Loner

This one comes from the archives and was taken during our pass through Yellowstone last fall. It was processed both as a black and white and color image and then merged together in Photoshop with the help of a reveal mask.  What do you think?

Planning the “Re-do”

We all have them. Photographs that we’ve taken and get that sense of “I really got something this time” the moment you press the button.  As you make your way back to your computer to offload and process the images you’re beside yourself with excitement.  “This time, I REALLY nailed it! I captured the magic of the moment!”.

Sometimes, as those images begin to load on your computer screen you see “the one” and it’s everything you hoped.  Other times, the images looked much better through the viewfinder and the final product fails to relay what you felt while taking the image.  Every time, I will look at my photos and say “What could I have differently to improve this image?”.  Inevitably there are always things that I wish I’d have changed.  If you’re lucky, you’re still near the location and if you’re REAL lucky the lighting and other conditions repeat themselves to give you a second chance.  More often than not, however, the moment is gone!  Your vacation is over and you’re now 3,000 miles away from the scene or your return trip to the venue hands you crappy light or other adverse conditions.  So what’s this about planning a “Re-do”?

While it’s true that more times than not you will NOT get the chance to repeat the experience and apply those “other things” that would improve your image, it’s still an incredibly valuable lesson.  Why? Because over time you become more cognizant of those improvement ideas while you are STILL ON LOCATION.  You’re planning your “Re-do” while you are still there and in the moment.  Now you DO have the opportunity to capitalize on making the image the best it can possibly be. 

If you’re doing it right, odds are pretty good that you will STILL find things that you wish you’d have done differently to improve the image.  Like most things in life, your photography skills continue to evolve with every photo taken, processed and critiqued.

So keep pressing the button, keep asking yourself “What if…?”, and by all means keep pushing yourself to that next level.  As they say, the joy is in the journey, not the destination.

Seasons Past

While I’ve been on the kayak/wildlife photography kick lately (and still hope to do more before the water freezes), there is no denying that autumn is upon us.  We’ve had a few sub-freezing nights here in northern Wisconsin to help remove any doubt and the leaves are well on their way toward the festive colors of fall. 

Fall photography can be a little tricky in the timing of your outings.  I’ve had my eye on a few locations waiting for that peak color.  As I wait, I’m hopeful that the weather doesn’t pull an audible on me and bring in heavy rain and winds that could knock the leaves off before their big moment in front of my lens.

Do you have any favorite fall locations/subjects?  What’s your favorite fall photo?

Kayak Photography and New Perspectives

My wife and I have been photographing various locations in Door County for a number of years now.  The peninsula is a beautiful and intriguing place filled with incredible natural features.  Eventually these places start to seem a little less magical with each passing visit simply because its no longer a “new” experience.

Enter the kayak.  By taking to the water, our relationship with many of these locations has been revitalized by enjoying them from an entirely different perspective.  For example, Cave Point near Jacksonport, WI is an incredible natural wonder.  Sandstone cliffs have been worn away by the crashing waves of Lake Michigan for eons to create some spectacular caves and water features.  It’s one thing to view them from the nice county park, but an entirely different experience to view them from the water.

Don’t own a kayak? No need.  There are a number of tour agencies in The Door more than happy to set you up, teach you how to paddle and then take you on this magical tour.

If you do own a kayak and are interested in exploring Cave Point, here are a couple of things to consider.

• Launch from 5648 Schauer Road just north of Cave Point.  Like most landings on the peninsula it too suffers from low water levels.  Be prepared to walk your craft out a ways before you’re deep enough to float.
• Take notice of the wind.  The launch site is somewhat protected and the conditions as you round the point can get pretty nasty.
• Respect the caves.  If you’re visiting during calm conditions its possible to get up close and personal, but just like all other nature adventures, leave things as you find them.  If you picked a windy day, my advice would be to keep your distance lest you get between the rocks and the waves and pummeled into fish food.
• Chose the time of day wisely.  I’d recommend early morning as it’s the best chance for calm conditions and you can beat the rush of the many kaya tours.
• Keep an eye out for the Door County Rock Stackers.  They’ve been here too!

