Update: Gavin has released this piece as a 30in limited canvas original. More details here.
I’m not a wildlife photographer. At least not in the sense of crouching down in wet weeds for six hours, to get that view that shows the hair in their ears. Having wildlife in a landscape on the other hand. That’s something that gets me exited. This one’s from back in West Yellowstone. I had gone out at Sunrise on the morning of the 6th. I had stopped to watch some elk out in the plain along the road. The scene was neat, but not amazing.
As I was leaving, someone pulling in said they had seen a big bull the next pullout. Off I went and when I got there this gentlemen was wading the river. Very gracefully I might add. Elk are not rare in Yellowstone, but getting a mood like this with surreal mists rising from the water into the cool morning air. That’s something I wont see every day.
The problem about wildlife in landscapes is they don’t usually stay there. With no time to get out and setup a tripod, I was stumbling to capture the moment. I leaned across to the passenger window and worked fast. Just as he emerged from the water, he looks up river for just a moment and I took it. There’s one frame of this pose, but it worked and I love it.
Sunset's Hidden Falls - Yosemite National Park, Fall 2010.
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I’ve seen amazing things in my travels. So at first glance it just seemed like a beautiful landscape. But as I took what little time I had to really look at Yosemite through the eyes of an artist, I soon begin to realize why Ansel Adams loved it so much and to see that those giant slabs of rock towering above me were true wonders of natural beauty.
I had just one afternoon for this, as it was the tail end of our Fall 2010 tour and we needed to move towards home. I was hoping to take away at least one really good frame that afternoon. I think I did just that. I made various compositions throughout the day, and though we did not get to see a fraction of Yosemite’s beauty, we wound the narrow highways and hills, seeing what we could in the time we had. We ended up down in the village and roamed a bit, taking time to visit Ansel’s gallery and peek at some of his legendary images.
We were heading out of the village, working our way back to camp near Mono Lake. I was hoping to see some sort of sweeping sunset as the night drew in, but we barley got a mile before I rounded the bend and experienced this view for the first time. Gateway to Yosemite is a sight. With a view right cross the river and down the valley. Bridal Veil falls in the distance. Some others were in the pull off, snapping photos and enjoying the view as the low evening sun cast sprawling light on the crags of El Capitan and it’s surrounding landscape. I knew this was it and I was going to take my time.
Those of you who know me, know I’m a fan of silver prints and of Ansel. I don’t want to copy what he did, but his and others work have allowed me to gain appreciation for quality silver images as I continue to refine my own approach. In the past few years I’ve started spending time in the study of monochrome. I love color, but sometimes I just want to take it away. Allowing me to explore the canvas that is tone, depth detail and density. This was one of those times.
This this was one of those places that get’s photographed often, but I wanted something above average and was willing to wait for it. I set up the tripod and gear, waiting for some people to move so I could get right where I wanted. I meticulously analyzed the composition and setup for the image. I think I spent a good twenty minutes planning it and running few test frames, refining the focus manually and just making sure I didn’t miss this.
Finally it all came together. The light, the plan and the moment. I made my final frames, then packed up. I don;t believe I took any more photos that night. This was what I had come for and I felt satisfied. After I was back in the trailer, final process proceeded. I could try it describe the scene, the flowing river, the driftwood, and the tiny distant waterfall. But I need not because I have the result of many hours of labor to show just how it felt to me on this evening in September 2010. I’m currently doing test prints on metal and this one should be officially released this year.
Tufa Sunrise. Mono Lake CA, Fall 2010, by Gavin Seim.
Gavin’s Journal Entry, 10/2010.
We camped overlooking Mono lake last night. I think it’s rather a bad name for a lake, but it’s no less beautiful for that. I got there early, before the light. But the stone sang when the rays of first dawn hit the limestone Tufa Towers that grace the these muddy banks.
I won’t try to explain how they’re formed (there is some info on the Mono Lake website) but I can say is that creation is indeed breathtaking. Now that I have time to stop and look at this sunrise, it seems even more so. This may be the only great image I took home from Mono Lake, but it’s just what I wanted and I’m really excited about it.
Release details: Prints available. Contact the gallery. Learn more about prices. Available prints…
[EXPAND SEE the details up close. Click to expand…]
These are not separately available images. They are detail cuts from the above work, to show the detail and most notible elements that will stand out in the finished print.
The central display of Tufa Towers, revealed in a fleeting moment of morning light just as the sun crosses the horizon.
Sharp from edge to edge. The rocks point to the snow capped mountains, revealing the coming Winter.The superb detail in the flowing grasses reflects the golden light and is spectacular, especially in larger sizes.The morning light shows a supporting cast of towers in various stages of illumination.
Today I got a new toy. Uhum, I mean tool. It’s a Canon TS-e 24mm Tilt Shift lens. A lot of crazy letters and numbers that add up to awesome. This lens tilts, shifts and twists in more directions than I know what to do with. But not for long.
I’m no expert on it yet, but this is going to give some new powers to my skills. That messed up looking thing in the photo is not a Photoshop job. It’s my lens. In brief in gives me a ton of control over perspective and depth of field by allowing the optic to be moved relative to sensor plane using the knobs and dials. Yes it’s manual focus all the way too.
This is not a review of the lens (though reviews says it’s razor sharp and amazing). It’s just me being excited about the possibilities. You can bet I’ll be talking more about what I learn from tilting and shifting in future posts and on Pro Photo Show. Until then… Gav
I’ve been in the area in the Zion National Park the past few days. It’s an amazing place, but the weather has been lousy. Clouds, rain and stormy winds reign. Not that one could never make good photos in those conditions, but the light overall has been less than magical.
We went for a drive this evening. For a a few brief moments near sunset, a subtle but beautiful light struck these peaks near the main park. I stopped and spent awhile atop the roof of the SUV with my tripod, taking compositions from a few different directions. The monotone of this scene shouted for a good silver process to really focus on the subtle but beautiful light of these peaks.
Update: Gavin has released this piece as a 30in limited canvas original. More details here.
