sunset Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Loree Johnson Photography

The natural order of things

by Loree | May 5, 2014 | Art, Gratitude, Lakes, Siskiyou County, Wildlife

I’ve been thinking lately about how we humans have distanced ourselves so much from the natural world, sometimes we forget we are a part of it. Not only is this disconnect bad for nature, I truly believe it’s not good for people either. I notice this sometimes when I post a photograph involving predator and prey. It’s fascinating to me when I see a bird of prey killing and/or eating another animal. I can’t help photographing it. I was even joking with someone the other day about the Canada goslings which have hatched recently in large numbers, calling them “eagle snacks.” It’s true that the bald eagle, which has not been seen around this lake for a couple of months, has recently been spotted again.

Swim Class

The person I was talking to was repulsed by my joke. I meant no harm, and I certainly don’t wish death on any of these cute little fuzzballs, but it is the natural balance that they won’t all make it to adulthood. There is only room in the world for a certain number of geese and nature tends to oversupply in order to assure a reasonable survival rate. I notice that many people find photographs of predators with prey repulsive. I think they are beautiful.

The Catch

There are drops of blood from the fish among the water splashes in this photo. I could probably edit them out and sanitize it more, but that would remove some of the beauty in my opinion. The more disconnected we become from the natural cycles, the less we embrace and accept them. To be repulsed by nature is to deny you are a part of it. For at least twenty years, my natural habitat was a cubicle. It wasn’t a healthy environment for me, and I can’t help but wonder how many others out there are feeling trapped inside while longing to be outside. Since I’ve started going out into nature nearly every day with my camera, I’m much happier and less stressed.

Sunset at Trout Lake

Don’t get me wrong–I love hot showers and I would hate to have to spear my dinner–but I think there is a balance needed between living in the civilized world and living in the natural world. Our ancestors had fears of cougars and hungry coyotes. We have fears of not making the mortgage payment and losing our possessions. Each person has a balance of their own to reach. I’m still working on finding mine, but I know nature photography has helped. I hope my photographs also might help others in some small way who are striving for their balance. Bringing a little nature into your day, no matter where you are, or what you happen to be doing, might move you closer to your balance.

Unfurling Fern

Often, when I am out in nature, especially near the ocean or the giant redwoods, I feel very small. But, small in a good way. As if I’m but one tiny, intricate bit of a vast, amazing, integrated totality that’s always changing and evolving. My balance involves knowing that life is all too short and that whatever amazes me today may not be there tomorrow.

Web of Sunlight

redwoods; redwood; forest; tree; trees; ancient; canopy; huge; massive; tall; big; sunlight; sunset; peace; peaceful; nature; natural; scene; scenic; red; green; ferns; trail; Jedediah Smith State Park; stout grove; california; coastal; Loree Johnson

Sunset at the Grove

So, here’s to the joy of feeling small, and finding a balance.

From salmonberry to trillium. The journey so far.

by Loree | Apr 7, 2014 | History, Ocean, Photography, Significant Dates, Wildlife

I realized recently that it’s been almost exactly five years since I decided to go down the photography road. In the spring of 2009, I was surfing the internet trying to decide how to spend my income tax refund. I had always wanted a good camera, and vowed to get one when my little Nikon Coolpix died. Problem was, it refused to die. Then I thought, why do I have to wait for my camera to break down before I can get a better one? That day, I ordered a Nikon D60 with a 28-55mm kit lens. My first DSLR. Little did I know at the time, that decision would change my life.

The day it arrived, I was so excited! As soon as the battery was charged, I was outside with it. I had no idea how to do anything besides put the dial on “auto” and press the button. I just knew having a good camera was the key to good photos. At the end of the day, I uploaded my photos to the computer to see how much better they were going to be than the ones from my old camera. That day, I learned two things. One, it’s not the camera that makes great images, and two, I wanted to be a great photographer. Since that day, I have been relentless in my pursuit. I’m not even close to being a great photographer yet, but five years seems like a good milestone to reflect back from.

Over the next few months, after I got my hands on that first DSLR, I began to understand not only what it means to be a great photographer, but how much effort it takes. I had to learn what aperture means, what ISO is, and how they combine with shutter speed to produce exposure. I had to learn what focal length means, what depth of field is, and how to determine hyperfocal distance. I had to learn what metering is, how to do it, and the differences it makes. If doing this well meant I had to read my camera manual a dozen times, I was there. If it meant taking a class to learn how to use Photoshop, I was there. If it meant getting up before the sun to catch the light at a particular place, or missing dinner to catch the sunset at another place, or lugging a tripod with me on a five mile hike to get a shot of a waterfall, I was there. If it meant trying, and trying, and trying again before I finally got the result I wanted, I was there.

