While I was doing research for our trip I decided to check out Art Wolfe's website, because he had done three episodes for "Travel's to the Edge" in the South American Region that we are planning for. I also read his Wikipedia page and learned about his major influences one of which was Ernst Haas. So, basically I got sidetracked while doing research. Anyway, Haas was a Photographer from Austria who moved to New York in 1953. I liked his photography because it's from a different era or vintage if you want to call it that. I'm not usually a fan of abstract stuff, but he had an ability to capture simple everyday things and turn them into art. Such as peeling paint, scratches on a car and junkyards. I posted some of the abstract photos that I liked above. I guess I have overcome my bias for blurry images thanks to Ernst Haas because I really liked this image of a flying bird. It's deep blue color is great combined with the ghostly image of the flying bird. The next photo I posted shows his belief in finding beauty in everyday things. I almost don't want to say what it is because it makes the photo seem less amazing, but it is just soap in swirls on a window. I just found it to be an amazing and captivating shot even if it is just soap. He was also famous for shooting movie stars and other famous people. He captured the time period well with photos of Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King, Jr, and many other famous people. All I can say is that I was glad to get sidetracked and find Haas's images not just for their beauty but also for their history.

www.ernst-haas.com/

Short and Long Exposure

My final two photos, for long and short exposures, turned out to be a little tricky with my point and shoot camera. I went down to Pioneer Park off of Virginia Lane. There is a little stream that runs through the park and I tried to capture the water at a little rapid in that stream. I liked this spot not just for the little cataract in the water but also for the deep red roots on the eastern bank. I grouped these two photos together so the difference between them could be seen a little better. The lower photo is my attempt at a short exposure. I liked how I was able to capture the large water splashes in the air. You can also see more of the air bubbles in this photo than in my long exposure and overall the water is less blurry and more detailed. In my long exposure at the top the water is more blurry and the splashes are more of a streak. I know they are only slightly different but I like my longer exposure more because I think the general layout is better. I think the color contrasts are nicer in it, since I got more of the bright green grass on the other side.

Narrow Depth of Field

I got lucky with my narrow depth of Field shot, I didn't even half to leave home. This locust was hanging out on my window, so I was able to get an interesting shot of his underside. I like that you can see the different features of his exoskeleton and if you look at the full size image you can see the hairs and bristles on his legs.

Wide Depth of Field

For my shooting assignments I didn't travel too far from Rocky's campus. I first went up to Phipps Park off of Molt Rd, it's also known as the Diamond X disc golf course. I was able to get my wide depth of field photo there. I tried to get a few of the assigned pictures here, but was only able to get the wide depth of field view. I haven't modified it at all but I liked the dark light, the half moon and the orange-red of the rock.

My wonderful point and shoot camera

Our assignment for next week is to create four different images. Two of the photos will deal with depth of field, with one having a narrow and the other having a wide depth of field. The other two photos are going to be of a long and short exposure. Now, I only have a 5 mega pixel Nikon Coolpix point and shoot camera, so I won't be able to adjust my aperture and shutter speed to get these shots. I can however use the pre-programmed settings on my camera in an attempt to achieve the desired effects. To get the narrow depth of field there is a close up setting, depicted by a flower, which I have used in the past to get pictures of insects and of course flowers. For the wide depth of field I will probably use the landscape setting on my camera which does a decent job for it's purpose. For the short exposure I'm going to use the sports setting to capture my image. As for the long exposure I think I might try to use the night landscape or night portrait setting. I have never used the night portrait or sports settings before and only used the night landscape a few times without much success, so this should be an interesting assignment. Hopefully, I can learn a few things about my trusty point and shoot camera.

