Category: Journal

My personal journal of the Photographer as an Artist

Brainstorming in Photography

Have you ever done a brainstorming session?  It’s great for generating fresh, out-of-the-box ideas.  It’s used when you want to find a solution.  You can do it by yourself or with a group but the basic rule is you write down everything that comes into your mind.  Nothing gets discussed or edited or rejected.  No  matter how outrageous the thought, it gets recorded.  It’s only when you run out of ideas that you go back over the  list and discuss the various ideas, eventually zeroing in on the one or ones you want to pursue.

Well, I’ve recently started using a brainstorming technique in Lightroom.  It’s the same concept – develop as many versions of the photograph with no evaluation, no criticism, no limits.  Just try as many things as you can think of.  Here’s how it works.

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Grand Canyon Dawn

When we got to our campsite in Grand Canyon North Rim I was a bit confused about the time zone.  We came from Southern California (Pacific Time) and Arizona is in Mountain Time.  The thing is California is in Pacific Daylight Time and Arizona doesn’t mess with that daylight stuff – it was in Mountain Standard Time.  So the times are the same.  But I set my cell phone clock ahead one hour anyway.  Oops.  Then I set the alarm for 04:30 to make a 05:00 appearance at Bright Angel Point exactly 45 minutes before sunrise.

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Wild Fire on the North Rim

A wild fire was burning on the North Rim along the road to Cape Royal.  It started from a lightning strike.  The forest service fire crews were keeping an eye on it but letting it burn.  They figured it would continue to burn until the first rains or snows put it out.

This made for some fantastic early morning photography from Bright Angel Point – the fire with the Venus and Orion looking down.

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Digital Camera Program Modes

Photography Tips – Your Digital Camera’s Program Modes

 

Modern digital cameras are in reality complex computers.  They have memories, processors, input and output devices.  And, like computers, their capabilities (read ‘processing power’) doubles every 18 months to 2 years. 

One of the advantages of all this progress is the program modes that are available.  In this photography tips article we’re going to take a look at some of these modes and get an idea of what they can do for us.

Often the program functions are accessed via a dial on the computer.  In other cameras they are accessed from the menu.  Or, some cameras use a combination of both.  Your camera manual will spell this out for you.

The modes are divided into three broad categories – automatic, semi-automatic and manual.  Let’s look at each beginning with Automatic. 

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Reflections on Cliche Photographs

I was surprised again last week to learn that one of my photographs received another award at the Orange County Fair.  Virgin River and the Watchman received a Purchase Award; that is, the fair purchased the photograph for its permanent collection.  Actually, I was more than surprised.

This is a shot that literally thousands and possibly tens of thousands of people take every year.  If you’ve been to Zion you are probably aware that photographers line up on the bridge over the Virgin River nearly every day at sunset to photograph the setting sun on the Watchman, the magnificent face that towers over the south entrance to the park.  It’s one of those places that has become an “Excuse me, may  I squeeze in here?” photography site.  From one end of the bridge to the other, photographers are set up with their tripods legs almost overlapping.

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Eastern Sierra Workshop – Mono Lake Morning Song

 

The sunrise was about the orange sky and the blue water.  There were only about 20 or so of us on the lake shore that morning.  The water continues to recede.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky but it didn’t matter.  It was an intense orange.  And the water was an equally intense blue.  Some mornings on Mono Lake are violent, wind-tossed affairs.  But this morning was tranquil and energetic, both at the same time, a peaceful glory, a song that touches the soul.

 
Mono Lake Morning Song
Mono Lake Morning Song

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2009 Orange County Fair Awards

I was fortunate enough to have all three photographs accepted for the Orange County Fair this year.  And I was very surprised to learn that all three had won awards.  To today I finally made it out to the fair and sure enough they all had ribbons.

Death Valley Reflections had an Honorable Mention ribbon.

Bristlecone Moon also had an Honorable Mention ribbon.

And Virgin River and the Watchman had a 2nd Place ribbon.

You can see more of my work at http://RalphNordstromPhotography.com

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Eastern Sierra Workshop – Mt Whitney First Light

First the alpenglow transforms the towering granite into soft contours and delicate shades.  Then the first rays of the sun transmute the ethereal rock into bright, chiseled gold.  Look quickly or you will miss it.

Mt Whitney First Light
Mt Whitney First Light

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Eastern Sierra Workshop – Mt Whitney

Mt Whitney is the grandest and tallest peak in the Sierra Nevada and the lower 48.  At 14,497 feet it’s a challenge to climb, even if there is a trail that takes you to the top.  I recall the first time I climbed it at the age of 14.  It was one of the most difficult things I had ever done.

But photographing it at dawn last week was one of the most thrilling things I have ever photographed.  We were treated to a magnificent alpenglow the likes of which I have never seen before.  It looked like the mountain was glowing with a warm light from within.  It stood tall and powerful against the still-dark sky.

Mt Whitney Alpenglow
Mt Whitney Alpenglow

I’m working on an image taken probably 15 minutes later when the sun first touched the peak.  I’ll share that one with you tomorrow.

For more of my fine art photographs visit my website. http://RalphNordstromPhotography.com.

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Eastern Sierra Workshop – 7/17/2009

The workshop is ‘in the can.’  We finished up yesterday with a Mono Lake South Tufa sunrise followed by the rest of the morning in Bodie. 

There weren’t any clouds but the sunrise was bright red (“Red sky in morning….” but it didn’t pan out).  Still, South Tufa is always fascinating.  We explored some new places and found some new compositions.  We also found a place where an underwater spring was welling up.  The tufa building process continues.  There were clouds of brine shrimp and alkali flies (in their respective environments).  And amazingly, the flies were not a bother.  They swarmed on the tufa right at the water’s edge and only flew when you disturbed them by moving too close.  Discovering an active site was really very thrilling.

Unfortunately, the water level continues to drop as the drought continues.  I’d estimate the water level is down a couple of feet from the time I first started shooting there about two and a half years ago.  But the potentially good news is that yesterday the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center issued a forecast  that an el nino is building and will last through next winter.  We could use five years of el nino in California to replenish our nearly exhausted water reserves.

Bodiewas fascinating as usual.  And although we were photographing in late morning light the subjects are still very interesting and the photography, exciting.  There’s a temptation to rush around in an attempt to cover it all.  But I prefer to slow down and absorb the spirit of the area.  Oh, and we ran into David Muench and his workshop.

We were so busy the last days of the workshop that there wasn’t any time to even review our pictures much less get any ready to post.  But that will come and soon.  So stay tuned for more images.

You can check out my other photos on my website – http://RalphNordstromPhotography.com

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