Acadia National Park » You Can Sleep When You're Dead: Blog by Colleen Miniuk

Reuniting: A Personal Essay From Acadia National Park

Feb 242016

“The Night Conceals and Reveals” || A faint winter Milky Way appears above the illuminated shoreline (painted with a flashlight affectionately referred to as “Big Bertha”) along the western side of the Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA (Prints available – click on photo to order yours!)

The setting sun unfurls a silky sheet of sparkling black satin across the evening sky. Within the opaque darkness, my rental car’s headlights illuminate slivers of Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula’s pristine landscape. Though momentarily blind to its beauty due to my late arrival from Arizona, I distinctly know what I am missing. Over countless visits—thanks to serving three stints as an Acadia Artist-in-Residence, leading numerous photography workshops, and enjoying personal time—since November 2009, I have come to know these surroundings as well as a doting mother knows her own child.

I pull off at the paved pullout immediately to the south of the historic bridge over Mosquito Harbor and step anxiously into the moonless night. I peacefully close my eyes (though it makes no difference) and quietly eavesdrop on nature’s concealed conversations. The air instantly fills with familiarity. Andante splashes against the granite shoreline sing of a flooding incoming high tide. The crackling crunch beneath my feet suggest seagulls eagerly dropped mussels like bombs against the asphalt to break open their tasty treat earlier in the day. The gentle breeze reveals a salty scent of fresh life precariously balanced with musty death on the delicate knifelike edge of land and sea.

I return to my vehicle to continue reuniting with old friends. Along the way, I wave to the granite outcroppings shaped like cupcakes and now isolated by the high waters. I wink at the Winter Harbor Lighthouse and think to myself, “We have so many stories to catch up on.” I slow my speed while passing by my favorite winter photography spot, West Pond Cove. I hear the waves slurping against the rocky coast. I grin deviously and declare, “Just wait until you ice over. I have big plans for you, me, and my camera then.”

After I park in the vacant lot at Schoodic Point and turn my headlamp on, I excitedly bolt to the boulders frosted with winter’s thin icing. Despite being bundled in all the warm clothes I own, I still shiver, sending the warm desert blood pulsing through my veins to my chilled fingers and toes. With a fervent tingle in my gut, I knock at the wind and announce gregariously, “It’s me! I’m back!”

Wasting no time, Poseidon answers, emerging from the sea as majestically as the rising moon breaks free from the low-lying clouds hugging the horizon. Ignoring the unyielding granite cliffs separating me from his ocean home, his soft fingers curl around the rocks and tickle my soul, spinning me in a joyous pirouette. We waltz together for a few minutes, and though the hushed music never stops playing, I pause to offer an overly dramatic balletic bow in reverence.

Then the silence speaks the words a long-lost lover longs to hear: “Welcome home. I’ve missed you.”

Making the Image: “A Whisper in the Water”

Making the Image, Photography Tips & Tricks 2 Responses »

Oct 232015

“A Whisper in the Water” || Jordan Stream, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to purchase yours!)

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.” ~Elizabeth Lawrence

While Acadia National Park no doubt possesses grand beauty, I oftentimes find myself marveling (sometimes for hours and hours…) at the little details and moments that make the landscapes so special. While sauntering along Jordan Stream on my final day in the park last week (on my most recent two-week stay), magical reflections dancing in a small pool absolutely entranced me. Thanks to a variety of trees donning their fall colors beneath a blue sky opposite of where I stood, the palette of colors – reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, and blues – changed constantly on top of the water. I could have watched this interplay of light and hues all evening, but I knew I had to make a photo of this!

As I put my 100-400mm lens on my tripod, I decided I needed a little faster shutter speed to keep the undulating water from rending too much motion in the final photo. However, I was photographing underneath a canopy of trees (in shade) in late afternoon light. In other words, I did not have a lot of natural light available. That’s an easy enough challenge, but I also had a polarizing filter stuck on the front of my lens (for almost two years now; I have tried it all, it is not budging) which meant I would lose one to two stops of light as a result.

Considering my circumstances, I settled on my widest aperture of f/5.6 and an ISO speed of 1600, which yielded a 1/40th of a second shutter speed. Not as fast as I would have liked, but I was not willing to bump my ISO speed to 3200 to get to 1/80th of a second. With how slow the water was moving, in the difference between those two settings would have been inconsequential – and would have increased the noise/grain in the final image.

After snapping numerous frames of just the water reflections, I evaluated my results. I liked the general concept of the wave movement, colors, and light, but in the end, felt the images lacked some structure.

As I observed the colors and patterns change, nearby eddy would occasionally push leaves into my composition. Sometimes a clump of five or six would enter my frame; on a few occasions, only one would pass through. As they would float by, I felt like they were subtle whispers or messages crossing momentarily through reflections. I originally kept them out of my frame because I was not sure if I could render them sharp enough with my shutter speed. I figured I would give it a shot (or two or two hundred) though…it’s only pixels after all. And they put the Delete button on the back of the camera for a reason, right? Right!

