The Way We See It: May 2011

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Vision is Everything

Failure to see the obvious and exploit the art in a moment is a problem that plagues even the most seasoned photographer. All too often, I think... "there's nothing to shoot... I've seen it all... it's been done before."

Rainforest in Black and White #2

Baru Beach, Hacienda Baru
Canon 40D + 17-40L

With our return trip to Costa Rica only 30 days into the future, I have decided to review past work and reflect on how I can make the familiar fresh. I love to shoot the rainforest, but am forever challenged by the streaky light, bright canopy, and the omnipresent shade of green. You'd think this cornucopia of biodiversity would make wildlife photography easy, but nothing could be farther from reality. The cryptic and shy creatures that inhabit a tropical jungle are invisible to those who know where to look and how to see. It is their "cloak of invisibility" that adds to the great challenge of rainforest photography.

Think Different -> See Different

Swish, swish, glide... swish, swish, glide... the pattern repeats on our journey to the sediment laden thickets. The river is glass and we're paddling towards Wisconsin. I can barely make out their prehistoric silhouettes against the orange glow of dawn; it's 5:20 a.m., Mothers' Day, and its us and the birds.

I can hear the mating chorus of the spring migrants, and I begin to dream about my options. I've been here before... it's my third opportunity. Do I play it safe, freeze the action, capture the portraits, push for detail, or do I take a risk? Swish, swish, glide... we're getting closer.

There's Always a Story

Landing Gear Down
Canon 7D + 300 f2.8IS L @ f3.5

Unfortunately,... you'll just have to wait until I find the time to share it. Until then, enjoy the warm light of a very early morning on the St. Croix River.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Rainforest in Black and White #1

Cecropia Flower in Black and White
Hacienda Baru, Costa Rica
Canon 40D + 100 f2.8 USM Macro

Sometimes its the little things that catch my eye, draw me in, and give me pause for thought. In this case, it was a spent flower. The pollen was transferred, the ovum fertilized, and the remains left to rot. Such is the way in nature. An elegant flowers advertises it receptivity, attracts the pollinator, and withers away. This balance between the need to reproduce and the dowry paid to a facilitator is elegantly displayed across the planet. Here, it is a little flower produced by a cecropia tree where the forest intersects with a meadow.

The Way We See It