HAVING AN EYE ON THE SKY

Thunderhead over farm, north of Guttenberg, Iowa

I spent a lot of time this week in my car, driving through the countryside for some business appointments far away. Sometimes it can be a little boring, but when puffy clouds show up in the sky I watch how they develop. There wasn’t much traffic when this thunderhead got some interesting light and when it was right behind this farm at the horizon I knew I had an opportunity for a picture. No distracting power lines in the foreground, no other cars around, just perfect for a brief stop. Two minutes later I was on the road again, this time with a smile in my face… 😊

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 62mm, 1/500 s, f/8, ISO 160

ZOOMING OUT, BETTER STORYTELLING

Elbe River, Dresden, Saxony, Germany, May 26, 2024

We had met with a dear friend in one of the lovely beer gardens along the Elbe River in Dresden, Saxony and enjoyed a great time together. On the way back to the apartment we watched mighty thunderheads developing around us and with them the low sitting sun created some spectacular light in the sky and on the river.

I took a few pictures of the scene, zooming in on the clouds, with the sun beams as my subject, but wasn’t really happy with the results. I realized that it was more about where to place the different elements in the frame, the river with reflections, the steam boat, the silhouette of the building, and of course the position of the sun in the cloud. Zooming slightly further out made finally for better storytelling about location and time.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 43mm, 1/500 s, f/8, ISO 100

BRENTON ARBORETUM, WITH AN EYE ON THE SKY

Summer sky over Brenton Arboretum, near Dallas Center, Iowa

We were introduced to an Iowa nature gem by good friends last weekend. The Brenton Arboretum near Dallas Center in Central Iowa is not just about trees, but also prairie, grasslands, ponds, and wetland areas. There were plenty of opportunities for macro photography, but as the avid reader of my blog already knows, I’m not so much into that field. Clouds were moving all around and I had my eye on them, hoping for some interesting light and maybe drama in the sky. Almost at the end of our short hike a picture unfolded, as the light hit the wildflowers in the prairie on this hillside, the clouds formed a pattern, and the sky took care for some color contrast.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 47mm, 1/1250 s, f/8, ISO 200

LET’S USE THE CLOUDS

In the Millwork District, Dubuque, Iowa

I shot this industrial structure in the historic Millwork District of Dubuque, Iowa four years ago already and it did draw my attention again during the Millwork Night Market about a month ago. This time we had more drama with some dynamic clouds that made me set the camera to Black & White mode. I wanted to replicate a retro look for this photo and mimicked a red filter in camera already for a high contrast look. It’s the time of the year with a lot of moisture in the air and with it come the clouds. Well, let’s just use them! It begs the question, what is the subject here, the metal structure or the clouds? You tell me…

STILL LOVE THE RED FILTER

Approaching thunderstorm, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

If you camp out west in a small tent it is mandatory to have always an eye on the weather. This approaching thunderstorm turned out relatively harmless. It came with a little bit of lightning, not even close, and some rain for the night. Letting this opportunity to make a photo pass by was not an option. The question was, how to capture the drama in the sky?

Back in the days of black & white film a red filter in front of the lens was the way to go. We made the click and then waited for the results until the film was developed. Today with a mirrorless camera things are a lot easier. While shooting always in RAW format, all what it takes is to set the camera to B&W and include the settings for a red filter (or any other setting you may have in mind). In the viewfinder or on screen in the back of the camera we can then evaluate the results immediately and decide if it matches our vision for the final image. If not, we can always revert to the color data embedded in the RAW file and let our creativity go in a different direction.

The results for this photo match pretty much the settings I had used already in the camera. I like the drama a red filter can produce. Very little is tweaked in post process on the computer at home. The landscape doesn’t take the stage, just gets a hint of light, while the clouds are clearly the subject that tells the story of this evening ten days ago in the Badlands.

THE ARCHWAY

The Archway, I-80, Kearney, Nebraska

On Memorial Day we returned from a wonderful trip through several parts in Germany. I like to say thank you again to family and friends for hospitality and for helping in many ways to make this journey as fantastic as it was.

Live doesn’t stand still and so I left for a business trip just a day later. This time in the other direction, out west again to Nebraska and tomorrow to South Dakota. My hotel today isn’t far away from the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument (also known as The Archway or Kearney Archway), a bridge structure that spans across Interstate I-80 in Kearney, Nebraska. It houses a historical experience that tells the story of Nebraska and the Platte River Valley in the development of America. We drove under it several times while heading east or west during vacation trips in the past but have never stopped there.

Unfortunately the museum was already closed this evening but nice light from the west and puffy clouds can’t be ignored by the photographer and the wide angle Nikkor 16-35, f/4 was used for a few clicks.

The Archway is actually not such a peaceful place as it looks in this image. A steady stream of heavy trucks and many cars in both directions make it actually a noisy place and it was not so easy to get a shot without a big vehicle in the frame.

