Lake Tahoe in the winter – Heavenly Ski Resort

Posted by Snob on February 7, 2017
Posted in: Culture, Entertainment, Landscape, Nature, Travel, Winter. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2017_laketahoe_from_heavenly

Lake Tahoe basin about about two thirds way up the mountain.

Where has Bryan been this whole time!??? It’s pretty obvious I simply did not blog in the second half of last year. I haven’t lost interest. Quite the contrary actually. I simply had too many major changes happening in the second half of last year. The good news is, I did not cut back on photo outings, projects, excursions and adventures. I simply did not have enough time left over to edit and blog about all my photo exploits. So I have tons of great photography to share and hope to get caught up some time this spring.

2017_laketahoe_heavenly6

Gondola ride up the mountain

I have been in California for over a decade now and always avoided going up to Tahoe (a little over and hour away) in the winter because I simply do not like the cold, ice or snow. Well this winter I challenged myself to try it at least once. Now that I finally have a real 4×4 truck I had no excuse not to venture back “up the hill” and see what it is about Tahoe in the winter that excites so many many people from far and wide – literally from all around the world.

2017_laketahoe_heavenly7

The main lodge complex at the top

I spent the entire weekend exploring around Lake Tahoe. With enough food, water and coffee in my truck to last me the whole weekend, I look my time. Heavenly Ski Resort (www.skiheavenly.com) was actually one of my last stops on that weekend. I woke up Sunday, walked over to the lift to find very long lines of people waiting to get on the gondola/lift up to the resort. In case you’re wondering, the actual resort is just below the top of the mountain. You’d never guess there is an entire ski complex at the top waiting for you after a good 20-30 minute gondola ride up. Crazy!

2017_laketahoe_heavenly3

The relentless icy-cold winds shape the trees

Two thirds up the mountain, there is a platform and observation deck. You have the option of getting off the ride and taking in an awe inspiring view of the Lake Tahoe basin. I of course had to snag an ultra-high resolution panorama of this view. For this excursion I packed light. For one I was tired of carrying around my full kit but I also figured the terrain and weather were going to be challenging enough and I needed to stay light and nimble. I’m glad I did. I packed my messenger bag with my Canon 5DsR and Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 lens. My focus was the big picture. I found any interesting subjects, I could always return with my full complement of gear and give it a full treatment. Once on the observation deck, I was greeted by sub-zero hurricane-like winds, so cold they burned. I could barely hold the camera steady enough and with bright sun and clear skies, I had to turn up my ISO so I could get a shutter speed in thousands of a second to minimize the shake. I now understand why I don’t see very many photos of this view.

2017_laketahoe_heavenly8At the top, the wind was a bit quieter. I was immediately drawn into the woods. I do not ski so no sooner than I began taking in the beauty, I was stopped by one of the ski guards who told me I could not venture outside of the lodge/complex without skis. I also could not ride the ski lift up to the very top because I did not have skis. It is a one way trip from the lodge I suppose. Bummer! I wished they had some sort of photographer/sight-seeing package. So I have since decided to take up skiing and actively looking for lessons before the snow season is over. I am already looking forward to next winter. Despite the painful cold, it was a lot of fun just being out there, soaking in the beauty, crisp air, sunlight and high energy of everyone you encounter.

Have you been up to Tahoe in the winter? What are you favorite winter spots? I would like to know and for you to share them with me so I can explore them. Below are a few more choice shots from that excursion. I hope you enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by.

 

The California Drought – Folsom lake in retrospect

Posted by Snob on December 16, 2016
Posted in: Nature, News, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

It just hit me that almost exactly two years ago today, I was exploring the Folsom lake bed, and I wasn’t in scuba gear. The water levels were so low, what was once a vast lake was reduced to a large puddle. It was at that moment that I truly appreciated how dire the water supply situation had gotten here in California. It was one thing to read and hear about it and another thing to see it in person. I often contemplated through the following year, if we did not get some serious rain for another year, we would experience a catastrophe the likes of which we have never seen before.

