Robert H Clark Photography Blog

Mountain Sheep Canyon – Navajo Lands, Arizona

Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Mountain Sheep Canyon, Navajo Lands, Photography Technique, Photography Trips, Slot Canyon, Slot Canyon Photography, Sony α900, Zeiss Lenses 4 Responses »

Jul 232011

Fracture, Mountain Sheep Canyon, Navajo Lands, Arizona. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f13 for 1/2 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. One of the interesting aspects of writing a blog is finding out what posts are the most popular. WordPress offers a nice statistics section in their content management system that tells you the number of visitors, search criteria used to find your site, and a counter to the most visited pages. Interestingly, in my mind at least, there have been quite a few searches and visits to many of my Mountain Sheep Canyon images. Mountain Sheep is small, hidden jewel, located outside of Page, Arizona on Navajo Lands. The canyon is only accessible through a photographers trip offered by Carol Bigthumb of Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours.

Unlike Upper and Lower Antelope, Mountain Sheep Canyon is what I refer to as an open top slot. It has a straight in entry and only requires a little bit of scrambling. It takes some effort to get out to the canyon through sandy washes but the canyon receives few visitors making it a special place to photograph. Because of the wide open top light can be intense and often many of the formations are blown out. The better photographs come by looking for the reflected light on the canyon walls and creating compositions that focus on the lower parts of the canyon. The light changes rapidly and you should look for compositions during the trip in and out.

Slots are formed by the erosive forces of water that flow during flash floods through the sandstone drainages. Rocks, sand, tree limbs and other debris contribute to the carving of the canyon walls and are often deposited along the floor after a flood. The fast moving water scours the walls revealing intricate and colorful layers of stone. In many cases the water is caught in whirlpool like eddies that over time carve out chambers and alcoves in the rock. Ultimately this is how rooms in slot canyons are formed. The image above shows the beginnings of a small alcove where the swirling water has begun to carve a semi circular space in the stone. The group of rocks in the alcove are transient visitors and may move on during the next flood.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

Sandstone Portal – Lower Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Desert, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Lower Antelope Canyon, Navajo Lands, Photography Trips, Slot Canyon, Slot Canyon Photography, Sony α900, Zeiss Lenses 4 Responses »

Jun 042011

Sandstone Portal, Lower Antelope Canyon, Navajo Lands, Arizona. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f16 for 1 second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. I had just a bit of time between my trips to post this image. I will be heading back out tomorrow for work in Washington, DC and then out to the Grand Canyon and Page, Arizona the following week. Today’s image of this beautiful sandstone arch was shot in Lower Antelope Canyon. I continue to be amazed by the geological diversity found in a slot canyon. Here, at a turn in the canyon, subtle striations give way to an arching fin of stone carved by the forces of water. A sculpture revealed ever so slowly over time by the subtle removal of material. I wonder just how long it took. And how much longer will it take for water to carve away until it separates completely and is washed away. Eons I should think.

One of the techniques I use when shooting in slots is to shoot from a low camera position. I do this to help emphasize vertical height and to bring in foreground elements to aid in composition. Here I am working with some implied motion created by the layers in the stone. By shooting low and including the mass of rock in the foreground I can create dynamic leading lines that take your eye up the fin. The light is also working for me in the composition as the fin is beautifully lit and subsequently framed by the darker walls beyond. The original RAW file and the final Photoshop Master File was processed to accentuate the leading lines and the play of light.

I’ll be back in a few weeks with shots from the Grand Canyon and some new slot canyon images from Canyon X.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

Mountain Sheep Canyon – Navajo Lands

Abstracts, Adobe Lightroom, Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Mountain Sheep Canyon, Navajo Lands, Slot Canyon, Slot Canyon Photography, Sony α900, Zeiss Lenses No Responses »

Apr 122011

Mountain Sheep Canyon, Navajo Lands, Arizona. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 50mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f11 for 1/2 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Today’s image is from Mountain Sheep Canyon located on Navajo Lands just outside of Page, Arizona. Mountain Sheep is what I refer to as an open top slot canyon. The top portions of the canyon are wider and more open than a more traditional slot canyon like Upper or Lower Antelope. Open top slots allow more light to enter the canyon which can make shooting more difficult because of the extreme contrasts of light. It is generally best to shoot in open top slots early in the morning or late in the afternoon to take advantage of lower sun angles which will allow you to shoot glowing walls illuminated by bounced and reflected light. When you find yourself in an open top slot at the wrong time, with higher sun angles, you can still find great shots by concentrating more on the details and patterns contained within the sandstone.

