Yosemite Shoot-out Assigments?

fish

As mentioned in the big Yosemite thread, I'm thinking about organizing a very lightweight set of assignments for the shootout gang, along the lines of what we used to do prior to andy setting up the challenges. Once we figure out the specifics, we'll organize a subforum (if it sounds like a good idea) to make a home for the various categorized threads. Or not. This is just a concept right now.

So...what do you think? Good idea? Sound like fun? :ear

Also, if you have any specific suggestions on this topic, please post them in this thread, including whether you'd like to volunteer to help.

dkapp

We could do different assignments based on landmarks, location & scenery. Each person could post their best shot. Here is a list to get started.

Best Tunnel View
Best half dome
Best El Capitan
Best Macro
Best Wildlife
Best B&W
Best nightshot
Best Sunset/sunrise


Then we could have a fun one:
Best Candid
Best Food Shot

Dave

fish

dkapp wrote:

We could do different assignments based on landmarks, location & scenery. Each person could post their best shot. Here is a list to get started.

Best Tunnel View
Best half dome
Best El Capitan
Best Macro
Best Wildlife
Best B&W
Best nightshot
Best Sunset/sunrise


Then we could have a fun one:
Best Candid
Best Food Shot

Dave

Good suggestions, db! I'm thinking on the food one that it should be andy-centric. Best shot of andy eating, cuz afterall, it's AATF (all about the food).

pseudonym

nothing to do with me I know (being as I am geographically about as far as you can get from yosemite ) but it occurs to me that you can't be in the valley and not have a category for the best climbing shot .

climbers do love their photography and sometimes it makes great subject matter.

just a thought from a frustrated climber who will probably never see Yoesmite, least not any time soon :bluduh

Colin

ian408

Keep in mind there will be limited transportation and that it might not be
possible to get everyone everywhere unless there's some unified goal. So, this
isn't a bad idea at all.

I'd like to add a category for night shots as well.

Ian

wxwax

ian408 wrote:

Keep in mind there will be limited transportation and that it might not be
possible to get everyone everywhere unless there's some unified goal. So, this
isn't a bad idea at all.

Hmm, good point.

I think the challenge is a fine idea for those who want it.

As someone who finds the opportunity to shoot in Yosemite, with the help of a talented landscape photographer, to be more than enough inspiration to go out and find shots.... I really don't want or need a challenge to help me decide what to shoot.

But this issue of transportation is an interesting one. I would assume that we'll go to the classic shooting locations, regardless of the challenge? Or just split up, I guess. Ah heck, it's too far away to worry about it right now.

GREAPER

It doesn't matter to me, I would approach these assignments the same way I do all of the challenges Etc. I shoot what I want and if it applies, I enter it, If it doesn't I dont.

wxwax

GREAPER wrote:

It doesn't matter to me, I would approach these assignments the same way I do all of the challenges Etc. I shoot what I want and if it applies, I enter it, If it doesn't I dont.

ian408

GREAPER wrote:

It doesn't matter to me, I would approach these assignments the same way I do all of the challenges Etc. I shoot what I want and if it applies, I enter it, If it doesn't I dont.

Exactamundo!

Ian

dkapp

GREAPER wrote:

It doesn't matter to me, I would approach these assignments the same way I do all of the challenges Etc. I shoot what I want and if it applies, I enter it, If it doesn't I dont.

Looks like we do it the same way.

Dave

fish

GREAPER wrote:

It doesn't matter to me, I would approach these assignments the same way I do all of the challenges Etc. I shoot what I want and if it applies, I enter it, If it doesn't I dont.

Ditto here too. Again, I want to emphasize that this isn't meant to be a challenge, contest, or inhibitor of your natural talents, waxy. There won't be any prizes (probably), but it might be a cool way to get people to think outside the box, yet along similar themes as others.

If you don't wanna do it, then fine. Nobody is going to hold a gun to your head. But so far, it seems like the vast majority thinks it might be fun.

I really like the suggestions that dkapp made...it's a nice mix of very broad categories (B&W) and some very narrow ones (half dome). I'm really looking forward to seeing a thread made up entirely of different perspectives of half dome. There are unlimited possibilities.

make sense?

Andy

rest assured that i have thought about all this

wxwax wrote:

But this issue of transportation is an interesting one. I would assume that we'll go to the classic shooting locations, regardless of the challenge? Or just split up, I guess. Ah heck, it's too far away to worry about it right now.

and i'll be announcing how this will all be organized in due course. one thing for sure, it won't be a single group of 40 of us, traipsing around the park.

stay tuned

Andy

dkapp wrote:

We could do different assignments based on landmarks, location & scenery. Each person could post their best shot. Here is a list to get started.

