Landscape – Page 12 – Jennifer Sawicky Photography

February 4, 2018

2018-02-04: Revisiting old work

For February, I have decided that my topic for the month will be revisiting old work. It was one of the shortlisted topic ideas that I had come up with back in December, and lately, it is a concept I have been encountering over and over in the educational resources I am working through, in articles that I read and podcasts that I have been listening to. I think it is an excellent concept as there have been improvements in photo editing software over the years, plus I’ve added a lot more tools into my editing toolbox and my skills at editing have improved with time and practice.

I am going to try to look for a mix of images that I can show both a then and now edited version of an image, and also work on images for the first time. I am sure there are many images that I passed over throughout the years because I simply didn’t have the skills to correct for errors in the field, difficult lighting scenarios or heavy noise.

Here is my first instalment of revisiting old work:

20180204_Revisit_JSawicky0 — I originally edited this giraffe image upon returning home from a trip in 2014. below is my revisit to the image.

20180204_Revisit_JSawicky1 — Today’s take on the same image; the changes are not dramatic, but textures in the images are definitely a lot more apparent.

20180204_Revisit_JSawicky2 — I love the surreal nature of this deer at sunrise in thick fog. Taken along to Pitt River October, 2013.

20180204_Revisit_JSawicky3 — Way back to the first trip where I had a DSLR camera, a Nikon D5100 with kits lens. I was on a Caribbean cruise and spent loads of time shooting images off the balcony, but never edited any of them till much later. January, 2012.

20180204_Revisit_JSawicky4 — Wild horses on Grand Turk, January 2012. This was a shore excursion on the same trip as the image above. I took a short walk from the main tourist area along the beach and found these two horses grazing. It felt like a rather improbable sighting at the time, but during my travels I have come to learn that many animals can survive quite well in areas that seem to have rather meaner resources.

It’s been fun rooting through my photo catalogues for old images to work on. Pop by next Sunday to see what else I turn up.

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

January 28, 2018

2018-01-28: The frozen world at night

I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with night photography in winter. The biggest pro is the incredibly short days which means I don’t have to stay up late to capture night sky photos. The biggest con is the possibility of incredibly cold temperatures, which makes being outside for any length of time taking photos rather painful. And of course the trouble is, the clear sky nights tend to be much colder than the overcast ones.

Last night though everything lined up rather nicely. A beautifully clear sky, temperatures only in the -12C to -15C range, which isn’t tough to manage, and a lovely recent dusting of snow on all the trees. I find the fresh snow and the moonlight a beautiful combination, and I am glad I had the chance to try and capture it.

This was the first time I used my Fuji camera for night photography and I am quite happy with the results, though I definitely need a lot more practice with it. I was surprised that my 10mm – 24mm lens produced a starburst effect from the moon at f4; that is something I will need to do more research on as I was used to getting that phenomenon at apertures in the range of f16 and smaller with my old Nikon set up, though to be fair that was with a 28mm – 300mm lens; I have no recollection what my old Nikkor 10mm – 24mm did.

I did have one major missed opportunity yesterday evening. I only brought out one camera with me, and while my camera was busy processing an image with the long exposure noise reduction, a deer popped out of the woods and stood highlighted by the moonlight for a few wonderful moments before heading off. Of course, the camera wasn’t able to do anything while the processing was happening, so I missed the shot. Note to self, always take both cameras when doing longer exposure work.

A few random thoughts on night photography in winter: dress appropriately, know your gear, make sure you can operate your gear with gloves on, and stay safe!

I only have two images to share today, I hope you enjoy them.

20180128_TheFrozeonWorld_JSawicky — The moon was behind me, lighting up the snow on the trees, and allowing for a faint view of the stars. 10 sec, f4, ISO 1000

20180128_TheFrozeonWorld_JSawicky2 — A moon bright enough to cast shadows in the snow. 8 sec, f4, ISO 1000

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

January 21, 2018

2018-01-21: The Frozen World – A week of melting

When I decided on the topic for the month, I had many plans for posts. Many plans that I have not been able to put in to action because of the weather. C’est la vie.

This week has seen warm temperatures and generally lots of overcast days, though I did manage to get out a couple times for a few quick photos when the sun was out. The warm temperatures and occasional rain have left the snow covered in a sheet of ice; areas almost look like they have been glazed with the fancy icing that goes on sugar cookies. I found that to be difficult to convey in an image though, and reducing everything to black and white made it somewhat more apparent.

I hope you enjoy my selections for the week.

20180121_TheFrozenWorld_JSawicky2 — The tracks of snow machines heading off along the edge of a lake.

20180121_TheFrozenWorld_JSawicky3 — The icy surface of the snow being illuminated by the midday sun. The days may be getting longer, but the sun is still very low in the sky.

20180121_TheFrozenWorld_JSawicky5 — I hadn’t been expecting the see the rocky shoreline when I went out to the lake to explore a bit. Faint tracks of snow machines head off in both directions.

20180121_TheFrozenWorld_JSawicky1 — The temperature may have been unseasonably warm, but the trees aren’t buying it yet. Definitely no buds to be seen, just barren branches reaching skywards.

