Aug
23
2010

Glass Mountain

It’s not really made of glass, of course, but if you are traveling in the Cathedral Valley of Capitol Reef National Park, the exposed mound of selenite crystals (gysum) is definitely worth a stop.

Glass Mountain is located about 0.5 miles north of the Temple of the Sun along a road that splits off from the path that leads to the Temples.  The Mountain is a jumble of large crystals that rise about 20 feet from the valley floor.  There is a fair amount of clay covering the crystals, and as shown below, there is likewise a significant amount of inclusions within the milky white crystals themselves.

Images of Glass Mountain were recorded at around 09:15  on July 23, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and  AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4.0G VR ED at the 20mmk (first image) or 16mm (2nd image).  Exposure was f/16.0 and 1/250s or 1/400s, ISO 400.

In addition to the obvious setup with Glass Mountain in the foreground and the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon in the background, this spot is also an excellent location from which to make a medium telephone shot of the Temples alone as shown below.

The image of the Temples of the Sun and Moon was recorded using the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lens at 52mm.  Exposure was f/16.0 and 1/80s, ISO 200.

GPS coordinates of the site are 38° 27.2863′ N, 111° 11.5066′ W.  A Google-Earth image of the site is shown below:

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Aug
20
2010

Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Moon

The Temple of the Sun and The Temple of the Moon are found near to one another in the most beautiful and remarkable Cathedral Valley District of Capitol Reef National Park.  The area is most easily reached from the Cainville Wash Road (about 18.5 miles east of the Visitor Center), which may be accessed by traveling east from nearby Torrey, the Park Campground, or points in the vicinity along Highway 24.  Although these natural cathedrals can be reached by traveling the commonly suggested route from the (Fremont) River Ford Crossing, e.g., clockwise around the Loop Road, if you will want to visit them during morning light (as you certainly should), then you must approach from Caineville.

The Temples are the first in a series of remarkable sights that await visitors traveling the anti-clockwise direction on the Cathedral Valley Road (mostly northeasterly).  They are within a quarter mile of one another at approximately 17.5 miles from the entry point at the Caineville Wash.

The images above of the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon were recorded at around 08:00 on July 23, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and the PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED.  Both images made shooting almost exactly into the west, since the morning sunlight shines directly onto the rock surfaces – beauty!  Exposure was f/16 and 1/60s (+0.67 EV), ISO at 200.  For rendering images of monoliths like the Temples, there is simply no substitute for the PC-E lens.  The shift controls are efficient and the lens is among the sharpest in the Nikon (or any) inventory.  The lens is manual focus, but the camera will indicate when you are on focus, so it is a minor compromise – negligible actually.  Easily one of my favorite lenses.

The Temples are composed of Entrada Sandstone formed from materials deposited during the Jurassic Period, approx 175 Ma +/- 30 Ma.  This is the same dark red layer that is prominently exposed in Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park (obviously, but throughout the park), and also prominently in Goblin Valley State Park.  The complete USGS specification for the deposit is ‘Entrada Sandstone of the San Rafael Group‘ and the type style is located at Entrada Point.  The big question then, is why only a few monoliths survive to tower over the valley floor.  The answer is that local fractures dominate the erosion pattern and that the valley as we see it now is the result of the random faulting and subsequent erosion of the Entrada Sandstone layer over the eons.

GPS coordinates for the site (closer to the Sun) are 38,27.0992N/111,11.4461W.  Read that 38 degrees, 27.0992 minutes north latitude; 111 degrees, 11.4461 minutes west longitude.

A Google Earth image of the area encompassing the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon appears below:


Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Aug
18
2010

Fruita Schoolhouse

Capitol Reef National Park.  Although it is the equal of any of the scenic wonders of the Grand Staircase, it is generally far less crowded than Zion or Bryce Canyon.  This is due to the simple fact that it lies a little further on down the road, and is therefore left off many a family’s itinerary.  The area is not recorded on official maps before 1872, and the road from Richfield to nearby Torrey was not paved until 1940.

In spite of its remote location, by 1880 Mormon settlers had established a farming and ranching outpost that would eventually acquire the name Fruita.  An apt name, for fruit orchards planted by the Mormon pioneers are still thriving here.  Capitol Reef was established in 1937 as a National Monument (NP in 1971), and by the late 1960s the Park Service had acquired most of the privately held property.

One of the more interesting remaining pioneer buildings is the one-room Fruita Schoohouse shown above.  The structure is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and the specific entry may be found here.

The image of the schoolhouse was recorded at about 16:00 MDT on July 22, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens at 16mm.  Exposure was f/16 and 1/320, ISO 800.  Image converted to BW using Nik Silver Efex.

