I will be giving an invited talk about my photography in Los Angeles at the upcoming March 18th Mindshare event. For those of you not familiar with Mindshare, it is monthly event consisting of mingling and inspiring talks about art, science, technology, and generally just interesting things. Mindshare is hosted by Synn Labs, the same group of creative individuals who built the four minute Rube Goldberg machine for Ok Go’s recent music video ‘This Too Shall Pass‘. Which, by the way, is worth viewing if you haven’t seen it already.
This will not be a technical talk, rather I’ll take you on a journey through some of my thoughts and adventures, specifically as they relate to the anthropomorphic qualities of trees. So, any of you living in and around LA, come check it out!
One of my childhood hobbies was to go out to the desert with my dad to explore abandoned mines and collect fluorescent minerals at night (fossicking is the Australian term for collecting minerals). Once the sun had set, which happens pretty early in the winter, we’d head out onto the mine tailings with a portable Ultraviolet lamp to look for rocks that glow a variety of candy like colors under the powerful UV rays. Now, about ten years later, I’ve revisited my old hobby and started to photograph the marvelous phenomenon. Standing out on a calm desert night under the expanse of stars is magical enough, but seeing the technicolor rocks come to life under the ultraviolet light takes it to another level. I suppose some might say it’s reminiscent of the fantastical world of Pandora in the recent blockbuster hit ‘Avatar’, but in this case, it’s actually real!
Scheelite (the white specks) seen under daylight (left) and the visible fluorescence caused by Shortwave Ultraviolet radiation (right).
Very briefly, fluorescence is a natural phenomenon in which electrons in the atoms of certain minerals will absorb the high energy ultraviolet light, and subsequently release that energy at a different wavelength in the visible spectrum. The visible light is referred to as fluorescence, and can come in a variety of wavelengths – ie. colors – including red, green, blue, white, etc. For a more in depth description I refer you to the definitions provided by the Fluorescent Mineral Society here:
“Incandescence is light from heat energy. If you heat something to a high enough temperature, it will begin to glow. When an electric stove’s heater or metal in a flame begin to glow “red hot”, that is incandescence. When the tungsten filament of an ordinary incandescent light bulb is heated still hotter, it glows brightly “white hot” by the same means. The sun and stars glow by incandescence.
Luminescence is “cold light” that can be emitted at normal and lower temperatures. In luminescence, some energy source kicks an electron of an atom out of its lowest energy “ground” state into a higher energy “excited” state; then the electron returns the energy in the form of light so it can fall back to its “ground” state. With few exceptions, the excitation energy is always greater than the energy (wavelength, color) of the emitted light.
Fluorescence and Photoluminescence are luminescence where the energy is supplied by electromagnetic radiation (rays such as light, which will be discussed later). Photoluminescence is generally taken to mean “luminesce from any electromagnetic radiation”, while fluorescence is often used only for luminescence caused by ultraviolet, although it may also be used for other photoluminescences. Fluorescence is seen in fluorescent lights, amusement park and movie special effects, the redness of rubies in sunlight, “day-glo” or “neon” colors, and in emission nebulae seen with telescopes in the night sky. Bleaches enhance their whitening power with a white fluorescent material. ”
Fluorescent minerals can be found anywhere, but the highest concentrations and most interesting specimens are often found on the tailings of old mines (or deep inside the mines, if you dare go there). Not just any mines, of course – certain ores tend to be associated with minerals that fluoresce while others won’t have any at all. Finding those mines is part of the adventure. By day you can rarely tell if a rock will glow under the UV lamp, so you’ve got to go exploring at night, being mindful of the vertical mine shafts, old rusted mining equipment, scorpions (which, I can say from experience, glow bright green), and other dangers. Two weeks ago I visited two Tungsten mines, one near Bishop, and another near Darwin (on my twilight/lightpainting workshop). One of the primary ores for Tungsten is Scheelite, a very dense mineral that glows white/blue under shortwave UV light. Other common minerals shown in these images include Calcite (glows red), Silica coatings containing Uranyl ions (glows green), and ‘desert varnish’ (glows yellow/white).
