Photogaphy Paintings

A technique I’ve been having fun with lately is that of impressionistic photography or digital painting. I first heard about this technique in a recent article in Outdoor Photographer. I really loved the painterly fell to the images, but it was more than that; something unusual and very different than a painting, painting with light

I recently got the chance to try out this method on a large tree farm near Umatilla Oregon. The trick for making these images work is the exact amount of blur and that can really only be achieved by trial and error. There is no exact blueprint for every situation.

The ideal equipment for this upward panning technique is to have a tilt and pan tripod head, giving you more control over lateral movement. I only have a ball head and have done the best I could. Typically here is the rundown: 1. Find a subject with vertical lines preferably 2. Mount camera on tripod and set a 2 second timer. 3. Using a neutral density filter and a relatively small aperture to achieve an approximate 2-3 second exposure 4. Depress the shutter button and anticipate when the shutter will open, then begin panning skyward during the entire exposure. 5. Check the LCD for the results and repeat if necessary.

I hope you give it a try it’s a lot of fun..

 

  Shawn..

Palouse Falls Adventure Awaits

Palouse Falls Sunset

For quite some time now I’ve wanted to head over to Eastern Washington; specifically the Palouse agricultural region and of course Palouse Falls. I recently had a few days off and our Boxer Dog " Scout " and I headed from the Portland area directly to Palouse Falls State Park. I had fairly low expectations considering it was raining here and the forecast wasn’t much better where I was going. 300 miles later " Scout " (the Boxer) and I arrived at the park. I was surprised at how well kept this campground was. There are 10 campsites at Palouse Falls State Park each complete with picnic tables and plenty of fresh water pumps. There is no electricity or full hook-ups for the RV'ers,; however there are a couple of really clean porta/toilets.
   Palouse Falls can be seen immediately as you drive into the campground ; in fact you can hear the cascading water while in your tent along with other sounds like the coyotes howling in the distance. You will find unique wildlife in the area such as: Coyote, Mule Deer, Raptors,Rattlesnakes, Jack Rabbits and hundreds of Marmots to name a few.
   Palouse Falls are quite breathtaking and very photogenic as well. You may not always be blessed with beautiful clouds but there are many wonderful compositions as well as trails that will take you most of the way around the canyon. Finding a unique perspective is always a challenge; most photographers choose to incorporate the falls and the down stream portion of Palouse River in their shots.

Marmot

The next day the plan was to drive over to Steptoe Butte State Park where one can take in grand vistas of the Palouse region. If you are planning a similar trip keep in mind the time of year and what to expect in terms of crops. I was a little early to catch the rolling green hills I was expecting. Apparently the fall harvest is a great time to visit as the hills come alive with the amber glow of wheat. Also keep in mind the vastness of the area, it is nearly a 2-hour drive from Palouse Falls Park to Steptoe Butte State Park. Anyway as my luck would have it when I arrived at Steptoe butte the weather was looking very nasty. I made my way around and around the spiral road to the summit of the butte only to be completely inundated by a super storm cell with high winds, visibility was almost non-existent and no images were recorded for my efforts.
Overall it was a memorable trip although I would love to visit again right before the fall harvest. Maybe I’ll have that Pano Head by that time.

Until next post, hoping you all find the sweet light.
Shawn..

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