Been A While…
Wow. It’s been quite some time. A lot has happened. Initially, I was unemployed for a little bit, and anyone that has ever been there knows that priorities change. The internet had to go. Time was spent looking for a job, pounding the pavement, rather than walking the streets looking for photographs waiting to be taken. Money got tight, gas prices rose, and activity in my life ran down to a minimum.
But I’m back. I’m working, making money, and putting my camera back in hand, and priorities back in line. So by way of a re-introduction, here’s just a few random shots that have helped pass the time…
Zayne and Great Basin Gophersnake
My son and his girlfriend hunting for petroglyphs in the Volcanic Tablelands.
Goldfinch
Zayne enjoying Hot Ditch. Natural reflection from the water cured backlight shadows nicely.
Random front yard flower
1982 Shovelhead Custom Rigid. She will be mine. VERY soon…
So…yea…just a few shots to say, I’m back. And things are getting better. Thanks for stopping by!!
My Son, the Dragon…
Had my son outside breathing fire for a few photos this evening…
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- Kiss of Fire
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- Iron Cross
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- Breath of Fire
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- Breath of Fire
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- Sustained breath
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- Kiss of Fire
Raptors at Work
If you follow with any regularity, you probably know that I recently started working as a wildlife intern at Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care. We rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife. It’s a very labor-intensive job, and very time-consuming work, but it is the best job I’ve ever had…
Great Horned Owlets
These baby Great Horneds are really awesome. They’ve been here for a little while now, and pretty soon we’ll start getting them hunting live prey and prepare them for release.
Red Tail Hawk scheduled for release in the next couple weeks
This Red Tail was shot with a pellet gun. Lucky for him, the pellet fragmented without causing a ton of major damage to the wing. He is healing fine and flying well, and is scheduled for release very soon.
Adult Great Horned Owl
This Great Horned was one of my first intakes at the center. You can see his right eye is injured. We aren’t exactly sure what happened, but he seems to have good vision. He’s ready for test flights and live hunting in preparation for release, as well.
Lenore
This Raven came to us as a young baby. She’s pretty darn sweet, and will probably be released soon. I couldn’t resist an old feeling, B&W treatment and an Edgar Allen Poe reference…
Thanks for looking!
Backyard Bird Watching
Backyard bird watching. It’s almost cliché. People are hustlin’ and bustlin’ around this great big world of ours, and not leaving anytime to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Money is tight, job security is low, taxes and inflation continue growing… It seems the only thing we have any ability to control anymore is how we respond to the rapidly changing stimuli.
That’s why I LOVE my backyard. Let me explain… I live in the High Desert. My house is situated at about 5,000′, right on the feet of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in eastern California. I can look out my living room window and I have an unobstructed view for close to 10 miles, all the way up the western slope of the White Mountain peaks, which is the western most border of Nevada. Now…there is a major highway running through there, and a multitude of high-power, high-tension lines zig-zagging back and forth. Views are spectacular, but these ugly lines are very destructive to landscape compositions. But the wildlife is incredible…
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- American Goldfinch
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- American Goldfinch
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- Common Sideblotch–Uta stansburiana
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- Domestic Iris
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- Male House Finch
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- Female House Finch
It’s amazing how curative a backyard like mine can be. I’m gonna tell you guys a little secret…I lost my job last week. Yea, right in the middle of my visit with my son, I found out that I was no longer employed. But it’s OK. I had an incredible week visiting with my son, and my emotional well-being has never been more positive. Even being unemployed and quickly running out of money, I can’t help but smile. I walk out back, and it just happens. Something will come through. I have a lot of experience in a lot of fields. I’ve done everything from flippin’ burgers and pouring drinks to antique restorations and hotel management. I also found out about some pretty cool job openings in my area, including backcountry habitat recovery and wildlife rehabilitation, and not only would I LOVE to have either of those jobs…I’m fairly well qualified for both. So something will come through. Just gotta ride this wave for a few days…
Thanks for taking the time to stop and look!
