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Category Archives: Twilight
Fall Photographic Workshop in Grand Teton National Park!
A Fall Photographic Adventure in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Tetons in the Fall, 2012: September 27-30.
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography. Along with putting us in the right place at the right time to capture our dream photos, I will be teaching about composition, exposure, light, perspective and proper technique. 100% of our time will be spent in the field, where we will learn while doing. While our days are long and tiring, they are also extremely rewarding both photographically and personally. Comeraderie is a huge part of our experience. We will have a great time in a world class wilderness environment and come away better photographers for it. This will be limited to a small number of participants so everyone has all the personal attention required to get the most out of the experience.Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.Please call the gallery directly to inquire! 530-544-4269
Monterey, California in Black and White
Monterey Dusk
Using a large format film camera, like the 8×10 I used for this image, really slows my artistic process down and enables me to simplify my compositions and focus on the mood of the image. I took this picture about 10 minutes after sunset, as the light softened and the atmosphere became blue. The low light required an 8 minute exposure, which caused the waves to “dissapear” into an ethereal mist. The strong rock formations anchored the image, giving it strength and power. I chose black and white for both the classic, almost vintage look, as well as to simplify the final print. I believe this image evokes a mood of relaxation and mystery that can only be found on the coast.
Photo Tip: Be there when the natural conditions enable you to take the shot. This sounds simple enough, but many people I know have become lazy, and aren’t willing to do the work necessary to get the shot right to begin with. If you would like to take a long exposure and create a misty look with moving water, don’t expect your 8 stop ND filter to make things right in the middle of the day. Shoot before sunrise, after sunset or on a cloudy day. Part of the joy in photographing nature is earning the image by experiencing nature when the light is right. Get out there, enjoy the experience and be proud that you earned the shot in the best natural light possible.
Equipment Used: Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock 240mm Sironar-S lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Fuji 8×10 Film.
Bison Portrait- Simple Symbolism
Bison Portrait, Yellowstone National Park
Most of my images are produced using feeling and emotion. My strongest images “just felt right” when I took them. This image, a portrait of a lone Bison bull wandering the open grassland in Yellowstone National Park, had that feeling. I had just taught a seminar in Grand Teton National Park and chose to take a longer route home, giving myself the opportunity to spend an evening in West Yellowstone. I was glad to be in such a secluded location, I was glad to be alone with my thoughts and emotions, I was enjoying the simplicity of being away. When this Bison wandered along, solitary, powerful, just being, I felt priveledged to share that time with him. This portrait symbolizes the power it takes to be strong, self reliant, alone and in the wild. Our wild spaces, and the creatures that inhabit them, do more than just create a healthy balanced ecosystem (which is very important); they are symbols of the strength and power we have within us (or strive toward building in ourselves). We need these wild places and creatures to exist for more reasons than most people realize. I hope this image shares that strength with you.
Photo Tip: Photographing wildlife is exciting. It can bring great joy to our lives. Unfortunately, many people get caught up in the moment and don’t respect the animals they want to photograph, taking a “get the shot at all costs” approach. Animals have a hard enough time making a living without people interfering. Study their habits and the natural signals they give. If you are causing them to alter their behaviour, back off. Wait until the opportunity presents itself appropriately. Not only can the animals be harmed by our thoughtless behaviour, you might get what you deserve in the end. Be respectful, revel in the experience, be grateful that you can come back another day and do it again.
Equipment used: Nikon D300, Nikon 200-400 F4 AF VR lens, Nikon 1.4x teleconverter, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head. No camouflage was used in the making of this image! 
A Peaceful Maui Sunrise
Pastel Sunrise, Maui, Hawaii
What better way to start your day than with a soul full of tranquility! As I enjoyed the peace and solitude of the pre-dawn hour in reflection here on the beach in Maui, Mother Nature added just enough pastel color to spice things up. Given that the sun had not yet risen, there was an even, soft light that projects little contrast, and enables us to feel the calmness of the moment. The relatively long exposure time softened what little wave activity there was, the outgoing water blended nicely with the sand, and the puffy clouds were washed in the same colors and tones as the rest of the scene. The light reflection of of the water, mirroring the sky added to the cohesiveness. The different elements add a bit of interest, yet they are blending together in such a way that the feeling of peace is strengthened. I hope this image shares the with you the joy I felt while composing this amazing moment in time. Enjoy the view!
Photo Tip: Shooting pre-dawn or post sunset can enable you to capture soft glowing light not seen at other times of day. As opposed to direct light, these special times provide an other worldly mood created by light filtering through greater amounts of atmosphere and reflecting off of the atmosphere. This is a sure way to add drama to otherwise common or familiar locations. Given the low light, a longer exposure time will be required. Remember to use a sturdy tripod along with a cable release to avoid camera shake.
Details: Canham 5×7 metal field camera with 4×5 reducing back, 150mm Rodenstock Sironar-S lens, Fuji Provia 100 speed 4×5 quickload film, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Singh-Ray 2-stop split ND filter.
Celebrating Spring in the Mountains with My 8×10 View Camera!
