In A Sea Of Dunes

In A Sea Of Dunes, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Another day, another playground made of sand. A playground for kids (young and old), a playground for photographers. Let the play begin!

Mesquite Flat Dunes

Mesquite Flat Dunes, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The extensive dune field near Stovepipe Wells is by far the most heavily visited sand dune complex within Death Valley National Park, but even here you can find great views within a few short steps of the parking lot.

Return to Death Valley

Walking The Ridgeline, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The last time I took my kids to Death Valley, we had a list of places we wanted to visit, so although we had a blast on the Eureka Dunes, we had to leave before we reached the top so we could make it to The Racetrack in time for sunset.

This time we had no such agenda, so we took our sweet time wherever we went, and thoroughly enjoyed each stop. I've been to the Eureka Dunes several times, and I've captured some nice landscape images, but I really like capturing people on the dunes. We're really small in comparison, and even our footprints are nothing more than temporary intrusions. The dunes themselves often take on sinuous shapes, and the lighting of the sun can enhance our perception of the subtle curves.

The forgiving nature of the soft sand also invites playful interaction via rolling, jumping, rolling and sliding across it. The Eureka Dunes are closed to skiing and sand boarding due to several endangered species that exist only on this one dune field, but I'll definitely consider taking old ski gear with me to the other dunes in Death Valley. Life too short to avoid playing with gravity!

Fall Workshop Schedule (Updated 11/18)

Ancient Bristlecone Pine, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

I'm constantly tuning details on my Fall schedule, but here are examples of some of the workshop destinations that I'm considering:

November 28, 2009 - Chasing Ansel: Moon and Half Dome
Pay tribute to Ansel Adams' famous photo with your own capture of a similar moment in time. We'll fill the rest of the time visiting the best viewpoints to capture Valley landmarks reflected in the Merced River while it is relatively low and calm. We may even get lucky and have some snow.
Feb 27-28, 2010 - Yosemite Valley In Winter
In addition to winter shots in Yosemite Valley, this is the time of year when Horsetail Falls can be spectacularly illuminated by the setting sun.

Contact me for pricing and other details, or to discuss the possibility of different locations or dates.

Leonid Meteor Shower : Timelapse HD Video

Leonid Meteor Shower : Timelapse HD Video, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

You should see two big ones top center, then a lot of little ones down near the horizon after that.

Assembled from 224 30 second photos taken last night from 1-3am in the Eastern Sierra, California.

Quick Stop in Death Valley

Zig Zag, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

One of the things I like about traveling to Utah is that I get to pass through the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley on my way out and/or back! In this case I visited a few spots to re-take some old shots with my new camera.

Dune fields in particular can be exciting to re-shoot. Not only do the dunes themselves change, but the light changes literally from minute to minute, so not only are your shots new compared to the last visit, but you'll get entirely different results at different times of day.

It's particularly rewarding to shoot dunes in Death Valley, where a little sweat equity will get you to remote sands untouched by human footprints. Just make sure that you visit at a time of year when the weather will be mild, and that you bring survival supplies, particularly plenty of water. They don't call it "Death Valley' for nothing!

Monument Valley, Eastern Approach

Monument Valley, Eastern Approach, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

The popular shot taken from mile marker 13.

Snow Arrives in Arches

Snow Arrives in Arches, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

What a difference a day makes! Arches National Park, Moab, Utah.

Clouds, Light Rays, and Sandstone

Sandstone Fins, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

Partly couldy days can create some spectacular shooting opportunities at Arches National Park.

Ever Get That Feeling...

Ever Get That Feeling..., originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

That you're being watched?

Light painting on Balanced Rock at dusk in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah. I like to use flashlights for light painting, since I can control in real time the beam of light and what is lit. For larger objects such as this I use a spotlight.

On another night we went up to Delicate Arch...

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Mesa Arch Sunrise, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

Sunrise at Mesa Arch, one of the most popular dawn shots available at Canyonlands.

