Outdoorphotoquest

Photographing Mule deer on Kolob.

2011-12-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Had a great day photographing Mule deer on Kolob.

My very best friend Eldon Pierce got a new camera so we had to go try it out. We saw lots of deer and around 40 head of Elk. Evening is a great time to see some really nice deer right now.

As you can see there are some excellent bucks out there.

It was also great to see the Elk. I love to see them in Zion. We were not able to get close but they add nicely to the scenery.

Moving my blog

2011-07-21T15:40:00.001-06:00

I have moved my blog to a new location. Please join me and sign up for email notifications. http://cameraoutdoors.blogspot.com/

The Yellow-bellied Marmot is not just another rodent.

2011-07-18T10:44:00.001-06:00

Yellow-bellied marmots are one of my favorite photographic subjects.

I know they just look like overgrown rats with short fluffy tails to most but to me they have several redeeming factors that boost them up the scale from the other lowly rodents.

For one thing, they inhabit the upper elevations above 7000 feet and are, to me, a symbol of the high country. They often live in the same rock pile with one of my other favorites, the Pika.

They live in family units and warn each other when they spot something that might be dangerous.

They have beautiful coloration especially when the sun hits them just right.

They are easy to sneak up on for close photographs and they pose so nicely for the camera. (Notice the defiant look and the articulated limbs.)

For these reasons, I find Marmots almost impossible to pass up when I see them in the wild. I have actually sold several marmot photos including one or two cover shots for Varmint Hunter magazine.

Marmots are easy to find. Just look in almost any rock pile above 7500 feet and you will quickly notice them basking in the morning sun or scurrying about feeding on nearby grasses and other plants. Look for them the next time you are photographing in the high country. Get to know them a little better and I think you will appreciate them just like I do.

The California Condor: A very Personal experience with one of the worlds most endangered animals

2011-06-09T12:47:00.001-06:00

As a wildlife photographer, I am always looking for an opportunity to get close to wild animals. Several years ago, when rumors started to fly about California Condors frequenting the Kolob area near Zion National park, I decided to investigate and see for myself.

The first time I saw them, I found five, birds near a mountain cabin at the present viewing site. They were perched in the top of a tree and on the nearby rocks.

I took several photos and was just admiring them when I heard the rushing of the wind coming from close behind me. I instinctively ducked, slightly as a giant pair of wings passed no more than two feet over my head.

I can still remember feeling the air pressure change which caused me to lurch forward slightly as the condor passed by. It was a mature bird with a wingspan of over 9 feet and it landed on the fence not more than 30 feet in front of me.

I got several close photos and the experience left me with a feeling of awe for this very special bird.

Since that time I have viewed and photographed condors many times. I have watched them as they perform aerial ballets for the crowds that gather to see them on “The Day of the Condor” and since this is not a scientific writing, I can tell you that I am convinced that they enjoy putting on a show for people. I think that that bird was intentionally messing with me when it flew so close over my head.

Because of that first experience, I feel a tie with condors and I love to share these birds with others that may come away from the experience feeling a little stronger link with wildlife.

Come join us this year on June 18th for “The Day of the Condor” from 8 am to 12 noon at the Kolob viewing site just 21.5 miles north of Virgin, Utah for a chance to see and experience one of the rarest birds in the world.

Photographing Alligators in the Everglades

2011-05-24T15:30:00.000-06:00

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to produce and host a TV show about outdoor photography entitled "Outdoor Photo Adventures" for the Outdoor Channel. The very first show that we did was based in the Everglades National Park. Wow! What a treat for a boy from Utah to go to the worlds most famous marsh to photograph wildlife. The bird photography was great and I will talk about that later. I wanted to start this series on the Everglades with a few photos of Alligators.

The American alligator is probably the iconic species of the Everglades. You see them everywhere you go and they behave like they own the place (I guess they pretty much do). We were there in late February which is the best time to visit the park. The water level is still low and the stormy season is over.

I was walking along the pathway at the Anhinga trail when I came across this large male alligator with his head held high out of the water.

I, of course, stopped and took a couple of photos (okay maybe I took several dozen) When he started to bellow. He would move up and down in the water and let out this low growling noise. I had seen enough David Attenborough specials to know that this was a mating display and was designed to drive the females crazy with passion. Within a few seconds the entire marsh came alive with the deep, rolling, sound of many love starved alligators just out of sight of the camera. Needless to say, I took many more photos but non of them do justice to the event. The video that was shot for the show adds a lot to the experience.

This experience illustrates the point that it is great to look at others photos but it is much better to get out and see the world for yourself.

Mount McKinley, What a way to end the day.

2011-05-19T19:04:00.000-06:00

One of the absolute highlights of my trip to Alaska was the opportunity that I had to photograph Mt. McKinley. We were very fortunate in that it was visible on the evening that we had set aside. It is typically only seen about 3 days in 10 so I was excited to see the clouds part.