“Tungsten Hills” ~ Tungsten Hills, Bishop, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod, Shortwave UV lamp
Exposure (rocks): iso 1600, f/10, 8 min
Exposure (stars): iso 3200, f/2.8, 30 sec
Processing: Complex exposure blending
Given the restrictions on where these rocks can actually be found, compositions are typically rather limited – by my usual standards this one from Bishop isn’t quite as dynamic as I like, but it shows the phenomenon in a unique mountain view setting. Also, I was lucky to witness another special phenomenon seen only on very dark and clear nights far from any light pollution: the Zodiacal Light. This light, which may at first appear to be light pollution (which is usually round, rather than a columnar/triangular beam, and orange/red rather than white), is actually sunlight reflected off the cosmic dust found in our Solar System. At midlatitudes it’s best seen in the western sky after evening twilight in springtime, or before the predawn twilight in the fall.
“Moonlight Fossicking” ~ Darwin, CA
Click to view this on my website to see better details.
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod, Shortwave UV lamp, LED headlamp
Exposure(s)/Processing: ten exposures, complex processing (but honest to reality, save for the UV purple beam which was added in photoshop for added context). Consider taking a night photography workshop in the future to learn how to take images like this!
This second image was taken at a Tungsten mine near Darwin, CA. Here I wanted to depict several aspects of the experience of collecting fluorescent minerals: the essence of the night including the stars and moon, the diverse and otherworldly collection of fluorescent minerals out there, the history of the mining era that exposed these rocks, and of course the human element to give some context to the strange glowing rocks and help to tell the story. I was able to bring all these elements together through the creative use of “light painting” (both with my headlamp as well as the UV lamp), and blending 10 individual exposures (without moving the camera) over the course of about two hours of work. The excessive number of exposures was only necessary to overcome the limitations of the technology by using various iso, aperture, and focus settings to bring everything into focus, illuminated, and with as high an image quality as possible. One day such images may be possible in a single exposure, I can’t wait!
Darwin, by the way, must be a contender for the strangest towns in California. Imagine a ghost town, similar to Bodie, but one where 40 people actually still call it home. The number of rusted and broken down cars exceeds the human population by close to a factor of 3. Amazingly, there is a dance hall and post office on main street, but it’s unlikely anyone has danced in the dusty shack since wild west gun fights broke out over the poor wages of the silver-lead mining of the 1870’s. While the town peaked in population and productivity around 1876, at which time it was actually a booming establishment, active mining did continue up through the 1970’s. One can only wonder who lives there now. At least they get to enjoy some peace and quiet being about an hour drive from the nearest reasonably sized town (Lone Pine). I hope to revisit some other mines over the course of the next year, so stay tuned for more fluorescent adventures.
Tags: California, death valley, desert, fluorescence
This past weekend I explored a variety of spots along the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley, enjoying the warm sunny and starry desert skies. After spending some time in Owens Valley I headed to Death Valley to meet up with some friends. On my way to camp I decided to explore a quiet section of sand in Death Valley and found myself fascinated by the variety of mud forms. The heavy rains over the past few weeks had left pools of standing water throughout the desert floor. As the water slowly disappeared into the earth and evaporated into the air, it left the mud in a variety of states – from still saturated sandy streams to cracked and curled tiles and everything in between. Typically the desert mud is dried out, broken, bleached, and bland; so finding these beautifully pristine and colorfully glazed works of art was quite a treat. I thought this series, while not initially intended to be a cohesive collection, told a nice story of the evolution of drying mud. I considered processing each as a black and white to connect them more to one another, though in the end I preferred letting each image lead me where it did, rather than forcing a consistent theme.
For each of these images I made good use of Tony Kuyper’s luminosity masks – a rightfully popular tool amongst many photographers. These masks allow refined control over contrasts with the curves adjustment tool. I rarely use them in my other work, but for these kinds of mud and sandstone abstract images there’s no better tool. The abstract nature of these led me to take them in a higher contrast direction than I usually do, I hope you enjoy them.
