Saturday, December 1, 2012

My Time In California

Learning On The Go

I knew very little about cameras when I began to pursue photography seriously and I knew even less about creating good photographs.  I realized that I would need to invest time into practicing my new craft.

Shoot.  Evaluate.  Identify the mistakes and the lucky breaks.  Revise the approach, then go out and shoot again.  And again.

I spent a lot of time with my camera.  I got an 'A' for effort even though the results lingered in the 'C' range for quite a while.  A lot of film ended up in the trash, but lessons were learned with every roll.

Eventually, I had a small epiphany - there's value in visiting a location repeatedly.  One can observe the impact of weather, season, and time of day on the available light.  It's also possible to refine technique using information gathered from previous attempts.

I began to develop a list of 'favorite places' that I would visit with some frequency.  Most of these places were within a couple of hours of home, but I added a more distant destination to the list.  Coastal California.


a photo of the big sur coast from hurricane point
Hurricane Point at First Light



I had visited California in the years B.E.C. (before expensive cameras).  It's a land of breathtaking scenery, and I wanted to capture its magic on film.


a photo of mcway waterfall big sur at sunset
McWay Waterfall at Sunset



My earliest attempts at shooting the coast didn't yield remarkable results, but I learned a great deal about the location and local weather conditions in the process.  I also learned that there's a lot more to capturing a good photograph than just pointing a camera toward something interesting and making a 'correct' exposure.

As I explored the amazing Coastal California, I developed a understanding of light, its color, its quality, and its direction.  I developed a methodology for refining compositions from an initial idea to a finished image.  I experimented with techniques for focusing and stabilizing my cameras.


a photo of the point sur lighthouse at sunrise
Point Sur Under Textured Clouds



Eventually, I learned how to predict the occurrence of certain camera-friendly conditions.

When would the light make its first morning appearance over a particular mountain?

Where do you need to park your car to get a particular vantage point?

It's helpful to know these things, and if you pay attention to your surroundings and take good notes, you can return to the scene at a later date to capture something spectacular.  It pays to know what's going to happen before it actually takes place.


a photo of the golden gate bridge at dusk with traffic trails
Golden Gate Bridge At Dusk



Each excursion to my favorite places - near or far - was time well spent.  Even when the photos didn't turn out well, I was gaining insights that would transform my entire approach to photography. 



Camera:
            Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lenses:
            Canon TS-E24 f/3.5L II
            Canon 24-105 f/4L IS


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Friday, October 26, 2012

Leveraging the Unexpected

When Plans Go Awry - Keep Shooting!

It was a bright, sunny day - I'm not kidding!  Every cable and rivet of the Golden Gate Bridge was in clear view when I parked my car on Conzelman Road.

As I set up the view camera and composed the shot, I saw one very small wisp of mist pass over the water from west to east.  At first I thought that I had imagined it, or perhaps that a piece of dust had adhered to one of my contact lenses.  But more wisps followed and collected into larger patches.

The bay was full of wind surfers, but now they were beginning to disappear from view.  The fog became so thick that I felt concern for their safety.  Would they be able to see well enough to navigate back toward the marinas?  Would they be able to withstand the sudden drop in temperature?

It took about twenty minutes for the bridge to disappear completely.  This photo was taken in the last few minutes of visibility.  Luckily, the fog rolled in as the setting sun cast an orange glow toward the towers of the span.


a large format fine art photograph of the golden gate bridge in fog
Golden Gate Bridge in Incoming Fog - Fuji Velvia 100

The fog eventually reached my position, and the warm sunlight faded into gray, cold darkness.  I packed up my gear into the car, turned on the heater, and headed to town for a warm dinner.


Ebony SV45TE view camera
Schneider 110mm lens
Fujichrome Velvia 100


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Zabriskie Point

Panoramic Badlands

Death Valley is a vast and diverse wilderness.  Each section of the park has its own 'look' and unique characteristics.

One of the park's most iconic views is also one of the most accessible.  Zabriskie Point is a short walk from a large paved parking area located about a ten minutes from the popular Furnace Creek resorts.