Mt. McKinley is 20,320 feet tall and is located in the middle of Denali National Park. The 90 mile gravel road, to the park's interior, is mostly traveled by buses as only a few private vehicles are allowed to traverse it. We were fortunate enough to purchase a photographer's pass so that we had free run of the road on our own time schedule. Most visitors must ride the bus, which is really quite convenient as they run every 15 minutes or so and make frequent stops. If you wish to spend additional time in one area you simply get off of the bus and catch the next one when you are ready to move on. This works well unless you want to stay late and catch the sunset on the highest mountain in North America. We were there in August and the light hung on until well after midnight.

Reflection Lake is located near Wonder Lake at about the 84 mile mark along the way. This is a great vantage point from which to shoot the mountain but it takes a long while to get there and if you stay until the light is gone. You will end up camping somewhere near it. We had a 20 foot motor home so that made it quite convenient.

We arrived at about 8 pm and set up the cameras. By the time we had set up, the clouds had opened up and the mountain was glorious. I started snapping photos and was able to try many different compositions. I continued taking pictures for over 2 hours.

At one point I turned around to see a bull caribou standing on the hill behind me. I had to stop long enough to photograph him as well.

About 9:30 pm I decided to try a panorama and shot 6 photos with the idea of stitching them together in Photoshop later. The panorama turned out to be one of my favorites and it hangs on my wall as a 17 x 70 inch print to this day.

Many of the photos that I took, even later than that, turned out beautifully as well. I especially like the alpen glow affect on some of the later photos.

This is a moment that I will never forget. I will always be grateful for the chance to visit Alask

The desert is great right now.

2011-05-14T19:32:00.000-06:00

This has been a very good week. With the temperature hovering around 70 degrees in the daytime, this is the perfect time to get out and see some of the incredible reptiles that are found in the Mojave Desert. I have taken 4 trips onto the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in Washington County and have seen 3 Desert Tortoises and several lizards. I am still looking for snakes and will let you know what I find. Here is a look at some of the species that I have seen so far.

Desert tortoise

Zebra-tailed lizard

Side blotched lizard

Leopard lizard

In a couple of weeks it will get really hot and the reptiles will be spending less time above the ground. Now is the time to get out and walk in our beautiful desert.

A great morning in the desert

2011-05-06T16:14:00.003-06:00

I had a hankering to get out in the desert this morning and see what was up and moving. One of my favorite things to do is get up early on a spring morning and go for a walk as the day begins to warm and the reptiles begin to wake up. this morning I spent a little time on the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in Southern Utah. I was richly rewarded by finding a desert tortoise feeding on the fresh fillery (storks bill) that grows here in the spring. They love it and it is very valuable for them as they build food supplies to get them through the heat of the summer. They only come out for a few short weeks in the spring to feed and mate and then again when it cools in the fall for more feeding. This is the best time to see one if you never have.

I also found the Quail out and feeding. This Gamble Quail took off on the run when I stopped to take his picture so I whipped out my trusty ipod, went to my Audubon bird app, hit the Gamble quail call and he popped up on the top of this bush to check me out.

Lastly, I ended up at a place that I frequented 44 years ago.

Fools names and Fools faces.

Baby bear and momma bear

2011-04-27T13:56:00.000-06:00

I had a great time photographing the animals from Triple D Game Farms last week.

This baby Black bear was exceptionally cute.

This is the only way you would ever want to photograph a bear cub. If you were to see one in the wild, you should move away very carefully.

Don't turn and run just back away as quietly as you can.

The most dangerous thing about finding a baby bear is that mom will always be close by.

If she sees you she will be very upset. You can try telling her that it was an accident but she won't believe you. You can try telling her that her cub is the cutest one on the mountain but that won't make any difference either.

Mother bears have no sense of humor so don't try joking with her. Basically, if she sees you, your toast.

Jumping Mountain lion video

2011-04-08T09:51:00.003-06:00

This is the video from two nights ago. It was shot by my son Alex.

Alex Chamberlain

I think it is pretty sensational. Let me know what you think.

Triple D is in town

2011-04-06T20:46:00.000-06:00

I got a chance to warm up a little with the guys from Triple D Game Farms today. It is still not too late to get in on the shoot on April 18th to the 20th if you would like. It is a great opportunity to get some great wildlife shots. See this post for more details. http://outdoorphotoquest.blogspot.com/2011/01/thee-are-just-few-examples-of-what-can.html

Photographing Harbor seals in the Kenai Fjords.

2011-03-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Another fun time in Alaska was taking a boat from Seward into the Kenai Peninsula. There were many glaciers in the area so it was common to see ice floating on the water. The Harbor seals take advantage of the floating bergs for a place to rest, protected from sharks and Orcas.

Harbor seals are the most widely distributed of all pinnipeds (walruses, eared seals, and true seals). In fact they are often referred to as common seals. Adult males reach a length of around 6 feet and will typically weigh just under 300 pounds. Females give birth to a single pup which she will raise without the help of the male. The pups are able to swim soon after they are born and grow quickly thanks to the mothers rich milk.

Harbor seals are fish eaters and are not too specific as to what species they will feed on. They can dive for over ten minutes and have been known to reach depths of about 1500 feet. Most dives are shorter and may only reach a depth of around 60 feet.