This image is a case in point. I ended up in Mountain Sheep in the early afternoon and was greeted with less than ideal conditions due to the amount of sunlight flooding the canyon. I decided to use this as a challenge and see if I could focus more on vignettes within the canyon. So I looked for patterns and interesting formations within the walls and curves of the canyon. In this image I was struck by the curving striations and contortions that gave way to smoother walls. I was also fascinated by the petrified sand caked on the canyon walls. This material was left by flood waters and over time was baked and hardened by the sun. The sand is literally fused to the wall and would require a hammer and chisel to break it away. There is a subtle glow on the surfaces created by reflected light bouncing off the canyon walls behind my camera position. This light helped illuminate the beautiful lines and striations in the sandstone.

The RAW file was processed in Adobe Lightroom and finished in Photoshop. Mountain Sheep Canyon is located on the Navajo Reservation and is only accessible with a Navajo Guide. I first visited the canyon in 2009 and have been back on four other occasions. If you would like to visit the canyon please contact Carol Bigthumb at Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

Moonrise and Dune – White Sands National Monument

Desert, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, New Mexico, Photography Trips, Sony α900, sunset, Twilight Photography, Zeiss Lenses 8 Responses »

Feb 282011

Moonrise and Dune, White Sands National Monument. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f16 for 4 seconds.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. One of the aspects of landscape photography I like is that nature presents us with many faces. At times sunsets or sunrises can be bold, full of intense color and drama. On other occasions the light may be soft and subtle. I have written before about the light at White Sands National Monument in this blog and for Singh-Ray’s blog. Most of my photography while shooting at White Sands centered on capturing the soft light at twilight. This image was shot during civil twilight approximately 20 minutes after the sun had set. The Naval Observatory defines civil twilight as that time, beginning in the morning, and ending in the evening, when the sun is geometrically 6 degrees below the horizon. Civil twilight generally last about 30 minutes and is the limit at which twilight illumination is sufficient to clearly distinguish terrestrial objects. The horizon line is clearly defined and the brightest stars emerge and are visible. At sunrise or sunset the upper edge of the disk of the sun is just on the horizon.

This image was shot during evening twilight. Just after the sun dropped below the horizon the light flattened out and many of the dunes details faded. Within 10 minutes though, as the sun dropped 2 to 3 degrees below the horizon the sky became brighter and the dunes relit with subtle light. The intense blue from the sky reflected on the white gypsum and a beautiful magenta-red glow illuminated the ripples of sand and dune faces. You have to work quickly as the relighting effect fades the longer you shoot in this time period. In general I try to be position at sunset and have several compositions selected to work with until the light fades.

Shooting during this time requires longer shutter speeds unless you are using higher ISO’s. I like to shoot at an ISO of 100 to 200 and as such generally have exposures that range from 2 to 10 seconds. For the longer exposures I make sure my tripod is steady and my pan head securely tightened. I always use mirror lock up to eliminate any hint of camera shake.

I try not to over process these images. My processing intent therefore is designed to maintain the soft, subtle colors and luminance that I saw when I composed the image. RAW processing in Lightroom focuses on using the curve sliders along with some fill and recover. I also made some adjustments to the luminance values in the blue channels. Very little work was required in Photoshop and consisted of setting a final white and black point and applying a curve adjustment through a “darks” luminosity mask.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

Inner Light – Antelope Canyon

Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Lightroom Workflow, Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Chiaroscuro Lighting, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Navajo Lands, Slot Canyon, Slot Canyon Photography, Sony α900, Uncategorized, Zeiss Lenses 2 Responses »

Feb 252011

Inner Light, Antelope Canyon. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f16 for 4 seconds.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. We are in a transition now. Spring is nearly upon us. The days are gradually getting longer, I see a lot of activity from the birds, and we are getting a some warmer weather. But then again we have had some major snowstorms at the end of February. Last year at this time we had about three feet on the ground. So it wants to be spring but we are still at the back end of winter. So it is a transition. An interstitial time that occurs between the seasons. Mother Nature it seems is a tease. Over the last week it has snowed, the winds have blown, and the sky is grey. “Oh I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day”…

I find transitions somewhat difficult. The thought of what is coming, of course, is exciting. But it is just being stuck in the grey of the day. The inner light, my inner light is dim. At times like this I just seem to drift, my mind wandering-not really centered and in the moment. Today’s image is one that centers me in the moment. Part of it relates to being in the place. The other relates to a series of opposites: Light and Dark; Stable and Unstable; and Solid and Fluid. In each of these concepts we can find a transition. Light transitions into dark, or dark into light depending on how you view the image. Stability in the forms of the sandstone gives way to instability. And solid rock in the foreground becomes fluid and wave like. Within these transitions is the inner glow. A molten glow of warmth that stabilizes and centers the images. All the opposites and all the transitions lead inward to the inner glow.

