Rim Pix

treesaddlePSi.JPG

We have been trying to capture the Mogollon Rim.  While it is a drop dead gorgeous landscape, it is so vast it is hard to capture.  But we’re determined to build a collection of photos that do it justice.  So be prepared… this is not the first, nor will it be the last post on this topic.

rainstormPS.jpg

spirecPSi.JPGIt has so very many faces, both in terms of blue blue skies… and storm clouds on the horizon.  It’s got gnarly trees and craggy ridge lines.  It has endless personalities with tons of character.

dogrokksPSi.JPG

For us, it’s our all time FAVORITE place to have dinner.  I don’t know what it is, but we’ll pack up a dinner and head out to the rim… and the food always tastes better.  The scenery is surreal and of course, the company always fantastic.

mtnrokksPSi.JPG

treewind3PSi.JPG

And when we’re lucky… we even get visitors (of the furry kind).  Last week we saw a bear.  Too far away to photo, but a bear nonetheless.  For us… that was a thrill.

smbird4PSi.JPG

smbird5PSi.JPG

Panning Technique

I love this technique, but it does take practice.

Thank goodness for digital cameras.  I can practice all I want, and throw out the duds.

The trick is a SLOW shutter speed.  It should be 1/8, 1/4, or 1/2 second.  It has to be slow enough to actually capture the motion.  At 1/500 or 1/30 second won’t cut it as your inferred motion will be too slight.

The tricky part is getting the shutter speed that slow during the day.  There are several ways to assist in this.  Use a small aperture (f/22), allowing for the slowest shutter.  Use a polarizer or Neutral Density filter to cut the light, and slow down the shutter.

Once you can get the shutter slow enough… let ‘er rip.

This is a hand held technique, not tripod.  So you have to move with the subject.  Focus on where the subject will be crossing your path (or use Al Servo) parallel to where you await your subject to pass.  Also use your high speed exposure to take multiple photos as you swing with your moving subject.

It’s good fun and a cool technique.  Good luck.

JEEPmotion.jpg

May Day Snow

When I wrote about Snow showers in my kritterspaw blog (here),  I thought it was our last snow storm of the year.  Phoenix, 2 hours south has already seen 90F days.  Well, in the week since then Phoenix has seen 100F days, the calendar has rolled over to May, and we got another snow storm.  Much to the delight of our visiting San Diego friends, we were treated with a magical day on the rim of light snow, fog, and cool weather conditions.  The weather made for interesting photos and a great day.

newleafPSi.JPG

snofogPSi.JPG

We managed to grab an opening in the snow fall to stop for a glorious picnic as we watched the snow melt off the trees like pouring rain.

fursnoPS_SSi.JPG

treeoverhang-clo_PSi.jpg

As the fog rolled in, the weather just got more mysterious, and along with it the photographic opportunities.

aspen snowPSi.JPG

cragtreefogSS_PSi.jpg

treesfogPSi.JPG

While you couldn’t see the rim well, it brought an otherworldly eeriness to our outing.

It truly was a magical day.  So glad we were able to enjoy it, and share it with friends.

Tufted Red Squirrel

redleapPS cropi.jpgWe get a lot of squirrels and chipmunks.  There are not unusual around here.  But we get these tufted eared squirrel occasionally that are very striking looking.  I originally thought that they are Kaibab squirrel, but Kaibab squirrels are known for being primarily in conifer forests in North Grand Canyon.  So either these little guys are lost… or they are just garden variety tufted ear squirrels.  Our visiting squirrel is likely a Abert’s Squirrel which is the variety found in South Grand Canyon.

red tree liei.JPG

red tree turni.JPG

Either way, this little guy has gotten pretty comfortable here, and comes to visit occasionally.  Whatever family they belong to, we’re happy to have them visit and pose for my photos.  Smile, you’re on Kathy’s camera. :)

redpawsi.JPG

The Pano

I often take Panorama’s, but seldom actually stitch them together.

alstrom pano_PEi.jpg

So let me step back a minute.  Panorama’s are a wide span photo, either vertical or horizontal.  These days you can do them with your camera or point & shoot, where in some ways they are easier.  Just press the button to go… and again to stop.  Wa-la.

To do them with DSLR is a little more complicated.  In Photoshop, you do a Photomerge, which is hidden under the obscure tree File – Automate – Photomerge.  Select the photos you want to merge and it will whir and wiz until it comes up with a compilation of your photos stitched together.  You’ll have to do some cropping or Content Aware patching to fill in any holes… but wa-la… the Pano.

Alstrom Sunrise Pano PEPSi.jpg

A good tip when you do the Pano in camera is to stick up one finger to designate that you are beginning a pano… then take your series, trying to remain level to the horizon and constant focus & exposure as you sweep your photos across, then stick up 2 fingers to designate that you are done.

_40A6047i  _40A6054i

This way when you are going through you digital negatives you know you have done a pano and can stitch it together using Photomerge in Photoshop.

Admittedly, I will take them, but rarely get around to or bother to stitch them together.  Maybe it’s because they just don’t inspire me as great photos, they are difficult to print, and hard to email.  Some subject matters do lend themselves to the pano format however.  So don’t necessarily blow them off.  Give them a try to enhance the story telling of your trip.

Mesa Arch Pano_PEi.jpg

Whether to Weather

My friend, Maureen, recently asked me which is better – gray skies or blue.

