Photography
Photo of the Month: Minaret Sunset
18/02/16 10:57
I took this photo over the July 4th weekend. There had been a lot of rain in the Mammoth Lakes area and a friend and I decided to go to a lookout where we were told there was a great view of the Minaret mountains and usually great sunsets. So we went there and it was raining on and off but when the sunset broke, we got this spectacular view of the mountains and valley. This is a 5 exposure show blended in HDR Effects and edited in Lightroom. I shot this with my Canon 70D and Tamron 17-50 lens.
If you get a chance, like it over at 500px and leave a comment to let me know how you like it.
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Photo of the Month: Convict Lake
17/01/16 16:14
One of my favorite places to visit is the Mammoth Lakes area of California. The combination of mountains, lakes, and great hikes really makes it a special place. One of the lakes in that area is Convict Lake. Convict Lake is special because in the morning the sun rises and hits the unique mountain that stands tall over the lake itself. The color is incredible especially as it reflects off the mountain and the water.
I got this shot over last summer. My family humored me by getting up before the sun came up and we all stood in the cold morning waiting for the sun. There are not usually too many clouds in the morning but in this case a storm had just passed creating the perfect conditions. This shot is a blend of 7 exposures. Enjoy!
I got this shot over last summer. My family humored me by getting up before the sun came up and we all stood in the cold morning waiting for the sun. There are not usually too many clouds in the morning but in this case a storm had just passed creating the perfect conditions. This shot is a blend of 7 exposures. Enjoy!
Photo of the Month-Vintage Truck
08/02/15 19:36
Here is another photo of that truck I took at Bodie. For those who didn’t see my previous photo, Bodie is a ghost town of sorts just above Mono Lake in California. It was a mining town where the people who lived there left everything behind. So the place has fully furnished homes and all kinds of equipment including cars. This photo is of an abandoned car that is still in good shape for its age. The day was perfect with incredible clouds in the sky which really made the photo pop. I took this one with my Canon 70D and my Tamron 17-50 lens with a CPL filter.
My New SmugMug Portolio Site
28/12/14 15:41
So over the weekend I put together my Portfolio website with all of my latest photos. Now when you click the gallery link you will be taken to my new SmugMug Gallery and will be able to browse all my latest photos. I hope to spend more time capturing my favorite subject: landscapes.
You can view my new site HERE.
I hope you enjoy all the photos! Let me know what you think when you get a chance to check them out!
Photo of the Month: Forgotten
20/11/14 07:34
Here is another photo I took at Bodie. For those who didn’t see my previous photo, Bodie is a ghost town of sorts just above Mono Lake in California. It was a mining town where the people who lived there left everything behind. So the place has fully furnished homes and all kinds of equipment including cars. This photo is of an abandoned car that is still in good shape for its age. The day was perfect with incredible clouds in the sky which really made the photo pop. I took this one with my Canon 70D and my Tamron 17-50 lens with a CPL filter.
Photo of the Week: Abandoned Engine
11/10/14 20:30
On vacation we took a trip to Bodie in the mountains above Mono Lake. Bodie is a ghost town which was once a mining town. When the residents decided to leave they left everything. It is one of those incredible historical locations that is pretty well preserved. It is also a photographer’s playground as there are so many subjects to photograph that you could spend a lot of time there capturing all of that history. Because of that, there are usually a lot of people mulling around taking photos so you will have to have patience in picking your spots and waiting for people to pass by. Depending on when you go you may be treated to some incredible clouds though usually the sky is clear. When there are clouds it really makes the landscapes in this area pop.
If you choose to go to Bodie you do need to be aware that the last 3 miles or so in are on a pitted road which is a combination of rocks and dirt. So be prepared to go slow and proceed with caution especially if you are driving in a car that is low to the ground as you might bottom out. I saw a number of cars low to ground take the road way too fast and based on the noise I am sure they at least scratched up the under carriage.
On the day we went we were lucky enough to have incredible clouds that day. Because of the historical nature of the subjects at Bodie it is a great spot to experiment with black and white photography. In this photo I was able to capture an abandoned engine. The detail in the cast metal was incredible to view and in combination with the landscape and clouds along with an angled perspective really set this shot off. I used a CPL to pull out more in the sky.
If you are interested in purchasing prints or license this shot, feel free to email me. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
If you choose to go to Bodie you do need to be aware that the last 3 miles or so in are on a pitted road which is a combination of rocks and dirt. So be prepared to go slow and proceed with caution especially if you are driving in a car that is low to the ground as you might bottom out. I saw a number of cars low to ground take the road way too fast and based on the noise I am sure they at least scratched up the under carriage.
On the day we went we were lucky enough to have incredible clouds that day. Because of the historical nature of the subjects at Bodie it is a great spot to experiment with black and white photography. In this photo I was able to capture an abandoned engine. The detail in the cast metal was incredible to view and in combination with the landscape and clouds along with an angled perspective really set this shot off. I used a CPL to pull out more in the sky.