At first, I tracked a few leaves using autofocus, thinking that would be the fastest way to ensure the leaves rendered sharp. I missed a bunch of great opportunities as my lens kept zooming in and out, trying unsuccessfully to pick up the requisite contrast to focus on in the ripples. So I returned to manual focus and tried to track the leaves with my camera as they’d cross my view. But trying to focus while tracking on a tripod became a comical exercise. I could not hand-hold the camera steady enough at 1/40th of a second to get a sharp image. Generally, you want your shutter speed to be faster than 1/focal length of your lens to ensure sharp images while hand-holding the camera. In my case, this meant 1/400th of a second or faster…theoretically, I could have increased my ISO significantly, but again at the expense of much grain.

Instead of taking my camera off the tripod, I decided on a different approach – one I use while photographing people in the environment ironically. I composed my frame with my desire background of the reflections, and then simply waited (and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And waited….) for a leaf to come into my frame. As Elizabeth Lawrence’s quote above suggests, I sat still and watched the leaves turn along the stream. This experience alone was worth my time; if a photo resulted, it would be simply be more proverbial gravy on a heaping pile of delectable mashed potatoes.

Within the 70 attempts I made as various collections and individuals of leaves roaming through my composition, I managed to create the photograph of a single leaf (see above), one I titled “A Whisper in the Water” because of my emotional connection with it. I really liked the lone leaf, as it conveyed more serenity and calmness than the groupings of leaves did – and helped express the concept of “whispers” I wanted to share.

Tech info: Canon 5DMII, 100-400mm at 400mm, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/40th sec., polarizer (by necessity, not choice, which did nothing for my photo other than slow it down).

Want to learn more about photographing Jordan Stream and other beautiful locations in Acadia National Park? Pick up an autographed copy of my guidebook Photographing Acadia National Park: The Essential Guide to When, Where, and How at www.photoacadia.com.

CMS Photography: Favorite Photos From 2014

General 20 Responses »

Jan 032015

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s hoping your 2015 has started off with a bang and ends up being your best year yet!

Almost every time I ask my Dad casually, “How’s it going?” he responds immediately with delight, “Living the dream!” And I always nod back in agreement, “Yes, Dad, we sure are!” As we flip the calendar to another year and begin to reflect on all that was, I can’t help but smile about all that is: I’m living my dream.

At the risk of sounding like a skipping CD player, 2014 goes into the books as my most successful, most productive, and most thrilling year to date (I know, I know, I say this every year…but it’s true!!). In my 7th year as a full time freelance photographer and writer, I increased focus on the places and subjects I love most, fulfilled aspirations for writing another book (and donating to a great cause), established new editorial connections, and thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with dear friends while meeting amazing new people in a multitude of speaking engagements and photography workshops.

I recognize, with certainty, that I would not be able to life this phenomenally fulfilling life if it were not for your continued support. Words can hardly express how grateful I am not just today, but rather every day, for your help, encouragement, friendship, and laughs along this journey. Thank you!

In celebration of the close of 2014, I’d like to share my favorite 15 photographs from last year. Here goes, in chronological order:

1. “Ethereal Decay,” Mono Lake Tufa State Preserve, California (January 1, 2014)
As so many photographs I had previously seen of Mono Lake promised, my first visit to see the tufas here did not disappoint. Given my ever-growing passion (obsession?) for bubbles, I was more drawn to the air bubbles rising from decaying algae along the shoreline than the iconic rock formations!

“Ethereal Decay,” Mono Lake Tufa State Preserve, California (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

2. “Rock On!” near Page, Arizona (January 9, 2014)
Of all the rock formations in the desert southwest, I have an affinity for the cracked brown Dakota Group sandstone found around the Page area in Arizona and southern Utah. Although I had made an image of these rocks near Studhorse Point with my large format 4×5 camera years ago, I continued to develop visualizations for new compositions in this special spot. After multiple attempts, all the elements came together on a cold morning in January, resulting in this image I call “Rock On!”

“Rock On,” near Page, Arizona (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

3. “Sailors Delight at West Pond Cove,” Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine (February 12, 2014)
After getting a delicious taste of winter in Acadia National Park as the park’s first winter Artist-in-Residence (my third residency) in February 2013, I could not wait to pack all the clothes in my closet and return to experience the snow and ice again. During my fortunate second winter visit in February 2014, West Pond Cove quickly became one of my favorite places to photograph the fleeting ice at low tide at sunset.

“Sailor’s Delight at West Pond Cove,” Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

4. “A Frozen Universe,” Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine (February 28, 2014)
To celebrate the anniversary of my personal Independence Day (also known as my escape from Corporate America and the start of my 7th year as a full-time freelance photographer and writer), I snowshoed to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Expecting epic winter views at the top, I packed my wide-angle and telephoto lenses, leaving my macro lens behind in an attempt to lighten my load for the 8-plus mile round-trip haul. When I made it to the summit, I was shocked to see a Mecca of ice bubbles in the parking lot! I needed my macro lens! GAH! Fortunately, I remembered to pack my extension tubes, which I used on my 24-105mm lens to create this composition.

“A Frozen Universe,” Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

5. “A Single Triumph of Summer,” Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, Arizona (April 24, 2014)
Arizona’s spring wildflower bloom panned out to be a bit of a bust, but with what little rain we did get, the cactus enjoyed and put on a beautiful show. Thanks to the recommendations from a couple of volunteers at Tohono Chul Park, I found this regal, night-blooming echinopsis cactus showing off in the early morning light.

