We recently returned from a two week camping trip in Nevada and enjoyed the vast and empty landscape of that area. Most of Nevada is owned be the BLM - Bureau of Land Management and we were free to camp most anyplace we desired. In the eastern part of the state we visited Cathedral Gorge State Park. It has numerous slot canyons with a moonscape look. Nevada is a great place to travel and explore with its open range and wilderness areas.
landscape photography
Photographing on Blue Cypress Lake
I live near Blue Cypress Lake in Florida and spend many days photographing on the lake. The lake is in a remote area and have as numerous old cypress trees growing in the lake. I started photographing the trees from my kayak and quickly learned that the mornings are the best time to photograph to avoid wind that usually starts blowing by 10 o’clock.. To successfully photography from a moving kayak it is important not to forget where you are and the expensive equipment you have with you. It is easy to get distracted with your photography and trying position the moving kayak and you could flip over and have a disastrous day. I use a couple of water tight float bags that are tied off to the kayak. My equipment is divided into groups. One bag will have things like my vehicle keys, cellphone, extra camera batteries, and filters. The other bag will have the one or two of the extra lenses I bring along. I pad the bags with foam rubber to protect the equipment when moving around in the kayak. The bags remained closed and water tight other than accessing them for equipment. When photographing from a kayak it is best to work slow and not get overly excited of being in a new location. I used a Sony A7Rlv and keep the camera setting on steady shot with a shutter speed no less than 1/30. I used manual exposure most of the time but on occasion I might use a custom setting to set a minimum shutter speed with auto ISO setting. If you decide to photograph on Blue Cypress Lake you can put in at Middleton’s Fish Camp, the only lanch site on the lake. The lake has plenty of large alligator and a good variety of birds to photograph. The lake is uninhabited other than a small community near the fish camp. Once on the lake you will pretty much have the place to your self. It is important to follow all the boating safety regulations and let someone know where you if you go alone.
https://www.middletonsfishcamp.com
Quiet Afternoon
Quiet Afternoon
I enjoy the days I can get out in my small boat on a lake nearby. Often times I am the only one on the water, and the quiet time is a nice break from the negative noise most of us have to endure with during these times. The winter months in Florida can have some great skies with the occational cold front that moves down from the North.
Ice Caves
I traveled through Colorado last fall and stopped by an area that I had photographed at thirty years ago. It is just off of the continental divide when going over Independence Pass. The Grottos trail with the ice caves are located in the White River National Forest. I am always amazed when I return to an area that I had previously photographed, and realize how different it really looks as to what I remembered it to be. On my first trip many years ago I hiked down into this area with a heavy large format camera and a sturdy tripod. This time I was equipped with a lighter digital camera and tripod, but found the climb out much more strenuous than on the first visit. The area around the ice caves has some great hiking trails that take you to some wonderful waterfalls. When I first visited this location in 1990 there no people in the area when I was photographing. On this trip I couldn't find a place to park and decided to come back at a later time to have more quiet space to hike around and relive some old memories of a special place.
The Grottos
Morning Fog
Morning Fog
I was out on a lake in my kayak before sunrise a few days ago. The morning had a heavy fog and in the darkness it was a bit difficult to find my way at first. The winter time in Florida can produce some wonderful foggy mornings for landscape photography. It can be hard to know which nights will produce a good fog, so I find myself getting up a few hours before sunrise and going outside to to see if any fog has developed. The fog event can lasts a couple of hours and the light is constantly changing once the sun has risen. This was the last image I made from my morning kayaking trip and the light was still soft and moody.
Old miners cemetery
Terlingua Tx. Cemetery
I was in Terlingua Tx. this past year to do some night photography. This area of Texas has wonderful night skies and a few interesting old mining towns. I made this image around midnight using a flashlight to paint some light on the crosses. I have made several trip to this area over the years and I am always fascinated with the rugged landscape and the history of the area.