2012, Day 269 - Deepest crevasse

I saw a great shot of Smith Rock State Park posted earlier today and thought I would revisit one of the images that I haven't shared yet.  This time I decided to process it as black and white and give it a little earthy toning.  I think the texture of the rock formations give this photograph all of the interest it needs and the reflection of the skies off the water draw the eye to the key elements.  While I am not totally happy with the clouds I am still really pleased.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f22, 1/2 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 61 - Mountain flare

I took this picture last month on my way to a long weekend in Central Oregon.  The mountain in the distance is Mount Jefferson and I made my friends stop along the side of the road for a time lapse.  Unfortunately shortly after starting the intervals we realized that we would need to make good time in order to collect the keys to our rental before the office closed so I only have a few seconds worth of shots.

Normally flare is a rather distracting element but because of the movement of the clouds I decided that some flare would be acceptable in the time lapse because it would come and go making it a neat element.  I like that you can see the anger in the clouds, their violent energy and the rays of light from the sun trying to break through the coming storm.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
70mm, f22, 1/4 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 58 - Long shadows

I love the gentle undulations of virgin snow.  It is reminiscent of sand or salt or sugar but in a totally alien landscape.  The world seems almost out of context, especially when you grew up in a snow-free climate like I did.

Canon 1D Mark IV, 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f5, 1/400 @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 57 - Sentinel

We have been inundated with the occasional snow shower today and yesterday with more possible tonight.  It is hard to believe that despite a relatively mild winter we have had so many little winter storms.  If the snow actually stuck to the ground I would be pleased but mostly it just means it is going to be wet and cold outside.

This is a photo from my recent trip to central Oregon.  As you can see the clouds were pretty solid but the occasional ray of sunshine would break through highlighting some part of the landscape.  I liked this old tree, it look so gnarled and has probably seen thousands of people pass by in its lifetime.  Now it is just a husk serving to remind us that wildfires in central Oregon are common and the last was recent enough that the surrounding trees display the willowy trunks of their youth.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
20mm, f4, 1/1000 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 52 - Winding

Normally power lines are the bane of my existence.  They always seem to be run through the most interesting views like some intentional flaw in an otherwise ideal scene.  Last week when I was in central Oregon riding out to our day's snowshoeing I made my friend pull over as we came upon these power lines because I liked the clouds and the serpentine access road below.  The power lines in this situation act like leading lines and they aren't totally distracting.  I used OnOne's Perfect Blur and the Nicely Toasted Effect for the finishing touches.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
23mm, f4, 1/5000 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 51 - Trial

This photo was taken as a test to figure out what kind of exposure time would be necessary to capture the stars.  To the naked eye not all the clouds were visible but I still took another shot at a lower ISO.  Unfortunately the clouds were coming in and at the end of that five minute exposure almost no stars were visible.  That left me with my test shot which I processed and share with you now.  While it isn't ideal is it better than what I ended up with which is why you never delete anything until you've had an opportunity to review it on your computer.  In fact I don't delete anything, sometimes the best shots look terrible as you are chimping (reviewing your photos on the back of your camera).

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f2.8, 25 sec @ 8000 ISO

2012, Day 46 - Frosted

Monday was not an especially sunny day in central Oregon but there were enough breaks in the clouds to get some great shadows on the sparkling snow.  The world seems to calm and peaceful when it is covered in snow; although to be fair I've generally only been around snow in a recreational capacity, I've never lived anywhere that would reliably have white winters.  Nevertheless the woods were quiet and the fresh snow made everything look so clean, the only sound we could hear were the birds and the quiet crunch of loose snow being compacted under our feet.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
35mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 200 ISO

2012, Day 44 - Frozen flow

This morning we awoke to a few inches of fresh snow which meant one thing, epic snowshoeing!  Today's trip was three times the distance of yesterday's adventure but there was less than 800 feet of elevation gain which made it much more relaxing.  We made our way out to Newberry Crater and suited up for the icy breezes.  The trail was well marked and our destination was Paulina Falls.

We made it there in good time and Paulina Falls was spectacular!  The clouds were moving quickly in the strong winds which made standing at the viewpoint a little nerve-wracking.  Despite my initial reluctance to get too close to the railing I inched closer and closer as the wind died down to a gentle breeze.  When the clouds obstructed the sun I knew my moment had come and below is the result.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II
16mm, f22, merged layers of 2.5, 5, and 10 sec @ 100 ISO

2012, Day 43 - Bursting

What I love the most about central Oregon is the huge variety of outdoor activities.  When I was here last fall most of the days were filled with hiking.  Given the snow hiking is an impossibility so instead I spent the afternoon snowshoeing.

After a failed attempt to find decent snow in the area immediately around Sunriver we gave up and drove to Tumalo mountain which sits adjacent to Mount Bachelor, a popular skiing area.  Our climb was almost completely uphill with an elevation gain of over 1,000 feet in about a mile.  It was brutal going up and almost as bad on the way down.  I thought I was terribly out of shape, which I may be, but on the descent I gained a real appreciation for how steep the trail was that we followed.

Tomorrow we head out for more snowshoeing.  I am excited but in remains to be seen if my legs will be as eager as I am when I get up tomorrow morning.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 16-35/2.8L Mark II
18mm, f4, 1/3200 sec @ 200 ISO