Don't Fence Me In

Lumix G5, Lumix 100-300mm

I shot this last April near the Golden Gate Bridge.


--Warren

American Kestrel in Yellowstone

Lumix G5, Lumix 100-300mm

Gail and I were on the lookout for wildlife in Yellowstone, and we soon learned that the quickest clue to seeing where the wildlife was is to spot where the wildlife photographers are clustered. I'm referring to the really SERIOUS photographers who are using huge tripods, dslrs, and gigantic lenses. 

We spotted the above group, and we thought that they were waiting for a bear, but when we walked up and asked them, they said that they were shooting an American Kestrel nest. They were waiting for the female to fly into the nest, and apparently, they had been patiently waiting there for an hour or more. They were extemely touchy bordering on rudeness about people walking in front of their cameras for fear of their prize winning shot being ruined by someone's head in the frame. 

Well, I am a big fan of raptors of all kinds, so I was excited about the possibility of getting a shot of the bird at its nest too! While everybody had their big lenses aimed squarely at the nest, I with my handheld rig saw the birds flying around the nest. The birds are very careful about protecting their nest site, so they are very cautious about flying there, hence the long wait to catch the "perfect" shot.

I was able to grab some shots of the bird perched at nearby branches before the final series of it landing at the nest.

We were lucky, Gail and I only had to wait 10 minutes or so before the bird decided to land next to the nest, and fly into it.

After that, all the big lens people packed up and left to find the next photo opportunity. And I was very happy to be part of the gang who were there to capture that moment.

--Warren

Flamenco Sketching. Pictures made by pen and paint.

A 3 hour search for angles, lighting, shapes, and textures. I guess more too, perhaps. (The music was great!) These are pen sketches colored with watercolour paints. I have joined the Vancouver Urban Sketchers as of Jan 2014 to inform my photography. So far, the sketching has been helped by my photography instincts. Hopefully after a few more years of urban sketching, it will feed back into the photos. I've really slowed down my process of observation... which is what I think film photography also does (I have not figured out a way to make myself take that jump with enough commitment yet). There are some unique qualities of sketch observations though. With sketching, you feel every line put down. And lighten with every distant boundary. You lean into every perspective. It's been an interesting journey into a neighboring visual expression.

Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park

Lumix LF1

Snow Fall on on way road Trillum Lake of Portland

  Lena

Painted Hills Mitchell Oregon

  It's my last month photograph trip Portland Oregon. 

The scenery were amazing, I saw four season view on my 6 days tour...:-)

Lena

You Looking at Me?

Lumix G5, Lumix 100-300mm

I shot this robin at Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park. The wildlife viewing and scenery were fantastic at Yellowstone NP, and the scenery was great in all three parks (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier) that we visited.

What has everyone else been up to lately?

--Warren

When the Search for Complexity is found in Simplicity - SLIP IN SLIDE

It takes a team

I don't want to grow up

Everyone is a pro

Covered in mud? Success


Nikon D810 - Nikkor 80-200mm -
Speed priority 1/1000 - ISO 320 - 200mm - F stop would jump between 4.5-7ish based on overcast. I think I had the exposure compensation to plus 1 

I recently shot an event that was both amazing to shoot and gave me a little deeper insight into my own progressive world of photography.

Having the personal opinion that I found my passion a little late in life and trying to catch up to the years of experience everyone around me seems to have. Has kept me pushing myself daily to improve all my skills.

But it also can be my achilles heel. Second guessing myself at every turn.

* I am an amazing photographer right?
* I can capture those moments that transcend the norm into a place of fantasy and excitement?
* Location, Location. Should I be traveling the globe climbing mountains & jumping out of helicopters to prove my worth?
* I need to make things more complex don't I!? Show the world the depth of my abilities?
* I need more equipment to produce better photographs? Do I need more equipment to produce better photos?
* Why am I second guessing myself?
* Do Annie Leibovitz, Chase Jarvis & Von Wong second guess everything they do?

Turns out the answers to all my questions are always yes and no.

Complexity is normally not better, location is important but has nothing to do with capturing amazing photos. Equipment is only helpful when used properly and turns out the less you use the less can go wrong. I have learned from all the people I have met in this journey & this has nothing to do with other photographers but anyone that feels they are not producing what they want always seem to have an excuse to back up their failures. I have also found embracing your failures is the key to success. When I dont fail at something I typically dont improve it as far as I would have if I completely messed up. Didn't get it right the first time. Do it again & again & again until that lightbulb goes on.

But wait a minute? Kids, a plastic piece of material and some water helped produce some of my favorite photos? All I had to do was lay on my stomach, get a little dirty, set my camera to speed priority mode and time my shots. I barely even touched the photos in post.

Too easy? or just right? Turns out just being willing to get as low as you need to for eye level shots is half the battle.

My mini post morphed into something else but hey what can you do. ??? Someone just said shorten it. =)

I hope everyone is well, I miss seeing everyones posts from your adventures.

Best wishes to you all!

~Carl~