A few more random shots…
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- Osprey with a fresh catch
The Buttermilks and Mono Lake
Turkey Vulture
- Panamint Rattler–Crotalus stephensi
- Panamint Rattler–Crotalus stephensi
It was quite a lovely day…
- Kevin trying to get the shot
- Little Peak
- Buttermilk Ridgeline
Kevin’s flight back home was this afternoon, so we left the house around 5am, and headed up to Mono Lake, to get some early morning shots before he had to go. It was another spectacular day…
- Mono Lake Tufa
- Looking for a shot
- South Tufa Portrait
This has been one of the most incredible weeks of my life. I’m really glad I took a chance and reached out to my son. I’m even more thrilled that he responded positively. I think we have a good thing to build on here…
Thanks for taking the time to look!
Landscapes, Lizards, and More Fire
Kevin flies back to Colorado tomorrow. It’s been an incredible week, but I’ll be sad to see him go. We’re making plans for him to come visit again in August, and that will be really nice, but…I’m gonna miss him when he leaves…
Yea, it’s really been an incredible week. I met my son. Zayne met her brother. And we really enjoyed each others’ company. It will definitely be sad to watch him go, but I know he’ll be coming back…
Thanks for looking!
Playing with Fire…
So…my son is a Fire Dancer. Fire scares the shit outta me, but he’s got WAY more balls than I do, because he purposely sets shit on fire and spins it around his head and body. It’s pretty intense to watch, because you can hear the flames and feel the heat. Makes me wonder what it feels like inside of all those flames…
Digital Manipulations
This is a relatively new outlet for me. Everyone has sat in front of their computer and played around with Photoshop. I have, at least. In that process, I’ve learned how to use a lot of very important tools for “developing” my digital files into high quality photographs. This is a necessity, as a photographer.
One thing that has always simultaneously intrigued and eluded me, is the ability that some people have to create something totally new, and never-before-seen through Photoshop. My first steps towards this creative outlet is using textures, layers, and brushes to create something completely different from the original photograph I started with. I really don’t know if these are “good” or not. I’m not skilled or experienced enough to be a proper judge, so I’ll leave that up to you folks. Feel free to leave comments with tips, tricks, ideas, or advice…
I don’t know. It’s fun, it occupies my mind, and if it makes me a little more adept and familiar with the tools in Photoshop, I suppose it serves a greater purpose. But…is it any good? You tell me…
Thanks for looking!
Endangered Toads
The California Black Toad(Bufo exsul) exists only in a tiny chain of natural springs in Eastern California. They are endemic to this area, and as a founding member of the Eastern Sierra Herpetology Club, it is a privilege to be able to work with the California Department of Fish and Game to protect and maintain the habitat for these animals. Yesterday, we took a trip up there to check on the toads, and see how the breeding season was coming along…
Adults in amplex amid egg strings
Adult pair in amplex(mating)
We observed 4 or 5 pairs of adult toads in amplex, which means the male has mounted the female and breeding has begun, and we also heard several “release” calls, which is a signal that mating has finished and the male is releasing the female. We also saw millions developing egg strings, and even a few tadpoles…
Egg Strings. Each tiny, black dot is a developing tadpole. The empty areas are from recently hatched tadpoles...
2 tiny tadpoles, likely only a day or two old...
After visiting the breeding habitat, we followed the spring system to a location known to be home to several toads to see how they were progressing. We were pleasantly surprised to see a countless number of juvenile toads, likely hatched last year, hopping and swimming around, seemingly everywhere we looked. To say there were thousands would be an understatement…
Juvie Black Toad
Juvie Black Toad
It was a real treat to see so many breeding adults peacefully using the breeding habitat that we, as a club, helped to restore and protect. It was also a real treat to see that the implementation of a seasonal road closure, also initiated by the Eastern Sierra Herpetology Club, led to such a successful amount of breeding last season. We were all smiles and giggles over our short-term successes. Now we can begin long-term documentation and maintenance and hopefully watch this endangered, endemic population of toads thrive in their only native habitat.
Obviously, while out on these trips, we see other reptilian wildlife and even a few insects. So here are a couple of “bonus shots” from the day…
No idea...any guesses on species out there?
Great Basin Fence Lizard--Sceloporus occidentalis longipes
Common Sideblotch--Uta stansburiana
Northern Desert Horned Lizard--Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos
I did find a very pretty and extremely healthy Mojave Patchnose snake(Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis) on the way up to the habitat, but I didn’t get a picture of it. I got to share it with my friend Rusty who had never seen one before, though, so that’s good enough for me…
Thanks for coming along!
Am I THAT Old?!?