As you can see from these photos, they can vary in color from dark brown to a tan and are covered with spot patterns that can be used to identify individuals. Females can live for up to 35 years while the males usually die before they reach 25. Currently there numbers are estimated at around 6 million world wide. As you can see, they are not in any trouble in most areas.

We had a small chartered boat so we were able to move around freely. This allowed me to have a choice between a light or medium background. Depending on whether the water was reflecting the blue sky or a white cloud. The water was very calm on this particular day, allowing me to use a tripod from the boat. I was always careful to ask the captain to shut down the engine for each exposure as the vibration would have created unsharp images.

Let me know what you think.

Photographing Dall sheep in Denali National Park

2011-03-11T12:45:00.002-07:00

Some time ago I had the chance to go to Alaska for two weeks to film my TV show called “Outdoor Photo Adventures”. You can't imagine how excited I was to be there. One of the highlights of the trip was the time that we spent in Denali National Park. It is a beautiful place, to be sure, but I was mostly interested in the wildlife.

For as long as I can remember I have studied wildlife. First as a hobby and now as part of my quest to be a better photographer. I have spent a lot of hours reading, hoping that someday I would get the chance to see and photograph animals such as the ones that I saw on the trip. You can then imagine how excited I was as we drove our rented RV into the Toklat River ranger station and found a small band of Dall Sheep resting on the side of the mountain.

Dall sheep are very impressive animals. They are typically white in color although there are darker color phases as well. They live in the tundra areas of Northern Canada and into Alaska. The males have massive curling horns that they put to good use during the mating season or rut that occurs in late November and early December. During this period the rams will square off and butt heads violently in order to gain the right to mate with the local ewes. They tend to hang out in areas where they have a combination of open alpine ridges, meadows for feeding and rough rocky pinnacles where they can seek shelter from wolves or grizzly bears that may desire sheep to eat. Like other wild sheep such as the bighorn found in the lower 48, they are extremely adept at scaling cliffs and negotiating rugged rocky spires where no predator can hope to follow. Even the lambs can run along rocky cliffs and seem to defy gravity as they execute moves that would make the most experienced rock climber shudder with fear. Padded hooves help them to some extent but I think they are magic as well.

That is a little sheep natural history. Now back to my story.

The sheep that we spotted at Toklat were not obvious at first. We got out to stretch our legs a little and look around. As I looked up on the tundra slopes of the mountain nearby, I spotted what at first appeared to be a white speck of late snow at about 1 mile distant and about 1000 feet in elevation gain from where we were. I had a 600 mm lens attached to my Canon 20D for a focal length of 960 mm or about 19.2x magnification. With that kind of power I could barely make them out as sheep. We had a 1.5 mile hike in front of us lugging heavy still camera and video equipment but we were so excited that no one even questioned if we would make the effort or not. So we started up the mountain.

Our party consisted of my videographer and director Dan Blust, his girlfriend, Juliana, Alex Chamberlain my son and our assistant and myself. After we had covered the first half mile or so I paused to take the first photo.

Now, ordinarily, I would choose an indirect rout when trying to get close to a wild animal. This time however, we had no choice but to move straight up the hill, in full view of the sheep all the time. I was afraid that we would spook the sheep so I stopped every few minutes to photograph them.

I was pleased to find that they didn't spook easily. Much like other wild sheep and goats, they were very confident in their ability to escape these clumsy climbers if they needed to and were content to just continue resting while we worked our way closer. After an hour or so, we moved to within 150 feet of the sheep and were able to get some very nice shots.

What a great experience it was to be in Alaska and have the chance to see and photograph animals like Dall sheep. Now every time I see one of these photos I remember that trip and the great time we had in quest of some photographs of these magnificent animals.

I hope you enjoy these photos and the narrative. Let me know if you do by leaving a comment.

Snow goose Festival this weekend

2011-02-24T14:09:00.001-07:00

Come and join me at the Snow goose festival this week end in Delta, Utah. I will be there on Friday and Saturday February 25th and 26th. It is estimated that there are 30,000 geese there at this time. That will be the largest flock that we have seen in the 21 years that we have been holding the festival. We may see some winter weather this week which will just make the vision more beautiful. Plan on being there about 9:30 on either morning for the best look at the "fly-in". This is a great photo op and I can almost promise that you will get some worthwhile photos if you bring a 300 or 400 mm telephoto lens. Learn more about snowgeese by watching the video below and follow this link to another post on my blog.
http://outdoorphotoquest.blogspot.com/2011/01/snow-geese-are-on-move-again.html

A little snow can change everything

2011-02-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to spend some time at Bryce National Park this past weekend. Friday was beautiful but there was only a little snow with lots of mud on the trails. I took some photos and was happy with what I got but there was nothing really out of the ordinary.

(This is why we photographers marry such beautiful women. They make great models.)

Saturday morning we awoke to a foot of fresh snow in the parking lot at Ruby's Inn. It was still coming down and we ended up with over 18 inches before the day ended. I was excited to get out and photograph a different look in the park.

The snow really tends to give a pastel look to the colors in Bryce. It is a great contrast to what you normally see.