Tim Fitzharris

I decided to check out our textbook author's website www.timfitzharris.com. I have to admit I was not entirely impressed with everything I found on there. It was a learning experience though, as now I know what a bull elk's penis looks like. Also, his bighorn sheep herd photos are blurry and upon further viewing I found that he intended to make them blurry for an artistic appeal, because the photo was also in the Reverie limited edition print section. To each their own, I guess. I like the photos where he pans with a moving animal and blurs out the background, like he did with the baby bison, but the all blurry approach I don't find appealing. The fine art print section was pretty spectacular, I especially liked the Alpine Vistas and Reflection landscape photos. The colors are breathtaking. Overall most of the photos were great he captures different colors extremely well. I think he's an amazing landscape photographer, but I was more moved by Tom Mangelsen's animal photos than Tim's.

Exposure

Exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium (film or digital image sensor) during the process of taking a photograph. Getting the perfect exposure isn't as easy as many think. There are many variables involved with getting a perfect exposure, such as aperture size and shutter speed.

Aperture is the size of the hole letting light in or the intensity of the light during the photo. A wide aperture results in a sharp image around what the lens is focusing on, which is good for wildlife or sports photography. A narrow aperture lets in less light and is useful for landscape photography because it creates a sharp focus on all the objects within the frame.

Shutter speed is the exposure time of a photograph. A fast shutter speed will capture a moving image quickly and combined with a wide aperture focusing on a subject, will create a sharp image of a moving athlete or animal. A slow shutter speed (obviously) takes longer for the exposure, and wouldn't be ideal for sports or animals where there is constant movement. This would make the image look blurry. A slow shutter speed and a narrow aperture are the setting ideal for a landscape because with the narrow opening you get a sharp focus on the entire image and the slow shutter speed allows enough light to get in through the narrow opening to catch the image.

The general rule of thumb is the wider the aperture the faster the shutter speed and a narrower aperture calls for a slower shutter speed.

Digital cameras have made this easier on photographers in many ways. One thing that you get with digital is the histogram which can give you instant detailed feedback on the accuracy of the exposure for your photos. The histogram graphs the luminance values in the frames and will give you advice on how to adjust the aperture or shutter speed if need be. Practicing on landscapes until you get this down is advised because if you are trying to capture wildlife such as a flying bird you may not get a second chance for a shot. Knowing how to use your equipment and what you want to shoot are also very important for getting the perfect exposure.

Tom Mangelsen

I went to Tom Mangelsen's website, www.mangelsen.com, after he was brought up in class to see what kind of photography he was into. His accolades are quite impressive he was named by BBC as "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" in 1994 and the North American Nature Photographer's "Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year in 2000." Most recently in 2005 he was named "One of the 100 Most Important People in Photography" by the American Photo Magazine, and was only one of two wildlife-environmental photographers selected for the list. Having got this introduction to him in his about Tom tab needless to say I was intrigued to see some of his work. I checked out his Spring 2009 limited edition section first and was wowed and not just because of the cost of some of his photos but by how great they are. The detail is amazing, I'm sure he has some ridiculously amazing camera and lenses to get that fine detail. He is an amazing landscape photographer but he has a real skill for capturing wildlife. His photos aren't just pictures of animals, they show the emotion, humor and lifestyle of the animals he captures. I didn't know who had shot the photo, but I've seen the the Peek-a-boo Polar Bear photo before. His photos are amazing and you could spend hours getting lost in his collection.

Super-telephoto Lenses

I don't have a DSLR camera yet, so I have no need for a super-telephoto lens at this point in time, but the advise given by Tim Fitzharris in his book "Nature Photography" proved to be very helpful. I don't know a whole lot about photography equipment, I just use my little point and click Nikon camera right now. I like to research things before I buy them, so all the advice I can get is helpful. I like his statement that if you're restless, not terribly big and like to get off the beaten path, then the 500mm is your focal length. This is good advice from an expert on the 500mm vs 600mm debate. Although, I am a long way away from purchasing a super-telephoto lens it is good to have this kind of input. I prefer to go off the beaten path and, while I'm not a sissy, I am also not the biggest bloke around, so the smaller lens will suit my amateur ambitions just fine. He has me sold on Canon lenses for their diffractive optical elements that eliminate chromatic aberrations and reduces the size and weight of the lenses by three-quarters and two-thirds respectively, now I just need to increase the size of my salary so I can afford one. Also, being one of the two companies that have image stabilization in their super-telephoto lenses makes Canon even more desirable. I don't pretend to understand all the technical advice he gives, but I guess I'll figure that out when I get new equipment that utilizes everything he is talking about.