Face west from Zabriskie Point, you'll look out over Manley's Beacon and a variety of rolling, textured badlands. Beyond the badlands lie the valley floor and the jagged Panamint Mountain Range.

a photo of a Red Glow on the Panamint Mountains from Zabriskie Point at Daybreak
Red Glow on the Panamint Mountains from Zabriskie Point at Daybreak

Zabriskie is very popular, particularly at sunrise.  If you arrive early in the morning, you'll see cameras of all shapes and sizes lined up on the ridge above the badlands.

Don't be shy!  Line up right beside the others.  Take your own shots of these iconic views and then scout around for different perspectives.


a photo of Daybreak Striking Manley's Beacon and the Badlands
Daybreak Strikes Manley's Beacon and the Badlands


Light and weather are never exactly the same from one day to the next.  These changing conditions will help give a unique look to your shots.


a fine art photograph of eroded badlands from zabriskie point
Eroded Formations - Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point is much more than a single-shot destination.  The badlands wrap around the developed viewing area for at least 270 degrees, and you can hike down into the badlands on established trails if you want to try a different viewpoint. 


a photo of geometric patterns in the badlands at zabriskie point
Geometric Badlands - Zabriskie Point

There's also the possibility of encountering unique conditions and circumstances.  On this day a couple of vans full of children pulled into the parking area.  Some of the boys ran down into the badlands despite the protests of their chaperones.  I had put my camera away and was heading back to the car, but I managed to grab this quick, handheld shot as the children ran back up to the viewing area.


a photo of children running through the badlands at zabriskie point
Boys In The Badlands

An elderly lady walked over to me and asked, "Did those boys ruin your picture?"

I smiled and said, "No, Ma'am.  It's fine."

As she walked away, I thought to myself: "I think they just made my day."

Weather can change the look and mood of any destination.  I took the shot below on a cloudy morning when the badlands themselves looked dull due to a lack of direct sunlight.  It's an interesting contrast to the typical shots taken at this site.


a fine art photograph of zabriskie point at sunrise on a cloudy morning
Cloudy Morning at Zabriskie Point

Finally, it pays to look for unexpected possibilities.  Zabriskie Point is widely known as a sunrise destination, but under the right circumstances, it's possible to capture amazing sunsets here as well.  Here's one of my favorites.


a photo of Zabriskie at Point Sunset in Death Valley National Park
Zabriskie Point Sunset - Death Valley National Park

Camera:
            Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lenses:
            Canon 16-35 f/2.8L II
            Canon TS-E24 f/3.5L II
            Canon 24-105 f/4L IS
            Canon 70-200 f/4L IS


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Death Valley National Park

An Unimaginable Wilderness

A name like 'Death Valley' suggests a harsh and forbidding wasteland, a barren cavern of dust and sand that one would be better off avoiding. The moniker is not entirely unjustified. The valley floor maintains the highest consistent summer temperatures of any location on the Earth's surface - air temperatures top out in the low 130's (Fahrenheit), and the ground temperature can exceed 200 degrees.

These extreme conditions present significant dangers for any human activity. Simply driving an automobile on paved roads can be hazardous as tires are likely to blow out under the strain. Of course, if your car does fail, stay with it. Walking for help in these conditions will almost certainly result in disaster.

Fortunately, the valley enjoys milder temperatures in the late autumn, through the winter months, and into early spring. This cooler season provides the opportunity to explore the park's many wonders.

Death Valley is more than sand dunes and salt flats. The diverse landscape changes significantly every few miles. There are new glimpses of a complex and unexpected beauty at every twist in the road.


Zabriskie Point

Death Valley contains extensive areas of 'badlands'. Badlands are areas of exposed clay that are impermeable to water. Since no water can penetrate the surface, no vegetation grows anywhere in the area.

Zabriskie Point offers a 270-degree view of the badlands. It's easily accessible - a short walk up ramp just off of one of the park's main roads.