2016_folsomlakelevelsFortunately for us the drought finally started to let up that year. This year we are seeing record rains, but more importantly, corresponding snow packs. The chart to the left is courtesy of the fine folks at the California Department of Water Resources Data Exchange Center. It has been raining heavily all day today and most of this week, yet most folks now just seem to be very grateful overall, myself included. It is yet another one of the many journeys my photography has taken me on.

 

Light painting with steel wool

Posted by Snob on July 18, 2016
Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2016_LightPainting03

Jenny light painting with steel wool

Last week my friend Jenny and I were finally able to get together and play with some steel wool. We had been talking about exploring this popular genre of photography for a while now. Since none of us had tried it before, the idea was to get familiar with the nuances and work on technique before we tackle our more ambitious creative ideas. It turned out to be some of the easiest fun I’ve had with photography in a while.

2016_LightPainting06

Basic light painting supplies

After some quick googling, I found out it was pretty simple to put together. There are of course way more elaborate ways of doing this but I very much prefer the path of least resistance. This means less time tinkering, and more time practicing photography. All you really need is some steel wool, a wire whisk, some steel wire/cable and a lighter. It turns out I already had all I needed laying around the house.

2016_LightPainting01

Our first try

Steel wool burns very fast. We did almost two dozen takes. Each take lasted mere seconds but were a veritable light show, even more so on camera as you can see. I set the Canon 5D Mark III on a tripod. My Model, Jenny, held a candle in front of her face while standing on a predetermined spot. This helped me acquire focus on her in live view. I then switched to Manual Focus, and set my shutter to about 5 seconds. This covered most of the take from start to finish. I would light the wool for her, jump out of the frame and trigger the shutter, using and infra red remote control. We got the hang of things pretty quickly. We are definitely ready for our more creative ideas. I can’t wait!

CAUTION!!!
Molten steel embers/sparks can be very very hot. Although they are generally too small to be of any concern, some larger globs/chunks/drops will break loose and continue burning where ever they land. I kept a water hose close by just in case I had to put one out. I also keep several canisters of fire extinguishers on hand at all times. You cannot be too careful. Please allow ample space and nothing flammable around you.

Aircraft Spotting at Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

Posted by Snob on July 12, 2016
Posted in: Aerospace. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2016_PlaneSpotting_SMF_SWA_N7738A_small

Plane Spotting @SMF – SouthWest N7738A – Canon 5DsR + EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM + EF 2x Extender III

2016_AircraftSpotting_SMF_SWA1When I was a little boy, we lived practically across the street from a military base and international airport. My big brother Christopher and I would race up the hill as soon as we heard the faintest sound of an airplane. We would sometimes grab our Dad’s binoculars to get a closer look at the action. As I grew up I eventually forgot about aircraft spotting. My brother never stopped however. He routinely spends an afternoon at the end of any runway that has a view and access.

2016_AircraftSpotting_SMF_Alaska3He recently visited and since he’s caught the photography bug from me he suggested we go aircraft spotting so I can give him some tips on how to photograph airplanes. Little did I know I would catch the plane spotting bug all over again. This was only a few days ago and now today I spent my sunset at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) on the lookout for special airplanes – the ones with unique livery, colors and paint jobs. Both occasions have been great opportunities for me to test my gear and add yet another dimension to my photography experience.

The shot at the top is a panorama taken with the Canon 5DsR and EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM with EF 2x Extender III. That a shot this sharp and detailed could be taken handheld at 600mm is a testament to the effectiveness of the camera system. The original image is about 20x more detailed. You can read the fine print on the rear door. This is one of those ideal conditions where the Extender III works at it’s best. It did however soften the incredible sharpness of the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens ever so slightly.

