Energy Turning

Energy Turning

KENY10D-175

March 23, 2010


As much as I love the outdoors, I also love protecting it, and that means (in one respect) the pursuit of alternative energy.  I will not jump on my soapbox this morning, but instead show  quick image I took while in Kenya, working with traditional healers and medicinal plants.  We went out to do some light harvesting and inventorying and there was a row of huge wind turbines (the van we took is at the lower left for comparison) on the ridge above Nairobi.  These large generators were slowly turning in the afternoon breezes as we worked, the clouds rolling by to provide a backdrop to their pursuit of clean energy.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon D80
Lens: Nikon 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 18 mm

Exposure: 1/2500   f/3.5   ISO 400

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4 and LR

White Over the Badlands

White Over the Badlands

SDAK09D-28

July 3, 2009


Still with the Badlands, seeing the little bit of road at the bottom center before this massive cloud structure.  I was amazed at how photogenic the Badlands were.  If you look back at this latest series, you'll see a lot of them were taken on July 3rd.  That is the day I arrived there, after driving for ~13 hours from Illinois (a very early wake up).  The landscape immediately seemed to open up for me, and I barely had to leave the road to find these high-contrast, jaw-dropping landscapes.  This one featured a great wall of striated rock, above which the summer thunderstorm which had drenched me on the drive to the park was lifting and clearing, leaving these fluffy white clouds the towered over the ground.  I felt that the scene worked better in black and white, given the high contrast of the area.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: NIkon 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  38 mm

Exposure: 1/50 @ f/16  ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

The Dreary Badlands

The Dreary Badlands

SDAK09D-55_pan

July 4, 2009

A stark contrast from yesterday's cheerful, sunny panorama, today we see the storm-clouded side of the Badlands, which I think really highlights their name.  This storm rolled through, as this panorama was taken just a day after my arrival in the Badlands (when yesterday's image was composed).  But this expanse, with the scraggly green dotted here and there, but dominated by the unending brown, desolate-looking landscape.  In a way it reminds me of my shot at the travertine terraces of Yellowstone, which also exudes this lonely aura.  All the same, I like the moodiness, so enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: NIkon 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/60 @ f/16  ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Badlands Cactus

Badlands Cactus

BADL09D-64

July 4, 2009

It is fitting that there should be prickly pear growing in the Badlands of South Dakota, that place has such a barren feel to it at times it would be forgiven if you thought you were transported hundreds of miles south to the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, or southern Utah.  But this spiny inhabitant makes its home in the intricate erosion landscape of the Badlands, and on that gray July 4th day, hiking out in the wilderness it seemed a fitting portrait of the day.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: NIkon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  32 mm

Exposure: 1/160 @ f/16  ISO 400

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Teton Storm Clearing

Teton Storm Clearing

GRTE050104

September 7, 2005

Digging way back into the archives this morning for an image that dates back to 2005, my last visit to the fabulous Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.  This was shot on the approach to Cascade Canyon, watching as the storm that had clung to the granite hills slowly dissipated, leaving a fog that would burn off as the day continued.  I like the haunted look to this image, the overall mystery that is involved with the fog seeping through the trees.  I hope you do as well.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon N80
Film: Fuji Provia 100F

Lens: n/a

Focal length:  n/a

Exposure: n/a  ISO 100

Post-processing: Scanned on a Nikon Coolscan 5000; minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Storm Clearing

Storm Clearing
NCAR10D0332

August 10, 2010

My apologies for missing yesterday; some unfortunate automobile trouble kept me away for most of the day and the post didn't get up.  And tonight, it stormed, one of those glorious spring storms that crackles with energy, the rain pulsing down in torrents.  I love those sorts of storms, they're my favorite.  I do miss seeing the sky turn green, as it did in Illinois, the sign of major storm-age to come.  This image is after the storm, as the clouds broke before sunset and the skies parted.  It is a refreshing, relaxing image to my way of thinking, just the thing after a long ragin' storm.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  31 mm

Exposure: 1/400 @ f/8   ISO 400

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

The Ominous Storm

The Ominous Storm
NCAR11D-321_pan

November 27, 2011

This was the scene while hiking with my girlfriend (now fiancée) Sarah last November.  We were at Morrow Mountain State Park, and had summited the main peak of the area, when we stopped to look around and survey the land.  Fall was dying off, the trees were losing leaves, and a late autumn storm was coming in from the south.  The mood, the ominous feeling of the clouds behind the silhouetted trees made it a great photograph, despite being slightly warped from the wide-angle aspect of the lens.   This is an HDR composite of 3 images, blended first in Photomatix and then finished in CS4.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6

