Haena Beach Jungle

Just behind the high water mark along the beach from Haena to Ke'e is this little stretch of jungle that is often completely deserted. There is a path and some take it  but most walk down the beach instead. It is very quiet, green and photogenic. I spent a couple hours there in January and came away with these. Of course, I meant to go back before I left Kaua'i but did not. Maybe next time (sigh).

These were all shot with the D3, 24-70 @f/16, 1-3 seconds.

 

Click to enlarge images
© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography  

Day for Night

I think the movie guys call this "day for night". Just exposing at a level that makes the time of day seem dark. I love to take a shot like this into black and white as the essence is really that burning glare and the dark rocks.

Rocks and ocean glare at Anini on Kaua'i.

Click to enlarge images
© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Merry Christmas from Koke'e

As further positive proof that I am way behind on processing my images from our sabbatical to Kaua'i I'm posting this Christmas card. These were all taken at one of the most beautiful places on Kaua'i and the world really. We visited Koke'e State Park and the Na Pali Coast overlooks on Christmas day. If you haven't been there just google "na pali kalalau" and you will find stunning postcard shots of the area. Here's my take from Dec. 25, 2011.

Kalalau Overlook

Looking inland from the park

Mist on the mountain

Sunset at the Kalalau overlook

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© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Photoshop CS6 Beta is Fun

I've been using the new Photoshop CS6 Beta. I like it a lot. The Camera Raw changes that include Highlights and Shadows sliders that replace the Recovery and Fill Light controls are excellent. And I especially like being able to brush in White Balance settings as in this photo taken on the Kuilau Trail, Kaua'i. The trees, moss and backgrounds had a very green tinted light that worked well for those components but the leaf was left looking dull and uninteresting. I brushed on the warm sunlight that was there but not recorded by the camera and it really pops.

Leaf and moss covered tree. D3, Nikkor 24-70, 1/200, f2.8, ISO 200.

Other additions to Camera Raw's brush tool include noise and moire reduction. Here's the Brush panel from CS6.

CS6 Brush Panel

Here's a comparison of the Basic panels from CS5 and CS6.

CS5

CS6

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© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Tide Pools at Anini Bay

I've been frustrated with this area that is so close to the house (takes only 5 minutes to get there), has such great rocks and pools and such crappy light most mornings, days and evenings!

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© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Hau Tree and Fisherman

A fisherman on Kalihiwai Bay under a Hau Tree. The Hau flowers continually and is related to the hibiscus. It blooms yellow and turns orange/red within the day and falls off. The red you see here are leaves turning however.

These yellow blossoms fell prematurely.

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© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography  

Obligatory Sunsets

I think it is a rule that photographers have to shoot the sunset at Ke'e beach here on Kaua'i. Looking down the Na Pali Coast near the winter solstice provides some nice color. So, I'm not going to get myself in trouble. Here are a few of mine. Hopefully I can post some from much later in the year too.

I shot this much closer to capture sun on the waves on a different day but wasn't successful. I'll be back to that spot!

The tide was low!

Great reflections in the area protected by the reef.

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© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Tropical Plant Studies

The plants here are amazing of course. It has been interesting how many shots lend themselves to black and white conversions. Perhaps the lack of really interesting light has led me in the black and white direction. The light has been, for the most part, pretty flat and dull during this tropical winter.

Flowering  red Ti.

Emerging water lily.

Fan palm detail

Fan palm detail again.

Palm leaves.

Click to enlarge images

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

I'm shooting thousands of images...

And I'm quite behind in processing and posting. Shooting here on Kaua'i is challenging. The sea, wind, rain, and sky conditions all contribute. Shooting in the morning in tough as there is often heavy cloud cover rendering everything that should be colorful as gray. Linda found a great website I've been using for assessing sky cover early in the morning (http://graphical.weather.gov/) I'll be switching to more evening shoots.

As shown here, some palms and moon at night. The vertical image is a composite of the moon exposure and the palm exposure.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/2 sec.for the palms and 1/60 for the moon, f/19, ISO 400, tripod used.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/2 sec., f/19, ISO 400, tripod used.

Click to enlarge images
© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Finally got my camera out of the bag...

but just barely. The property on Kaua'i that we are renting is a small (3.5 acre) botanical garden. I'm a bit overwhelmed with the sights and photog. project ideas. I haven't posted since Oct. 27th. I'll probably have something else from the California part of the road trip.

This is a decaying bird of paradise variant right off my lanai. It is about a foot wide.

Processed with Nik SilverEfex Pro, my own variant of the Antique Plate preset. Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200, 1/1000, f/2.8, ISO 200, handheld. Click to enlarge.

Darker, sharper version. Processed with Nik SilverEfex Pro, my own variant of the pinhole preset. Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200, 1/125, f/8, ISO 720, handheld.