I thought it would be fun to share some of those early photos here, and compare them to more recent images. Here is a flower I shot back in 2009:

Salmonberry

I had no idea where the focal point was, I let the camera decide. Apparently, it decided the front of the leaf should be in focus, not the flower. Here is a more recent flower:

Trillium ovatum; pacific trillium; purple; flower; moist; wet; rainforest; dew; water; drops; droplets; delicate; small; green; yellow; fern; moss; beauty; beautiful; flora; nature; natural; Loree Johnson

Pacific Trillium (Trillium ovatum)

One of my first attempts at a beach sunset:

Pacific Sunset

At that point, it’s easy to see that not only was focus eluding me, but exposure as well. Here is a recent beach sunset:

four mile beach; santa cruz; california; ca; long exposure; surf; wave; formation; formations; waves; tide; tidal; rock; rocks; water; sun; sunset; cloud; clouds; sand; sea; seascape; sand; ocean; pacific; bay area; scene; scenic; nature; natural; evening; afternoon; dusk; twilight; reflect; reflection; ocean; beach; Loree Johnson

Sunset at Four Mile Beach

Over the past five years, I’ve upgraded the camera twice and acquired various lenses, filters, tripods, software, and other gear. I can say for sure that getting a new piece of kit doesn’t make me a better photographer. It generally gives me more options, or allows me to overcome certain limitations that I ran into. But, with each new thing, comes a whole new learning curve and new challenges. I spend more hours doing this than I ever spent doing a full-time job. Then again, photography is more to me than a hobby or a fun way to fill my leisure time. It’s my life, my purpose, my passion.

In 2010, I decided to give wildlife photography a try, since wildlife is so abundant in this area. However, my first attempts at it were so awful that I didn’t even keep any of the images. All I could find were some images from 2011:

Eagle in Flight

It was mostly trial and error since I had read so much information on the internet, I didn’t know what to believe. The above eagle was shot at 1/800, f/5.3 and ISO 100. The one below was shot at 1/2000, f/7.1 and ISO 1000:

On the Wing

There was a time when I would look at work by great photographers and say to myself “I’ll never be able to do that.” Now I look at a great image and ask myself “what do I need to learn in order to be that good?” There was a time when I would see a great photograph, and set out to create one like it. Now I see a great photograph and set out to create a better one.

I could come up with many more examples of the progress I’ve made, but suffice to say, I’m getting there. Maybe someday I will be a great photographer. Or maybe I will die trying. Either way, I can’t imagine a better way to spend my life.

Missed the shot!

by Loree | Mar 7, 2014 | Birds, Gratitude, Mountains, Photography, Siskiyou County, Waterfalls, Wildlife

I cannot count how many times this has happened to me. Sometimes, it’s my fault. I’ll shoot something only to find out that the camera settings were all wrong, and the opportunity has passed. Or sometimes, it’s because my thinking is messed up. Like the time I drove right by a perfectly beautiful shot of the Shasta River, on my way to the Klamath River. Thinking at the time, well if there is morning mist rising from the tiny little Shasta River, imagine how beautiful and misty the big ole’ Klamath will be. But, it wasn’t. And of course, by the time I got back to the Shasta River, it wasn’t either. Sometimes I miss the shot through no fault of my own. Like the time I was driving back from the Tulelake Wildlife Refuge and noticed the most beautiful sunset colors reflected in the marsh along Stateline Road. But, there was no where to pull over and there was a big-rig right on my tail. By the time I found a safe place to stop, the color had faded.

For the longest time, I would get angry at myself, or sad, or disappointed when I missed a great shot. It was as if I somehow failed as a photographer to have seen something beautiful and not captured it to share with the rest of the world. Then, a few weeks ago, I realized something. There is infinitely more beauty in this world than I will ever be able to see, much less photograph. I have been extremely lucky in my life to see some amazing things, and even luckier to have photographed a few of them. So now, if I miss a shot, instead of being upset about not capturing it inside the camera, I feel grateful for having witnessed it at all. And I also feel grateful for the amazing things I have been able to capture. Here are a few of them:

…Before the Storm

Sandhill Crane Mating Dance

Gold in the River

Bald Eagle Couple

All I can say is I hope there are many, many more opportunities ahead, even though I know that I will miss some of them.

About the “rules”

by Loree | Feb 25, 2014 | Birds, Lakes, Mountains, Ocean, Oregon, Photography, Siskiyou County, Wildlife

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs”–Ansel Adams

When I became obsessed with photography, sometime in the spring of 2009, I wanted my photographs to be better. I wanted to learn how to make magic with my camera, but I didn’t know how. I spent many hours researching, reading, learning about photography. And in my zeal to learn how to make better images, I unknowingly adopted some of the “rules” that other photographers so adamantly preached. Looking back, I see how those rules helped, but I also see how they hindered. We all want to know the formula for making spectacular images, but in my experience, there is no formula. Knowing how the camera works is essential, knowing how the light works is essential, but strictly following rules only stifles creativity.

wet eagle; american icon; Haliaeetus leucocephalus; bald eagle; freedon; liberty; fierce; patriotic; patriotism; patriot; raptor; bird; fierce; talon; talons; wing; wings; feather; feathers; in flight; fly; flying; rain; drizzle; overcast; weather; winter; wild; wildlife; nature; natural; tail; predator; wingspan; underneath; under; in; and; the; a; on; over; to; of; with; under; above Loree Johnson

