tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79503309109149406382024-03-13T23:43:18.610-06:00Blog - Shumway PhotographyShumway Photography is a blog about all things photography. If you are looking for a blog about; nature, wildlife, landscape, commercial, documentary, portrait, fine art, or any other type of photography you found it. If you are looking to learn more about, images, composition, cameras, lenses, computers, all things Canon, all things Adobe, all things Apple, or anything related you have found the right place. My passion is capturing images of the beauty of Earth's "Fragile Places."Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.comBlogger260125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-49428867821539167672013-12-31T21:40:00.000-07:002014-01-01T12:37:08.137-07:002013<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/photos/i-trkx7K5/0/M/i-trkx7K5-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/photos/i-trkx7K5/0/M/i-trkx7K5-M.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographer Dave Shumway looks up at the Milky Way<br />
while sitting beside a small campfire in Tanzania. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><h4>Another year for the books...I LOVE MY LIFE.</h4>In the last year, I:<br />
<ul><li>consumed 123 pizzas (or more);</li>
<li>went climbing 116 times;</li>
<li>took 117 Bikram Hot Yoga Classes;</li>
<li>and...drumroll please...spent 142 days away from home on trips. </li>
</ul><p>I basically look at the year like this, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/AmericanSouthwest" target="_blank">March in the American Southwest</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/29366785_kqwnMD" target="_blank">May</a> (and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone" target="_blank">other little trips</a>) <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/29366785_kqwnMD" target="_blank">in Yellowstone</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/31430857_QsP7Nh" target="_blank">August in Tanzania</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/32999543_3CDP9n" target="_blank">October/November in Italy</a>, and the rest of the year trying to make <a href="http://www.rocky.edu/" target="_blank">Rocky Mountain College</a> the <a href="http://photos.rocky.edu/" target="_blank">best place I could</a> all while climbing, doing lots of yoga, and eating even more pizza. </p><p>I missed my 10 year high school class reunion because I was getting ready to fly to Italy, sorry BHS class of 2003. The good news is that I weigh the same that I did when I graduated, and can climb much better, the bad news is I have not run or sang on stage in years. </p><p>I ticked my first on-sight trad lead rated 5.11D (or 5.12- depending on what guide book you read). </p><p>I had plenty of images published in ads, magazines, newspapers and books around the world...at least enough to afford some cool trips and buy some great gear. </p><p>I visited family back in Chicago in June, visiting "home" for the last time, as my parents are moving to a new place, that will likely never be "home" to me, even though I'll keep visiting them yearly. </p><p>I did make one big change, or will in a few days. As of January 6, 2014 I will no longer be the Staff Photographer/Web Content Manager/Designer are Rocky Mountain College...I will be the Director of Communications for <a href="http://www.voanr.org/" target="_blank">Volunteers of America - Northern Rockies</a>. I will still be teaching a class here and there for RMC, so don't worry. </p><p>I pray that your 2013 was as fulfilling as mine, and that we all safely finish 2014 knowing that we lived each day trying to be more awesome than the day before. </p><p>God bless, and happy shooting</p>Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-31310075923000371982013-11-26T11:53:00.002-07:002013-11-28T19:41:16.357-07:00Yellowstone, November 23 & 24, 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-xWQhX7c/0/M/131123_YNP_MG_5275-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A Yellowstone Coyote " border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-xWQhX7c/0/M/131123_YNP_MG_5275-M.jpg" title="A Yellowstone Coyote " width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A coyote moves through the sage at sunrise near Blacktail Lakes, in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D and 400/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/640th of a second. The camera was handheld.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">I've only made seven trips (I think) to Yellowstone this year, but that's what a month in the Southwest, a month in Africa and a month in Italy will do to you. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">This past weekend I took students from some of my RMC photography courses to Yellowstone. November is often a slow time in Yellowstone, but we managed wolves, elk, bison, coyotes, and some beautiful scenery. When you are teaching 18 college students, your photography has to go on the back burner, a bit, but I still managed a shot or two. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">The images are online here:</span></span><br />
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/34168199_TcNxkJ" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/34168199_TcNxkJ</span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up... THANKS!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">If you have questions, ask... I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Happy shooting </span></span><br />
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Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0Wyoming, USA44.89680780597174 -110.6104278562543.450155305971741 -113.19221485625 46.343460305971739 -108.02864085625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-29586654353695280382013-06-01T11:21:00.001-06:002013-11-26T11:58:50.663-07:00The Best Year<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best year...well the past year, it has been a great year.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year's calendar starts in an odd place. Last June, my little sister got married to her high-school sweetheart and a great guy. They planned their wedding date around my adventures, mostly because they wanted a free photographer, who did work like a $5K photographer. They were too afraid to do the wedding after my Alaskan Adventure because "what if a bear were to eat me."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />So this great year starts on June 8, 2012, my sister’s wedding. I’m so proud of my little sister :)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Shortly after her wedding, I drove my newly customized (to live out of) Ford F150 from Chicago, IL to Billings, MT, where I packed for what ended up being my longest adventure to date. I also finished editing wedding photos before I left, just in case something went wrong – you know, like a bear eating me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I left Billings, MT for <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Alaska" target="_blank">Alaska</a> and the trip was legen...wait for it...the kind of trip that gives you memories and stories to fill a lifetime. : ) <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/27361792_XPNWCh#!i=2300270998&k=qtL56NJ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Jumping off ice into the Arctic Ocean</a>, swimming rivers in remote (almost unvisited) national parks (ANWR and Gates of the Arctic), seeing muskox, climbing in the Brooks Range, hiking in Denali, camping along fishing costal brown bears, spit ratting it, sailing Kenai Fjord, watching orca pods come together to breed, driving the most rugged and remote roads in North America, and getting to photograph it all...I hope your not lactose intolerant because the second half of the word is, dary...legendary ;)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Alaska in the summer is amazing, and I feel okay using that word because it is God's creation at its most unadulterated state. Alaska really is creation at its finest that I have experienced to date.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I returned home with more than 27,000 photographs, and I don't have words to describe the experience justly.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Now for those of you who have not visited Montana you may not realize that it’s "Big Sky County" and "The Last Best Place." Those things really are true, but it’s no Alaska. My return to home and to my job as a staff photographer and college "prof" was a challenge, and I'm okay admitting that.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I spent two months with the nights being too bright to see stars, with no deadlines, no real responsibilities, and with very few people to interact with. A foreign concept to folks in most of the world, but it was my reality, and I loved it.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />My fall semester was a good one with great students in all of my classes, numerous trips to Yellowstone National Park (my favorite place in the lower 48) and plenty of good <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Adventure/Climbing" target="_blank">climbing</a> around Montana and Wyoming. The problem with having a "real" job is that you can't just take two months, or even two weeks off to go on an adventure. And if that's true then I am incredibly blessed to not have a real job, as by November I was ready for another adventure.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I'm Swedish and German, I grew up in the Midwest, and I like cold weather, so there is something about the Arctic that just calls to me like a siren song. As November rolled around, the semester was winding down, and I got to leave for two weeks to go back to the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7" target="_blank">Arctic</a>. I was teaching classes like Digital Nature Photography and Conservation Photography, so the students understand why I “had” to leave for two weeks.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />The trip’s timing was perfect. We saw countless polar bears, ample snow, rapidly changing ice, Northern Lights, and magical light. I returned home with more than 12,000 photos and some of them are unimaginable.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />At this point in my year, I'm back to Montana after spending two months in Alaska and more than 30 days in the Arctic. I have nearly 40,000 images to edit. It was those images that caused me to make a decision that broke my mother’s heart, just a little bit. I decided to stay in Montana and edit photographs rather than travel back to Chicago for Christmas. I decided that I needed to edit and was not going to let myself have a "real" Christmas unless I was finished editing. Don't feel too bad for me, as I found plenty of time to ski and climb while I was "resting my eyes," from all of the editing.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />2013 started off with a new semester at Rocky Mountain College, and being that it was also my fifth year teaching I'm told I was due a "sabbatical." Now as I am not a full-time professor, I don't know how this was really supposed to work, but I took that to mean that I could teach an independent study course or two and schedule the month of March off from the staff photographer part of my job. So that's what I did, and no one has called me on it yet.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Again my images appeared in national ad campaigns and magazines like The New Yorker, Backpacker, National Geographic, and Outside to name a few. I had my worked published in a few books around the world, and in so many US newspapers that I lost count.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and the region’s biggest paper, The Billings Gazette, named me as one of their <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/business/40under40/under-forty-dave-shumway/article_03208a7f-83ef-5abf-b832-66b96063bb59.html" target="_blank">40 Under Forty</a> this year in February.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />March 1 I left Billings, MT bound for Las Vegas. Well, actually about twenty miles west of Vegas to Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock is one of the best climbing destinations in the country – it is seriously incredible. But that was only the start of my "sabbatical trip"a.k.a. my "<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/AmericanSouthwest" target="_blank">March Through The Southwest</a>," I continued on to Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, The Swell, Arches, Canyonlands, Indian Creek, Natural Bridges, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, The Wave, and back to Zion and Bryce Canyon before I made my way back toward home, with a mandatory stop in Yellowstone.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Upon returning home with 17,000 photographs, I immediately left for a climbing trip to Devils Tower, where I got rained out again, and then off to Bozeman for some more climbing.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />April is a crazy month around any college campus, but I love the craziness, as I get to photograph all kinds of different things, and that only makes me a better photographer for whatever assignments come my way through the rest of my life. My April was also filled with catching up with old friends, making new ones, doing 32 hot yoga classes and finding time to climb 16 times despite the cold and snowy spring. Oh yeah...I was a bit ticked off that after a cruddy winter for skiing, as soon as the resorts closed we got pounded with snow, but I was finished with the ski season so I didn't motivate myself to go and skin up the mountain to earn my turns.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />May, and my 28 birthday, was spent in <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone" target="_blank">Yellowstone National Park</a>... Sixteen days to be exact. Spring in Yellowstone was slow, but patience and dedication paid off, and after spending more than 100 hours watching and waiting, I was privileged to photograph a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/29366785_kqwnMD" target="_blank">grizzly sow and her three tiny cubs of the year</a>. Many of my friends in Yellowstone got to enjoy my birthday German chocolate chocolate chip cookies, but they still couldn’t help but to harass me about my age...I'm getting closer to an age where people will just assume I'm an adult, I hope ;)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I truly LOVE the life that I get to wake up each day and live. I am blessed beyond measure in so many ways, and though this has been the best year of my life, I have a hunch that next year will give it a run for its money and each year to follow will do the same.