Boundary Waters still life, in black and white

[Steve Foss]

Hey all:

It was a brutal windy day out there, with very little in the way of critters moving around, although the NWS got it wrong AGAIN, and I couldn't get the snowfall pics I wanted because there was NO SNOWFALL. So I went to a very nice spot next to what in the summer is a short waterfall along the Little Indian Sioux River off the Echo Trail. Very little wind down in the shallow gorge.

I sat there for more than an hour before I started composing images.

"Like the Japanese do pine needles"

Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS at 350mm, iso400, 1/125 sec, f8, handheld

All the rest with the Canon D-Rebel XT (350D), Canon 17-40L, iso100, Gitzo 724b tripod with integral ballhead

"Textures, log and snow"

17mm, 1/13 sec at f22

"An undiscovered country"

36mm, 1.3 sec at f16

"Arbor vitae, trees of life"

37mm, .8 sec at f18

"Mossy isthmus"

36mm, 1.3 sec at f16

[carlcmc]

nice shots. well framed and thought out.

[bwtrout]

Wow! Love the cedar trees picture.

[jonny_redhorse]

My favorite is #1....the pine needles....black and whites sure look great on em all....

[polarsusd81]

I have to agree with Johnny, all the photos are great but the pine needles shot just jumps out there as the best. I love that shot.

Tom

[mcary]

Steve,

Love the cedar trunks! I also have to point out that it's a rather cruel trick to post a series of images taken with the lens that I am eagerly awaiting.

[Steve Foss]

Mike and Brent, the cedar trunks are my fave, too. B&W lends itself so well to images of texture. But anyone who sees my work here day in and day out knows how much I love taking images like the pine needles, with the fine background bokeh isolating the subject. While the f5.6 aperture isn't notably shallow on this lens at 400mm, its 8-blade aperture makes for sweet bokeh when the background is a decent distance behind the subject. And, well, for anyone contemplating the 17-40L, all I can say is — take the plunge! These are two examples of Canon's most versatile and affordable L series lenses.

Mike, not only is it your upcoming lens, but your present body. Tantalizing, eh?

I have a 13x19 print of the cedar trunks on order from WHCC in B&W, and I expect it'll be just fine with the resolution of that lens. I've made prints to 20x30 with Canon's 6.3 and 8.2 Mp sensors with nice results, so I don't expect any problems.

It's also a shot I'll probably put in my upcoming book of wilderness images and essays, if I can ever make it happen. There have been books of powerful wilderness images and books of powerful wilderness writing, but the booksellers and publishers I've spoken with say they know of no book with both. That's what I hope to do.

I have a publisher all set and eager, and have chosen more than 100 images. We even have a designer working on layout concepts. How unfortunate that I don't have the time to write the essays needed. And some of the best columns I've written on nature for newspapers in the last 15 years are owned, of course, by the newspapers, not by me, so I've got to start from scratch.

I guess all a fella REALLY needs is a benefactor who loves art more than money. Either that or a winning Powerball ticket. It's exhausting trying to perpetrate art in your spare time. I mean, when does a full-time journalist and part-time photographer/photo guide/hunter/fisherman/carpenter/homeowner on a budget have time to sleep?

[polarsusd81]

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I mean, when does a full-time journalist and part-time photographer/photo guide/hunter/fisherman/carpenter/homeowner on a budget have time to sleep?

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I hear you exactly. Except rather than a journalist, I design wall systems. Forgot to mention, also a new dad to an 8 month old. Sleep is a hot commodity.

[Swimmer]

Steve, that sounds like a wonderful ambition and use of your talents. Sign me up for a copy when the time comes.

[Steve Foss]

I will, but by the time I get it done I'll probably be off drooling in some nursing home!

Actually, I just finished one of the essays today. One down, 27 to go.

[polarsusd81]

When you get done with it, I will be in line for a copy. I have been admiring your work for some time now. Not only that, but I have learned from reading your posts. Now I just have to get into some better glass so I have a better chance of getting good photos.

