I think all my Alaska photos should be titled Brrrr– it was cold. We didn’t spend a lot of time outside, but I did accompany Justin and Caitlin- and Penny, the golden retriever, on a quick walk at the Eagle River Nature Center, at the Chugach State Park. I saw a very different scene from my visit in August!
That’s ice on the trees; the only snow was on the mountains. I think this photo was taken around three- thirty.
We have just returned from a wonderful Thanksgiving visit with our daughter’s family in Alaska- our first trip there in winter (I know it is technically fall, but it was WINTER there!). There was no snow, but the ground and many of the trees were covered with icy hoar frost. Daylight was limited, and the weather averaged in the low teens. Brrrr!
I was hoping to see the northern lights, but Caitlin had warned me that most nights had cloud covered skies, which blocked the view. I think it was the second morning we were there that she woke us up to tell us that she could see the aurora from the front deck. We staggered sleepily outside (it was not really that early- 7 a.m.- but it was dark, of course), and, after a few minutes of allowing our eyes to be accustomed to the darkness, we were treated to the sight of a faint aurora dancing around the dark skies. I grabbed my camera and set up the tripod for a long exposure. I hadn’t prepared for this and didn’t think anything was showing up on the LCD monitor. Caitlin offered to drive us a few miles down the road toward the state park, where she thought we would be able to see more. We pulled over in a likely spot, but alas, we could only see stars. I set up the tripod anyway and took three 15 second exposures anyway, stopping when I kept hearing rustling in the bushes. It wasn’t until I looked at the images on the computer that I realized that there was indeed a very small part of the aurora visible. My images were underexposed at 15 seconds- perhaps I needed to increase ISO or use a longer exposure. Next time, I will be more prepared!
Below is my favorite view, although the aurora is mini. This was taken from a pullout on the road.
This eagle owl may be wise, but he is also pretty stern looking!
Another sunset view. . .
Happy Thanksgiving!
I never get tired of sunrise and sunset shots. I think this in-camera multiple of the sky looks like folds.
I have spent perhaps 4 days editing the photo I’m using for the final in my photo group. It is sharp, sharp, sharp- but, other than that, the project was pretty much a disaster. The editing time was basically spent trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. More cloning than anyone should have to do in their entire life! I am hoping the result is adequate. No, I’m not yet posting it.
To recover, I spent an hour in the land of blur, producing some ICM images- abstract or impressionist landscapes, I’ve discovered they are called- achieved by long exposures and camera wiggling.
Here are two edits of my across the street view. I think the black and white looks like an ocean view.
Here’s an in-camera multiple exposure from October.
Before all the leaves have blown off the trees, I thought I should post a leafy autumn image. Here is a multiple exposure, created after the fact.
Four treatments of the same scene- part of the larger image from yesterday.
As I mentioned last week, I took a few- maybe 5?- windmill photos when I was photographing raptors. And three comprised one 3 exposure in camera multiple exposure. My camera has a very basic multiple exposure feature (no blend modes, no previews etc.), but the challenge makes it fun, even if the results aren’t spectacular SOOC.
I had fun adding another windmill shot from August to create a windmill Photoshop composite. Even more fun!
But the sun still comes up each day.
Tonight is the night for moon-gazing!
I didn’t have the time or energy to go anywhere special for a beautiful foreground- so these are our hills (blurred with intentional camera movement).
Happy Moon-gazing!There was a windmill in the background while we took photos of the two hawks last Saturday. I kept composing my images with that in mind- and then ended up cloning it out in the sepia portrait I posted Tuesday of Emily, the Swainson’s hawk. This is the Harris’s hawk with the windmill in the background- with a little texture editing.
Being more of a windmill photographer than a bird photographer, I also took several photos of the windmill, including a multiple exposure shot. I will be posting those next week.
Here’s that sweet face again!
melinda anderson photography 