Man…my baby girl is growing up WAY too quickly. It seems like just a couple of months ago I was changing her diapers and she was falling asleep on my chest in a rocking chair…
About 2 weeks ago, she asked me if she could pierce her ears and cut her hair short. The earrings we had discussed before, and I told her I didn’t care if her mother didn’t care. The hair was hard. All of her life I have adored her long, golden locks, and now she wanted to cut them off. “It’s your hair”, I told her. “If you’re old enough to ask me for permission to cut your hair short and pierce your ears, I suppose your old enough to decide for yourself.” And so she did…
My Heart, My Soul, My Everything
Her mom was picking her up for the weekend, and so they decided to make a “Girl’s Day” out of it, and go to the salon for haircuts and earrings. I’m telling you…I almost cried when I saw her. I have to admit she looks absolutely adorable. But she looks so…grown up! She ain’t no tiny baby girl no more, and that means I’m getting old…
Wanna know something else? I have a 21-year-old son whom I haven’t seen since he was 2. He has no memory of me whatsoever. He is coming out to meet us for the first time this April. You have no idea how flippin’ excited I am!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read!
A few Birdies for today…
I took a few bird shots yesterday at lunch, and thought I might share them today…
I also managed a couple of shots of our dog, Rex, playing frisbee…
Rex is just not happy unless he catches it in the air…
Thanks for coming along!
Household Macros
The weather is playing cruel tricks on me. It was really nice out just about a week ago. Nice enough for long enough that I actually spent a few hours road cruising for snakes just a week and a half ago. I didn’t find any, but still…
The last week or so has been CRAP!!! Spring went bye-bye, and Mother Nature brought winter back for an encore…with a vengeance. So I’ve been sitting at home, miserable, new gear to play with, and shitty-ass weather. Good thing my girlfriend likes flowers…
Another shot of her Valentine Orchid
A Lily that has seen better days...
Domestic Beauty-No idea what they are, but they're pretty
The last one is my favorite shot of the day…
Thanks for stopping by!!
Playing around with Portraits
I took some semi-candid shots of my daughter messing around over the summer that I never really worked up and published. I went in and played around with them in my new Silver Efex Pro software last night, and came out with some very pleasing results. All in all, I first thought this software was a bit pricey for a simple plug-in filter. Truth be told it is quite an impressive tool. I’m certain I will be using it for a majority of my B&W conversions from now on. Everything I always wished I had in converting tools, and none of the artifacts that usually come with it. Well Done Nik Software!
“The Golden Spiral”
Well, I was recently asked to explain my use of the Fibonacci Spiral in composing complex scenes for landscape photography. This is a very difficult concept to put into words. FAR more difficult to verbalize than utilize, so to save me the words, I will let the Digital Photography School Forums do it for me, with their very clear description of Divine Composition.
Unlike The Rule of Thirds, the Fibonacci Spiral is something that can be a bit more daunting to utilize in the field. Afterall, it’s fairly easy to visualize your viewfinder cut into equal thirds along both axes. It does, however, take a bit more forethought and practice to utilize the spiral. Don’t fret…with practice, it becomes as much a second-nature instinct as the rule of thirds…
Here is a couple of examples of some of my own photographs, and how the Fibonacci Spiral was applied during composition–
As you can see, it really isn’t as complex and daunting as you might think upon first trying to utilize it. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with ratio and proportions of the spiral while in the comfort and convenience of your computer chair. The more the image of that spiral is engrained in your memory, the easier it will be to visualize in the field. Happy Shooting!!
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- Mono Reflections
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- Artesian Sunset
One of My First Shots
A long time ago, or so it seems, I took the plunge and invested in a mid-range DSLR camera. My best friend John was thrilled. Within 2-3 days of getting my box in the mail, John took me to one of his favorite locations in The Alabama Hills to try it out. Those first few images were rightly crap. Poor composition, no subjective connection, and only moderately acceptable exposures. But on that first day, I learned and re-learned some fascinating aspects of photography that were forgotten in the maze of years.
I went back through the files from that first day, and actually found one that was fairly reasonable. So I took it into Photoshop CS4, and reprocessed the original file…
Southern Inyo Mountains
I was feeling a little nostalgic, and missing my recently deceased best friend, John. I’m always gonna miss him, but he will always guide my feet and my exposures in this gorgeous little valley that we both loved so much. Thinking back on that first day shooting, I couldn’t help but process this one with a little sense of nostalgia, and an antique flare of it’s own. It was only a few years ago, but it really does seem like a lifetime…
Thanks so much for taking the time to look!