Tom

[Steve Foss]

Thanks Tom. It's fun sharing photos here. There is a lot of talent and many different points of view among those on this board. Regardless of the wide range of so-called "accomplishment" among us, we all like to look at each other's work and be supportive of it. This is a good place. It is absent the flaming rips and nitpicky critiques I see on other online photo sharing boards.

As you save your $ for better glass, I hope you'll keep working hard to get good images with the glass you have. I have some images from my slide film days taken with $200 consumer glass that are still on my Web site, still in my portfolio and have sold well as prints. Average glass has some drawbacks, but if you keep it out of a high-contrast environment and work a lot with still-lifes and such things that don't need fast operation, you can put that kind of glass in situations where it does just fine. Put another way, lenses like that can make you patient!

[Blake]

Steve....love the photo's and have to say # 2 is my favorite....mmmmmmmm........wish I had to talents!

[polarsusd81]

Oh yes, I still try to get as much practice as possible. I have one nice lens, my 50 f1.4 and that is pretty much bolted to the front of the camera. I was able to rent a lens a while back, the 24-70 2.8 and that was awesome. I shot the world of wheels show in St. Paul for cardomain (Contact Us Please) with it. To see them, check out the site and click on the past events on the bottom left of the page. Then look for world of wheels in St. Paul. That is the first lens I will be buying in L form. Then the 70-200 2.8 (IS hopefully). I shoot a lot of portraits and have a few weddings lined up for the summer, so hoping I can get the 24-70 by June or so.

Last night was a scary night for the camera. I was shooting in a paint booth for my buddy. He paints cars and it was a quick couple shots, then hide the camera for a few minutes to let the booth air out. Got some good action shots for him though. Hard to shoot with a respirator on your face.

Tom

[Swimmer]

Polaris, that lens-envy thing is pretty hard to put aside. I'm lucky my boss is getting into it and emailed me something from Canon and says he wants me to order the 16-35mm F2.8 L USM II. Unfortunately, this super wide angle won't even be for sale until April? (Steve?). So, I'm sure I might be able to make off with this lens, like the "Company" 100-400 L once in a while. If you look at the number of pic photos (very few) I have posted here despite access to top glass, then you will see that it is the photographer, not the glass. Soon though, when I get CS2, I expect to be a little more sharing.

[carlcmc]

Speaking of glass envy, do any of you know a good lens for nikon of the f/1.4/1.8 level for portraits or as a good carry around lens?

[Steve Foss]

Swimmer, since your boss gave the OK, I'd put in your order for the 16-35 II right away so you're fairly high on the list when it comes in for April delivery. That's VERY sweet glass, and the upgrade has removed a couple nagging problems the original had.

[Swimmer]

The boss is in San Maarten right now, poor guy, but I think he mentioned spending around a grand. From what I hear, this lens will go for about $1500.? But, I can be pretty subtly persuasive. How do you go about getting on the list? I assume that could be done at Canoga?

[Steve Foss]

Most online photo supply catalogs allow you to order a newly announced product that has not come out yet and will put you on a first-come-first-served list, shipping when it's your turn and not debiting your card until they ship. Canoga has done that in the past.

If your boss only wants to go $1,000, you'd be far better off to get the 17-40 f4L than the new 16-35 f2.8L II. The only thing the 16-35 does better is offer that one more stop of light. If you're shooting a lot of low light or indoor sports and performances, that stop can be a big deal, but if you don't shoot that stuff, there's no reason to spend the extra money on a lens that offers one more stop but no better image quality.

You can get the 17-40L for a bit over $600, and then get one of Canon's nice mid-range zooms (like the 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS for $400) to cover the range between 40mm and the minimum 100mm on the 100-400.

[Swimmer]

Thanks Steve. I'll let him make the choice. We have some pro sports season tickets -- one of the few advantages to living in the Metro -- but that wouldn't put anybody close enough to use the one-less-stop lens. Plus, I know I'm pretty fortunate with this deal and don't want to push my luck.

[Steve Foss]

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Plus, I know I'm pretty fortunate with this deal and don't want to push my luck.

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Wise man.

Also, not all sports venues, including many college and some pro events, will let you in the door with your DSLR equipment unless you have press or other photog credentials.