Photographing the wild horses of North Carolina

What is is about the form of a horse that evokes so much emotion? Is it their gentle nature as they gaze in a pasture? Or maybe the power of their muscles visibly flexing as they gallop? We have all seen horses in competition, at the track, maybe have ridden a time or two, and many of us have had the pleasure of being up close and personal. But the wild ones… With no halter and reins, and their harem and only the open land, wild horses are truly a sight to behold…and to photograph. This past October I spent four days with wild horses on two barrier islands near Beaufort, North Carolina. Each island had two characteristics in common: you could only get there by boat, and there are no people or homes there. The horses are in charge. On Bird Shoal is the Rachel Carson Reserve, over 2000 acres with a group of horses that tends to stay together, about 30 in total. On Shackleford Banks, the horses prefer to stay in harems, groups of one stallion, perhaps one or two mares, and any recent foals as the family unit. There are about 120 horses on the nine-mile long island.  Shackleford Banks is the long thin island and the Rachel Carson Reserve is just above the west end. Continue reading "Photographing the wild horses of North Carolina"

Capturing the Last of the Fall Color in Jackson Hole

Late Season Photographic Opportunities!

Gold LeafFall happens—but not all at one time! Fall is more of a chapter within a book than a specific story in the daily newspaper. Colors don’t begin as wave of spender at one end of the valley that slowly advances across the region. The leaves, even within a single species, don’t change colors at one time. Instead, the phenomenon is more like a Jackson Pollock painting. Constantly changing splashes of color “splattered” across the valley occur over a period of about a month. Credit Mother Nature as the artist at this time of the year! Continue reading "Capturing the Last of the Fall Color in Jackson Hole"

Old and New Photographic Technology in One Challenging Shoot

A few days ago, I took a quick photo of the T.A. Moulton Barn along Historic Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park. I included it below. Clouds weren’t exactly inspiring, but there were at least a few low clouds in front of the Grand. It wasn’t much of a photo, I readily admit! I think of these kind of images as reconnaissance photos or record photos. I make a mental note of the spot, then plan on going back when conditions are more to my liking. Over the years, I’ve taken thousands of photos of the Mormon Row Barns. It’s a challenge to photograph them differently than the thousands of photographers that have stood in the same spots over the past 75 years!  I am always looking to photograph them at different distances or different angles. An irrigation ditch runs under the road, through a head gate and then diagonally across the pasture in front of the T.A. Moulton Barn. A few times a year, water in the ditch is high enough to offer unique opportunities if you set up just above water level. TA Moulton Barn The photo I took earlier was okay, but it needed some extra time at the point of capture. I focused on the close bank, and even at F/11, the barn was slightly out of focus. If I had focused on the barn, the water, reflections, and close leaves would have been out of focus. Lastly, I was there a little too early in the day. Early morning shadows from the cottonwoods stream across the foreground and across the left half of the barn. Like I said earlier, was a reconnaissance shot. Continue reading "Old and New Photographic Technology in One Challenging Shoot"

October 2018 Daily Journal for GTNP & JH

Foliage Reports September/October 2018 

Plan Ahead! Expect a 30-50 minute delay at the Gros Ventre Roundabout today and for the next four or five days. You won’t want to be stuck in a line of traffic while the pink skies are happening at your destination sunrise spot!.” Note: On Saturday, construction didn’t begin until 7:30 am. 
Roads: If you are driving between Jackson and Rock Springs on Highway 191, keep an eye on the Highway Reports. The highway is occasionally closed near Bondourant due to the Roosevelt fire. Moulton Barn in Grand Teton National Park Quick Foliage Overview: I am still seeing a mixed bag of conditions. In some areas, it’s over. It’s prime in others like Oxbow Bend, and there are green trees in quite a few places. In other words, Foliage Season is far from over. Across the board, colors haven’t been as vivid this year as in some of the previous years. The photo above was taken yesterday with dark, moody skies. Nikon D850 and Nikon 24-70mm lens, Handheld. Continue reading "October 2018 Daily Journal for GTNP & JH"