Yes, I am well aware that the 5DsR is not really designed for this kind of action. However these are the kind of challenges I like to give myself. Yes it is possible to photograph action with the 5DsR – by carefully framing and tracking your subject, paying very keen attention and holding a steady hand. The 5DsR’s fast and effective AF system and accurate metering system more than compensate for it’s slower shutter speed. You just can’t “spray and pray” that you got your shot. You have to focus a little more. I also used the Canon 7D Mark II today. It was just too easy as this is exactly the kind of photography it was designed for.

I also rented the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens from Photo Source for the second day. I noticed that the fixed focal length of the 300mm was not well suited for this type of photography. My 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II was just not long enough for half the scenarios. I have to say the 100-400mm was nothing short of perfect. I simply forgot, stopped thinking about my lens configuration and focused more on my shots. I am tempted to add this lens to my kit.

This was fun and relaxing!

Astrophotography: Constellation Cygnus the Swan

Posted by Snob on June 15, 2016
Posted in: Astrophotography, Nature. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2016_Astrophotography_ConstellationCygnus

Constellation Cygnus the Swan – Canon 5DsR + EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II @70mm

I have tried my hand at many a genre of photography but none have humbled me the way astrophotography has. A few weekends ago I happened to be free the same time we had a New Moon. This meant that I could actually have a care-free 24 hours to pack up all my gear and run away somewhere with less light pollution than my backyard. I opted for my good friend Ethan’s place in Auburn. An amazing artist himself, it was refreshing just to catch up with him. Another friend Jeremy came out at the last minute. He’d always wanted to explore Astrophotography so I figured this would be a good opportunity to share what I’ve learned so far.

I stuffed my car full of everything I could think of – my entire telescope and mount setup (read more about that here) as well as my entire photography kit – and headed up the Auburn Hills to Grass Valley. I figured if it turned out to be a good showing, I wanted to be prepared. It was mostly cloudy but the forecast said it should clear up by 10pm, right when the sunset really ends, so I took my chance. Unfortunately the clouds and haze lingered all night especially in the Northern sky where it was darkest. The light pollution from the Sacramento valley was also much worse than anticipated. Combined with the haze it overpowered all but a few of the brightest stars.

Finally around midnight the North Eastern quadrant of the sky cleared up. Due to the weather conditions I was only able to perform a very loose polar alignment as well as a poor 2-star alignment of the Celestron Advanced GT German Equatorial (GE) Mount. This resulted in poor tracking. However poor tracking on a GE mount is always better than a simple tripod. To compensate for this I chose to use the Canon 5D Mark III for its excellent high ISO low noise capabilities. I mounted it (piggy-back) on the telescope and aimed at the clear part of the sky – the Constellation Cygnus. After just a handful of shots I realized that even with the poor alignment, I was still able to do 3 minute (180 second) exposures at ISO-400 without the stars trailing. I knew this was well within the capabilities of the higher pixel density sensor cameras such as the 7D Mark II or even better, the 5DsR. Both just happened to be laying idle in my bag.

I had never tried the 5DsR at astrophotography and very much wanted to see how it performed. I liked how the 7D Mark II did and knew the 5DsR would at least match or exceed it since they have very similar pixel densities. Accounting for about 1 stop exposure difference from the 5D Mark III, I bumped the ISO to 800. Exposure stayed the same at 3 minutes. I was also shooting with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II which I recently added to my kit. I knew it was tack sharp and would be able to keep up with the 50 megapixel body. Nothing prepared me for what I saw. I only took 4 shots and decided it was good enough.

What you are looking at above is a single 3 minute exposure. Processed from a RAW file with no noise reduction, some color temperature and curve adjustments and a final light mask to help reduce the atmospheric haze. Nothing fancy not even lens correction (you can see some vignetting). The shot has bee downsized to about 1/12th it’s original size. At 70mm the detail is astounding. The light “clouds” are easily revealed to be individual stars. Mind-boggling scale and detail. It’s one thing to see images from the Hubble telescope, but an entirely different experience to see it for yourself.

I’m not sure what took me so long, but it’s safe to say I will be spending several sleepless nights shooting the stars out in the middle of nowhere this summer.