I wish I could have spent another day out there but other duties called. One tip when photographing in bright snow. Your camera's meter will try to turn the snow gray so you have to over expose by at least one stop and even more if the majority of the scene is white. All of these snow photos were exposed at 1 2/3 stops over. If you don't do that you end up with muddy gray snow.

I hope you enjoy these photos. Please let me know what you think.

Photographing nature from the window of my pickup.

2011-02-11T20:03:00.002-07:00

One of my “Face Book” friends looked at some of my photographs and made a kind comment as follows; “How do you just happen to be at the right spot at the right time for all of your awesome pics?” My comment back was that my wife tells me that I spend way too much time looking around when I am driving. I consider myself a safe driver, but I do tend to look for cool stuff on the side of the road. Nature is happening all around us all the time. I am afraid that many of us get so wrapped up in our lives that we miss a lot of beautiful stuff. With this thought in mind, I decided to perform a little experiment. I gave myself a photo assignment. What wonderful things could I see and photograph, from the window of my pickup, in three hours. I started with the Hurricane fields and went as far as Cedar Valley. I have to admit that I surprised myself a little. Not only did I see some wonderful sights, but I actually took some photos that I am happy with. See what you think.

This is a very dark rough-legged hawk. So dark in fact that I wondered if it was a young bald eagle when I first saw it.

What a beautiful bird. They are recognizable by the dark chest feathers.

This Northern Harrier is a common sight in agricultural areas. They can be seen flying low over the grass, looking for rodents to eat. They are also called Marsh hawks at times.

They can be identified by the facial feathers that form a disk. Many owls have these facial discs as well. They improve the birds hearing by funneling sound to the ears.

I have to admit that this is my favorite of the day. I have always admired Bald eagles. This one in Cedar Valley let me get quite close. Not too bad for shooting from my truck. This photograph was in Friday, February 11th Spectrum newspaper.

Just a word of advice. If you are going to take photos from a vehicle, make sure that you turn off the engine. The vibrations can cause your image to be less sharp than it should be. Even with fast shutter speeds.

I really enjoyed my three hour tour (apologies to Gilligan's Island). I saw much more cool stuff that I was not able to photograph. I intend to make this a regular assignment. Try it yourself and see what you think. Meanwhile, let me know what you think of the images.

What shutter speed means and how it can influence your photographs.

2011-02-05T16:23:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wondered what shutter speed does or how it influences your photographs, there is a good explanation on the video below. Having some knowledge of the factors that influence exposure will help you take better photographs. I have other instructional videos that I will post over time as well. If you have photographic questions that you are dying to have answered just post the question in the comment area and I will do my best to help. I hope you enjoy this and that it will take a little of the mystery out of photography for you.

Please let me know if this video is helpful. Leave a comment if you like what you see.

Photographing in Bryce Canyon National Park and Winter Fest 2011

2011-02-03T13:03:00.001-07:00

The good people at Ruby's Inn, just outside of Bryce Canyon, are holding the annual Spring fling on February 18^th and 19^th. They have asked me to come out and present a wildlife photography class on Saturday night. I am really excited to join them this year and look forward to spending a couple of days in the Park, even though it will be very chilly. I hope to come back with some snow photos for you to see later this month.

There is no place better to explore the play of light on a landscape than Bryce National Park. You can photograph direct light, reflected light and even re-reflected light. Don't be afraid to use your telephoto lenses to isolate features that interest you. I hope to see you out there this year. Here are a few samples to whet your appetite. Let me know if you like what you see. It would be great to hear from you.

Winter photography in Southern Utah, "I love to keep my cameral handy all year"

2011-02-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Winter is one of the main reasons that I live here in southern Utah. While other locations are digging out of the storm, I can grab my camera and enjoy the change in seasons with relative comfort. I have always said that I enjoy "going were the weather suits my clothes" (thank you Nilson). If I want to get into the snow, I can. If I don't, I can still shoot wildlife and landscapes just within minutes of my home. Let me share with you a few of the subjects that I have encountered this winter right here, practically in my backyard.

It is hard to imagine anything more beautiful that Zion National Park and the Kolob Canyons section. As the only National Park that is accessible from a major freway (I-15), you would think that millions of visitors would take the short, 5 mile drive and see the sights. You would be wrong.

The area receives very low visitation annually. You put a little snow on these peaks and add the low light angle and warm color of sunset, and you can come up with a pretty spectacular sight.

You can look at some of my previous, Pine Valley Mountain, post to see other landscapes that were taken close by as well.

Winter here is a great time to photograph waterfowl and other birds. This male wood duck is a good example of the beautiful birds that spend the winter with us. Tonaquint pond in St. George was the location for this photograph.

This female Buffle head duck was photographed on a private pond near Ash Creek.

This is the male Buffle head. Also photographed near Ash Creek.

This male Mallard in flight landed gently on Tonaquint pond also.

This Red-tailed hawk that I encountered on my way into Toquerville one evening.

I had to stop, turn around and back track to get these photos but it was worth it.

Here is a link to a bald eagle that I was able to find this winter as well.