“Oozing” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, polarizer, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 1/8th
“Raku” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod, backpack to create shade
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 1/4th
“Mudflow” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 0.4
“Pottery” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 0.4
Tags: death valley, desert
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Hermit Crab? Or a Sea Urchin, Anemone, or Starfish? These, and countless other critters, make their homes in shallow pools in the tidal zone along rocky coastlines, such as Palos Verdes in Southern California. This little paradise is far enough removed from the bustling metropolis of Los Angeles that you would hardly think you were a mere 10 miles or so from the largest city in California. Stick your head in the water, and not only will you feel even more secluded, but its as if you’ve been transported to a foreign planet full of alien life forms.
“Urchin World” ~ Palos Verdes, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, EWA marine housing, cardboard reflector, bucket of water
Exposure: iso 3200, f/10, 1/60th sec
Notes: This was a technically challenging image, but very rewarding. Thanks to live view I was able to see what I was doing, and my friend Eric Good for helping me out with the bucket.
Life isn’t easy in the tide pools. These tough creatures spend half the day under several feet of the ocean breakers, and the other half waiting until the tide comes back – hoping they won’t get devoured by some hungry scavenger, or squished by a curious explorer. Next time you think your life is tough consider the Anemones, many of whom have been surviving these trying conditions for over 60 years.
“Tidal Designs” ~ Palos Verdes, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, polarizer, tripod, cardboard shade
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 2 sec
Tags: California, coast, palos verdes
Standing in half an inch of water on the flooded Badwater salt flats is a magical way to start the day. Fortunately, in a place like Death Valley, it really is just the start of the day! (as opposed to many areas, where once the sun is up, photographic opportunities are rather limited). Unfortunately this was destined to be a rather short trip, but I spent the rest of the day exploring easily accessible areas that I have longed to visit for some time now. First on the list was Fall Canyon, a delightful hike through towering striated canyon walls.
“Self Portrait, Fall Canyon” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod
Exposure 1: iso 100, f/16, 0.6 sec
Exposure 2: iso 800, f/16, 1/13th sec
Notes: I used the low iso exposure for the majority of the image, and blended in myself from the faster exposure.
Think about all the water that has passed through that place to carve such a deep and inspiring cathedral of stone. How many storms must have passed through the mountains such that enough precious drops of liquid could tumble down the wash to actually move all those rocks? As I approached the 18-foot dry fall a few miles up the canyon, I heard something unusual. In the silent halls of these canyons few sounds go unnoticed. I heard bubbling, trickling, and gurgling: the unmistakable sound of water! Yes, there was flowing water bouncing joyfully down the polished surface of the ‘dry’ falls! Of course, it wasn’t terribly photogenic, but rather a precious moment to savor.
“Canyon Gold” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 1/4th sec
While I know many photographers that lament clear sunny days, I rather enjoy them. The light is entirely predictable – the sun will shine on anything in its path, and will continue to do so for several hours. Under such conditions my images are not up to chance; they are up to me. Learning to use and appreciate such beautifully clear skies for productive photography is a valuable skill, as it makes the time spent out in nature that much more enjoyable. A little direct or strong reflected light produces depth, and that unmistakable spark of life. Quite literally, actually. Without the sun, none of the life we know and love would even exist (I’m assuming you haven’t gotten personally acquainted with sulphur eating extremophiles that might get by without it). So it should come as no surprise that a little light casting its magic on the landscape adds an irreplaceable dimension.
“Beautiful Badlands” ~ Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 70-200mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/14, 1/20th
Notes: two image panorama, stitched with PTGui. Click for larger version.
The steady rains that had saturated the desert mud, and created that magical trickle in the canyon, were already starting to dry up by Sunday afternoon. Fascinating textures appeared in the badlands around Zabriskie Point and Twenty Mule Team Canyon. I wandered between the giant piles of mud, eventually ending up on top of one. Looking straight into the afternoon sun, I was captivated by the undulating and colorful hills. The backlight from the sun created just enough ‘catch lights’ to give a feeling of depth, without creating any problematic shadows.