I made a number of stops at Zabriskie Point while visiting the park - I kept finding new viewpoints and compositional ideas. This shot is a very popular view, but I timed it as the rising sun lit the distant Panamint Mountain range. This adds a significant dimension of color and shadow that's not visible at any other time of day.




a photo of Zabriskie Point at First Light - Death Valley National Park
Zabriskie Point at First Light - Death Valley National Park



Badwater

Badwater Basin contains the lowest surface elevation in North America at 272 feet below sea level. Visiting the extensive salt flats at Badwater is a uniquely memorable experience, but be sure to bring sunglasses to deal with the glare of the sun reflecting off of the white salt, and as always, an abundant supply of water.

Here is a shot taken from the Badwater salt flats at dawn. Note the crescent moon at the top of the frame.


a photo of Sunrise and a Crescent Moon, Badwater, Death Valley
Sunrise and Crescent Moon, Badwater Basin, Death Valley



Mesquite Dunes

No portfolio of Death Valley would be complete without sand dunes. Death Valley's sand dunes have appeared in many movies including the original Star Wars. Here's a shot of the Mesquite Dunes near Stovepipe Wells.



a photo of the Mesquite Dunes and Distant Mountains at Death Valley NP
Mesquite Dunes and Distant Mountains, Death Valley, NP



The Devil's Golf Course

One of the strangest and most forbidding landscapes that you'll ever see, the Devil's Golf Course is a large field of beach ball-sized lumps of clay covered with jagged crystals. Looking out over the 'Golf Course' is like looking into the mouths a hundred thousand sharks. It's unnerving to say the least.

I took this shot from the parking area as dusk fell on an overcast day. The cold light emphasized the forbidding bleakness of this unique feature.



a photo of the devil's golf course in death valley
The Devil's Golf Course - Death Valley National Park



Ghost Towns

Numerous ghost towns exist in and around Death Valley National Park. The towns are typically remnants of mining or gold prospecting operations gone bust.

The most impressive ghost town in the area is Rhyolite, Nevada just a few miles beyond the park's northeastern border.  



a photo of the General Store at the Rhyolite Ghost Town near death valley
General Store, Rhyolite Ghost Town, Nevada




Racetrack Playa

Death Valley National Park is home to one of the world's great mysteries: Racetrack Playa, where rocks appear to blow in the wind and leave trails in the surface. No one has ever seen the rocks move, but everything from tiny pebbles to rocks the size of a large loaf of bread leave have trails behind them.

The prevailing theory is that the surface becomes slick when rain falls. The rocks are then pushed by brisk winds channeled through a narrow mountain valley.

However this phenomenon may occur, it was a thrill to visit the spot where the magic happens.



a photo of a Moving Rock on the Racetrack Playa Death Valley National Park
Moving Rock, Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park



I hope that you have enjoyed these images of Death Valley. If you have visited the park before, I hope that you recognize some familiar places. If you haven't visited yet, I hope that these images have provided insight into a beautiful landscape with a mysterious name.

Over the coming months I'll be sharing more photos of Death Valley and more stories of my adventures in the park. Thank you for visiting today, and please stop back soon!



Camera:
            Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lenses:
            Canon 16-35 f/2.8L II
            Canon TS-E24 f/3.5L II
            Canon 24-105 f/4L IS
            Canon 70-200 f/4L IS




Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright © 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Pictures At An Exhibition


I would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to my recent photo exhibition "Summer In New York".

Thanks very much to the staff and management of Two Moon Art House and Café in Brooklyn for hosting the event.

Thanks to the skilled craftsmen and creative minds at West Coast Imaging for the a spectacular printing and mounting job and for taking the time to answer all of my questions so patiently.

Thanks to the folks who invented "Ooks" (picture hanging hardware).  Your little gadgets really came in handy, and it was a lot easier than drilling holes into walls.

Thanks to Canon for doing what you do so well.

And thanks very, very, VERY much to EVERYONE who came out on opening night.  I appreciate the time and effort and travel that was involved in getting there.  But having you at my show meant more than I can express in words.

I enjoyed our spirited conversations and hearing which photos everyone liked the best - such an interesting diversity of opinions!  This night was an experience that I'll treasure for a long, long time, and I'll always treasure the memory of sharing it with YOU!! 









The Three Amigos











Thank You, One And All!!

Looking forward to more showings in 2013 and beyond!

Until then...


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved