AWE Gallery: Stacy Boorn

In the late afternoon low winter sun at Pt. Reyes National Seashore this Tule Elk had a catch light in his eye.  Several herds are often seen from the Piece Pt. Road or the road to Drakes Beach (as in the case of this elk).  Sometimes they let you get pretty close.  Using a 400 mm lens I was able to capture this frame filling image.  A half a dozen elk were roaming among the cows, which was also an interesting image although it felt less “wild.”  You can drive these roads many times before these magnificent creatures are within camera range.  Return and return again!  Pt. Reyes is a wonderful place because you have many subjects and terrains to choose from.  So if the elk aren’t with in “shooting range” you can head to the beach or out to the lighthouse.

Just down the road at Drakes beach a small stream was trickling across the beach with two sleeping elephant seals on each side (not photogenic in this position).  But the ripples in the sand caused by the flowing stream water made beautiful patterns, especially around the rocks in the water.  As the light hit various ripples additional light patterns were added to the mix.  It was interplay of ripples in the water and ripples in the sand and ripples of light.  The placement of the rock is on one of the golden points.  These are the third marks.

I use a tripod the majority of the time, even when I have lots of light making it easy to have a fast shutter.  It helps me to slow down and spend more time thinking about the composition and communion with my subjects.  But these images were both hand held shots.

I don’t know if you remember for yourself, or at least observing small children, what joy arises when looking into a mirror like pond.  It is magical.  I remember reaching into the water to cause a little stir.  As the water rippled distorting my own image I wondered, “Is this really me?”  Yes and no.

Perhaps it is that same magical wonderment that still draws me to reflections.  Vast scenes, birds, buildings, people, colors, abstracts – you name it!  A reflection has a life of its own.  You can also see my of my favorite reflection shots at  Reflection

So this past week between began and ended with captures of local reflections.  It is always a challenging image because the reflection itself is usually at least two exposure stops different than the subject.  With the help of a graduated neutral density filter your sensor can usually handle the subject.  I used a two stop neutral density filter for the Place of Fine Art (San Francisco,  built for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition and recently reopened after a 7 year renovation project).

A website created by the Maybeck Foundation, www.LoveThePalace.org includes a “memory book” where San Franciscans can share their personal connections to the site.

The predawn light, the setting moon and the lighting on the palace all wonderfully reflected in the pond.  I opted to use a wide angle lens which kept the moon quite small.  A longer lens and backing off a half block would have produced a wonderful huge moon with a portion of the Palace.  Next time.

The second reflection I captured this week is of a Wood Duck in Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park.  The early morning low light from the side illuminated just one half of the duck.  I really like the way the right side is in deep shadow and almost invisible.  It is not a photo you would use for  scientific identification but it sure is moody.  While the winter blasts in most parts of the country I am taking advantage of the sun and moon here in the city.  And it is all about the light!

Remember to view these images in a larger format in the weekly 2 at http://www.awegallery.com/index.php?page=artists&gal=105

The Blackening Wax Cap is a mushroom I saw for the first time last year when a student in one of my field trips captured its crimson beauty. I did not see it until the critique session.  So this year I have been watching for it.  I haven’t been photographing mushrooms too long. Previously I felt they weren’t a subject I had much interest in especially with the need to be belly to the earth.  But I have changed my mind while seeking a new December-January subject.  It is exciting to find a specimen in its various life stages, as short as their lives are.  Soon I hope to post a portfolio dedicated to mushrooms as art.

As I have mentioned, I see photography as a form of visual spirituality.  When I framed these mushrooms in my view finder with my face pretty much in the dirt of the earth I could smell their habitat.  It may seem like I am only focused on getting the image and sometimes that is all I am doing.  But I revisit the images again and again while gently chanting:  “Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath and fire my spirit.”  Yes, we have a Beautiful Mother.  See www.herchurch.org

Herring spawn in the San Francisco Bay on the rocks at ebb tide in the winter.  For several years the fleet was either very small or not permitted to set their nets at all because the herring population was too small.  But they are back.  Although the three days they fished at sunrise near Sausalito were pretty gray days.  In previous years I was fortunate to see their large catch and great sunrise colors.  I actually missed a pink sky this year.  So what to do in flat light, fog and a gray, gray, gray day.  Mostly, come back next year.  But what I managed was to think in terms of using the grays to create a more monotone image, almost high key with just enough orange – the buoys and slickers. Then I took the same image and inverted it.  I am not sure it works.  You be the judge.  The birds swarming the fishing boat also helps this image! Shooting as an ISO equivalent of 1000 also adds to the “texture” of the image.

There are a few slots left in the Saturday, January 22 class-shoot.  Scroll down for the details.

Please view these images in portfolio:  http://www.awegallery.com/index.php?page=artists&gal=105

Cataract Falls – Marin County:

After a week of rain these voluptuous falls  cascade down the hill sides.  Following an easy marked trail on the Fairfax-Bolinas run and a short hike you come to the first of many falls.  I am using a Canon 7D with a 10-20 mm lens here.  I got pretty close to the edge of this swift moving “creek.”  What made this capture work for me was the fact that it was still an overcast day.  I didn’t need to make multiple captures and create a HDR image.  I prefer to try and use as many camera skills as possible to render the image as I envision it.  Remember when you are close to this much splashing water that you will get water drops on your lens that will burr and distort your capture – so bring your micro fiber cloth with you.  And a tripod is a must.  ISO 100, f/22 at 1 second.  I thought I was capturing a new shot.  But when I compared it to an image from 2007 taken at the same location I was really surprised at how similar the images were – even down to the flow of the water.  It is ever so fun to go back to the same spot year after year if possible.

Turban Snails at low tide and late afternoon light:

At low tide I remembered a spot where turban snails (or those that now housed hermit crabs) sat in a half inch of water in the groves and creaks of the rocks.  Late in the afternoon as the sun was about to hit the horizon in the ocean that golden light bathed the cliff sides.  The color is then seen from certain angles reflected in the water and the water appears golden.