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember, it might seem like I never work, but I average over 50 hours each week. Though I spent one third of my year traveling, that is not much more than someone who chooses to spend each weekend of the year traveling. Oftentimes I travel like a dirtbag, but I do have a nice truck (2012 - F150), I do have a nice apartment (no time for a house, but I do love having a pool/hot tub/sauna), and a great job with benefits and a retirement plan. Yeah, I'm single, but who do you know that would put up or keep up with someone as crazy as me...no seriously what's her number? I'll give her a call ;)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />p.s. In August I'm taking students on a three week African safari, and then I hope to climb mount Kilimanjaro.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />p.p.s. In October/November I am going to Italy to teach photography for three weeks, and hopefully sneak in a sport-climbing trip on the Tuscan coast with a friend.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm living my dream...I hope you find a way to live yours.</span></span>Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-3796004119736505832013-04-20T16:48:00.000-06:002013-11-26T11:59:21.151-07:00March Through the Southwest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-NZ7PBfZ/0/M/130317_Shumway_D3_5351-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-NZ7PBfZ/0/M/130317_Shumway_D3_5351-M.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographer Dave Shumway hikes The Wave, in the Coyote Buttes district of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Utah. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 17-40/4.0L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1/3 at ISO200, f/11, and 1/640 of a second. The camera was mounted on an Induro CT214 tripod with an AcraTech GP ballhead.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For my "sabbatical" trip I decided that it was time to revisit the American Southwest, and March seemed like the perfect time to do this first trip, with a digital camera. The other reason behind the trip in March, is that it allowed me to get plenty of great climbing in too, while snow and ice cover the rocks back in Montana.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each parks name is linked to its corresponding gallery of photos and the thirty "best" images are in "<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28820842_TBhtC2" target="_blank">The Best of My March Through the Southwest (2013).</a>"</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On March first I left Billings and drove well past Salt Lake City, where I stopped at a rest stop for a few hours sleep, before pushing on to Las Vegas. Actually I was to the west of Vegas, meeting friends for a week of climbing in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The climbing was amazing, and the photography was not to shabby wither. I ticked off my first 5.11 on-sight trad lead (Animal Boy 5.11d, or if you listen to Mountain Project it is 5.12a), I got to climb many of the famous climbs, and even climbed some of the remote, rarely climbed routes. Did I mention that I took some pictures too.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Red Rock Canyon I went with friends to Zion National Park...Zion is beautiful, but without leaves on the trees it just does not seem right to take many <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28968044_M67bMr" target="_blank">pictures</a>, but the climbing is good.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Zion we made our way to the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967972_Fqm2nq" target="_blank">San Rafael Swell</a> with a quick little stop in <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967681_ZrRjWZ" target="_blank">Capitol Reef National Park</a> and Bryce Canyon National Park (I'll come back to Bryce). The "Swell" is amazing and worth a visit, or ten. The main plan was to get in some great canyoneering, and we did. We made our way to the middle of the "Swell" and did Baptist Draw and Upper Chute Canyon, if you are interested in technical canyoneering and find yourself in the area, I would call these a must do.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the Swell, I left one group of friends to meet with another in <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967637_9w2XJn" target="_blank">Arches National Park</a>, but they changed their plans and left me to Arches and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967673_8DBfLj" target="_blank">Canyonlands National Park</a> all by my lonesome. That was just fine though, I'm a nature photographer...that's how I work best, and with a new moon the planned night photography part of my trip was just getting started.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arches and Canyonlands, especially Island in the Sky, are simply incredible. The parks are really a landscape photographers paradise, and if you plan a fall or spring trip the low sun angle makes for some different opportunities that will help you photos be different from the millions of summertime visitors.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made my way South for some climbing in Indian Creek, and photography in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, and that continued my streak of awesome climbing and photography.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After leaving Canyonlands I made my way to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967951_CfpWr5" target="_blank">Natural Bridges National Monument</a> for one last night of star trail photography, and the clouds cooperated letting me have a great night to shoot Owachomo Bridge. I left Natural Bridges in the dark, so I could get down to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967940_r599Hv" target="_blank">Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park</a> for sunrise, and that worked out quite well. Although I had been up all night, and was getting tiered I decided to drive up to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967652_vDkXtz" target="_blank">Antelope Canyon</a>, so I could get into the upper canyon on a week day (praying for less crowds). Light shafts begin to make their way to the canyon floor again in mid March, and being able to visit in the "off season" with light shafts and on a week day meant that I was able to arrange a 2 hour (maximum time you can spend in the canyon) solo tour.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Antelope Canyon, like many of my destinations on this trip, has been shot by seemingly everyone, but I hope I was able to let my style keep my images from looking exactly like everyone else's.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From there I decided that I was ahead of schedule and could in fact try my luck at getting a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967925_hcN7Tx#!i=2462949331&k=pdw9V6v" target="_blank">Wave</a> permit. I made my way back into Utah, past <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967705_8c9x83" target="_blank">Glen Canyon National Recreation Area</a>, and into <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967925_hcN7Tx" target="_blank">The Grand Staircase Escalante-National Monument</a>. Access to The Wave is limited to ten online permits (reservations earned months in advance) and ten lottery permits issued the day before. It took me three tries, but I got a permit and spent an entire day in and around The Wave (actually waves).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you loose the lottery you need something to do that day, while you wait to try again the next day, so I shot many of the other local sites, including; <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967925_hcN7Tx#!i=2462945847&k=Zz5t7bM" target="_blank">The Toadstools</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967925_hcN7Tx#!i=2462946654&k=Vp3q7jB" target="_blank">The Towers of Silence</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967693_37vKZ9#!i=2462931587&k=Nnrvd4G" target="_blank">Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park</a> and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967693_37vKZ9#!i=2462927649&k=83JmwvC" target="_blank">Moccasin Mountain Track Site</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After ticking The Wave off of my list, I decided to head back ti Zion National Park, to see if the leaves had come in yet. Unfortunately they were just starting to bud, and the rangers predicted another week before things really started to be green. With that bit of bad news I decided to head North a bit and give <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28967664_gMnjJx" target="_blank">Bryce Canyon National Park</a> a little bit more of my time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three weeks into my trip, and all of my major objectives crossed off of my list I decided to look at the weather and determine the safest break in snow storms to drive back to Montana, and it is a good thing I looked when I did, because the time to leave was right then...as it was I ended up driving just ahead of the storm that pounded Northern Utah, Idaho, and Western Montana for the next few days.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once I hade made it through the mountains I did decide to make a short side trip down to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28955144_nRB8ft" target="_blank">Yellowstone National Park</a>, but it would have been rude to be so close and not pay the park a visit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy shooting</span>Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-26159340640275261082013-04-20T15:02:00.000-06:002013-04-20T15:02:28.491-06:00Yellowstone, March 21, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-hjnSqst/0/M/130321_YNP_D3_6744-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-hjnSqst/0/M/130321_YNP_D3_6744-M.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28955144_nRB8ft" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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On my way home from a "March Through the Southwest," I just had to stop by Yellowstone for drive through.<br />
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Not much happening...actually there was both Wolf and Bear dots, but I was not about to photograph distant dots, so I snapped a few landscapes and continued home.<br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks!<br />
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If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shooting<br />
Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-72536787846779687132013-04-20T14:55:00.000-06:002013-04-20T14:55:00.984-06:00Yellowstone, February 8-10, 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28023395_kWwXdX#!i=2366611363&k=4SM72m9&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-02-08-10-13/i-4SM72m9/0/M/130210_YNP_MG_9711-M.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28023395_kWwXdX#!i=2366611363&k=4SM72m9&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank"></a>A Coyote (Canis latrans) makes his way through deep snow along Pebble Creek in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D and 400/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 4/3 at ISO400, f/4.5, and 1/320 of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/28023395_kWwXdX" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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This winter was a warm and less snowy one, it was a winter with fewer wolves, thanks to hunts outside of the park. With the given situations I made less trips to the park than past years, but I could not stay away forever.<br />
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I made a quick little three day trip with plenty of time hiking/snowshoeing/skiing. It was a change of pace to not have much to photograph, but it made for a pleasant, restful, trip to the park.<br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks!<br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shooting<br />
Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-83383552331727857712013-04-19T15:20:00.001-06:002013-04-19T16:27:18.508-06:00Favorite QuotesWith the recent Facebook updates, I had a fear that my collection of "Favorite Quotes" might be lost, so...I decided to write this blog post. It is quite different from my usual post, but it's my blog I can do what I want ;)<br />
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These are my favorite quotes...they really explain an awful lot about me.<br />
<ul>
<li>"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: 'It Goes On.'" - Robert Frost </li>
<li>"Get busy living, or get busy dying." - Shawshank Redemption </li>
<li>"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do." - Warren Miller </li>
<li>"It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time." - Steve Jobs </li>
<li>"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” - James Oppenheim </li>
<li>“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” - John Lennon </li>
<li>"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." - Yogi Berra </li>
<li>"You have to take it as it happens, but you should try to make it happen the way you want to take it." - German Proverb (I think this was my senior quote...I'm a dork)</li>
<li>"The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised." - George F. Will </li>
<li>“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” - Albert Einstein </li>
<li>"There are two things that are more difficult than making an after-dinner speech: climbing a wall which is leaning toward you and kissing a girl who is leaning away from you." - Winston Churchill</li>
<li>"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny." - Tom Krause </li>
<li>"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12</li>
