Challenges

Shrouded In Fog

We’ve all been challenged by the events this past year or more and I hope we find the path to better days in the near future. But, the damnpenic has not been the only challenge I have had to deal with recently. I have developed cataracts which have been been getting worse the last couple of months, This image is a bit like what my everyday life is like…always varying degrees of fogginess. It’s often hard to tell if what I see with my eyes is worth photographing and it has become increasingly more difficult to know if I am nailing focus. I look forward to the surgery next month and getting the worst eye sorted out.

Another challenge for me is that I am in the process of changing camera formats. I am moving from full frame Canons to Fujifilm medium format. Although I have yet to find buyers for my 5D Mk4 and 5D S, I have sold four of my six lenses. The two I have left are a Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro and a Tamron 10-24mm which is designed for an APS-C camera.so it vignettes on a full frame at wider than 15mm. Until I sell the two camera bodies these are the only lenses I have to work with. I has forced me to be creative with my shooting. As a backup, I do have a Sony RX100 Mk5, my iPhone 12 Pro and a DJI Mavic Air 2, so I’m not totally lost. If I really want to challenge myself, I can load some B&W film into my Nikon FM.

I look forward to having clearer vision and a new view finder to look through in the near future. It will give me a new focus in my work and life.

Frozen Bubble

My third shot on my recent outing was of a frozen bubble. This was the most difficult image and I still need to perfect the process. Wind played a role in shortening the life of my bubbles and trying to get an image before they popped was not easy. Of the attempts, this was the best and I’m not overly excited by it, but I will continue to try.

Perspective

This image uses a bit of forced perspective. To get the image I was lying on the ice and doing my best to line up the rising sun with the pieces of ice. The slabs were thin enough to glow as the sun back lit them. Fire and ice.

This was also a five shot bracket using my Canon 5D Mk4, Tamron SP 28-75mm f/2.8, ISO 50, 75mm, f/10

Yes, it’s cold!

The temperature was around -20 when I arrived at the shore of Lake Superior this morning. Many had already headed out on to the ice to set up portable shelters for fishing. Besides myself, several photographers were waiting for the sun to break the horizon. This was the first morning of our extended cold spell that I have ventured out to do some photography. We have been mostly below zero for over a week and I have not felt inclined to endure the weather if I did not have to. However, knowing that the weather was going to be warming in a few days, I layered on the winter wear and braved the cold.

I have three shots in mind for the morning. The first was to use my lens ball, the second was an ice composition and third, a frozen bubble. The lens ball image is today’s featured image. I felt safe inverting the image due to the blurred background and I like how the ball appears to be hanging from the snow. In case you noticed the black shapes to the right of the sun, those are fishing shelters.

This is a five shot bracket from a Canon 5D Mk4, Tamron SP 28-75mm, ISO 50, 75mm, f/10, 1/1– sec.

Badlands

I recently returned from a trip to South Dakota where I visited the Badlands and the Black Hills.  Although this was not a designated photography trip, I did manage to get the camera out a few times along the way.  As I find time to sort and develop the images, I will be sharing the results with you.

Canon EOS 5D Mk4, Tamron SP 28-75mm f/2.8, ISO 50, 42mm, f/10, 3 shot bracket.

Spring Flow #2

This image could also have been better with a shorter exposure to bring out the detail in the flowing water.

Spring Flow #1

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Tamron SP 28-75mm F/2.8, ISO 50, f/11, 20 sec, 10 stop ND filter.

In hindsight, I think I could have gone with a lesser stop filter and shorter exposure to maintain more detail in the water.

The Little Things

When the sunrise doesn’t rise to the occasion, it’s time to look elsewhere for inspiration.  On this day, it was the frost on the rocks.  I plan to work on the technique to increase the depth of focus.

Canon 5D MkIV, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM, ISO 50, 100mm, f/7.1, 0.3 sec.

Superior Dawn

The reward of being willing to get oneself out of bed early in the morning are moments like this.

Canon 5D Mark IV, ISO 50, 15mm, f/10, 3.2 sec and the usual mucking about to achieve the desired effect.

 

Serenity in the Moonlight

Location: Whitewater Lake, Fisherman’s Point Campground, Hoyt Lakes, MN.

Canon 5D Mark IV, Tamron 28-75mm, ISO 50, 28mm, f/9.0, 5min 3sec., Post in Adobe Lightroom.