“A Single Triumph of Summer,” Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, Arizona (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

6. “Sequential Erosion,” Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado (June 13, 2014)
After completing a presentation/book signing tour through Colorado this summer, my parents and I decided to stop at the Grand Sand Dunes National Park for our first visit. Although we only had a short amount of time to enjoy the park, we learned enough about it to know we’ll be back soon. I wanted to make an image that shared the expansive nature of this landscape, so I chose to create a panoramic image stitched from 11 vertical frames.

“Sequential Erosion,” Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

7. “The Storm Within,” Toroweap Overlook, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (July 1, 2014)
My first (and very short) visit to Toroweap Overlook on the north rim of the Grand Canyon did not go exactly according to plan. In fact, it ended up costing me an additional $281 and four beers! (Read about the entire adventure on my blog post, “My $281 (and Four Beer) Trip to Toroweap.”) Following a nerve-wracking drive, I finally reached the rim with five minutes to spare before sundown and hastily composed this scene. The trip – and scenery – was certainly unforgettable.

“The Storm Within,” Toroweap Overlook, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

8. “Where the Winds Blow,” Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park, Oregon (July 8, 2014)
In 2014, I had the great fortune of spending a month’s worth of time (over multiple trips) in my beloved state of Oregon. Although the summer months draw hoards of visitors to the entire scenic coastline, gale force winds and threatening skies kept beachcombers away from this stretch of beach, leaving me to enjoy the windswept, ephemeral sand patterns in the late afternoon in joyous solitude.

“Where the Wind Blows,” Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park, Oregon (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

9. “Psychedelic Sunset Surprise,” Sparks Lake, Oregon (July 20, 2014)
En route home from my 22-day summer Pacific Northwest tour, I stopped at Sparks Lake to camp overnight. Going into late afternoon, the thick clouds indicated sunset might be a grey one. But for a few minutes after sunset, the sky surprisingly exploded into magical color.

“Psychedelic Sunset Surprise,” Sparks Lake, Oregon (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

10. “What’s SUP, Mom?” Frenchman Bay, Maine (August 6, 2014)
During my August visit to Acadia National Park, I convinced my Mom to take a formal lesson with me from Acadia Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Frenchman Bay near Bar Harbor. I slung my camera (secured tightly in a EWA waterproof bag) over my shoulder, in case a photogenic moment occurred during our lesson (and my Mom’s first time atop a board). Thanks to a clearing storm, we paddled across the perfectly still and serene sea beneath rainbows and moody skies. With much pride for my Mom’s infectious adventurous spirit, I couldn’t resist snapping this peaceful moment of her soaking in her experience.

“What’s SUP, Mom?” Frenchman Bay, Maine

11. “The Network,” Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park, Maine (August 8, 2014)
Thanks to a nomination by my good friend and amazing photographer, Floris van Breugel, I participated in the “Black and White Challenge” that ran wild on Facebook this year. In preparing for the five-day project, I dug up various color photographs I thought might be more successful with a monochromatic treatment, including this one of a spider’s web at Schoodic Point. To read how I created this image and why I chose to convert it to black and white, head to my recent my blog post, “Day 3: The Black and White Challenge: The Network.”

“The Network,” Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

12. “Schoodic Serenity,” Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine (August 8, 2014)
I could stand along the Acadian coastline for all of eternity and never tire of the awe and wonder this magical place offers. Sometimes it’s stormy and fiesty; sometimes it’s quiet and tranquil. But every time – including this past August – my soul sings in the reverie.

“Schoodic Serenity,” Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

13. “What Lies Ahead?” Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine (October 17, 2014)
Thankfully, no government shutdown (like in October 2013) prevented me from helping not one, but two, photography workshop groups enjoy and photograph the autumnal beauty of Acadia National Park this past October! I created this image of the boardwalk on the Jesup Trail during the second trip (read more about it on my blog post, “Persistence Pays Off: October 2014 CMS Photography’s Acadia Workshop“).

“What Lies Ahead,” Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

14. “Mud Tetris,” Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah (October 25, 2014)
Immediately after my three-week stay in Acadia, I headed to southern Utah to connect with my good friends Guy Tal, Bruce Hucko, and Michael Gordon for a few days in the desert. I also had the fortunate chance to meet and spend time with Charles Cramer and Dan Mitchell on the same outing. In between the many laughs, we explored some of the magnificent canyons found in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. And I’m pretty sure between the six of us, we photographed every inch of cracked mud along the way! When I saw this collection on the side of a sandstone wall, I immediately thought it looked like the blocks from the video game “Tetris.” After snapping a few frames, at Bruce’s urging, Bruce and I switched cameras and challenged each other to change something about the others composition. He zoomed my arrangement out a little wider than I had originally composed – and I liked it! So Bruce gets a little extra credit for helping me perfect my vision.

“Mud Tetris,” Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

15. “Winter Greetings” Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon (December 19, 2014)
I snuck in a few extra days along the Oregon coast before visiting with my in-laws in Montana for the holidays. For four straight days, it relentlessly poured (as it’s prone to do during winter in Oregon). I became so accustomed to the rain tap dancing on top of my camper that when all went suddenly silent in the early morning hours of day 3, I rushed out of bed and headed to the coast with my camera in hand to Cape Lookout. The storm surge prevented me from walking along the beach, but I found a trail that hugged the coast that provided outstanding views of ephemeral waterfalls pouring into the stormy seas.