Focal length:  20 mm

Exposure: 1/30 @ f/8   ISO 400

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

An Ominous Terrace

An Ominous Terrace

YELL050105

September 2005

Today we journey up to the iconic national park of our country, Yellowstone.  My last visit here was in 2005, and the northern reaches of the park hold the tavertine terraces of Mammoth hot springs.  This day, the fog lifting from the geothermal terrace obscured the already dismal view (as the first snowstorm rolled in behind me).  The dark clouds behind the scene compared well with the feel of the place, the decimated trees (killed from the geological activity and hot water constantly flowing) and the fog giving it an otherworldly view.  Enjoy.
 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon N80
Film: Fuji Velvia 50

Lens: Nikon 28-105 mm f/3.5-4.5

Focal length: 70 mm

Exposure: 1/200   f/4.5 

Post-processing: Scanned using a Nikon Coolscan 5000, slight texture,toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The Sentinel of Priest Rock

The Sentinel of Priest Rock

ALAK08D-94

July 24, 2008

This small monolith is on the outer reaches of the bay in Unalaska, next door to Dutch Harbor, and marks the entry point to the harbor.  In previous eras, this rock marked the sign that sailors had reached their home again, and it was always a welcome sight.  I love the way the stone stands, in this image it seems in defiance of the incoming clouds and storm, remaining a beacon for those wayward travelers.  Enjoy.
 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon D80

Lens:Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 22mm

Exposure: 1/125   f/16   ISO 100

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The Semuc Champey Valley

The Semuc Champey Valley

GUAT07D-169

June 25, 2007

This valley is famous, tucked in the central portion of Guatemala.  Cutting through the limestone of the mountains, these aqua pools  sparkle and beckon to dip your feet (or body) in and relax.  And after hiking through El Mirador (the lookout surrounding the valley, the vantage point of this image), that is a welcome thought.  The pools are clear and refreshing, with small fishes that tickle as you wade in.  Downstream there are areas where you can jump off waterfalls into pools (watch out for your glasses).  I like this image, as it cuts a nice contrast between the deep green of the jungle, and the small slice of warm hues that encapsulate the aqua pools.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens:Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:n/a

Exposure:n/a

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The End of the Day

The End of the Day

THOR09D-83

July 11, 2009

The closing of a long day over the badlands of North Dakota.  After hiking, sightseeing, and train chasing, this day concluded with puffy white clouds over the dun hillsides, the sun lengthening the shadows.  I was pleasantly surprised at how the badlands looked, and the Dakotas in general impressed me.  While a lot of it is rolling hills and farmland, as I expected, these badlands, with their Bryce Canyon-esque tiers and canyons, were a joy to explore.  I hope to get back there some day, and who knows what else I will uncover.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6

Focal length:  20 mm

Exposure: 1/100 @ f/16, ISO 100

Post-processing: Cropped down with slight contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Wide Open Rivers

Wide Open Rivers

THOR09D-21

July 10, 2009

Floating down the river this morning, after a long weekend of Thanksgiving eats and treats.  This image comes from North Dakota, another from the badlands area just outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Canoeing down the headwaters of the Missouri river, which flows north through the park before making an abrupt u-turn to head south along the grasslands of the prairie.  But for this stretch, it is cool, winding, very brown, and makes it a perfect way to relax against a summer sky.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/160 @ f/16, ISO 100

Post-processing: Desaturated, cropped down with slight contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Valley of Daisies

Valley of Daisies

THOR09D-53

July 11, 2009

It is amazing how important foreground is to your images.  You hear about it from the professionals, the photographers that you admire, and all of their images have interest from front to back, little shapes, lines, textures that lead you through the image to the final destination.  And working on an image, it does make a huge difference.  This image, from North Dakota's Theodore Roosevelt National Park, is honestly not my greatest example of foreground inclusion.  The flowers were there, and that was my intent, but upon reflection they were too far dispersed, and I could have placed them better within the frame.  But they do help hook your interest, and only after looking at the image do you consider the tall butte in the background, where some of the daisies seem to be pointing at.  And in that case, it is a success.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/80 @ f/16, ISO 100

Post-processing: Slight contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Sun Shaft Through the Storm

Sun Shaft Through the Storm

BHUT10D-273

November 19, 2010

Whirring through the countryside of Bhutan, the storm clouds that had followed us through Dochula Pass were finally breaking, revealing the lush, verdant countryside.  Finally, high on the hillsides above the Phobjikha Valley, the sun broke through the storm clouds, sending a bright ray streaking across the valley.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  105 mm

Exposure: n/a @ f/5.6, ISO 200

Post-processing: Slight contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Kenyan Kloud Kreations