The boulder inscribed with the name of the location lies just behind the schoolhouse (north).  In addition to the engraved ‘Fruita Grade School’, there are a plethora of other minor inscriptions.  Same exposure and processing parameters as for the schoolhouse image.

Images like the schoolhouse have become prime candidates for what has become known as one-shot HDR processing.  Using this method, single RAW files are converted into HDR images as shown below.  Images converted to HDR using Photomatix Pro 3.

The results are almost always processed using Details Enhancer mode (in Photomatix parlance) to produce a characteristically illustrated or ‘painterly’ representation of the image.  I don’t know.  Although I reject all impressionistic representations on the basis of principle, that is not really the issue here.  There is something simultaneously intriguing and unsettling about this representation.  Frankly, it is certainly more compelling than the BW representation in many instances.  Anyway, if you like this sort of thing, I invite you to enjoy the effort.  At any rate, I cannot resist the opportunity of exploring new methods, so you’ll see more of this stuff.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Aug
16
2010

Coyote Crops

Blame it on the HP.  ‘The pictures on your blog are too small’, says the HP.  This in reference to the May 20, 2010 entry.  I respond that they are the standard size (which is about 520px by 347 px, in a frame template).  ‘But, you can’t see what the coyote is eating’, adds the HP.  I explain that I don’t usually publish cropped images, since it’s kind of poor form (a mild understatement in some quarters).  The look.  The look that says, ‘What, another silly rule from your geek-photographer cronies?’  Cronies?  I don’t even have any cronies…  Hmm.

So I sort of forget about the discussion.  Not for long though.  Two days later the HP says, ‘So, did you make up some close-ups of the coyote?’ Not yet sweets.  ‘You should do that so people can see what the coyote is eating’, the HP responds.  There are choices.  I make the correct one.  The results are shown above and below.

So what does the HP think of the cropped images?  ‘Ewww! Cool!’  Yep, blame it all on the HP.

The cropped images of the coyote and some partially consumed rodents were recorded at around noon on May 20, 2010, in the Hayden Valley of Yellowstone National Park using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR lens at 400mm.  Exposures were all at f/8 with a shutter speed of around 1/2000s, ISO at 1600.  All shots were made handheld.  I’m not aware of any lens that is better suited to general wildlife photography than the 200-400mm VR.  It is not light by any means (~7 lbs), nor is it the sharpest lens at long distance, but the ability to shoot handheld is indispensable.

The official map of Yellowstone National Park may be found here.

A Google Earth image of the Hayden Valley appears below:

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Aug
02
2010

Yellowstone Diary: May 20, 2010

The images above of a coyote executing effective  mousing technique were recorded at around 12:00 on May20, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR lens at 400mm.  Handheld.  Exposure was f/8 at 1/2000s, ISO 1600.  I see that you think that perhaps 1/2000s was overkill…  Spend a few days shooting wild critters and you’ll come around.

The rain abated long enough for us to make a run for Artist’s Point to record images of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  It’s simply an awesome location – easily as elegantly beautiful as the, well, real Grand Canyon, without the hoard (but do note the time of year).  Do not miss this.

Finally, and as promised, the now long-awaited story of the incident at Blacktail Lakes…  Driving back westward from the Lamar Valley we encounter a traffic jam at Blacktail Lakes.  As I run the truck up slowly behind the jam, we hear the unmistakable call of the wolf : Loud, solo, and clear.  Then other members of the Blacktail Wolf Pack respond, and soon a cacophony of howls and barks fill the air.  Spooky in a kooky species-memory sort of way, and unforgettable.

The sow bear and her big cub were defending the carcass from nine members of the Blacktail wolf pack.  Four wolves remain close to the bears, menacing and harassing them continuously.  Three other members of the pack pose a little further away, and two more a bit further yet.  The interaction of wolves and grizzlys is as wild as it gets I suspect.  Griz may be the king of the park, but the wolves haven’t got the news, and most probably couldn’t care less.  The wolves are interested in the protein, and apparently being no more particular about the freshness of said protein than Griz, they aggressively challenge the bears for the chance to feed upon it.  The bears are powerful and quick.  The wolves are less powerful, but smarter, well-organized, and quicker.  Its facinating to see how the skill sets interact.

The bears become agitated with the presence of the wolves, and occasionally turn and charge them as shown in the image below.  The wolves give up only minimal ground and return to close proximity as soon as the bears turn back to the carcass.