So when it becomes grey and life seems to be in a time of transition I will try to find a place to center myself and ride out the flux of instability. Sometimes it does not take much. Just a change in routine can do wonders. A trip to the desert is like a giant B-12 shot. Photography is one avenue I use to rekindle the fire. Many times I am drawn to images like this because of the power they have over me. I love opposites, especially those which feature light and dark. I think many of us can relate to this one concept. We are all drawn to light over darkness. How many times I have waited in the darkness of the early morning hours for the sun to rise and spread its fingers of light across the landscape. The darkness retreats in the face of light and warmth replaces the cold. With light is hope. And with hope we can go forward. My grand mother once told me that a person needs three things: someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. With these you can ride out the storms that rise in between. When I am in a place of transition I think about these words. They provide an anchor in the storm that allows me to regain my inner light.

Thank you as always for stopping by to visit this site. The photographs I make for myself, but the joy is sharing them with you.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

Postscript: I have been asked on several occasion whether I use any filters when I shoot in Antelope or other slot canyons. The answer is no. To achieve the glow I simply follow the light. Slot canyons by their very nature are an exploration in the juxtaposition of light and dark. This type of lighting is called chiaroscuro. The word is derived from Italian and means light-dark. Chiaroscuro lighting is about opposites, or contrasts in light and dark. The quality of the reflected light on the sandstone walls can be intense and colorful. Filters are not necessary for image capture. RAW processing techniques I use including adjustments to curves and luminance values brings out the intense colors.

Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country – Revisiting the Black and White Process

Black and White, California, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Mountains, National Parks, Photography Technique, Photoshop Technique, Photoshop Workflow, Sony α900, sunset, Yosemite, Zeiss Lenses No Responses »

Jan 082011

Image 1: Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country, Yosemite National Park. Final image after reprocessing to add contrast and punch.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Today I am going to revisit the black and white version of Half Dome Light and the Yosemite High Country. Before I get into this I would like to thank all of you who visited the blog and commented and voted on your preference for color versus black and white. I started this blog ostensibly to get some visibility to my website and make connections to other photographers and folks who love landscape photography. To that end, a year down the road, more people are visiting my website and I have made some great connections. But something more powerful is happening. Recently I have been getting more critical commentary and dialogue about my photos as well as discussions on techniques and places to visit. A sense of community is beginning to develop which transcends everything that I thought would happen. When you put your work out in the public forum you open a door that invites the viewer into your world. It can be scary. The ”what if”s begin to surface. What if someone does not like my work? What if I receive negative comments? What if I am wrong about a technique? What if, what if, what if. We should not buy into this fear based position. Though I have been shooting for almost 35 years I think of myself as both a teacher and a student. It seems every day I learn something new. As a student I find the “what if’s” powerful and exciting. What if’s are teaching moments that help you along the journey of photography.

Today’s post comes under the heading of “what if”. I process a lot of images and there are instances when I am unsure about the photographs direction. I call this “getting stuck in the curves”. I never really think an image is finished. In fact I revisit them often in an effort to tweak out more detail, better sharpening, better color, etc. But sometimes I just won’t go far enough. When I converted the color version of today’s “revisit image” I stayed with the same curve sets and only applied a PS Black and White Layer. I did a few other minor manipulations but after staring at the image for several hours my eyes became accustomed to the result. When I posted the image I thought it looked pretty good. But as it turns out I did not go as a far as I could.