<li>“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." - Matthew 6:25-34</li>
<li>"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" - 2 Peter 1:5-8 </li>
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Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-12142432226605708562012-11-24T12:22:00.002-07:002012-11-26T12:15:51.520-07:00Canadian Arctic, November 4-18, 2012WOW!<br />
As I sit here, after editing over 12,000 photos from this trip to the Canadian Arctic...I find it hard to put this experience into words.<br />
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Let me start by saying that there are around <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7" target="_blank">750 photographs from the Low Canadian Arctic online here</a>. If you don't feel like reading this insanely long trip report you can just jump to the photographs and enjoy them. Make the jump to go through the online gallery. I really do appreciate any comments/criticism you leave; you can even give your favorites a simple thumbs up, so I can get your opinion on the winners...thanks and enjoy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-VZQTFs5/0/M/121112_North_D3_5781-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bear at sunrise" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-VZQTFs5/0/M/121112_North_D3_5781-M.jpg" title="Male Polar Bears" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A male Polar Bear (<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/search/index.mg?searchWords=Ursus+maritimus&searchType=UserImage&NickName=ShumwayPhotography&start=0&SortBy=Popular" target="_blank">Ursus maritimus</a>) looks around as the rising sun breaks through the clouds illuminating the world with its colorful glow. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO400, f/8.0, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was handheld.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a></div>
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Last year, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/19487586_KFqjsF" target="_blank">while on my trip to Churchill</a>, I knew right away that it was a place that I would visit again – as soon as I could. Luckily <a href="http://www.petezaluzec.com/" target="_blank">Pete Zaluzec</a>, a friend who was on the trip with me last year, decided the same thing, so we began planning this trip while still on last year's trip. Pete and I met up a few times on other trips over the past year to firm up our plans for <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7" target="_blank">Churchill 2012</a>.<br />
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Pete and I decided that we would do the trip on our own, hire a local guide for some of it, allowing us to do what we wanted. Pete is a world-renowned sculptor who needs photographs for reference material, but unlike many artists looking only for reference images Pete understands light and shoots accordingly. When you are on a photographic trip with others, especially tourists/hobbyists, many times you end up with a group that wants to move on to look for something new rather than wait for good light.<br />
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Pete and I knew we were going to find bears and then settle in to wait for the light that we wanted, so we knew that bringing anyone else with us would only work if they cared about light like us. We decided to invite a friend of Pete's who is a famous wildlife artist, <a href="http://www.gbeecham.com/" target="_blank">Greg Beecham</a>.<br />
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With our group set, local accommodations made and a highly respected local guide lined up, we were ready. All three of us use Canon equipment and are obsessed with great light, so it looked to be a perfect group.<br />
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Pete does not fly, so we all decided to meet in Winnipeg, Manitoba and take the 40-hour train ride to Churchill, Manitoba. The train ride was a great time for us all to really get to know one another, as well as the handful of other folks making the long journey/ride. During the trip I had plenty of time to lecture on photography, as most of you know, that is one of my favorite things to do :)<br />
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When we arrived in Churchill we got in our Yukon XL, that was designed for life out on the tundra. We were excited to get out and find some bears to photograph. Not long after leaving town, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231510056&k=r4kT3XW&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">I spotted our first bear of the trip, and Greg's first bear</a>. We spent about an hour with the bear, and when it settled in for a second time, we decided to continue on to see what we could find. Not five minutes later I found <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231510334&k=nQkD7sZ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">two bears walking along the shore</a> keeping their eye on <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231508984&k=Fnf8jLh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">a bearded seal that was resting on an ice flow</a>. We continued on to the Northern Studies Center where we found a flock of around 50 <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231508766&k=WTV4xXX&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">willow ptarmigan foraging in the willows</a>.<br />
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We had heard a rumor that Natural Resources was going to be air lifting a bear out of the Polar Bear Holding Facility, so we decided that it would be worthwhile to shoot that and cross it off our list on the first day. The <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231509249&k=nV3bn5R&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">helicopter flew in</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231510510&k=FKr86X7&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Resources brought out the bear</a> and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231510580&k=RDS4XSK&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">readied him for the flight out</a>, the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231509910&k=N3mQNsv&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">helicopter lifted the bear off</a>, and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231509942&k=x9hLwCb&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the show was over</a>. It was very quick, very smooth and professional...it was also surprising to me to see how <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231510765&k=RHCRr86&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">gingerly they treated the unconscious bear</a>. I decided to also shoot some <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2199996931&k=rgPh9J9" target="_blank">video of the bear lifting off</a>.<br />
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After the air-show we found <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511003&k=CL9psKq&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">a red fox</a> and continued our search for bears. We spent the rest of the night watching Natural Resources haze <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511041&k=7bNHW92&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">a sow and two ten-month-old cubs along Cape Mary</a> towards the Churchill River. I'll leave the controversial/sad part of this off of the blog post, but I have written a bit about it with the photograph.<br />
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If I went through each of our ten days to that same level of detail it would take me a week to write the post, and you a day to read it, so from here on I'll just hit the highlights. Plus I am considering putting together an eBook where I can plug in some multimedia bits showing or explaining some of the great experiences that the trip brought me.<br />
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For the next three days we had a local guide from <a href="http://www.nature1sttours.ca/" target="_blank">Nature 1st</a>, to both guide and provide "Polar Bear Security." Our guide, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519156&k=dgdq63w&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Sheldon</a>, was excellent and a pleasure to spend time with. With Sheldon we found countless bears, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511280&k=qMtHZtK&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">raven</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517567&k=b6CZmFg&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">gyrfalcon</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511205&k=8TvG9tF&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">red fox</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530304&k=fxb4Trc&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">arctic fox</a> and plenty of arctic hare tracks :)<br />
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We had a slow second day...well at least it started off slow. We drove the roads and back roads getting re-acclimated to the area, and figure out were we could and could not drive with the current snow conditions. As the afternoon came we had yet to find any bears that were ideal for us to photograph, so we kept searching. Driving in to bird cove, at first on two-track then on frozen tundra, we spotted a bear heading our way across the ice. We decided that we would wait with that bear for some light. She tried to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517108&k=VxG6CCQ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">break through the ice</a>, dug around and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511499&k=VbWhGtp&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">groomed herself</a> while we watched...then suddenly she started to walk away.<br />
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It took us a minute or two before we saw the reason...another bear was making his was across the ice and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517235&k=mcsG4mQ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">she wanted to give him room to walk past</a>. The <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231511933&k=vQXsSWh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">second bear approached us</a> and she decided to lie down on the ice. As this happened the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517372&k=htnM83f&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">third bear that we had spotted earlier in the willows continued to sleep</a>.<br />
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We kept waiting, as our chances of having a cooperative bear when the light got good seemed to be getting better. Off in the distance <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231512105&k=pNdtbRM&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">I notice another bear heading our way and this bear has a beautiful, clean, white coat</a>.<br />
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Now we had <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231512643&k=QqjSbmg&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">two bears together digging in the ice at the edge of the shore</a>, a bear sleeping to our left in the Willows and another sleeping out on the ice to our right. Suddenly, almost on our cue, the two "friendly" bears <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231513156&k=64kjG22&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">started to play with one another, as the light broke through the clouds</a> in a narrow slit on the horizon. It was short lived, and the two bears started to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231513305&k=CCXSPzh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">walk off into the willows</a>, but we decided to follow.<br />
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As we rounded the end of the willows we could see that the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231514292&k=z565chF&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">two bears were sparing in the setting sunlight</a>, and it was magical. The sparing ended, and our guide as well as Pete and Greg thought the day was over. I spotted a fifth bear making his way across the ice and was able to convince them that there was still enough light and time to make our way back to the cove and photograph this bear.<br />
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It ended up being the right call, as the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231514772&k=LBGwW8K&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">light was incredible on the bear and the ice edge</a>. The <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231514804&k=wMMdkWW&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">light continued to dwindle as the bear walked in front of the MV Ithaca</a>. And now we all started to think the day was done, but what an ending we had enjoyed.<br />
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Almost beyond our belief we spotted a sixth bear making its way across the ice, then a seventh coming from the other way. The were all making their way through Bird Cove, and we were the only ones here to see and photograph it. Two of the bears came together for a "<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231514990&k=n2xwBZD&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">kiss</a>" where other bears had been digging, but the real show was yet to come.<br />
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The sun had set, but my Canon 5D III and new 400/2.8L IS II had plenty of light for what was about to happen next. The two largest male bears decided to put on an after hours show, and after <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231515857&k=CpNz52n&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">chatting about it</a>, the sparing commenced. They <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231516748&k=zwvq9DD&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">spared</a> long enough to both deliver great photographs, but even enough for me to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2202324880&k=hBBXS8z" target="_blank">shoot some video</a>.<br />
