Tag: forest

  • That time we nearly died at Hanakapi’ai Falls

    That time we nearly died at Hanakapi’ai Falls

    OK, let’s clear up the title. Nobody died. Nobody nearly died. But hell, it sure felt like we were on the very edge. For hour after hour. We’re building our list of top 5 hikes. So far positions 5 & 4 are open. At 3 is the Grand Canyon. In number 2 position is Mt…

  • Yosemite Elves and Sprites (light painting in the forest)

    Yosemite Elves and Sprites (light painting in the forest)

    As you saw in our last post, we recently visited Yosemite. We did this in part to capture the stars but also to hunt down the mythical forest-dwellers that spin light in to art. Without comment, here’s 4 of their attempts. A tutorial might follow. Depends how they’re feeling.

  • “The Best Damn Vernal Falls Photo In The World”

    “The Best Damn Vernal Falls Photo In The World”

    There’s quotes around the title. That means someone said it. That means it’s true. Ego much? 🙂 This time of the year there’s very little water in Yosemite National Park. The snows have not yet settled. Last year’s Winter was mild. Everything is as dry as a bone. And of course, it spent the summer…

  • Tutorial: Milky water and Misty Forests

    Tutorial: Milky water and Misty Forests

    We spent the weekend in Paso Robles,  deep in the heart of the ‘other’ grape growing place in California. In addition to all the fine wines, there’s art everywhere, some of it even quite nice. The pictures that captured our attention was a series of paintings that depicted landscapes as viewed through thick fog. We…

  • One Nite In Yose-Mite

    One Nite In Yose-Mite

    [wzslider autoplay=”true” info=”false” lightbox=”true”] I was lucky enough this week to have a spare few hours, so I ran away to Yosemite national park to play in the snow. Prep-work Check the weather forecast. Perfect. Big blue sky, little cloud, and shockingly low temperatures. Check the moon phase. Perfect. 20% waning crescent from 2pm to…

  • Failed: Attempt at ‘odd’ lighted balloon painting

    Failed: Attempt at ‘odd’ lighted balloon painting

    A friend recently showed me a picture of orbs glowing gently in the night forest. After some time, I figured out I could recreate the scene by placing glow-sticks inside inflated balloons. I think the idea is sound but this picture is appaling. The leassons here are that you need LOTS more balloons, you need…

  • Lady Of Light

    Lady Of Light

    One of the nice things about light painting is that as long as you’re not a purest (a straight from the camera kinda guy) you get all sorts of options in post processing that are often surprising. I’ve been working on some new light painting tools. I thought they were done and so took them…

  • Tutorial: HDR Scary Tree

    Tutorial: HDR Scary Tree

    Let’s try something new. Here’s a nice picture of a scary tree guarding a sleeping princess.     Wanna know how I took the shot from this bland image to the dark image above? Watch the tutorial and enjoy!

  • Reaching for you

    Reaching for you

    I recently went for a stroll in a very damp, tumbling down forest. The whole thing looked like something from a movie. I think there were even those strange slithering creatures just out of sight. The recent storms clearly were encouraging everything to grow at a startling rate. That and die, and rot, and transmute…

  • Fully Armed – Showing the tools

    Fully Armed – Showing the tools

    This is the second shot made with the same tool as Taking Aim. There’s some differences, firstly I rewired (plug n play) the inner light so that it was blue. Then I added an child’s umbrella to cover my face and add an extra dimension. This is the straight-out-of-camera shot. Click for the large view.…

  • Burning Smores

    Burning Smores

    I know websites are supposed to show your successes and achievements but I thought I should be more honest than that, and show the failures too. This is Deanna (my ever patient wife / model) wearing a latex horses head – what do you mean you don’t own one? Everyone should own one! – setting…