Working in the Field, Winter Photography, Nature Photography's Year

I was happy to read in "Nature Photography" by Tim Fitzharris that the equipment I've gathered and used throughout the years will be able to cross over into my photography needs. I've always been an avid outdoors man and have quite a bit of outdoor clothing and gear. The first thing I thought of when he said invest in a vest was my fly fishing vest. While it isn't as rugged as the one he describes it has an incredible amount of pockets for all sorts of fishing gear and can easily be used for holding different camera equipment. I just need some money to fill those pockets with camera equipment.

I like Tim's use of every day household items for gear, especially the plastic bag rain cover. It's light, compact and best of all for my budget cheap. He has a lot of useful little tips for trimming down the amount of stuff you bring and ways to organize, which I like because as a backpacker I can understand the need for trimming down weight and keeping things simple and efficient.

I have gathered a whole wardrobe of clothing for hiking, backpacking and ice climbing over the years which will work well for photography in any season. I like how straight forward he is about cold weather, it can kill you. You need to be prepared for any outing in cold weather. Having a waterproof and windproof shell is invaluable. My Arcteryx shell is my favorite piece of gear. I climbed up a frozen waterfall that was dripping icy cold water on me throughout the climb. I came down coated in ice, but I was dry and comfortable underneath thanks to my shell.

One can not underestimate the need for wicking and warm base layers like capilene during the winter months either, having wicking clothing is great so long as, like Tim says, you vent properly. Wicking material is pointless if you trap that moisture in under your outer shell. I don't recommend forgoing the shell but like he suggests get one with armpit vents. Venting and regulating your temperature in these cold conditions is not just a good idea but can save your life. If you start feeling too warm remove a layer if you have to or take a moment to rest so you don't overheat. Hypothermia is a very real threat if you start sweating heavily while hiking and stop for a moment to shoot some photos or rest.

My camera takes lithium ion batteries and I always bring two in cold weather. It is vital that you do, with one kept next to your body for warmth. You will learn quickly that batteries are not made for extreme cold. I wasn't outside for more than a half hour before my camera said my battery was dead on an ice climbing trip, but if you just continue to swap the warm one with the cold one you can continue on. Something I didn't know but was glad to learn was the advise to bring a trash bag to put your camera equipment in to prevent moisture damage from condensation.

I think the winter months are a great time to take photos the light and dark contrasts are great and snow and ice can make for very dramatic photos.

His chapter "Nature Photography's Year" was a good reference for when to visit certain places throughout the year, if you have the time, money and vacation time to do so.

After mentioning that I was a fan of Andy Goldsworthy my professor suggested I check out Edward Weston. I went to his site http://www.edward-weston.com/ and found some amazing photographs. I've always admired Ansel Adams for his black and white nature photographs and Edward has a similar style. I especially liked his photographs of strange looking vegtables and fungus. I've always found mushrooms, fungus and lichens to be interesting topics for photos because of the variety of color that they provide. Weston's photos are great because they present a more dramatic picture than you get with color. Some of his family members followed him in the photography tradition and have pictures posted on the site which are also interesting .

Tripods

I was trying to find a reasonably priced, stable, light and durable tripod and found one that I think fits my budget and needs fairly well. The Slik PRO 700 DX is made of titanium, weighs 7 lbs, and costs $139.95 (before shipping). It can be raised to over 6 ft which is far more than my stature of 5'9" needs and can hold a load of 15lbs. It doesn't have quick release but I think I can forgo that feature until I have more money to spend on better equipment.

http://wize.com/tripods/p20732-slik-pro-700-dx