Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Giant image of Mt Everest

this is an amazing Image you can zoom in on base camp and camp 3

with this one follow the green box's until your viewing from a different location.

Ross

Friday, November 30, 2012

Hand Held Landscapes


Nooksack Ridge , 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, f5.6 at 1/1250 sec, 160mm

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We can't always truck a tripod around with us, so shooting fast at optimum aperture, we can achieve very sharp results with proper technique.

Bright daylight and good contrast, not to much shadow, for an even exposure across the frame, all helped to gain 1/1250 sec, no foreground to worry about allowed me to shoot at f 5.6.

Ross 

Monday, November 19, 2012

Waiting for the moment

5D Mk III, 24-105 F4 IS L

  
 5D Mk III, 24-105 F4 IS L 

  5D Mk III, 24-105 F4 IS L 

I was having a stare down with this goat, we were each perched on a rock and he looked really cool with the still waters of the lake behind him, however he was in the early morning shadow, so I waited for him to get bored and move in to the sun, it paid off, the first with his head lit by the sun and the second with his shadow on the rock. 

The little guy was walking toward me with his mother and I snapped this one off just before he turned away from me.

Shots where taken in the Enchantments also known as the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington state.

Ross

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Abstract Aspen

Image, 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, f9, 1/4 sec, 85mm


Friday, October 19, 2012

Reflections





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I'm always looking for reflections, whether or not its a full reflection of the subject like the top image, or a reflection within the image. The second image shows the clouds and mountain reflected in the lake behind the primary subject, in this case making one think, what am I really looking at in this image?

Ross 


 

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Leprechaun lake

Image: 5D Mk II, 24-105 f4 L IS,  1/60 sec at f16, 24mm.

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Image: 5D Mk II, 24-105 f4 L IS,  1/100 sec at f11, 28mm.

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A beautiful day in the Enchantments, probably my favorite part was exploring the area around Leprechaun lake. The Larch changing color to yellow and the blue sky made for rich colorful images, the above two images where taken from opposite ends of the lake.

 we where surrounded by granite, Larch and towering mountains, all under a blue sky day, was sad to leave, Leprechaun lake was probably the most spectacular place I have ever camped.

Ross

Monday, October 1, 2012

Gothic Basin

Image: 5D Mk III, 24-105 f4 L IS 1/160 at f 11, 45mm.


Image: 5D Mk III, 24-105 f4 L IS 1/250 at f 9, 75mm.
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Image: 5D Mk III, 24-105 f4 L IS 1/60 at f 11, 105mm.
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Gothic Basin a nice hike in the North Cascades, off the Mountain Loop Highway, a great place for an overnight hike to an alpine landscape full of photographic opportunities.

The first shot was a small tarn early in the morning, tripod placed at waters edge, using the reflection of the delicate clouds in the blue sky to create a composition with fairly even tones throughout.

The second shot, again with the tripod set at the waters edge, this time at Foggy Lake, I used the snow and the shape of the saddle and Del Campo Peak and its reflection to compose this image.

The third image, collecting as many ridge lines as where available, with the misty valley's adding the needed contrast to make them stand out.

Ross

Images In Light


Friday, September 21, 2012

The Enchantments

perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever seen.........

 Prusik Peak and Gnome Tarn

 Goat at Inspiration lake


Upper Enchantments
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Prusik Peak and The Temple
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With names like Jabberwocky Tower, Dragon Tail, Little Annapurna, The Witches Tower, Leprachaun Lake, Gnome Tarn and Aasgard Pass, it conjures up images of JRR Tolkien's books, The Lord of the Rings and it in deed looks like a place right out of those books.

I have visited a few places around the world, whether they where tropical or alpine or something in between, this place ranks at the top for pure beauty, I think this is Mother Nature's finest piece of work.

In trying to describe this place, one would imagine themselves being dropped on an alien planet similar to ours, yet with things a tad different, yet untouched by anything unnatural.