“Winter Greetings,” Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

For additional inspiration to kick off the year, head over to Jim Goldstein’s annual blog project where he’s posted his traditional and ever-growing list of other photographers’ own favorites and best from 2014. This is my third year participating – see my collections from 2012 and 2013.

As the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote above suggests, my wish for you is that every day you’re on this planet – in photography and in life – is the best day of your year.

Keep shooting!
~Colleen

Day 3: The Black and White Challenge: “The Network”

Making the Image 1 Response »

Dec 122014

Day 3: “The Network.” Feathers, water droplets, and other materials float in a spider’s web on Schoodic Point on the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

For Day 3 of 5 in the Facebook Black and White Challenge, I am excited to share a new abstract piece (above) titled, “The Network” from the Schoodic Point on the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park, Maine.

Amidst a whirlwind schedule of book signings and presentations in Acadia this past August, I managed to escape to Schoodic Point for an afternoon of revitalization and refreshment. With no intentions or expectations of photographing, I simply strolled along the strikingly beautiful pink granite ledges at one of the park’s most scenic overlooks.

Having visited the point likely 60-70 times over the last four years, I continue to find scenes and things that amaze me–from the gi-normous waves explosively greeting the Maine coast to the way the granite and basalt dikes intertwine. I never know from trip to trip whether the landscape or the smaller details will be the first to reach out and grab my soul. Either way, Schoodic Point seems to speak to me every time I come to say hello.

On this particular visit, one minute I was watching the waves in quiet reverie. The next minute, as I turned my head away and spotted a small spider web strung across the boulders, I lost my mind, “OH MY GAWD, HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!!”

I rushed to the granite overhang to investigate my flash of perception more closely. With my camera still in my backpack, I approached this 3-foot by 1-foot area with curiosity, appreciation, and admiration. Truth be told (and perhaps not surprisingly, given my “air bubble” obsession), I was first draw to the water droplets suspended in between the threads (on the top right in the photo below). The longer I studied this arrangement, though, the more I connected with a large clump of unidentifiable material in between the feathers. Was it decaying feathers? Fur from an animal? A dead animal? When the creative flow hits, you do not ask many questions. You go with the flow–which is exactly what I did as I set my equipment up to make an image.

The scene of the scene: a spider web strewn across the granite boulders at Schoodic Point. Had I picked my camera up and snapped immediately after having a flash of perception, this would have been the photographed that resulted. Instead of grabbing a camera, I investigated the scene and ask over and over, “What is it that I love about this scene.” This yielded a more focused, more meaningful image of the cluster of tangles in between the large three feathers on the left.

To get a closer perspective, I reversed the center column on tripod such that my camera dangled upside down. With a macro and two extension tubes stacked, I knew my abilities to record anything but a ridiculously shallow depth of field would be tough. So I positioned my lens parallel to my primary subject to maximize the appearance of focus across my frame. The setting sun grazed the boulders, so I placed my rain jacket across two of the tripod’s legs to help create a larger shadow (and block the wind) across my scene.

Given the coastal breeze, I made an “insurance shot” at ISO 640 using f/6.3 at 1/25th second. I knew this frame would not render the depth of field I needed, but would allow me to freeze the moving web during the exposure. I also knew it would yield a sufficient enough shot to give me the freedom to push my settings slower and try to expand my depth of field in additional frames without the risk of going home empty-handed (or with a bunch of blurry images on my memory card).

I dropped my ISO to 400 and stopped down to f/9, which resulted in a 1/4 second shutter speed. With each lull in the wind, I snapped away on continuous shoot mode (a.k.a. “machine gun” mode) as the web danced in the afternoon winds. After making a few series and reviewing the images on the camera’s LCD, I felt I had successfully recorded the photograph as I envisioned. Here’s the original color photograph (post continues after photo):

The color original of “The Network” (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

However, when I began editing my images at home in Arizona, I liked the end result; surprisingly, I did not love the end result. The reason(s) why alluded me. I mean, everything seemingly fell into place when I photographed the web: I had passion about my subject. I took ample time to develop a visualization of what my end results would look like. I filled the frame with my subject. I arranged the various elements to achieve asymmetrical balance. Conditions provided conducive lighting. My depth of field rendered an adequate amount of sharpness for the subject while blurring the background. It was close, but not perfect. I set the image aside.

Oftentimes, it helps to create distance between you and a problem as this allows you to collect new ideas and gain fresh perspectives in order to solve them. When Floris van Breugel nominated me for the Black and White Challenge in late October, this image immediately popped into my head. The monochromatic direction gave me just the boost I needed – a new idea to try!

I converted the image to black and white, and instantly my photograph became as creepy and weird and abstract as I saw on the granite ledges that August afternoon. I originally believed the color background added to the chaos. And in many ways, it does. But when I dropped the color out, my vision for this scene finally came to life. Now I love the end result!

Do you agree? What differences do you see between the color and monochrome versions? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Since I have shared an image from Acadia National Park, I would like to nominate my good buddy, talented photographer, and best-selling author, Bob Thayer, to participate in the Black and White Challenge! (If you have ever visited a gift shop near Acadia, you have no doubt seen his awesome books, “The Park Loop Road” and “Acadia’s Carriage Roads.”)