Hmmm. As in all things… it depends.

lp rainstormPSi

powell rvr closPSi

I love the dark clouds of an oncoming storm. It adds such great interest to a photo. Gray clouds are an entire different matter. They can create a washed out dull photo. In those situations it may be best to just cut the sky out of the photo altogether and enjoy the absence of a gray washed out sky.

Blue sky on the other hand can be very harsh and lend no interst to the sky… no drama or interest.

skinnyspirei

mittensPSi

It’s as they always say … dawn & dusk are the best.

Those times yield the best low lighting on your subject casting a nice soft glow.

Weather can yield the best photos. Dark, bloomy clouds add depth. But if it’s just gray and overcast it can create a bad photo day. Watch for the weather. Embrace it, and take advantage of the weather… it often adds more than less.

mittnPSi

Arches National Park

rokgardnPSi.JPG

roadviewPSi.JPG

Arches, while aptly named with memorable arches to view and walk amongst, is so much more.  It is multiple spires, hoodoos if you will, large canyons and seas of rock formations jutting out of the valley floor… and arches.

da skyPSi.JPG

Arches true colors shine at sunset when the colors turn a brilliant unreal orange-red.

roadgloPSi.JPG

balancgrokPSi.JPG

The rock pillars radiate as if they were on fire, taking on an other worldly glow.  It makes you stop dead in your feet just to take it in.  It comes like a storm, lights up the world, then without pause or hesitation it disappears behind the horizon until it comes back tomorrow.

sun2cldsPSi.JPG

sunwindowPSi.JPG

For me, I’m just happy to be witness to it’s grandeur and share in it’s awesome beauty.

pkaventPSi.JPG

Slot Canyons

2wayarch2PSi.JPG

Slots canyons are a landscape that is reminiscent of the desert southwest.  They are completely unique to Arizona / Utah area.  It’s not like they are common in Florida or Maine.  They are canyonesque shapes and textures that are unique unto themselves.

Here in Arizona they are common through the Indian Reservations… which unfortunately makes them expensive.  But there are other less accessible places to enjoy them, though they do require knowledge, agility, and a hike to get there.

bearPSi.JPG

They also require, if you’re so inclined, finesse in capturing them photographically.  Slot canyons are an illusive subject matter with their sandstone form and varying light.  They represent an abstract challenge to capture visually.

swirlPSi.JPG

j beam lookPSi.JPG

For me, they are difficult to capture.  Maybe because I tend to photograph tangible subjects like wildlife and landscape.  Photographing something abstract takes imagination.  You must see the shapes, contours and contrasts without washing out the colors.  It’s also technically difficult because the poor (dark) lighting conditions require a tripod … and a cloudy white balance setting promotes the orangey hue.  Pity I don’t have more opportunity to practice.

sandwavePSi.JPG

faceptgPSi.JPG

owlfar hortPSPSi.JPG

Lake Powell – Alstrom Point

sunoffrok2PSi.JPG

moonogsPSi.JPG

Have you been to… or heard of Alstrom Point?  It’s on the back side of Lake Powell, north of Page.  We have seen photos of this amazing place and wanted to check it out for ourselves. If you go to Page, continue west to Big Water.  Stop at Big Water Visitor Center for a fascinating education in this dinosaur rich area, with over 4000 dinosaur’s being discovered just in the last 10 years, many newly discovered species.  They’ll give you a detailed map on how to get to Alstrom Point.  But essentially it’s behind Big Water along a long 2 hour dirt road.

hoodoos closPSi.JPG

The overlook was nothing short of stunning.

hawkheadPSi.JPGWe camped out so we could get sunset, sunrise, and star photos.  We enjoyed it so much, we stayed 2 nights.  It was one of those magical moments that you remember for a life time.  Watching the full moon rise over the lake was fantastic.  This orange ball rose just behind Gunsight Butte, lighting up the sky like it burst into flames.

moonorgPSi.JPG

moondarkPSi.JPG

Because we were there 2 nights we got to do sunrise and sunset, as well as night stars.

firstmoongloPSi.JPG

Pictures don’t do it justice.  It was a fabulous couple days.

From the Archives: Amalfi Coast, ITALY

positano-nyph-landPSi

I’ve said it before… but I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel the world. There are far more places that I haven’t been, than I have. Yet having been to around 40 countries, I’ve seen enough to ‘get the bug’. To some, 40 countries may be a lot… to others, not very many. It depends on your perspective. If you live in Europe, it’s nothing. If you live in the USA, it’s more than most.

Either way, I love the beauty and culture of new places. I find that Europe in particular has so much history, architecture, and scenery, which gives it a great depth of character.

We do love Italy… I’m not sure I’ve been anywhere in Italy I haven’t liked. The food is amazing, the people gregarious, and the atmosphere eclectically wonderful. If you’ve been to Venice, you know exactly what I mean.

I pulled these photos out of a trip my husband and I took in 2008 to the Amalfi Coast. With houses hanging on the sides of mountains, colorful rooftops and city domes as they jut right into the sea… it’s fantastically picturesque.

amalfii

sorrento sunset village2i

praiano domi

While in Amalfi Coast we spent time in many of the small cities along the coast, including Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, and Cefula. Each has it’s own charm.

positano scapeki_Ss

cef boat nti

whichway landi

cetara boats beachi

The mix of sea, land, food, culture, and picturesque landscape is absolutely intoxicating. Just looking at the photos makes me want to go back. Thanks for reminiscing with me.