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10/24/2007 11:24:40 AM · #1 |
Got through and edited down my shots from my national park trip last week. I'd debated which lenses to take on this trip and essentially settled on a couple of primes - a 50mm and 85mm, because I'd come up with a different angle that I wanted to explore, rather than the standard wide scenic views that we've all seen so often in these parks. I wrote some more about my experiences with this set of lens choices here if you want to understand more of the motivation behind these images.
Anyway, enough preamble. Here's the pictures. Comments are very welcome.
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10/25/2007 12:04:26 AM · #2 |
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10/25/2007 12:21:29 AM · #3 |
Absolutely lovely portraits. Stunning backgrounds on them. But then, you took portrait lenses... =P ;)
Really, though, some very nice landscapes as well. |
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10/25/2007 01:21:09 AM · #4 |
Great series, cool idea. Are you going to print your favorites of the portraits and hang them all together?
I like the landscapes too, I'd like to get to both of those places eventually. |
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10/25/2007 02:04:17 AM · #5 |
| I'll look when I get home. |
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10/25/2007 01:53:28 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by MadMan2k:
Great series, cool idea. Are you going to print your favorites of the portraits and hang them all together?
I like the landscapes too, I'd like to get to both of those places eventually. |
Not quite sure what to do with the set really. I usually never get around to printing anything - all the stuff on the walls are a couple of years old at least.
Both of those national parks are amazing, in very different ways - well worth a visit.
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10/25/2007 02:06:56 PM · #7 |
You've got some nice shots here. Love the Amanda "crucified" shot especially. But I got to say, anyone who'd go to Yosemite without a wide angle is insane :-)
R.
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10/25/2007 02:19:47 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
You've got some nice shots here. Love the Amanda "crucified" shot especially. But I got to say, anyone who'd go to Yosemite without a wide angle is insane :-)
R. |
I really prefer the first set of pictures that are 'the amanda project' (that don't have any landscapes in them) to the second set. I didn't feel any twinge or need for the wide in Yosemite - in fact it felt pretty cramped - 50mm was a pretty good focal length, longer would have been good too. 85mm worked quite well really. Though I just didn't feel much draw to shoot the scenery there. The landscape is beautiful, amazing, stunning. So much more so than any of the pictures of it I've ever seen. It was comical and somewhat depressing to see the lines of photographers 3 or 4 deep with expensive tripods, cameras and lenses, all waiting for the 'perfect light' at tunnel view for that classic down the valley shot, then the next night, the bridge almost being blocked by the lines of photographers shooting from the Sentinel bridge to half dome. I'm not sure I get the point of that sort of photography really. I know the guidebooks with GPS co-ordinates for Ansel Adams shots probably sell quite well, but it would be cheaper just to buy a print.
In Death Valley I'd have missed the wide more, if I hadn't already spent a week shooting wide there in the past. But I'm not going to outshoot David Muench in the sand dunes (though last time I was there, I met him in the dunes which was quite cool :) ), so I'm not too concerned with even trying any more. I don't have the time or the inclination to invest in being in the right places time and again, often enough, to get right times.
I think I've just lost the appeal for creating average landscape photographs and I don't have the opportunity to create better than average landscape photographs. Turned out not taking a wide was one of the best decisions I could have made. I got to enjoy time in the beautiful scenery instead.
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10/25/2007 02:48:38 PM · #9 |
That's definitely a good attitude. It is depressing the lines of people there are to take "the photograph". I wish I was that courageous. =)
Plus you got some fantastic shots of people/moments in life that really matter to you. Those are really the best.
Oh, get get your walls updated: Get one or two printed at 16x20 for $4.95. =) |
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10/25/2007 02:56:56 PM · #10 |
Well of course I am just speaking from my own "perspective"; whatever works for you, is what to do... I, of course, have haunted Yosemite for weeks and weeks int he past. And I do agree, it's a landscape that cries out for longer focal length lenses for a lot of shots. With the 4x5, we used the 210mm for a LOT of our pictures.
The reason why I like WA in Yosemite is sort of parallel to why you seem to dislike it: most of the great, memorable Yosemite shots are pretty compacted images with longer focal lengths, and what I liked to do was break away from that and shoot ultra WA with a lot of close-up foreground detail with the rocks as a distant backdrop.
Either way, it's a hell of a lovely place. I got a chuckle out of the "lines of photographers"; even back in the 70's they were there :-)
R.
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10/25/2007 03:07:54 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
The reason why I like WA in Yosemite is sort of parallel to why you seem to dislike it: most of the great, memorable Yosemite shots are pretty compacted images with longer focal lengths, and what I liked to do was break away from that and shoot ultra WA with a lot of close-up foreground detail with the rocks as a distant backdrop. |
yup, but the second way you describe of approaching landscapes is perhaps an even more overused cliche now (with the emphasis on now) David Meunch that I mentioned is a fine exemplar of just that approach. On a 4 day trip with a strong non-emphasis on photography, I wasn't ever going to do anything that interesting, landscape-wise. Deciding not to fight it turned out to be quite freeing. Also made me realise that a 1DII is far too heavy for serious hiking with, even with a 50mm lens. I need a (whatever replaces) the 5D, or a pack mule.
I think really what it boils down to for me is trying to shoot things I have enough access to, to try to do something interesting with. People I have access to. My lunch I have access to. Grand southwestern landscapes I don't. I know all I'll do is cliches for the first x days/weeks/ months, so if all I'm spending is a couple of days, it's almost not worth even doing the half-hearted attempts, for me, right now. I took some with a point and shoot to show my family and friends where we went, but didn't make much effort beyond that and I'm content with that, right now, for me. (not trying to tell anyone else what they should do or think ;) ) Either that or my interest in subject matter has shifted quite dramatically to be mostly about people and collaboration with people. Think that started happening a couple of years ago in Big Bend NP really - I went for a week to take landscape pictures. Most of the shots I like are of people I met out there. Funny how that happens.
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Either way, it's a hell of a lovely place. I got a chuckle out of the "lines of photographers"; even back in the 70's they were there :-) |
That it was. I still think I prefer Death Valley though. It keeps its beauty closer to its chest. You have to work harder to see it but boy does it reward the effort. Yosemite is simple. Stunning. Right there.
Message edited by author 2007-10-25 15:19:55.
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12/14/2007 05:49:56 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Got through and edited down my shots from my national park trip last week. I'd debated which lenses to take on this trip and essentially settled on a couple of primes - a 50mm and 85mm, because I'd come up with a different angle that I wanted to explore, rather than the standard wide scenic views that we've all seen so often in these parks. I wrote some more about my experiences with this set of lens choices here if you want to understand more of the motivation behind these images.
Anyway, enough preamble. Here's the pictures. Comments are very welcome. |
Hi Gordon, that main pic of you and your partner is wonderful.. You took a big gamble with your choice of lenses and man you made it work.. some great shots in there.. really makes me want to pack up the old kitbag and get off to Yosemite..
Instead, off to Richmond Park tomorrow. They have forecast a cold clear night, so that means mist and deer... lovely!!
Nice shots.. cheers for sharing. |
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