Tamrac – 153 World Correspondent’s Vest

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Today I’m going to talk about a piece of equipment I use often in the Spring and Fall.
My Tamrac Correspondent’s Vest goes on just about any trip I take. When I go on short hikes and want to travel light…. this vest is the best for storing filters,cables, accessories and even small lenses.
I just load it up, throw my camera over my shoulder and off I go.
(I usually carry my lightweight tripod by hand)
This vest also works well with the Tamrac Module belt system which I will discuss in a future post. As I get older I have days when my back is bothering me and I just don’t feel like hauling the backpack.
As long as I know what equipment I need to take…… this is a great alternative.

Get Your Kicks On Route 66

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Last weekend my wife and I decided to take a short ride down Route 66 from our home in Wilmington, Illinois down to Pontiac, Illinois.
US Route 66 is also known as the Will Rogers Highway, Main Street of America and the Mother Road. It was established on November 11, 1926.
Route 66 has become one of the most famous roads in American history, originally it ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, covering a total of 2,448 miles.
(Click On Any Of The Images to Enlarge)

Ambler-Becker Texaco Gas Station - Nikon D3X - Nikon 24-70mm lens - f 16 - 1/40 sec. - ISO 100

The first stop we made was at the Ambler-Becker Texaco Gas Station in Dwight Illinois. This historic 1933 filling station is identified as the longest operating gas station along Route 66.
The photograph above is a 5 shot HDR which I processed in Photomatix and then proceeded to give it a Grunge look for an Artistic finish.

Nikon D3X - Nikon 24-70mm lens - f 16 - 1/40 sec. - ISO 100

The photograph to the left is one of the Illinois Historic Route 66 Road Signs which you will see while traveling along the route. This sign was next to the Old Standard Oil Gas Station in Odell, Illinois. Be sure to stop at this station and enjoy all of the old memorabilia they have inside dating back to the 1930s.

Pontiac on Route 66 Mural - Nikon D3X - Nikon 24-70mm lens - f 8 - 1/800 sec. - ISO 200

Our next stop was the town of Pontiac, Illinois. Pontiac is a neat little town which I plan on going back to and spending more time with my camera.
Pontiac currently has over 20 outdoor murals which depict its local commercial, cultural, and political history. Most of the murals can be seen from your car, however, a walking tour is the best way to see the many details. The above Mural is one of my favorites.
Pontiac is also the home of the Route 66 Hall Of Fame & Museum, the Pontiac/Oakland Automobile Museum and the Livingston County War Museum. There are also 3 swinging bridges in town that will make you smile when you step on one and it starts moving. In the center of town is their beautiful courthouse which is currently under remodeling.

Nikon D3X - Nikon 24-70mm lens - f 8 - 1/250 sec. ISO 200 Exp. Comp. -.67

The photo above is an old Sheriffs police car from the 1950 s which was parked outside the Automobile Museum.
Exploring Historic Route 66 is a fun and relaxing way to study our American History.
When traveling on Route 66 be sure to follow the instructions on the photograph below!!!

Cantigny Park

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Cantigny Park on Winfield Road in Wheaton Illinois is one of my favorite places to visit. You can spend the whole day there walking thru the garden park, touring the Robert McCormick museum or experiencing my favorite…..the First Division War Museum which takes you from WWI thru Desert Storm and also features 10-12 actual tanks displayed around the outside of the Museum.

The photographs I’m going to share today are from the Flower Gardens. My wife and I took a drive out on Sunday April 1, to see the flowering trees in full bloom. Also, the garden was loaded with tulips of all colors. When you first arrive stop at the visitor center and pickup your maps and information of the grounds. The maps make it a lot easier to find your way around the gardens. (Click On Images To Enlarge)

Nikon D3X – Nikon 24-70mm lens — F 11 — 1/125 sec. — ISO 100

There is beauty at every turn in the Gardens at Cantigny. Designed as a display garden, Cantigny Gardens showcases trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that thrive in Midwest growing conditions. Whether you’re an amateur gardener, landscape professional or photographer you will enjoy what Cantigny Park has to offer.
As you can see from the above and below photographs, the flowering trees and tulips were in full bloom. As we get deeper into the Spring leading into Summer and then Fall the Gardens turn into a beautiful seasonal display. There are more than 29 acres with 22 individual gardens that encompass the Gardens at Cantigny.

Nikon D3X – Nikon 24-70mm lens — F 11 — 1/125 sec. — ISO 200

If you have time visit the Robert McCormick Museum. Visits to the Robert R. McCormick Museum are by guided tour only. Check the website for hours on the tours.
The photograph below is of the Museum which use to be Robert McCormick’s home.

