The Way We See It

Monday, February 28, 2011

Inspiration #4: Pushing the Limits of Color

Sandwiched between a sick wife and the pathogen-laden vectors that I teach each day, I have now fallen victim to a mid-winter virus. My heads pounds with each strike of the keys, and my eyes water as I gaze into this bright monitor. I crave the color of a summer day and have decided to push process my images to emphasize the greens that I so desperately miss.

Inspiration #3: Trip to the Zoo

This is my fourth post in a series that began with "The Winter Blues." February in Minnesota really challenges me to the core. In some years the month unleashes a flurry of artistic inspiration framed around a harsh and sterile landscape. Sadly, this is not the case for 2011. Winter began early with a heavy December snow, and has dragged on with a dreariness unlike years in the past. In my post on the winter blues I had hoped that the images conveyed the melancholy that now grips me. But winter is an ephemeral event, and spring now hangs like a ripe berry just beyond my reach. So on Friday, I challenged myself to think green.

Inspiration #2: Green Stop

Grabbed the gear this morning and searched of some fresh landscapes... was rewarded with light snow, chilling temperatures, and a bitter breeze. Fortunately, my equipment is weather sealed, so I fought back.
As a teacher I feel obliged to grade myself... let's call it an E for effort. The final images from the morning lack a real creative expression. Like so many of my mid-winter images, they exhibit a repetition that fails to inspire. As a result, today's work will remain dead and buried until I warm up to the abstractions that I tried to produce. So instead, I offer you yet another rebellion against winter. This one was was retrieved from the archives, and dates back to 2004. The bright greens and colored paints speak to me on an otherwise white and gray day.
Green Stop: Fridley, MN. Nikon D2H, 300mm f4 AFS @ f14

Friday, February 25, 2011

Inspiration #1: Green Out

I am a carpool of one and live with the guilt of burning fuel on my twenty-two mile trek to and from work each day. Lacking a partner with the flexibility to adapt to my unpredictable work schedule, I carpool with National Public Radio. During this morning's commute the local climatologist offered the radio audience his word of the day... "green-out."
There was a pregnant pause between his words and the definition that followed. Green-out... I thought to myself... what could this mean? Was a green-out an ugly temperature inversion that occurs during the depths of winter? No,... I've never seen a green inversion. Seconds later Mark Seeley offered the inspiration that I was seeking on this morning.
Green-out... the first green foliage exposed following an arctic thaw.
I thought to myself,... I want to trade the current white-out for a green-out. I want to see the green grass exposed beneath the melting snow. I want to shed the winter blues for summer greens.
Today's post is Inspiration #1... The Cloud Forest of Savegre River. As a direct challenge to "Old-Man Winter," I will post nothing but green for the next seven days... I may continue to shoot the white and sterile landscape this winter, but I will dig deep in my memories and remind myself that spring is on its way.
Cloud Forest: Quetzal National Parque, Costa Rica. Canon 40D, 300mm f2.8IS @ f11

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Shooting the Blues

False spring visited Minnesota earlier this week. Forty degree highs and unseasonably warm evenings offered some needed relief from the oppression that normally grips us in February. Coupled with longer daylight hours and the increased coupling by the high schools students I teach, I almost believed that winter was over. Alas, it was all just a lie. A storm now approaches, and the weather terrorists are beginning to scare the masses into submission.

Point of View : Where Politics and Photography Collide

When does nature photography depart from its roots in photojournalism and become art? I suppose that a self-absorbed photojournalist might ask when their work becomes something more than just a record of an event or moment in time.

Photograph = Drawing with Light

The roots phos (γραφις) & graphis (γραφη) are derived from the Greek words for light and stylus. Placed together, these roots make the word photograph... to paint or draw with light.

Light above everything else defines the essence of the image. When you view a photograph, you are seeing the effect of individual photons and wavelengths of light striking an image capture device. Whether image capture is due to a chemical reaction between light and silver (film) or photoreceptors powered by electrical circuits (digital), each photograph is a light "memory" of a fleeting moment in time.

The Ultimate Geek

While many prefer to shy away from their inner geek, I tend to proclaim my geekdom with pride. I openly tell my students that I am the ultimate bio-geek, photo-geek, and nature-geek. I not only embrace my inner geek, but I try to convince my captive audience that it is cool to be a geek and those who hide from "geeking out" are the real losers.

A Quick One

Not much to say, just another cold Minnesota day...
With morning temperatures touching -30 degrees fahrenheit during my Friday commute, and a cold breeze today, I just could not do it. I wanted to shoot, but frigophobia (fear of cold?) gripped my heart and I stayed in bed.

