Captured on a Pentax K-x
Westminster College, Salt Lake City
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Tag Archives: winter
Frosty Stream
This photo was shot on Thanksgiving in a small canyon north of Pleasant Grove, Utah. Driving along the road heading up the canyon, we stopped every so often at little inlets to find some awesome photo opportunities. Aside from some tripod quirkiness and my batteries giving a false drained reading from the cold, I managed to capture quite a few interesting shots. The photo above is one such shot, incorporating the movement of water into the composition. This photograph was captured on a Pentax K-x
Red Rock Canyons
The photograph above was taken during a short stop at Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in Southern Utah just outside of St. George. After about a fifteen minute hike on a cloudy day, I came across this bend in the canyon as it narrowed, and saw this tiny little waterfall. Though there was a group of teenagers goofing off just out of sight in this frame, I was able to stand there for a minute or so and snap a couple shots. I've yet to photograph Zion National Park (one of my dreams), but this came pretty close to what I'd hope to get. It was shot with a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens on a Pentax K-x body.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
This was another one of those 'spur of the moment' shots, taken at the Snowbird ski resort in Utah. I was aiming to photograph something in particular, but my autofocus caught the wrong subject. Give it a second, you'll see what I mean.
And They Call the Wind Mariah
Shooting photos in the rain is fun. Shooting photos in the rain with a camera that's not exactly waterproof? Not so much. The photograph above is one of many that was the end result of running to one of the gift shops in the Snowbird, Utah resort complex and buying a large $8 handkerchief to cover my camera with. The end result, in all its hazy and low-contrast glory, reminds me a bit of the scene from Paint Your Wagon with the song "They Call the Wind Mariah." Sure, the photo is nothing special. But it certainly does communicate a sense of the mood of the situation.
High On The Mountaintop
For only having roughly a half hour on top of Hidden Peak in Snowbird, Utah, I managed to capture quite a few memorable shots. I've found myself slowly acquiring the skill to work under pressure, and in this setting, I often create my best work. The weather up at the top was somewhat cloudy, granting me some great opportunities to capture the gentle dance between the clouds and the rocky peaks across the way. The only quaff in this visually-pleasing weather occurred when it started to lightly snow. While my old camera had great weather sealing, the model I downgraded to (for a variety of reasons) lacks any sealing whatsoever. Fortunately, it survived.
The photograph above is a shot that, in all honesty, shouldn't have worked. It was captured with a long zoom, facing downwards on the mountain. The framing isn't special whatsoever, and in terms of a nature photograph, the composition itself isn't what one usually sees. But where this shot shines is the lighting. Though it's often hard to capture the light that one sees in person with a simple camera, stopping down the exposure in post-processing really brought out the beauty that I witnessed in person.
In other news, I have yet to get the rolls of film I took during this trip developed. I've been trying since I got back, but the local Wal-Mart (which is the only place nearby that offers negative-only C-41 developing at a decent price) is having difficulties with their processing equipment. I've spoken to a few people in the department, and apparently they're waiting on a part to arrive. Till then, it's just a waiting game. Luckily, my Epson V500 scanner was delivered today, and the (unrelated) negatives I've scanned in so far have turned out fantastic. I highly recommend it.
Hidden Peak at Snowbird, Utah
I meant to start posting these photos from day one. Honestly, I did. But that first night on the road was spent in a cheap hotel room that lacked anything even remotely resembling WiFi, and my cell inexplicably refused to show even the slightest sign of a data signal floating around out there. The next couple nights were spent at Snowbird Ski Resort, where I found myself too pampered to want to work (though my definition of pampered basically equates to them offering free coffee). Next thing I knew, I was nearly a week into my short vacation, and I had yet to post anything other than a barrage of Twitter updates. So here I am, making up for my lack of effort.
Snowbird provided countless photo opportunities, and was far from what I expected. Snow was still on the ground and in the mountains, allowing for many winter-esque photos that I never imagined I'd be taking halfway through June. One such cluster of photos came to light via the famous Snowbird Tram, which takes passengers up to the top of Hidden Peak in the resort. At 11,000 feet, the quick ride takes you to a whole new world, as your small group of fellow passengers braves the sudden cold to snap a few quick photos before heading inside the warming hut (which I proudly never set foot in).
And for being the summer season, it was surprising to see how many winter sports enthusiasts refused to give up their passion as long as snow still sat on the ground. Though for someone who doesn't (yet) snowboard like myself, spending a few nights at a ski resort at this time of the year is a great experience. The snow still lingers about, without being too intrusive. And the winter crowds are long gone, while the summer crowds have yet to arrive. The result is a private little snowy wonderland, complete with a complimentary pillow mint.