Ross

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

RX1

Really Sony, wow, full frame 24mp camera with a Zeiss 35mm lens the size of a micro 4/3 camera, I want, drool......

first Cyber Shot I have ever wanted, but at $2800, can't seem to justify this one.

Hey Sony, I'll test it for you !

Ross

Saturday, September 8, 2012

5D Mk III in camera HDR

Image: 5D Mk III, 8-15 f4 Fisheye, 3 shot in camera HDR


 Image: 5D Mk III, 8-15 f4 Fisheye, 3 shot in camera HDR

Thursday, September 6, 2012

New X camera




New X camera, now this one I Like.

For the latest in Fuji news visit Fujifilm X Cameras here

Fujinon Lenses are sweet, like the new XF14 f2.8  and the XF18-55 f2.8-4.0 OIS, the XF35 f1.4 is an exceptionally sharp piece of glass, Fuji has been producing lenses for Hasselblad for a long time, so you know they can design good glass.

Fuji Site

 If Fuji has solved the slow focus issues of the earlier X cameras (and they say they have) then this is going to be the first real ILC camera that takes exceptionally nice images and performs well.

The X-E1's 16MP-X-Trans-APS-C sensor is the one to buy in a none full frame camera, priced at around $1000, the X-E1 is not cheap, I'm guessing Fuji have a real winner here and my pocket book is going to be worse off for it.

Fuji out of camera jpg's cant be beat by any company out there, the sensors they produce and the in camera processing has a quality about them that has to be seen, would be nice to not have to shoot in RAW !  skin tones and very delicate features are more accurately reproduced.



Ross

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Logan Pass to Granite Park



Logan Pass to Granite Park, see map, 7.6 miles one way. The beginning of our trek in Glacier.

There is a reason why they call the first part of the trail the Garden Wall, if you hit it right, flowers will surround you for a good portion of the hike, even though you are pretty much on solid rock the whole time, they find a way to grow.

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, 1/320 sec at f5.6
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Goats are very common along this trail, especially early morning
while the trail is still in the shadow of the garden wall.

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Bear grass is plentiful and a constant companion in late July.

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, 1/1250 sec at f6.3
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Some new flowers to me.

 Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, 1/100 sec at f/4.5

The trail grew hot as the day progressed, looking back towards Logan Pass.

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, 1/50 sec at f/11

Granite Park Chalet and a look back along the Garden Wall, no food in the tents here!

 Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-105 f4L IS f4 L IS, 1/40 sec at f/11

Ross

Friday, August 31, 2012

Granite Park to Many Glaciers

 Granite Park to Many Glaciers, 7.2 miles one way, via Swiftcurrent Pass, easily one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever done, we ran out of superlatives about two miles in and had to tell each other to shut it. See Map, more info.




Image: 5D Mk III, 16-35 f2.8 L II
The destination, Swiftcurrent Lake
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Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS
Early morning light on Many Glaciers Hotel and Swiftcurrent Lake
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Ross

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cracker Lake, Glacier National Park

Image: 5D Mk III, 16-35 f2.8 L II, 24mm, 1/15 sec at f16.
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Cracker Lake, 12.2 miles round trip, elevation gain 1,400 feet. Unlike other hikes in Glacier this trail is a little less used, one reason is it starts as a heavily used horse trail, another is perhaps the scenery is not as dramatic as some of the other hikes at the beginning. See Map.

5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, 70mm, 1/320 sec at f7.1.

But it makes up for that with towering cliff walls, wildlife and plenty of time to explore a less visited area, only 3 campsites allowed in the cirque.

 From my sleeping bag in the tent

Ross


Monday, August 20, 2012

The Winds

The Cirque of Towers was an amazing place, due to smoke from fires in surrounding states there was limited opportunities for doing landscape photography, never the less it was truly impressive. Jackass Pass kicked our butts going in, but once in, the views where truly inspiring. A climbers mecca, the Cirque has a lot to offer to any one interested in the the outdoors, from 1000 foot walls of rock to clear, trout filled lakes and streams.

