FEATURED Photo of the Day

JLK03F150 said:

Unless you're sitting on the surface of the sun, you'll be counting the exposure in seconds at f/32.

I have really stopped down on some watch photos (not running) with really good light though. They are mostly exposed for several seconds.

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I thought it was a point reminder as I see you were shooting at a stationary object in a controlled environment, use flash would help along with reflectors if available.

This PIX was shot outdoor in an evening sun with Nikon D7000 with 60mm @ 60mm; f/40; 1/160; ISO-800 NO FLASH and hand held.

Dark_n_Beyond said:

Indeed it does. For still objects, focus stacking works quite well. I've played around with it a little bit, but not much as I haven't been motivated enough to lug around a tripod and focus rails. I've seen stacked images of insects as well, but I have no idea how anyone gets them to stay still that long.

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Dead bugs don't move.

So the main reason for my quick camping trip, other than to just get away for a couple of days, was to scout out a couple of places. I never expect to get great landscape shots the first time I visit anywhere, because there is just so much that's unknown. What time of the day can you get there, where is the sun going to be, where are the best vantage points, what focal lengths are needed, etc. Normally I end up with some useable shots the first time, but better ones on return trips.

I'm almost embarrassed to say, having lived in Minnesota almost my whole life, that there is a whole stretch of the north shore that I've never seen. I've driven it dozens of times, but never stopped at all the cool places along the stretch between Duluth and Grand Marais. My stops for this trip... Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls. Split Rock was a bust, as fog that day made everything just plain white. However, I now know for the shots I want, late evening will be best light, and I know where I want to shoot from and how to get there. I also know that fog will be unpredictable, so I need to try to be in the area for a few days.

Gooseberry Falls is beautiful. I was unaware of the bridge there, and some of the vantage points I'd like to get to are not going to be easy. the surrounding area is very steep, and will take more time than I had before the sun got too high. A couple of these I like, a couple I want to do over. Anyway... enough rambling.

Upper Gooseberry Falls


Middle Gooseberry Falls


Lower Gooseberry Falls


Lower and Middle Falls

I am absolutely jealous of your ability to get pictures like that.

Wow those are fantastic. There is so much I need to learn.

thideras said:

I am absolutely jealous of your ability to get pictures like that.

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Thanks, thideras, I appreciate that. Don't be jealous, get out and do. Technically speaking, these aren't difficult photos to take. Flipping the switch to manual, setting a low ISO and slowing down your shutter isn't complicated. You have a good camera and good lenses. Not sure if you have a good tripod or not, but if you do you're in business equipment wise. I didn't use a shutter release, as none of these from Gooseberry are over 30sec exposures. I did use my Big Stopper for these, but arriving earlier would have been just as good if not better. ND filters are great for allowing longer exposures in less than ideal light, but not a substitute for good lighting (look at the blotchy lighting on the bridge in my previous post). Really the only things that separate most of my waterfall pictures from most of the average ones is a willingness to get up at 3am and be where I need to be in good light, the willingness to hike a bit if necessary, the willingness to get my feet wet, and the willingness to go back to the same spot numerous times. These shots aren't too bad, but with a little better planning and the knowledge I have now of the site, I can do better there.

Blaylock said:

Wow those are fantastic. There is so much I need to learn.

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Thank you. I have much to learn as well. I take absolutely horrible pictures of people, but then I don't like people to begin with . Portraiture is really pretty technical, but I'd still like to learn more though.

A couple of things I've been told that have stuck with me....

1) If you want better pictures, point your camera at better things.
2) Take the picture you want to take, not the picture you "should" take.

The most important

3) Just get out and take pictures.

Dark_n_Beyond said:

Really the only things that separate most of my waterfall pictures from most of the average ones is a willingness to get up at 3am and be where I need to be in good light, the willingness to hike a bit if necessary, the willingness to get my feet wet, and the willingness to go back to the same spot numerous times.

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Sounds just like storm photography, except I don't get up at 3am too often. Rather, I'm up until 3-4am. I can definitely relate to going out to the same spot time after time too. That abandoned house has seen me as often as my own family has.

Already thinking about going back there to get lightning shots just a bit better and/or closer. Had one or two really close cloud to ground blasts out there I couldn't catch because the camera was pointing the wrong way and the storm came up on me sooner than expected. Once I pointed it the right way, it was too late and all I got were the in cloud anvil crawlers. Which were still awesome.

I should really move on to the next abandoned house. There are several worth shooting as much as that one, and most are easier to get to.