On Monday, I’ll share Day 4’s photograph. Have a great weekend, everyone!

~Colleen

Day 1: The Black and White Challenge, “In the Storm”

Making the Image 2 Responses »

Dec 102014

Day 1: “In the Storm,” waves roll into the Schoodic Peninsula’s rugged western coastline in Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

If you have spent any time on Facebook in the last several months, chances are high you have run across the “Black and White Challenge” making its way from photographer to photographer. For those unfamiliar with this social media experiment, it goes something like this: Post a black and white photograph on your Facebook page each day for five days. Then, challenge someone else to do the same each of those days.

Although I enjoy viewing monochromatic images (both in general and during the recent Facebook challenge), I had not thought about black and white processing for my own work for quite some time. About 11 years to be exact…

Humble beginnings: I made this image in the fall of 2001 (from my 7th roll of film). I knew little about light or composition at the time, but I really liked how the light illuminated the logging wheels while the fog cleared from the hills in the background at my husband’s childhood home outside Missoula, Montana.

To escape the stresses of intense corporate life, I began taking photography courses at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College in September 2001. Through my five semesters of classes (until the end of 2003), I learned what an aperture was, how to slow my shutter speed, ways to compose effectively, and many other foundational techniques. I also vividly remember learning that a black and white image should possess a bright white tone, a rich black, and a nice range of greys in between (the lack of such combination being one of the reasons some high dynamic range, or HDR, images fail, in my opinion…but I digress).

Eager to expand my photographic repertoire, in late 2003, I tried my hand at color slide film. I instantly found shooting in color helped me better express what I loved about what I saw and experienced in the outdoors. Despite the lingering and unforgettable fumes of stop bath and fixer trying to tempt me back to the darkroom, I chose to pursue my work in color…and as a result, the few remaining rolls of black and white film I owned aged well beyond their expiration date in my refrigerator.

Fast forward to this past October. During the Black and White Challenge on Facebook, my good buddy and talented photographer, Floris van Breugel nominated me to participate. Since then, I have scanned my collection of images, experimented with many in the digital darkroom, and finally selected five to offer to the challenge (and in the process, remembered just how fun it was to watch your photograph come to life in the darkroom trays while chit-chatting with your photographer friends. It was kind of like sitting around a warm campfire, only without the s’mores and tequila…). While I am a little late in joining this party, as the idiom goes, “Better late than never.”

With that, my first contribution to the Black and White Challenge is “In the Storm” (image atop this post) from the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park. This past February, while making my standard rounds along the western shoreline in the late afternoon light, I reconnected with one of my favorite views. I had high hopes that the fast-moving winter storm would break into a magical fiery sunset just after the sun disappeared behind the horizon. As I waited, I played.

Specifically, I experimented with various shutter speeds to render the waves kissing the rugged cliffs into an ethereal mist. To do so, I slowed my exposure settings down as much as possible: ISO 50, f/22 at 30 seconds. I also added a three-stop graduated neutral density filter over the top portion of my frame, so as to darken the clouds and to pull some additional texture out.

When I looked at the results on my camera’s LCD, I enjoyed the composition and the idea of moving water. I felt, though, as if the motion effect (even at 30 seconds) was still too fast for what I envisioned. I turned to my Lee 10-stop Big Stopper neutral density filter to help me slow my shutter speed even further. I set the final exposure to ISO 50, f/22 at 502 seconds while using the Big Stopper filter in front of my lens. Here is the original color image (post continues after the photo):

Maine_Acadia National Park_00226_original

The original color image of “In the Storm”

When processing the photo on the computer, I decided the colors were not important to me conveying my desired message for this scene. On top of that, the even, diffused lighting lacked contrast and perhaps a little shape. In technical terms, it looked blah.

As we review in many of my workshops, if it’s not helping your story, take it out! I eliminated the color tones and increased the contrast through a series of spot-specific Level adjustments (like burning and dodging to achieve “a bright white, rich black, and a range of greys in between” in the traditional darkroom). While blue hues typically feel cold, I believe the image took on a sharper, even colder feeling, once I dropped the gloomy color out. Also, the increased contrast the black and white image displays offers the illusion of greater dimension and shape than the color version.

Do you agree? Which version of this image do you prefer and why? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts in the Comments section below.

To fulfill the requirements of the challenge – and in honor of my Chandler-Gilbert Community College days – I nominate my dear CGCC friends on Facebook to participate: Mona Burato, Patty DeBermuda, and Lynn Welter! Let’s see what you’ve got, ladies!

Until tomorrow – Day 2!

~Colleen

Acadia Photography Workshop Guest Blogger: Rebecca Wilks

Guest Blogger 11 Responses »

Dec 042014

Rebecca Wilks was one of four students on a private CMS Photography workshop to Acadia National Park held in mid-October 2014. This blog post features her thoughts and images from her experience. I hope you enjoy, as I so very much have, seeing Acadia through her eyes (and if you do, please leave her a comment on her post!). More of her work can be viewed on her website www.skylineimages.net and her blog at theviewfromtheskyline.blogspot.com.