“Lost Spirits” ~ Joshua Tree National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod, headlamp
Exposure: iso 3200, f/2.8, 30 sec
Notes: Todays cameras allow for things never before possible!
Fortunately, even after dark, one can find ways to create that ‘spark’, depth, and mood that brings the Earth to life – ironically in the form of artificial lighting of course. Last weekend, in anticipation of the approaching storm that pounded Southern California and neighboring areas for the following week, I headed out to Joshua Tree National Park with a friend of mine. Frustrated by the short days and long nights, we made the best of our time by exploring the strange creatures of the night: the Joshua Trees. Finding a photogenic grouping of trees during the day is hard enough… finding one in the dark is nigh impossible. But after at least a mile of running through the eerie plains, I finally found something that matched my vision.
Tags: California, death valley, desert, joshua tree national park, lightpainting, night
Once in a great while, storms laden with sufficient moisture make it past the coastal ranges and Sierra Nevada to create the opportunity to see one of the more magical moments of the California Deserts: water and snow. The most memorable of such storms in the past 100+ years was the winter of 2004-2005, which dumped over 37 inches of rain in the LA basin. Adventurers from across the country flocked to what is typically one of the driest places in California, to do what? Go kayaking. Of course, why not?! Yes, the salt flats of Badwater, Death Valley, had flooded with an impressive 16 inches of salty water. What followed were some of the most spectacular desert wildflower blooms the desert parks have ever seen. This past week, Southern California received 600% more rain than it would in a typical week at this time of year – about 8 inches in Los Angeles, and up to 2 inches in the Death Valley area (http://water.weather.gov/). While this in no way compares to 2005, I wasn’t in California in 2005, so I jumped at the opportunity to see what a wet Death Valley might look like. I didn’t get to go kayaking, in fact, my feet hardly got wet, but it was still a special experience!
As of Friday morning, all roads in Death Valley except highway 190 were closed. I tried calling the ranger station several times, but kept getting a busy tone. Eventually I got through – the ranger was surprised to find out I was speaking to him from Pasadena. You see, they hadn’t had contact with the outside world (phone or internet) for the past 24 hours, until I got through. Well, I waited patiently until I finally found confirmation that Badwater road had opened (conditions). Within 20 minutes I was packed and on the way, and five hours later I arrived at Badwater, in the dark, only to find it dry. Hmm.. there must be water somewhere! I proceeded to scout the area by moon and flash light. Eventually I found some nice pools between the hexagonal salt formations. At least I’d be able to sleep that night, until 4:15am, when my alarm went off a full 2 hours and 45 minutes before sunrise. I hadn’t taken my GPS with me when scouting (to tag my spot), and I sure didn’t want to miss the sunrise while trying to find it back! Of course, it wasn’t that hard to relocate, so I had a full 2 hours to contemplate my existence under the stars twinkling above and below me. Reflected in those same zen pools (elevation: -282 feet) was the snowy crest of Telescope Peak, 2.14 vertical miles above me. It truly was a delightful place to be – and just the start of a wonderful day in the desert, more later.
“Flooded” ~ Badwater, Death Valley National Park, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod
Exposure (primary): iso 200, f/16, 1/6th sec
Notes: Two exposure blend. I processed this with a cool white balance throughout most of the scene to enhance the refreshing experience of water in the desert.
Will these impressive rains bring an impressive display of wildflowers? It’s hard to tell, but with the lack of much rainfall earlier in the year it likely won’t be quite the paradise of 2005. Time will tell. Plants that bloom later in the year, such as cacti, will likely fair better. (http://www.yumasun.com/news/rain-55586-yuma-wildflowers.html, http://www.maturango.org/DeathV.html, thank you Michael Gordon and G Dan Mitchell for the links).
Tags: California, death valley, desert, rain
Have you ever wanted to get away? Away from civilization, from cars, people, buildings, laws and regulations, and everything else that seems to get between you and yourself? If so, perhaps you should take a journey to the deserts of Southeastern Oregon. One hundred and twelve miles from the nearest “city”, sits a lonely and charming little café that makes up the town of Fields, OR (population: 11). Only after driving through hours upon hours of barren landscape adorned only by dry sagebrush and the occasional antelope herd, you begin to understand that this truly is among the least populous spaces in the lower 48 states. So few people come here, in fact, that pilots have been known to land on the roadway, pull into the station and catch some breakfast. Yes, there are pictures to prove it – you’ll have to go see sometime!
When I met up with Marc Adamus he kept going on about this place, about it’s remoteness, the mountains, the desert, the giant plates of hash browns, etc. Well, we had to go visit, even if the primary photographic attraction of the place, the Alvord desert, would undoubtedly be flooded and inaccessible. After hours of driving we finally set eyes upon the 53,760 acres of what is usually a dry expanse of cracked mud. I suppose we were fortunate to see it half flooded since the desert here averages just 7 inches of rain per year. As you can probably imagine, this vast expanse of nothingness is the perfect place for all kinds of strange activities. Add a few hot springs to the mix, and you probably get the idea. Keep in mind, Burning Man takes place just one “desert” south of here – a hundred or so miles as the crow flies. Far in the distance, seemingly stranded on the wet playa, was a lone land rover. This gave us hope – maybe we could get out there after all. What are they doing, you might ask? Well, enjoying the solitude, of course!
"Solitude" ~ Alvord Desert, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 500mm, car door as brace
Exposure: iso 200, f/8, 1/320th
As the sun started setting we were frantically searching for a safe way out onto the mud. Driving cross-country through sagebrush was an option we explored, but it was too far. Once back on the road, by chance we ran into the folks of the yellow rover – they claimed it wasn’t a problem to get out there (the usual way)! So, at moonrise, we tested the playa surface: it was wet, yet hard! Just the top 1/8th inch or so was yet, below that it was hard as a rock. Typically if you walk out on the wet playa the mud will build up on your shoes until you’re walking on 5 pound platforms – not something cars can handle so well. Anyways, we made it out there just fine, and just in time to try out Marc’s brilliant idea. A little fine tuning, and a strained neck on my part, and I think we managed to capture the feeling of being in that surreal and contemplative space. I didn’t really want to leave.. it was mesmerizing.
"I Am" ~ Alvord Desert, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod
Exposure: iso 800, f/8, 200 sec
Notes: Credit for this image belongs to my friend Marc Adamus. In processing I took a few liberties, most notably cloning out my footsteps and making the reflection a little more reflective in some parts.
The following morning the water had frozen over, turning the playa into a giant skating rink. In the distance were the towering Steens Mountains, which provided a wonderful backdrop to the vast expanse of nothing. After satisfying our photographic interests we headed to the cafe for that world famous breakfast. It did not disappoint 
"Skate to the Steens" ~ Alvord Desert, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod, Subaru
Exposure: iso 200, f/18, 1/25th sec
Notes: We used the Subaru to block thes sunlight from hitting the nearby ice structures. Clouds did the rest. Two exposures blended for depth of field, signficant use of dodge/burn tools.
Lest you think that the Oregon deserts are devoid of color and sensual beauty, here’s a scene to ponder. I wonder, should I leave it at this? Let it speak for itself? Or should I provide you with at least some explanation? Well, before you read on, perhaps you owe it to your brain and visual system to view the larger version and let it bend your mind.