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Towards the end of the sparing I was shooting my Canon 5D III and 400/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2/3 at ISO3200, f/2.8, and 1/800th of a second. By that point I had moved away from the vehicle to get the best angle I could on the main event, and I was glad that we had an armed guide as I was shooting with five bears in sight and at least three more that we knew were in the area. Needless to say my head was on a constant swivel, and I shot handheld because setting up a tripod would slow me down in a retreat to the vehicle; also with the shutter speed needed to stop fighting bears, I knew that I could handhold my camera and lens just fine...I love the new 400/2.8L IS II.<br />
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Our third day was, with without a doubt, the slowest day of our trip. We only photographed one bear, and that <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517603&k=gDCK64h&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear was inspecting an old bear trap</a> and then showed why she had been trapped and marked recently. She was <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231531469&k=VKStnTc&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">incredibly curious of the vehicle</a> and it took significant effort on the part of our guide to scare the bear away.<br />
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We did have an okay <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517466&k=pz4nstn&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sunrise</a> and a beautiful <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231518132&k=qdfhJRZ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sunset</a>, but the only wildlife highlight was a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517567&k=b6CZmFg&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Gyrfalcon that I spotted and got to photograph sitting on the ice edge</a>. Unfortunately for Pete and Greg, it <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231517571&k=BGPPzR4&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">flew away</a> before they could get their cameras ready.<br />
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The next morning started off with <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519156&k=dgdq63w&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">blizzard conditions</a>, really near whiteout. But we were not about to sleep in or take the day off, even though we did chat about the idea. In places the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231518332&k=HBwfqfh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sun managed to break through</a>, but others were <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231518463&k=ttksC2r&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">not so nice</a>. For most of the morning we did our best to stay away from the worst of the storm, and even managed to find a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519218&k=JsKmkz4&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">cooperative fox with some nice light</a>.<br />
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By lunchtime we decided that we needed to go find some <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231518696&k=cXvGKMg&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bears, even if it was quite blustery</a>. When it's blowing snow the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519405&k=Zm3TmjN&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bears just want to lie down out of the wind and rest</a>. We found a few, and as one of them got up and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519523&k=KbcJn4M&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">started walking in our direction the sun managed to break through the clouds, but that did not stop the wind from blowing snow</a>. She made her way past us and to the willows edge, when in about five minutes she dug a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231519761&k=vrMgZXJ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">day den in a drift and all but disappeared</a>.<br />
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With two bears resting out of the wind, and sunset coming soon, we decided to wait for better light and hope that one of the bears would get up and move. As the sun neared the horizon and broke through the clouds the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231520164&k=TbHfrBh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">female bear decided to sit up and see what the wind was doing</a>. It was now blowing about half as hard as it had been. She must have decided it had died enough to get up and move, but not before <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231520186&k=6CcF8nL&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">shaking off the afternoon's accumulation of snow</a>.<br />
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The next morning promised clearer sky, so we decided our fifth day would be about getting some landscapes. With the next three days on our own we figured we could chase the light and landscapes without a guide thinking we were nuts. We wanted to photograph <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231520575&k=T6bz23C&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sunrise over the ice</a>, but many of the ice features we had scouted the evening before disappeared over night, so we <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231520802&k=vzShhrt&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">shot what we could find</a>. The wind and snow of the past few days had left the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231521630&k=BmcPBN7&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">landscape buried in many places</a>, but that was okay with us.<br />
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Pete has the gift for making great friends of random people he meets. On the train ride he decided to learn a little Chinese from four young women who were visiting from Taiwan. They only had one day scheduled out on the buggies and the rest of their time was spent in town, so we decided to take them with us for most of our fifth day (their last day). After we did our landscape run, we went and picked them up. Thank God for the third row seats in the Yukon XL.<br />
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Once we added them to the vehicle we shifted our focus back to polar bears, and we found our share. First we spotted a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231521810&k=TzHwXdH&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear making his was across the ice</a>. He ended up heading <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523113&k=qGLSZ8j&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">into the rocks for a bit</a> before heading further along the coast. We jumped ahead to our next access point and waited, but after about fifteen minutes everyone was a bit anxious and wanted to move on. I demanded six more minutes, and five minutes later <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523251&k=TQJCZP5&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">he made his way around the point and into sight</a>.<br />
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He <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231522056&k=ZhNdpF2&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">approached</a>, but then went and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231522162&k=cJTSV3k&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">rested in the lime grass</a>. We waited with renewed patience, and he rewarded us by <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523539&k=C67BXzc&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">approaching very near</a> (near enough that I returned to the safety of the vehicle). We repositioned and spotted a pair of red fox hunting and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523274&k=ssh5JvL&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">another bear way out on the ice</a>, but as <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231522451&k=gKcmbmS&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the sun was getting ready to set we wanted to keep a subject nearby</a>.<br />
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The bear started to head away on the ice then disappeared behind some huge piles of snow and ice. Everyone was quite cold, and the common consensus was that we should head back towards town, but being the senseless jerk I am, I decided we would wait six more minutes. A few minutes later <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231522571&k=LpNNjbx&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the bear peeked out at us</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231522686&k=rMrzDgz&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">crossed back to our side of the off ice and walked in the setting sunlight</a>.<br />
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The next morning we were out dark and early, and after a short delay for an iceberg bear (ask Greg about that one) I spotted a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523595&k=PtcN4R2&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">cross fox running out on the ice</a>. We continued on looking for bears...and we found one resting at the willows edge. The sun was about to break through the clouds at the horizon, so I made my request of what the bear "needed to do." Oddly enough as soon as I finished saying what I wanted <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231523997&k=h6zw4T4&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the bear got up and walked exactly where I wanted him to, as the sun broke through</a>. The bear then <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231525005&k=7rcxvwp&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bedded back down on our side of the frozen lake</a>. The bear was so near us that I had to shoot some <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231525177&k=VgrM9gK&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear abstracts</a>.<br />
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The clear sky and warming temperatures were causing a rise in atmospheric distortion, so we made our way back to town for gas and lunch. While there we did a bit of lens testing using <a href="http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/index.php/why/about-focal/" target="_blank">FoCal</a>. We finished our lunch and testing in time to find a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231524192&k=NWdPhGZ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear in the setting sunlight</a>, but just barely ;)<br />
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The next morning we found a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231525899&k=2RK9PQG&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear resting in a grove of black spruce</a>, but after I made my request <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231526191&k=VZQTFs5&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">he went into a better scene for the actual sunrise</a>. It's not luck if you request it...right?<br />
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By our seventh day of the trip the ice was really starting to form along the coast, and the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231526559&k=tmFqLHk&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bears were keeping a close eye on the conditions</a>. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231526756&k=72Jk3Dr&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Some bears walked along the ice</a>, while <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231526868&k=p4TGj3c&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">others took a more relaxed approach to the waiting game</a>.<br />
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That night the clouds came in and the wind changed direction, blowing almost all of the ice out to sea, with many bears still on it. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231531564&k=3Gc8mvd&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1838946080"></span>We spent $300 on gas<span id="goog_1838946081"></span></a> and then we found another <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231527052&k=mLp9G28&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bearded seal</a>, but that was about it.<br />
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The next morning it seemed as if there had been an exodus of bears, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231527045&k=XngkWr5&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">with the ice</a>, and most of the folks that we talked to found very few bears from that point on. We decided to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231527240&k=JtB6nVv&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">head into the storm to find bears</a>. I decided with fewer bears I could finally waste some time photographing the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231529309&k=5PWnM3H&lb=1&s=A"><span id="goog_1838946068"></span>cracks in the ice<span id="goog_1838946069"></span></a>.<br />
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With the help of our guide we <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231527758&k=gxzvfD6&lb=1&s=A">found a handful of bears</a> on a day that most of the folks we talked, to on the radio, found none. We even found two bears that <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528313&k=dX4n4jd&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">did not seem to like one another much</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528056&k=zRQMbXp&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">charging</a> and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528678&k=K6bPRJM&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">showing other signs of irritation</a>. They eventually figured things out and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528791&k=PvjXjRc&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">it was time for a nap</a>. On our way in for the night I found this <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528896&k=mK7H63X&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">beautiful tree that had been overcome by a snowdrift</a>, so we had to make one more stop for the night.<br />
