Merced NWR, 12/17/09 (2 landscape photos)

Hikin' Mike

Just copied this from my blog:

This is starting to be a habit now. Every Wednesday my kids have gymnastics practice for 4 hours. I drop off the kids and my wife at the gym and I head out to the Merced NWR just before sunset. My goal this time was the very back pond, near the ‘Bittern Marsh Trail’. I had to hustle.

I set up on a small “island” and waited for sunset. I took a few photos, but I started seeing flocks of Sandhill Cranes. I re-set my camera from slow shutter speed to a somewhat higher speed and got this one.


5D, 70-200mm f/4L, ISO 1600, 1/500, f/7.1


Thinking I was done as the colors were fading, I packed up and started to drive the rest of the loop. Near the last section, paralleling highway 140, I started noticing a reddish tint on some of the clouds and fog was starting to form. Should I drive like a mad man to the platform (there’s water) or do I shoot here? I decided to shoot here since I’m not very good at running! Quickly unpacked the tripod and camera and got this.


5D, 70-200mm f/4L, ISO 100, .8sec, f/8

philiphutson

Nice.
I think the second one would benefit from having the land and trees brought up quite a bit.

-Philip

Hikin' Mike

philiphutson wrote:

Nice.
I think the second one would benefit from having the land and trees brought up quite a bit.

-Philip

I cropped this a pano because the bottom had nothing interesting, other than grass.

mtully

Great shots Mike! It is great that you have been able to work a routine around the "golden hour". Timing is everything when you sense the beginnings of a great sunset. Good thing you stayed where you were.

Mike T

anwmn1

Really like that first shot

Miguel Delinquento

Nice first shot Mike.

There must be a rule of thumb governing the relationship between sunset intensity and photographer presence. Something like "always wait ten minutes after you first feel like leaving. And then wait again."

M

Hikin' Mike

Miguel Delinquento wrote:

Nice first shot Mike.

There must be a rule of thumb governing the relationship between sunset intensity and photographer presence. Something like "always wait ten minutes after you first feel like leaving. And then wait again."

M

I heard this from another forum...

"Never pack until it's black, that should be the landscape photographers creed." EJ Peiker

dls

i rather like #1. great comp, colors. i'm also rather impressed at your finding such a picturesque spot to shoot in the central valley. in my 3 years in merced in the past, i never made it out to the reserve. i was too distracted by the nearby presence of yosemite. now i gotta go visit the next time i swing by!

bryanj87

Lovely colors and composition. The birds really add to that first shot.

Phil Tompson

The first photo is nice. The birds add to the peacefulness.