Posts Tagged ‘nature patterns’

New Morning Light Image – Spring Oak, Coarsegold, California 2011

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

This morning, I photographed a wonderful spreading oak tree with brilliant morning sunlight.  Since the contrast was strong and I was aiming into the sun, I made seven exposures with .5 stops between frames.  After importing the files in Lightroom, I applied the Lens Correction for my Canon 16-35mm zoom, then exported to Nik HDR Efex Pro.  I just started using this software so am slowing learning the many processing options it offers and exploring its potential for me. So far, so good!

Enjoy!  Bill

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM___ISO 160

Pear Blossoms, Coarsegold, California 2011

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__1/4 sec at f / 4.5__ISO 100__FILTER: Singh Ray Vari-ND

Here is a newly processed image, made in March, from the same Coarsegold, CA location I’ve earlier posted on my blog: http://bit.ly/fJHRRw.  I made the image above with low-angle sunlight on the first morning, then returned the next morning when the light was flatter.  Below is the image from the second morning.  Which one do you like better?

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__0.7 sec at f / 9.5__ISO 100

Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts, Bill

Landscapes of the Spirit – Spring Snow and Reflections, Coarsegold, California 2011

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM__1/8 sec at f / 16__ISO 400

Last Friday, I drove my daughter to school in a spring snowstorm.  On my way home, I stopped at a favorite pond.  The flakes fell furiously, with that silent energy of falling snow.  The meadow and oaks were white, the landscape simplified like a black and white etching.  I used my 24-105mm to capture a wide view of the scene, trying to break my habit of isolating intimate details of nature.  Well, it didn’t work out in that regard.  After struggling with a wide composition, I zoomed in on the falling flakes and tree reflections.  In order to show the snow and preserve the ripple shapes, I boosted my ISO to 4oo for a faster shutter speed along with the small aperture.

I am not sure others will enjoy the subtle quietude of this photograph, but this type of experience is what inspires me most deeply, a new Landscapes of the Spirit image for that ongoing portfolio.

Namaste,  Bill

Calla Leaves, Ahwahnee, California 2011

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__1.5 sec at f / 22__ISO 100

For the past couple of months, I have been watching this calla plant growing in my living/dining room area.  The light comes through two different windows to light the leaves to various effect.  This past Sunday, I finally saw a composition worth setting up for.  I hung up my black piece of velvet on the wall behind these leaves.  I left my camera set up and made frames when I saw interesting light. I downloaded the images, looked at the new images, and was not particularly inspired by the results.

Yesterday, four days later, I looked at the images again with Lightroom.  Then it hit me that there was real potential here, made several adjustments to this image, including converting the image to BW.  Bingo!  I polished up the file this morning in Photoshop this morning.  Here is the result!

Enjoy,  Bill

For more of my BW work, see my Meditations in Monochrome ebook!

My Favorite Images of 2010

Saturday, January 8th, 2011

I am finally posting a selection of my favorite photographs from 2010. Maybe I’ll have to follow the trend and pick the top ten.

Please let me know which ones are your favs!  Thanks to all of you who have followed my ongoing adventures in creative photography.

Happy New Year,  Bill


Salsify Seeds, 2010


Ice, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Stones and reflections, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Valley Oak and fog, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Valley Oaks and fog at sunrise, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Plum Blossom, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Plum Blossom #2, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Sunrise at Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California 2010


Twilight, Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California 2010


Twilight at Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California 2010


Three Calla Lilies, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Two Calla Lilies, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Dogwood Branches over the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, 2010


Dogwood Branch, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, 2010


Lily, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Pier Pilings and Fog, Coquille River, Bandon, Oregon 2010


Pier Pilings in the Coquille River, Bandon, Oregon 2010


Pier Pilings, Coquille River, Bandon, Oregon 2010


Rock formation and driftwood, Bandon, Oregon 2010


Two Lilies, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Sunflower Impression, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Sunflower, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Four Oaks, Coarsegold, California 2010


Sunbeams and Forest, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2010


Grasses and Raindrops, Siesta Lake, Yosemite National Park, California 2010


Aspen, Conway Summit, California 2010


Aspen and Sierra Nevada Mountains, Conway Summit, California 2010


Sunrise Storm Clouds, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, California 2010


Pinecones, Mono Lake Tufa
State Natural Reserve, California 2010


Sunrise surf, Carmel, California 2010


Rocks and Surf, Carmel, California 2010


Rock Formations and surf, Pt. Lobos State Reserve, California 2010


Winter Hills, Diablo Mountains, Pacheco Pass, California 2010


Cows and Winter Hills, Diablo Mountains, Pacheco Pass, California 2010


Autumn oak and snowstorm, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Oaks in autumn snowstorm, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Autumn oaks and snowflakes, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Calla Leaf, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Pine forest in fog, Ahwahnee, California 2010


Oak forest in fog, Ahwahnee, California 2010