Dwarf Lupine and Pine Forest
This image is my first release shot with my 8×10 field camera. I had discovered this location while on a mountain bike ride. I kept pedaling, but took note of the location and decided to return the next evening. As I set up my 8×10 field camera, I decided to keep the camera just below eye level, giving the feeling that you can walk right into the picture. I also wanted to show the expansive degree to which the Lupine had blanketed the forest floor. I was also taken by the vibrant light green of the new needles on the young pines, especially the way they stood out against the dark bark of the larger trees. I waited until the moment the sun sank behind the mountains to the left of the frame to expose the film. This gave a nice even and rich light to the scene without the harsh contrast of direct light in the forest. As with most of my large format work, after standing back and feeling “invited” into the composition, the fine detail brings an intimate mood to the scene. Welcome to my home in the forest!
Photo Tip: As I mentioned above, I consciously chose the camera height for this photo. Many people I teach overlook the importance of camera height as a part of composing an image. Most people either set the tripod (if using one as you should) at eye level for the sake of comfort and ease, or get down extremely low with a wide angle lens for a dramatic view. Each image requires specific consideration relative to camera height. Choose your camera height carefully when composing and you will create unique images with the strongest angle and composition possible.
Details: Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock 240mm APO Sironar-S lens, Fuji Provia 100 8×10 Transparency Film, Gitzo 1325 carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head.
This image is now available for purchase through the Jon Paul Gallery in several limited edition sizes. www.jonpaulgallery.com
Schedule a private field seminar and join me in the field!
Special Light- When the Sun Goes Down!
Special light is what photography is all about. As a large format landscape photographer, it can mean as much, if not more than the subject matter itself. Below are three new images that exemplify one type of special light I have really enjoyed capturing, the mystical light that we find when the sun goes down.
(descriptions are above each image, as the conditions varied with each)
“Twilight Illumination, Grand Canyon”
Several weeks ago my son, Noah, and I took a quick five day trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. My hope was to capitalize on thunderstorms that were forecast for that time period, which could create very dramatic lighting conditions. Well, most mornings and evenings were clear, with harsh hazy light. So, on our next to last night there, when everyone else left because the sun had gone down, I waited in anticipation for the even painterly light of dusk. Standing on an amazing pillar of rock at the edge of the canyon made me a bit nervous, but the thrill of creating a painting with my large format camera was worth the anxiety. I metered off of the rock in the middle of the image, doubled the exposure knowing that the sun was dissappearing and the light was fading, and set my timer for 16 minutes. I was able to capture one exposure on Fuji Provia 100 speed 4×5 inch transparency film before it was dark. Although this can be risky, when I compose a great image, I want to be able to print it very large with great detail. The fact that I have real consequences to my actions by using this equipment has really caused me to take great care with each and every image I create. This amazing light, and the mood it creates in my images, is all the motivation I need to keep getting out there.
A 15-minute exposure, started 20 minutes after sunset, creates a painterly image which retains fine detail and takes on an other-worldly atmospheric glow.
“Golden Gate Sunset, Baker Beach”
Here is a great example of beautiful sunset light bathing the clouds with the entire foreground in shade. I used my 4×5 inch film camera, a 210mm Rodenstock lens, Fuji Provia 100 speed transparency film and a Singh-Ray 3-stop soft graduated split ND filter. The split filter held back the light in the sky enabling me to expose for the foreground with a relatively even and dramatic light. The 45 second exposure enabled the crashing waves of the rising tide to soften and give the water a more dream like quality. I much prefer the real look of the shaded areas to the artificial look of HDR images. This is a personal choice, but I am finding that the slight imperfection of traditional large format film images is one of the qualities that I enjoy about them. As in nature, sometimes perfection is found in the imperfection.
Slow film speed, a small aperture and a split ND filter on the sky enabled me to extend the exposure and create a softer feel with the rough surf in this sunset image.
“Purple Tide, Newport Beach”
This is an image I had envisioned for quite some time, and was able to create this summer. While on vacation in Newport Beach, I took the opportunity to scout the pier there in Newport and had time to make this happen one evening. I used my Fuji GX617 panoramic film camera, a 90mm lens and Fuji Provia 100 speed transparency film for my one exposure. I metered on the sand to give me a neutral reading, added 1/2 stop to compensate for the light color, and allowed the dark areas to remain fairly dark, but retaining a little detail. Given the fading light (I started the exposure after the sun had set) I added about 75% to the exposure time. This is important, as the light diminishes throughout the exposure as the sun drops further below the horizon. Obviously the dreamlike color that the film records with such long exposures in low light is beautiful. However, my favorite part of an image like this is the “foggy” look of the water. The tide was coming in and waves were crashing all around me. The long exposure recorded all this chaotic motion as a misty fog, which softens and warms the feel of this type of image. Amongst all of this soft color and feel, the architecture of this older pier ties the image together with structure and depth.
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- A very long exposure well after sunset creates an ethereal mood with well saturated color, and a “foggy” look on the moving water.
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