Fierce Eagle

I remember the first time I wanted to attempt to shoot eagles at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge. I was selling microstock photography at the time, so I posted in a forum on one of the microstock sites asking for advice. Most of the responses were discouraging. I was told I needed tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear. I was told the only way to get good, close photos of eagles was to spend hours hunkered down in a blind. I was told most of the good eagle photos you see are either shot in captivity, or with the aid of bait. I’m glad I didn’t listen. I’ve found that with patience, persistence, and a bit of luck, photographs of eagles can be done without all of those things. The photo above was shot from my car in the pouring rain.

Heart Lake

Some of the rules I learned for landscape photography were, never center the subject, and always shoot during the “golden hour.” (An hour after sunrise, or and hour before sunset.) The image of Heart Lake was shot in mid-afternoon on a sunny day. There are also many landscape photographers who insist that graduated ND filters and circular polarizing filters are a necessity. While I keep a polarizing filter in my bag, I rarely use it. And the set of GND filters I bought is in a box of stuff I never use, having tried them two or three times and discovering that blending exposures in post processing works much better for me and gives me a lot more control over the result.

sunset; ocean; beach; grass; bright; sea; weeds; orange; red; sky; rocks; sun; pacific; oregon; northwest; nature; landscape; photography; scenic; beautiful; natural; beauty; photograph; outdoors; outdoor; landscape; photo; scenery; scene; picture; clouds; loree johnson

The Pacific Ablaze

But I have to say, the most important lesson I’ve learned over these past five years is–persistence. If I don’t get the shot I want, I try again. If the “rule” doesn’t work for me, I break it. It took me nearly three years to get an image of the full moon rising over Lake Siskiyou with Mount Shasta. I went back to the same spot dozens of times, and failed to get the shot. But, I kept trying, and eventually I got it! And for me, the satisfaction of that is better than any award, or prize, or sale. So my advice is to listen to the rules, take them into consideration, but don’t get so caught up in them that you can’t break them. Because you will never know what you can do if you always follow the rules.

Moonrise Over the Lake at Mount Shasta

You say goodbye, and I say hello…

by Loree | Dec 31, 2013 | Blog, Gratitude, Ocean

Another year has come and gone, the calendar is on the last day of the last page, 2013 is down to it’s final hours. It’s been a pretty good year, but I’m not sad to say goodbye. Hello 2014! I have a good feeling about you and am looking forward to making your acquaintance. It’s been a year of trial and error, of reconnecting with old friends, and of finding my feet in the new world of following my bliss. I’ve learned a lot this year, about photography and life, and look forward to using that knowledge in the coming year. Looking back, it feels like 2013 was a year of preparation for 2014 and beyond. Now, the real adventure begins!

Golden Gate Bridge; Berkeley Marina; Berkeley Pier; sunset; bay area; California; CA; Pacific Ocean; San Francisco Bay; blue; orange; Christmas Eve; holiday; holidays; dusk; evening; twighlight; water; lights; reflect; reflections; reflection; cloud; clouds; scene; scenic; Loree Johnson

Golden Gate Sunset from Berkeley Marina

Traveling to Santa Cruz for Christmas seems like such a fitting way to cap off this year and prepare for next year. Getting lost in the forest on a one-lane road for an hour was just a lesson in patience, and a reminder to listen to my instincts. Even GPS’s make mistakes! And even though my plan was to shoot the skyline of San Francisco from the Berkeley Marina, the silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge is the shot I ended up with. Another lesson. Don’t get so caught up in your plans that you miss the real opportunities.

four mile beach; santa cruz; california; ca; long exposure; surf; wave; waves; tide; tidal; rock; rocks; water; sun; sunset; cloud; clouds; sand; sea; seascape; sand; ocean; pacific; bay area; scene; scenic; nature; natural; evening; afternoon; dusk; twilight; reflect; reflection; ocean; beach; Loree Johnson

Four Mile Beach Sunset

As the sun sets on this year, and the dawn of the new year begins, I can’t help feeling grateful for all the beauty in this world, and the opportunity to take it in. And although I continue to make plans for the coming year, I also remain flexible and attentive to whatever comes my way. I’m very much looking forward to whatever surprises the coming year has in store.

Santa Cruz; harbor; Christmas; lights; decorated; decorations; decorate; holiday; water; reflect; reflections; noel; december; twinkle; sparkle; holidays; happy; merry; new year; sea; ocean; boat; boats; sailboat; sailboats; mast; masts; slip; california; ca; scene; scenic; festive; dark; night; Loree Johnson

Christmas at Santa Cruz Harbor

Just as Christmas in Santa Cruz was non-traditional and unexpected, if you really think about it, so is much of life. And those are the things we remember. So, here’s to a year of unexpected and amazing experiences.