In a comment about the post, photographer Michael Trupiano, recommended some constructive suggestions on how he thought the image could be better. So here are Michael’s “What if’s”: What if the mid-tone contrast was increased. He thought the image looked a little muddy. What if the sunlight striking Half Dome and the snow on the far peaks was brighter. And what if the sky could pop a little more. Now the main problem here is that what looks good on my monitor may look different on others. I take care to calibrate my monitor and ensure that I am preparing good jpg files for display. Additionally I still believe the print is the final word. If it looks good in print then that is the final word. But still, after thinking about Michael’s comments and looking closely at the file, I think he had some good points. In order to achieve a better result I had to add several new adjustment layers and tweak a few others. So lets take a look again at the original image, (Image 2, below) I posted at: http://roberthclarkphotographyblog.com/2011/01/02/half-dome-light-and-yosemite-high-country-yosemite-national-park/

Image 2: Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country. Original Black and White Conversion in Photoshop.

Now let’s take a look at the areas that I worked on in the image, (Image 3, below). Area 1: Increase contrast and drama in the sky with two new curve adjustments to increase darkness in the 3/4 tones and punch the 1/4 tones and highlights. Area 2: Darken this area to provide better separation. This was done through a Dodge and Burn Layer. Area 3: This was the real critical zone Michael commented about. This needed a real contrast boast that required a new curve layer to darken the 3/4 tones and lighten the 1/4 tones and highlights. In addition some additional dodging and burning was performed. And finally Area 4: Here just a little dodging and burning to lighten Half Dome. In addition to these adjustmentss a small amount of manipulation to the 3/4 tones on the “Darks” Luminosity Mask helped the contrast in the area below and behind Half Dome.

Image 3: Areas reworked to increase image contrast and punch.

So here is the final image with adjustments, (Image 4, below). I think you will agree that the overall increase in contrast in the mid tones and 3/4 tones and punching the highlights has made a dramatic improvement to the image.

Image 4: Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country, Yosemite National Park, Final Image.

I want to thank Michael for his insightful critique. I really appreciate him taking time to visit the blog, being part of the community, and providing his comments. The result is truly a better image.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country – Yosemite National Park

Adobe Lightroom, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Mountains, National Parks, Photography Technique, Sony α900, Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, Zeiss Lenses 11 Responses »

Jan 022011

Half Dome Light and the Yosemite High Country, Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 50mm. Image exposed at ISO 200 at f14 for 1/4 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Happy New Year to all my friends and thank you for visiting and supporting this site. Today’s image is a view of Half Dome and the Yosemite High Country taken near Glacier Point. In my mind it is arguably one of the most spectacular views in country. It is certainly one of my favorites. I was in the Valley for most of the day and watched as incredible bands of clouds drifted overhead. I though about staying in the valley to shoot sunset but I though with all the clouds the horizon might be blocked and there would be no color. I decided instead to drive up to Glacier Point thinking that the clouds might provide a more fitting backdrop from that vantage point. Well I was treated to an amazing show. Bands of clouds drifted over the high country and the light was amazing. Just before sunset the clouds opened up an sunlight lit up Half Dome and the higher peaks and snow-capped ridges of the high country. The light did not stay for long however. My suspicions about the horizon proved true and once the sun set the light and color were gone.

I processed the RAW image in Adobe Lightroom and prepared two files in Photoshop. The color version above and a black and white versions shown below. I like them both but find myself drawn to the black and white. I think some is this my conditioned response to viewing the Yosemite work of Ansel Adams. The other is that often reducing an image to simpler tones makes it more powerful. For the black and white version I used the Black and White Layer Conversion and adjusted the sliders in the Blue, Red, and Yellow zones. So what is your vote? Color or the black and white. I would love to hear your views.

Half Dome Light and Yosemite High Country. Black and White Conversion in Photoshop.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

Last Light on Cadillac Mountain – Acadia National Park

Acadia, Acadia National Park, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Lightroom, National Parks, Photography Technique, Photography Trips, Sony α900, Split Neutral Density Filters, sunset, Zeiss Lenses No Responses »

Dec 292010

Last Light on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 28mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f14 for 1/3 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. I hope this holiday finds everyone well and enjoying the season. I am truly enjoying the downtime but will return to my hectic schedule in in January. The weather here has been very cold with a lot of wind. Not just a breeze mind you, but blowing a gusty gale. Not exactly photo friendly. But there is ice on the river and I will be heading out to see what I can find. In the meantime here is an image shot on a cold November evening from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. I had some wind on this evening which made things a bit challenging. There is not a lot of technique I can offer under these conditions except to be patient. Wind typically comes in cycles and there will be a moment of calm before the cycle starts up again. The trick is to feel the ending of the cycle and watch the smaller plants for leaf movement. When it goes to stillness fire the shutter. Don’t wait because the moment is usually very brief. Often the days wind will dissipate in the evening giving you calm conditions-but not always. Suffice it to say we photograph in the natural world and we just have to play the cards we are dealt.

