Sunday, September 05, 2010 03:12

Posts Tagged ‘Landscape’

;o) Nature’s Wedgie . . .

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Abstract design in nature . . .
Nature's Wedge
This scene exits high up on a cliff wall along the Kolab Terrace road above Zion National Park.  If you’re not watching for it, you may miss it.

Perspective is key to the interpretation of this scene.  I’ve taken other photographers to this spot, but they didn’t see the wedgie until I positioned them at just the right vantage point to have all the elements line up. 

Once spotted, they said they’d now be forever warped — fearing on each subsequent drive through this region they’d be pointing out nature’s wedgie to whomever may accompany them.

I feel content, knowing my contribution in life is now so fully realized.

:o )

Bavarian Alps?

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Nope . . . Utah’s Wasatch mountains. The morning sun had just crested the peaks behind me as the stark contrast of this scene captured my attention. I like how the shadow from the clouds behind me played across the pine trees in the middle ground of this scene. It layered a contrast of light and dark tones on top of the already existing contrast in both color and texture.

Bavarian Alps?

Shot from the Ablion Basin at the top of the Wasatch Front’s Little Cottonwood Canyon, above the Alta ski resort.

Of all the images I captured in this set, I like this one the best. I like how the shawdow from the clouds behind me were playing accross the middle ground of this scene.

Morning’s Mirror

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Last Saturday, I spent some time at one of the more popular lakes along the Wasatch Front. Silver lake is located near the ski resort town of Brighton, Utah, at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

This lake is popular with families and fishermen, alike. The surrounding area is laced with trails of varying difficulty that wander the mountainside to other lakes. There’s a family of moose living in the area who frequently visit this lake.

Morning Mirror

I arrived early that morning, intent on photographing the surrounding mountains reflected from this lake’s water. I had several specific locations in mind, but found my first choice was already occupied by another photographer and a fisherman. I opted for my second site and managed to capture the attached picture.

Of the several images I captured from this vantage, I especially like this one. I made this image just before leaving for another spot, further around the lake. Fortunately, I stayed at this site long enough – watching the light play across the scene in front of me – that the sun surprised me. It broke through the trees behind me and fell across the rock beneath my camera at the base of this scene.

I had to step aside from my camera to keep my shadow from falling on the rock, too. But that little, unexpected splash of light on the foreground rock made all the difference. This scene rocks! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun).

Enjoy!
-Mike.

Run Off Pond

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

A Spring run off pond that sits atop the Kolob terrace, high above Zion National Park.
Run Off Pond
This pond exists only for the first part of the summer, until summer’s heat evaporates it.  I like to get into the Zion highlands as early in the year as possible, to find photographic opportunities such as these.

I often wonder what other passers-by may think as they watch me sizing up shots like this: I wonder how long that guy is going to stand out there in the cold photographing that pond?  It’s a pond, dude!  Walk away . . .

To me, much of the appeal of nature photography is to craft a visually appealing image from what others may quickly pass by without a second thought.  I imagine the thrill I find in successfully aligning all the compositional elements to create a pleasing image that someone may linger over is akin to the thrill a trophy hunter may feel when that prize animal first steps into view.


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