NATURE CLICKS #547 - BROWN PELICAN

Brown Pelicans, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California

It’s always a treat to watch Brown Pelicans that live along the Pacific coast. These elegant flyers catch fish by plunge diving into the water. This is much different than the American White Pelicans that we have here in the Mississippi Valley, who often swim in groups, herd the fish, and finally snatch the prey with their large bills.

The early sun of the day made for the right light on the birds while these two passed by, but it was the background that needed some attention while having the pelicans in the viewfinder. There was still a lot of gray clouds in the sky and including a bit of the blue behind them brings some color contrast into the game.

SHOOT IT NOW

Clouds and sunset over the ridge, Saint Donatus, Iowa

If there is one thing I would list above everything else I learned from studying the work of some well known or famous photographers over the years, it’s the advice, shoot it now.

Driving home the fifty-minutes-drive from the Green Island Wetlands to our home north of Dubuque, Iowa around or shortly after sunset can lead to interesting views, including clouds and of course the sun itself. The photo was made last Saturday and I pulled the car off the highway to make the click. I loved the patterns of snow below the wooded ridge, all framed by the clouds and the remaining light of the sun. It’s a private residence and the house on the slope is even in the picture, but underexposing the photo just for the highlights keeps the picture out of unwanted distractions.

A day later I drove home from the wetlands about the same time. There was again light from the setting sun, fewer clouds, but the sky was still worth a consideration for a photo. So what was the difference? Well the white stuff was almost gone and none of the snow bands on the road or in the fields were intact. It was in my books not worth to stop, the picture was gone. I’m quoting acclaimed photographer Jay Maisel: Never go back. Shoot it now. When you go back, it will always be different.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2022 #8 - STOP AT THE BEST MOMENT

Thunderstorm moving out, Mississippi River, Guttenberg, Iowa

My thank you goes out to our friend Mary, who drove the car while this beautiful scene with clouds was visible over in Wisconsin across the Mississippi River last weekend. She stopped safely without any hesitation, so I could get out of the car and make the photo. Some wet roads further south told us later that this thunderstorm had mad its impact also on the Iowa side of the river. This was taken just above lock & dam #10 in Guttenberg, Iowa, about 30 miles north of our home.

There is very little to do in post process since I import my monochrome settings right out of camera into Adobe Lightroom. As in this case, what I saw on the screen at the back of the camera after the click was pretty much what I wanted to see in the final image. Another great summer day we were able to share with friends. Thanks again Mary!

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2022 #7 - SUMMER CLOUDS

Clouds over the Mississippi River, Clayton, Iowa

We met with friends from northwest Iowa in Guttenberg today and took a little drive along the mighty Mississippi to the little river town of Clayton, Iowa. Following an excellent lunch at Clayton Lighthouse Restaurant and Bar we saw some great development of clouds over the river. What serious photographer would not take out the camera and try to tell a visual story about a summer day in August in the Upper Mississippi Valley? My choice was black & white and to see a preview of the final result right on camera screen, the Nikon Z 6II was set to monochrome picture mode. Since I shoot always in RAW the color information is still in the file and if I would ever change my mind about the picture intent, making it a color version, this is still possible. My monochrome settings include a red filter and that meets exactly what I would do in the old days of B&W film photography for a landscape with clouds as we saw today. Great day, good times!

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 45 mm, 1/1000s, f/8, ISO 100

ANOTHER DAY, DIFFERENT CLOUDS, BIGGER MOON

Not as many clouds as the day before yesterday evening but beauty everywhere. When I took a series of shots at this scene I thought already, the cell phone tower behind the barn has to go away in post process. To be honest, I do not like too many “contemporary” elements in my landscape photos. But back home at the computer I changed my mind for this image. The waxing moon was at 68% last night, 11% more than the day before, and the tall tower points exactly at it and kinda leads the eye there.

TURNING THE HEAD

Mount Herard from Piñion Flat Campground, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

When you take your eyes away from the dune field of Great Sand Dunes National Park in the west and turn your head north towards Mount Herard (13279 ft / 4,053 m) you have another stunning vista without moving a bit. There was some snow already the evening before but a little more had accumulated by the next morning. All what it took for this image was getting out of the sleeping bag and watch the fast development of the clouds that hugged the mountain. These mountains are not in the national park but are part of the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. 

Nikon D750, Nikkor 70-200mm / f4,   @ 112 mm, 1/500 s, f/8, ISO100

AFTER THE RAIN

Sunset in the driftless region of eastern Iowa

Much needed rain and gray clouds dominated the sky today. Not long before sunset the clouds moved out and I grabbed the camera and drove into the fields nearby, trying to find a good spot for the sunset and the illuminated clouds without obstructions by power lines or trees. Not as spectacular as I was hoping for but still good enough for a few clicks and starting the weekend…