I didn’t know what I was missing. Last year, that is, when Colleen valiantly invented a workshop “around” Acadia National park because the government had shut down and the park was closed. It’s just as well, because I would have been terribly disappointed if I had known what I know now.

Acadia is a really special place. From the historic carriage roads with their stone bridges to the classic rocky Maine coastline, I’m hooked. I’ve rarely had as delightful a group of traveling companions, as well. I’m looking forward as only a naive Arizona girl can to a trip in winter 2016.

Some images from the trip:

Sometimes I’ll be intrigued by something other than the main attraction. We’d stopped to shoot a bridge and Stanley Brook called to me from the forest. I loved the repetitive s-curves and the (very different from my desert home) mossy forest.

Honestly I had no idea what this image would look like, because the wind was blowing 50-60 and my eyes were watering so much that I couldn’t see anything. I may not have been the only one who was tempted to hike back to the vehicle and get off Cadillac Mountain, but Colleen the intrepid talked (shamed) us all into staying, and in the end I was pleased. The light seems otherworldly to me. That being said, we all agreed that we’d had about enough of this mountain and it didn’t make the short list of places to visit on our last two days, after Colleen had gone home.

Rain and fog in its fabulous moodiness. The voice in my head wants to stay cozy in bed, but I’d so glad we got out this day. Layers, colors, fog. I loved it.

I really wanted this one. We all did. We shot here mid-day and then on a densely overcast morning. We gave it yet another try on our last morning in the park and we saw this incredibly beautiful (no less so in its subtlety) treat. Ahhh.

Thanks for everything!!
Rebecca Wilks

Acadia Photography Workshop Guest Blogger: Amy Minton

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Dec 032014

Amy Minton was one of four students on a private CMS Photography workshop to Acadia National Park held in mid-October 2014. This blog post features her thoughts and images from her experience. I hope you enjoy, as I so very much have, seeing Acadia through her eyes (and if you do, please leave her a comment on her post!).

Regarding my overall experience in Acadia, it was AWESOME! Getting some nice pictures to frame or put into a book or calendar to share is a bonus to me. The real pleasure for me was experiencing Acadia National Park and doing so with others who were just as excited about seeing the park. What a great way to spend time off – learn/experience nature and photography.

Some highlights from this trip include: 50 mph wind gusts atop Cadillac Mountain; sitting and listening to the water flowing down Jordan Stream after a night/morning of rain; hearing the sounds of the woods as you walk along a carriage road; enjoying popovers at the Jordan Pond House; and observing the groves in the rocks created by the glaciers or other geological marvels. Also there were plenty of photography learning experiences. For example, Colleen showed me how to bracket for exposure and I subsequently merged post-processing (see Eagle lake carriage road and bridge photo below). I learned about creating abstract images by moving my camera after releasing the shutter, and Colleen talked/showed me how to set up and take images to later merge as a panoramic photo. Additionally, she made me think and ask questions of myself as to why and how I wanted to capture what made me stop and admire a scene in nature.

First, a little why I selected these three photos to share:

(1) Abstract motion blur Sieur de Monts Jesup Trial. Although I generally do not think – abstracts (no shock there), I have been intrigued by abstract motion-blur images I have seen in magazines, books, and online. Yup, I wanted to give it a try and had thought there would be an opportunity to do just that during the workshop. The types of trees as well as the colors from the grasses and leaves seemed to me to be screaming make an abstract image via your camera. I think it surprises folks at work as well as my family when I have shared this picture and another one (also taken from the boardwalk).

(2) Eagle lake carriage road and bridge. After reading about Acadia’s Carriage roads and bridges, I really was looking forward to seeing them. All the care, time, and effort that was put into creating and preserving the idea/concept of the carriage roads is rather remarkable. As I look at this picture, I am able to see JDR Jr’s concept fulfilled – people enjoying nature without the interruption of cars (road travels above the carriage road). It makes me smile and I am able to imagine myself walking along the carriage road admiring nature and being at peace.

(3) Persistence pays off Newport Cove. When I look at this image, I am reminded of the effort that went into having the opportunity to make it. We scouted the location with Colleen before she headed back to Arizona (after the workshop ended), and thank goodness. I don’t think we’d have found it in the dark nor would we have as confidently negotiated the path as we did (twice). Saturday morning was beautiful in its own way – Moody Maine (possible title for my photo book) but did not live up to the promise we all knew was possible if there was good morning light. We were rewarded for our decision to return on our last day in Acadia.

I have many fond memories from this trip and find myself looking back upon them and smiling. It was a fun and awesome adventure. I can definitely see why Colleen keeps going back to Acadia and wrote Photographing Acadia National Park guide book.

Keep Shooting!
Amy

Persistence Pays Off: October 2104 CMS Photography’s “Acadia” Workshop

General 2 Responses »

Dec 022014

“What Lies Ahead?” Jesup Path, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

Last October, I kicked off an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign to help me cover the cost of printing my guidebook, Photographing Acadia National Park: The Essential Guide to When, Where, and How. One of the perks I offered was a three-day photography workshop in Acadia National Park for up to four people.

