The Way We See It: Wisconsin

Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Grus canadensis

It isn't often that I choose to do a photo essay without words to accompany the imagery. I often use this blog as platform to educate readers about evolution, ecology, image-making or Minnesota. In breaking with my traditional pattern, I'll let the photos speak for themselves and hope that you enjoy this migration story.

Grus canadensis - Crex Meadows, WI
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

January 26, 2013

The Sculpture - Osceola, WI
Canon 5D Mark III + Canon 24mm f3.5L TSE
3-Shot Stitched Panorama

January 26th was another 14 degree morning. The crisp night turned water to stone, and a sculpture was left in its wake. Ephemeral as the day's weather, the ice evolves as warm air replaces cold. The artist, Winter, manipulates her medium with a frequency unlike any I have seen before. Her work is nothing short of a masterpiece, and I am lucky when I stumble upon her unique vision.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Tip #94: Don't Trust the LCD

Flight of the Dinosaur (Grus canadensis)
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f4.0
Shot in IS Mode 2 to optimize Sharpness while panning

That TV screen on the back of your camera is a great invention, but never use it to separate the winners from the losers. The details of distant objects will be blurred to nothingness, while subjects shot close will seem to be brilliant. In the end, you’ll be disappointment by your premature winners and surprised by the loser that you nearly trashed. While the LCD is a great tool for assessing composition and reviewing histograms, I suggest you leave your sharpness checks for quiet moments with Lightroom™ or Aperture™ on the “Big Screen.”

Crane Migration (Grus canadensis)
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f4.0
Shot in IS Mode 2 to optimize Sharpness while panning

Shoot the Moon (Grus canadensis)
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f4.0
Shot in IS Mode 2 to optimize Sharpness while panning

I'm not a Pteradactyl (Grus canadensis)
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f4.0
Shot in IS Mode 2 to optimize Sharpness while panning

Landing Gear Down (Grus canadensis)
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS @ f4.0
Shot in IS Mode 2 to optimize Sharpness while panning

About the Images

These are Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) during the Fall migration. Crex Meadows Wildlife Refuge is an ephemeral stop to roost, fuel up on corn and reunite with old friends. The birds arrive as the sun begins to set, and they will roost through the night. At dawn and dusk the refuge echoes with the ruckus of these extant dinosaurs. They arrive at dusk in the thousands and exit the dawn with explosive burst of activity.

Photographically, I am challenged by their flight that begins in the bright sky and terminates in the shadows of marsh. As throngs of birds glide over head, selecting “the one” often seems like an impossibility. They are the bombing raid that I imagine in my minds eye, and I am the gunner shooting for my own survival.

A check of the LCD always ends with disappointment and a feeling of failure. Each year I photograph these birds, believe something is wrong with my gear, and I swear in a way that embarrasses my own ears... and thus, a Photo Tip is born.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tip #79: The Alarm Clock

Bolsa Chica Sunrise - California

Not much to say about Tip #79... If you’re a wildlife and landscape shooter, buy one, use it and shoot!

Sandhill Crane Fly By - Wisconsin

Gooseberry Rain - Minnesota

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Tip #69: Shoot your Home

Historic Stillwater Bridge - Stillwater, MN
Canon 1DsII + Canon EF28mm f2.8

You are the expert when it comes to your home. Only you, the lonely photographer, will recognize the character of the light that accompanies you to work each day. Leverage the knowledge you possess and shoot close to home.

While there's nothing like shooting an exotic location, a good photographer can make great images wherever the opportunity arises. When I’m not on the road shooting something novel, I'll wake up early and hit the hotspots in my backyard.

Historic Stillwater Bridge - Stillwater, MN
Canon 1DsII + Canon 17-40mm f4.0L

Welcome to the scenic St. Croix River and historic Stillwater bridge. This rusted beauty connects Minnesota to Wisconsin... a commuter nightmare. Crisp nights and summer days produce a morning fog that only locals might be able to predict. Advantage ME!, ...I shoot close to home.