November 27, 2009

The grey, drizzly November weather we’re having is making think back and look at images taken in different seasons. I fell upon this one taken in May 2009, following record-high spring water levels. After many weeks of frustration caused by extremely high water, which robbed me of my usual shoreline compositions, the water finally receded dropping by about 6 feet in 1 month.
Still, the water line was still many feet above normal levels – the “seaweed” see in the foreground is actually grass, and the “aquatic plant” in the middle of the image is a dry-land bush…
In order to tame the very bright sky and properly expose the dark foreground, I used two GND filters, a 2-stop one just below the bush, and a 3-stop one at the horizon line.
Image specs:
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM at 31mm
- f/22, 4 seconds, ISO 50
- Singh-Ray 3-stop hard GND, Lee 2-stop hard GND, B+W polarizer
- Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with RRS BH-55 ballhead, cable release
Please leave a comment, either positive or negative – it’s always appreciated. If you’re interested in purchasing a print of this image, please let me know.
See you in the field,
Rob
Posted by Rob under Filters,Hot Shots,L'Ile Bizard (Quebec),Landscapes,Quebec,Spring | Comments (1)
November 8, 2009

“The Basin” area of Fraconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire is truly a beautiful place. The Pemigewasset River snakes through the park, creating many small waterfalls, rushing water… and endless compositions. This image was not particularly difficult to capture, the only tricky part was to get the full image (near to far) in good focus at 80mm. Oh, that and also having to wait a while until there was nobody on the bridge…
For me, there something peaceful, quiet and comforting about this image – the vibrant fall colors, the cold water, the little bridge that just invites people to cross it… I can still imagine the smell of pine trees in the air. I’ll need to go back there sometime soon, and this time, I want to spend a full day there, not just a few hours.
Image specs:
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L USM lens at 80mm
- f/16, 3.2 seconds, ISO 100
- Hoya Moose Polarizer filter
- Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with RRS BH-55 ballhead, cable release
Please leave a comment, either positive or negative – it’s always a good thing to get feedback on my work and my blog posts. If you’re interested in purchasing a print of this image, please let me know.
See you in the field,
Rob
Posted by Rob under Fall,Fall Foliage,Hot Shots,Landscapes,New Hampshire | Comments (6)
November 3, 2009
G’day everyone,
Spend, say, three days in Baxter State Park in Maine, especially in Spring or Fall, and you’re bound to encounter a moose. Though, on any given day, you could beat the bushes from the first glimmer of dawn until the last bit of twilight gutters without ever seeing Alces alces. I know. I’ve done it, as have many people. In fact, I spoke with a couple I met in the park during this year’s tour who told me they paid a professional guide $400.00 for one day to help them find a moose. They eagerly followed the guide to several dozen ponds, wallows, and wetlands throughout the park, in vain. The guide apologized and kept their money.
On the one hand, Baxter State Park, central Maine for that matter, is the moosiest area in all of New England. On the other hand, it’s a huge area with thousands of wetlands, ponds, and lakes where one might see a moose out in the open. The thing is that on any given day moose will indeed make an appearance in any of these areas. But not necessarily every day and not consitently in the same location. Question is, will you pick the same location a moose has chosen to visit on a particular day?

Bull Moose
Canon EOS 1-D Mark II N
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens with Canon 2x teleconverter
1/400″ @ f/5.6, ISO 400
Gitzo GT3541LS carbon fiber tripod with Wimberley Head
Read more…
Posted by Gustav under Fall,Fine Art Prints,Maine,Wildlife,Workshops & Tours | Comments (0)
November 1, 2009

The Basin at Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire is a beautiful place. So many subjects to shoot, so many different compositions for each subject. I could spend days and days in this one small area.
It was drizzly, cloudy and cold when I took this shot. It was worth the effort, but I certainly appreciated wearing my light gloves and hat…
A strong S-curve. An anchor at the top and another at the bottom. A few strong colors. A simple but elegant composition. Motion and stillness.
For those of you who are artists or have studied the art of compostion, you understand why the above image works. For those of you who like the image, but you don’t quite understand why, you’re on your way to understanding. For those of you who don’t get it… well, I can only hope you will understand one day.
There is beauty in simplicity. There is beauty in elegance. There is beauty in nature. I hope you see the beauty in this image.
Image specs:
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L USM lens at 35mm
- f/16, 0.6 seconds, ISO 100
- Hoya Moose Polarizer filter
- Gitzo GT3541LS tripod with RRS BH-55 ballhead, cable release
Rob
Posted by Rob under Fall,Hot Shots,Landscapes,New Hampshire | Comments (4)