Happy Wedding Anniversary – Mr & Mrs Love

Posted by Snob on June 1, 2016
Posted in: Culture, Events, Weddings. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
2016_LoveWedding

Mr. & Mrs Love

I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy Wedding Anniversary to Mr. & Mrs. Love. A few years ago I had the distinct honor of capturing this special day. It was the perfect, private and intimate event. It was a very special affair with a lot of soul.

The couple was kind enough to let me share these snippets from their wedding. I assign all rights to all commissioned work and do not retain any rights unless explicitly expressed and approved by my clients. As a result what you typically see here on my blog is photography from my personal collection.

This of course makes showcasing my wedding photography very tricky, but I am glad nonetheless that I could share this with you.

Chasing Sunsets in Los Angeles – Baldwin Park

Posted by Snob on May 29, 2016
Posted in: Canon 7D Mark II, Cityscapes, Landscape, Los Angeles, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2016_LASunset_BaldwinPark2

Los Angeles after sunset via Baldwin Park

There is no greater collection of madness, crazy beauty, love, broken hearts, passions, aspirations, shattered dreams and angels with broken wings. Every time I photograph this city I feel like I am drowning in raw poetry of everything it is to be human. Los Angeles! What would the world be without you? Never stop dreaming…

2016_LASunset_BaldwinPark1

Los Angeles sunset via Baldwin Park

Not long ago I took a quick trip down to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. Of course I had to plan a photo excursion while down there. I have photographed Los Angeles before and posted about that exploit here: Los Angeles Sunset – Griffith Observatory and here: Los Angeles after sunset.

2016_LASunset_BaldwinPark3

The Baldwin Hills stairs

This is one of the views I have been hunting for a while now. I did a fair amount of research and realized that it has not been photographed that much. Why? Well, I sure did find out. Shooting from this location is a two-man job. Your first challenge is that the park closes at sunset, so while this view is accessible by car, you must leave before sunset, park on the street (limited, 2 hour parking) at the base of the hill, then haul yourself and your gear up what seems like an eternity of stairs, all the way to the top (see photo to the right), over 400 feet high. This is not for the faint of heart. If you have any heart or health conditions, do not attempt this!

Once at the top and you have caught your breath, you will be taken by the view, from Santa Monica and the Pacific all the way to Downtown Los Angeles. However your next big challenge will be the wind (and maybe a few snakes). You will never be able to get a clean shot no matter the time of day.

2016_LASunset_BaldwinPark4

7D Mark II on HDR time lapse duty

The wind was a big problem so I immediately set out to find a solution, a compromise position that offered a buffer from the constant wind. I settled in for the sunset. It was about 5pm. I setup the 7D Mark II to capture an HDR time lapse of the sunset. With that going, I started setting up the 5DsR and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II for detailed panorama captures. The haze over the city is a very big problem and requires considerable editing and post processing. The two panoramas above are actually crops from a single 50 megapixel image wide shot at 70mm.

I stayed through sunset, was finally packed up and heading down the stairs by 10pm. Going down the stairs was just as painful if not more than going up. I honestly did not think I had it in me when I started before sunset, but I had come too far to turn around. My camera kit alone weights over 30lbs. I suppose I just discovered new limits of my endurance…LOL.

I hope you enjoyed this view too. I will post the final shots as soon as I get around to processing and editing them. They will most definitely make it to limited edition print. Next time you see a good clean shot of a view, hopefully you can pause and think how much effort it took that photographer to get that shot.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

Chasing Sunsets in Miami – Virginia Key

Posted by Snob on May 19, 2016
Posted in: Architecture, Cityscapes, Landscape, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
2016_MiamiKeysSunset

Miami Skyline at sunset via Virginia Key

This was the location from which I should have shot the fireworks the previous night. I posted about it here: New Year’s Eve in Miami. This was my backup shot but got overlooked because I felt the distribution of buildings in the skyline was uneven. As it tuned out this was one of the most beautiful sunset shots I’ve taken yet. Miami is so wild and unpredictable. That makes for fleeting but frequent beauty. You just need a little patience and a very keen eye. I love how Miami somehow always managed to show purple hues. If Purple isn’t the official color of Miami, it most certainly should be. What a gorgeous city full of gorgeous people!

