POOL FULL OF LIFE

Little pool full of life in a creek

Basswood Creek is a small tributary that meets the Mississippi River at Finleys Landing, a small marina and campsite not far from home here in eastern Iowa. The last few hundred yards of this creek are on the same level as the Mississippi and sometimes flooding of the big river has an impact on the water level of this little creek. The water was pretty low for most part of August and in Basswood Creek nothing but clear water came down this small side valley. It can be very muddy after a heavy rain, when the water pours down from higher elevations, with tons of runoff from the fields, but it wasn’t this time. Tadpoles and small fish used the little pools and deeper parts in the creek as a habitat.

A photo like this can be made even at the height of the day, when light is awful for any other pictures out in the Great Outdoors. It was very hot that day and just looking at the life in a creek is a welcome change. Well, our dog Cooper did not develop the same sense of visual appreciation, he just lies down in the water and calls it a day… I can’t blame him when it’s so hot as it was!

PERFECT SUMMER HABITAT

Great Blue Heron, Bankston County Park, Dubuque County, Iowa

The current heat and humidity take a little bit the fun out of wildlife photography with a heavy long lens, but here is a photo from earlier this month. The Great Blue Heron knows where the fish are and if the photographer has a clue as well, a picture can be taken. The little stream at the bottom of the valley is a good place. This photo represents my idea of an environmental portrait quite well. With the vegetation along the creek at its peak for the season, it tells a good story about a perfect summer habitat for this Great Blue Heron here in the driftless area of northeast Iowa.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, @ 600 mm, 1/250 s, f/6.3, ISO400

ATTENTION TO THE HIGHLIGHTS

Creek, Bankston County Park, Iowa

Same location as in yesterday’s blog post. I looked for beauty at the river valley and tried to work towards a fine art print. The photo is underexposed by one f-stop to hide more of the clutter in the river bed. When the picture is framed in the viewfinder it is important to watch the highlights in the water in order to anticipate the results. This of course has to be done before the 10-stop ND filter is attached to the lens because it is so dark, you can’t see much through it in an environment that is not very bright. With flowing water no two images are alike. This requires some patience to obtain the desired outcome. At the same time it is interesting and has a learning curve, but is also a relaxing and calming process.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 70-200mm / f4, Breakthrough X4 ND filter (10-stop), GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head, VELLO wired remote switch,  @200 mm, 13 s, f/11, ISO100

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VALLEY

Little cascade, Bankston County Park, Eastern Iowa

I still try to reveal the possibilities of the new Breakthrough X4 10-stop ND filter. Our dog Cooper and us always love to visit Bankston County Park, with its cold creek running through the valley on a bed of ancient limestone rocks. Little cascades are an ideal subject for long time exposures and if the light coming through the dense canopy of the trees hits the right spots, you may find the photo that was on your mind.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 70-200mm / f4, Breakthrough X4 ND filter (10-stop), GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head, VELLO wired remote switch,  @200 mm, 26 s, f/11, ISO200

BLURRING THE WATER

Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River, Bankston County Park, Iowa

No landscape or people photographer likes dappled light for the most part. But if the dappled light hits the right spots, a photo can be created. Back to the river valley in Bankston County Park today I tried to get some birds in front of the lens. The feathered friends had other plans and after spending over an hour along the Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River without any good results, I decided to change lenses and dedicate some time to the river itself. We had some rain lately and the water had good speed around the cascades.

I used the technology in the camera to produce some blurred water in the bright light of this afternoon. The Nikon D750 allows multiple exposures for one frame, although its only three at a time. Newer cameras may allow more shots in multiple exposure mode. The camera is on a tripod and first a test shot is made to see where to start. Use aperture priority mode, between f/22 and f/32 (depending on your lens) and ISO100. Autofocus on a fixed point, like a stone, and then turn the autofocus mode carefully off. I set the shutter to continuous high speed but low speed may work as well. Fire all three (or more) shots and look for the results on your screen. Make any corrections you want with your exposure compensation dial and do it again, and again, and again. No two shots are exactly alike, due to the fact that the water looks always different. Back at home, in front of your computer screen, it is time to make the difficult decision which photo to use for telling your story…

Why do I like this way so much? During bright day light you need a very dark filter and may still not have a slow enough shutter speed to blur the water. If you have ever worked with neutral density filters (6 stop or 10 stop) you know that the slightest vibration can ruin your shot and focus has to be on spot before the filter is in front of the lens. The method as described makes you very fast and allows to try out many different shooting angles or zoom settings within a short period of time, giving you a lot more space for creativity while working along a creek or river.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON

White Pine Hollow State Preserve, Iowa -----

After a week in Chicago I was longing for a real nature experience, away from urban areas, and I don’t know any better place around here than White Pine Hollow State Preserve near Luxemburg, Iowa. This is rugged terrain and getting down to the bottom of this canyon took some hiking efforts and requires solid boots and an outfit that can withstand thorns and stinging nettles. If you make it, you will be rewarded by solitude and a beautiful nature. The recent flash flood has changed the canyon, rocks have been moved and some of the gullies are a lot deeper. The leaves have started falling off the trees, although we don’t have really fall colors here yet.

Contrast becomes very high if the sun is out and exposure can be a problem. Starting the hike in the afternoon, when the light became softer but still reached the bottom of the canyon, was the way to go today.