Goblin Valley State Park, Utah

World's Greatest Concentration..., originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

Doesn't it look like a massive collection of terra cotta lawn gnomes?

Waterpocket Fold and Capitol Reef

Waterpocket Fold, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

This is one of the water pockets...

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.

Bonneville Salt Flats Dawn

Bonneville Salt Flats Dawn, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

Now I need to wash off the salt slush caked onto my car!

Off to Utah...

Nevada Forest, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (in Utah).

This is what you see for about 8-10 hours crossing Nevada.

West Fest 2009: Woodstock 40th Anniversary Celebration

Couple at Woodstock 2009, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (driving to Utah).

Placeholder for notes and more photos...

More Sierra Fall Colors

Sierra Gold, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (driving to Utah).

With the arrival of some early Winter storms that turned many aspen leaves brown, it was a tough year for Fall colors.

Orionid Meteor Shower Tonight (October 20/21)!

Perseid Meteor Shower III HD Video, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Here's an article for more information:
news.yahoo.com/s/space/20091020/sc_space/getoutorionidmet...
The Orionid meteor shower is expected to put on a good show tonight into the predawn hours Wednesday, weather permitting.

This annual meteor shower is created when Earth passes through trails of comet debris left in space long ago by Halley's Comet. The "shooting stars" develop when bits typically no larger than a pea , and mostly sand-grain-sized, vaporize in Earth's upper atmosphere.

"Flakes of comet dust hitting the atmosphere should give us dozens of meteors per hour," said Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.

My Interview in Photographer Magazine

My Interview in Photographer Magazine, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

I can't read it, but it looks cool! Click on the photo to go see more pics from the article on Flickr...

Free Business Card Offer from MOO

How do the Free MOO Cards Look?, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

How do they turn out? Judge for yourself... mine just arrived. Double sided, high resolution, matte finish, printed on heavy cardstock, what's not to like? The only flaw is the slight white margin at the top of the photo on the contact info side.

In case you missed my notices regarding this offer on Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter (JeffSull), here's where you can get your 50 free trial business cards available here from MOO for the first 10,000 Flickr users: www.moo.com/en/partner/flickr-business-cards

Upcoming Meteor Showers for Fall 2009

Perseid Meteor Timelapse I Revised: Slower HD Video, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

As you plan where and when you might want to get out and shoot during the rest of 2009, consider the following meteor showers coming up:
Orionid - Oct 20-22
"October's new Moon also perfectly favours the Orionids at their peak in 2009. The shower's radiant, near the celestial equator, is at a useful elevation by around local midnight in either hemisphere, somewhat before in the north, so most of the world can enjoy the shower."
Northern Taurids - Nov 12
"The NTA peak has only a waning crescent Moon, however. With near-ecliptic radiants, all meteoricists can observe these streams, albeit northern hemisphere observers are somewhat better-placed, as here suitable radiant zenith distances persist for much of the night, though from the southern hemisphere, a good 3-5 hours' watching around local midnight is possible with Taurus well above the horizon."
Leonid - Nov 17
"Luckily, new Moon on November 16 ensures perfectly dark skies for covering whatever events happen"
"the 21h-22h UT apparently critical interval will fall best chiefly for sites across Asia, from the extreme east of Europe eastwards to Japan and places at similar longitudes, but with the possibility of some unusual activity at almost any stage from ~ 6h-24h UT on November 17, only European and African longitudes look set to miss out."
Geminid - Dec 13/14
"One of the finest, and probably the most reliable, of the major annual showers presently observable, whose peak this year is virtually coincident with new Moon."
More information:
skytour.homestead.com/met2009.html
www.imo.net/calendar/2009#nta

The Tuarids will peak on November 12 during the photography workshop that I'll be conducting in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks Nov 11-14:
www.MountainHighWorkshops.com

Hope you can join us!

Fall Isn't Just Colorful Leaves

I've decided not to upload most of these photos to Flickr. The site is simply too delicate to risk having people find it and trample it into oblivion!

