Ancient Bristlecone pines in the Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, California
California is a land of superlatives and nowhere is this more pronounced than along the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. From the lofty summit of Mount Whitney at nearly 15,000 feet (the highest point in the lower 48) to the barren plain of Badwater in Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level is a distance of just over 100 miles.
The Owens Valley, which lies between them, is the deepest chasm in North America, and to the east on the barren upper slopes of the White Mountains the oldest living trees on earth cling to life in this other-worldly landscape.
California Poppy detail (Eschscholtzia californica), Antelope Valley, California
Ever feel like you’re in a photographic rut? Like the images just aren’t flowing through the lens and onto the sensor as easily as they should? New and stunning scenery will always help inspire the creative juices, but what if travel isn’t in the cards right now? Sounds like the perfect time to try out a new perspective and a great tool for this is the Lensbaby.
There’s no question that this is the oddest thing you’ll ever attach to the front of your camera, and using it is definitely a throw-back to the dark ages of photography with its completely manual focus and exposure. What started out as a toy-like novelty with a plastic lens and bellows has evolved into a series of high-quality tools each with a slightly different slant (pun intended). Basically its a limited use selective focus lens that mimics the look of a Holga camera with the added ability to move the sweet spot of focus to any desired part of the frame and vary the depth of the out of focus areas. Mounts are available for all major DSLR models and a macro kit is also available.
This is a fun lens to use and creatively its application is unlimited. So the next time you find yourself in creative funk, give this little gem a try and see the world in a whole new light.
Rock climbing on Wall Street, Colorado River Gorge, Moab, Utah
Rock climbing is one of those sports in which the sum is definitely greater than the parts. Originally just one facet of mountaineering, it evolved into it’s own specific niche, with the advancement of equipment and bold new techniques, that allowed the seemingly impossible to be conquered. But as any climber will tell you, the rewards are much more than just the satisfaction of getting to the top.
For many, climbing is as much a spiritual journey as a physical one. It’s often compared to ballet in the vertical in which a sequence of moves are carefully choreographed and the mind is sharply focused on the next position or placement of protection. And like a chess game, the participant must constantly adapt his or her thinking with each move as the climb progresses.
Because of this requirement of critical thinking it’s not surprising that climbing courses have been encouraged by large corporations across the country to help their employees develop not only trust and teamwork, but focus and attention to detail – disciplines that are critical to success in both endeavors. And of course, the more obvious byproducts of a day at the crags is great physical conditioning and a memorable adventure with good friends.
Adding photography to the mix is a natural for those looking to capture high action in a dynamic setting. Whether you’re a participant or just an observer, rock climbers move at a slow enough pace that capturing the moments that define the sport is relatively easy. My favorite lens while climbing is a 16mm, which not only provides a wide field of view to include a good sense of place but has incredible depth of field to guarantee that everything from the rope in my hands to the distant mountains is sharp.