OW - Not so different at all. For what I do, morning or evening would work. I'm more of a morning person, so that's when I go unless a scene requires evening. Pretty much any nature photography boils down to being in the right place at the right time. You can increase your odds by doing certain things, but that's never a guarantee. I've been to some local waterfalls over 20 times and still not got the shot I want. Good pictures are a lot more work than most people realize. You do great work, and I really have an appreciation for what goes into it. Keep it up!

Oklahoma Wolf said:

I think I have better shots than this, but no time to look through them right now.

Shot with the kit lens at its widest angle - 18mm.

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I don't know what it is but that pic makes me what to know the history of that house......

If you do have other shots, i'm sure i'm not the only one whom wants to see them.

Great Halloween postcard if you ask me.

'Cuda340 said:

If you do have other shots, i'm sure i'm not the only one whom wants to see them.

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Well, here's the one that actually made it into my (not making very much) money site:

http://theweatherwolf.zenfolio.com/p416668692/e2b7c544

The house is some 90 years old and was built for the hotel owner in nearby Dollard. He never got to live in it - prohibition made him rather unrich, and the house went through two more owners before being abandoned, I think, before it could even be electrified.

I reckon it's been sitting there abandoned as long as I've been alive. Maybe even longer.

Oklahoma Wolf said:

Well, here's the one that actually made it into my (not making very much) money site:

http://theweatherwolf.zenfolio.com/p416668692/e2b7c544

The house is some 90 years old and was built for the hotel owner in nearby Dollard. He never got to live in it - prohibition made him rather unrich, and the house went through two more owners before being abandoned, I think, before it could even be electrified.

I reckon it's been sitting there abandoned as long as I've been alive. Maybe even longer.

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Wow, your pictures are amazing. Surprised they aren't going for more.

Amazing history that comes with that home. I wonder who owns the property for that matter. I believe in certain states you can call it your own if no one comes up after some time.

Oklahoma Wolf said:

The house is some 90 years old and was built for the hotel owner in nearby Dollard. He never got to live in it - prohibition made him rather unrich, and the house went through two more owners before being abandoned, I think, before it could even be electrified.

I reckon it's been sitting there abandoned as long as I've been alive. Maybe even longer.

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What a gd shame.

Was rocking out some tonight and saw a perfect opportunity to incorporate two hobbies!

T3, EF 50mm, f/2.8, 1/4 sec., ISO-100

Broke out the extension tubes tonight for a few minutes of fun. Tubes plus external flash = good times.

The setup:



The results:

70D, EF 50mm f/1.8 @ f/3.2, 1/250 sec, ISO 2500

Green Stone I by hokiealumnus, on Flickr

70D, EF 50mm f/1.8 @ f/3.2, 1/250 sec, ISO 2500

Green Stone II by hokiealumnus, on Flickr

Up close & personal. Cool.

I need to dust off my macro stuff & get at it.

Hi guys,
First off let me say the following pictures aren't meant to be in the same class as most of the images you guys post here.

As I'm sure most of you are aware by now, the state of Washington, and in particular the county of Okanogan has been ravaged by wild fires over the past couple of weeks. I live in Okanogan county, less that 25 miles from the most hard hit areas. Today, my wife and I hauled two truck loads of donated relief supplies to the affected areas, mostly for people displaced by the loss of their homes. Large areas are without power, and because most people in the affected areas run wells for water, no power means well pumps don't work. So, those who still have a home are doing without water and power.

I took a few pictures during the trip today that I thought I'd share.

Our first stop was in Carlton, WA where we unloaded about half of the supplies we had. Once there we chatted with a team of first responders and had a look at the information walls that people get the latest news pertaining to the fire and relief efforts.

There was a list of people who lost their home in this area that was several pages long. Sadly, this list is from only one of many affected areas. At last count over 200 homes have been destroyed.

The next set of pictures show what is a common theme across the 250,000 acres of destruction. Closed roads, obliterated home sites, downed power lines, and forest land that will take years and years to heal.

I'll be headed back on Friday with another load of goodies for these people. We no sooner got the trucks unloaded, exchanged a few hugs with people we know, and 90% of the stuff we brought was already gone... people are in dire need of supplies.

Man, that's a tough situation. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for taking badly needed supplies out there.

I didn't realize that fire was so close to you, much less in your county. You guys stay safe; hope the winds keep it away from you.

Yesterday turned out to be quite interesting... severe thunderstorms started in the mid afternoon and went just about all night. I somehow talked myself out of my original target, and of course that's where the storm of the day happened. Even so, I got tons of lightning, storm, and giant rotating wall cloud shots.