A good friend of mine and a talented photographer Ron Niebrugge likes to quote Wayne Gretzky in saying, "You miss 100% of the shots that you don't take." It is certainly true. So get out and take some winter photographs. If you have any ideas for good places for me to go, please let me know through a comment.

North American eagles are fascinating birds and make spectacular photographic subjects.

2011-02-01T08:04:00.001-07:00

With the keenest eyesight of all creations and the strength to fly to altitudes of nearly 30,000 feet, Golden and Bald Eagles are among the most effective and successful of all predatory animals.

Their vision is considered to be comparable to six power binoculars and they also have the ability to see greater detail than most other animals. It is generally understood that they can see minute movement, such as a scurrying mouse, at distances of a mile or more.

Combine this with their ability to fly swiftly and silently, and the strength in their talons, and few prey species will escape detection and capture.

A Bald Eagle sets it's wings to soar and search for prey, on Kolob Mountain, Utah. Eagles have a wing span of up to seven feet and are probably the strongest fliers of all birds.

A little bit of Photoshop Lightroom 3 goes a long way.

2011-01-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

There is no question that I love Photoshop Lightroom 3. There is just so much that you can do to improve your images. I find that I can come close to matching the image I produce with the image that I envisioned at the time I captured it. I am not one who believes that you need to improve on nature necessarily but lets face it, no film or digital sensor can record what your mind sees when you look at a scene. Similarly, any woman looks better with just a little make-up. (Boy, am I in trouble now.) In Photography, just like with women, the trick is to apply just enough enhancement that it improves the presentation but doesn't become the subject itself.

My case in point is this image of Cedar Breaks National Monument. Cedar Breaks has got to be one of the most beautiful locations in Utah if not the world. Unfortunately, no film or sensor can accurately record the depth of color or the range in exposure that is available in each scene. The human eye and brain combine to create and image in the mind that is impossible to record on any medium known to photographers. However, with the use of computers and software, an image can be manipulated until it mimics what is seen in the minds eye.

below is an image that I captured this fall on a visit to Cedar Breaks. It is not a bad shot but does not approach the vision that I had in my head.

Using Photoshop Lightroom 3, I was able to take this same digital capture, apply a graduated neutral density filter (darkening the sky), turned up the exposure (lightening the rest of the photo), increased the saturation (deepening the colors) and vignette (darken) the corners a little. The resulting image below is very close to what I saw, in my mind, when I walked up to the edge of the canyon and took in the beauty that was presented before me.

Snow geese are on the move again

2011-01-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

Snowgeese spend the winter in Baja and the Gulf of Mexico and then congregate by the hundreds of thousands in the spring to migrate northward, nesting north of the arctic circle. The 6,000 mile journey takes three months or more as the flocks follow the ice melt to the top of the world.

Along the way they stop in established staging areas to rest and feed. One such staging area is Delta, Utah. Early each spring the white geese gather by the tens of thousands in the agricultural fields around the central Utah town.

They are attracted by the fresh green shoots that are beginning to emerge in the fields. They feed primarily in the early morning and late evening hours. In the middle of the day they can be found resting on Gunnison Bend reservoir just outside of town. Here they can be viewed and photographed as they rest and digest their morning meal.

It can be quite spectacular to witness the fly-in that usually occurs around 9 or 9:30 am. Thousands of geese fly in from all directions, dazzling the lucky observer and filling the reservoir with honking, squeaking birds.

The city of Delta and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources sponsor the Snow goose Festival every year to celebrate this spectacular, spring Phenomenon. Join them this year on February 26th and 27th for the festivities. Check the Millard County web site for details.

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite animals, the northern elephant seal

2011-01-25T13:38:00.001-07:00

The Northern Elephant Seal is the largest member of the order Carnivora. Males can grow to be over 20 feet long and weigh in excess of 10,000 pounds. They are also the deepest divers of all air-breathing animals. They have been documented to dive to depths of over 7800 feet below the oceans surface. In order to accomplish this, they have developed the ability to hold their breath for over 100 minutes.

Elephant seals have physiological and anatomical adaptations that enable them to store oxygen for these long dives. They have a much larger quantity of blood than can be stored in their arteries and veins. This extra blood is oxygenated and stored in sinuses located in the seals abdomen. When their body is in need of the extra oxygen, the stored blood is released into the blood stream and pumped to the muscles and tissues.

Elephant seals also have a compound in their muscles called myoglobin that allows the muscle cells to store extra oxygen.

Twice a year Elephant seals haul their huge bodies out of the ocean and onto the beach in order to breed and shed their old skin. The skin actually dies as a result of being denied sufficient oxygen during long dives. During these times the males have no chance to eat. Since most of their water is metabolized from the food they eat, they must conserve all the moisture that they can in their bodies.

The large trunk on the males actually serves to recycle the moisture from their breath as they exhale. This moisture is captured in sinuses within the trunk and is reintroduced into the animals body. All-in-all, a pretty amazing creature.

