Winter Thoughts – Is This Rejuvenation?

Even though the winter season has just begun, it seems cold weather has held me captive in my home for days.  I didn’t realize how long it had been since I took the time to get out into the mountains. Seeing as it was the first of the year, I felt it was time to process the activities of the past months and try to gain some perspective.

As with most creative people there are spells of inactivity mixed with procrastination and a lull in motivation levels.  I am a photojournalist and fine art nature photographer. When life runs smooth I go through the elation of being in the moment with my work. A bad day has me feeling depressed for letting my conscious voice get the best of me.

At times we are centered in a down flow of a creative energy wave that can be costly to your personal life. It can interfere with business distracting you from your expressive goals as an artist. It can build walls and lead relationships away from your desired objective as with family.

Not everyone in the world understands how the torment of one’s own negative thoughts or how someone else’s simple actions can strike like bolts of lightning and can disable your creative spirit for long periods of time. Things happen.

The energies that define creativity are fragile. They can lift you high or slap you silly. When we are stripped down to basics, if necessary, we start again to rediscover who we really are and why we do what we do.

For some people their art is the, “only”,  aspiration they can see. It’s like a set of blinders that directs your life no matter the cost.

Winter frost Gallatin River

So with all these enchanting thoughts rolling around my head I drove up Gallatin Canyon towards Big Sky this morning. Snow coverage is light to moderate so far this winter with only a twelve inch base built up on the river banks.  At first light it was just plain cold, five below. With the humidity at the river I felt a few shivers up my spine.

Days like this, when I seek renewal, I find comfort in being outdoors. Fresh air and a bit of vitamin D from sunshine is enough to regain some confidence in spirit and nurture a few creative thoughts.

A light wind kept hoar frost from building up on most trees except for a fifty yard swathe near the mouth of the canyon.  Pines on the east side of the river bank were draped in the purity of white with blue sky and river reflections.

No cars or trucks. No birds singing, only a pair of Bald Eagles that nest nearby watched curiously in silence as I labored through the snow. Once, I stood at the water’s edge, I could hear the river speak in muffled tones as small ice flows crashed into boulders and burst into tiny fragments dissolving into the continuous flow.  It was a welcoming metaphor, a peaceful, eternal greeting.

A minute of breathing deep and feeling centered, my thoughts expand and fuse with the stream’s currant. Together, in concert with the river, I extended my reach to grab a slippery rock. It is an alluring vision of a real Photographer’s, (Artist’s), life.  

Somehow, the visual mix of free flowing water and its’ song rushing on the rocks is what I needed to fuel anticipation again and get prepared.

Related Posts:
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/would-you-get-up-early-to-photograph-this/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/no-fall-color-only-seed-pods-to-photograph/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/final-fall-visuals-to-keep-the-focus-on-creative-photography/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2010, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Snow Ghosts and Winter Photography

We were up in snow ghost country, high in the Gallatin National Forest just west, of West Yellowstone, Montana on a mountain called Two Top. Pure white spectacular snow blanketed all the mountain ranges a hundred miles in every direction. http://www.westyellowstonechamber.com

Snow Ghosts Gallatin National Forest

I am normally not much of a snowmobile person but photography can put you in all kinds of situations. Sitting on top of six feet of snow in near zero temperatures certainly can be part of an assignment for any nature photojournalist. Unique scenarios happen each time the phone rings.

Winter photography is always a challenge. Cold weather, extra bright light and blue reflection shadows are a real test for equipment and personal stamina. Long undies, a snowmobile suit and heavy duty Sorrels take care of the human concerns while zip lock bags and body warmth with deep pockets go a long way in protecting camera gear.

Condensation on cameras and lenses can ruin any photo shoot. Just like glasses that fog up when breathing on them or entering a warm room coming in from the cold your lenses and camera does the same. It can take hours to remedy this kind of water situation.

Always keep extra batteries, scan cards or film, if you are not using digital, deep inside your coat.

A disaster situation example for me happened while on a winter assignment in Yellowstone National Park, http://www.yellowstoneparknet.com/ at minus 50 degrees, I managed to keep frost off my camera but later found I lost all the days’ images due to reticulation of my film and lubrication oils freezing from the solidifying temps.

I had great Bison and elk shots with fur covered in thick frost, plus geysers and hot springs enhanced by low lying icy fog. The images turned out fine however, every frame was plastered in pot marked crystals of ice.

It is a hard lesson to learn before having to confront my client and explain why their monetary and time investment in my services failed. They will never call again. The message here is to be prepared for all eventualities and know what you are getting into.

Snow Ghost Formations

Besides the cold, exposure with bright whites and contrasting blue shadows can also be a problem with winter photography. If you just go with your average meter reading from your camera you will get a nice grey tone instead of detailed bright whites for snow.

Your meter is always reading an 18% gray so you have to make some exposure compensations. Usually an added compensation of +1 or +2 stops will give you the detail required in whites. When in doubt and you have a great scene before you it is always good to bracket a bit because you probably won’t get that second chance.

A gray card is your best bet for winter landscape photography. Place your card in the same light angle you are shooting in. Fill the frame with the card and take a meter reading. Then recompose and expose with that reading even though your camera will then give you a different meter reading. It can be a little tedious but it really works.

Since you cannot recover details in blown out highlights it is best to expose for them first hand. A circular polarizing filter can also come in handy. It reduces glare and enhances the sky which can add a little more drama.

To me one of the best rewards of winter photography is the hushed atmosphere that is prevalent in nature.  This sensation is even more pronounced in the backcountry as when sitting on top of Two Top Mountain in the Gallatin National Forest, http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/, surrounded by magnificent sculpted snow ghosts. They speak of a different world wrapped in the purity of white and occasionally share it with those who seek life’s spirits.

Related posts:

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/lee-metcalf-wilderness/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/absaroka-beartooth-wilderness/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/yellowstone-national-park/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/crown-of-the-continent-glacier-national-park-montana/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/the-pristine-thorofare-a-yellowstone-experience/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/salty-legs-and-mountain-goats/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/track-of-the-grizzly-bear/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Final Fall Visuals to Keep the Focus on Creative Photography

Today, wind has gathered grey clouds with a minus 24 degree temperature.  Silenced by a deep winter blanket of snow Bozeman is quiet today, just after a week of sun and above normal temps. A new season has made its’ transition.

With no large fall landscapes to photograph this year because of an early freeze in October, I had to be content to work on close ups and search for compatible light in my backyard garden last week.

Autumn Leaf - Digital Print

Living in the mountains I like the grand vistas of autumn with colorful aspen, maple and cottonwood trees. It is easy to bypass the individual or smaller splash of color. The garden was stark and matted down with only a few leaves hanging on twisted branches.

Twigs rubbing on a wooden shed caught my attention.  A handful of leaves clung to the shrub. Backlit they stood out from the grey weathered shed. It gave me possibilities.

Using macro focus and a very shallow depth of field I isolated a single leaf, blurred the background and utilized the stem, twig and limb structure of the shrub to draw the viewer further into the image. My composition was clean and simple, offsetting the leaf and getting the plane of focus accurate enough to give the setup a three dimensional feel.

Hanging Hollyhock Leaves - Digital Print

A series of images produced both back and front lit leaves incorporating small branches with an almost bonsai structure setting.

Autumn Leaf 6 - Digital Print

The south side of the garden produced a different scenario. A withered Hollyhock with a string of leaves hung from a downed stalk, only inches from the ground. I thought the background was busy however I really liked the colors of border rocks and blue shadow playing on the ground behind the dead leaves. I stayed with the shallow depth of field and used my macro focus on a 200mm lens compressed the image and isolated the subject.

The shrunken leaves reminded me of mice hanging by their tails. I laughed.  Good light was essential to the success of the image. It gave me crisp detail and subtle color that created a late moody autumn shot.

A final arrangement consisted of wrinkled Hollyhock blossoms with only a touch of deep wine red in the gnarled petals. Seed pods formed a bug eyed Preying Mathis in my minds’ eye so I recomposed to depict the essence of the bug structure with an illuminated background.

Bug Bud - Withered Hollyhocks

Guess, I will call it a whimsical abstract.  Look hard you may see it too.

This weekend having to bare the winter chill I’ll get out there again with camera in hand.  Colors are more monochromatic and compositional lines both sensually soft and with deep shadows, very graphic.

There is no ideal time of day or season to go outdoors and have some fun finding the flow of energies that gather before your lens. It is the visual exercise and the process that counts. You need to stay creative no matter what.

Related Posts:
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/would-you-get-up-early-to-photograph-this/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/no-fall-color-only-seed-pods-to-photograph/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Headwaters – Three River’s Rush Through History

 

Our canoes slipped silently through the chilly waters of the Madison River. A few geese honked overhead and ducks splashed along the shoreline seeking safety in the reeds and overhangs.