As remarkable as it was to view this remarkable interaction, things got even more interesting.  A third bear descended post haste upon the ponds from the high ground to the north.  Watching this animal descend the hillside provided clear evidence in support of the adage that you cannot outrun Griz – not a chance, not even close.  This larger animal intimidated the sow and big cub, who moved off the carcass without putting up any sort of protest (see below).

The bear does most of the feeding, that is certain, but by my conservative estimate, Ursus Actos Horibilis get nipped in the backside about every 30 seconds for the privilege.  Dude, those wolf bites are gonna smart some in the morning…  When the bears do finally get their fill, the wolves were on site to consume everything left.  Curiously, I never saw a wolf or coyote venture into water, not even paw-deep.  Canids generally seem to tread water without fear, members of  Canis lupus familiaris even seem enjoy a good swim, so it is a little odd that the wild cousins are apparently hydrophobical (hee hee).

Images of Grizzlies and the Blacktail Wolf Pack were recorded at between 21:00 and 21:30 MDT using the D3s and the 200-400mm lens at 400mm.  Yeah, that was around 21:00.  Checking the almanac, sunset was at 22:00, but with the overcast sky, it seemed much darker than anticipated.  Exposure was in the range of f/5.6 to f/8, with shutter speeds in the range of 1/5s to 1/15s, with ISO set at 25600.  Being able to recorded images under such low light is excellent, but there are issues.  Chief among them are WB and apparent exposure level.  As the images above reveal, I am still experimenting with WB.  Auto WB produces images that seem too blue-green, but what do we think is appropriate? Right now I’m thinking that late evening coloration might be best.  Ditto on the apparent exposure.  I’ve also been experimenting with BW conversion – stayed tuned for some examples.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Jul
26
2010

Yellowstone Diary: May 19, 2010

YNP is the sort of place that will confuse a photographer.  From Mammoth Hot Springs for example, one can walk over and visit the many excellent thermal features, take a drive north along the Gardner River to the northwest corner of the park and beyond, or head eastwards, first to the Blacktail Deer Plateau, then to the Tower-Roosevelt junction, and then further on to Specimen Ridge and the Lamar Valley.  What to do…  What to do…  The weather on the morning of May 19, 2010, was not too promising, and as a hedge against making the wrong choice, we decided to begin the day wandering through the hot springs.

The image above of Palette Spring was recorded at 09:30 MDT using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lens at 58mm.  Exposure was f/16 at 1/25s (+0.67 EV), ISO 200.  The subtle coloring of the spring is apparent even in the rather moody morning light.

The image above of the HP was recorded at 11:30 MDT near the Main Terrace using the D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR lens at 29mm.  Exposure was f/16 and 1/200s (+0.33 EV), ISO 640.  This is an excellent location on a cloudy day – the mist from the spring dissipates seamlessly in the clouds.  The mineral colors here are intense and form remarkable combinations of light and dark hues.

From Mammoth Hot Spring we headed eastward along the Grand Loop Road (Montana/Wyoming Highway 212?).  As is often the case in the National Parks, a large group of cars being herded around by a Park Service Ranger alerted us to a potential animal encounter.  And what an encounter it was!  A Black Bear sow and two cubs had committed to forage alongside the highway, and then by default decided to let about 200 spectators join in the fun.  Things began to get interesting when the trio decided to cross the road from north to south.  It is rather remarkable that many of the critters in the park seems to have no fear about crossing two-lane highways.  The traffic even this early in the season is far from light.  At any rate, cross the highway they did, and not only that, but also trotted along the road southward bringing themselves very close to where the Dude had set up for a shot of the group.  The ranger on duty decided that the bears had become uncomfortably close to the human, and began clapping his hands in an effort to move the bears from the vicinity of the road.  This had the effect of triggering an instinctive response from the bear cubs: which is to dash for the nearest tree, and pin themselves to the tree trunk in preparation for a rapid retreat up and out of harm’s way.

Later in the day, we had the opportunity to again view the cousins of the Black Bears, the two Grizzly Bears at Blacktail Lakes (or Ponds, it appears to be labeled ‘Ponds’ on maps, but there is a sign at location indicating ‘Lakes’).  As on the previous day (May 18, 2010), the two animals searched and searched until they located their prize, a mostly-consumed Buffalo carcass submerged in the lake.  It is an absolute joy to have so much wildlife in such close proximity.  In particular, it is evident that the behavior of Black Bears and Grizzly Bears is remarkably distinct.  While black bears seem well setup for life in and around trees, and at any rate they never seem to venture far from the confine of the forest, Grizzlys seem to favor open valleys and meadows – but probably just about anywhere they can locate a reeking something to eat…

The images above and blow were recorded on May 19, 2010 at about 18:30 MDT using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR lens at either f/8 and 1/3200s, ISO at 6400 (above, experimental conditions?) or f/8 and 1/800, ISO 3200 (below) using the Nikon 200-400mm lens at 400mm.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Jul
13
2010

Twins

In most years, during the late spring and early summer, the backyard of Casa Don Pedro is home to Mule Deer fawns.  This year we are particularly fortunately to have not one, but twin fawns running around the back.  Since deer as usual generally only appear during the early evening and morning (perhaps crepuscular is the proper word), it can be bloody difficult to make their picture.  Persistence pays off here though, and over the course of the past two weeks I was able to photograph the twins during their brief recons of the hillside.

