Randy Davis Nature Photography: Blog

I almost MISSED this amazing photo!

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 01:25:38 GMT

If I hadn't turned around and taken one last look at the scene I would have missed this amazing photo!

It was early spring in Southern Idaho. My plan was to go out and photograph the camas fields as they were blooming. Unfortunately, it was still too early in the season and the flowers weren't quite ready to be photographed. As I was driving to the location that I thought the flowers would be best, I noticed a stream that made a perfect leading line into Little Camas Reservoir so I made a mental note to check it out when I had time or when the light was right.

I spent the majority of the day exploring and trying to find camas flowers or any wildlife. I actually came away with a few pretty good shots of Cinnamon Teal ducks! As the day went on, I could see that there was a storm rolling in. I decided to cut my losses and head back toward Mountain Home. When I made it back to the reservoir I pulled over to see if I could find a good composition to include the stream, lake, and mountains in the distance. I crossed the highway and scampered up an embankment on overlooking the scene.

It was cold, windy, and starting to rain. The sky was gray and uninspiring, but I had found a good composition. After taking a few test shots it was time to leave. The light had all but faded as the sun was setting behind a massive cloud bank. I packed up my gear and headed to the car a little let down by the way the day turned out (other than the ducks...that was cool). I crossed the road and made it back to the car, paused, and turned to take one last look at my potential future photo.

To my amazement, the clouds were starting to glow a brilliant orange! I sprinted back across the road and up the hill just in time to capture this image. The sunset was blazing to my left and there was a double rainbow to my right, but right in front of me is where the real show was. Just as I'd envisioned a few minutes earlier. I didn't think I'd get the shot so soon!

Little Camas ReservoirBrilliant sunset over Little Camas Reservoir, Idaho.

Lesson learned. Don't leave a location until the light is completely gone and you are sure you have seen the best of it.

I'd love to hear if you've had any similar experiences. Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading. God bless.

~Randy

GEAR LIST

Canon 5D mark iv - https://amzn.to/317Ui3k
Canon 24-105 f/4 - https://amzn.to/2PUwRtl

The above are Amazon affiliate links. I recieve a small commission from any sales from those links.

I Didn't Mean To Take This Photo

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 01:12:40 GMT

Stanley Lake, IdahoMcGown Peak reflecting off of Stanley Lake, Idhao.

I didn't set out to take this image. Or even go to this location. It was early spring in Southern Idaho. The time of year that the camas flowers usually start to bloom. The prairies along Highway 20 explode with spectacular blues and violets. That's what I left home before sunrise to photograph. As I made my way, mile after mile down the road, I began to realize it was still a little too early in the year. The camas hadn't started to bloom yet.

I didn't let that discourage me, though. I changed my plan and decided to head to the Camas Prarie Centennial Marsh and photograph the birds that congregate there while it's still wet. It was an enjoyable morning watching and listening to all the different species of birds and ducks, but I didn't get any "keeper" images. As the sun rose higher and the light got harsh, I was thinking about packing it in and heading home. I made my way back to my car still feeling a little unfulfilled. I drove slowly down the dirt road out of the marshland, still having my camera out with the Sigma 150-600C attached, just in case I came across a mule deer or blue heron. Nothing.

Back at the highway, I headed further east into Fairfield to get gas and some snacks. It was there that realized that I was pretty much already half-way to the Galena Summit overlook where I could get an incredible view of the Sawtooth Mountains. So, on a whim, I headed through Ketchum and Sun Valley up to the overlook. When I arrived I was quite disappointed. The overcast sky was covering the jagged peaks of the mountain range. Still determined to find an image, I told myself that I might as well go all the way to Stanley.

I'm still a little unfamiliar with this part of Idaho, so I took this opportunity to scout out a couple of other locations, Pettit Lake and Redfish Lake, two of Idaho's most popular camping and tourist locations. Both places should have been awesome! Towering granite peaks reflecting off of crystal clear alpine water. It's any photographer's dream, but again, the overcast sky was making my day difficult. Undeterred, I pressed on toward Stanley.

