“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy~
Gratitude . . .
November 24th, 2011Falling Leaves, Pristine Creek
October 17th, 2010I shot this image from beneath an umbrella!
While standing precariously balanced, almost mid-stream, on two protruding boulders, I managed to capture this image. I had a large, black umbrella clamped to my tripod and my camera nestled atop the ball-head in a plastic, camera raincoat. I must have really been a site!
Passers’ by on the road embankment (above and to the left of this scene) would slow or even stop to watch me working this pristine little creek. I don’t expect they could understand, unless (of course) they too had experienced the exhilaration of beautifully saturated images captured during the rain.
Serendipity Smiles
October 1st, 2010Sometimes photographer’s have the good fortune of working with happy, affable, and photogenic subjects in beautiful settings under the most ideal lighting. Some days are diamonds!
This family envisioned a portrait shot in a pristine outdoor setting against brilliant fall colors. As I listened to them describe their thoughts, I knew this location would please them.
We met on sight and took a few moments getting comfortable with one and other. I fired off a few “warm up” shots to better gauge how to work with them as we walked to the first setup.
At the first setup site, we did a few standing shots and several walking shots, all of which turned out really well; however, the image attached here is my favorite from that day. It’s from our second stop along the lakeside trail.
In my mind’s eye, I had seen a shot from this vantage, across the water with the deep colors of fall flaming behind them. We assembled the family in a little clearing on the water’s edge, being careful to place them behind the foreground rock to preserve a sense of depth. I used a telephoto lens to compress the background and a wide aperture to render the brilliant color out of focus.
It was a mostly overcast afternoon, and the sky was acting as a giant softbox — nice, even light across the whole scene. I knew it couldn’t get much better!
This young family was very pleased with the images I made for them. As a photographer, it’s always gratifying to find a client’s appreciation expressed as word-of-mouth referrals. To me, that’s the real pay day in shooting. To know that my work is valued and artistic vision validated.
If you live along the Wasatch Front in the Metro-Salt Lake area and would like me to make such images for your family, please contact me. I’m currently available by appointment. Please click on My Contact Information link.
Cheers,
-Mike.
Lonesome Rail
September 13th, 2010I like the back roads. While returning from a trip to Southern Utah’s Zion National Park, I was determined to stay off the Interstate all the way into Salt Lake City – like, way off the Interstate . . .
Instead, I opted for a series of roads that wound through the less visited sections of Utah that are West of I-15.
When at a remote intersection (if I can call it an intersection) somewhere in uninhabited Southwestern Utah, I was faced with a decision. I could turn right, back towards I-15 on an old asphalt road or I could continue on Northward – along a well-graded dirt road.
Okay, so I exaggerated about the uninhabited part. Peering into the blowing dust, I could make out a ranch house in the far distance down that well-graded dirt road. That’s all the encouragement I needed. I left pavement behind for what turned out to be several hours and nearly seventy miles of dirt.
Along the way, I came upon this railroad crossing. The dirt road I’d chosen crisscrossed many other dirt roads in the area, some crossing over this remote rail line. As I sat pondering my great adventure, my remaining fuel, and a commitment I had for latter that evening, I saw the headlight of this approaching train far down the track.
I walked my gear around, scouting the area for the best compositional elements (or context) for this shot and determined how to best present them. Having chosen, I set up my tripod, fired off a few test shots, adjusted exposure and composition – and waited for the train to enter the frame.
Using my wireless remote, and my camera set to rapid frame, I simply pressed the trigger and didn’t let off until the train engine had exited the frame. Although I captured several great images, this is my favorite of the series, due to the position of the engine in relationship to the distant power tower.
Interesting side-bar: locomotive conductors really do blow their air-horns at ALL railway crossings. Even at one as remote as this crossing.