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS
Me and Ducky at the Cirque


Image: 5D Mk III, 16-35 f2.8 L II
 Our camp in the Cirque

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, f11, 1/200th sec.
Steeple and East Temple. The Wind River Range, Wyoming.
 
Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, f11, 1/40th sec.
Clear Lake. The Wind River Range, Wyoming.
Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4 L IS, f7.1, 1/640 sec .
Steeple and East Temple. The Wind River Range, Wyoming.

The Wind River Range, Wyoming. I have had a chance over the past couple of weeks to see some of this country's most beautiful back country. The Wind River Range in Wyoming, it is an incredible place to hike, you feel a real sense of isolation and awareness of your surroundings, its remote and wild, one morning we woke to moose foraging for willow near camp, trout swim in the open shallow waters of Lonesome lake, almost as if you could reach out an grab one.

12,600' East Temple and Steeple peaks tower above Clear and Deep lakes beckoning climbers, Wolfs Head and Pingora Peaks in The Cirque of Towers: see Fifty Classic climbs of North America


 Pingora's shoulder with Wolfs Head behind

Not a place to visit only once

Monday, July 30, 2012

Railroad Grade to Climbers base camp, Kulshan.

Image:Mt Baker, 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4L IS

Image:Colfax Peak, 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4L IS
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Possibly one of the most beautiful places in the Cascade mountains and one of my favorite places to hike and do photography.
  Also the last hike before Glacier and Wind River, we should be on the Garden Wall in a few days time, heading to Granite Park and Grinnell Glacier, finally ending up at Manny Glaciers, then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming for a few days of rest and down to the Wind River Range and the Cirque of Towers for four days of back country.

Going to be a fun trip !

Ross

Monday, July 16, 2012

Isolation

Image 5D Mk III, 100 f2.8L IS, f2.8, 1/160 sec ISO 100


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Image 5D Mk III, 100 f2.8L IS, f2.8, 1/60 sec ISO 100
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There is isolating an image in camera and isolating in software the second and third images by shooting at f 2.8 and the first by doing a reverse mask in CS5 and shooting at f 2.8.

Ross



Friday, July 6, 2012

The View From Mt Dickerman

Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4L IS
Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4L IS 
Del Campo Peak panorama, hand held 3 shot.



Image: 5D Mk III, 70-200 f4L IS 

All images hand held on the way up Mt Dickerman in the central Cascades, this was about getting in shape mostly, getting ready for the Cirque of Towers, The Grand Teton and Glacier National Park in two weeks.

Ross

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

5D Mk III/EF100 f2.8L IS


5D Mk III, 100 f2.8L IS, f2.8, 1/250 sec at ISO 100, crop.

Crop of above image


5D Mk III, 100 f2.8L IS, f2.8, 1/800 sec at ISO 100, crop.

Wow.......

I don't  review gear, but when something comes along that works like sliced bread, well.......

the combination of the 5D Mk III and the EF 100 f2.8L IS just works and works well, the image stabilization is incredible, the AF speed and accuracy phenomenal, fantastic bokeh and great color rendition, this lens will have to get pried off the Mk III.

The 5D Mk III is an all around improvement from the MK II, Canon have a fine camera that has the most advanced auto focus system in a DSLR, excepting the 1Dx which has improved color RGB tracking. See the on line guide book for the 5D/1D auto focus.

If you only shoot landscape is it still worth it ? I think so, no one really only shoots landscapes, I photograph friends and family, my dog Ducky, along with airplanes and wildlife, so do I need it?...

no, do I want it, yes. Did I get it? absolutely !

oh and being able to shoot in the dark at f2.8 and ISO 12,800 is incredible, usable images at that ISO.

Ross

PS for those of you that don't like to shoot RAW ?  this is the camera for you, the jpg's out of camera are excellent. 

Images In Light

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Vertical Panning




A slight upward motion of the camera along with a narrow aperture (to attain a longer shutter speed) is all that was done to attain this look, a slight curves adjustment in CS5 for contrast.

The red bark of the Ponderosa pine along with the surrounding green of the forest made for nice contrast and color.

Ross