Returning to One’s Roots by Using a Point and Shoot

Over the Sea of Grass
Over the Sea of Grass

When I was a young lad I had a 35mm Kodak camera that I had won at a contest in Montana.  About once a year my family and I would go on a trip, usually to a national park and I would be sure to pack the camera.  I would take several rolls of film and I would ultimately end up exposing most of it in the first couple of days and then I would have to ration the rest for the remainder.  During the time I was scurrying up on rocks and running up to lake shores to snap a quick photo, I had no idea that one day that would turn into something greater.  My only goal in those days was to capture the beauty around me so that I could be reminded of it later.

As time has progressed, so has my equipment.  During college I used a completely manual Pentax K-1000 to capture almost solely black and white images.  I did quite a bit of dark room work in those days, rolling and exposing my own film, and creating prints until the dead of night with only a singular red light for illumination.  I learned of different lenses, apertures, and shutter speeds.  I first used a tripod and a medium format camera.  Needless to say, the quick point and shooting slowly morphed into more deliberate, careful shooting, I had become a “serious” photographer.   Besides, now I had a grade depending on it.

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Announcing “The Quiet Beauty of Nebraska”

For the past few weeks I have been putting the final touches on my book “The Quiet Beauty of Nebraska”.  I’ve neglected my blog and some other duties, but I am finally ready to make it available.  Comprised of over 40 photographs from across the state of Nebraska, this book focuses on the scenic landscape, nature, and native wildlife that I have travelled far and wide to capture. 

To see a preview of the book and/or purchase, please take a look, it would make a great gift for the upcoming holiday season!
 

By Derrald Farnsworth…

Photo Friday - Storms Passing

A photograph of one of a stunning display of light in the clouds following a late afternoon intense storm on the plains of Nebraska.

I’m going to be starting a new trend here on Traveling the Journey of Light, I’m going to post a new photograph every Friday.  While I will still post photographs through the week, I’m making sure that something new and visual shows up on Photo Fridays.

Today’s image was taken atop a hill in eastern Nebraska near Herman.  It was an awesome display of light as a storm just passed overhead as the sun was setting in the west.  I have seen many photographs of this day and people still talk about it in Nebraska as the quality of light was simply stunning.  Besides this photograph I captured two others of rainbows and a couple of the passing storm.  Nature at its most remarkable.

Technical Details:
Canon 5d, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/8, .4 sec., 3-stop hard Singh-Ray ND-Grad
Near Herman, Nebraska

This photograph can be viewed on my website at: http://www.journeyoflight.com/journey06/photo.asp?pictureid=StormsPassing&xmlfile=/journey06/xml/color/midwest.xml

Dimming Light From a Northern Sun

On a cool July evening, upon Jack Sinn WMA in eastern Nebraska, the evening was quiet except for the frogs and insects and the occasional honking of geese overhead.  This was one of those times that the light was exceptional and I managed to get several “keepers”.  I also got 3 ticks, but I decided not to keep them.

Technical Details:
Canon 5d Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/18, 1/8 sec. 3-stop Singh-Ray Hard Grad
Jack Sinn Wildlife Management Area, Nebraska

This photograph can be viewed on my website at: http://www.journeyoflight.com/journey06/photo.asp?pictureid=DimmingLightofaNorthernSun&xmlfile=/journey06/xml/color/midwest.xml&x=18

Chimney Rock and the Nebraska Frontier

Today I am going to take a break from my “Missing the Mountains” series which will return tomorrow.  About over a month ago I posted an image to Darwin Wiggett’s Life and Learning Through the Lens monthly contest.  The theme was an alternative view to icons.  I submitted this image of Chimney Rock with the following tidbit:

While the state of Nebraska in the United States has very little that many would consider “icons” it does have Chimney Rock – the pinnacle by which many of the early settlers guided their wagons in their journeys to the west.  No photography book on Nebraska would be complete without an image of this prairie landmark.  Almost all the photographs I have seen have focused on the rock almost solely, with its jagged features dominating the composition.  In my rendition I choose to show it more from a distance, as the early travelers would might have initially seen it – a distant beacon of the next waypoint.

As it turns out, Mark and Leslie Degner, chose my image as this month’s winner!  More details and great submissions can be seen on Darwin’s Blog.  This image has always had some great memories associated with it.  I was really starting to get into digital photographer around this time and I took a great trip through South Dakota and Nebraska with my wife.  It was a wonderful trip and we both agree that this is one of our favorite images so it was pleasing to see that others enjoyed it too!

Technical Details:
Canon 20d, 17-40 f/4l @ 27mm, f/9, 1/50 sec.
Chimney Rock National Historical Site, Nebraska

This photograph can be viewed on my website at: http://www.journeyoflight.com/journey06/photo.asp?pictureid=ChimneyRock&xmlfile=/journey06/xml/color/midwest.xml&x=0.

Peaceful Glow

While growing up my parents always thought it was important to travel the area in which you live.  This doesn’t mean that’s all we did, but we would make it a point to see some of what the area has to offer.  Since I grew up in Nebraska I had the opportunity to see western Nebraska, Scottsbluff, Chimney Rock, Pioneer Village, and other parts of the state many people never see.  Now that I am adult with my family, I have also tried to plan trips for my family to see the different areas close-by. 

Today’s post comes out of my recent trip with my family to the Valentine, Nebraska area.  It’s an image of the grasslands and prairie in the sandhills at Ft. Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge.  At sunset on this particular evening the grass glowed golden with the light of the setting sun and the clouds reflected the last color of the warm light in the distance above the hills. 

Technical Details:
Canon 5d Mark II, 17-40 f/4l @ 17mm, f/14, 1/8 sec.
Ft. Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska

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