Fall Colors in the Eastern Sierra

Thursday in the Eastern Sierra, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

I arrived at North Lake October 1, only to discover that I missed the peak color by a day or two due to a wind storm that blew off the best red to yellow colors on the far hillside. The color present a few days ago seems to have partially blown off the trees, partially turned towards brown, but there were still some green leaves, leaving the possibility of more color in a few days.

You can find decent color in patches if you look hard enough, but the best color might not be until more of the green starts to change at lower elevations, perhaps late next week?

By the time I returned here Sunday morning, there was about 2-3" of snow by the lake. The same thing happened last year, a dusting of snow around the end of September, early October. It was a little heavier this time, and there were prints from a dozen horses and mules as the packer started in around dawn to rescue their customers from the likely 4-6" of snow higher up. There were about 6-8 snow-covered cars in the parking lot by the pack station, people off in the backcountry, most likely experiencing heavier snow. I'd like to see their pictures!

Watch the National Parks Special Every Night This Week!

Watch the National Parks Special Every Night This Week!, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Eastern Sierra today).

FYI, a treat for anyone who enjoys America's national parks:
THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA by Ken Burns

Check this link for times and channels in your area:
www.pbs.org/nationalparks/tv-schedules/
Even if you missed the first episode Sunday night (Yosemite, Yellowstone, John Muir, etc.), each episode is repeated later in the week (check the schedule for details).

Here are sample showing times that I looked up for DirecTV on the West Coast:

Monday, September 28 — 08:00pm
0006 - KVIE
The Last Refuge (1890-1915)
The years 1890 to 1915, when many Americans feared industrialization would negatively impact the country's pristine lands, are recalled. With Congress yet to establish authority or appropriations for park protection, a conservation movement begins.
duration: 150 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

Tuesday, September 29 — 04:00am
0006 - KVIE
The Scripture of Nature (1851-1890) (repeat of Sunday's premiere)
The sumptuously filmed history of America's national parks begins in 1851, when California's beautiful Yosemite Valley started to attract people who wished to exploit the land, and others, like John Muir, who believed it should be preserved.
duration: 120 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

Tuesday, September 29 — 08:00pm
0006 - KVIE
The Empire of Grandeur (1915-1919)
The years 1915-19, when the conservation movement successfully pressured the federal government to create the National Park Service to oversee the nation's national parks, are recalled.
duration: 120 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

Wednesday, September 30 — 08:00pm
0006 - KVIE
Going Home (1920-1933)
The years 1920-33, when the automobile enabled more people to visit the national parks, are recalled. Included: National Park Service director Stephen Mather pushes to build more roads in the parks.
duration: 120 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

Thursday, October 01 — 08:00pm
0922 - KVIE
Great Nature (1933-1945)
The years 1933-45 are recalled. Included: the Civilian Conservation Corps are created during the Depression to undertake renovation projects in the national parks; NPS biologist George Melendez Wright pushes to reform the NPS's wildlife policies.
duration: 120 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

Friday, October 02 — 08:00pm
0006 - KVIE
The Morning of Creation (1946-1980)
The series finale covers the years 1946-80. Following World War II, the parks see a dramatic increase in visitors, resulting in a billion-dollar campaign to improve facilities and infrastructure.
duration: 120 min
details: [HD] | [cc] [stereo] [ed taping rights: 1 year]

UT/AZ: Hike to the Wave

Riding the Wave, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

"The Wave" in the Coyote Buttes near Page, Arizona. To get one of the 10 next day permits to hike here, I had to enter the daily 9am drawing on two consecutive days. On those days, 67 and 63 people showed up hoping to obtain a permit. On the second day they give you two chances, on the third day they give you three chances.

UT/AZ: Hike to Wahweap Hoodoos

Wahweap Hoodoos at Night, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Light painting in southern Utah. The yellow was painted with a headlamp using an incandescent bulb, and the blue one was painted with an LED headlamp.