Nikon D3X – Nikon 24-70mm lens — F 11 — 1/250 sec. — ISO 200 — Exp. Comp -.67

Plan a trip to Cantigny….you will find yourself going back often for the seasonal activities. When we go…. we usually spend half the day in the Gardens and the other half exploring the War Museum…… which I hope to cover in a future post.

Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Yosemite Falls is located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California.
It totals 2,424 feet from the top of the upper falls to the base of the lower falls and is the 7th highest falls in the world. (Click on Images to Enlarge)

The Upper Falls plunges 1,430 feet and is in the top twenty highest falls in the world. The upper fall is formed by the swift waters of Yosemite Creek which, after meandering through Eagle Creek Meadow, hurl themselves over the edge of a hanging valley in a spectacular and deafening show of force.

The Photograph to the left was taken on 5/25/2010.
Nikon D3x
Nikon 70-300mm Lens
F 8 - 1/125 sec.
ISO 100
Exposure Comp. -1.33

On the above shot I used matrix metering which was not very accurate because of the white water. Fortunately I bracketed these shots and ended up using the one which was under exposed by 1 1/3 stops ……. giving nice detail in the water, cliffs and trees.

Nikon D3x – 24-70mm lens – F 11 – 1/30 sec. – ISO 50 – Exposure Comp -.67

In between the Upper and Lower Falls is the Middle Cascades which are a series of small drops totaling 675 feet.
The Lower Falls at the bottom drops 325 feet.
The best time to see Yosemite falls is in Spring (April – June) when the water is at its peak. In years of little snow, the falls may actually cease flowing altogether in late summer or fall.

Tamrac 5585 Expedition 5x Backpack

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Today I’m going to talk about a piece of equipment that I carry with me just about every where I go. That is my Tamrac 5585 Expedition 5x Backpack.

The Tamrac 5585 Expedition 5x is a medium size pack that offers foam-padded protection and quick access to your camera, lenses, flash and accessories.
This pack allows me to carry my Nikon D3X with my 24-70mm lens
attached. Plus, my flash unit, my
70-300mm lens and my assortment of filters and cables.
It does have a compartment for a 12″ laptop which I never use because I don’t take a laptop with me in the field.

When I travel my laptop stays in my car or motel room.
The photo to the left shows you can pack even more equipment into this pack but, I prefer to carry my basic needs to keep the pack as lite as possible. If I know there is an additional piece of equipment I need to take along I will re-arrange the pack to make room.
There are some photographers out there that feel they need to bring everything possible with them and buy the larger and much heavier backpacks. I made the mistake and bought one only to turn around and sell it on Ebay when I got home. Believe me you do not want to hike around all day with 50+ pounds of equipment. That one time I did…….my back was killing me, the tops of my shoulders hurt and the pressure from the straps on top of the shoulders was causing my arms to go numb. The large pack I bought was not a cheap one either…..it was one of the top brands.

For me this pack is just the right size to carry all my basic equipment. I always keep my gear in the pack even when I am at home. If I’m going out somewhere I just grab it and set it on the floor in the car and off I go.
If you want to take a lightweight tripod along and not have to carry it by hand…the 5585 QuickClip tripod attachment system is centered between the wing pockets, while the lower, plastic-reinforced Tripod Foot Pocket holds two of the tripod legs secure.
This is a great little backpack that can get the job done for most photographers without putting a lot of stress on your shoulders and back. I highly recommend it.

The Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Jim Vallee

So your on vacation and have traveled thousands of miles and come across a shot that is perfect except the sky is a complete dud even with a Polarizing Filter attached. My secret weapon in these situations is the Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer. When you hold the Gold-N-Blue to your eye and rotate it, you’ll see light in the scene gradually change from golden yellows to dramatic blue tones taking a dull flat sky or even a cloudy sky to something special. Here are a few test shots I took right after getting my Gold-N-Blue. They turned out so well that I have had a few sales with them on the stock photo agencies that carry my work. (Click on any of the Images to Enlarge)

Nikon D3X – 24-70mm lens – F 11 – 1.3 sec – ISO 100 – Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

These 3 photographs of the old farm barns were taken near Dwight, Illinois along I-55 about 45 minutes from where I live. The sunset and sky were kind of dull when I fired off a few shots with my standard polarizing filter….but, when I changed over to the Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue and started rotating the filter the yellow and reds in the sunset just jumped right out. Plus, the sky changed to a dark blue with a tint of purple to offset the sunset.
<< Nikon D3X – 24-70mm lens
f 11 – 1/13 sec. – ISO 100
Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

Nikon D3X – 24-70mm lens – f 11 – 1.3 sec – ISO 100 – Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

Most of the time when I need a polarizer I use the Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer which warms and brightens the colors or…. my standard Nikon polarizer when I want to just darken the sky or eliminate reflections on water or metal.
The Gold-N-Blue is my secret weapon when the other 2 just aren’t getting the results I’m looking for. For more information go to www.singh-ray.com/