Even with my “wind patience” method there is some leaf blur in this shot. But it is not enough to give me any real heartburn. I spent most of the late afternoon on this section of the mountain exploring the glacier-carved granite that makes up Cadillac. The rock is a kaleidoscope of colors ranging from hues of soft yellows to more intense oranges and rose pinks. And everywhere the rock is covered in colorful lichen. In some instances it looks as if the rock was spattered with blue, green, and red paint. Plants exist in zones between the rock outcrops and grow within the cracks of the stones. On this day the cloudless sky turned a golden yellow-orange and reflected onto the rocks. The angle I chose gave me a beautiful leading line of light that ends with the boulders in the upper left. This line is repeated in the plants and the cracks in the rocks. I used a 4-stop Singh-Ray soft-edge split neutral density filter dropped in to the horizon line to balance the exposure.

The image was processed in Adobe Lightroom and finished in Photoshop.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

Dale – Big Bend Workshop Portrait

Adobe Lightroom, Flash Photography, Lightroom, People Photography, Photography Technique, Portrait, Portrait Photography, Sony α900, Zeiss Lenses No Responses »

Dec 232010

Dale. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 70mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f2.8 for 1/90th of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to todays post. I am switching up from my usual landscape shots and featuring a portrait of Dale I shot at a recent workshop at Big Bend. When you shoot a lot of landscape the relative skills necessary to compose a portrait go out the window. I really do not have to ask a hoodoo to pose and relax. I find the angle and the light and the hoodoo resides in all of its splendor, patient with my process. Shooting people is a whole other process, that for me, requires work. In this workshop we were given an assignment to photograph one of our fellow participants. I will admit I approached this with a bit of angst and some relative bad attitude thrown in. But I had to move past this as there was no getting around the deadline. Plus I just need to work on relating more to the people I photograph. So I shot Dale and he shot me. I think we were both uncomfortable with the whole thing. But we waded in to make the best image we could. The shoot took place at the Terlingua Ghost Town General Store. We had to limit the shoot to approximately 20 minutes each. I tried all kinds of positions, props, vistas but to no avail. I just could not seem to capture Dale’s inner being. He is conservative, calm, and yet has a dry sense of humor. We finally moved into an alcove where I could get a more monolithic backdrop and just started to move in close with the 70mm lens. Many people shooting portraits are afraid of moving in close. You have to enter the personal space zone which can make photographer and subject tighten up. But as Dale and I talked I found it easier and soon was asking for a different position, or a tilt of the head. For a very brief moment he turned away from the lens and when he looked back I sensed his his features were more relaxed and I got this shot. And it is all in the eyes. That is where the soul resides. Serious but with a touch of whimsy. It only took about 60 shots to get this one. I used an off camera flash aimed up into the ceiling of the alcove. The pop gave me some nice reflection in the eyes and opened up some shadow areas.

The image was processed in Adobe Lightroom using a preset called Antique Photo. From there it received some additional work in Photoshop.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

Terlingua Creek Sunrise – Big Bend National Park

Adobe Lightroom, Big Bend, Big Bend National Park, Black and White, Helicon Focus, Landscape, Landscape Photography, Lightroom, National Parks, Photography Technique, Photography Trips, Singh-Ray Filters, Sony α900, sunrise, Texas, Zeiss Lenses 4 Responses »

Dec 172010

Terlingua Creek Sunrise, outside of Big Bend National Park. Shot with a Sony a900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f8 for 1/2 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to todays post. This image is a sunrise shot along Terlingua Creek just outside of Big Bend National Park. This area of the creek is located a few miles from the Terlingua Ghost Town along Highway 170. This was my second visit during the week that I visited this area so in a sense I had prescouted this shot. All I needed were the clouds. On this morning I was blessed with some amazing clouds. They rolled in as a single mass and then began to break apart over the bluffs along the creek. I positioned the camera to take advantage of the strong series of repeating leading lines of the creek, creek bed, reflection, and the bluffs. The clouds added a hugh dynamic component to the shot.

The image was shot in three focus brackets and combined in Helicon Focus software. Additionally I used a 3-stop Singh-Ray Soft Edge Split Neutral Density Filter dropped in along the top of the bluffs. The filter was rotated to account for the angle. The image was converted in Adobe Lightroom and finished in Photoshop.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

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