Post 5: Rims at Night

A week ago, the clouds finally cleared out, and we made last second trip to the Rims to get nighttime shots of downtown Billings and the stars. It took some experimenting, but we both got a few good shots. While the stars were very bright, so was Billings, providing plenty of light pollution. Next time, we will have to go further away to capture more of the night sky. I think next time, with a better location and a little editing, I can improve my pictures. This trip was a trial run.

 This one, I got a picture of Marina waiting for her shutter to close on her camera. My shutter speed for this one was 30 seconds, my ISO was at about 400 due to the bright lights of the city, and my aperture was at F14.

The settings for this one were the same. I was not able to capture all the stars, but the Big Dipper was very distinct, and my car was also shot very clear.

Post 4: ISO, AV, Shutter Speed

I have had my camera for several years, but there are parts to it that I have not yet mastered. I have read manuals and such to get a good understanding of ISO, AV and Shutter Speed and have worked with them and had understood them as individual settings, but this week, I learned how they all work together. I was very happy with the results

(Top right) I shortened the shutter speed, freezing the water. With this, I also had to increase the ISO to let in more light.

(Right) Here, I lengthened the shutter speed and had to decrease the ISO. By extending the time the shutter is open, it will let in more light. Adjusting the ISO to let in less light balances this technique.

(Right) I adjusted the aperture to focus very close up, blurring the background behind the flowers. I also had to adjust the ISO to let in light because I was in the shade and the sun was setting too. It was the last good minute for photography for the day.

Post 3: John Ashley

https://www.johnashleyfineart.com

This week, I am going to talk about Montana photographer, John Ashley. His focus is on conservation photography, and landscape photography. He has worked all over the country with a variety of different animals, such as bald eagles, California condors and harlequin ducks. He currently lives in northwest Montana.

He earned his biology degree at the University of Montana and worked as a biologist for most of his life but moved on to conservation photography. This, combined his love for wildlife biology and photography, has made him an award winning photojournalist. A few years ago, he made a collection of nighttime photography and has made an effort to bring awareness to light pollution.

I had an amazing opportunity a few years ago to work with Randy Matchett in northeastern Montana to spotlight black-footed ferrets for a night to assist with his research. The endangered species is making a very slow come-back, and needs constant monitoring and vaccinations. My ecology class and I worked with him for a night - from 10pm to 6am, spotting, trapping, vaccinating, and releasing the ferrets. We teamed up and divided ourselves into vehicles to start working and I was paired with John in his truck, who works with Randy to photograph the ferrets. Between checking traps, he would get pictures of ferrets as we released them or as they came back out of a prairie dog hole.

 He took this picture of me releasing a ferret ready to go home.

Here is the link again to his website to see more of his works:
https://www.johnashleyfineart.com

Post 2: Clark Little

https://clarklittlephotography.com

This week, I want to feature one of my favorite photographers, Clark Little. I first saw his work in a photography calendar I had years ago. His focus is on waves and the shore break where he uses waterproof camera equipment. His hometown is Haleiwa, Hawaii on O'ahu's North Shore. Soon after I started becoming familiar with his work, the army moved my family five minutes away from his gallery there. I was super excited to visit his gallery while I lived there! His pieces show the beauty and power of the shorebreak - a place where the ocean meets land. Some days it's peaceful, and some days it's violent. This part of the world is where I learned to give the ocean my eternal respect. These pictures remind me of the times I spent in these spots with my family. I can literally hear the crash into the sand as it moves between my toes and the taste of the salt spray as I look at his pictures.

Knock Out

He uses waterproof camera equipment and dives head-on into the waves. He focuses on the curl of the water and how it moves and splashes, emphasizing on the power of the water. He captures the beauty and color of the Hawaiian shoreline in each one of his pictures. Below, I attached a link to a trailer of a film made about him and his photography techniques.
https://clarklittlephotography.com/pages/shorebreak

Another subject he focuses on, are the sea turtles. They are numerous in the area and can be found easily right off shore. They feed in the reefs and rest on shore, making them easy to find. The Hawaiian name for turtle is honu.

Honu Love

His photography has earned him global fame and a number of commercial clients that include Nikon, Apple, Facebook, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Hilton Hotels, and more. He has been awarded numerous awards. one of which was the Oceans Photography Award from the Smithsonian. He has been featured in a variety of magazines such as National Geographic, and has earned sponsors such as Hurley/Nike and Dragon Alliance Eyewear.




The shorebreak is my comfort zone. I absolutely love it. It's always different. The light, the colors, the water, the sand and what happens to it. And to be there to capture it and share it with the world... what a dream.
- Clark Little

Post: 1

I am excited to say that this is my first blog post ever!

I have been into photography for most of my life. My father is active duty army, which has sent me and my family all over the world. I love taking in all the details of each place we go. Since coming to college, I wanted to continue traveling. The past few years has taken me from Hawaii to Tanzania. I love it here in Montana and and want to continue working on my photography skills. Each place has its own unique beauty and I want to be able to share that with everyone. This is my last year of college and I am going to learn as much as I can.