Three Sisters

Carol Freshley February 28, 2014

It just might be possible to spend a lifetime exploring and photographing the Superstition Mountains. This was our first foray down a dirt road that leads to the Peralta Trailhead. We are going back, probably many more times.

We hiked for a bit and Tom realized that he had lost the door to the battery compartment on his camera. So, back down the trail to look for it. We did not find it. Instead of going back up, we went back into Gold Canyon for lunch and decided to go back and see whether the evening gold would strike the Three Sisters, a prominent rock structure that is visible for miles. Lighting is key for the rocks to really show off.

Enjoy the photos. We plan on going back real soon.

This first photo was awarded Photo of the Day on the Capture My Arizona website on February 28. Congratulations Tom!

ISO 100, f/13 at 24mm with Nikon D7000 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens. Processed in HDR Effects Pro 2.

As we returned from lunch Tom spotted a side road. It was not a road that we could take in his car so we parked up ahead and he walked back to the road and hiked it. Good choice. I stayed near the car and set up a time-lapse. His photos rocked and my time-lapse bombed. If you are chuckling by now at lost items, lost photos and bombed time-lapses . . . well I can tell you are a photographer at your core!!

ISO 1000, f/11 at 15mm with Nikon D600 and 15mm Sigma fisheye lens. Processed in Nik HDR Effects Pro 2.

ISO 400, f/13, 1/400, at 35mm with Nikon Df and 16-35mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 320, f/13, at 15mm with Nikon D600 and 15mm Sigma fisheye lens. Processed in Nik HDR Effects Pro 2.

ISO 1000, f/9.5 at 56mm with Nikon D600 and 24-70mm Nikkor lens. Processed in Nik HDR Effects Pro 2.

While the sky was gorgeous when we got in the area, there were times in the afternoon when it was white-out time. The image below was taken at the Peralta Trailhead. The rock is just so interesting and in on the other side of this there are hoodoos. So where are the photos? Well, Tom said he did not get any good ones! I took what I hoped were good ones but then formatted the card accidentally when I set up my time lapse later in the afternoon. Those are two very good reasons to go back!

ISO 100, f/13, 1/160, at 35mm with Nikon Df and 16-35mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 320, f/16, 1/500 at 15mm with Nikon D600 and 15mm Sigma fisheye lens.

That's all folks (for now). Have a fun photo filled weekend. Oh, and if you decide to head out into any desert be warned, both snakes and wildflowers are out in abundance!!

Matsuri

Carol Freshley February 24, 2014

With 10 year-old grandson, Anden in tow, we were off to check out Matsuri at the Heritage Square in downtown Phoenix. Put this festival on your calender for next year. It is rich in photo opportunities. We unexpectedly ran into a couple of fellow photoggers from our group.

Matsuri means festival in Japanese. It brings together food, music (drums in particular) and interesting people. It begins with the Mikoshi procession. From that point on it is just a rich program that includes folk dancing, fashion shows, Karate, and so much more. We were not able to cover all of it. Enjoy the limited show we did see.

ISO 400, f/10, 1/1000, at 66mm with Nikon Df and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 800, f/8, 1/750 at 15mm with Nikon D600 at 15mm Sigma fisheye.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/1600 at 135mm with Canon EOS Rebel T4i and EF-S18-135mm Canon lens.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000 at 100mm with Nikon Df and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000 at 35mm with Nikon Df and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/125 at 35mm with Canon EOS Rebel T4i and Canon EF-S18-135mm lens.

ISO 200, f/4, 1/800, at 16mm with Canon Powershot SX40, HS.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000, at 180mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

Oh, yes, I did mention interesting people! Time to dress up, make-up and show up!

ISO 640, f/8, 1/750 at 300mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 640, f/8, 1/750 at 220mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 640, f/8, 1/750 at 300mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

There were decorations everywhere and while I have never been to Japan, I felt that I was not in Phoenix either.

ISO 400, f/5, 1/1250 at 42mm with Canon Powershot SX40 HS.

ISO 400, f/5, 1/1640 at 42mm with Canon Powershot SX40 HS.

ISO 200, f/8, 1/500 ah 50mm with Nikon Df and 50mm Nikkor prime lens.

ISO 400, f/4, 1/1250 at 14mm with Canon Powershot SX40 HS.

Ah, but for me, the highlight was the Taiko drumming. Different groups from around the state had time slots and at one point an all Arizona team came together to perform (about 50 drums on stage). I would love to have stayed all day (but couldn't). If you have not seen a Taiko drum team perform you have missed out (personal opinion).