Trip to UT/AZ: Antelope Canyon

Light Rays in Antelope Canyon, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona. I'd like to take some people around this area in early November.

Quick Trip to UT/AZ: Hike to The Subway

Subway Slot Canyon, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

"The Subway" in Zion National Park, Utah. The sun was mostly behind clouds, so I didn't have the reflected red light from the opposing sandstone cliffs coming in the other end this time.

After a few test shots, I set my aperture down to f/22 and my ISO to "L" (50) so I could use a long exposure of 30 seconds to capture the trails of the leaves moving around in the pool. Before I print this, I should still go back and see if i can increase contrast on those leaves so they show up better.

Quick Trip to Utah & Arizona: Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire State Park, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

An overnight stop and morning shoot near Las Vegas, Nevada.

My Photography in the Second Saturday Art Walk This Saturday

VOX Sept flyer, originally uploaded by jillallyn.

I'll be joining approximately 25 photographers from the Sacramento area this Saturday to display my works during the Second Saturday Art Walk in downtown Sacramento.

If you haven't been to the Second Saturday Art Walk, it's a fun event with all kinds of art, and many galleries have musicians playing and serve hors d'œuvres. Other businesses open for business during the event as well. one of my favorite stops the last time I attended was a winery that has established itself downtown.

The gallery will be open on Saturday night from approximately 6-10pm. I'll try to be there from 6-7pm or so. Come on down to 1931 H Street and say "Hi"!

For a map to the VOX Sacramento gallery, visit their Web page: www.voxsac.com/

Day 7: Sunday and Last Night at Burning Man 2009

Fire of Fires Before the Burn, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Sunday at Burning Man is the day when the massive wooden "temple" is burned. I rrived early to get a decent view, and used a slow shutter speed to blur the procession of people walking in front of me.

Fire of Fires by David Umlas, Marrilee Ratcliffe, Community Art Makers:
earth.burningman.com/brc/2009/art_installation/430/

Day 6: The Wind Continues and The Man Burns, Saturday

Rising from the Desert, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

After shooting things and people for several days, it was comforting to find a shot that felt more like a desert landscape. The Black Rock Desert has the ability to heal itself quickly of the footprints left the night before.

Unfortunately my tent was completely flattened by the wind on Friday afternoon, and upon returning late at night and finding the wind velocity still high, I didn't have the energy to try to plant some stakes upwind and tie it down to see if it might stay up. I slept on the platform taht I've built in the back of my (by now very dusty) minivan.

Day 5: Burning Man 2009, Venturing Out by Day

Standing Guard, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

You never know what you're going to run across at Burning Man! I ofund this guy standing under the Soma art installtion by Flaming Lotus Girls. He was standing completely still, shooting a timelapse sequence for some reason. I'll try to follow up and find out why!

Soma, by Flaming Lotus Girls:
earth.burningman.com/brc/2009/art_installation/439/

Friday night featured the "launch" of the Raygun Gothic Rocket Ship. I sat for hours waiting to see if the event would occur in the high winds, but I ran out of patience in the dust and wind and headed back to camp.

Day 4: Thursday at Black Rock City, Burning Man 2009

Rubik's Cube Resized, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Groovik's Cube by Barry Brummitt
URL: www.groovik.com/
http://earth.burningman.com/brc/2009/art_installation/471/

Day 3: Wednesday at Burning Man 2009

Exploding in Flames, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

A performer spits fire on the Towers of Shiva stage at Burning Man 2009. Here's the Burning Man Earth entry for that art installation:
http://earth.burningman.com/brc/art_installation/445/

I really like the abstract quality of this shot.