Not long after the campaign went live, I received a note from a previous workshop student, Rebecca Wilks, who expressed interest in this Acadia workshop. She had been a student on the October 2013 Arizona Highways Photography Workshop that started off as “Autumn IN Acadia” photography workshop and ended up being the “Autumn AROUND Acadia” photo workshop, thanks to the government shutdown. The park closed a mere six days before the workshop started and lasted the entire duration. I can’t express in words how difficult emotionally this was for me: to have a group of twenty people eager to see and photograph the beauty of this coastal park – a place I’ve completely fallen in love with – and not be able to show them any of it.

With much assistance from my friends out there, though, we put together a wonderful new itinerary that showcased other beautiful places around Mount Desert Island like Little Long Pond, the Thuya Garden, Cooksey Overlook, and Lamoine State Park. It was enough of a taste of Maine to convince Rebecca, as well as three other women from this first trip (Amy Minton, Gwen Williams, and Jen Bookman) to book a return trip to see and photograph Acadia National Park. With much gratitude for their support of my book and Indiegogo campaign (why their names are in bold on page 215 under “Valued Individual Contributors” in my book), we immediately began planning their workshop for mid-October 2014. I could not wait to show them Acadia and see what photographs they would create there given this second chance!

To kick off what ended up being a four-day workshop (three days simply wasn’t long enough!), we naturally began with the traditional stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee and donuts. We then headed directly into the park, specifically Duck Brook Bridge, where we snapped a commemorative “YES! We’re finally IN the park!” photograph.

“We’re back! Take THAT, U.S. government!” From L to R: Gwen, Jen, Rebecca, and Amy on Duck Brook Bridge

Over the four days, these hearty women sampled classic and off-the-beaten path spots within the park. As we endured 50+ mph winds atop Cadillac Mountain, fog so heavy we couldn’t see 50 feet in front of us at Otter Cliff, and a glorious colorful sky over Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, I encouraged (as I do on all my workshops) mindful observations, connecting with what each person saw and responded to emotionally, refining the technical execution of personal visions, and fully exploring a scene.

We even had a tremendous amount of FUN together, as you might be able to tell from our group photo time lapse from the Otter Cliff parking lot (From left to right: Gwen, Rebecca, Colleen, Amy, and Jen):

Their persistence paid off in the form of a fabulous experience, camaraderie, and a new portfolio of meaningful photographs at the height of fall color in Acadia. After the trip, as I looked through some of their images, I couldn’t help but recall a quote from Maya Angelou to describe their journey: “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”

Amy and Rebecca have graciously offered to write a Guest Blog about their experience and to share a sample of their photos from the trip, which will follow in the next two days. I hope you enjoy, as I so very much have, seeing Acadia through their eyes (and if you do, please leave them a comment on their post!).

Keep shooting!
~Colleen

Snow Angels? Try a “Snow Lobster” Instead

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Feb 192014

Winter sunrise at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park in Maine (Prints available for purchase – click on photo to order yours!)

Last night, the Acadia National Park area received about five inches of fresh snow. The fluffy and light powder created a smooth fondant-like coating over the top of the granite ledges and boulders. A glorious sunrise greeted those who ventured out early enough to see the winter spectacle. I welcomed the new day with a smile (and a sunburst!) along the granite headland called Schoodic Point.

Despite the weather forecast suggesting partly cloudy skies would quickly turn to mostly cloudy cover, the sun still shone brightly after I consumed my breakfast. I decided to pack my camera gear and head back to Schoodic Point for a little more fun. Specifically, I wanted to record me digging a snow angel against the backdrop of Cadillac Mountain (hat tip to my friend and fellow photographer, Olivier du Tre for the idea!)

At Schoodic Point, I danced though the blanket of snow to find a safe place among the wind-swept granite ledges. After composing my frame with a little extra room on the bottom right hand corner for my snow angel, I set my intervolometer to fire my shutter at 5 second intervals following an initial 20-second delay (to allow me enough time to walk into the frame and start moving snow around). After I made several outtakes, I walked out of the scene and back to my camera to stop the automatic trigger. I reviewed the results on my camera’s LCD, made some minor adjustments, and then tried the process again. (Lather, rinse, repeat for about 20 minutes.)

Colleen making a snow angel on Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park, Maine

All went according to plan until I finished the third set-up. After creating a sequence of photos for a time-lapse video (a new skill I am practicing), I carefully stepped from one exposed granite ledge to another to avoid stepping on my winter creation and to return to my camera.

I traveled about three-quarters of the route back with no trouble. Then suddenly, I plunged from a solid granite boulder into a large snowdrift about four feet below. After my feet stopped in their unexpected descent, my momentum pushed me forward, causing me to land face first and hands out in the soft snow. Instantly, I started laughing hysterically. After a few minutes contemplating the hilarity of my situation, I pulled myself out of the snow, brushed off, and returned to my camera to stop the intervals.

My tumble had occurred outside the frame on camera right, but when I glanced at the imprint in the snow, it looked just like an animal shape. I had an idea! Without hesitation, I recomposed my camera on the fall area, set the self-timer, and then performed a re-enactment of my face plant.

And with that, I introduce to you my “snow lobster!” Along the Maine coast, that’s apparently how we “roll!”