"Solar Art" ~ Painted Hills, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 100-400mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 200, f/11, 1/250th
Notes: Three shot panorama stitchde with PTGui. Yes, natural colors 
These are the Painted Hills, a spectacular series of colorful rolling hills protected by the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The colors come from a variety of fossilized vegetative matter and other minerals. In the winter the hills do catch their fair share of snow – but usually it’s only a sprinkling, or it’s enough to completely hide the magical colors. Given the strangely warm storm we were experiencing while photographing some Ponderosa’s further west, we decided to head out to the Hills in hopes of finding some unique patterns of snow. Well, the snow had come, and the sun had done its magic. Rarely have I seen such a work of natural art. I could try to give you a sense of scale, but why bother? I suppose you’ll have to visit sometime to see for yourself.
Thanks for all the kind words on the previous installments of this series… that’s all from the frozen north for now. Currently it’s raining like never before in Southern California, and I’m very excited for what could be a spectacular wildflower season. A few weeks from now, we’ll know!
Tags: alvord desert, desert, fields, Oregon, painted hills, solitude, steens
First, I’d like to welcome you to my blogs new home. Since you’re reading this, you must have found your way here successfully. I tried to update all the subscribe settings, so you should automatically receive email or RSS updates if you signed up for them previously. If you have/had any trouble, please do let me know. I hope you enjoy the better aesthetics, full size images, and faster load times.
Anyone who has wandered out into the woods after a fresh heavy snowfall will remember the sound – the sound of utter silence. As a someone who makes his home in Southern California, fresh snow still has that wondrous effect on me. Every time I see it I need to revel in it for a while, just to take it all in. The world becomes covered in such a beautiful white blanket that, for a brief moment, it feels like perhaps I shouldn’t disrupt its purity by stepping out into the winter wonder woods. But, soon enough the excitement grabs me and I run off into the silence, watching those giant snowflakes drifting softly through the air, perhaps even letting them land my tongue.
Snowstorm ~ Deschutes NF, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure 1: iso 100, f/16, 2.5 sec
Exposure 2: iso 3200, f/16, 1/13th sec
Notes: I use the high iso exposure to freeze the snowflakes, which were added onto the low iso exposure using the lighten blend mode, to reduce noise.
After spending several days in Northern California this winter, I headed up towards Oregon to meet up with a good friend, and photographer, Marc Adamus. An hour after I arrived in Sisters, OR, it started snowing – just in time for me to find some Ponderosas before we planned to meet up the next morning. As the light faded, shifting to a blueish hue, I finally found a suitable grove. Ponderosa forests are one of the most photogenic, and as it turns out, easy to photograph, forests imaginable. The open spacing, perfectly sized trunks, and beautiful red colors make them rival even aspens for beauty. Layers and contrasts come almost for free, especially with some fresh snow to simplify the forest undergrowth. Still, finding that perfect grove isn’t that easy!
Silent Night ~ Deschutes National Forest, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 70-200mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 200, f/16, 16 sec
One of the things I was dead set on seeing during my trip up to Oregon was frost and snow covered trees. The Ponderosas have it easy in their sheltered groves. At high altitudes, however, the brave trees that manage to make a living take a severely harsh winter beating, surviving 50+ mph winds on a regular basis. These winds deposit thick layers, sometimes over 10 inches, of rime ice on just about everything that sticks out above the snow. In the Sierras our high altitude trees are so scraggly looking that they’re no longer photogenic, but the Oregon and Washington trees look proud and stately all the way up past the treeline. Of course, conditions need to be just right for them to look at their best. Fortunately, some big wet and windy storms came through during my stay, though snow levels forced us to abandon a trip in the Cascades and head for the much drier Warner Range instead. On new years day Marc and I started the 3 mile snowshoe trek up to the summit of Drake Peak, where we set up our tent in one of the most idyllic of you can imagine in Oregon’s highest highest mountaintop forest at 8,500 feet.
In a Frozen Fairytale ~ Drake Peak, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod, headlamp
Exposure: iso 100, f/8, 2.5 min
Thanks Marc for lighting up the tent!