Burning Man Day 2: Tuesday in the Black Rock Desert

Sun and the Portal of Evolution, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

The art installation Portal of Evolution as the sun prepares to set at Burning Man 2009. Here's the Burning Man Earth entry for that art piece:
http://earth.burningman.com/brc/art_installation/437/

Burning Man 2009: Monday August 31

The Man at Night, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Just a quick note to say that I've started uploading photos and videos from Burning Man 2009 to my Flickr photostream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreysullivan/

I'll post some of the best here as I get more edited!

Perseid Meteor Shower III HD Video

Perseid Meteor Shower III HD Video, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

This is my third and longest timelapse sequence yet from the Perseid Meteor Shower in August. I'll try to have sequences four and five done soon.

Make sure you have the HD display switched on (click on the HD symbol).

One of my first videos of this event was featured on Discover Magazine's blog.

Bear in mind that this is a timelapse video, so in playback as video everything is dramatically sped up. Each frame is a 15 to 30 second shot, but the video is assembled at a relatively slow frame rate of only 12 shots per second, so in video formats that play at 24 to 30 frames per second, the meteors show up for roughly two frames. In other words, each second of video displays ten to twenty minutes of shooting time. Apparently our eyes and minds are quick enough for us to perceive the meteors with some persistence even though they show up for only 1/12th of a second.

Anything that travels across the screen or survives in the video for more than a brief flash is a jet or satellite (and you can't see many of the meteors in most online copies of the video, unless you follow the links to Flickr and enable the highest HD playback available there). I'll try to find video hosting sites that enable blogging of copies that offer higher resolution playback, preferably full 1920 x 1080 HD. I'll also try to find some nice background music avalable under the Creative Commons CC-BY license (which does not seem to be a trivial search).

Meanwhile, if you'd like to explore timelapse photography yourself, download the free VirtualDub software which can convert a sequence of JPEG files into video, and check out the forum on Timescapes.org for discussions on techniques. You'll need a tripod of course, and your sequence of still images will turn out best if you use a remote switch that has an intervalometer (timer) function.

Perseid Meteors Near Tioga Pass: HD Video Timelapse II

Perseid Meteors Near Tioga Pass: HD Video Timelapse II, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

To avoid smoke from forest fires in California I traveled to this location at an elevation of 10,000 feet near Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada.

To increase the visibility of the meteors, click through to the video's Flickr page and make sure you have the HD display switched on (click on the HD symbol). Then look near the center of the right half of the video to see the most meteors.

This sequence was assembled from 517 21 megapixel photos. The rescaling down to 1280 x 720 for uploading to Flickr helps eliminate much of the noise. The photos on this night were exposed for 10 to 20 seconds at an ISO sensitivity of 3200.

This was taken on the peak night for the meteor showers, but the moon makes all but the brightest meteors difficult to see, especially at these lower resolutions.

Perseid Meteor Shower HD Video

Perseid Meteor Shower HD Video, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Dozens of Perseid meteors fall in the course of over one hour, compressed into 5 seconds of HD video.

Go to my Flickr account and set the "HD" symbol under the display to see a higher resolution online.

Copyright © Jeff Sullivan 2009. All rights reserved. Do not copy or publish without permission.

What Camera Do You Use? What Camera Should I Buy?

Mono Lake Dawn Silhouette, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

I have these questions asked to me. A lot.

What paper does J.K. Rowling write on to create the Harry Potter series? What typewriter did Hunter S. Thompson use? What species of quill and what formulation of ink did John Muir and Henry David Thoreau use? If only I could have the same advantages that they had!

To make a long story short, in tests performed years ago neither professional photographers nor amateurs could distinguish between 5 megapixel and 8 megapixel shots when printed at 8" x 10" size. The industry's dirty little secret is that new cameras have are overkill for almost all photographers, and they have been for years. If you're not taking the pictures that you want, it's probably your expectations and your process that needs adjustment, not your equipment. In other words, the camera is not your most important consideration, nor is it your most important tool. You'll find that between your ears. At least I hope so. (And now that I've saved you $500-5000 in hardware upgrades, you send me my commission for that gain via Paypal.)

