This past weekend was spent walking among giant boulders in an area called the Marcus Slide. This particular rock is on the edge of the slide and is one I keep photographing because it looks so different from almost every angle.
All posts by Marianne Skov Jensen
beginnings
This is the first time I’ve seen a Saguaro with this many arms in their beginning stage. Pretty cool. Now that I know where it is, I could track its growth but considering the giants in the background are probably 100 plus, I won’t be able to document much growth in my lifetime. Live strong, big guys!
infrared spring
I’m still organizing files and thus traveling down photo memory lane. Here’s one of my very favorite infrared shots from 2003. As a former cyclist, I’m always excited to see a bike in a scene but this was a dream come true. It was very early on a Sunday morning at Scott’s Iris Farm (near Santa Margarita, CA). I had just started shooting the Wisteria on the arch when a bike group trickles in. Knowing they were all going in to first use the rest room and then check out the flowers, I waited patiently and was rewarded with this quiet scene.
Tech info: Infrared converted Canon D60, 15mm lens, f/16, 1/125th sec and yes….a tripod 🙂
a tripod equals sharper images
Still looking at old files, I find an entire folder from a trip in 2004 to the Grand Tetons that I hadn’t processed! When I saw images from Swabacker Landing, that morning became fresh in my mind. It was way below freezing and a layer of frost covered everything. Gorgeous. Here’s one of my favorites from that morning.
Swabacker Landing – Grand Teton National Park
This image is so incredibly sharp that there’s no doubt I used a tripod. Check out this 100% crop of the reflection:
I should also mention that this image is made up of 5 vertical shots which accounts for the size at 100%.
Yes; I acknowledge the difference tripods can make! They’re just too much of a hassle so I will still rarely carry one 🙂
shoot today for it may be gone tomorrow
While in my 2003 Arches folder yesterday, I found images of a tree that was no longer standing by Balanced Rock when we visited last year. It proves the point that we need to shoot it when we see it! I would have loved another chance to shoot the tree in sweet light but at least I was able to document it.
Balanced Rock Tree – converted to B/W using Photoshop’s B/W adjustment layer.
Tech info: 15mm lens on a Canon 10D.
dueling blogs
One of my shooting buddies, Barry White, just started a blog. I’ve been giving him a hard time about it for several years so it’s about time! Welcome Barry 🙂
His photo today is very similar to my first shot of Balanced Rock so I thought I’d post mine. My shot was taken on October 7th, 2003. (I like Barry’s shooting angle better than mine). I was with him when he shot his (2009) so I know he did an HDR. Mine is just a single shot but I did “Topaz it Up” a bit 🙂
Our images remind me of a favorite “What the Duck” strip.
infrared desert
I have been neglecting my infrared camera! Here’s a shot from Pinnacle Peak Park.
LifePixel is the company I used to convert my camera. If you’re thinking about converting an old camera, whether compact or SLR), click here for answers to any question you might have.
bajada nature trail
You might remember my earlier post about the Bajada Nature Trail but it occurred to me today that I haven’t posted any images of the finished trail. Here are two showing hikers enjoying the signage which is filled with photographs of the preserve. The trail is less than a mile but it can take awhile to see/read/enjoy all the information on the signs. A very worthwhile visit!
The Bajada Nature Trail is located at the Gateway Trailhead on Thompson Peak Parkway. Click here for a PDF map. Look to the center left for the Gateway Access Area (P).
michelin man saguaro
My intention, yesterday, was to photograph the Crested Saguaro again. I was so sure I knew the way but couldn’t find it! A little embarrassing since I had someone with me. But any hike in the Sonoran Desert is always rewarding which proved true when we spotted this wonderful Michelin Man Saguaro and two Harris’ Hawks.
Michelin Man Saguaro
Harris’ Hawks
high noon
Another saguaro shot from my hike on Thursday. I nicknamed him “the gunslinger” 🙂
I positioned myself so the sun was behind one of the arms and then took 3 exposures. I combined them using Photomatix and then converted to black and white.
The next image was taken earlier in the day but again the sun was behind the subjects resulting in a glow coming from the yucca and grasses. In this case, I had to hold my hand above the lens to keep the sun from shining directly into it. I took 3 exposures in order to cover the extreme light differences and used Photomatix to combine them.
