January 31, 2010
In the colder North American climate, such as found in southern Quebec and Vermont, Mother Nature puts up an incredible display of colors in September and October. For many us landscape photographers, this 2-3 week period of fiery fall colors is the most productive, exciting and stimulating time of the year. This makes the arrival of November all the more difficult to accept: cold weather, gray skies, rain, snow, drab colors – probably the worst month for nature photography around here… In December, the cold weather arrives, and winter slowly settles, putting an icy grip over the regions.
At this time of year, many people imitate bears and head indoors to “hibernate” until the arrival of warmer spring weather. Nature photographers tend to spend more time in front of their computers, working on articles, preparing image submissions to Editors, while slowly packing on the pounds…
Ice Floe Sunset Over Lake of Two Mountains
Canon EOS 20D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM lens at 17mm
1/13s (middle exposure), f/16, ISO 100
Hoya Moose Polarizer, Hitech 3-stop GND
3 exposure HDR image processed in Photomatix Read more…
Posted by Rob under L'Ile Bizard (Quebec),Landscapes,Musings,Quebec,Wildlife,Winter | Comments (13)
January 2, 2009
Happy New Year to all!
Before getting to the “meat” of this article on using the Sing-Ray the Gold-N-Blue polarizer, let me give you a quick update on my new Canon EOS 5D MkII camera. I’m mid-way through my 2008 Holiday break – a full two weeks off work, and it feels great! I was supposed to be spending a lot of time outdoors, enjoying my new Canon EOS 5D MkII camera, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing…
Alas, the weather has been most uncooperative, with lots of rain and freezing rain over the beautiful snow, cloudy skies, very high winds (blowing at 100km/h as I’m writing this on December 28th, 2008), slippery and icy conditions, etc… [sigh]… I did go out a whole three times to enjoy my new camera, but 95% of the images I’ve taken with it so far were indoor “test” shots. I am absolutely thrilled with the image quality of this camera. The 5D MkII is everything I was hoping it would be, so let me share a couple of shots:
Snow Covered Trees in Winter
Canon EOS 5D MkII with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens at 47mm
1/25s at f/14, ISO 100
B+W Polarizer
Gitzo G1340 tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead, cable release, mirror lock-up
Gryphon
Canon EOS 5D MkII with Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM lens at 81mm
1/50s at f/5.6, ISO 1600(!)
Gitzo GT3541LS tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead
Read more…
Posted by Rob under Filters,L'Ile Bizard (Quebec),Technique,Vermont,Winter | Comments (8)
December 28, 2008
G’day Everyone and a joyful, fulfilling, and positively memorable 2009 to all of you.
I read somewhere that the number of Christmas cards one gets every year can portend how many people might attend one’s funeral. Bah humbug! Cheryl and I don’t send out Christmas cards and what you sow, so shall you reap. If the number of cards hanging over our front doorway is any indication of the size of my future funeral, than I’d like to thank that person, in advance, for showing up and would they please make sure that the camera clutched in my cold hands is on aperture priority, ISO 400, and the flash is set to fill flash, -1 stop. That ought to be about right.
Sorry, I don’t mean to bring grim tidings but I’m turning 55 tomorrow and, well, mortality is bearing down on me. Now, when I pick up my guitar and sing Bruce (Utah) Phillips’s plaintive lyrics, “Each year is like a rolling freight train and cold as starlight on the rails.” I can actually feel the rumble of the train in the pit of my stomach. I trust it’s a distant rumble; I have many miles to cover and goals to reach before the fire in my boiler goes out.
B&O Centennial Slips Through Seal Cove Tunnel
on our ceiling layout. All but the sky and moon are real. As for the sleigh and reindeer, that depends on whether you believe.
Canon EOS -1D Mark II N with Canon 300mm f/2.8 L USM lens
4″ at f/16, ISO 400, 550EX Speedlight on full bounced off white ceiling
evaluative metering, aperture priority
Gitzo G1340 with Wimberley head & cable release
Quite frankly, I prefer to stay in touch throughout the year. I look forward to writing this blog as much as I enjoy planning my field work. Hearing from of those of you who receive these missives is as fulfilling as getting a good shot. Really.
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Musings,Winter | Comments (7)