When I arrived I expected to find the perfect composition looking back toward the Sawtooths. Clouds. By this point, I'd chalked the day up to be just a long location scouting trip. I checked my map and saw that Stanley Lake wasn't far. Might as well go there too! As I was pulling up to the lake I was amazed to see the 9860-foot McGown Peak reflecting perfectly on the calm water. Now I was excited. All I needed at this point was light.

It was still about an hour to sunset so I had plenty of time to wander around the lake and look for a composition. Finally settling on my composition, I began experimenting with my polarizer and ND filter to see what exposure time I liked the most. I ended up deciding to use both the polarizer and a 10-stop ND filter, for a long exposure of 15 seconds. There wasn't any motion in the water, but I really liked the small amount of movement that was produced in the clouds.

Now it was a waiting game. With the heavy clouds, I knew right away that there wouldn't be any color, so I was waiting for the light to reach a point that would provide the most contrast for a black and white photo. I took a series of shots as the light changed and the clouds moved across the sky. The whole process from when I set up my tripod lasted less than 15 minutes. By the time I had the image framed and exposure dialed in I only had time for a few attempts before a gust of wind spread ripples across the lake and the reflection was gone.

Happy with the shots I got, I had to hurry and pack up to avoid the rainstorm that I didn't know was coming but was starting to get me wet. Back in my car, with my gear safe from the rain, I scrolled through the images on the LCD screen and I was really happy with how the day turned out. Then I chuckled to myself, realizing I had to drive three and a half hours home. Totally worth it!

Camera Settings

22mm, f/11, 15 seconds, ISO 100

Gear I used:

Canon T3i - https://amzn.to/2ClxaF5

Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 - https://amzn.to/2pWleCd

Dolica Tripod - https://amzn.to/2CMGNhb

ICE 77mm Circular Polarizer Filter - https://amzn.to/2RVzJDl

ICE 77mm 10-Stop ND Filter - https://amzn.to/2pWnnxL

Gear I wish I used:

Canon 5d Mark iv - https://amzn.to/2q47DsV

Canon 24-70 f/2.8L II - https://amzn.to/2CSe3Ue

The above items are Amazon affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase any of these items I will get a small commission.

Learning landscape Photography

Sat, 23 Jun 2018 20:36:51 GMT

It took a long time for me to actually consider myself a landscape photographer. I knew that I enjoyed it and I thought that I was pretty good at it, but everyone else that I followed was so much better. I started off exploring my local area around Mountain Home, Idaho. After taking hundreds of photos, I'd come away with some that I thought were really cool.

Bennett Mountain, Mountain Home, IdhaoOne of my early landscape photos that I thought was good.

Sunset over Mountain Home, IdhaoPhoto I took of the sun setting over Mountain Home, Idaho from Teapot Dome.

I can see now that these pictures have a lot of issues when it comes to image quality, composition, proper exposure, and post processing. That being said, the excitement at the time kept me inspired to keep trying. I put in hours and hours learning as much as I possibly could about photography. I learned how to shoot in manual mode and get away from auto so that I could control what the image looked like. I learned the importance of light when it comes to landscape photography. I learned different rules of composition and how to use them...or break them. Over time my photography began to improve and I was coming away with better images.

South Fork Boise RiverOne of my first intentional uses of leading lines and frame within a frame.

Still, not being satisfied with my results, I continued to learn and practice. After years of enjoying and exploring this new hobby I feel confident to call myself a landscape photographer.

Stanley Lake, IdahoMcGown Peak reflecting on Stanley Lake, Idaho.

I'm looking forward to continually learning and growing in this field. I hope that if you're reading this and you are "struggling" through a process or learning a new skill, that you will be inspired to keep moving forward.

God Bless!

~Randy