The molt is a great time to photograph these huge creatures. I recommend going to Cambria, California in early June and spending some time on the beach near San Simeon. There is a large colony there and the action continues all day long. The angle of the sun is best in the morning as it will be over your shoulder instead of in your face.

What does the ISO setting on my camera do?

2011-01-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wondered what ISO means as referred to in relation to your camera, there is a good explanation on the video below. Having some knowledge of the factors that influence exposure will help you take better photographs. I have other instructional videos that I will post over time as well. If you have photographic questions that you are dying to have answered just post the question in the comment area and I will do my best to help. I hope you enjoy this and that it will take a little of the mystery out of photography for you.

Photographed Pine Valley from Sky Mountain golf course's 10th tee

2011-01-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

This morning things really came together. I had a great sky and the light was most cooperative. I went to Sky Mountain golf course in Hurricane and made another attempt at photographing the sunrise on Pine Valley Mountain.

The 10th tee at Sky Mountain offers one of the most spectacular views of Pine Valley with a foreground that is simply breathtaking. The red cliffs along the Virgin river literally beg to be photographed. I again used the “Live View” mode on my Canon 7D with the self-timer set for 2 seconds. I also turned off the auto-focus and the image stabilization function. When shooting from a tripod, these functions are unnecessary and can actually cause blurred images with long exposures.

Let me know if you like what you see. I would love to hear from any of you. Until next time, may the light always shine for you.

Sunrise and some technical issues of photographing in lower light

2011-01-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

I got up early this morning and decided to go out and try my luck with a Pine Valley Mountain sunrise. It worked out so well that I decided to include a panorama that I put together in Photoshop. There were no clouds in the sky, as was the case last night, so I included this old ruin of a homestead in the photo to add interest in the foreground. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

I promised to tell about a few of the technical aspects of these photos as well. So, here I go. I try to shoot from a tripod when ever it is possible. Especially when I am creating landscape images. This allows me to stop the lens down in order to increase the depth of field and keep everything sharp. I try to shoot in the middle apertures (f/8, f/11, f/16) because they tend to be the sharpest settings. You can actually loose sharpness on some lenses if you stop them down too far (f/22 and farther). This, of course leaves you with a slower shutter speed. Hence, the need for a tripod.

I have discovered the advantages of using the “Live View” feature on my Canon 7D. It allows me to do several things. First of all, I can actually adjust the exposure visually. What you see on the screen is very close to what you get on the flash card. In order to do this you have to use the eyepiece cover that is supplied with the camera strap. This little gadget prevents stray light from entering the camera from the eyepiece which can mess up your exposure. The” Live View” function also locks the mirror in the up position so that it doesn't vibrate the camera when the it flops up during the exposure. Mirror flop is not really a problem with faster shutter speeds but can cause blurring, even with wide angle lenses, when you shoot slower than 1/15th of a second. Canon doesn’t tell you this little fact in the manual but it is an added bonus when you use “Live View”. The most important benefit of The “Live View” feature is that it lets me keep my hat on with the bill forward so that I don't look like a geek.

I also use the self timer when I shoot at slower shutter speeds. I set it on a 2 second delay so that I am not actually touching the camera when the shutter opens. This also helps to create sharp photos. Let me know If this information is helpful to you. Tell me what you think of the photos. Just for the record, I don't like the ruin of the building in the center of the panorama either.

Making a sunset photograph work

2011-01-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was driving home from St. George on I-15, I looked up at Pine Valley Mountain and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Unfortunately, I was too late to get into position to shoot a good sunset so I resolved to come back tonight and give it a try. It seems that the situation is seldom as good when you go back and set up your camera. The light was fine but the sky just didn't have the drama that it did last night. No clouds at all but I decided to make the best of it anyway.

The first thing that I had to do was to find an interesting location. There were several requirements. It had to offer a good view of the mountain with interesting shadows showing up at sunset. It also had to have an interesting foreground. Since the sky was somewhat lacking in character, I had to make up for it in foreground. Good scenic photographs must have either a great sky or an interesting foreground. The really great ones have both but a good photographer can make a photo by emphasizing one or the other.

When I found a good spot, I arrived early and experimented by taking photos from different vantage points in order to settle on the one that looked to be the most promising.

After settling on a place that seemed like it would work, I set up my tripod and fine tuned the composition. I like to try to make sure that all of the elements work together to create harmony in the frame. Now all that was left to do was wait out the light and take several exposures as the sun set and the shadows lengthened.

As the sun goes down the light takes on an ever-increasing warmth that really enhances the red rock that we have here in southern Utah. In fact it can almost get to be a little overwhelming at times as seen in this photo.

I like to continue shooting even after the sunlight no longer illuminates the foreground. In this particular shoot, my favorite frame was exposed with the sunshine just brushing the mountain in the background.

With a little help from Lightroom, I came up with a shot that will probably spend some time on my wall.

I'll go into some of the technical requirements of this shoot on tomorrow's post. Meanwhile let me know what you think.

Vermilion Flycatcher

2011-01-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Vermilion Flycatcher is one of the most saught after birds in the area for bird watchers. You can see why. It is elusive and beautiful. They are only found in the area in the winter time and even then there are only a hand full here. Right now you have a chance of seeing one in St. George along Riverside drive on the south side of town.