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That night with clear sky and a nice display of the Northern Lights, Pete and I had to spend a few hours out photographing the show. The <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231528953&k=8bWqqP7&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">lights danced above Cape Mary</a>, then above a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231529128&k=PZ4xcGm&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">grove of black spruce</a>, and lastly <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231529662&k=CsLNHbw&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">above Hudson Bay</a>.<br />
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The next morning we decided to hunt for some of the smaller species on our list. We found lots of arctic hare track, but no hare, a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530074&k=tMK3sNM&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">rock ptarmigan</a> and lastly the illusive, or at least this year, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530124&k=Fsm9XLp&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">arctic fox</a>. I even took some time to do a bit of "<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231529780&k=SBSLnPk&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">cold yoga</a>," the wind-chill was around -30ºF, but it was better than being like <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231529702&k=trhLQ9L&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">this bear and watching television</a>. In the bear's de<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530402&k=nPG7ztS&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">fense</a> it did <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530445&k=h6DzQNt&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">scrub down after</a>, and even <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530434&k=B9h2Rr2&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">brushed it coat</a>.<br />
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On our tenth and final day the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530746&k=BccvPSw&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">wind was strong and making new drifts for use to battle</a>, but the weathermen were wrong...yes it was incredibly windy, but <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231530604&k=P3q2MXp&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the clouds were breaking and we had plenty of nice light</a>. We even <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231531265&k=F7wwQ8Z&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">managed to find a few bears</a>, something that few others were managing to do, even some of the Tundra Buggy folks, and they guarantee bears to their clients.<br />
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With only a few bears, high winds and our train departing shortly we decided to follow this bear's example and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26381046_qP4Pw7#!i=2231531026&k=6F7H7SX&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">make tracks</a> as soon as the sun set.<br />
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After ten days on the ground, with bears every day, we were actually glad to be heading home. And after 47 hours on a train we arrived back in Winnipeg, Manitoba where I loaded my truck and started the long drive back to Montana.<br />
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I left Montana on Saturday, November 4 and made it back home safe and sound on Sunday, November 18, 2012. I took 12,120 photographs and 60 video clips; I drove 1656.3 miles; and I absolutely fell in love with my new 400/2.8L IS II.<br />
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My travel count for 2012 is currently at 121 days away from home, and I assume I'll get a few more before the end of the year.<br />
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As always if you have questions, ask... I have published the camera information with each image and added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
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Thanks and enjoy<br />
<br />
P.S. needless to say this trip helped boost my number of <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/search/index.mg?searchWords=Polar+Bear&searchType=UserImage&NickName=ShumwayPhotography&start=0&SortBy=Popular" target="_blank">Polar Bear</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/search/?searchWords=Vulpes+lagopus&searchType=InUser&NickName=ShumwayPhotography&x=0&y=0" target="_blank">Arctic Fox</a>, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/search/?searchWords=Gyrfalcon&searchType=InUser&NickName=ShumwayPhotography&x=0&y=0" target="_blank">Gyrfalcon</a> and all around <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/search/index.mg?searchWords=Arctic&searchType=UserImage&NickName=ShumwayPhotography&start=0&SortBy=Popular" target="_blank">Arctic</a> images.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com3Unnamed Rd, Division No. 23, Unorganized, MB, Canada58.739706335238928 -93.927612304687558.475347835238928 -94.5593263046875 59.004064835238928 -93.2958983046875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-78046952798361288152012-10-29T15:30:00.000-06:002012-10-29T16:26:41.108-06:00Yellowstone, October 27 & 28, 2012<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-m5PcmFW/0/M/121027YNPD36801-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellowstone Lake" border="0" height="225" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-m5PcmFW/0/M/121027YNPD36801-M.jpg" title="Waves on Yellowstone Lake" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waves crash on shore at Sedge Bay of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 17-40/4.0L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2 at ISO50, f/22, and 1 second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Arca-Swiss Z1sp, a 4 stop neutral density filter was used.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My second trip with students of the fall...was...well, okay. The wether was cold/snowy compared to the first trip (<a href="http://blog.shumwayphotography.com/2012/10/yellowstone-september-15-16-2012.html" target="_blank">September 15 & 16, 2012</a>), the activity was less than stellar, this fall has not been a great one in the park. The students got plenty of learning done, and I think they should have come home with a number of good photographs.<br />
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We left Billings (Rocky Mountain College) at 5:15a on Saturday morning and made our way quickly to the Park's North entrance, arriving right at sunrise...well we think so, it was very cloudy and snowing. We made a fairly uneventful drive to Swan Lake flats, stopping only for a few elk here and there. Swan Lake was frozen over, and we did not see any Swans on the ice, so we continued South. An Ermine ran across the road and off into the snow and sage, leaving us with a good sighting, but no photographs.<br />
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The miles rolled by with only occasional stops for the students to take in the sights and snap a few photographs of the snowy landscape. We decided to walk the full <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182833455&k=jz2WTbh&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Norris Geyser Basin</a> loop and made some nice images along the way.<br />
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From there we drove to Canyon to check on the great grey owls, but that was a bust, so we drove South towards The Lake. A go to move for me is to head to Sedge Bay and photograph the lake, waves, and whatever else I can find. We spent about 30min shooting <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182838348&k=X6QNn5N&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">crashing waves, ice covered logs, and the falling snow</a>...then a grizzly bear decided to come and put on a show. We spent about an hour photographing the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182841723&k=FdsD5HG&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bear along the shore of the lake</a>, as the bear approached I moved all of my students back up the hill, as we did that three tourists ran down the hill and whistled to get the bears attention...scaring the bear up the hill and away.<br />
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We waited back at our van, as a handful of cars followed the bear as it tried to cross. when the bear gave up and started to head back our way and towards the river we loaded up the van to give the students a chance at a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182851848&k=Dc8VF7r&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">drive by photo of a grizzly</a>. The can in front of us parked on the road, forcing us to stop too...darn ;)<br />
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After the drive by we decided to leave the bear alone and make our way back to the North. We stopped to check on the owls again, again with no luck. We didn't stop again until we got to Gardiner, as the clouds kept us from having a nice sunset. K-BAR was closed so we went to Outlaws for pizza before returning to Super 8 for a good nights sleep.<br />
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The next morning we were up early and made our way to Lamar, stopping only to shoot a few landscapes (again the sunrise was a bust due to clouds). At Pebble Creek we spent a while photographing a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182857058&k=xhKpcXR&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">mousing coyote</a>, but we turned around at Thunderer and headed back to Mammoth, then south to Norris, then West Yellowstone for lunch at Arby's. With the day being mostly a bust we decided to start towards home, we left the park and stayed left on the old river road to drive along the Park's boundary where we photographed <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182855517&k=dVWKSJQ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">pronghorn antelope</a> and realized that one of our vans had a flattening tire. It was the van I was driving, so the other van left for home while I changed the tire with the help from a few students (many hands make light/quick work).<br />
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As a reward for running late we ordered a few pizzas only to get a call back that the Livingston Pizza Hut was closed because their hot water heater was out. McDonald's was our only other real option, so fast food it was...then the long (slightly slower than usual) drive back to Billings.<br />
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The students had a good time and did plenty of learning, so I'll call the trip a success.<br />
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Make the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26228579_4fq23F#!i=2182843119&k=c7KxqLB" target="_blank">jump</a> to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks!<br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-8364986466238043312012-10-25T21:40:00.003-06:002012-10-29T15:27:14.573-06:00Yellowstone, September 15 & 16, 2012<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/YellowstoneSeptember15-16-2012/i-QK4n4S8/0/M/001231YNPMG8620-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dark Grizzly Bear" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/YellowstoneSeptember15-16-2012/i-QK4n4S8/0/M/001231YNPMG8620-M.jpg" title="Grizzly Bear" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">A grizzly bear looks around after napping for hours along the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley of Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of 0 at ISO200, f/7.1, and 1/400th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
<br />
Way back in September I took some students from my ART247 Nature Photography course to Yellowstone for the weekend. We left Billings at 5am and raced over the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173679556&k=VtgbfDP&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Beartooth Pass in time to shoot sunrise</a>, it was a crisp morning. The morning chill was fleeting and as we made our way into the park you could have told us it was July with the warm temperatures and crowds.<br />
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We made our way over Dunraven Pass and into Hayden Valley where we spent a few hours with the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173677729&k=QK4n4S8&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">darkest grizzly bear I have seen in ages</a>. From there we had an uneventful drive South along the Lake and up to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173680878&k=M5X35v5&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Old Fateful</a>, where I got to play tourist. After watching the eruption from the parking lot we decided to have lunch, go for a walk and wait for a second eruption. We made our way North towards Norris to watch the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173678795&k=zLTfKfP&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Cygnet Fire as it flared up</a> in the hot and dry conditions.<br />
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Sunset was spent in Mammoth with a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173693210&k=MfRbpzd&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bull elk</a> and then photographing the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173693603&k=3GtjCLk&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">incredibly dry Upper Terraces</a> (dryer than I have ever seen them). Pizza at our favorite spot...K-BAR, and then off to the Super 8 for a great nights sleep.<br />