The images above were recorded between June 22 and July 6, 2010 at various evening hours, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR Zoom lens at 400mm.  Exposure was f/8 and 1/200-250, ISO 5000-12800.  No Noise reduction.  All handheld.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Jul
07
2010

Yellowstone Diary: May 18, 2010

On May 18, 2010, we drove from Old Faithful Inn north to Mammoth Hot Springs in the northeastern sector of Yellowstone National Park.  In the spring through summer of 2010 the road between Madison to Norris  was closed from 10pm through 8am, with 30 minute delays at other times.  We were only stopped once on the transit, for approximately 15 minutes.

Near Twin Lakes we encountered a crowd of onlookers viewing a cow elk standing in south Twin Lake.  This elk had been attacked earlier in the day or on the previous day by one or several wolves and had sought refuge in the lake.  I never thought about it before, but although I’m quite certain that wolves can swim well, they would never be able to mount an effective amphibious assault on an elk.   A simple but effective temporary defense on the part of the elk, however we later learned that the it had been taken by the wolves a day later.  The image was recorded at 11:23 MDT using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED lens at 400mm.  Exposure was f/8 and 1/1250s, ISO 1600.  Cropped.

After a brief stop in Mammoth, we drove to Gardiner (~5 miles north) to pick up supplies.  As rain appeared quite likely, and we had forgotten to bring umbrellas (okay, get umbrellas on the master list!) we also picked up a couple of inexpensive specimens ($5!).  Passing back through Mammoth, we ventured eastward into the heart of the northern section of the park.  Literally within minutes after leaving Mammoth we were rewarded with the most excellent opportunity to view a pair of Grizzlies (sow and a 2nd-year bear) devouring a bison carcass at Blacktail Ponds.  Much of the roadway between Mammoth and Tower-Roosevelt is elevated, and in the area near Blacktail Ponds it is approximately 50ft or so above the pond level, providing a favorable perspective on anything that might occur there.

The images above and below were recorded at ~16:00 MDT on May 18, 2010, using the D3s and the 200-400mm lens at 400mm.  Cropped.  Exposure was f/8.0 and 1/800s, ISO 12800.  Yeah, that was 12800.  No noise remediation in these images.  I’ve found that all of the known noise reduction packages produce a weird and unrealistic softening of the image, whereas, at least with images out of the D3s, just working up the image in the normal way leaves a sense of graininess that is reminiscent of high ISO film.  For my $, I prefer the latter.  Of course it rained during entire session with bears – thankful we got the umbrellas.

Later in the day and further east near Tower-Roosevelt we encountered a young moose in a ravine along the side road to the Petrified Tree.  As above with Griz, the road elevation helped make the relatively short direct distance between wildlife and photog safe for both.  The image below was recorded at 19:20 MDT on May 19, 2010, using the D3s and the 200-400mm lens at 380mm.  Exposure was f/8 and 1/500s, ISO 12800.  No noise reduction.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Jul
01
2010

Yellowstone Diary: May 17, 2010

The third day of our trip to Yellowstone National Park started with a visit to the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake.  This area includes West Thumb Geyser Basin, Grant Village, and of course the eponymous extent of Yellowstone Lake.  Although smaller in total area than either the Upper Geyser Basin or the Midway Geyser Basin, West Thumb Geyser Basin boasts a number of excellent thermal features including Abyss Pool and Black Pool on the northern edge of the central basin; Fishing Cone on the Yellow Lake side of the central basin; Seismograph and Bluebell Pools on the southern edge of the basin; and the springs along the center line of the basin including Surging Spring, Percolating Spring, Ephedra Spring and Blue Funnel Spring.  All of these features may be easily visited over short distances along two concentric boardwalk loops.

The image above of Abyss Pool, was recorded at 10:00 MDT on May 17, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lens at 24mm.  Exposure was f/16 and 1/30s (+1 EV), ISO 200.  Polarizer used to cut the reflection from the hot spring.  Abyss Pool is a very deep and remarkably beautiful spring, unique even amongst superlative thermal features.