Colleen demonstrates the new “Snow Lobster” on Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park in Maine

For more stories about my photographic adventures in Acadia National Park, pick up a copy of my new guidebook, Photographing Acadia National Park: The Essential Guide to When, Where, and How. In addition to the 12 “Making the Photo” stories, you’ll also learn about my favorite 50 locations in the park so you can plan your own fun in this magical place. And, 10% of the book’s profit goes to the Schoodic Education Adventure program to help kids learn about science and nature in Acadia!

Or join me in Acadia this fall with the Arizona Highways Photography Workshops! Limited seats remain, so get more information and register at ahpw.org/workshops/2014/2014-Acadia-National-Park-Photo-Workshop-2014-10-09/.

CMS Photography: Favorite Photos From 2013

General 22 Responses »

Dec 292013

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing “
Helen Keller

Happy 2014! As we celebrate the final days of 2013, I can only think, what a big adventure this year has been for us!

It was certainly a year of transition for us, one my husband, Craig, and I affectionately refer to as “Suitcases, Sticky Notes, and Tacos.” Because of our temporary move to Hillsboro, Oregon in May (to support Craig’s temporary job assignment for Intel Corporation) and our travel schedule to maintain our commitments, our clothes often went from a suitcase to the washing machine, only to be put right back into the same suitcase. Occasionally, we had multiple overnight bags packed for different trips within trips (i.e. one by airplane to one city followed immediately by another one by car). Long strands of connected sticky notes with messages reminding us of everything from flight schedules to grocery lists helped keep our heads on straight as we tried to figure out where we were going, when we needed to be there, and what we were supposed to do when we arrived. We found ourselves eating an abundance of tacos along the way, perhaps because we missed our home in Arizona. Or perhaps because it was the only type of food establishment open and convenient during half-hour airport hand-offs and tiresome late nights.

Amidst the whirlwind and chaos, I ironically found 2013 to be a year of clarity and focus for my photography and writing. When we learned in late 2012 of our relocation, I blocked my schedule from any new commitments to allow me time to explore our interim home in the Pacific Northwest with few interruptions. However, all plans for the year changed quickly in late January, when I decided to write a printed book – not just an eBook – about photographing Acadia National Park while on my third Artist-in-Residency with the park. I now joke that I spent much my time in Oregon writing a book about Maine. That said, between the trips that originated in either Portland, Oregon or Portland, Maine, I found just enough time to explore the coast, water, geology, and oceanography-subjects that excite me–in more depth than ever before.

Now that we’ve returned to our Arizona home, I joyfully bring all these experiences into next year, which represents my lucky 7th year as a full-time freelance photographer and writer. Each year, when Craig and I discuss my business plan for the following year, I wonder what could possibly top the fortunate journey I’ve already had. Then, I ponder all the new exciting opportunities ahead in the next 12 to 15 months, and I realize the adventure is only beginning.

I also acknowledge quite humbly, that I could not do what I love to do each day without your continued support. As always, I thank you for your help, for your friendship, and for the unique stories, perspectives, and laughs you bring to each of our meetings, whether it be in the field or via the internet.

In celebration of a wonderful 2013 and a cheers to an even more thrilling 2014, I’d like to share my favorite 13 photos from the year. In chronological order:

1. Ice Explosion, West Pond Cove, Acadia National Park, Maine (January 2013)

“Ice Explosion,” West Pond Cove, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

2. Fade Into You, Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine (January 2013)

“Fade Into You,” Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

3. Ice Hoodoos, Ocean Drive, Acadia National Park, Maine (February 2013).

“Ice Hoodoos,” Ocean Drive, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

4. Spring Emergence, Ecola State Park, Oregon (May 2013). Read more about the making of this photo on my previous blog post, “The Constancy of Change.”

“Spring Emergence,” Ecola State Park, Oregon (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

5. Hang On!, Ecola State Park, Oregon (May 2013). Read more about the making of this photo on my previous blog post, “The Constancy of Change.”

“Hang On!” Ecola State Park, Oregon (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

6. Moved by the Sea, Cape Blanco, Oregon (May 2013). Read the story behind the photograph on a previous blog post at “Making the Image: Moved by the Sea.”

“Moved by the Sea,” Cape Blanco, Oregon (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

7. Summer’s Gift, Olympic National Park, Washington (July 2013)

“Summer’s Gift,” Olympic National Park, Washington (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

8. Summer’s Celebration on Steens Mountain, Oregon (August 2013)

“Summer Celebration on Steens Mountain,” Oregon (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

9. Autumn’s Symphony, Mount Desert Island, Maine (October 2013)

“Autumn’s Symphony,” Mount Desert Island, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

10. Another World, Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park, Maine (October 2013). Read the story behind the photograph on a previous blog post about “Making the Image: Another World and Floating in Time.”

“Another World,” Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

11. Tranquility at Long Pond, Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park, Maine (October 2013)

“Tranquility at Long Pond,” Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

12. Eye of the Storm, Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park, Maine (October 2013)

“Eye of the Storm,” Isle au Haut, Maine (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

13. Storm Remnants, Red Lake, Arizona (December 2013)

“Storm Remnants,” Red Lake, Arizona (Prints available – click on photo to order!)

Thank you for stopping by the “You Can Sleep When You’re Dead” blog! Wishing you the very best in the new year, in hopes its a time of much success, learning, friendship, and of course, laughter! We’d love to hear what you’re looking forward to next year, so leave us a comment below about what you’re excited about in 2014!

~Colleen

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