For the whole afternoon the mountain was covered in fog and clouds. The trees were like frozen ghosts, blending in with the white atmosphere. But we had high hopes for sunrise – weather reports suggested the storm should clear sometime in the night. Well, as night set in, the winds picked up – those 50 mph winds that is. The Mountain Hardware Trango held up without a wimper, even with only a few guy lines tied out. By morning the winds had died down and the fog started to break up, revealing a spectacularly silent and vibrant sunrise, which illuminated the sparkling white landscape with the most delightful hues of pink I’ve ever seen. These poor trees may suffer several months of the year, but they sure do get to see some spectacular sights, and a live a quiet, albeit windy, life.
Silently Suffering ~ Drake Peak, OR
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod
Exposure: iso 200, f/18, 1.3 sec
Tags: forests, marc adamus, Oregon, snow, snowshoeing, winter
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and are off to a good start with the new year. I spent the last two weeks exploring Northern California and Southeastern Oregon, driving over 3,000 miles overall. While the driving wasn’t terribly exciting, I did get to see some incredible, and truly remote, places. The first installment of what will be a series of I think three posts, is from my time in Northern California. As winter sets in, millions of ducks, geese, and cranes make their way south for warmer climes. They settle in with great numbers in just about every large lake along the central valley of California and Southern Oregon. One such spot is the Klamath Basin, home to the Lower and Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuges, and Tule Lake NWR. What makes this area special is that it is prone to freezing over at some point in the winter, making life hard for the waterfowl that have chosen to spend their winter days here. Bald Eagles all across the Western US have figured this out, and descend by the hundreds on this little area, hoping to scavenge sick and dying ducks. The Bald Eagle is typically considered a regal and noble, and perhaps even intelligent bird – it is, afterall, our national bird. Ironically, they have none of those qualities. They are lazy, slow, and not particularly clever. The Eagles in Klamath perch on the ice around small bodies of open water (which the ducks keep from freezing with their own body heat), just waiting for one to keel over to provide an easy lunch. I suppose you could consider that clever, but really, these birds are just opportunistic scavengers. A fitting national bird after all, I suppose.
“Bald Eagle” ~ Tule Lake, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 500mm f/4 + 1.4x tc, tripod
Exposure: iso 800, f/13, 1/1600th
Notes: I’m not quite sure why I used iso 800, but with a bright image like this, properly exposed, there’s hardly more noise than at iso 100 with the 5D2. I took 4 exposures with different focus settings and blended the images using Helicon Focus to achieve full depth of field.
Be sure to check out the larger view.
Just to the south of the Klamath Basin is one of California’s least visited parks: Lava Beds National Monument. The park sees a scant 100,000 visitors each year. Compare that to Yosemite’s impressive 4 million. So, if you are looking for a place with solitude, and exciting places to explore, perhaps this is the place for you. The best stuff in Lava Beds is actually underground, in the form of lava tube caves. A lava tube is typically a cave anywhere from just a few tens of feet, to over a mile long, ranging in diameters from squeeze holes to the size of airplane hangers. They are formed during lava flows, as the edges of the flow cool off, forming a protective crust around the river of molten rock. The solidified lava acts as insulation, allowing the lava to keep flowing for miles. Over time, collapses form in the tubes, allowing access. Photographing in the tubes is rather challenging – as you might expect it gets quite dark inside. Some of the long or multi level caves are dark enough that not a single photon manages to make it down, creating a true black out experience, should you choose to turn off your headlamp!
“Purgatory” ~ Lava Beds National Monument, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 16-35mm mkII, tripod
Exposure 1: iso 200, f/11, 1.3 sec
Exposure 2: iso 200, f/11, 8 sec
Exposure 3: iso 200, f/11, 25 sec
Notes: despite the huge dynamic range, necessitating three exposures, hand blending the images was relatively straightforward.
The park is home to over 700 lava tubes, and each one has its own character. Some are round and elegant, others blocky and slowly falling apart. The most intriguing ones are “ice caves” in addition to being lava tubes. Some have permanent ice formations, while others are just temporary winter wonders. If you stumble upon the right cave you can find fascinating ice floors, ice stalagmites, icicles, and glittering frost, even in the heat of summer! Several decades ago one of the caves (Merril Ice Cave) had a large enough permanent ice floor that an imaginative land owner built a resort nearby, installed some lights, and rented ice skates out so people could skate the smooth icy floors deep underground! Unfortunately, many of these large permanent ice structures have significantly reduced in size in the past half century. Still, there are some spectacular sights to be seen.