The image above of Fishing Cone Geyser was recorded at 10:26 MDT using the D3s and the 24-70mm standard zoom at  60mm.  Exposure was f/16 and 1/50s (+0.67 EV), ISO 200.  Polarizer.  The origins of the name of this famous thermal feature derive from tales told by mountain men who boasted of a lake in which one could catch a fish, and then immediately dunk it into hot spring, cooking it right on the hook.   As you can plainly see in the image above, Yellowstone Lake was still capped with several inches of slushy ice, and there was only about 20-50 feet of water between shore and the ice.  In spite of the shortage of clear water, what was available was enough to entice otters out for a swim.

In high season the West Thumb area is extremely popular, however this early in the year you will find only minimal services, e.g.,  just gasoline and a small convenience store.

After visiting the West Thumb area, we backtracked northwest along the highway to visit the Midway and Lower Geyser Basin areas.  Although these areas have fewer geysers, the ones that are found here are relatively active.  The springs are the best in the park, and include the singly most beautiful thermal feature found anywhere on the planet, the Grand Prismatic Spring.  Finally, the paint pots found here round out the roster of amazing thermal attributes that exist in this part of the caldera (I’ll try to patch in pics of both the spring and mud pots in future entries)

The image above of Spasm Geyser was recorded at 15:35 MDT using the Nikon D3s and the (new) AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II at 120mm.  Exposure was f/13 and 1/1600s (+0.67 EV), ISO 1600. Polarizer.

We spent the late afternoon along the Madison River, where we were most privileged to observe bison crossing the Madison River in search of the very finest YNP graze.  The image below of the HP confirms that she’s enjoying the awesome opportunity to photograph these grand animals in their natural environment.  Note that the HP is sporting the D300 – shot a bunch of excellent images  too- stay tuned for a guest entry.

Not only do the adult animals wander back and forth across the river at will, but calves also make the excursion.  The crossing of a calf is attended by no fewer than 3-4 cows, who first nose the calf into the water, and then wade across the river on the downstream side, harboring the calf and preventing it from descending too rapidly in the current.  I was completely unprepared for the sophistication with which the bison herds carry out their daily business.  The composite image shown below was recorded at about 18:15 MDT using the D3s and the AF-S VR Zoom- NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED at 400mm.  Exposures were in the neighborhood of f/11 and 1/640s, ISO 3200.  No noise reduction employed in these images.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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Jun
28
2010

Yellowstone Diary: May 16, 2010 – Madison River


Each year in Yellowstone National Park and immediate environs, bison execute a cyclical migration between the lower valleys in winter and the high valleys in spring.  Driving eastward from the west entrance from mid-to-late May along the Madison River, you become part of this journey because the Buffalo frequently travel along the same road.  The image above, of two bison cows and their calves (count legs) was recorded at 18:30 MDT on May 16, 2010, using the Nikon D3s and the AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED lens at 240mm.  Exposure was f/8.0 and 1/500s, ISO 1600.  Handheld.  Small herds of migrating buffalo will walk on the road surface (Highway 20/191/287,  same highway with various designations)  for significant distances, e.g., up to 0.5 miles, which can block both lanes of traffic for 20 minutes or more.  These animals are the largest terrestrial creatures on the continent (bull bison can weigh over a ton), so it makes sense for them to take the the more efficient  route (road) whenever possible.

The migrating bison superficially appear quite peaceful, but minor confrontations often occur.  The two animals shown above had a disagreement over the ownership of a particularly lush section of graze.  The interloper, left, lost his resolve rather easily.  The image above was recorded at 19:00 MDT, using the D3s and the 200-400mm lens at 400mm.  Exposure was f/8 and /1000s (+0.33 EV), ISO 1600.

The bison cows are remarkably attentive towards the calves, and while cow and calf are never parted for long, the herd also appears to engage in community protective behavior.  The image above was recorded at abut 19:00 MDT using the D3s and the 200-400mm lens at 400mm.  Exposure was f/8 and 1/1000s, ISO 1600.

The calves are normally happy to quietly skittle along beside the herd, but occasionally, without any apparent motivation, they will burst into a fit of rambunctious energy and go tearing around and through the herd.  A calf that has taken up this antic will carry on as such for several minutes.  I suspect that the elder bison find this sort of stuff to be undignified, if not outright annoying, but for the human it is genuinely entertaining.  Image above recorded at 19:00 MDT with photographical parameters as described above.  Cropped.

Of course this entry would not be complete without a close-up cute baby animal photograph.  I hope the image below fits the bill.

Copyright 2010 Peter F. Flynn. No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

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