Now I'm going to contradict myself and give a few exceptions. First and most obviously, if you want to print a lot of photos in sizes of 40" or larger, a little more resolution than 5-8MP might help (although my 8MP files print well up to 20" x 30").

Next, I can vouch for the fact that high ISO shooting capability is one of the most important improvements that DSLRs have added in recent years, for handheld use in low light (portraits, weddings, concerts, fireworks, Chinese New Year Parade, etc.), night landscape shots (see my new night shot gallery and recent Milky Way shots on Flickr) and so on. Specifically, a friend asked me about the Canon Digital Rebel T1i/500D, and the reviews on sites such as Steve's Digicams verify that it delivers well on its promise for high ISO shooting.

If the Canon T1i had the 40D's 6.5 fps for sports (kids sports, skiing, etc.) and full 1080 resolution HD at a full 24 frames per second it would be perfect. Perhaps there will be a "60D" update to the 50D which adds these features. There's a show in September where new models are often introduced, and if we're lucky, the 50D replacement could be shipping by Fall.

In the meantime, the Canon T1i is a reasonable upgrade for indoor, sports and outdoor low light shooting.

Whatever you do, consider setting aside some budget for the Canon TC-80N3 Remote Timer Switch, which will allow you to do time lapse photography (including of the earth rotating under stars at night with high ISO shooting). There are a number of programs that will enable you to combine a series of downsized JPG still frames to make an HD movie. One nice benefit is that you can run the individial frames through a batch editing program like Adobe Lightroom so you can efficiently do a ton of edits and enhancements and have the video turn out with stunning quality.

Bug on the Earth's Windshield

Bug on the Earth's Windshield, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

While hurling through space, the earth slams into a piece of debris from the Comet Swift-Tuttle (top right) during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower, as an orange moon rises through smoke from California's forest fires to shine on the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest at an elevation of 10,000 feet in the White Mountains.

One theory behind how life could spread among the stars is that amino acids could arrive on comets and survive the impact. It seems fitting to be among earth's oldest living things to witness comet debris falling to earth under the light of our neighboring stars.

Perseid Meteor Over the High Sierra

Perseid Meteor Over the High Sierra, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

If you can find a patch of sky with minimal light pollution, the peak showers happening midnight to 5am tonight (Wed), and they'll continue at a declining rate for a few more days. The meteors appear to come from the constellation Perseus, which is near Casseopea (looks like a big W), and rises to the East/Northeast. This article has more info:

Strong Meteor Shower Expected Tonight

This shot of the Milky Way over the Sierras was taken earlier in the evening. Select the photo at the top of this article to go to its Flickr page and examine the EXIF shot details (using "More Details" link in the right column).

Mono Lake/Bodie/Bridgeport Workshop This Weekend

Mono Lake/Bodie/Bridgeport Workshop This Weekend, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Truckee today).

I'll be leading some folks around my favorite area of the Eastern Sierra this weekend for about 24 hours, starting 10am Saturday morning in Bridgeport. I can't wait!

To discuss during workshop:
- Exposure, considerations for digital camera sensors
- The case for circular polarizing filters, when not to use
- Depth of field, hyperfocal photography, the case for manual focus
- Graduated Neutral Density filters vs. Adobe Lightroom 2
- Dynamic range, Automatic Exposure Bracketing, HDR vs. Photoshop/Layer Mask
- Mid-day: what to shoot, and how to get best results?
- Bringing it all together: best practices

Recommended accessories:
- circular polarizing filter
- Cokin #120 graduated neutral density filter (#121 can be handy as well), or Adobe Lightroom software

Practice before workshop (will discuss/review during workshop as well):
- Shoot in Aperture Priority mode,
- Adjust Exposure Compensation +/-
- Use Automatic Exposure Bracketing, adjust # of stops between each photo
- Use manual focus