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Up early and South towards Maddison, but we got distracted by the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173694054&k=BvLn7dW&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sun rising through thick smoke from the fire</a>. The Valley was warm and relatively void of elk, so we made our way to Firehole drive to try our hand with <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173694640&k=scvNZT6&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">photographing the falls</a> before the sunlight got into the Canyon. From there we made our way to <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173696522&k=8L6rqQ8&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Great Fountain Geyser</a> just in time for an eruption.<br />
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After that we made an uneventful trip back out of the park towards the Beartooth Pass, we only stopped to shoot some of the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173696716&k=3S2MCPC&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">falling leaves</a>. As we made our way up the Pass snow started to fill the sky, and atop the Pass we found an opening in the storm and made some <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/26147204_dWsJcj#!i=2173697992&k=Km5BmsH&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">landscapes of the fall foliage, snow and grand vistas from the "top of the world."</a><br />
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The students had a great time, and I take the rest of my students to the park this weekend, but the weather promises to be much cooler this weekend.<br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks!<br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-81586844259256820502012-06-18T23:10:00.000-06:002012-06-18T23:11:34.194-06:00May and Beyond...Sorry for the extended silence...May was a crazy month.<br />
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Here are galleries from some of my May trips to Yellowstone National Park:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/23150412_kzFkM4" target="_blank">May 08-15, 2012</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/23150429_6SgVF5" target="_blank">May 19 & 20, 2012</a></li>
</ul>
And here are galleries from some of my local climbing trips:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22447777_vJGCsC" target="_blank">Gregory Hills</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/23209964_3NmxHf" target="_blank">Phipps Park</a></li>
</ul>
I also spent some time in Chicago and photographed my little sisters wedding (no I do not shoot weddings, so don't ask).<br />
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Today I spent the day today on the Beartooth Pass and in Yellowstone with a friend and we had a great little day trip.<br />
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Tomorrow morning I am off to Alaska and the Canadian Rockies for the next couple of months. I plan to check in via <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ShumwayPhotography" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FragilePlaces" target="_blank">Twitter</a> daily (thanks <a href="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0qipYqE8Qvkok6sFUKepVRCRyqnXcyyxa" target="_blank">SPOT CONNECT</a>), and I will try to post photos online when I can (no promise as to how many or often).<br />
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p.s. I do have posts about photography in Yellowstone from April and May that should go live each week while I am gone...check that out on <a href="http://www.yellowstonepark.com/blogs/dave-m-shumway/" target="_blank">YellowstonePark.com</a>.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-9234122275016050542012-04-23T21:53:00.000-06:002012-04-23T21:53:01.165-06:00Yellowstone, April 21 & 22, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809878573&k=kCWqCzT&lb=1&s=A" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-April-21-22-2012/i-kCWqCzT/0/M/120421YNPD34463-M.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Canyon Pack Alpha Female, Wolf, drinks from the Gardiner River after snacking on an Elk carcass in the China Garden of Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO800, f/7.1, and 1/250th of a second. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Induro GHB2 gimbal head with a custom long lens support. <br />
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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Warmest opening weekend I have ever experienced, the snow is MIA, but the wildlife activity made up for it all. One friend said; "best opening weekend ever," and he might be right. I had multiple, prolonged, close encounters with wolves. I spent a few hours nearby a grizzly bear, and that was all in the first morning. <br />
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Friday night I drove down to the park, so I could get an early start to opening weekend in the park. After a great night sleeping out under the stars I was ready to see what I could find in the park. I expected to have to drive quite a ways South before the shooting would heat up, but I only made it to the China Garden before I had to stop and watch <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809884526&k=QBR6B79&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">an "unknown" grey wolf</a> feeding on a carcass well within 100m of the road. At first it was only myself and a friend to sit an enjoy the time with a wolf that near, but soon the crowds grew and the wolf moved about 100m up a hill looking down on us all. A <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809884056&k=9PWKvFZ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">bald eagle</a> also decided to give us a fly by at the same time. <br />
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I decided to head South and try my luck at finding a grizzly or two, but first I got to see the Canyon Pack head towards the unknown wolf and their hard earned meal. Lots of debate followed as to who the "unknown" wolf was...Limper, limper's son, the missing grey yearling, a member of the Eight Mile Pack, etc. I will say this...the wolf was older (had an old man's walk), he had a dark pack and looked very similar to Limper (one of my favorite wolves); if the wolf was Limper...great, but I would be easily convinced that it was a potential offspring of his from the Eight Mile Pack (from his many hiatuses from the Canyon pack). Later that day the Canyon Alpha female was seen following the "unknown" grey miles away from her pack and the carcass. <br />
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I drove South to find a group of photographers with a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809886317&k=WtTqzn8&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">grizzly around dynamite curve</a>; I spent the next few hours moving along with the bear. The photographic opportunities were not great, but it was a tolerant bear at close range...how could I not stay and click off some photos. <br />
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I decided to drive all the way to Old Faithful looking for bears, but I had no luck. Returning North I spent some time chatting with some friends about our plans for the evening I suggested; "we should head back and check on the Canyons then head out to Blacktail Lakes to see if anything has pulled that bison carcass out of the water." I did just that, while they went straight to Blacktail lakes. I was rewarded with the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809861477&k=CLRHCP6&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Canyon Alpha Female snacking on the carcass</a> then <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809877963&k=dVHNBT2&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">drinking from the Gardiner River</a> less than 50m from me, while they had a young wolf running around with a bone and some sandhill cranes come up and try to walk in their car (I'm not sure who won ;)<br />
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As the Alpha Female left the photographers around me commented; "my heart is racing," others said; "that was a once in a lifetime experience." I was reminded that I am extremely spoiled in that my heart was beating like normal and I had witnessed very similar events multiple times before. I mentioned that what we had encountered was something that happened a few times each year for the last few years...little did I know that less than 12 hours later I would be photographing it again. <br />
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I followed the Alpha Female a short while later only to catch her after she crossed the road to make her way back to the South again, the same area that others had seen and heard her pack in around the same time. I got a few shots as she <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809887160&k=HDvvtV9&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">walked along a ridge in the late afternoon light</a>, but the conditions were producing heavy atmospheric distortion. <br />
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I headed out to where I was spending the night and planing on setting a camera for an attempt at shooting the nights meteor showers. I love to sleep out under the stars, open bivy, and it was another great night for that. Around midnight I awoke to start shooting the meteor shower, but a haze quickly rolled in and killed any hope I had of capturing the showers. Had I gone somewhere else I might have been able to see and photograph the showers, but I settled for a good nights sleep under the stars. <br />
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In the morning I told myself that there was no way that I would be lucky enough to find a wolf in the China Garden again, and I was right...I found five of the Canyon Wolves in the China Garden. With clear sky the dawn was bright enough that when pared with my Canon 5D III's great quality at high ISO I was able to photograph the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809891382&k=BpqgbSB&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Canyon Alpha Female eating and drinking again</a> (two days in a row). The pack then let out a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809895011&k=FWXSnMs&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">good morning howl</a>, celebrated the new morning with <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809896003&k=DxqJWDr&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">hugs and kisses for all</a> and began heading up and away from the crowd of photographers. <br />
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Before sunrise I had already gotten enough shots to keep me happy for a day, but I was greedy, so I headed South to see if I could find that grizzly again. I searched for about an hour, but decided that I should get some miles on my feet. During my search I stopped to snap a few shots of the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22604269_QrsRc4#!i=1809896276&k=vT78qRH&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">sun rising over Roaring Mountain with the trees casting shadows in the steam</a>. <br />
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I headed up above tower (emphasis on above) and ended up with over a dozen miles under my feet, lots of bird sightings, a few nest locations, and a very near encounter with a feeding cinnamon black bear, but no photos. I should explain the "near" and "no photos" with the bear. I was hiking back (not on a "people" trail) and as the game trail turned to go down hill I found the bear about 10m below me heading up the same game trail. I got to see the bear before he realized I was there, so as I stepped off the trail, removed my bear spray, and got my camera out of the way he spooked and ran off the other way...exactly what I wanted to happen. The velcro on my bear spray and a stick cracking was just enough to startle the young black bear. I took a different trail back towards my car and I am sure he had a lovely evening :)<br />
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I made a few stops to check around the park and on my way out I spotted a distant cinnamon black bear on the opposite side of a valley, but I decided that I would continue on towards home. <br />
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It was a really good trip in terms of photographs made, miles hiked, conversations had and weather enjoyed. <br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shooting<br />
<br />
p.s. somehow my 7D was set an hour behind my 5DII and 5DIII, so some of the images are out of order...sorry.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-51268945348472943222012-04-20T15:34:00.000-06:002012-04-20T15:34:02.086-06:00Rock Climbing, April 14, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Adventure/Climbing/Rock-Climbing-the-Rims-2012/i-DtFLSJ3/1/M/120414RockClimbingD33277-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Adventure/Climbing/Rock-Climbing-the-Rims-2012/i-DtFLSJ3/1/M/120414RockClimbingD33277-M.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Daniel Lombardi leading "Prime Rib" (5.9) on the North Rims of Billings, Montana. Captured with a Canon 5DIII and 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/500th of a second. The camera was handheld. <br />
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22447777_vJGCsC" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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My students needed to line up a photo shoot of some rock climbers, and I tagged along to oversee, help and to have some fun. The group headed to Gregory Hills to shoot a few different routes ranging from 5.4-5.11a. As always if I am there with a camera I am going to snap a few shots...that is what I have online. I also brought the GoPro and captured some footage. <br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy climbing and shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-16699842218973806572012-04-11T12:49:00.000-06:002012-04-11T12:49:03.016-06:00Yellowstone, March 30 - April 1, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-Mar-30--Apr-1-2012/i-JhzQC6r/0/S/120331YNPMG2392-S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-Mar-30--Apr-1-2012/i-JhzQC6r/0/S/120331YNPMG2392-S.jpg" /></a></div>A grizzly wonders along a hillside near Silver Gate, Montana. Captured with a Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/500th of a second. The camera was resting on a beanbag.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn" target="_blank">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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Spring has sprung...or it's trying to at least. The bears are out, wolves are still running around and things are greening up. After a crazy month of March I had only two days remaining to make a trip to Yellowstone. <br />