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Zion National Park Water

Next stop on the road trip. I am almost angry that it took so long for me to get back to this amazing place. Falling water seemed to be the theme for me today. Click for a larger view.

Weeping Rock detail. Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/1500, f/2.8, 2500 ISO, handheld.

Lower Emerald Pool detail. Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/3000, f/6.7, 640 ISO, handheld

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography  

Sunrise at Capitol Reef

Just got there in time to capture the sun over the Waterpocket fold. 3 images merged via Photoshop HDR

 

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Fall Color in Summit County

Various fall color images from the nice (but brief) aspen changes this autumn in Summit county.

At the Frisco exit.

At the Frisco exit.

Red tundra on Independence Pass.

Pond on Highway 9 south of Breckenridge.

Floating Aspen leaves near Frisco.

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Just a Colorado Sunset

A sunset from the meadow at Boreas Pass near Breckenridge. What a beautiful night. The view is towards the southwest with Mt. Silverheels highlighted on the right. This was taken September 22, 2011. Note that snow was just beginning to fall at the highest elevations.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/120, f/8, ISO 400, tripod mounted.

Click images to see them larger. © Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography

Workshop with John Fielder

Before leaving Colorado, I could not resist the opportunity to sit in a workshop with the premiere Colorado nature photographer John Fielder. Apparently he does a workshop as a donation for the Summit County charity organization, Domus Pacis Family Respite every year. The session was scheduled to be in the fall color season but it was late this year so there was only a bit of color in the aspens. The pano below was taken 9 days later.

While all photo  workshops (well most anyway) turn into beginner sessions to some degree, I still found it really interesting and enjoyable to hear John discuss some of his great photography in detail. The workshop was at his house and included a gourmet dinner. John was engaging and an interesting leader. I enjoyed the day. Best quote of the day, "photographers are hunters of the anomaly".

I also really enjoyed the shooting session where we wandered around Fielder's neighborhood...with this view of the Gore Range:

8 Frame merged panorama: Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/125, f/16, IS0 200, tripod mounted. Merged with Photoshop CS 5.

...and see what caught his eye. It was an interesting way to do the shooting portion but could have been more in-depth. Basically, we wandered down the road, John would shoot something that caught his eye with his pocket cam and everyone would give it a try. There was lots of feedback and it was fun to see "through his eyes". If you have the opportunity to do this with John, I would recommend it. However, I  was disappointed that there wasn't more serious shooting. We were encouraged to keep moving before anyone could refine a shot of their own for the most part. Though I did capture a few keepers, see below.

Here are a few shots from that day that interested me...More black and whites than is my usual for nature shoots but I think that was prompted by the flat light and lack of fall color that afternoon.

The group was shooting in this area but I think I was the only one that turned and saw the great reds in the grass behind the aspen trunks. Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200, 1/60, f/8, IS0 800, handheld.

This shot was probably suggested by John. We spent quite a bit of time on the graphic elements of the aspen trunks. Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/100, f/16, IS0 800, handheld. The softness and glow are from the clarity slider in Adobe Camera Raw. Black and white conversion was Nik SilverEfex Pro.

This shot was probably suggested by John. We spent quite a bit of time on the graphic elements of the aspen trunks. Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70, 1/100, f/16, IS0 800, handheld. The softness and glow are from the clarity slider in Adobe Camera Raw.

This shot was probably suggested by John. We spent quite a bit of time on the graphic elements of the aspen trunks. Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200, 1/400, f/2.8, IS0 800, handheld. I was working on compressing the grove with the telephoto on this one. Black and white conversion was Nik SilverEfex Pro.

John was suggesting a wider landscape of these trees with the Gore Range in the background here. I didn't like that shot so went vertical and tighter. This black and white conversion of this shot shows how flat light does not always ruin the day. This shot in color is quite dull. Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200, 1/3200, f/2.8, IS0 800, handheld. Black and white conversion was Nik SilverEfex Pro.

Final timely note, Fielder's newest work from Africa is set to debut at his gallery in Denver on Saturday, October 15, 2011. I saw a few proofs and it looks really interesting. The images are all in a panorama format.

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography

Leaf Impressions

Wherever You Go images...

Back in Boulder County for a few days and walking around Waneka Lake. This is a place I have been so many times and so is a perfect example of my Wherever You Go prescription. If you look, you can always find something new to shoot especially if you are willing to over process the hell out of it.

iPhone snapshot
Processed by TiltShiftGen App and PS Express App

iPhone snapshot
PS TiltShiftGen App

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography 

Pine Beetle Kill

A Wherever You Go image...

The pine beetle has killed a lot of trees in Summit County. This image is from the peninsula on Dillion Res. near Frisco. The sky was beautiful as I drove home and the trees were, well, just dead.

Nikon D3
Nikon 50mm 1.4
1/100 f/4 ISO 800
Handheld

© Steve Gandy Photography - SteveGandy.com/photography