These photos were taken from the window of my car while sitting in a parking lot. With a little luck and my trusty ipod, I was able to get it to come close enough for a reasonable photograph.

Photo contest dislay

2011-01-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

When you get a chance go to the Red Cliffs mall and see the display for the bird photography contest. It is located at center court and looks great. Thanks to all that sent in photos. They look wonderful. Congratulations to the winners.

Mule deer feeding

2011-01-13T18:10:00.000-07:00

I was watching deer near my home this evening and was thrilled to see more than 50 head feeding in this field. It was fun to watch them come down from the hillside and mill around.

I saw a few small bucks and then this one stepped out from the brush. He is probably a three or four year old and has a lot of growing yet to do but he should be a dandy one day.

He followed the rest of thee deer around the field just feeding and chasing the younger bucks. This time of year, deer are only concerned with surviving the winter. They don't have much to eat and rely on fat stored under their skin to get them through.

In southern Utah they tend to congregate near the roads and highways in the early evening. The light is great and the deer remain undisturbed if you will just stay in your vehicle. Soon after these photos were taken a couple stopped to look and got out to get closer. Needless to say the deer left, wasting precious energy reserves and were not able to spend the time feeding. By all means stop and look. Just stay in your car and let the deer feed in peace.

Bird Photography contest

2011-01-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

The St. George Winter Bird Festival

is hosting a

Bird Photography Contest

This is the forth year for the Bird Photography Contest. This year we will be changing things a little bit. All photos will be submitted digitally by email attachment at birdphotographycontest@gmail.com. There will be no entry fee and only two catagories; Junior – under 18 years of age as of January 31^st 2011 and Senior – 18 years and older after January 31^st 2011. All entries must be received no later than January 10, 2011. No entries will be accepted after that date. Judging will take place before January 14, 2011. All entries will be displayed digitally in the Red Cliffs Mall at 1770 Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, Utah during business hours from January 13^th through January 30^th. Sears retail store, located in the mall, is furnishing the HD televisions for the display. We are grateful to the Red Cliffs Mall and Sears for helping sponsor this contest.

We are happy to welcome Clik Elite camera packs as a full sponsor this year. They will be furnishing prizes for our winning images as follows

Grand prize - Clik Elite, Pro Elite camera pack + Clikstand ($425.00 value)

1^st Prize 1 in each category - Clik Elite Pro Express camera pack ($225.00 value)

2nd Prize, 1 in each category - Clik Elite Trekker Waistpack ($90.00 value)

Honorable mention, 3 in each category - Clik Elite small Accessory Pouch ($20.00 value)

Entering is easy and free. Simply email your best bird photos, as full resolution j peg attachments, to birdphotographycontest@gmail.com

You may enter up to 4 images in the contest.

All images must be “single capture” images only (no montages or composite images).

In the subject line indicate your age category.

In the body of the email please include your name, mailing address and the title of the photo or photos.

You will be informed by return email if you are one of the winners. Prizes will be awarded at the banquet on Saturday evening January 29^th. If you are a winner and unable to attend the banquet, your prize will be mailed to you the following week.

I have used these bags and they are exceptional. The quality is great and the design is the best I have found.

Spring flowers in the desert

2011-01-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

I took these photos a few years ago in Organ Pipe National Monument in Arizona. With the wet winter that we are having we could see these kind of blooms this spring also. I'll keep you posted.

Triple-d Game Farms in Utah

2011-01-07T10:24:00.006-07:00

These are just a few examples of what can be produced at the wildlife shoot in Southern Utah in April. DDD Game Farms will be coming down from Montana for most of April. They bring with them some of the most beautiful and best cared for animals that I have ever seen. What a chance to photograph these creatures with the the incredible red rock scenery that we have to offer here. I have 4 places still available for anyone who would like to take advantage of this opportunity.

The dates will be April 18 - 20, 2011, and the cost is $1650 for all eight sessions (species). A $200.00 non-refundable, deposit is required asap in order to reserve a spot. Email me as soon as you can and let me know if you are interested. Click here to email me.

There will also be a chance to photograph either birds of prey of horses on April 21st for $350 with a $100.00 non-refundable, deposit due asap.

Bald Eagle

2011-01-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

Driving through Zion National Park today I saw this Bald eagle on an old dead ponderosa pine tree. I was able to take this photo right out of the truck window with my trusty Canon 100 - 400 mm IS L zoom. My Canon 7D with 18+ megapixels allowed me to crop just a litte bit to further help the image.

By the way, there are three deer carcasses in the area and the eagles are eating well. California condors have also been seen on the dead deer. It is located just 200 yards to the east of the east entrance station but still inside of the park.

2011-01-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Zion still looks great even several days after the storm. The traffic is light and the sound of ice falling off the cliffs rumbles through the canyon.

The east side has about a foot of snow. Look for Bighorn sheep east of the big tunnel.

Mountain lion

2011-01-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Mountain lions are large, powerful, predators that deserve our respect and protection. A large male may weigh as much as 200 pounds and be over 8 feet long from nose to tail.