The Morning After
Man, it’s days like today when I almost wish I didn’t have a regular job. Days like this are made for photographers, custom-built for stunning imagery. Days like this…I have to work. And since I have to work, I can’t go out shooting and capturing these perfect combinations of light, atmosphere, and drama. So…I grab my camera for a couple of very quick snapshots from the front porch before heading off to work…
Silouhettes and Clouds
I’m sick. I hate being sick. I hate being stuffed up, nose running, fever, aches, and chills. I hate not being able to go outside and walk around, work a full day, or even enjoy my daughter’s company.
But I love cloud formations, and I love the fact that where I live, I can see some pretty awesome clouds from my front porch…
I guess the clouds today WERE the silver lining. I still hope to feel better and go to work tomorrow…
Some Family Shots
Had my daughter’s mother and sister in town the other day for a decent, albeit cold, photo shoot in the town park…
Some More Do-Overs
It’s fall, and it’s getting chilly, so a lot of my “free time” is devoted to cutting wood to keep the place warm. I actually quite enjoy “wooding”. I guess it’s manly lugging around a chainsaw, cutting up rounds, hauling it home in a big ass truck, splitting it and stacking it. A bit unsophisticated, and quite primitive but…I never claimed to be above machismo, and I enjoy the workout, so…
Anyhow…I have spent a bit of time looking over some shots from earlier in the year, and decided to rework a few more. So here they are…
In Memory
I lost my best friend this morning. It’s very difficult for me, as John was my best friend, my mentor, and a very strong influence on my life, my photography, and my state of mind. Anyone that has read this blog has seen photos of him, and photos of me taken by him. We spent as much time together as possible over the last few years. He was instrumental in helping me form the Eastern Sierra Herpetology Club. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that without his support and confidence…it wouldn’t exist.
He was also a HUGE influence on my photography and my love of the Eastern Sierra. He was a fantastic photographer in his own right, and with his help and guidance, he showed me the way to become a halfway decent photographer for myself. I always had a love of photography, and I can remember trying to develop that love ever since I was a youngster. John was my reason for investing in a digital SLR camera, and his confidence in my abilities gave me the freedom to explore my own creativity, and to try and develop my own style…which I’m still working on…
The last two months have been really difficult as he was battling stage 4 terminal cancer. We knew he was going to die, we just didn’t know when. None of us could have imagined how fast it would happen. But the pain is gone, and John is happy again. He can now look down on his mountains, and see the Eastern Sierra which he loved so much. I know he is watching me, and while every click of my shutter will seem hollow in comparison to our times together, I rest assured that he will be with me as I walk these hills, deserts, and mountains over the coming years. He will guide my compositions, and correct my exposures. He will always be there.
Here’s to you, John Ivan Atwood. Your strength, support, confidence, and encouragement have gotten me this far. I will take you with me for the rest of my days.
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- John I. Atwood
Rest in Peace, my Friend.
Do Overs…
Remember when we were kids? Like most photographers, I always save my original, straight from the camera files, just in case I ever want to re-visit them. Over the last couple days, I have done just that. So here are some older shots that I have recently re-worked to what I believe are better results. I hope you enjoy!
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- Storm Over Wheeler Crest
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- Sunrise over Mono Lake
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- Peace in the valley
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- Convict Lake II
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- Convict Lake
Buttermilk Sunrise
Not a spectacular morning as sunrises go. Rather than battle the hundreds of other photographers at North Lake this morning, I opted for the lower elevation and less-crowded desert of Buttermilk Country…
Nothing fancy, but a very pretty morning to be awake. Thanks for looking!
My First Wedding
Man, Wedding Photography is tough! Don’t let anyone ever tell you that shooting weddings is an easy gig…it isn’t. But it’s fun, and when you know the bride and groom personally, and consider them friends, it makes it all worthwhile…
The Bride
Contemplating
The Couple's First Dance
Forever
With This Ring
True to You
Obviously, this isn’t all the photos. But most of them were posed shots of friends, family, and the wedding party. These ones were my favorite candid shots. Hope you enjoy!
