Before The Coffee » Photography

My original approach to visiting Death Valley was like any other photography trip I’ve taken. Get up early, shoot the sunrise, drive some, shoot the sunset and then settle in for a good nights sleep. After learning that DV (Death Valley) got really dark at night I thought that a whole new opportunity was possible. Night photography could be my new passion but I had a looming awareness that you can’t see at night while roaming around alone in the desert. You can’t see what’s lurking, it will surprise you and get you without much warning. Ok, I’ll just carry flashlights, 2 should do it, nay maybe 3, well fast forward to DV; I ended up carrying 5 LED lights.

This pic is a pano taken at Badwater about 11pm. It’s 4 verticals at 14mm focal length. It’s not totally dark because the moon is still up but it’s dark enough to make you wonder what’s out there. The wind was blowing pretty hard but I kept on task and shot until about 1am.

 

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  • JB - November 9, 2012 - 2:07 pm

    Tremendous Ferrell. Worth the risk. I’ll bet you had a great time there, especially with your background in geology.ReplyCancel

  • ME Martin - November 11, 2012 - 1:28 pm

    I really enjoy reading of your inspirations for creating, experiencing, and capturing new images – and of course how you make it happen. “Where the wild things are” – the geology revealed, the elements expressing themselves at different times, different places, all Universal in their ways.ReplyCancel

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After the initial surprise of hearing the wedding was in a barn I was very curious. It wasn’t just any barn this one was built in 1798 in the style of an English Wheat Barn – doors open on each side for drying the wheat. There was no electricity, just hay bales, benches and lots of anticipation.  The weather forecasted a major change in the weather with thunderstorms and  the possibility of tornados.   As guests arrived so did the rain, but as you will see from the smiles, the day shinned.  As the reception was winding down, I took the bride and groom outside to a very wet grassy field and for 80 seconds we were dazzled by a perfect rainbow and a sherbet colored sunset.  It was the kind of ending that happens in fairytales.  Congratulations Mandy and Sean, wishing you happily ever after!

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  • John Barclay - September 24, 2012 - 9:56 am

    Tremendous job Ferrell! WOW what a sunset and RAINBOW for them! Memorable for sure.ReplyCancel

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As photographers we all watch our subjects to capture them during the best moment. Heck, even non-photographers know the decisive moment when a kid blows out the birthday candles. But where is the decisive moment in landscape? I approach the answer by asking myself, what is changing, what is moving… then I observe the scene without taking any pics. For this pic, I gave my primary attention to the waves as they crashed, I wanted some action, but I also liked the swash on the beach. I couldn’t very well time the two together so I watched the wave as it curled, just as it crashed I shot each image set. This is the -1EV image that I tonemapped in Photomatix. Have you tried Photomatix? You can download a trial version and if you decide to buy it my coupon code will give you a 15% discount (beforethecoffee).

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It started out like an ordinary hot and hazy day. I was up at sunrise but it was pretty dull, I messed around with some grasses along the bay and once the light faded I packed it in. Later in the day a massive thunderstorm rolled through. I shot 5 images from north (on the left) to south and stitched them in PS CS6.

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  • Margaret Martin - September 22, 2012 - 10:24 pm

    Fantastic. ..I will look at this image a long timeReplyCancel

    • Ferrell - September 23, 2012 - 7:56 am

      Yes I agree Margaret. I enjoy all the tones and cloud edges. A unique moment in time that nature gave us.ReplyCancel

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