2016_MiamiKeysSunset_Detail

100% crop from the panoramic

I shot this with the 50.6 Megapixel Canon 5DsR and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. The final panorama has tons of detail that may never be fully appreciated. You can see some of the detail in the 100% crop on the right. This shot will be available in limited edition fine art canvas print but I may reserve half of the edition for large art and commercial installations.

Have you visited or photographed Miami? What were your favorite perspectives on this crazy, wild city?

New Year’s Eve in Miami

Posted by Snob on May 11, 2016
Posted in: Architecture, Cityscapes, Events, Landscape, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016_NewYearsEve_Miami

Well this is how my year started off – chasing the sunset. I had a unique opportunity to make the trip to Miami, Florida for the new year. So I jumped on the last flight I could across the country to Miami. I did miss the sunset however. So I proceeded to plan B.

As with most destinations I travel to, I began studying the local maps and topology. Because of the limited time and long journey, I put extra emphasis on my research. I settled on a harbor area on the keys just across from the front face of the Miami skyline. I liked the relatively unobstructed view. After checking with local staff at the venue and confirming it was okay for me to setup my camera equipment, I went to work. This perhaps wasn’t the best location to photograph the fireworks. As it turned out, the Miami International Airport departure route flies right above the center of the skyline. This meant that the fireworks will not be anywhere close to the center of the frame as I hoped. I only realized this hours into my shoot and could not move as I was already hours into a time lapse sequence that was to last most of the night through the fireworks. Bummer! I suppose I need to factor air traffic into my research.

All that aside, it turned out to be a very productive shoot. I shot a time lapse with the Canon 7D Mark II and 17-55mm f/2.8 lens. This is now standard practice most of the time. While that was going, I started taking frames for a very detailed ultra high resolution panoramic of the skyline and waterfront with the 50 megapixel Canon 5DsR and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. The final result is breathtaking. It is at least three times wider than the shot above, and you can count Christmas tree ornaments on the trees in the apartments. As it turned out my first pass ended up being my shot of choice. The 5DsR is the perfect camera for this sort of photography.

This shot made it to my collection of limited edition large format prints and I cannot wait to print and share the first one!

Reader Comments: 6D vs 7D Mark II

Posted by Snob on May 9, 2016
Posted in: Camera, Canon 7D Mark II, Reader Comments, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I just got this email from a reader asking for some thoughts on camera gear and her kit in general so i thought I’d share my thoughts with other readers.

I ran across your article on Canon 5D Mark III vs 7D. I’ve had 6D’s in the past and loved them but thought I’d try out the 7D Mark II because I was missing some of the action in sequence. I haven’t learned the camera yet for action and found myself missing the 6D for low light and landscape. I guess I’m just looking for encouragement that the 7D Mark II will handle the landscape shots just fine with the right lens. I have the following lenses:

  • EF 85mm f/1.8
  • EF 200mm f/2.8L II
  • EF 100mm f/2.8L macro

I doubt I will ever be able to afford the newest 100-400mm which I understand is the best with the 7D Mark II so I was thinking of trading it out for a 6D to
use with the lenses I have and save up for a nice wide angle for it. Decisions, decisions! I’ve had a 400 before, I’ve had the 70-200, I’ve had the Sigma 150-600mm, all were just too heavy and not convenient. I’ve had two 6D’s at one time and that was nice to shoot with a zoom on one and wide angle or macro on the other. I just got to the point where I felt I needed more.

Maybe the ideal set up for a poor gal is to have the 7D Mark II with a 6D but with that, I do not have the proper lens for action for the 7D. I guess what I’m hoping you can confirm is that the 7D Mark II can do it all….?