The ceaseless current guided our crafts past eroded sandstone and mud packed banks, on this stretch of the river it carved them into endless shapes.

Madison River near Three Forks, Montana

I couldn’t help but fantasize about Lewis and Clark and the Native Americans who also floated and crossed this scenic river in the not so distant past. Not a lot has changed since those canoes pasted this way. The cottonwood trees that bore witness are still standing tall near the water’s edge.

If you read the 1805 journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, http://www.lewisandclarktrail.com, then you know where to find their campsites and place yourself in their footsteps building campfires and setting up their tents. History is all around.

The damp scents of the river and sweet cottonwoods invigorate my senses. It is easy to stay alert, watching for game, or picturing a Hidatsa Indian party riding up on the ridges, looking for Sacagawea. Her kidnapping was the beginning of a venture that led her into the annals of history in the American West and relocated her far from her homeland.

Missouri Headwaters State Park, Montana

We drifted on the river’s flow past Three Forks, Montana, www.threeforskmontana.com, and on toward the Missouri River Headwater’s State Park. Headwaters, or as most of those who live here, just call it “Three Forks”, is the geographic confluence of the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers and forms the headwaters of the Missouri, the longest river in the  U.S.

Each river has its own course flow and visual landscape. Friends and I have had many adventures, seeing the sights, on these clear water tributary trips. Deer, Moose Eagles, Heron and, of course, rattlesnakes are all out there.

Each season different animals appear, just like the transition of wildflowers from Sagebrush Buttercups to Queen Ann’s Lace or the brilliant color change from early green spring willow buds to bright yellow autumn leaves. All you have to do is pay attention.

And these graceful rivers will grab your attention!

Contact Information: Missouri Headwaters, Region 3 FWP Office, 1400 S. 19th St. Bozeman, MT  59715 or call (406) 994-4042.

For Further Information:

Bozeman Chamber of Commerce – http://www.bozemannet.com

Information on the Lewis and Clark Trail – http://lewisandclark.state.mt.us/discovery.shtm

Montana Department of Commerce – http://www.travelmt.com

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com 

You Can’t Always Photograph What You Want

Twice I had to stop and tighten the leather cinch on my saddle. It kept sliding to the right and I felt like I was riding on a slant about to fall off. Each time I dismounted to make the adjustment my horse, named Charlie, would take a deep breath filling his lungs with air.

When I remounted he would exhale and loosen the saddle again. He thought he was tricky but I got him the third time, stalling long enough to get those straps tight and my saddle straight. 

This was my first photo assignment that covered a cattle drive. I had been on many pack trips into the wilderness and photographed more than a dozen rodeos, but this was my first real working cowboy experience.

Cattle Drive in Centennial Valley, Montana

Of course not being a wrangler, (I don’t like the word dude), I was elected to ride the dusty drag line bringing up the rear, herding any stragglers wanting to double back to the ranch, and turn them toward new pastures as we approached the Centennial Valley.

The Centennial Mountains in Southwest Montana cover a swathe of some 28,000 acres and has some of Montana’s best wild and very rugged country. They connect the northern Rocky Mountains with the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 

This rough range runs along the Idaho-Montana border south east of Dillon, Montana with prime vistas and a notable wildlife population. http://www.dillonmontana.net

Native American tribes, especially the Shoshone-Bannock and the Nez Perce knew the Centennial Valley very well as it was a favored travel route between the headwaters of Big Hole River and Yellowstone country to the east.

At the base of the Centennial Mountains on the north side is the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Red Rock Lakes is designated a National Natural Landmark, (http://www.redrocks.fws.gov/) as well as one of the few marshland Wilderness Areas in the United States.

Centennial Mountains

Its diverse natural habitat provides an ideal nesting environment not only for swans, Sandhill cranes and other waterfowl but numerous hawks, eagles and peregrine falcons. The massive Centennial Range protects the valley and dominates the southern skyline blocking any view of Idaho.

Some years ago I taught Wilderness Photography Workshops through a local guest ranch that borders the Refuge so I was very familiar with the geology and terrain we were working the cattle into. Our ride was slow and very dusty as we moved 250 head of cattle from the Matador Ranch into the broad picturesque Centennial valley.

Although there were a dozen riders it was really the Australian Shepherd and Blue Healer dogs that did most of the work. Just a few barks and nips kept the cows bunched as they herded them in the right direction.

Three of the drovers chased down the strays that would take off running into the sage bellowing and crying out as if a bug had just bit them in the butt.

The quarter horses we rode knew just what to do. They could turn on a dime nosing the cows around not letting any steer get ahead of them. Actually, those of us ridding drag just took in the sights and occasionally cracked a bullwhip, more for the fun of it then a disciplinary tactic against a steer.

Two of my fellow riders were writers on this project so I just worked on some action shots of wranglers, faces and expressions. Only once was I able to get in front of the herd to photograph the oncoming steers and cows.

This was a bit disappointing to me. At times when on an assignment you have to accept what is offered, when you are a guest, even after you try to explain why you are there and the kind of imagery you want to expose for, to tell your story. Sometimes, you just can’t push the issue. You have to make the best of it.

I accepted the issue at hand and still enjoyed the day. I photographed the basics for the story and played cowboy working on my horsemanship.

Trumpeter Swans

In the distance from the hills behinds us in the west, just barely above pine tree level, we could hear honking. Even above the constant moos and bellows of calves and cows, it grew louder. Then perhaps fifty or more Trumpeter Swans flying in a tight V formation zoomed overhead soaring toward the Red Rock marshes. Honking was so loud even the steers and horses looked up to see what was going on.

It was as if the world stopped, the entire herd, horses and riders were suddenly silent and a vortex opened allowing the flight of trumpeting white swans to pass through, channeled directly to the lakes just below us.

A whip crack snapped in the air, the vortex closed and the cattle drive was back on.

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Would You Get Up Early to Photograph This?

The Grand Teton and eight other peaks stand at over 12,000 feet with the Grand at 13,770 ft. the tallest in the range. Autumn is my favorite time to visit this National Park in Wyoming.  www.grand.teton.national-park.com . It doesn’t matter which side of these mountains you are on, the colors are magnificent.

Yellow and gold Quaking Aspens plus the splashes of red maples and green pine seem to be as dominant in the landscape as the snow capped peaks and the curve of the Snake River that carves the valley floor.

Teton Range Idaho 11x17 print

With only two roads bisecting the Park unless you hike one of the 200 miles of trails for a different view your fall images can have a tendency to look similar to other photographers all searching for their own point of interest. But with that in mind you have some alternative choices that can give your photos a slightly different take. www.fs.fed.us/btnf/

This glaciated landscape is vast with no foothills just the jagged mountain mass jutting up from the valley floor. Tuning into the heart of the Yellowstone ecosystem one can’t help but be open to the Native American travel lanes and the mountain men who explored this wilderness just two hundred years ago. Knowing a little history and geology of the location you travel to opens your psyche to more photographic possibilities.

The Tetons were named by French fur trappers who when on the Idaho side of the range thought several peaks resembled women’s breasts. Guess they were on the trail a long time. A long list of historic figures explored these U-shaped valleys and alpine topography.

Autumn Teton National Park 11x17 print

Jackson Hole community, (www.jacksonholewy.net), was named after a fur trapper, David Jackson, who would “hole-up” in this location in the late 1820’s. John Colter a member of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition was the first non-native American to experience the grand spectacle of the Tetons in 1805.

You can’t help but photograph the grand vistas. This Park is perfect for wide angle images. Because the Tetons run north – south morning light gets flat fast so you have to be aware of parting clouds and other weather phenomenon that can enhance the scene.  You have to be disciplined to get up early and be on location to record those miraculous moments when it is all about the warm glow light.

Fall Landscape Tetons 11x17 print

To travel means you are a tourist and of course it is OK to compose and record the common scenes that everyone photographs. But do not stop there. Squat, climb or perhaps choose a strong foreground or the vanishing point perspective of a river or creek to put your own slant on things.

Use all the lenses in your arsenal to interpret what presents itself to your view and try various exposures that can improve texture and color. Sometimes it can be a simple polarizing lens that amplifies the intensity of the endless blue sky and white cirrus clouds that peaks your interest. Experiment, search and interpret your experience this Rocky Mountain destination. www.nps.gov/grte

Related posts:

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/no-fall-color-only-seed- pods-to-photograph/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/lee-metcalf-wilderness/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/absaroka-beartooth-wilderness/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/yellowstone-national-park/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/crown-of-the-continent-glacier-national-park-montana/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/the-pristine-thorofare-a-yellowstone-experience/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/salty-legs-and-mountain-goats/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/track-of-the-grizzly-bear/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

 

No Fall Color, Only Seed Pods to Photograph

 

Fall was lousy this season in Montana. We had an early hard freeze, single digits, in early October, when all the leaves were still green. Then it snowed several inches of wet slush breaking branches and leveling bushes and flowers all around town.