Best Tunnel View
Best half dome
Best El Capitan
Best Macro
Best Wildlife
Best B&W
Best nightshot
Best Sunset/sunrise


Then we could have a fun one:
Best Candid
Best Food Shot

Dave

i don't think that "best" is going to be so easy to choose. in fact, i'd say that "best" has already been done by the greats who have gone there before us.

let's make this about learning and having a load of fun, not competing...

dkapp

andy wrote:

i don't think that "best" is going to be so easy to choose. in fact, i'd say that "best" has already been done by the greats who have gone there before us.

let's make this about learning and having a load of fun, not competing...

By best I was referring to each person posting their best.

Dave

DavidTO

andy wrote:

let's make this about learning and having a load of fun, not competing...

YES!

That's why I'm going.

lark

Night shots.....I've always had every intention of doing a night shot. I see so many cool one's.Unfortunately, I must be older than I think, cause at the end of the afternoon (sunset time), I whacked. Never have been able to get to it.

Night shots...especially intreresting and challenging because we will be there in the "dark of the moon" phase. But I'll bet the shots around dusk will be something to see (great reflected light)!

Hey! By the way.....when you ask about sunrise and sunset picture vantage points from the rangers and guides who LIVE there, their eyes go glassy and the give you the same pat answers,Half Dome, etc., etc. I wondered about this and asked around some more.......
it turns out that Yosemite is a valley (duh, I know ), work with me here.....but I remember being out in the valley and it was dark and when the light came it was cool, the light was coming..but I didn't really start getting any really good shots until that sun came up high enough to put some light down IN the valley......then Yosemite Falls lit up!, then one side of El Cap lit up!etc. There seems to be three decidedly different times to take shots, and therefore three angles of light 1st: Morning light, low angle from behind Half Dome lights up the valley from that direction and all things going that direction (check your maps, I know you have them by now).2nd: late morning, early afternoon, 10-2, almost all of Yosemite is breathtaking with the straight up and down sun, strange, but it's just built that way. So, pick a spot or two or three and depending on the cloud cover and movement you'll haveyour shot. 3rd: late afternoon, sunset, the sun does this gold "Alpenglow" thing to anything facing that direction...Half Dome, Gates to the Valley, El Capitain's other side and Tunnel view are all potential wide panoramic keepers.
Whew! I'm really taking the long way around this barn.....my point is the good stuff doesn't seem to be in the sunset/sunrise, be there before
dawn shots(some, sure, but most come about gradually during the course of the day), but in the changing weather conditions during the daytime.
That's why the rangers eyes go glassy..there is really no sunrise or sunset in the valley..there IS: sun comes over the RIM of the valley in the morning and goes down beyond the other rim at dusk. After the sun sets in the valley the sky is still lit up for another 30 to 45 minutes while the sun goes down on the rest of the world. That makes for some beautiful mountain sunset pictures on the drive back to the Wawona which just happens to take about the same amount of time.
This info might prove helpful when you are looking at your map and planning where you want to be at what time of day since we have so limited actual time there. I imagine that whatever "groups" get together to be at a specific place at a specific time will naturally form based on how thelight is moving through the valley.
Hope this is some help.
Den

fish

dkapp wrote:

By best I was referring to each person posting their best.

Personal best. I think we'll just leave off the "best" part, as I think most people naturally post what they think are their best shots. I also don't know that we should limit it to just one image per category.

gus

pseudonym wrote:

nothing to do with me I know (being as I am geographically about as far as you can get from yosemite )

Still a seat next to me avail on Air Unzud to S/fran pseud....

pseudonym

Humungus wrote:

Still a seat next to me avail on Air Unzud to S/fran pseud....

so you're off as well mate, way ta go, I in fact have my own seat on QANTAS flight QF376 to Seoul booked for the week after next so I might just stick with that for the time being

there'll be Korean happysnaps galore in my galleries come Feb 23

Colin

gus

pseudonym wrote:

so you're off as well mate

Like a bucket of prawns in the sun mate...

Seoul would be great for a tooth man like myself. I am really keen on doing india from south to north by train ....dont know about 4 weeks sitting in a dunny though.

wxwax

lark wrote:

Hope this is some help.
Den

Fantastic post, Den, really helpful. Thanks!

Nikolai

Great post, Den!
Thanks a lot!