Thanks
Kim

2016_Canon7DMarkII

Canon 7D Mark II + EF 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Hi Kim:

Thanks for taking the time to write. First off I have to preface everything by saying the best camera is the one you already have. However with that said, it sounds to me like you are running up against the many shortcomings and compromises of the Canon 6D camera system.

The short version of this post is I would never consider owning a 6D body. I would pick the 7D Mark II over the 6D any day. The 6D is such a crippled and compromised camera system, it doesn’t make much sense to me except in very limited and specific scenarios such as landscape and still life. Of course if all I had was a 6D, I’m sure I would eventually get my shot no doubt, but it would probably be a frustrating experience. The 6D sprung from a perceived need for a “cheap and watered-down” full frame alternative to the 5D Mark III. This premise was already a red flag in my opinion. The 5D Mark III already made some compromises from the flagship 1Dx. I have found myself in situations before where I just dropped the 5D Mark III and picked up the 7D Mark II.

I think to better understand what choice is right for you, it is important to understand the Canon pro lineup. There are two flagship camera systems. One full frame and one APS-C crop sensor flagship body. These are the 1Dx Mark II and the 7D Mark II respectively. Both cameras make zero compromises. Everything else is a compromise. Both of these bodies, pack an abundance of speed, processing power, capacity and all the latest features available. For this reason, I will always pick the 7D Mark II since I don’t have the 1Dx Mark II.

I have used the 6D and it was definitely out of place in the Canon pro lineup. I found it very limiting. The 7D has the fastest most effective Auto Focus of the canon lineup. It is on par with the 1Dx Mark II. The 7D Mark II is blazing fast, has a brutally accurate and intelligent AF system, precise metering, and powerful dual DIGIC6 processor pixel pump. There is nothing you cannot shoot with the 7D Mark II. Nothing. This is not the case with any of the other full frame bodies (except for the 1D series).

There is far more to an effective camera system than a the sensor size and low light capability. Current APS-C sensor technology has caught up with and surpassed all professional requirements. When it comes to low light capabilities, the 7D Mark II puts out a respectable performance with usable shots as high as ISO-1600. Yes maybe the 6D puts out usable shots at ISO-3200 but here’s my problem both are too noisy for me anyway. So we are talking about ISO performance advantage where it really does not matter. The high ISO argument is really a moot point these days. I rarely shoot my 5D Mark III above ISO-1600, because I just can’t stand the noise however low it may be. Also more important than low light capability is the fact that at higher the ISO, dynamic range is decreased dramatically, regardless of whether it is a full frame or crop sensor.

As for low light performance, the 7D Mark II packs an unexpected capability. If you just crank up your ISO to 6400 or as high as you need to achieve a shutter speed 1/10th of a second or faster, then use in-camera HDR bracketing at full burst mode of 10 frames per second, the resulting HDR composition cancels out a lot of the noise. I ran into this while shooting an extremely low light wedding reception in which my 5D Mark III just could not acquire focus or keep a fast enough shutter. The 7D Mark II saved the day. It seems counter intuitive, but it does in fact work in real world practice.

Finally as far as landscape photography is concerned, all you need is the right lens for the 7D Mark II. I swear by the Canon EF 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. It is tack sharp and lightning fast. It has also dropped in price since I bought mine. You can find one for well under $1000. I’ve seen people selling theirs for a little as $500. This lens is so good, there has been no need to revise it. It is perhaps the most underappreciated lens in the Canon lens lineup. This should be the first lens any 7D kit should have. Here are some examples of what you can expect as far as landscape photography with this 7D Mark II combination:

Did someone say you can’t do landscape photography with a 7D Mark II?? They are just lazy. Have them call me. I could go on-and-on. As for shooting action shots, I haven’t yet posted about that but if you take a look at my Instagram [@bryanallo] you will find numerous examples of what the 7D Mark II is capable of.

I hope this helps. Keep me posted on your photography journey.

Thanks Kim and all the best.