When it warmed up again the shriveled blackened leaves just dropped to the ground leaving things rather bleak looking. Normally, fall will last two to three weeks and you can follow the colorful changes along each valley and riverbed up into the mountains. Sadly, it was not to be this year.

That was October. Now in the middle of November it is 55 degrees and everyone is walking around in shorts, without jackets, thinking it is summer again.

So my plans for autumn landscape photography fizzled.  Bit disappointing but you have to take what you get since that is just the way things are.

Today, I went to several stores looking for flowers or a nice colorful plant to photograph but nothing clicked.  This afternoon I went walking instead and found these Blanket flower seed pods near a pond just on the outside of town. Not a lot of color and not the warming hues of yellows and reds I wanted but they did catch my eye.

Blanket Flower Seed Pods

They are both soft and sharp at the same time. Cold, brown, even dead looking yet there is some warmth and life still there pushing out into the sunlight. Strong backlight pulled the image together and gave it dimension. Otherwise it would have blended right in to the lifeless scene.

I like the mottled background of this image. It adds texture to the scene by repeating the circles.

It wasn’t a bright autumn landscape but being open to circumstances and making an effort to see what is there usually means you can connect. That is really all I was asking for.

What do you do when what you hope to photograph just isn’t there?

OK, so the next post will be about those bright fall color landscapes found in the Tetons of Wyoming and Idaho.

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

What Flies Beyond Imagination?

Standing on top of the Mesa, at Island in the Sky, sheer sandstone cliffs descend a thousand feet and more. Views are fantastic in every direction. You could be on another planet. A wilderness of red rock formations this is a high country desert unlike anywhere else on earth.

Canyonlands, in southern Utah, is at the heart of the Colorado Plateau. It spreads over 527 square miles of diverse desert highlands and is Utah’s largest park.
Canyonlands National Park (435-719-2313) www.nps.gov/cany .

Weather of water and wind plus the pull of gravity have carved this terrain, cutting into its red layers of sedimentary rock gouging out dozens of colorful canyons, magnificent mesas, bowing arches and sprawling spires.

This land is other worldly, bleak, powerful and beautiful. Canyonlands is as rugged as anywhere in the world. Its’ wild red desert atmosphere is contrasted by the rich blue endless sky. More than 150 million years of geologic forces continue their daily shape shift to the cliffs and canyons engraved by the Colorado and Green Rivers.

Canyonlands is visually fantastic, a dream of ancient earth.

Island in the Sky, Canyonlands, Utah 16x24 Giclee Print

Its’ colorful landscape was once inhabited by Ancestral Puebloan Indians.  Some of their stone and mud dwellings are well-preserved and can be seen along with some remarkable petroglyphs. We stood in awe of those in an area called Newspaper Rock. They looked like aliens from space with large heads, big eyes and wistful bodies.

We explored all day working on landscape photos and taking in the drama that appeared at every turn on the hiking trails. Our trip was in late May so the weather was warm but not the blistering heat that permeates the summer months. Still twelve hours plus in the sun was enough for this day.

There are few roads but many trails for foot and bike traffic in the three main sections of the park. Island in the Sky, The Needles and The Maze are each unique in their geology. They are remote and require a lot of time for personal discovery.

Relaxing at camp after our fourth day hike with a crackling fire was welcomed and following dinner we settled in closer to the flames as the night covered us with a shadowy blanket. Brilliant starlight spilled out from the blackness of the universe.

Laid back we were identifying constellations, watching for satellites and shooting stars. Even the Milky Way stretched brightly from horizon to horizon.

Sap imbedded in the logs we burned snapped and kept shooting sparks into the night like a mini volcano. One red hot ember ejected straight into my eye. My reflexes made me shut my eyes a fraction of a second before it hit me singeing just my eyelid and lashes. Not too serious but it was great camp excitement to end the day. So we thought.

Coyotes howled in the distance, probably miles apart. Their songs seemed to echo up from the river and along the steep canyon walls. We were lost in the moment.

Suddenly, a brilliant light shot through the night sky from the north. It was much faster than any of the satellites that we had seen before. Abruptly, it stopped dead in the heavens, zigzagged like someone scribbling on a note card and then took off in an instant 90 degrees to the west. We were speechless for several seconds trying to comprehend what we had just witnessed.

All of a sudden, a loud excited gasp rose from the campground breaking the silence. Many other people had seen what we had just observed. What the hell was that? What did we all just see? Chariots of the Gods?

Were these alien signs, petroglyphs and flying objects just all imagined with a blistered eye?

Back home in Montana we have relived this episode a dozen times. Was it real? What flies beyond our imagination?

Canyonlands National Park
2282 Southwest Resource Boulevard
Moab, UT 84532-8000
United States

Map Canyonlands National Park

Phone 1 (435) 719-2100
Fax 1 (435) 719-2300

http://www.nps.gov/cany

Canyonlands Natural History Association
http://wwwcnha.org

Canyonlands Information:

http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/canyonlands/national_park.html

Hiking and Biking Trails:

http://www.utah.com/moab

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

 

 

What is the Value of a Photograph that Feeds Enchantment to Your Soul?

When a photograph touches your heart and brings you closer to the hum of life is it worth investing your savings in this piece of artwork? How do you place monetary value on something that is subjective at best?

Over the years of my travels I have collected several very meaningful pieces of artwork that remain very precious to me. I have a watercolor painting from a young Massai man that I met in Tanzania that will always remind me of the red suka caped warriors herding their cattle on the savannahs of the Serengeti.

It is a simple but graphic depiction and it places me back on safari instantly with all its sights and scents.  I recall Massai with perfect English and cell phones standing next to their mud packed bomas surrounded by acacia thorn fences and on the lookout for lions.

Savannah Lion 11x17 Digital Print

 The print is placed next to two larger companion photographs I composed of lions, one up in an acacia tree, another, sitting in the savannah grasses, like the Lion King. They complete the picture, so to speak, for me. They bring the emotion of the location and experience to my senses.

How do you place value on this feeling that these images give to me?

My walls at home are covered with photographs, paintings, carvings and other pieces of artwork, mostly my own but each of them transports me to different worldly locations that make up the journey of my life.

Outrigger Canoe 11x17 Digital Print

A petroglyph plied from volcanic ash to a shaft of coconut fiber husk is displayed next to a series of photographic Giclee watercolor prints that depict an ancient Polynesian village. The thatched hut, waterfall and outrigger canoe complete the desired effect of my dreamtime where I may be a sailor from Captain Cooke’s sailing adventures  or a Gauguin character lost somewhere in the tropical South Pacific.

The artistic expressions that are created cannot be repeated. We may record something similar but no two days are ever the same. Sunrises are different. Everything changes. Capturing moments in time are singular to that event.

Tached Hut 11x17 Digital Print

If what attracts you brings you joy, buy it. Its value lies in what it brings to your soul.

When you have that source of inspiration in hand and are ready to purchase your photographic print it is important to be sure that what you are getting is as archival as possible, not only how it is reproduced but also in how it is displayed.

You want to use acid free mounting boards, linen tape and glass that does not touch your print all exhibited in good light but not placed in direct sunlight.

Those emotions that pulled you into the photograph will fade fast if the print breaks down and loses it resilience, disappearing before your eyes in a few short years. You want to relive those moments over the course of your lifetime.

In general fine art photographs are more archival than ever before. I prefer Giclee prints reproduced on a watercolor substrate or canvas. Both have a unique individual look about them with vibrant, saturated color and archival finishes. Standard digital prints will also last longer with today’s technologies. This becomes the choice of the artist’s creative expression and how the completed image is produced.

Displaying fine art photographs or other pieces of artwork in your living or work space is a momentary escape when viewed. Like a brief meditation you can take a series of deep breaths and recharge with positive memories and emotions. You will find that devoting a little savings into such personal pleasures will fill your life with just a little more happiness.

Related Posts:

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/hoe-to-keep-viewers-looking-longer/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/can-color-photgraphs-enhance-positive-feelings-of-well-being/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/photography-and-feng-shui-for-interior-design/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

How To Keep Viewers Looking Longer

For dynamic eye catching wall décor think about using a theme series or picture set that will pull your viewers attention and hold them for a period of time.

Photographic prints especially those reproduced as Giclee images on watercolor paper or canvas substrate are generally done in high resolution with deeply saturated colors.  They really do demand attention directing the viewer to explore the image content further.

Mountain Goat - 11x17 Giclee Print

A themed series can be of any subject matter but nature works best for healthcare facilities, offices and public open spaces. Even here images can be mixed.