I've been to Yosemite two times, but each time was kinda in a rush (silly, I know), so your insight is greatly appreciated:-)

Cheers!

CalfeeRider

lark wrote:

Night shots.....I've always had every intention of doing a night shot. I see so many cool one's.Unfortunately, I must be older than I think, cause at the end of the afternoon (sunset time), I whacked. Never have been able to get to it.

Night shots...especially intreresting and challenging because we will be there in the "dark of the moon" phase. But I'll bet the shots around dusk will be something to see (great reflected light)!

Hey! By the way.....when you ask about sunrise and sunset picture vantage points from the rangers and guides who LIVE there, their eyes go glassy and the give you the same pat answers,Half Dome, etc., etc. I wondered about this and asked around some more.......
it turns out that Yosemite is a valley (duh, I know ), work with me here.....but I remember being out in the valley and it was dark and when the light came it was cool, the light was coming..but I didn't really start getting any really good shots until that sun came up high enough to put some light down IN the valley......then Yosemite Falls lit up!, then one side of El Cap lit up!etc. There seems to be three decidedly different times to take shots, and therefore three angles of light 1st: Morning light, low angle from behind Half Dome lights up the valley from that direction and all things going that direction (check your maps, I know you have them by now).2nd: late morning, early afternoon, 10-2, almost all of Yosemite is breathtaking with the straight up and down sun, strange, but it's just built that way. So, pick a spot or two or three and depending on the cloud cover and movement you'll haveyour shot. 3rd: late afternoon, sunset, the sun does this gold "Alpenglow" thing to anything facing that direction...Half Dome, Gates to the Valley, El Capitain's other side and Tunnel view are all potential wide panoramic keepers.
Whew! I'm really taking the long way around this barn.....my point is the good stuff doesn't seem to be in the sunset/sunrise, be there before
dawn shots(some, sure, but most come about gradually during the course of the day), but in the changing weather conditions during the daytime.
That's why the rangers eyes go glassy..there is really no sunrise or sunset in the valley..there IS: sun comes over the RIM of the valley in the morning and goes down beyond the other rim at dusk. After the sun sets in the valley the sky is still lit up for another 30 to 45 minutes while the sun goes down on the rest of the world. That makes for some beautiful mountain sunset pictures on the drive back to the Wawona which just happens to take about the same amount of time.
This info might prove helpful when you are looking at your map and planning where you want to be at what time of day since we have so limited actual time there. I imagine that whatever "groups" get together to be at a specific place at a specific time will naturally form based on how thelight is moving through the valley.
Hope this is some help.
Den

Hi Lark,

Yosemite is a valley and the lighting conditions can really be a challenge. I've posted some shots of dawn and sunrise that I hope I can learn from the pros (you guys) how to improve on. The "mist" that hugs the valley floor can really give the shot an interesting and surreal quality that you just don't get in daylight.

http://jbuchanan.smugmug.com/gallery/387937/1/15467987

http://jbuchanan.smugmug.com/gallery/387937/1/15467986

Thoughts/suggestions welcomed!

Thanks,
Jack

wxwax

CalfeeRider wrote:

Hi Lark,

Yosemite is a valley and the lighting conditions can really be a challenge. I've posted some shots of dawn and sunrise that I hope I can learn from the pros (you guys) how to improve on. The "mist" that hugs the valley floor can really give the shot an interesting and surreal quality that you just don't get in daylight.

http://jbuchanan.smugmug.com/gallery/387937/1/15467987

http://jbuchanan.smugmug.com/gallery/387937/1/15467986

Thoughts/suggestions welcomed!

Thanks,
Jack

Good stuff, Calfee. When I saw the mist shots, especially the sunrise one, I immediately thought of making two exposures - one to really bring out the mist and foreground, and the other to handle the sky.

CalfeeRider

wxwax wrote:

Good stuff, Calfee. When I saw the mist shots, especially the sunrise one, I immediately thought of making two exposures - one to really bring out the mist and foreground, and the other to handle the sky.

Thanks Sid! Frankly, I'm still a bit overwhelmed with all of the technology. A new dSLR camera, new to Photoshop, Gamma Curves, Layers... the list just goes on... so I'm still on the steep side of the "learning curve" at this point.

I've got Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS book, which has been a HUGE help and I'm making some headway though.

fish

Thanks for all the feedback, folks. Stay tuned for an assignment thread as we get closer to the shootout.



I'm going to unstick this thread.

dkapp

fish wrote:

I'm going to unstick this thread.

Sounds good. I just subscribed to keep track of updates.

Dave