Archive for the ‘ National Parks ’ Category

Rocks and Lichen

Serrated slabs of sandstone covered in lichen, Zion National Park, Utah. Shot with a Nikon D300 and Nikkor 12-24mm lens at 24mm. The image was shot a f14 at ISO 100 for 1/25 of a second.

We have all heard the expression that at times “we cannot see the forest for the trees.” Well in photography sometimes it pays to take a moment to look at the trees. We can get so fixated on the grand vista or recording a scenic wonder that we fail to look more intimately at what lies before our feet. This image is a case in point. I was struggling with a shot of the Watchman in Zion National Park when I just took a breather to clear my thoughts. It was a that point that I saw this incredible layered rock covered in multi-colored lichen. Beautiful light allowed the rock fins to glow. If I had not taken that moment to just be in the landscape I would have missed this wonderful composition.

For more information on Zion National Park go to http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

2010
01/08
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Grand Circle
Landscape
National Parks
Photography Trips
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Sunrise on Wukoki Pueblo

First light illuminates the Wukoki Ruin at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Sony SAL 20mm lens, at f16 at 1/8 second

First light breaks on Wukoki Ruin, Wupatki National Monument. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm at 24mm, ISO 100, f16 at 1/2 second.

Today’s image was shot at Wupatki National Monument in Arizona. Located between Flagstaff, Arizona and Cameron along Highway 89, Wupatki preserves the ruins of red sandstone pueblos built by farming Ancestral Puebloan People between 1120 and 1250. The Wukoki Pueblo is one of the best preserved sites and is sited on a small hill affording fantastic views towards the San Francisco Peaks.

This picture is all about scouting and pre visualizing the shot. I knew where the sun would rise and was looking for a position to capture the light as it first broke across the ruin. I spotted the slabs of stone and realized there was an open position underneath that could form a shooting window that would frame the ruin. I arrived well before sunrise and positioned the camera in the alcove of sandstone. As sunrise approached I took several test exposures to be sure of my exposure and composition. As the sun rose and started to light the ruin the inner walls of the sandstone fins began to glow as well, a surprise I did not expect. It was a truly beautiful sunrise that morning. I imagined the ancients would have agreed with me. For more information on Wupatki National Monument please visit www.nps.gov/wupa/

2010
01/06
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CATEGORY
Arizona
Grand Canyon
Landscape
National Parks
Photography Trips
Wupatki National Monument
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Grand Canyon-West Rim Vista

West Rim Vista, Grand Canyon National Park, shot with a Sony a900 and Zeiss 24-70mm lens set to 24mm, f16 at 1/15 of a second at ISO 100.

It goes without saying that I consider the Grand Canyon the center of the earth. It is a place of such immense spiritual power that I always feel inspired and rejuvinated after every visit. Like most photographers who shoot the canyon I have my favorite places and vistas which I always revisit on every trip. This image is in one of those locations. While this spot along the west rim is fantastic in the morning I have always preferred the late afternoon light which gives me a softer, more high key type of image. This backlighting, also known as contrejour, produces images with beautiful pastel colors. In this instance the sun is setting off of my left shoulder. The sun is low enough to provide beautiful light but high enough to light up the Colorado River in the inner gorge. Many photographers are afraid of shooting “into” the sun this way. It just takes some experimentation with exposure to make a successful image. The final image processed in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop is not a composite of multiple shots. For me the beautiful soft light and monochromatic color is like a pastel painting.

2009
12/23
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Grand Canyon
National Parks
Photography Technique
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Desert View Interior

This is an image shot inside the Desert View Watch Tower located at the eastern end of the Grand Canyon. The tower was designed by Mary Coulter for the Fred Harvey Company and opened in 1933. The dramatic tower interior is a series of circular balconies accessed by stairways around the perimeter. The interior murals were painted by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie and with indian petrogyphs painted by Fred Greer.

Desert View No. 1 was shot in the upper balcony area and exposed with only the ambient light coming in through windows above.

Desert View No. 2  was achieved with two off camera flash units and a Nikon Flash Controller. The camera was set facing upward with one flash unit placed behind and above the camera illuminating the wall and ceiling. The other flash was fixed with a snoot and aimed towards the ceiling. Several images were shot to get the flash placement correct to light up the space.

Desert View No. 1. Upper Balcony, Desert View Watch Tower, Grand Canyon National Park, Nikon D300, Nikkor 12-24mm lens at 15mm, f14 at 2 seconds.

Desert View No. 2. The Tower Room, Desert View Watch Tower, Grand Canyon National Park. Nikon D300, Nikkor 12-24mm at 15mm, f16 at 1/60 second.

2009
12/22
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Architecture
Desert View
Grand Canyon
Mary Coulter
National Parks
Photography Technique
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Tarn Reflection, Acadia National Park

As I post this new image a major winter storm is dropping over 18 inches of snow in West Virginia. I only ventured out once today to test the roads. Suffering from a little cabin fever I decided to revisit some images from a recent trip to Acadia National Park. This image is from the Tarn Pond and is one of several I took that morning. The pond is slowly filling in and is full of aquatic plant life. In the early morning the sky is reflected in the calm waters and allows images such as this.

The image was shot with a Sony a900 and a Zeiss 24-70 f2.8 lens at 24mm. I used a Heliopan Warming Polarizer and exposed the scene at f16 for 6 seconds.

The image was processed in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

2009
12/19
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CATEGORY
Acadia
National Parks
Photography Trips
Water
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Copyright

© Robert H. Clark, Robert H. Clark Photography, Robert H. Clark Photography Blog, and rhcl.wordpress.com, 2009/2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Robert H. Clark and Robert H. Clark Photography Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. All photography ©Robert H. Clark Photography.
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