A central landscape Giclee print utilized as the centerpiece like St Mary Lake in Glacier National Park, illustrated here, can be balanced with two or more wildlife prints like the mountain goat and bighorn sheep. They are all compatible because both animals are found in the high country of Glacier.

They complement each other expanding the viewers’ perception of the outdoors and present a certain visual intimacy to the rugged mountains, even if the observer has never been there themselves. Themes should have a sense of similarity in topic.

St Mary Lake - 16x24 Giclee Watercolor Print

If you are not into wildlife and prefer floral prints, flowers with bright colors present another good combination. As long as the subject relates to the central image the set will add positive energy to the environment they are displayed in.

Bighorn Ram 11x17 Giclee Print

Custom Giclee prints do not all have to be the same size either. Vary them for added visual impact. One large photographic print can carry the rest with other sizes in support of the main one.

Most of the time odd numbers work the best in design and layout so once the dominant print is chosen they can be offset or balanced with several smaller prints arranged in a pleasing manner.

Prints matted and framed can be grouped together or spread along your entire display space. However spreading images too thin will actually detract and confuse the viewer. Sometimes you may have to invest in more prints and have several groupings to cover the environment you have to work with.

Muted Dahlias - 16x24 Giclee Watercolor Print

You can also choose a more generic; more accessible landscape to appeal to the armchair traveler and off set it with florals or wildlife reproductions. It depends upon your ideas and personal tastes. Choice matters here at this stage of the decision making.

To some people that may all seem to formal a theme to live with and would prefer large photographic prints of just garden flowers. Here again choice is what matters. Flowers can be close up reproductions almost abstract in content but very bright with vivid, saturated colors and graphic in design.

Delicacy Dahlia - 12x12 Giclee Watercolor Print

At this point you can go for color that is compatible with your walls or other accents you are using regarding your use of space and décor. Do you require soothing, calming hues of blue and green or motivational active colors like red and yellow as the dominant attraction?

Some people feel that small prints have more intimacy toward the viewer. However large, mural style images are actually the best draw for large spaces like offices and healthcare facilities. You want to attract people and involve them from the moment they enter the room and if you have open space smaller prints can be ignored.

When displaying multiple images you want to create a visual pace to the presentation.  In choosing images for a set consider exhibiting a long shot, medium and close up, perhaps even an extreme close up and then another medium or a couple of close ups and then a macro shot.

Pastel Dahlia - 16x24 Giclee Watercolor Print

Giving a visual pace will keep your viewers interest at its peak. Seeing the same size image in prints actually becomes distracting or a bit boring. Repetitive image size of the subject is a good way to have an uninspiring display.

I have seen many art shows that had excellent landscape images but after four or five of the same horizon line or the subject dead in the middle of the print I lost interest. Showing twenty or thirty prints of the same visual interest is a good way to have your best images ignored.

The same holds true for displaying prints in public spaces, offices or your home. You can have all 16×24 prints that are matted and framed the same but vary the image content mass and you will get stronger reviews and comments. The viewer wont know exactly why but the element of intrigue will sustain them.

Related Posts:

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/can-color-photgraphs-enhance-positive-feelings-of-well-being/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/photography-and-feng-shui-for-interior-design/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Purple – An Element of Fire

Purple – The combination of blue and red creates a very intriguing color of an almost sacred nature. For many people the color purple has always been a symbol of royalty. Since it was a rare color to duplicate emperors, kings, and religious officials used it as a sign that promoted nobility and spirituality.

Delphinium digital print

Purple has the characteristics of being stable and presents a calming demeanor to the viewer when photographs with this mystical color, such as the floral images used to illustrate this post, are used as wall décor in health care facilities, home or office space.

Since purple is such a high vibration chakra color it should be used rather sparingly. This would mean that purple painted walls would be a bit strong, giving a rather moody feeling, to look at while a photo like a Giclee fine art watercolor or canvas print with elements of the color purple in it would be more mysterious and exemplify a sense of excitement to the viewer.

The delicate hues of this digital delphinium print demonstrate how this color can be used in moderation. Used as a combination print set or picture pair with the dendrobium orchid they can present a bit of reassurance and comfort to the observer.

Dendrobium Orchids Giclee print

This color scheme can be used to promote creativity and imagination. There are many hues and characteristics of purple from lavender, lilac and amethyst to a deep wine shade. In the realm of Feng Shui they are best used with some restraint but they can become an eye catcher when used as spot color in the process.

In future posts I will discuss several other colors, photographic prints and their function regarding Feng Shui and interior design. If you have some suggestions for the use of the color purple please add your comments to this post.

Related Posts:

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/can-color-photgraphs-enhance-positive-feelings-of-well-being/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/photography-and-feng-shui-for-interior-design/

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Gold Rush Ghost Towns – Part 2

 Working on a book project illustrating ghost towns for a Canadian publisher I had a chance to explore some of the backroads of southwest Montana. After spending a few days in the Pintler range photographing Southern Cross above Georgetown Lake and Granite just outside Philipsburg I ventured south toward Ennis and Dillon.

Here I delved into the more preserved ghost towns of Bannack State Park, Bannack State Park, www.bannack.org, Virginia and Nevada Cities, Virginia City Chamber of Commerce, www.virginiacity.com rich in the history of gold in unparalleled settings.

Interior Bannack Bar

Walking the boardwalks of Bannack or Virginia and Nevada Cities your first visions are that of the American west. Worn planks creaked beneath my feet just as they did a hundred and fifty years ago for the pioneers that came this way.

The pungent scent of sagebrush and weathered wood fills the air as you keep looking for the horsemen that should be riding into town for the proverbial gunfight or dance hall brawl.

You get the sensations of Hollywood’s cowboy movies, the one’s many of us grew up on. But beyond the thoughts of John Wayne or Jimmy Stuart facing off the bad guys in the street there is real tactile history here.  

For thousands of years along the Ruby, Snowcrest and Gravelly ranges there were hunters and gatherers by the tribal names of Cree, Blackfeet, Shoshoni, Crow and Bannock. Then once the trappers, miners and ranchers came they displaced the native populations that had come before them.

Nevada City Street Scene

Montana’s biggest and richest gold strikes were located at Grasshopper Creek, near Bannack, and Alder Gulch just outside of Virginia City. It brought thousands of prospectors and those who serviced them to southwest Montana.

There were shootists, thieves and others that followed this path of land exploitation.  In Bannack vigilante justice, Henry Plummer and the hangman left their mark just as gold mining did. As I photographed this historic location I could not help but wonder if ghosts still roam the backrooms of the bars and livery stables.

Frayed rope swings in the wind from the gallows just on the edge of town as you follow the path uphill toward a collapsed mine entrance. What stories could these ropes tell the modern day traveler?

Livery Stable

Now a State Park there is much to photograph at Bannack. During the summer months life comes to Bannack with all kinds of activities and a Pioneer Festival that is well worth attending. 

The main thing for me was just getting lost in the history. I was intrigued by the interiors, especially the Bannack bar with sheer curtains blowing in the hot summer wind. What tall tales could these buildings reveal about the personalities that came this way? Beaverhead Chamber of Commerce – Dillon
www.beaverheadchamber.org

Virginia City is very much alive today. Most of it has been restored and seems frozen in time. Nearby Nevada City is an open air museum where everyone can explore even the interiors of the Victorian buildings.

Hot Baths 25 cents

From 1863 through 1868 the region was overrun with miners as gold was discovered in nearby Alder Gulch. Placer miners used pans, sluice boxes, hydraulic nozzles and gold dredges. Even hard rock mining left no stone unturned.

More than 90 million dollars worth of gold was extracted from Alder Gulch. The activity was supported by nearly 10,000 people as Virginia City replaced Bannack as Montana’s Territorial capital.

Nevada City looks like a movie set. In fact there have been films made here because of its authenticity. It is actually an assembled community with buildings brought in from various locations.

Meals lamp post sign

I investigated several buildings along the boardwalks photographing exteriors and peering into the windows checking out what furnishings they still had. I was drawn to the painted signs on a few of the structures. They seemed to say as much about the history as the log, plank and river rock shops themselves.

There are not very many places where man made history is so pervasive in the west as these three communities. They are impressive because they were real places that were inhabited with real people who lead rough lives and changed this part of the world.

 For more information about these and other ghost towns in Montana please refer to these websites:

Montana Travel Department of Commerce
www.visitmt.com
Philipsburg Chamber of Commerce
www.philipsburgmt.com
Montana Ghost Town Preservation Society
www.ghosttown.montana.com
Montana’s Goldwest Country Travel Region
www.goldwest.visitmt.com
National Forest Service
(Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest)
www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
www.fwp.mt.gov

Related Post: http://www.myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/ghost-towns-of-western-montana-part-1
Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. My image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com. You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Ghost Towns of Western Montana – Part 1

Sun, wind and the ravages of both time and man have taken their toll on these weathered and worn buildings. Exploring their remains you cannot help but wonder what stories they have to tell. It is easy to sense the memories and imagine the personal stories of miners, cattlemen, outlaws, lawmen and dance hall women.

