Embrace Your Conditions: From Another WorldPosted by drfl on October 13th, 2011

As I mentioned yesterday, for the next few blog posts, with the exception of the Photo Fridays, I will be presenting a photograph and then giving a little background on how I was either able to create the photograph or what I did that made the photograph different or better.

For landscape photography I generally want partly to mostly cloudy conditions with some dynamic light. Unfortunately, on my recent trip to extreme Northwestern Nebraska, I had clear skies on a couple of the days. Rural Nebraska, however, has very little light pollution and makes for great night photography. Instead of not shooting, I embraced my conditions and I took the oppotunity of having these clear skies to capture the Milky Way rising from Toadstool Park. It made me feel like I was standing on the moon!

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/4l, 30 sec.
Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska

Photo Friday (Double Feature): The Mighty Missouri at Sunrise and TranquilityPosted by drfl on September 16th, 2011

Today’s post contains two images, one is from a popular location in Nebraska, one is not. The first image, from the bluffs at the the tri-state overlook in Ponca State Park, the Missouri is seen snaking through the lowlands during a pretty spectacular sunrise. This is what I would consider a recognizable Nebraska photograph. I do, however, strive to photograph new and interesting locations in Nebraska and while this would be considered “interesting”, it may not be considered “new”. About 15-20 miles from this location is Powder Creek Wildlife Management Area where I witnessed another spectacular sunrise. These images were taken on back to back days. To me the second is more memorable morning, I was alone on the shore with no other soul around photographing an area I hadn’t even heard about until I saw the lonely sign the previous day while driving down the highway. It was a place with its own beauty and serenity. From a marketing and business perspective, the first will probably sell better, simply because it is recognizable, but the second has its own meaning to me. Not to say that one shouldn’t seek out the Tri-State Overlook at Ponca State Park, to me that it is a must-see location in Nebraska, but sometimes there is value in blazing your own path.

Technical Details (The Mighty Missouri at Sunrise):
Canon 5D Mark II, 24mm TS/E II, f/9, Singh-Ray 3 Hard-Stop Neutral Grad, 3 vertical images stitched together
Ponca State Park, Nebraska

Technical Details (Tranquility):
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4 @ 17mm, f/16, 4 sec., Singh-Ray 3 Hard-Stop Neutral Grad
Powder Creek Wildlife Management Area, Nebraska

Photo Friday: Kissed by Morning LightPosted by drfl on September 9th, 2011

Today’s image is another from northeastern Nebraska. While traveling around the countryside just after sunrise, I found these undulating hills of corn that were graced by the first light of the morning with clouds that mimicked the patterns on the ground.

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 70-200 f/4l @ 84, f/8, 1/250 sec.
Dixon County, Nebraska

Photo Friday: Almost HarvestPosted by drfl on July 15th, 2011

When I first began capturing photographs of the American Midwest and Great Plains it was my goal to NOT capture any agricultural type photographs. I felt that the area was underrepresented in scenic imagery with other subjects and I wanted to fill that void. As I travel through this area I find myself passing crops, silos, barns, and farmhouses that lend themselves to a successful image. While it is still not my goal to focus on the agricultural aspect of the area, some of the scenes with which I happen across I cannot help but stop and shoot. Today’s image is one such example. The clouds were looking ominous and looming on this hot and humid summer evening, so I packed up and headed to one of my favorite locations, Jack Sinn Wildlife Management Area. As I passed this farm, as I have done dozens of times before, I looked back and saw the clouds contrasted by the wheat almost ready for the harvest. After travelling another mile down the road, I decided to make a u-turn and head back to see what I could capture.

As I’m also focusing on some monochromatic imagery this year, I have included a black and white version. As usual, I would appreciate knowing which you prefer.

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/9, 1/40 sec.
Saunders County, Nebraska

Photo Friday: Waiting for TomorrowPosted by drfl on July 8th, 2011

As a change from the recent wintry Colorado photos, today I present an image take just a couple of weeks ago at Mahoney State Park. Near the toboggan run, there are several large Burr Oak trees that I enjoy photographing on occasion. On this warm summer eve, I captured the setting sun through the branches of one of these large, old residents of the park.

Technical Details:
Canon 50D, 10-22 e-fs @ 10mm, f/20, 1/10 sec
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, Nebraska

Photo Friday: The Long EmbracePosted by drfl on June 17th, 2011

I was enamored with the foggy conditions that prevailed for the first few days at Rocky Mountain. Today’s Photo Friday is another foggy composition of some evergreens in Horseshoe Park.

Technical Details:
Canon 5D Mark II, 70-200 f/4l @ 118mm, f/4.5, 1/250 sec.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado