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.

Waves of Stone

Waves of Stone

ZION030007

August 2003

Again touring the southwest today, this image comes from the eastern side of Zion National Park, beyond the eponymous canyon.  Here the landscape opens up a little, and the sandstone that marks the red rock of Utah pulls away from the trail in gentle curves.  It looks like a wave, gathering power and height, though we know it will never burst upon us.  Still, a beautiful abstract image for a Thursday.  Enjoy.
 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon N80
Film: Fuji Velvia 50

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

Focal length: 28 mm

Exposure: 1/200   f/4.5 

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

The Lone, Old Tree

The Lone, Old Tree

BRCA030103

August 2003

One of my favorite magazines and blogs, Mental Floss, had a fantastic list of 6 of the oldest trees of the world yesterday.  It highlighted some very ancient trees, including Methuselah, a bristlecone pine that is located somewhere in the Inyo National Forest, on the California-Nevada border.  The location of this tree is actually kept secret by the Forest Service, to protect it from souvenir collectors and idiots who want to carve their initials into it, etc.  But these are very beautiful trees.

This inspired my selection of today's image, a not quite as old pine located in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.  Still, while it not might be as old as the 4,500-year old Methuselah, it has that gnarled, twisted form that still suggests some pretty advanced age.  And for this photo, I love how the warmth of the bark of the tree contrasts with that blue Utah sky.  Enjoy.
 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon N80
Film: Fuji Velvia 50

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

Focal length: 28 mm

Exposure: 1/200   f/4.5 

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

Bryce Storm

Bryce Storm

BRCA030118

August 2003

While hiking along the rim of the gorgeous Bryce Canyon, As I came along the ridge, the clouds that had been gathering the last couple of days joined together and came streaming, ominously over the horizon.  I was able to find this lone pine, which looked like it had been through a few storms itself, straggling along the red rock.  However, this seemed to be more conducive to a monochrome image, as it conveyed the approaching storm better.  The major let-down of this image, I think, is in the post-processing.  It was shot on Fuji Velvia film, and then scanned, which is never a perfect way of doing things.  A better scanner probably would have made the image clearer, and reduced some of the artificial effects that I can see, but no use crying over spilled milk.  It is still a nice image from a beautiful location.  Enjoy.
 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon N80
Film: Fuji Velvia 50

Lens: Sigma 20mm f/2.8

Focal length: 20 mm

Exposure: 1/200   f/4.5 

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

The Watchman from Afar

The Watchman from Afar

ZION030009

August 15, 2003

Whereas yesterday's image was among the most recent in my collection, having been taken over the previous weekend, this one is reaching back far into the archives.  Camping in the southern reaches of Zion National Park in 2003, the summer sunsets were amazing at highlighting the redrock formations of the south.  This was taken on slide film, then scanned, so the grain is apparent despite the use of ICE converters.  I think it has a nice appeal to the photo though, the grain adds an additional dimension.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon N80
Film: Kodak Ektachrome 200

Lens: Nikon 28-105 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  105 mm

Exposure: n/a  ISO 200

Post-processing: Scanned on a Nikon Coolscan 5000 with Digital ICE 4.0, tone adjusted and using and PS 4 and LR1.4

Ruined Brothel

Ruined Brothel

DEVA07D-55

March 30, 2007

So I got caught up in the spirit of the long weekend (aka doing as little as possible besides lab work), and completely missed the Monday posting.  My apologies.  Today's post comes to us from Death Valley National Park, or rather just outside in the town of Rhyolite.  This ghost town was, like many cities in the West, fueled by mining that didn't last.  Although it once had a population approaching 10,000, today it has a whopping populace of zero.  It is interesting to wander through the town and see the ruined buildings, and ghost towns always make for interesting photography.  This is a shot through the window of a ruined brothel.  Some of the color is still on the walls (surprising, a brothel that is painted red), and as you can see, some of the previous visitors have not been so kind to the walls.  Still, the rich light and contrast made it an interesting scene.  I liked this image, the angle looking through the doorway and window, with the side lighting.  And it did win the Champaign County Camera Club's spring 2009 contest Windows.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-35 f/3.5-4.5

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/25 sec @ f/10, ISO 100

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

Spring Morning Over the Valley of Death

Spring Morning Over the Valley of Death

DEVA07D-80

March 31, 2007

A friend of mine is planning a visit to Death Valley National Park, and that prompted me to go back through some photos of the time I was last there, just over four years ago.  The park is a strange concoction of barren austerity and the vibrance of life, how it struggles (and even flourishes) against all odds.  Death Valley regularly posts some of the hottest temperatures in the country, and among the highest in the world.  It is also the lowest point in North America.  But despite the sand, and the heat, wildflowers can about after a brief spring rainfall, and in the cool morning light, even the immense dunes take on a gentle, welcoming appearance. 

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: NIkon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5

Focal length:  105 mm

Exposure: 1/80 sec @ f/8, ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor curves adjustment in PS4