Everyone was an immigrant here, a traveler from some far off place in the world drawn to these wilds by the promise of gold, silver or some other form of currency. It was a rough way of life in these remote mountains and for a brief time it flourished in the rush for fortune.

Elkhorn ghost town south of Helena

My work progressed while photographing on an assignment to illustrate a travel guide article about ghost towns in western Montana. www.visitmt.com The historic mining communities of Elkhorn and Granite were my first two stops.

The false fronts of Elkhorn, www.ghosttown.montana.com, just south of what is now Montana’s capital, Helena, once promoted fourteen saloons among its seventy-five or so buildings. Elkhorn’s treasures yielded over $14 million in gold, silver and lead to its hard living people.

You can’t help but wonder how noisy these streets may have been on Saturday nights during Elkhorn’s heyday. Did the sounds of fiddles and accordions carry their dance tunes far down the dusty rutted road toward the Boulder River? Somehow I don’t think it was always the quiet and serene place that it was this day.

Standing outside the ornate false front of the lonely Fraternity Hall ones imagination can still hear the laughter and song emanating from its wooden planked walls, glassless windows and squeaky door frames.  This day had storm clouds brewing, lowering themselves onto the surrounding mountaintops. A brisk wind made me turn my collar up thinking of the ghosts that once pasted this way.

Granite mining relics

Earthen scars along the hillsides of the Flint Creek Range near Philipsburg, Montana, www.philipsburgmt.com, reveal the remains of Granite where more than $250,000.00 a month worth of silver was gouged out of the earth.

The backsides of many of the buildings were dug into the mountainsides themselves. Today their fronts are slowly dissolving into the past.  Heavy snows, the freezing temperatures of long winters and then the scorching sunny summer days twist and dehydrate the huge framework beams that were hone from the forest below.

Granite was once populated by more than 3,000 miners

Who were the people that roamed these hillsides? How many languages were spoken here? Was this a cultural melting pot?

Just a little more than one hundred years ago Granite was a bustling community with dozens of buildings including a three story Miners Union Hall and a district hospital.

Today the ambiance surrounding these gnarled, windswept, buildings gives one a sensory impression of our western American Heritage. A second notion feeds a tingling sensation, that of ghostly encounters that seem to peer out from behind the abandoned grey doorways and head frames.

Walking around, I kicked up a few home-made nails and spikes, pounded square, rusted, bent, and probably forged locally. I photographed several more buildings before resting on the milled beams of the Miners Union Hall for some lunch taking in the fine landscape views of Flint Creek Valley below.

My imagination strained to listen for the sound of horse drawn wagons pulling their heavy supply loads up into this steep terrain. But the roadways continued their silence, only the creaking of sagging ceiling beams and a few Clark’s nutcracker birds spoke for the hundreds of people that once came this way.

Part two of my ghost town discoveries will cover Nevada City, Virginia City, www.virginiacity.com, and Bannack, www.bannack.org, where the biggest and richest gold strikes in Montana took place.

For more information about these and other ghost towns in Montana view these websites:
www.visitmt.com
www.philipsburgmt.com
www.virginiacity.com
www.bannack.org
www.ghosttown.montana.com

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. An image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com . You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Backcountry Adventures – Lee Metcalf Wilderness

Snow was coming down hard with huge flakes the size of quarters piling up on the brim of my hat. Leading a pack string of horses out of the wilderness was a challenge in itself but with knee deep snow and in the dead of night, it was awesome.

My head lamp emphasized the size of the snowflakes within its bright beam and just beyond I saw dozens of glowing eyes reflected its light.  I was pumped.

I helped an outfitter friend set up a hunting camp deep into the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Though I am not a hunter Tom from Medicine Lake Outfitters, http://www.medicinelakeoutfitters.com, and I had become long time friends through my photography with many adventurous moments over the years in the mountainous backcountry of Montana.

Outfitter camp at twilight

Just a half mile or so out of camp we were heading back to the trailhead very late in the evening after three days of cutting firewood, pitching a tipi and cook tent,  generally preparing camp for what was to come during hunting season. Tom forgot his permit papers and after handing me the lead reigns of the pack string road back disappearing into the blackness.

I nervously wrapped the rope around the horn of my saddle and headed down along the meadow with no trail in sight, only a deep white carpet and more snow falling all around. I was alone in seconds as Tom faded in the night behind me. I had never lead a string of five horses before. Just riding at night was irie enough. The excitement was palatable.

I could hear the snow falling, hitting my hat, chaps and parka. It was almost a hissing sound. The rest of the night was smothered in a deafening silence. I tucked my fingers under the saddle blanket to keep them warm against the flesh of my horse when I noticed those glowing eyes. They were just a hundred yards or so in the distance off to my right. It startled me.  What the hell was that? I could feel a sense of terror building.

Then, suddenly, from the blackness of night a bull elk let out a piercing bugle putting his harem on notice that I was there and they were to stay put. His glowing eyes fixed on my movement as he trotted toward me. Two more screaming calls and he stopped not wanting to expend too much energy. Perhaps he figured out we were just horses and not more female elk for him to pursue.

By that time Tom was back and took the lead breaking trail with me still with the pack string. Within another half mile he stopped waiting for me to catch up pointing out the fresh big cat tracks that crossed our path, circling the elk herd.

Life happens out there in this pristine wilderness.

 It only added to the wildness of the night with more memorable moments to talk about over some future campfire.

For more information on the Lee Metcalf Wilderness contact the Gallatin National Forest at 406-587-2520 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/

Related Posts:
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/track-of-the-grizzly-bear
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/lee-metcalf-wilderness
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/absaroka-beartooth-wilderness

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. An image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com . You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Photography and Feng Shui for Interior Design

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice and system of aesthetics that utilizes chi or Qi, energy, from both heaven and earth to improve life by receiving and directing this energy into your lifestyle including your home and office environment.

This aesthetics system is made up of five elements: earth, fire, metal, wood and water. These elements dominate your environment and since we live in a colorful world different colors are an expression of each component.

Japanese Garden

Color and item placement gives us a sense of harmony and balance. We can open our lives to positive energy by displaying Feng Shui colors related to the elements in our living and work space.

Combined with photographic images, Feng Shui broadens this spectrum of harmony and balance with a greater sensory appeal. Inspirational nature photography specifically brings outdoor grandeur indoors with splashes of positive energy.

According to Fen Shui practice there are two types of energy, yin and yang. Yin energy is passive and promotes a calm relaxing environment. Yang is a more agitated source of non-passive energy.

Waterfall Energy Flow - Giclee Print

Yin colors are black, blue, white, pink, purple and green.

Yang colors are orange, maroon, red brown, yellow, tan, beige, mauve and gold.

What do color elements mean?

Fire color elements: Colors associated with the element of fire are of course red, then orange, yellow, purple, pink and violet.

Pink is the color of healing. It is associated with deep feelings of self-respect and a personal sense of self-awareness.

Sunburst Dahlia Panorama Giclee Print

 Red promotes wealth and prosperity. A most active color it is associated with fame, happiness, love and relationships. Red generates strength within an individual. Too much of this stimulating color encourages aggression, fear and anger. Think of this balance when using red in wall décor presentation.

Another yang color is orange and can be used to strengthen creativity and concentration. It is a positive color that promotes enthusiasm and ambition. Too much leads to restlessness and nervousness.

Purple Irises - Giclee Print

 

Purple supports mental and physical healing. It is a calming color and is associated with spiritual awareness, dignity and wisdom.

A more soothing color of a spiritual nature is violet. It has a soothing nature and can help calm symptoms of mental illness and hunger. Too much of this color advances prejudice and a sense of snobbery.

 A color associated with insight, creativity, joy and wisdom is yellow. This bright color can help lift you mood and enhance a feeling of well being.

Earth Element Colors

Pale earth tones are unifying and can be used anywhere.

Metal Element Colors

Colors that are associated with metal are white, silver, gold and grey. Gold is associated with wealth, wisdom and prosperity. It encourages good health and success. Grey stabilizes and has a calming effect because it is neutral. 

White Cup and Saucer - Giclee Print

White promotes creativity, love and relationships. It is associated with travel, purity and confidence. Used with gold and silver it generates calmness. Since white blends with all colors it promotes harmony and purity. Too much white gives an unfriendly feeling.

Water Element Colors

Black and blue are associated with the element of water. Black is associated with knowledge, life paths and skills. Used with metals it promotes money. It is the color of power and emotional protection. 

The yin color of energy is blue. Blue is calm and soothing. It reflects love and aids in bringing about healing and relaxation. Blue promotes feelings of trust and peace. Blue is linked with adventure and travel exploration.