Until next time, keep click’n.
-Ken

Perfect (and Terrible) Vacation Weather

A few weeks ago I spent 5 days vacationing in Door County and enjoyed absolutely beautiful weather.  My early mornings began with temps in the low 60’s and then gradually warmed to the upper 70’s and low 80’s.  The winds were generally pretty light which made for calm conditions in the kayak and for the entire week, there was hardly a cloud in the sky.  That totally sucked.

Sunrise after sunrise and sunset after sunset I got myself and my gear into position to capture beautiful landscape images only to come home empty handed.  The above was my view the very first morning as the sun began to crest the horizon at Cana Island.  Interesting colors, but the lack of clouds meant there wasn’t much of a canvas onto which that light could reflect.

Compare the above to the archive sunset photo below which portrays nearly the same perspective.  Which one would you rather have hanging on your wall?

Here’s another archive photo example of how a few clouds can make for an interesting sunrise – this time at Pilot Island.

So while the weather was truly incredible, I was completely denied on the landscape front despite getting myself out behind my camera each and every day.

Ever find yourself wishing for some clouds?  If so, did you find a way to salvage the outing with other subjects?  Share your story.

What’s on your photo destination list?

Your vacation has finally arrived!  The camera gear is all cleaned up, batteries charged, and the car is packed.  Where are you going?

What are some of your top desired photo destinations and why? 

Photographer Wanted

Currently seeking motivated landscape/wildlife photographer for an unlimited term engagement which includes a minimum 10 year guarantee.  Candidate must be willing to accept the following responsibilities and conditions:

• Annual starting salary of $195,000 per year with a guaranteed minimum 10% increase annually.
• A willingness to receive, test and review ALL of the latest photography gear from the vendor(s) of your choice.  The gear will be provided at no cost to you and is yours to keep, free of charge, once the review has been completed.
• All testing must be completed in the field at locations of your choosing.  Any and all travel, lodging and miscellaneous trip expenses will be covered by the corporate sponsor(s).
• Candidate must possess a valid drivers license.  A new SUV, complete with unlimited gas allowance, will be provided on a rotating 2 year cycle.
• Once per year, you will be honored along with the photographic collection of your choosing at a prestigious New York gallery at the expense of the corporate sponsor(s).  All sale proceeds will be donated to the charity of your choice.
• An annual bonus no less than 25% of your annual salary will be granted upon the successful completion of the aforementioned conditions and responsibilities.

If interested, please re-read the above and ask yourself “If this were for real, do you really think Ken would have shared this information with anyone rather than just take the position himself?”.

If you have knowledge of such an opening, please email me at ken@KenSchramPhotography.com.  Heck, I might even share a lens or two with you.

"NO!!! Focus on the Bird! Not the foreground! THE BIRD!"

Last week I shared the story of the shot I "Almost" had for our wall as well as a series of images taken during the "Second Chance Round" when the other eagle of the pair took pity on me.  Today I thought it would be fun to show the entire series of images from that second attempt mingled with a little color commentary.  Here we go...

Dateline: Monday, April 2, 2012
Eagle River, WI

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 1100 @ 500mm

Time: 8:35:42 AM
"Ah, FINALLY some sunshine after 4 days of gloom.  To bad we go home today.  There you are pretty girl.  How are you doing this fine morning?  What do you think about maybe helping me out a little here? Throw me a bone and give me something to shoot at before we have to leave..."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 1000 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:08 AM
"Oh, crap! There she goes!  Ha, Ha! I'm ready this time.  Center of the frame? Check. Pan. Click. Pan. Click. Keep panning... Come on auto focus, wake up...."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 1800 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:09 AM
"I've still got you! Keep coming... keep coming. Pan. Click. Pan. Click.  Camera's drifting down a little. You know what, this thing is pretty heavy.  If I shot this lens with any regularity, I'd really need to invest in a good monopod. Hey! Wake up! Day dream later!..... Ok...Get her back in the center.  Give yourself some buffer.  Why is she all blurry?  That pine tree behind her looks awesome though.  Can never have enough shots of pine trees.  Come on auto focus, come on ...."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 220 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:11 AM
"Ok. Ok. Ok. Going up above the tree line.  Stay on her. Stay on her. Pan. Click. Pan. Click. Take it easy on the shutter, buddy.  Save that precious buffer for when you need it. Ha, Ha. seven frames per second... how lucky am I? Do people really spend hundreds of dollars for faster memory cards?.... Pan. Click. Pan. Click. Come back this way, girl. Don't be taking off down river on me.  Oh man! Look at that light. Sweet GLORIOUS light!  Now we're talkin!  I've got you right where I want you now!  And way to go auto focus!  I knew you could do it..."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 220 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:12 AM
"Hey! That's a pretty good shot!  Nice cinematic crop will look good.. show off that impressive wingspan. And those eyes. How beaut.... Wait! She sees something! I think she sees som......"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 400 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:13 AM
"HERE WE GO! HOLY CRAP! IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!  Don't lose her now..... ah man, PAN! CLICK! PAN! CLICK! PAN!  STAY ON THE BIRD! Where'd that light go! Come on AF! Come on!"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 400 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:13 AM
"I am NOT going to lose you now! Keep panning! CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.  PAN. CLICK. PAN. CLICK. CLICK. Dude, you're laying on the shutter release! Save some! How far are we from the water anyway? STAY ON THE BIRD!"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 560 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:14 AM
"Who in the hell put a house right in the middle of this photo?  Man! Look at the drumsticks on that bird! I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those talons. Whew! What a great pose.  Too bad about the house though.  Did you know peregrine falcons can reach speeds in excess of 200 mph when in a dive? I wonder if there's any of those sausage patties left for breakfast? Sure am glad she isn't going that fast or I'd never keep up... FOCUS!"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 500 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:14 AM
"I can see the river bank now and, hey, whatta know, that's almost in focus. Nasty shadow from her wing though. I wonder if I'll be able to lighten that up in Lightroom? PAY ATTENTION! PAN. CLICK. CLICK. PAN. CLICK. PAN. CLICK. CLICK... Is this really going to happen?"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 900 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:14 AM
"TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!! NOW! LAY ON THAT SHUTTER RELEASE! CLICK. CLICK.CLICK. CLICK. PAN. CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. PAN.....Wait. Where's the focus? WHERE IN THE 'H' 'E' DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS IS THE FOCUS?!?!?!"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 900 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:14 AM
"NOT THE GRASS YOU PIECE OF #@!#$! THE BIRD! THE BIRD! THE #@!$%'n BIRD! FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS!"

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 720 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:14 AM
"Alright. Deep breath. Let's just take a 1/1000 of a second for myself here. Regroup. What am I doing wrong?  Well, you're drifting down a little bit.  Yeah, I know, but this thing really is sort of heavy with this monster 150-500mm you know. Quit your whining you big baby. I'm not whining. I'm just saying... Is you a man or is you a mouse? This really isn't helping.  Let's run down the checklist quick. Shutter speed? Check. Aperture? Well, if you opened it all the way up.... Hmm. What do you mean open it up all the way? The light's decent.  Auto ISO is still only at 720. What's wrong with that? Well, you know. I'm just saying... By the way, did you notice those two ducks in the upper right a few frames back? I think they're laughing at you. You know, the one where your horizon line is all kittywampus? And another thing... TIME'S UP!  Oh yeah, right! CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. CLICK."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 720 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:15 AM
"There we go! Now things are coming into focus. Another beautiful, sharp shot of marsh grass.  That's going to look great hanging on the wall next to that shot of that pine tree from earlier.  Too bad there's that distracting blurry eagle in the background."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 560 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:15 AM
"Another awesome shot of the grass.  I'm thinking maybe a nice triptych... grass, tree, grass? And what if we converted them to black and white? Maybe apply some cool filters or something? Oooooo... artsy! Hate to say I told you so, but if you'd just lift the camera up a little...  Ah, leave me alone. I'm admiring the grass."