Aug 8 Saturday
Pre-workshop sunrise (have a great suggestion for registered attendees)
(breakfast, you should have time to visit Buckeye or Travertine Hot Springs)
10am Meet at Pony Express Coffee in downtown Bridgeport
Masonic (mine on way, optional last mile to mill site requires 4WD and clearance)
Travertine Hot Springs
(lunch in field as convenient)
Bodie State Historic Park
Mono Lake, possible side trip to Black Point locations
Lundy Canyon
Mono Lake Old Marina site
Abandoned buildings, Mono Lake Basin
Mono Lake Navy Beach area sites, including unique sand tufa
5pm dinner: independent on cookstoves at South Tufa, or fire & stoves at campground near Lee Vining
Sunset 7:59, Mono Lake South Tufa, arrive by 7:15pm

Aug 9 Sunday
Sunrise, Mono Lake (recommend arrive 5:20am at South Tufa to shoot by 5:30)
South Tufa "alternate" area
June Lake Loop and/or Tioga Pass area if no wind
shoot towards Mt. Dana from site up Lee Vining Canyon
(late breakfast: picnic area or commute to Lee Vining restaurants)
abandoned buildings, Navy Beach or Lee Vining Creek area if not covered Sat.
as time permits: Virginia Lakes area wildflowers
(depart for lunch in Lee Vining or Bridgeport)

Meals and lodging are not included (some of us will camp near Lee Vining, where motels are also available). We should be able to pick up deli sandwiches for lunch, and it should not be problem if some people prefer to eat Saturday dinner in Lee Vining. Contact me for pricing and other details.

Smashmouth Live Concert in Reno

Steve Harwell, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Truckee today).

Steve Harwell, lead singer of Smashmouth... spots a big camera... and poses for it!

The band, known for songs such as "All Star" and for the Shrek movie soundtracks,played at The Legends at Sparks Marina in the Reno area in Nevada last weekend.

Breaking Sunrise Storm in the Owens Valley

Vanishing Water, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Truckee today).

The Summer "monsoon season" can be a very productive time to shoot in the Eastern Sierra, as small thunderstorms build and then break as warm, moist air crosses the mountains.

Return of the Flies

Return of the Flies, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Mono Lake today).

Alkali flies are hatching by the millions on Mono Lake, and they're just starting to form a thin black line around the lake with their bodies. By fall they'll be as dense as 2 or 3 feet wide, but Mark Twain mentioned that they were 6 feet wide around the lake when he visited.

Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

South Falls in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Whenever you're in the vicinity of Salem, Oregon, you're not far from this park, which features many dramatic waterfalls, a couple of which are within quick walking distance of a trailhead. I stop there when I'm driving up highway 5, or when I'm heading from the coast towards Bend.

Oregon's Painted Hills

Oregon's Painted Hills, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (www.MyPhotoGuides.com).

Layers of mineral-laden volcanic ash and clay create a wide palette of colors in the Painted Hills in central Oregon. I frequently set my sights on central Oregon when the coast is cloudy or rainy.

By The Rockets Red Glare, The Bombs Bursting In Air

By The Rockets Red Glare, The Bombs Bursting In Air, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan (Oregon Coast today).

Given that our itinerary ended up getting reversed due to clouds on the Oregon Coast towards the beginning of the trip, that put us heading towards the coast around Independence Day.

We learned of Depoe Bay's July 3 disply as we sat in a coffee shop in Hood River, so we hopped in the car and made the trek.

That display over the rocky coast was great, but the following night at Seaside was a much bigger spectacle.




In addition to the official display at Seaside, people had brought a significant quantity of their own fireworks to shoot off on the spacious beach. We had purchased a pack of fountains in Montana knowing that Oregon didn't allow rockets and mortars, but we found that many people had purchased the disallowed varieties across the border in Washington.

One of our favorite things to do was to take long exposure shots while we "painted" with the 3' long sparklers we had brought. Fortuantely they lasted several minutes, so we could take several shots with each one!
We stayed on the beach until about 11:30pm, which was good since the traffic getting out of town was a challenge until well past midnight.