Aspen Grove - Giclee Print

Wood Element Colors

Allied with the element of wood are the colors of green and brown. Brown is linked with security and safety.

 Green is a restful color that supports balance, relief of pain and healing. Too much green can lead to depression, selfishness and jealousy.

So in theory the stronger the color the less you need to achieve what your intent is. Colors are used to attain specific energy levels, to enhance and to maintain. Large areas should be pale with smaller surfaces reserved for accent colors. If you do not like a certain color do not use it with your décor. Personal preferences are just as important in realizing your desired decorating purposes.

Buddha Statue - Giclee Print

I have used photographic images of nature to illustrate color meanings involved with Feng Shui. Incorporating nature indoors helps create a comfortable ambience in your home, the work place, health care facilities, conference rooms and public spaces in general.

All photographs used in this entry are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, All Rights Reserved 2009. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. Gallery  images can be viewed at www.rangeofvisionphotos.com.  Contact: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com.

Staying for the light

I was packing up my gear getting ready to travel home.

All morning we photographed garden flowers in my brother’s yard. Forget-me-nots were lush. This year they overflowed from each of his five raised sections of plant life. Blue, bluer and faint purple, like a carpet, they filled even the pathways glowing and saturated in recognition of the warm spring day.

Forget-me-nots - Giclee watercolor print

We could not have ordered up a better day.

Excited by the flower growth and choice light we scrambled with our gear not wanting to lose the chance to record something great. We recognized the rush simultaneously. “I think we’re supposed to breathe.” I said.

“I am breathing,” was the faint response. We laughed taking a moment to become centered and aware of the situation.

It is easy to always shoot the same type of image. It is like imitating yourself as you try to make an artful composition where all the elements come together before your lens. But what we really want is not to have a preconceived idea of what to look for. It seems the trick is just to be aware of the circumstances and respond with heightened senses to what presents itself before your camera.

Red Poppy - Giclee watercolor print

I don’t know of another way to avoid the standard clichés of flower photography.

We waded through the garden watching the light run over the thick undergrowth giving shadowy edges to each leaf and blossom. Every shade of blue was present in the gleaming forget-me-nots. You did not know where to place your focus our subject was almost too busy with thousands of tiny blossoms each calling to our attention.

It was the iris’ leafy blades that set the direction. Sharp, flat and a constant green brought dimension to these mini landscapes. They offset the texture and color of the floral bouquet with flat triangles, ribbons and wedges.

It was funny we each had different lenses but interacted with the moment and the light in the same manner. We worked the situation, refined the composition, sharpened the focus and sometimes moved on without tripping the shutter. Close up, medium and close up again shutters opened and closed. We could sense our smiles without looking at each other.

Patience ruled the shoot.

Fire Tulips - Giclee watercolor 8x24 panorama

Brilliant red orange fire tulips were explosive with color like hot iron, radiant, in a blacksmith’s hearth. Yellow red tulips the size of baseballs edged with backlight were inspirational against a weathered grey fence. One lone yellow Westpoint Tulip constantly trembled in the slight breeze always wobbling on its fifteen inch stem.

All of this color and variety gave way to the luminous white and soft peddled plum blossoms just above our heads. We had kept our view down and actually backed into a low lying branch before recognizing another viable composition.

Two hours later, time had absorbed our senses and claimed about a hundred new images. The warm sunlight became harsh and midday winds picked up. We felt exhausted from our concentrated efforts.

Bleeding Hearts - Giclee watercolor print

The rest of the day moved on in a less creative mode and as things began to wind down before I had to leave for home we took another turn in the garden talking about the late afternoon light. Shadows had shifted and those colors and edges popped again.

I had to unpack my gear. It was like a whole new encounter. Same subject different views and a more refined approach to composition raised that level of joy and satisfaction all over again.Being open, staying for the light, resulted in a new 8×24 inch Giclee panorama of those glowing Fire Tulips, backlit, dramatic and a peaceful end to the day.

All in all I figured it was well worth the three hour drive back home in the crisp night mountain air with my moon roof open counting the stars dreaming without thought.

All images are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, 2009, All Rights Reserved. No image may be linked to or downloaded without the written authorization of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. Prints and or scans are available for purchase or lease. An image catalog can be viewed on my web site at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com
Please contact me through email: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Morning Meditation

 

I have been doing walking meditations each day, mostly out a dirt road where a spring pond attracts geese, ducks, song birds with an occasional heron or fox. Almost always I’ll see a hawk soaring above watching for gofers that scurry from hole to hole.

But today I was in town doing laundry, not a real fun thing to do on beautiful Saturdays. Morning light was soft and the Rocky Mountain air very fresh and incredibly clear. I followed a walkway up into a grove of aspen and cottonwood trees all paved and park-like.

Several flower gardens were waking, catching those early morning rays of sunlight. 

With walking meditations the idea is to plant your steps so that your feet massage the earth and your breath is timed, breathing in at the count of two, exhaling on the count of two, very rhythmic and mindful. It is most important to be mindful of your breathing. It forces you to be centered in the here and now moment.

3 Bunny Tails - 11x17 Giclee Print

Two Downey woodpeckers danced through the air chasing each other expressing their song of lust. They stayed a good twenty yards ahead of me flitting from tree to tree calling out. I smiled.

The narrow sidewalk wound through the trees and crossed a small rustling stream with a wooden footbridge. The aspens and cottonwood surrounded several acres of townhouses that almost blended in. It was so quiet. In the middle of town it was an oasis for song birds, quaking aspens and the creek gurgling over smooth rocks and an occasional broken limb filling the air with peace.

I did my concentrated paces from one end of the complex to the other breathing from the belly, smiling from the heart.

Pink Gladiolus - 11x17 Giclee Print

A pair of scarlet Taningers waited for me at the exit path, as I crossed the footbridge, with their bright yellow bodies, red heads and a compelling morning song. They too chased each other from bridge to tree limb down to the creek.

I left the grove of trees and townhouses refreshed, picked up my laundry and headed home to photograph in my garden, mindful of the opportunity of a morning smile.

All images are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, 2009, All Rights Reserved. No image may be linked to or downloaded without the written authorization of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. Prints and or scans are available for purchase or lease. Please contact me through email: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com or through my image catalog web site at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com

Can Color Photographs Enhance Positive Feelings of Well Being?

Do you ever think about color and how it affects your life?

Do you ever see red or feel blue? Some people are said to turn green with envy. These are real changes that happen to our body’s aura or electro-magnetic field.  Studies show that color and its use can alter our emotions.

So what is color?

An easy definition is just the quality of light.

But with sunny days or cloudy days the quality of light changes and has many variations.  Light waves or vibrations are constantly moving. Even though we do not notice most of the time light rays are always dancing in and around everything.

Flower Flair - Giclee Print

Many people believe that color is life and that color is an expression of the divine.

Ancient civilizations studied the power and influence of color. They used color in their healing and religious practices. Think of the saturated hues used in temples and palaces.

High priests and priestesses from China, India and Egypt developed the science of color based upon the nature of man and the sun’s bright spectrum of light. So these fundamental laws of cosmic energy we know as color have always been around.

Healers and shamans used principles of cosmic energy and color to heal many ailments.

We understand that disease means a lack of harmony within the body. Chromo therapy and its use, is a means of bringing balance back to the body through the use of colored light.

