This post was typed out on my iPhone a couple days ago, but since I didn't have connectivity, I'm posting it now. - SC
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The last couple of days, Norman and I have been in the Tahquamenon Falls (TF) vicinity. The area is pretty and reminds Norman of Canada. Our time here has been filled with taking photographs and and enduring the bugs. I'll touch on the latter first.
Before the trip started, N had mentioned the mosquitos in the UP (Upper Pennisula) were probably going to be problematic. We stocked up on repellant, and he purchased some "anti-bug" clothing. Supposedly it kills any insect that comes in contact with it. I have yet to see it work, but nonetheless I've taken to calling him the "harbinger of death" anyway. Honestly, I thought we might have gone a bit overboard. But the hype is for real. The mosquitoes up here in TF are relentless. If the US military could somehow unleash these bugs in the search for Bin Laden, he would voluntarily surrender himself. (He might claim that it was a cruel & unusual punishment though- Mother Nature's version of waterboarding.) So we apply the spray, and we are granted peace for of a couple hours. Once it wears out though, the all-you-can-suck buffet is open for business again. The only true relief we have is to escape to the sanctuary of our tent. So here I am, hunkered in our little two man shelter, typing away on my iPhone, with mesh being the only thing between me and the insatiable horde.
So why did we choose this insect ridden campsite? Because of the waterfalls. There are two sections - the upper Tahquamenon Falls is the better known bigger brother, but in my opinion the lower falls are more photogenic.
Our time so far has been a real learning experience for me. Although I've been shooting longer, Norm's much more of a technical photographer. He's the guy who knows how to use ALL the features on his DSLR. So it's been great to learn from him and apply those skills myself.
On this trip, we've also made it a point to experiment with various "optical resin" (kinda plastic-y) filters. Although a bit cumbersome, they've opened up a new way to capture images. The filters we have been using (thin square/rectangle shaped tiles called "neutral density" and "graduated") allow us to reduce the amount of light captured by the camera, therefore allowing more motion (blur), color, and definiton in our images. Using these filters, I can finally take pictures like there pros. Here's a few pics showcasing what I mean. Plus a little friend we met along the way.
It's been fun discovering the various ways to use the filters... I'm sure we'll utilize them even more over the rest of the trip. I'll post some more pics as I take them. Hopefully you enjoy them!
***********************
The last couple of days, Norman and I have been in the Tahquamenon Falls (TF) vicinity. The area is pretty and reminds Norman of Canada. Our time here has been filled with taking photographs and and enduring the bugs. I'll touch on the latter first.
Before the trip started, N had mentioned the mosquitos in the UP (Upper Pennisula) were probably going to be problematic. We stocked up on repellant, and he purchased some "anti-bug" clothing. Supposedly it kills any insect that comes in contact with it. I have yet to see it work, but nonetheless I've taken to calling him the "harbinger of death" anyway. Honestly, I thought we might have gone a bit overboard. But the hype is for real. The mosquitoes up here in TF are relentless. If the US military could somehow unleash these bugs in the search for Bin Laden, he would voluntarily surrender himself. (He might claim that it was a cruel & unusual punishment though- Mother Nature's version of waterboarding.) So we apply the spray, and we are granted peace for of a couple hours. Once it wears out though, the all-you-can-suck buffet is open for business again. The only true relief we have is to escape to the sanctuary of our tent. So here I am, hunkered in our little two man shelter, typing away on my iPhone, with mesh being the only thing between me and the insatiable horde.
So why did we choose this insect ridden campsite? Because of the waterfalls. There are two sections - the upper Tahquamenon Falls is the better known bigger brother, but in my opinion the lower falls are more photogenic.
Our time so far has been a real learning experience for me. Although I've been shooting longer, Norm's much more of a technical photographer. He's the guy who knows how to use ALL the features on his DSLR. So it's been great to learn from him and apply those skills myself.
On this trip, we've also made it a point to experiment with various "optical resin" (kinda plastic-y) filters. Although a bit cumbersome, they've opened up a new way to capture images. The filters we have been using (thin square/rectangle shaped tiles called "neutral density" and "graduated") allow us to reduce the amount of light captured by the camera, therefore allowing more motion (blur), color, and definiton in our images. Using these filters, I can finally take pictures like there pros. Here's a few pics showcasing what I mean. Plus a little friend we met along the way.
It's been fun discovering the various ways to use the filters... I'm sure we'll utilize them even more over the rest of the trip. I'll post some more pics as I take them. Hopefully you enjoy them! 
1 comment:
Those pictures are awesome. I actually understand what you're talking about, and I'm not photography...beginner even. Can't wait to see more results when you get back.
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