The Great Blue Heron

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jim Vallee

The Great Blue Heron is the most common of the North American Herons. They are usually seen along coastlines, in marshes, or near ponds and streams. The Great Blue Herons are anywhere from 3 to almost 5 feet tall with wing spans from 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet wide. This makes them a joy to watch in flight.
My wife and I often take bicycle rides along the I&M Canal Bike Trail which runs about 58 miles from Channahon Illinois out to La Salle/Peru Illinois. We see Great Blue Herons in the canal feeding almost every time we ride along the canal. The 2 photographs below where both taken along the Canal.
(Click on Images to Enlarge)

Nikon D3X - Nikon 70-300mm Lens – F5.6 – 1/500 sec. – ISO 800 – Exposure Comp -1/3

This shot of a Blue Heron pulling a fish out of the water was taken along the bike trail just outside of Morris. I was in town that day and had a couple of hours to wait while my 2 dogs were at the groomers so, I grabbed my camera and tripod and started hiking down the trail when I came across this guy doing some fishing. Most Herons if you make too much movement, will take off on you before you get the shot. This guy didn’t seem to mind while I stood right across from him and fired away. Because there was a small beam of sunlight hitting the top of the Blue Heron’s head I under exposed the shot by – 1/3 to keep the detail on the crown of his head.

Nikon D300 - Nikon 70-300mm Lens – F 5.6 - 1/250 sec. - ISO 200

This photograph was taken while my wife and I were bike riding along the I&M Canal from McKinley Woods Forest Preserve in Channahon out toward Morris Illinois. This Heron was moving very slowly while stalking for fish.

If you are ever in Illinois check out the bicycle trail along the I&M Canal. It is a very quite and scenic trail with Great Blue Herons and other wild life. Nothing like a relaxing bike ride on a Sunday afternoon.

Concept Photography – Gas Prices On The Rise

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Concept photography is a great way to convey a message about something to the people viewing your photographs. It takes more thought and setup than just going out and shooting everything the eye can see but, it will help to sharpen your photographic skills and your imagination.

With the cost of gas sky-rocketing at this time, I decided to produce a few photographs and Photoshop illustrations to express my feelings. Concept photographs sell well thru stock photo agencies if they are produced when there is a current hot topic going on in the world.
The first example here is simple and right to the point.

(Click to Enlarge)

Nikon D3x – Nikon 24-70mm lens – f 10 – 1/250 sec. – ISO 200

The next example is a composite of 2 of my favorites. These are illustrations I drew in Photoshop. It took a couple of hours to draw these mainly because I’m not to adapt at using the drawing tools. It was a learning experience for me which I enjoyed!!

(Click To Enlarge)

This last photograph is from the same batch of shots as the first example above except, I removed the background and Isolated the pump handle and hand. When shooting stock photography these are very popular with the advertising and web designers because they can extract the image by itself from the white background and place it anywhere they want in their design.

Nikon D3x – Nikon 24-70mm lens – f 11 – 1/250 sec. – ISO 200

Concept photography is fun and challenging and will help with the way you view many of your photo opportunities is the future. Give it a try!

Red Canyon National Park Utah

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Red Canyon National Park in Utah is located along Scenic Byway 12, just 9 miles from Bryce Canyon. Passing through it is required to get to Bryce Canyon National Park from the west. Red Canyon is a forested area with sixty-million year old dark red rock castles protruding up from crimson sand. If you are going to Bryce Canyon or Zion National Park be sure to schedule some time to explore Red Canyon. The red rocks and deep blue skies make for some colorful photographs!!!
(Click On Images To Enlarge)

This photograph of the road tunnel running thru the park is a 5 Image HDR developed in Photomatix.

Nikon D300 – 24-70mm lens – ISO 100 – 5 Image HDR

Nikon D300 – 24-70mm lens – F8 – 1/200 sec. – ISO 100

Nikon D300 – 24-70mm lens – F8 – 1/320 sec. – ISO 100

Like Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon is open year-round. Southwestern Utah is a ideal place for year-round photography.

Waterfall At Matthiessen State Park In Illinois

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Jim Vallee

Matthiessen State Park is located in central La Salle County, approximately four miles south of Utica and three miles east of Oglesby. It is about 5 minutes from Starved Rock State Park which is one of the most popular parks in Illinois. The main canyon, consisting of the Upper and Lower Dells, provides an unusual and interesting walking tour. The Upper Dell begins at Deer Park Lake and continues to Cascade Falls, where the canyon drops 45 feet and the Lower Dell begins. This Photograph is the Waterfall that drops from Deer Park Lake into the upper Dell.

Nikon D300 – 35-135mm lens – ISO 200 – F 16 – 1.3 Sec.

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