In the 1930’s, a scientist named Ghadiali, developed several theories about the therapeutic effects of colored light and the role it plays upon our bodies.He wrote about how color represents different chemical reactions in the high vibrations of light. Each color he stated can stimulate or inhibit how one’s system works. If you understand how different colors work on ones organs, then in theory, you can apply the right color light to balance that system or organ and then condition it. Palm Leaf - Giclee Print If you live in a healthy state, you are conditioned or balanced with light energy. When the balance is off you are known to be in a state of dis-ease. Restoring the balance is what color therapy is all about. All living things get energy from the sun and its light wave vibrations. All known elements are found in the energy of the sun. These elements and chemicals are all contained in white light. The sun emits white light energies into the atmosphere and life is then sustained or charged by it. We have all heard about auras that surround and penetrate our bodies. They absorb white light and divide it into different color energies. With humans there are two activities working all the time. They are called catabolism and anabolism. Anabolism builds and repairs. Catabolism eliminates waste products from the body. Good health is a balance between these two processes and is called metabolism. The scientist Ghadiali found that the color red is a construction color. It stimulates the liver and red blood cells. Violet works on the spleen and is the color of catabolism or destruction. So red stimulates the liver and is at one end of the color spectrum. Violet is at the other end of the visible spectrum. He found that green is the balancing or central color. This is great for the pituitary gland, which controls all the other glands, which affect the entire body. Red, green and violet are the primary color waves used in Chromo therapy. Purple Iris 8x24 Giclee Panorama Why use color therapy at all when we have so many drugs and medicines? Well are the drugs natural? Is putting unnatural things into your body a good thing? Do drugs really balance out the body? Do they just work on the symptoms? With things unbalanced and we use drugs, are there then drug-induced illnesses? People react differently to the same drugs. Many people are allergic to different ones. At least with Chromo therapy there are no harmful effects. Drugs treat symptoms while color therapy treats the imbalance itself. It is thought that applying color treatments instead of drugs can be a constructive activity without any destructive effect. Pushing - Salisphy Giclee Print Today the medical profession uses light from the spectrum just below and above visible light energies. Doctors use ultra-violet and infrared rays. Used for too long a period of time either one can cause damage to body tissue. The worst that can happen with light from the visible spectrum might be a slight accentuation of the problem in the first place. So since there can really be no problems using Chromo therapy, don’t be afraid of it. Do a little fun research. Add a little green light into your life. In expanding thoughts related to photography and light are there relationships with color and recorded image that can have a similar effect on the body’s imbalances? Many health care facilities use large Giclee and photographic display prints of nature and abstract images of bold colors to help induce a sense of calm and a healing environment for their patients. Some interior designers using Feng Shui use color photography in print and transparency formats to shape and enhance the flow of chi or positive energy in the home or office space with wall décor. All images are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, 2009, All Rights Reserved. No image may be linked to or downloaded without the written authorization of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. Prints and or scans are available for purchase or lease. Please contact me through email: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com or through my image catalog web site at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com

Track of the Grizzly Bear

As quick as the snapping of a pine branch just a few yards behind us, Tom yelled bear and his horse bolted after the grizzly that stepped out onto the trail. With a shot of adrenalin my horse came alive and like a rocket blasted off following Tom into the forest racing toward the dark brown blur sprinting away.

My heart pounded in my throat. Blue the appaloosa I was riding was all fearless energy. In unison we jumped a log running at full throttle. I ducked hugging Blue’s mane when a thick aspen branch took a shot at my head and remained fluid in the saddle. I was thrilled beyond belief.

Grizzly Bear

It lasted a mere thirty seconds. The grizzly bear disappeared in the thick pine growth. We pulled up to a halt, still whooping and hollering at the bear, having chased him away from our camp area.

We were five days into a spectacular pack trip in the Monument section of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Tom Heintz, who owns Medicine Lake Outfitters, www.medicinelakeoutfitters.com, and a long time friend, invited me to do some exploring before the summer season began so we could get some new photos he could use for publicity.

Just the night before during a full moon I saw the silhouette of that bear appear across my tent. I sat up suddenly shaking in my sleeping bag. When he reached the door of my tent the whole side folded in and quickly popped back out. Then silence.

I don’t know how long I sat there waiting for his entry but there was nothing. The next morning after telling Tom about the almost invasion he noticed the claw marks down the rain fly of my dome tent. It was like a telling scar. Proof I was not dreaming.

It marked the importance of keeping a clean camp and respecting wilderness rules.

Monument Unit Lee Metcalf Wilderness

We continued a more calm exploration of a rocky ridge and found ourselves with an excellent view out on a precipice with three sides that plummeted several hundred feet to a valley below and figured it was a great place for lunch.

Dismounted we walked the horses to the edge reliving the excitement of the chase. Looking back toward the trail we had just came from we both realized where we were and how vulnerable the situation was if that pissed off bear returned to chase us.

We were out of there in seconds with nervous laughter in the air and another adventurous memory.

For more information on the Lee Metcalf Wilderness contact the Gallatin National Forest at 406-587-2520 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/

Related Posts:
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/lee-metcalf-wilderness
http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/absaroka-beartooth-wilderness

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. An image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com . You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Seeing with a Beginner’s Mind

In photography as with all forms of art we seek oneness with our subject. This is called beginners mind. It is this part of the creative process that gratifies our souls, not necessarily the finished print. Although an excellent Giclee or digital print does make for good wall décor and can complete the visual venture.

We have all the equipment, books and videos one needs to learn from but does all the knowledge we accumulate get in the way of seeing and capturing good images?

How many times have you been in the field with a spectacular landscape scene before you? The light is excellent. But the rush of technology fills you head with thoughts of lenses, f/stops, depth of field, film choices, scene brightness ranges, composition and exposure limits. Equipment confusion really can get in the way of seeing and making art.

Water Spirits 16x24 Giclee Print

Some photographers get caught in this barrage of information and tools. Their images are accurate but lack life’s vibrancy. The spirit of the moment just isn’t there.

Every instant that passes before us is new and free from past baggage. Seeing with a beginners mind is the ability to step aside from personal issues and let the image find you.

For me, many of my images can come quickly. They tap me on the shoulder and seem to trip the shutter all by themselves. I become a catalyst to the event and I love that energy surge.

It takes practice to become comfortable with your equipment but it is essential.  With an ease of using your equipment you can trigger the core of your beginner’s mind.

This was something I learned as a beginning photojournalist. Don’t think about your equipment just know what it can do. Be there, be aware and the image will find you. You know, “the f/8 and be there” National Geographic thing.

Life’s moments happen fast and disappear. Practice with your equipment so when they appear before you, you can capture those flashes in time and see each moment with a beginners mind.

Photographs used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. An image catalog can be viewed at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com . You can contact me through this blog or through email at: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Water Speaking Water

 

I had been reading about Zen and the Art of Photography and came across a statement regarding “Water Speaking Water”, by John Daido Loori a Zen Master and fellow photographer. I found these three words fascinating and thought about them on and off for three days.

In the realm of Zen everything in the universe is one. Everything is interconnected and relies on each other to complete its fulfillment. It is only our personal awareness that experiences life from our own unique point of view, defined only by the moment.

Liquid Voices

Water flows, as energy flows, around us and through us and at times if we have reached our still point we are able to capture a slice of this energy, in our hearts, on film or render it digitally.

My brother and I hiked to a small gorge near Big Sky, Montana, in the Gallatin National Forest, to a waterfall, on a photographic outing. It was just the day before when we had dropped down from the high country in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness where I came face to face with a River Shaman that emerged from another water movement moment. (See http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/river-shaman)

We hiked into the gorge probably two hundred feet down from the trailhead and as we approached the falls through the pine forest we could hear the rush of the water as it filled the silence found among the trees.

The Throne

We were absorbed in the moment. The water’s voice captured us and pulled us down to the base where mist splashed and swirled, filling our senses and singing the universe’s praises. It was a sirens song.

Conditions were right for photography but we sat on the edge of a cliff before the falls in silence just breathing and trying to feel the energies that rushed through our bodies. It was just a couple of minutes and somehow, we knew when it was time to spring into action. The next two hours were effortless. Many angles, different lenses and lots of film, all procedures as smooth as could be. Composition was easy.

That afternoon Ouzel Falls spoke to us and allowed us a cosmic experience. We were not separate entities. There was no self in the equation. All was one with the hum of the universe.

For further information on Zen and photographic insight: The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating Your Artistic Life by John Daido Loori.

All images are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, 2009, All Rights Reserved. No image may be linked to or downloaded without the written authorization of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography. Fine Art Prints are available for purchase . Please contact me through email: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com or through my web site at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com

Fine Art or Crap?

Today I need your help.

I did a little experimenting with some Glycerin while photographing some orange day lilies. The floral compositions I was working with all seemed boring.

I tried different angles, direct light, diffused light, garden backgrounds and solid backdrops but to no avail. Nothing was working that day.

While downloading and checking things out on the computer I remembered a photo I had seen months ago.  It had glycerin droplets on a flower stem that magnified and brought into view the out of focus flower behind it.

Image 3448

So I tried a new set up. Using boxes I made a platform about 18 inches above the plant and placed a sheet on clean glass on it. Spreading the glycerin drops in no particular pattern or size variation I realized quickly that I needed to level out the platform to keep the rest of the droplets from running.

I used a ladder to get about four feet above the glass and leaned over the center. The day lily was magnified and sharp in each of the droplets, bright orange. Using a 200mm macro focus lens and a shallow depth of field to keep the background out of focus I first got the glass sheet sharp then realized that just an eighth of an inch difference made each droplet pop with contrast and color.

Image 3452

I recorded a series of several images that swirled with color and each fine tuned droplet repeating the lily behind it. Each image was very different from the previous. After cleaning up a few blemishes on the glass in Photoshop I printed out several variations. Three of which I have included here on this post.

I am now asking my readers to give me some input and help me edit and name one or more of them to aid me in deciding which if any should be reproduced as a fine art Giclee print. I have had interesting viewer response to the proof prints and now want to see what my readers think.

Image 3467

Please respond with comments below. Each image has a number ID right now for your reference. I am having trouble naming them. Should they be offered as single images or a picture pair or perhaps a set? What do you think? Are these images worth pursuing?