Kenyan Kloud Kreations

KENY10D-346

March 20, 2010

Clouds, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, are truly a magnificent creation.  And there are no two that are alike, much like persons, but they also hold a regionality to them that is not always apparent.  I remember clouds in California, growing up.  They were usually cold masses moving off the Pacific, monotone and flat, bringing rain in the winter (for it pretty much never rains in the summer).  Then there were those clouds that spring up in the midwest.  They have no mountains to hinder their formation, and consequently you get these large, multi-storied creations, that are a dazzle to behold.  These imperious water vapor towers roam over the landscape at will, and perhaps unleash violent storms when they see fit.  I hadn't seen their like, until visiting Kenya.  Here this tremendous mass was sweeping over the savanna, and the dark underbellies were unleashing springtime rains as they went.  Truly incredible.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  44 mm

Exposure: 1/1250 @ f/4.8 ISO 100

Post-processing: Desaturation in PS 4, minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Illiamna in the Sunset

Illiamna in the Sunset

ALAK09D-196

August 31, 2009

The Seldovia area has numerous volcanic islands in the bay, and when the light is just right, you're able to capture them as the sun sets in the west.  This scene was shot through the bay as the clouds parted briefly to allow the horizontal band through to highlight Illiamna from behind.  With the silhouettes of the coniferous trees of the bay anchoring the left side, I like this composition and how it shows off the volcano as a mysterious, forbidding entity.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  135 mm

Exposure: 1/500 @ f/6 ISO 400

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

The Foggy Church

The Foggy Church

GUAT07D-135

May 31, 2007

It was a foggy day this morning, after a torrential storm whipped through the town.  During the morning run, the fog lay thick in the little creek that I run along, and it reminded me winding through the  higher mountains of Guatemala's Cuchumatanes Range.  This highland area in the northern stretches of the country doesn't see as many visitors as the popular East coast, and I was the only foreigner on the bus as we headed up to the town of Zunil.  Due to the weather, the market was shutting down early, but I was able to wander through the town, and came across this church.  They had just opened the doors, and the fog was flowing in past the pews, like something out of a horror movie, with a true eerie feeling.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  48 mm

Exposure: 1/13 @ f/8 ISO 400

Post-processing: Tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4

Thai Nimbostratus

Thai Nimbostratus

THAI040401

June 17, 2004

Today has dawned another gray day, with more rain in the forecast for the weekend.  I don't usually mind the rain, it has a soothing effect, and it really makes me want to go hiking in the rain.  Call me crazy, but there's something about stomping through the wilderness while the rain drips from the trees.  I recall a couple of particularly memorable times I've hiked in the rain... one was at Charmlee Regional Park in Los Angeles, with my mom and sister.  It was pouring and we still muscled through the chaparral and had a splash doing it.  The other was a New Year's Day hike in Muir Woods National Monument.  The rain kept the crowds away (as did the likelihood of hangovers from the night before), and the whole lush forest was quiet except the sound of the rain gently dripping through the leaves.

This image comes from the first trip to Thailand, many years ago when I was shooting film.  Taken on Fuji Velvia, this storm was rolling through as we sped back near Doi Inthanon National Park, and the clouds which had plagued us for days were finally starting to shift and break up.  It left behind a vibrant, stunning visual of the verdant countryside after 3 days of rain.  One of the more beautifully scenic rides I encountered in Thailand.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon N80
Film: Fuji Velvia 50

Lens: Nikon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5

Focal length:  50 mm

Exposure: n/a ISO 50

Post-processing: Scanned on a Nikon Coolscan 5000, tone adjusted and cleaned using ICE 4.0 and PS 4.

Misty Mountain Hop

Misty Mountain Hop

BHUT10D-194

November 19, 2010

This is turning into Bhutan week, so I think I'll continue the trend of images from last November's trip out to the rugged countryside of this Asian nation.  Inevitably, to get anywhere in Bhutan, you have to traverse the mountains.  The country lies on the eastern side of the Himalaya range, and while it might not have the highest peaks in the world, you still climb up and down some steep places on small roads.  Here we were moving past Dorchula Pass, just north of the 10,000' mark, and the wind picked up, blowing this incredible fog from the lower elevations.  It gave the entire scene a haunted atmosphere, which actually worked perfectly with the memorial that was at the pass.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  40 mm

Exposure: 1/40 @ f/11, ISO 400

Post-processing: Slight contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Lembert Dome Sunset

Lembert Dome Sunset

YOSE07D-57

July 14, 2007

This scene is from the less-visited yet stunning Tuolumne valley in the northern reaches of Yosemite National Park.  Lembert dome is a granite mound that juts up above the surrounding pine forests, and has a perfect westward facing slope.  This day we were lucky to catch it just as the sun dropped down, highlighting the storm that had been threatening to gather, and turning the whole scene a vibrant warm tone.  

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-55 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  26 mm

Exposure: 1/6 sec @ f/8, ISO 800

Post-processing: Minor curves adjustment in PS4 & LR1.4