This image is of the Aozora, Blue Sky Drummers.

ISO 400, f/16, 1/750 at 110mm with Nikon D600 and 70-300mm Nikkor lens.

ISO 200, f/8, 1/640 at 34mm with Nikon Df and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

I had not realized how much a part flutes are in the drumming performance. This is a great shot of a student teacher interaction.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/2500 at 50mm with Canon EOS Rebel T4i and EF-S18-135mm Canon lens.

These drummers just have a great time and it is more physically demanding than you might think, with some dancing, and lots of shouting to keep each other inspired to perform. You can tell that they practice together a lot, as everyone is on the same page and very disciplined in their routines.

The team in red below is the Odaiko Sonora Team from Tucson.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600 at 24mm with Nikon D800 and 24-120mm lens.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600 at 24mm with Nikon D800 and 24-120mm Nikkor lens.

And yes, those drum sticks are big and have soft end like most sticks.

ISO 200, f/9, 1/100 at 71mm with Canon EOS Rebel T4i and EF-S18-135mm Canon lens.

Finally, I am sharing some video that I took of the Odaiko Sonora Team. The camera was handheld so it is a bit shaky. I used just a few shorter clips of a much longer performance in hopes of giving you a sense of what was happening. With a workout that some of these folks are getting (notice the drummers on the big drum in the back!!!) I would imagine they can have whatever they want for dinner. Tip: this is best watched in full screen mode so check that option.

Taken with Nikon D800 and processed in Aperture and Final Cut Pro.

I will be going back next year.

Return to Red Mountain

Carol Freshley February 18, 2014

We arrived the first time at Red Mountain rather late in the day. The mountain's orientation suggested that a morning shot with sunrise gold could be worth getting up for. Nancy and I agreed to meet at 5 am and make the drive to the other side of the world (or so it seemed at that hour). It was worth it! Later we were met by Elaine and Susan.

I am putting some times on the metadata this time just so you can see how the light changes over time at such a fabulous site.

The first image was taken facing east and capturing that well know mountain range, Four Peaks.

ISO 1600, f/6.3, 1/50 at 50mm with Nikon Df and 50mm Nikkor prime lens. Taken at 6:48 am.

It took longer than I was expecting to get enough light to see anything more than a silhouette of Red Mountain.

ISO 400, f/2.2, 1/250 at 24mm with Nikon Df and 24mm Nikkor prime lens. Taken at 7:13 am.

Finally, making the trip all worthwhile, the golds show up. The rock gets red and the water has a green hue.

ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/320 at 85mm with Nikon Df and 85mm Nikkor prime lens. Taken at 7:22 am.

As the sun continued to rise, the gold lost some of its intensity and the water was blue once again. Yes, that is my camera in the photos. I was shooting a time-lapse of the sunrise. It did not turn out well and, while I was disappointed, I learned quite a bit.

ISO 200, f/9, 1/40, at 50mm with Nikon Df and 50mm Nikkor prime lens. Taken at 7:42 am.

By now we were ready to walk upstream along the river's edge. The sunlight was so magical, playing with long shadows, open spaces and ever changing light. I noticed that the changes seemed to occur more rapidly than at mid-day. I had never sensed it quite that way before. Perhaps my sensitivity was heightened by my consciously keeping track of the time.

ISO 800, f/6.3, 1/125 at 50mm with Nikon Df and 50mm Nikkor prime lens. Taken at 8:30 am.

You may have spotted the wildflowers along the path in the photo above (hint . . . lower left).

ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/500 at 55mm with Nikon Df and 55mm Nikkor micro non-AI lens. (My new 'old' lens)

Everywhere we looked we enjoyed backlighting. It made usual objects appear magical.

ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/2500 at 90mm with Canon EOS Rebel T4i and EF-S18-135mm Canon lens.

Nancy is an artist and her drawings of trees are just exquisite. She sometimes takes photos to inspire her drawings. As she described the photo below I saw so many details that I would have missed. The roots are fascinating! Nature is so wondrous.

ISO 400, f/4, 1/100 at 7mm with Panasonic Lumix DMG GH3 and a Lumix G Vario lens.

When you photo trip with Elaine you could bet that her lens is facing up. She loves birds! And right there with the rest of us gals . . . her glass often does not get her the photo she wants (not long enough). But we keep them and celebrate them as being in our experience at the moment. We really chuckled at this bird flapping out of her reach.