20180121_TheFrozenWorld_JSawicky4 — The collapsing snow looked to me like to surface of the moon… or perhaps like Swiss cheese if you’re hungry

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

January 18, 2018

2018-01-18: WPC – Silence

The vastness of the Namibian landscape is what I was drawn to share for the topic of the week, silence. While being out in nature is rarely completely silent, with the rustle of the wind, the chattering of birds, or the sound of distant water just a few of thing things you might hear, it is the lack of man-made noise that makes it so appealing, and so peaceful.

Below are a few images from my time in Namibia.

20170425-P1020564 — A hilltop sunset in the middle of nowhere. The wind was blowing and sandstorms had been whipping through the area, but it was incredibly peaceful.

20170426-P1020631 — The Skeleton Coast. Vast desert and the Atlantic Ocean as far as the eye could see.

20170427-DSC_0994 — I find there is nothing more peaceful and quiet than being outside and watching the stars. I shot this from the deck of my room at Ongava Reserve, but being outside alone, at night, in the bush isn’t the smartest idea, so I only took one quick photo and went back inside to my glass of wine.

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

WPC: Silence

January 16, 2018

2018-01-16: WPC – Weathered

The photo challenge topic of the week is weathered, and I have chosen to share some landscape images captured in the Namibian desert. There, it was easy to see the effects of wind and water on the landscape, both from the ground and from the air.

I hope you enjoy my selections.

20170424-DSC_0583 — While driving through the desert, we came to this spot where the wind and water had carved the sand and soft stone into beautiful shapes.

20170424-DSC_0589 — The tallest of these sand sculptures only came up to my knees.

20170424-DSC_0591 — Some day, these too will be gone, reduced to grains of sand blowing in the wind.

20170425-DSC_0612 — Devil’s Thorn growing in the rapidly drying desert.

20170427-P1020867 copy — Mountaintops weathered flat by the wind. Somewhere between Hoanib and Windhoek, April 2017.

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

WPC: Weathered

January 7, 2018

2018-01-07: The Frozen World – Icy Branches

This past week I was pondering my reaction to the weather quite a bit. I spent the first 8 years of life in Ontario where we had a true winter each year, but then moved to the Vancouver area, which doesn’t get much in the way of winter weather, and then the past 3 years in Prince George where there is a guarantee of significant cold temperatures and snow throughout the winter.

For many years, I said that I hated the snow, but I’ve come to realize what I really meant was I hate the snow that gets delivered occasionally in the Vancouver area; heavy, wet snow with temperatures hovering near freezing. The area essentially gets paralyzed by the weather, roads turn into skating rinks, and getting to and from work, which would normally be an easy 15 minute drive, could turn into a 2 hour nightmare. It was the inconvenience of it, and living in a place ill equipped to deal with it. I never believed people when they said winter was so much nicer further north. The thought of the cold and all that snow filled me with dread.

But, I must say, all those people were right. The colder temperatures and generally brighter, sunnier days are much more pleasant than the continual fog and grey skies at the coast. The colder, drier air here often feels less cold than the chilly damp that seeps into your bones further south. I’d still prefer plus 30C, but I now realize that for me, dealing with -15C is much easier than dealing with 0C in Vancouver. Know thyself, right?

Now to this monthly project. Last weekend I jotted down ideas with gusto. I planned and prepared, and then mother nature decided to turn up the thermostat for a couple of days and deliver rain one evening, and constant grey skies for the last couple of days. It was like being transported to the coast, without having to go anywhere. So much for all my photo plans.

But the freezing rain did leave some lovely frozen droplets on branches, and a light dusting of snow yesterday coated the branches once again. So I went out on a short walk to see what I could find.

Please visit:
www.jennifersawickyphotography.com for wildlife, landscape and nature inspired artwork.

and

https://shopvida.com/collections/jennifer-sawicky for textiles inspired by my photography.

January 3, 2018

2018-01-03: Wordless Wednesday

January 1, 2018

2018-01-01: A New Year Begins

Another year has drawn to a close, and I have welcomed 2018 with open arms. I’ve taken a little break from posting over the past week; it has given me a chance to reflect on my blog, and come up with some plans for the future.

I feel like I lost focus with my blog in 2017; at times posts were rushed or forgotten about altogether; shoved to the bottom of a to-do list that never seemed to get any shorter. I’m sure that is something that everyone struggles with from time to time, and I am very grateful for everyone that continued to view my posts and photos, despite the lack of focus.

For 2018, I have decided that I need to add some structure to my photographic life; in terms of continuing education, time out in the field and with my editing. I have a couple of year long photo projects that I am finalizing, but I am also planning to explore a different topic each month, and use that to guide my reading, shooting and editing. I really thrive when I have schedules and plans of action, so I am hoping that this will ensure that I am getting out to shoot regularly, and be able to post some interesting content each month.

For January, I am going to focus on the frozen world. With the cold temperatures we have been having, it is a timely starting point. I’ll be posting on the topic each Sunday in January, and then move onto something new for February.

I’ll be working to participate more regularly in the WordPress topic of the week, and will still be posting my usual Monochrome Monday and Wordless Wednesday posts. I still have lots of images from my last trip that I am working on as well, so I should have lots of content to share over the year ahead.

Below are a few photos from out and about over the last couple of weeks; its not much, but it gets the ball rolling.

Here’s to a fantastic year ahead.