Images used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography.  Print décor catalog and galleries can be viewed at www.rangeofvisionphotos.com Contact: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Twin Lakes a Place for Contemplation

The descent was rather steep. It called for a little side stepping and traversing the slope down about 1,200 feet into Hellroaring Canyon and Rock Creek drainage from the west summit of Beartooth Pass at an elevation of 10,974 feet, (3,337 m.).

I had been to these pristine alpine Twin Lakes before. The Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness has always held a special place in my thoughts. Being only 170 miles from Bozeman, my home, we have spent many nights in this area and hiked numerous trails. So I was very familiar with what to expect, high alpine tundra, boulder fields, no trail and plenty of wind with not another soul in sight.

Twin Lakes 11x17 Giclee Print

This was just what I needed, a solo hike and a day of contemplation and meditation, my birthday treat. The scenery is dramatic on this the eastern edge of the Yellowstone ecosystem. I was on the longest running alpine plateau above 10,000 feet in North America.

My first target was Goat Meadow a sculpted peninsula of barren tundra that pokes its way into Rock Creek drainage. Sharp cliffs are carved into three of its sides with Twin Lakes, Mirror Lake and Rock Creek below. Several small unnamed lakes are just as inviting to the hiker.

It was slow going over the boulder field. Each step was carefully placed. A twisted ankle or worst a broken leg can be quite the detriment even to the adventurous in a wilderness area. Granite boulders were stable but uneven so I took my time. The two hundred yard crossing still took almost half an hour.

The scenery is magnificent with landscape photos in all directions. Small puffy cumulous clouds raced ferociously over the plateau so low I could almost touch them. I continued my trek above the headwall and cirque of the glacially carved bowl that forms the head of the canyon.

It was mid August and most wildflowers were already gone for the season. A few tiny sago lilies and sagebrush buttercups were still in bloom along the borders of three small receding snow fields. Instead of hiking across them I glissaded down slope effortlessly, saving my strength.

I crossed the grassy plateau searching the cliff faces for mountain goats on the Hellroaring Canyon side. Wind gusts kept me from standing still while I glassed the glacially carved cliffs. I had to sit with my arms propped on my knees. But there was no movement out there.

I continued down crossing another slushy snow field and several small running creeks ending up with the sky blue Twin Lakes at my feet. The wind picked up I sought shelter scrunching down by some large boulders that were sunk into the slope.

Of course I opted not to carry my tripod in order to secure sharp images. However I am not sure it would have helped this time because of the thirty mile per hour steady wind with surges well above that speed. I propped up my camera as best I could but couldn’t stop the sway.

So it was lunch, rest and personal thoughts regarding another year of life. I have experienced many life changes recently and there was much to contemplate. The only constant has been my continued pursuit of photography and the art of seeing.

I promised myself to further my efforts in pursuit of fine art photography and establish a writing style that communicates with and touches readers of my articles and blog posts. The rest of life will fall into place. I have faith.

After a couple of hours and a numb butt I packed up and began the long tough climb up and out of the canyon. Some days are just not for making new images. But the efforts in trying are forever worth the challenges. I am always ready for more.

For further information on the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness please read: http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/absaroka-beartooth-wilderness/

Images used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography.  Print décor catalog and galleries can be viewed at www.rangeofvisionphotos.com Contact: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Proper Care and Handling of Giclee Fine Art Prints

Many of my clients have been asking me how best to mount and display their Giclee prints. Of course going archival is the best.  For this kind of maximum permanence this means that everything that touches the print itself should be acid free.

Bearded Iris 11x17 Giclee Print

To begin with inkjet prints have a tendency to scratch easily. Consequently, it is advisable to use cotton gloves when handling prints to protect them from scratches and fingerprints. For fine art papers and canvas, you can also use a spray to protect your print. It is best to let your print set for at least 24 hours before using them.

Lumijet Protective Spray from Hahnemuhle and Premier Art Shield from Premier Imaging Products are both very good options. They will seal and protect your print from moisture, scratches, and fingerprints and they will not yellow as your print ages.

Heat can also damage a print so it is advisable not to heat mount your print to any kind of backing board, especially foam core. The mount board should really be acid free as well. I use a minimum amount of museum quality acid free linen, hinged mount tape to secure the print.

Pulse, Snapdragons, 12x12 Giclee Print

 For the fine art nature reproductions that I do, for both Giclee and digital prints, I prefer non-glare matte finish papers.  I feel they look better under glass than a gloss finish paper. This is just a personal opinion. It makes me feel that my prints do not communicate as well when viewers struggle to read a print because of reflections.

 I do use a gloss finish paper for some of my photojournalism prints, depending on how they will be displayed or for client requirements.

Non-reflective glass has a tendency to dull the print colors. It is also much more expensive. Giclee prints have a great range of subtle colors and sometimes non-glare glass does not do the image justice. While at times with regular glass the viewer still has to move around some to read a print the distraction is kept to a minimum. Non-glare UV glass will however add a few more years to the prints lifespan.

Additional print protection should continue with storage and display methods. For storage, it is best to keep your prints flat. It avoids unwanted curling, bending or warping and it makes handling much easier. Use a protective acid-free tissue sheets between each print. This tissue is available at most art stores or you can get it online at Light Impressions, is an inexpensive way to keep your prints from rubbing against each other.

So in review, for the best longevity, use archival acid free mounting and matting materials. Frame your print and place it under glass, not touching it. Keep it away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight. Your Giclee or digital print should last 90 plus years.

Images used in this post are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography, 2009, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without the written permission of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography.  Print décor catalog and galleries can be viewed at www.rangeofvisionphotos.com Contact: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com

Altered Images

There are times when a little experimenting with Photoshop can be good training in learning how to expand your sense of seeing. Most of the time, I prefer not to use the filters, to me most of them look contrived. From what I have seen many photographers use them to cover up problems with sharpness and exposure.

As a long time photojournalist I prefer sharpness and more of a documentary style approach. But there are occasions when something creative and interpretive can be had and it can enhance the vision of the photographer or at least satisfy the needs of a client who may want something different.

Saba Serengeti Lion - 16x24 Giclee

Upon my return from a photo trip to Tanzania, Africa I shot a series of wildlife images that turned out pretty well.  I showed them to a client, a safari guide, who wanted a set of large animal prints and photos of Massai in cultural dress to be used in his office lobby, in Arusha. He already had prints that had been displayed for a few years and required something more unique, most notably for the wildlife images.

What I had wasn’t much different from what he had. A little more action and animal behavior and some good images with dramatic landscapes included. They were in the same category as what I had seen in several other safari offices throughout Arusha. They are atmospheric images used to entice walk in visitors to book safari trips.

I knew the display prints were going to be 16 x 24 in size then matted and framed. They would be viewed from a distance of fifteen to twenty-five feet. We looked through perhaps a hundred photographs and he kept coming back to tightly cropped face shots.

Cheetah 16x16 Giclee Print

He edited a series of seven wildlife prints but I could tell there was hesitation in his selection. He said he was hoping for something more graphic.

After agreeing to meet again the next afternoon over coffee, at a local shop, I spent that evening playing with Photoshop trying to interpret a different angle on the presentation. The only thing that seemed to work was to use the watercolor filters.

I was not satisfied with brushes, sponges or pallets; they seemed to be more of a distraction. The watercolor filters however gave me something to work with. I tightly cropped the facial features of lion, cheetah, elephant, zebra, water buffalo, giraffe and baboon.

Zebra Bite - 16x24 Giclee

They did not work for hippo, hyena, nor for gazelle. Those just did look right so I scraped them. Showing those images would have degraded the overall presentation even though my client showed interested in those animals.

I was on time for our meeting and gave a short presentation on my computer. It was a success. My client was very happy getting something none of the other outfitters had.

Ngorongoro Baboon 16x24 Giclee

An order was placed for seven wildlife and five Massai cultural images, all 16 x 24 Giclee reproductions printed on a nice matte watercolor paper that enhanced the character of the image and established a professional style of décor for his office space.

Though I will still hesitate in turning to Photoshop filters to alter my images it is comforting knowing that I have the tools to make changes necessary to please my clients if the need arises.

For further views on African wildlife photo safaris please refer to these suggested posts: http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/horizon-of-stars/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/200903/06/tree-climbing-lions/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/elephant-brothers/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/flamingoes-baboons-and-a-bull-elephant/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/tracking-lions/

http://myphotovisions.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/safari-road/

All images are copyrighted by Wayne Scherr, 2009, All Rights Reserved. No image may be linked to or downloaded without the written authorization of Wayne Scherr, Range of Vision Photography.  Prints and or scans are available for purchase or lease. Please contact me through email: wayne@rangeofvisionphotos.com or through my web site at http://www.rangeofvisionphotos.com