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Friday was pretty much a bust, but it was a great day to get in some hiking and camping. Saturday brought with it nice soft light and after some searching and plenty of miles hiked I happened upon a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783009120&k=JhzQC6r&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">grizzly bear just outside of the park near Silver Gate, MT</a>. I spent much of the afternoon playing with my new 5D III and a very cooperative grizzly bear, I left before the bear did. It was then time for a nap, I awoke from my nap to clouds racing overhead...it was beautiful, I should have shot a timelapse of it, but I decided that I could be the only one to enjoy it (sorry). <br />
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As I returned to camp I came across a gentleman who was watching a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783015400&k=zXWXjzD&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">fox nestled into the rocks</a>. He did not find the fox, but the foxes finder had given up watching. I spent the rest of the daylight with the fox as it napped, stretched, yawned and then repeated the process. The scene was interesting and the weather was beautiful, so I was happy to sit and watch for the entire remainder of the day. <br />
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After a great night sleep I was off for another day to see what I could find to photograph in the Park. I stopped at the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783018272&k=395KBdr&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Lamar Canyon great horned owls nest</a> to snap a photo for the record. The nest is so far away and inaccessible, so I am okay encouraging people to bring their spotting scope and watching from across the canyon :)<br />
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I decided to hike up above Tower Falls again to see if I could find a bear or two, but had no luck. Making my way out to check on the Silver Gate Grizzly the wolf wathcers had some dots way to the South...I decided to move on. No luck in Silver Gate, so I made my way back through Lamar Valley and through to Specimen Ridge where a couple had just heard some howling to the North while others had seen three wolves to the South. <br />
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I picked a spot and started to wait and watch. The usual wolf crowds built up to the East and West of me, but I was left alone. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783018451&k=FQh4jq8&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">All of the sudden a grey wolf made its way about 50m away from me</a> he ran at first then slowed to a walk as he crossed the road and made his way up the hill to the South...now other cars came racing down to the pullout I was in. About that time <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783019504&k=hDf3zH6&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">wolf 471F</a> (or so I was told later) came out on a ridge about 100m away from me and started howling. She spent the next 10-15 minutes pacing and howling, part of me is convinced that she would have crossed had I not been joined by others, and had a few people not decided to park on the road. There was nothing I could do about it, so I kept shooting the beautiful collared wolf as she howled. After a while she made her way to the West where she crossed the road just out of site from the masses. <br />
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I decided to hike up to Tower Falls again, still no luck with bears, but I did find a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783020583&k=p4gdL9J&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">ruffed grouse foraging in the grass</a>. After spending some time with the grouse I decided it was time to head back to Billings after a quick final lap through the park. Things were slow so I started my drive back to Billings, but with <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22314935_Jzxfcn#!i=1783018262&k=S6dSrrk&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">my new truck</a> I decided to take the old Yellowstone trail all the way back to Tom Miner Road...first time and it was a blast. <br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-62018020338099500552012-04-09T21:25:00.001-06:002013-02-28T09:04:04.565-07:00Pictograph (Petroglyph) Canyon, March 23-25, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-p759PW9/1/M/120324PictographD31196-S.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/i-p759PW9/1/M/120324PictographD31196-S.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Stars trail through the night sky above an unnamed slot side canyon off of Pictograph (Petroglyph) Canyon on the Montana and Wyoming boarder. Captured with a Canon 5D III and 17-40/4.0L in bulb mode at ISO100, f/7.1, and 7,254 seconds. The camera was mounted on a Gitzo 3540XLS and Arca-Swiss Z1sp ball head, a Calumet Pro Series Intervalometer.<br />
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Two students accompanied me on a trip to Pictograph (Petroglyph) Canyon, a remote canyon located down a poor two track road. We had attempted this trip once before, but uncooperative weather forced us to make a second trip. The weather was significantly dryer and warmer this go around and the sky was clear enough to see and photograph the stars each night. <br />
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We lugged seven tripods, a six foot motorized timelapse dolly and roughly one hundred pounds of other camera and lighting gear in and out of the canyon multiple times, so that we could capture the beautiful scenes that we found before us. With the remote location of the canyon we chose to camp on the rim of the canyon, the better weather made for a significantly more pleasant camping experience for the students. <br />
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The fun toy for tis trip was my brand new 5DIII, I literally <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22108340_SS7CqG#!i=1764620393&k=TDpsnmQ&lb=1&s=A">unboxed it moments before leaving for the trip</a>. Oh I also had just picked up my <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22108340_SS7CqG#!i=1764651923&k=Z8VpmNx&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">new Ford F150</a>. My main goal for the trip was to test out the internal HDR functions of the 5DIII as well as to take the opportunity to test out the new camera on some long exposures. <br />
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The internal HDR of the Canon 5DIII paired with my 6' Dynamic Perception Timelapse Dolly all but forced me to test out a +-3 stop HDR sunset timelapse in the canyon. The attempt showed that the internal HDR is good, but not perfect...<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22108340_SS7CqG#!i=1764766871&k=RV2fDCZ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">take a look</a>, the issues are very evident. I also placed a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/22108340_SS7CqG#!i=1767892719&k=9sCkX77&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">GoPro timelapse of the shooting process</a> online, so you can watch that too. <br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
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p.s. I'll be sure to share the video if/when it is all finished.<br />
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p.p.s. The old BLM map I have calls the canyon "Pictograph Canyon" although it is filled with petroglyphs.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-82996349051986447362012-04-08T21:55:00.000-06:002012-04-11T12:51:28.072-06:00Ice Climbing, March 17, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Adventure/Climbing/Ice-Climbing-Rock-Creek-Falls/i-R26fTnD/0/M/120317IceClimbingMG1875-M.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="450" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Adventure/Climbing/Ice-Climbing-Rock-Creek-Falls/i-R26fTnD/0/M/120317IceClimbingMG1875-M.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Axel celebrates a successful climb atop Rock Creek Falls in the Beartooth Mountains, outside of Red Lodge, Montana. Captured with a Canon 7D and 70-200/2.8L IS II + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 5/3 at ISO400, f/5.6, and 1/200th of a second. The camera was handheld. <br />
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Work sent me on an ice climbing trip to Rock Creek Falls in the Beartooth Mountains, outside of Red Lodge, Montana. They sent me to photograph a student, climber, for an upcoming magazine feature...I really do have a great life/job. <br />
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For photographers the problem with photographing climbing trips is that you have to both climb and shoot...that means that you are carrying both climbing gear and all of your needed gear to shoot the climb. I chose to suffer under a heavy load to bring with me the gear to shoot both portraits and the action of climbing. If my 5DIII had come in at the time I might have decided to pack a little lighter, and thus the approach and climb would have been much easier. I ended up using everything from 17mm on a 5DII to a 400mm on a 7D. <br />
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Having more experience than many of the student climbers let me haul a heavy load around with more ease than the student climbers who were carrying little to no gear, some of the leaders had heavy loads too, and the approach killed them :)<br />
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I hope to tag along next year with the ability to shoot, for the sake of shooting, rather than shooting with a specific feature in mind...next year. <br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-53410681269397830022012-03-21T22:59:00.000-06:002013-02-28T09:01:58.146-07:00Pictograph (petroglyph) Canyon, Feb. 29 - March 2, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/BillingsArea/Pictograph-Canyon-02-29--03-12/i-LGw26q9/0/M/120302PictographCanyonMG8431-M.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="450" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/BillingsArea/Pictograph-Canyon-02-29--03-12/i-LGw26q9/0/M/120302PictographCanyonMG8431-M.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
Captured with a Canon 5D II and 17-40/4.0L in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1/3 at ISO200, f/13, and 1/80 of a second. The camera was handheld.<br />
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Three students accompanied me to Pictograph (petroglyph) Canyon, a remote canyon located on BLM land that requires visitors to drive in on very poor roads. We planned to spend three days shooting timelapse footage in and around the canyon, unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with our plans. I had a special lens sent in to help us get the shots we envisioned, and I only used it to take one photograph. We lugged seven tripods, a six foot motorized timelapse dolly and roughly one hundred pounds of other camera and lighting gear in and out of the canyon multiple times each day, as we were dancing with the weather.<br />
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With the remote location of the canyon we were forced to camp on the rim of the canyon; winter camping is nothing new for me, but none of the students had ever been winter camping. (They were all Montana boys...I guess we found out that Chicago boys are more "hard core")<br />
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I have edited very little of the video and timelapse footage that I shot on the trip, but I am pleased with the still photographs that I captured and have online. We intended to shoot no stills, but when unforecasted clouds and snow filled most of the three days we switched over to stills, so we would not come home empty handed. The moral of the story is...when mother nature does not cooperate, just keep shooting, and start planning your next trip.<br />
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Speaking on planning our next trip...three of us will be heading back to the canyon this weekend, assuming the weather and roads allow.<br />
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Make the jump to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images.<br />
<br />
p.s. I'll be sure to share the video if/when it is finished.<br />
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p.p.s. The old BLM map I have calls the canyon "Pictograph Canyon" although it is filled with petroglyphs.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-72118160396458943192012-03-06T10:47:00.000-07:002012-04-11T12:52:22.434-06:00Yellowstone, February 26-28, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-February-26-28-12/i-GN2kJCC/0/S/120227YNPMG7620-S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="225" width="400" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-February-26-28-12/i-GN2kJCC/0/S/120227YNPMG7620-S.jpg" /></a></div>Light plays across drifting snow above the Blacktail Lakes in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D II and 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 1/3 at ISO200, f/11, and 1/640th of a second. The camera was handheld. <br />
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On my way to the park clouds were heavy, but <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738189889&k=kDLXKZq&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">small beams of light were breaking through and illuminating the snow covered peaks</a> to the North of Yellowstone National Park. I had to stop and shoot for a while, even if I got strange looks from everyone driving past. The drive in to/through the park was uneventful, so when I got to the far end of the park I decided that it was time for a midday ski trip. I decided that I should cruse along the water and try to take <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738194608&k=3zn8dQJ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">some photos of the ice/rock/snow/water</a>. The snow pack this year is incredibly dangerous, so anywhere that there is some steep terrain you need to really check out for avalanche danger. I kicked off a few cornices that brought down slides with them, always intentionally, and always to clear it for the trail that I wanted to continue on, safely. <br />