There have been recent attacks by lions but mainly in places were they are not hunted. When they are hunted, they tend to maintain a healthy distance from humans.

They are seldom seen in the wild because they are so aware of their surroundings and will usually do what they need to do to stray away from people. These photos were taken of a captive animal courtesy of Triple-D Game Farms from Montana. They will be bringing their beautiful animals to Southern Utah in April. Contact me if you are interested in photographing them. lynnchamberlain.photo@gmail.com

Bighorn sheep

2011-01-03T14:22:00.001-07:00

There is a resident herd of Desert Bighorn Sheep in Zion National Park.

They were put there in the late 1960's and were thought to be lost until recently.

Now they are considered one of the largest sheep herds in Utah.

They fooled everyone and managed to thrive. "Life finds a way"

Zion in the Snow

2011-01-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

Zion was beautiful last week in the snow. It was one of those rare times when the stars line up right and we get snow in the park.

Then it turned very cold and froze everything in place until I could get there and photograph it.

Sage grouse

2009-10-28T16:15:00.001-06:00

Early, every spring, sage grouse begin their mating dance that is played out on the prairie floor with great energy and persistence. In mid march and early April the male grouse begin gathering at breeding grounds called leks.

Many leks have been in use for longer than records have been kept. The males return year after year to continue the dance and attract females for breeding. They arrive in the middle of the night and reserve a favorite spot to display. Just before dawn, the females fly in from the surrounding sage and the party begins. Females stroll by, seemingly ignoring the strutting males. Then for some reason undetectable to this observer she will select a male and mate.

It is a process that has gone on for hundreds of years in the same place. Recently efforts have been undertaken to catalog and study these leks in an effort to sustain this species and better understand them.

In order to photograph these fascinating birds you first have to locate a suitable lek. Then be prepared to arrive well before daylight, set up your blind, and stay until the birds leave, well after sunrise.

Pika

2009-10-27T13:16:00.000-06:00

A pika is a small, furry creature that lives in rocky slopes at high altitudes in the mountains of the western U.S and Canada. They are actually the smallest member of the Rabbit family and look a little like a cross between a rabbit and a mouse.

Pika thrive in one of the most inhospitable habitats to be found anywhere. They endure sub-alpine winters where the snow depth can be in excess of 30 feet and the temperature regularly reaches -30 F. in the winter. This is particularly interesting since, as rabbits, they do not hibernate.

Pika have adapted a very interesting lifestyle in order to deal with the harshness of their environment. They develop family communes in the rocks and work together to fill their needs. During the short alpine summer, they scurry about gathering grasses and sedges that surround the rocks and pile them up in stone pockets that are found under the surface of the talus slope. When the snow flies and the wind blows in the winter, the pika in the colony retreat to the depths of the rock pile and eat the fruits of their labors all winter long. The temperature under the surface stays warmer as they are insulated by the snow cover and in this way they are able to survive the cold.

Pika can be found on almost any mountain top over 9,000 feet. Locate them by walking through the rocks and listening for the "chee chee" sound that they emit when they are alarmed. To photograph them just find a comfortable place to sit and soon you will see them scurrying about gathering their years supply.

Mule deer

2009-10-26T15:18:00.000-06:00

We are just coming into the best time of year to photograph wild Mule deer. The month of November is the mating season for muleys and the bucks are at their prime.

Referred to as the RUT, the mating season lasts for about 4 weeks and the competition is high for the does. Mature bucks will gather harems of females and defend them against all other bucks that may try to steal one or two. This is one of the few times that bucks and does spend any time together.

Two of my favorite places to photograph mule deer are almost in my back yard. Zion National Park receives little visitation from humans in November but I'll be there with my telephoto lens. Look for deer up Zion canyon near the Zion Lodge. Some nice bucks move into the park for the winter and they are quite approachable.

The other location is called the Paunsugunt and is located to the South and East of Kanab, Utah. This is a limited entry, trophy deer hunting unit and can be quite spectacular in November.

California Condor

2009-10-26T12:21:00.000-06:00

The California Condor is one of the rarest birds in the world. There are less than 325 of them flying in the wild. The last remaining wild birds were taken from the mountains of South Central California and put into a captive breeding program in 1983. They were later reintroduced in California, Baja and Northern Arizona. More than 60 of these magnificent birds frequent the Kolob reservoir area in Southern Utah near Zion National Park. There is no better place to see and photograph them. The largest flying birds in North America, condors have a wingspan that approaches 10 feet. They can sail for hours on thermals and frequently travel for miles without stopping. They feed exclusively on carrion and locate food by using their keen eyesight and believe it or not, by following turkey vultures and ravens.

Waterfalls

2009-10-25T20:33:00.000-06:00

I love to photograph moving water. Two of my favorite places to do this are the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and Glacier National Park in Northern Montana. I love the color and pristine look of the streams.

I really like the look that can be achieved when you slow the shutter to less that 1/4 second and let the water move through the frame while the shutter is open. I also love to photograph when there is a little fog or mist in the air.