POTD: Sunrise 2:30 a.m.

Sunrise 2:30 a.m.

Location: Antarctica
Camera: Phase One P65+, 75-150mm, 645DF
Settings: f/11, ISO 400, 1/250 sec, six shot panoramic
When: December 2010

The Antarctic sky had cleared for the first time during our trip, the cruise ship floating near the Lemaire Channel.  You don’t anchor in Antarctica, you turn slowly around a stationary point for the night.  The captain estimated sunrise at 4am so a 3:30 shoot was planned.

That evening the light was surreal and stretched into a four hour sunset.  Every 30 minutes I climbed up to the observation deck to photograph the changing light. One by one the others passengers retired to their cabins.  Eventually, I was the only one awake shooting and loading images into my laptop.  After midnight I decided I might as well stay awake until the sunrise and kept up my 30 minute routine.  At 2:30 the sky burst into incredible color and in a few moments the color was gone.

I traveled to Antarctica a year after a near-fatal accident in the Arkansas wilderness.  I still recall my emotions of being alive, completely alone, on this ghostly quiet ship in the middle of Antarctica – unbelievable!   Outside in my shirt sleeves the temperature just above freezing I reflected on the accident, months of therapy to walk and here I was the sole witness to this incredible scene.  That moment was the beginning of my passion for photographic discovery that continues to this day.

Your darkest moment may contain the seeds of your destiny

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

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POTD: White Rock Autumn

White Rock Autumn

Location: Ozark National Forest, Arkansas
Camera: Phase One P30+, 35mm
Settings: f/11, ISO 50, 1/250
When: October 2010

White Rock Mountain is a rocky outcrop in the southern edge of the Ozark Mountains.  It is one of the easiest places to enjoy the vistas of the Ozarks with a short walk downhill from the parking area to a lookout pavilion that has a stunning 270 degree view from northwest to southeast.

Called the Ozark Mountains it is actually the Ozark Plateau and like the Colorado Plateau is full of eroding canyons that have stunning waterfalls in the spring.   On the southern edge of the plateau where it falls to the Arkansas River Valley you’ll find great views looking southward.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork.  Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

POTD: Maroon Bells

Maroon Bells

Location: Aspen, Colorado
Camera: Phase One P45, Schneider 72L Lens, Cambo Technical Camera
Settings: f/11, 1 sec, ISO 100
When: Unknown

I’m back after a short break, I hope you enjoy today’s image of the day.  Located outside of Aspen, Colorado these majestic mountains received their name for their maroon-colored bell shape. Maroon Lake in the foreground mirrors the foothills making it one of the most picturesque and photographed mountains in the country.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

POTD: Peaceful

Peaceful

Location: Beaver Lake, NW Arkansas
Camera: Phase One P30, Mamiya 645D, 300mm
Settings: f/16, ISO 100, multiple exposures stitched and overlaid
When: September 2009

A few days ago I posted an image from this location called “Moonglow”.  A beautiful moonrise captured just as the moon was floating through the “Band of Venus” whichis a band of pink that rises through the sky just after sunset.

Following that photograph, I repositioned the camera slightly using a much longer focal length to compress the scene.  By shooting two tall exposures over one another I was able to stitch them into this vertical panorama of the scene.  I also photographed the moon with a much faster shutter speed to reveal the detail on its surface.

Vertical panoramic images are much more difficult to compose but no other format can fit a huge statement onto such a small amount of wall space.  An image only 2′ wide is more than six feet tall.  Standing in front of a print that large you feel as though you could step right into the scene.  One theme you will find with most of my photographs is realism.  My primary goal is to capture stunning scenery as closely as possible to what it would be like had the viewer been standing next to me.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

POTD: Moonglow

Moonglow

Location: Beaver Lake, NW Arkansas
Camera: Phase One P30, Mamiya 645D, 75-150mm
Settings: f/16, ISO 100, 1/125 & 1/2 sec
When: September 2009

I found this scene quite by accident one evening as the moon was rising over the Earth’s Shadow a day or two before the full moon.  I didn’t have my camera at the time because we were boating with friends.   I returned the next three months until conditions were right to photograph the full moon over this small island with narrow causeway to the mainland.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

POTD: Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake

Location: Rogers, Arkansas
Camera: Phase One P45, Cambo RS, Schneider 35XL
Settings: f/11, ISO 100, 5 Sec, 2 exposures stitched
When: August 2010

An afternoon storm has cleared leaving a serene and colorful evening.  The air was clean and crisp which is rare for Arkansas in August.  Beaver Lake is a reservoir in NW Arkansas providing drinking water and flood control of the White River.

With a wide angle lens I was able to record the beautiful gradient of colors framed by the dark blue clouds.  In the distance the thunderhead is just about exhausted and if you look closely you’ll see a crescent moon peeking through the clouds to add a bit more interest.

This scene was preceded by yesterdays image of a spectacular sunset call “Evening Jewel”.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.

POTD: Evening Jewel

Evening Jewel

Location: Beaver Lake, Rogers, Arkansas
Camera: Phase One P45, Cambo RS, Schneider 72L
Settings: f/11, ISO 100, 1/25
When: August, 2010

In late summer, the Canadian Geese near my home go into their moult which lasts about two weeks.  During that time of renewing feathers they cannot fly and congregate on the waters of Beaver Lake.

In “Evening Jewell” the geese provided foreground interest for a clearing storm at sunset. The warm light of sunset caught both the clouds and virga for a spectacular display of jewel tones.

Photographically this image is a lesson in magical light.  You want to seek out times of transition.  This can be from night to day or vise versa, approaching and clearing storms, etc.  If you can combine these transitions like this clearing storm at sunset it can be even better.  As a photographer, you never know when the magic will happen so it’s a numbers game.  The more you are in front of interesting scenery at these times of transition the better your chances of capturing something incredible.

All my images are available as limited edition artwork. Click here for more information or to purchase a fine art print.