If you are interested in purchasing prints or license this shot, feel free to email me. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Photo of the Month: Fall to the Valley
29/09/14 07:41
For the photo of the month (or week depending on when I want to post again) I have another shot of Salt Creek Falls, Oregon's second highest waterfall. This one if from the top observation deck. I had to lean my tripod and camera over the rail to get this one because it is such a massive waterfall in terms of height. The observation deck is well maintained and is an easy stroll from the parking lot. So if you are ever in the area, this is a great waterfall to check out. If you want to venture down to the base of the falls, you will need to follow a well manicured path that does switch back as it descends to the bottom. So if you are not the kind of person who likes to hike, this shot from the top may be all you want to take. The morning is a great time to go as the waterfall faces west and the light is good. I used my Marumi CPL and ND8 filter and used a 2 second exposure for this shot.
Photo of the Month
31/07/14 06:15
This summer we spent part of our vacation in Oregon. One of the things I love to do is hunt out one of the numerous waterfalls that seem to be everywhere in the state to shoot some long exposure photographs. There is something about sitting in front of a waterfall and taking it all in while snapping shots from my camera!
This year I got to go to Salt Creek Falls which is just north of Crater Lake. This fall is located just off of the freeway and has a very well maintained observation deck and trails around the waterfall itself. Salt Creek Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Oregon and is quite impressive from the top due to it’s height. I took the switch back trail which was very nicely cared for down to the base of the falls to capture this shot. The mist from the fall made it tricky to keep the lens dry and I had to quickly cover my lens in-between shots. I used my Marumi CPL and ND8 filters to capture the water and tame the light on the right side of the photo. This really is an incredible waterfall and the “S” formed in the top of the falls almost makes you think that is where it got it’s name of Salt Creek Falls.
If you are ever in southern Oregon be sure to make the trip and stop by this waterfall. As you will see when I post some shots from the top, it is an incredible place to stop!
This year I got to go to Salt Creek Falls which is just north of Crater Lake. This fall is located just off of the freeway and has a very well maintained observation deck and trails around the waterfall itself. Salt Creek Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Oregon and is quite impressive from the top due to it’s height. I took the switch back trail which was very nicely cared for down to the base of the falls to capture this shot. The mist from the fall made it tricky to keep the lens dry and I had to quickly cover my lens in-between shots. I used my Marumi CPL and ND8 filters to capture the water and tame the light on the right side of the photo. This really is an incredible waterfall and the “S” formed in the top of the falls almost makes you think that is where it got it’s name of Salt Creek Falls.
If you are ever in southern Oregon be sure to make the trip and stop by this waterfall. As you will see when I post some shots from the top, it is an incredible place to stop!
Photo of the Week
08/09/13 13:01
This week I thought I would share one of my favorite landscape subjects that is waterfalls. I love taking photos of moving water. Slowing the shutter speed to get that silky smooth water effect really makes the photo pop. This photo was taken north of Crater Lake off on North Umpqua Highway. The falls is called Toketee Falls and is one of the more visited falls in Southern Oregon. It is a short hike to get to this falls but the hike does include a lot of climbing up the well curated trail that includes rock steps and ends in a an observation deck just above the falls. There are some who have ventured to the bottom of the falls but the climb down and back up is not something to attempt without help around.
For this shot I used my Tamron 17-50 lens and used my Marumi CPL and my Marumi ND Filter to allow for a longer exposure. I was fortunate that the light was very even as we got there in the morning before the sun came up on the falls itself. For those who want specifics here are the settings on my camera for this shot:
Camera: Canon Rebel Xsi
Lens: Tamron 17-50
Focal Length: 17mm
Shutter Speed: 4 sec.
Aperture: f/32
ISO: 125
For this shot I used my Tamron 17-50 lens and used my Marumi CPL and my Marumi ND Filter to allow for a longer exposure. I was fortunate that the light was very even as we got there in the morning before the sun came up on the falls itself. For those who want specifics here are the settings on my camera for this shot:
Camera: Canon Rebel Xsi
Lens: Tamron 17-50
Focal Length: 17mm
Shutter Speed: 4 sec.
Aperture: f/32
ISO: 125
Photo of the Week: Out of the Deep
15/08/13 08:55
One of my hobbies is photography. I love to take landscapes which I share some of the better ones here on my website and in other places like 500px. I thought I would start to do a Photo of the Week and highlight some of my favorites. I probably won’t do one every week but will post from time to time. Enjoy!
On vacation this summer I finally got the chance to visit Mono Lake and all the tufa formations on the south of the lake. I took a bunch of photos I will upload over time. This one I took at dusk just as the colors started to change in the sunset. Because of the color in the lake and the sky I got this awesome combination of colors. I used my Marumi ND and CPL together for this 30 second exposure.
On vacation this summer I finally got the chance to visit Mono Lake and all the tufa formations on the south of the lake. I took a bunch of photos I will upload over time. This one I took at dusk just as the colors started to change in the sunset. Because of the color in the lake and the sky I got this awesome combination of colors. I used my Marumi ND and CPL together for this 30 second exposure.