1/1000 sec, f/8, ISO 560 @ 500mm

Time: 8:36:18 AM
"PAN. CLICK. There! I've lifted the camera back up. You happy? Well, if you'd have focused on her head...and of course there's no fish... Oh, shut up!

Well, THAT was exciting!  I wonder how many of these are going to turn out? Think we got any keepers? Do you really think there are a few of those breakfast sausages left? Those were really good."

And there you have it. The full seven seconds in all its glory. ;-)

Until next time, keep click'n.
-Ken

Title This...

Two weeks ago we met "Red" the red squirrel in a Title This... post hungrily tearing through pine cone after pine cone as he sat on the edge of the deck.  He was so into the routine that it wasn't long before he was almost asleep at the table and nearly fell off the deck!

Never fear though.  Within the blink of an eye he had retaken his seat and was happily finishing lunch.  Sort of reminds me of  Uncle Woody at the Thanksgiving Day table when we were kids.

Eagle River Redux - Until Next Time

Over the last couple of weeks we've been reliving our extended weekend in Eagle River along the banks of the Wisconsin River (See Part I and Part II).  While the first two days and most of the third could not be categorized as "ideal weather", toward the end of the third day there were hints of blue sky and the thermometer started to creep up just a little bit.

In last week's post I recounted the excitement of finally having the opportunity to have a bald eagle dive down to the river for lunch while I was right there in the action AND had the camera in my hand.  While exhilarating, the one word I would use to sum up the experience would be "almost" and the one image that most represents that feeling is this one.

Day 4

Coming at ya!

Our last day at River Escape came way too soon and was a short one to boot.  Having to repack and reload left little time to park my butt on the dock, but I did get up early and spent a few hours on the river with my wild friends.

A king fisher does a fly by

It was pretty foggy that morning and things were pretty quiet to match the atmosphere. Eventually though, the sun rose high enough into the sky to burn off the fog and the river once again began to come alive.  The ducks made their normal ruckus, a few other birds, such as the king fisher, made their presence known and I even had a mink run past so close that I never got a photo.  He came down the hill behind me and scooted under the dock before I was able to turn the camera its direction.  He then got in the river and swam around the corner along the bank so fast that all I could do was sit and watch.

Sitting in the fog that morning you could hear the eagles calling from above in the trees.  Very cool.  As the fog lifted, opportunity came knocking again when the second of the eagle pair perched in the trees across the river from me.  Could this be a repeat of yesterday?

Sure enough! Down she came from the tree tops at a nice easy glide looking for breakfast to resurface....

No fish today either, but what a way to end the trip.  Thank you!

Until Next Time

I started out the "Eagle River Redux" series of posts by painting a picture of my ideal venue for recharging the ol' batteries and boy did this trip deliver. Again.  It was a real treat to have my wife let me shoot with her longer Sigma 150-500 f/6.3 lens (thank you again) and what I could only describe as a spiritual experience to share this incredibly tranquil section of the Wisconsin River with its wild residents.  Relaxing with my wife in the outdoor hot tub in the evenings, walking our dog down this wooded, rustic stretch of territory during the day and enjoying our feathered children (the parrots) in this beautiful rental in between resulted in a vacation we won't soon forget.  Thank you too to Adventure Rentals for allowing us to share this amazing location.

Until next time, keep on click'n.
-Ken

Handsome Is...

While his little lady doesn't seem too impressed (she's on the left edge of the photo busy feeding off of the bottom), I thought it was a nice display of this mallard duck's "handsomeness".  

Always on the look out for other suitors trying to move in on his territory, this was a pretty common scene for BDOR - "Big Duck on River".

Adventure Rentals

If you've been following the posts on our recent Eagle River trip and the idea of a Northwoods getaway is starting to sound appealing, we highly recommend Adventure Rentals in Eagle River.  I think they are up to 8 different properties now so there's sure to be something that meets your needs.  We've had the privilege of 3 different dealings with them and they've always gone our of our way to make sure our stay has been a good one.