Tomorrow is another day. I will wake up. I will wear the winter garments. I will go outside, stand up to the elements, and try to pursue my art. Wish me luck as the call of the camera persuades me to overcome my frigophobia.

Image #1: Tettegouche State Park, MN
Image #2: Somewhere on the St. Croix River, MN

Saturday, January 15, 2011

When it's Cold...

Take pictures!
Unlike some of my other posts that focus on trumpeter swans ("Shooting the Cold" & "A Success Story"), this one is not about the birds. I'll also spare you from yet another rant about how cold Minnesota can be and instead focus on my strategy for staying warm and functional when temperatures plummet. While there is no one best way to maintain your core warmth, thermoregulation is a necessity if you plan to be a productive photographer in sub-zero conditions.
Having lived a chunk of my life in warmer states, it has taken me nearly twenty-years to finally understand how to continue shooting when most people would rather sit around a fire, hide under a blanket, and drink a hot toddy. What follows is my top ten list of suggestions that will make you a better cold-weather photographer.

Layers, Layers, Layers! Dress in layers: When planning a cold weather shoot, I wear sock liners, socks, thermal underwear, thick pants, t-shirt, long-sleaved shirt, fleece, Gortex-lined down coat, hat, and gloves (specifics to come).
Thermal Underwear Matters! I wear Patagonia expedition weight thermal underwear. While patagonia products are very pricey, these thermals are as warm and tough as they get. I purchased my first pair of patagonia thermals in 1987 to stay warm during long hours of research in Alaska... I still wear and use this same set today. With Patagonia, you get what you pay for!
Wear Wool Socks over Sock Liners: Wool is warm, and wool will stay warm even if it gets wet. I advise that you wear liners because wool also itches.
Invest in good winter Boots: Everyone I know who shoots and plays in the super cold wears Sorrel of Columbia boots. Ignore your desire to be fashionable, buy ugly boots that wick away moisture and are rated to sub-zero temperatures. If your feet don't stay warm, you will not stay outside... guaranteed!
Wear a Head-Sock and a Hat: Head-socks are ugly, they hide your face, people will think your batman, but they block the wind. Your core heat will escape from any exposed skin, and your face will be the source of this heat loss. I wear a head-sock to protect my skin and top it off with a hat that covers my ears. This extra bit of protection extends my productivity during the coldest hours of the morning.
Gloves Matter! If you asked me five years ago if I could imagine wearing a pair of $50 gloves, I'd say Hell No! Well let me tell you, a bit frostbite will make a cheap man (or woman) open up their wallet and spend like mad. I now carry two pairs of gloves into the field whenever I do a winter shoot. Each pair retails for about $50 and has a different purpose. When shooting, I wear AquaTech Sensory Gloves. These are the warmest full cover gloves that allow for enough dexterity to manipulate the knobs and buttons on my cameras and lenses. Neoprene fingertips for the thumb and index fingers are perforated with holes that allow my fingers to be temporarily exposed, do some work, and retreat back into the warmth of the glove. My second set are a pair of Manzella mittens. When it's really cold and I feel the hammer pounding away at my finger tips, I plunge my cold lifeless clubs into a pair of Manzella Tundra Mittens and sigh in relief. Like a pair of good boots, the right gloves will keep you outside when everyone else is running for the car or cabin!
Drink and Eat Before you Shoot: You will burn those calories as you hike during a cold day, or wait for your subject to arrive. The cold sucks the life out of your body, and you will need to generate some internal heat to keep the system working. Surprisingly, dehydration can be a real problem during cold-weather aerobic activity. Stay hydrated, eat well, and burn that fuel.
Carry Chemical Hand Warmers: This is a cheap way to warm up really cold fingers. Before heading out for a long morning shoot, I will open a pair of hand warmers, shake them to initiate the chemistry, and slip them into my Manzella mittens. The extra warmth from these chemical packets provide instant relief when the tears of pain begin to flow.
Know How To use your Camera! The cold weather is no time to learn what those buttons do. You will be uncomfortable and you want to expose those fingers as little as possible. Knowing how to use your gear will save you from the pain of fumbling around with a camera that you should know how to use.
Accept the Challenge: Many photographers put their cameras away during the winter and wait for warmer days. Some of my most interesting landscapes and unique wildlife images have been made during the coldest days of the year. Get outside, use the gear, and embrace the opportunity... it's worth the effort.

All images were shot at Swan Park, Monticello. On this day, the temperature never made it above 10 degree Fahrenheit. We began shooting at 7:15 a.m. and stopped around 10:00. With the damp air and cool breeze, the weather really challenged our bodies. This type of photography was all about waiting for peak moments. The lack physical activity challenged our ability to thermoregulate during periods of inactivity. Warm clothes and pre-shoot preparations made these images possible.