“Frozen Candles” ~ Lava Beds National Monument, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod, LED lamp
Exposure: iso 200, f/18, irrelevant exposure length
Notes: I spent two hours trying to get all the ice forms illuminated properly in a single exposure, and nearly got it, but ended up needing to use two additional exposures to ensure even lighting. No tricks here, just lots of trial and error.
Perhaps the most impressive ice cave is the Crystal Ice Cave, which does in fact live up to its name. The walls are coated in glittering hoar frost, and gigantic ice formations are found all throughout this triple layer cave. I’d liken the experience to a limestone cave, only the structures are made of ice! For roughly the past decade the cave has been closed to the public, except on Saturdays during the winter months. On these special days you can get access as part of a group tour of up to six people. I was lucky enough to be on one such tour the day after Christmas, with only two other participants, and was astounded by the icy beauty. Unfortunately they won’t let you bring a tripod in, not just because of the bulkiness and potential of damaging structures.. but if you’re bringing a tripod, you’ll probably hold up the tour, which is already 3-4 hours long. Fortunately some of the caves had some exciting formations that I could photograph at my leisure. Photographing ice structures like these in the dark is not an easy proposition – I spent anywhere from 2-5 hours per image to get the lighting just right. It certainly is a fun experience, particularly for those interested in the creative aspects of artificial light use (check out Steve Sieren and I’s lightpainting workshop just a month away, there’s still some spaces if you’d like to join us!).
“Apoptosis” ~ Lava Beds National Monument, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, tripod, LED lamp
Exposure: iso 400, f/16, irrelevant exposure length (3 min)
Notes: I spent about 5 hours total in utter darkness trying a variety of illumination techniques. Ultimately I settled on holding the flashlight just above the ice, moving it throughout the frame during the exposure to give even illumination through the ice itself. The blue ice forms on the surface were illuminated from the side at the end of the exposure (single exposure). What you see here is about 2-3 feet thick of permanent cave ice, with volcanic rocks trapped in the ice, and lots of thin little air bubbles throughout the frame. Be sure to view the larger image on my website.
I wanted to wish you all a happy holiday, whatever it is you may celebrate. Personally, I simply celebrate the fact that we get time off during this wonderful part of the year. I’ll be spending several days with my parents in the cold North of California looking for Bald Eagles, followed by a week of exploring in Oregon, hopefully with some fresh snow somewhere in the mix.
I’ll leave you with two new images, the first being from my previous trip to Owens Valley. I have a soft spot for those swaying grasses, and when they catch the low angle light from behind, they really come to life. Meanwhile the fall colors contrasted nicely with the turquoise Rabbitbrush.
“Dancing in the Sun” ~ Owens Valley, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D2 mkII, 70-200mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/18, 1/6th sec
I recently revisited this older image to get back into the mood for bird photography, as it’s been quite some time. I took this image of a Short-eared Owl a few years ago in Ithaca… I hope I can still handle the cold as I could back then! Two years in Southern California tends to make you go ’soft’.
“Short-eared Owl” ~ Ithaca, NY
The Tech: Canon 20D, 500mm + 1.4x tc, monopod
Exposure: iso 800, f/5.6, 1/1250th
Lastly, here’s one of the more beautiful Christmas trees I’ve ever found – from a snowy adventure last year! Be sure and save some time this holiday season for a peaceful wintery walk in the outdoors, I don’t know about you, but the holiday traffic is driving me crazy, and I can’t wait to be out in the boonies. See you next year!
“Winter Sequoias” ~ King’s Canyon NP, CA
The Tech: Canon 5D, 24-105mm, tripod
Exposure: iso 100, f/16, 0.4 sec