Title This...

No matter how many times I put the lens on these beautiful birds it never gets old.  This shot was taken moments after the eagle had dove from the top of a tree on the opposite side of the river in an attempt to snag a fish, but ultimately came up empty handed.  He then continued on to my side of the river and perched just a few trees over to regroup.

From this perspective it looks as though he's contemplating the leg bands and is deep in thought.  I know I'd love to know the history of what this guy has been through.  Other images such as the one to the right indicate he may have undergone some rehabilitation for trauma sustained to its beak.  Whatever the reason, he's a big beautiful, wild and free bird today and for that we are happy.

Have an interesting title for this image? Use the comments section below to share it with the rest of us. 

Eagle River Redux - Part II

Last week we started a photo journey through our recent getaway in "Eagle River Redux - Part I" and left off with a pair of curious river otters checking out that strange camera wielding thing sitting on the dock - me.  They were so curious in fact that, while shooting with my wife's Sigma 150-500mm lens, they came in so close that I was no longer able to focus!  I thought this one was going to climb right up on the dock with me!  Eventually they decided there were probably more exciting things up river and continued on their way.

Day 2 Continued...

Life on the river is a paradox.  On the one hand, the absence of human "noise pollution" instills a deep sense of calm and relaxation.  On the other hand, the river is constantly teaming with activity in the wildlife that it helps to sustain.  The wake caused by the swimming river otters barely had time to subside when I spotted one of the bald eagles appear from down river on its way back to the nest.

As you can see the weather was still serving up "the blahs".  The overcast skies raised a few photographic challenges with high ISOs and indecision on my part over picking the right metering mode on my camera.  Generally I set my camera to matrix metering and forget it. Things just didn't seem to be working out for me, however, when trying to get the detail of these large, dark colored birds against a flat white/gray sky.  I tried switching over to center-weighted mode to put more emphasis on the bird and less on the sky.  Better, but the problem is these large, dark colored birds don't just stay in one spot.  No sooner did I flip the metering mode than the eagle would descend to the point that the background became the wooded banks or the dark river.  Back to matrix mode.  It would be so much simpler if the sun would just come out :).

The eagles weren't the only large birds cruising the river.  This great blue heron treated me with a fly by and one of my better bird shots of the day.  Thanks Mr. Heron.

Day 3

More clouds with sprinkles in between.  The ducks and eagles didn't seem to mind and I was inclined to still share some time on the dock in between the rain drops.  At one point, both of the adult eagles landed on what I referred to as "the staging tree". This is the tree immediately next door to their nest where they liked to trade off sitting responsibilities.  On this occasion it appeared there was a disagreement over either someone forgetting to bring home a fish or remembering who's turn it was to watch the nest.  In the end, my leg banded friend (for some reason I want to think this is the male, don't ask my why) flew off to the top of a nearby pine to keep an eye out for lunch.

I've taken probably hundreds of shots of the eagles sitting in the tops of the trees while waiting for something to happen.  Just when you think you know the pattern and drop your guard, nature happens.  With the camera in my lap, I saw the eagle spring off its perch and dive toward the river!  The shot that I've been longing to add to my collection forever is about to take place right in front of me and I'm asleep at the wheel!  Throwing the camera to my eye, it took just fractions of those precious seconds to find the bird in the viewfinder when I start firing off rapid bursts of the shutter release hoping for the best.  I'll share more on this specific event in a future post, but for now let's just say the eagle and I both came up empty on this attempt.

Well, almost empty.  The eagle grabbed a fist full of weeds and I captured one of my best in flight shots of my magnificent friend.

As a consolation prize of sorts, the eagle completed the cross-river trip and came to light on a nearby branch to pose for a nice portrait shot as we both contemplated where we went wrong. 

You win some and you lose some my friend.  In this case it would be difficult for me to say I lost. Beautiful! Thanks for the prize.

Stay tuned as there's still more to come from the Eagle River experience.

Until next time, keep click'n.

-Ken