’t believe that I found so snow less than 40 minutes from my house.
Photographing snow can be tricky. In any automatic mode the camera will underexpose the scene and make the snow a dingy dark grey. Generally speaking, manual exposure is almost always a simpler approach; especially when doing landscape photography. It’s a hassle to deal with exposure compensation or AE locking. I just meter on the bright white snow and set my exposure meter 1.5 – 2 stops to the right, (to the left if you live in Nikon land), and fire away. There’s no need to do anything else with exposure unless the light changes. The next time you’re photography snow, switch it to manual and give it a try. You’ll like the results.
Cheers
Misty Morning
Posted by Doug Otto in Photography on November 25, 2009
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Valley View, or Gates of the Valley as it’s sometimes called, is a really pretty spot. It’s just about the last place that you can stop while driving the Yosemite valley loop. Across the Merced river is Bridal Veil fall, Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan. A classic, iconic scene, Valley View gets photographed hundreds of times each day. While I don’t always shoot at this spot, I nearly always stop and give it one last look.
This shot was the result of such a stop and was taken just a few minutes after the previous post. I didn’t even get my camera out at first. The sun was up, the sky was bare and the light coming off of El Capitan was blinding. The scene was just too “hot” to shoot in its entirety. After a few minutes of watching the mist hover over the river, and the meadow on the other shore, I succumbed to this iconic scene and fired off a few shots.
By keeping the top portion of the scene out of my frame I was able to manage the exposure. The warm reflected light and mist on the river was really what I was after. After all, I’ve got plenty of shots of El Capitan in front of a cloudless sky. While I didn’t do a ton of shooting during the last trip I am really happy with this image. Any day that you get a “keeper” is a good day.
If you’re in the US, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday. If you live somewhere not celebrating our holiday, have a great Thursday.
Cheers
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