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The clouds continued to play around the sky and as the light broke through to the right scene it was incredible. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738191658&k=HJHx9Zq&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Levels of dark and light on snow covered mountains and tree</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738201776&k=rGmcfJ7&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">The park was full of Coyotes, but only a few of them really wanted to pose</a>. <br />
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The recent snow fall and strong winds made some great scenes and I had no choice but to take my camera in hand and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738205017&k=s28qTVf&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">play with the light on perfectly clean slate</a>. <br />
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The next morning I made it to Lamar in time to wait for the "Wolf Project" to reopen the road so we could see the the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738211720&k=hrCzDPT&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">Lamar Canyon Pack celebrate sunrise on a snowy morning</a>. As the pack made their way up the hill, away from us, I decided to head back the other way where the Blacktail Pack had just crossed the road, leaving a five year old male behind. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738212031&k=KB5XZTJ&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">The lone black male started to howl at the rest of his family as snow continued to fall</a>. <br />
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When the crowds (about 15 people) showed up I decided to head to a place where I had seen a few Bighorn Rams the day before. I found <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738213419&k=f5xWRM5&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">the largest ram resting well above the river</a>. We spent a half hour relaxing shaded from the snow and wind, until a group of Bison moved through scaring him a bit. <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738217551&k=6WmJF2p&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">He decided it was time to graze and I went back to taking pictures as he fed above the Yellowstone River</a>. <br />
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I got a call from my students who decided that we should head out on our time-lapse trip a day early, so I needed to start my drive home. On my way out of the park I stopped to photograph <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7#!i=1738212711&k=kN6Xzm6&lb=1&s=A" target="_blank">a Coyote</a> who was darting back and forth before across the road, directly in front of cars. <br />
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The next day I was off to Pictograph Canyon for a time-lapse project with three students, and while I was there I learned that the Canyon Pack made a kill right in Gardiner Canyon (as I had predicted the day before). <br />
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Make the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21802066_k7Xvx7" target="_blank">jump</a> to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images. <br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-451435826372773272012-03-04T16:28:00.001-07:002012-03-04T18:53:49.424-07:00Yellowstone, January 14-17, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700359341&k=Mcfvh9X&lb=1&s=A" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-January-14-16-2012/i-Mcfvh9X/0/S/120115YNPMG4738-S.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The half moon sets over Barronette Peak el. 10354 feet (3156 m) on a clear morning in Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon 5D II and 70-200/2.8L IS II in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of 0 at ISO200, f/7.1, and 1/1000th of a second. The camera was handheld.<br />
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With a friend from Chicago in Montana for a visit we had to meet up and spend some time shooting in Yellowstone National Park. Lunar conditions were not perfect for a trip, but we had nice weather, good food and great company. <br />
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I was fortunate enough to be the third car on a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700349631&k=kfCzPRL&lb=1&s=A">golden eagle that killed a goldeneye duck</a>, as soon as that was finished I made my way to a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700358410&k=x2xJjBT&lb=1&s=A">bighorn ram on the cliffside above confluence</a>. Those were the highlights of day one, other than a <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700357922&k=BqTmfdD&lb=1&s=A">beautiful sunset that I photographed from above Blacktail lakes</a>. <br />
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The next morning <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700358587&k=THMwz8P&lb=1&s=A">sunrise was less than incredible</a> and things were slow in the valley, so I decided to drive East and photograph the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700358869&k=fBQFrcp&lb=1&s=A">mountains with snow on them and pure blue sky behind</a>. I was also hopeful that I could line the moon up for a shot or two as it was getting ready to set. Beyond that, striking out with the Lamar Canyon Pack and <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700360012&k=nXC9MFg&lb=1&s=A">a quick fly by of a golden eagle at sunset</a> the day was quite slow. <br />
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Oh, but wait the day is never over just because as the sun sets clouds come racing in. I decided to stay a bit longer and my friends joined me, they foolishly thought that I might know something that they didn't. At the last possible second a little bit of <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700359277&k=mgdD6XB&lb=1&s=A">the setting sunlight broke through the clouds and painted a warm glow on the clouds and mountains to the East</a>...it was more beautiful than my photographs do justice. The best part...as we were getting back into the cars a wolf howled. <br />
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Well you know me, I was going to find the wolf and get a something to share with all of you. It ended up that well after the sun had set I was able to get a few shots of <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700360202&k=kwjvzP3&lb=1&s=A">a member of the Lamar Canyon Wolf Pack sitting atop a ridge in the Lamar Valley</a>. To make the shot I had to shoot in a way that breaks many of the rules of photography I took my Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 7/3 at ISO1600, f/4.0, and 1/25th of a second. The camera was only resting on a beanbag, so I laid into a long bust at 1/25 of a second and managed a few sharp images. It was dark enough that my 5D II was not able to focus, so I used the 7D and felt with noise at ISO1600. <br />
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My friends were afraid to shoot at a high ISO and/or slow shutter speed, so they did not take any photos. Man were they ticked off when I showed them what I got as we enjoyed some great pizza at K-Bar. The moral of the story is it is never over until it is over, and always try to get a shot. <br />
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The next morning brought <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700360342&k=ppcv3tx&lb=1&s=A">plenty of snow</a>, but not much to photograph. As the clouds cleared and the sun came out, <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700362681&k=zKN3q2w&lb=1&s=A">even the coyotes stopped to take notice</a>. <br />
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The Lamar Canon Wolf Pack took advantage of the snow storm and made a kill along the Lamar River, but they were chased off of the kill by a few tourists who decided to walk down to the carcass. A few hours later the pack was <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700362753&k=SBXTSG6&lb=1&s=A">ready to move back to their dinner</a>. The leader of the "Wolf Project" decided to close the road and send folks back to their cars (those of us who listened) then after waiting a little more the wolves crossed the road to have dinner. Even with the road "closed" <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700363089&k=V3wPmgG&lb=1&s=A">a few cars decided to drive on, and they got a great view of the entire pack crossing the road right next to them</a>. <br />
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A good sized group of us made our way to an overlook and watched them <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH#!i=1700363292&k=jBrfWgn&lb=1&s=A">enjoy their dinner</a>. It was a long ways to the carcass, so most of us photographers were really just waiting and hoping that we could catch the wolves crossing the road again after dinner, but they decided to head off to the south and away from all of us after dinner. <br />
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I was set to head home, but after a night filled with okay food and great conversations I decided I should spend the night and head home in the morning. <br />
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I made a quick loop into the park, but I needed to get back home to teach, so the drive home began before capturing any keepers. <br />
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Make the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/21347951_t9KJkH">jump</a> to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images. <br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-28106524395795456692012-03-04T15:20:00.001-07:002012-03-04T15:20:47.095-07:00Yellowstone, January 7 & 8, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20954682_gQpgz6#!i=1664744117&k=nGcx4XJ&lb=1&s=A" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="225" width="400" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-January-7-8--2012/i-nGcx4XJ/0/S/120107YNPMG5883-S.jpg" /></a></div>Two black wolves, members of the Mollies Pack, move through the Lamar Canyon on the frozen Lamar River in Yellowstone National Park. The pair was rejoining their siblings after a day of dancing around the Blacktail Pack. Captured with a Canon 7D and 500/4.0L IS in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of + 2 at ISO400, f/4.0, and 1/640th of a second. The camera was handheld.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20954682_gQpgz6">PHOTOS ONLINE</a><br />
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After three weeks in Chicago I needed to return to Yellowstone, add in a full moon and there was little that could keep me from making a trip to parkadise. It turned out that things were incredibly slow in the park, but I did end up with two good Wolf encounters. <br />
<br />
The first encounter was two black members of the Mollies Pack run directly below me along the Lamar River in the Lamar Canyon. The second was a Gray member of the Lamar Canyon Pack chasing a cow Elk near the road in the Lamar Valley. Beyond those encounters and a few shots of the moonrise/sunset I took virtually no other photographs. <br />
<br />
The winter has not been much of a winter to this point, and the park is low on snow...great for many of the parks animals, but not for photographers and the predators. <br />
<br />
Make the <a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20954682_gQpgz6">jump</a> to go through the online gallery, I ask that you leave comments/criticism or at least give your favorites a thumbs up...Thanks! <br />
<br />
If you have questions, ask. I published the camera information with each image and have added full keywords to share just about anything you would want to know about the images. <br />
<br />
Happy shootingDave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-46981365053175958172012-03-03T10:43:00.000-07:002012-03-04T15:28:10.433-07:00Canon 5D Mark IIICanon has a new full frame camera and it seems like a great cross between the 7D, 5D II and 1Dx.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/yourspace/newsletter/newsletter_march_1_12.do" target="_blank">Canon Professional Network has some great info about the new camera.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/03/02/Canon-5D-Mark-III" target="_blank">DP Review, as always, has some great information too.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-11675-12364" target="_blank">As does Rob Galbraith, but it is more of the same.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/" target="_blank">Canon Rumors did a good job of keeping us all informed before the camera was official too. </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2012/5d3_hd_video_features.shtml?categoryId=12" target="_blank">For those that wanted a new video camera with "pro" video features...this article does a good job expelling what you got instead. </a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
I am excited for this camera and have one, with a grip on order...I can hardly wait for the end of March.<br />
<br />
There seems to be a lot of disappointment out there with this camera though. I might be missing something, but what did we all want the 1Ds replacement to be? The 5DII was really just a 1DsIII light and when the 1Dx said it was the "New Flagship" that meant that the 1DsIII needed to be replaced.<br />
<br />
My list for the 1DsIII replacement was:<br />
<ul>
<li>Drop the weight...check</li>
<li>Get better AF...(assumably) check</li>
<li>Get more AF coverage...check</li>
<li>Get better/more high ISO shooting...check</li>
<li>Get to 6+ fps...check</li>
<li>Get to 6,000pix on the long end, but not much more...(close - 5760 x 3840)</li>
<li>Shoot 1080P with usable features to replace tradition cameras...check (real audio/exposure control and legitimate timecode/monitoring)</li>
<li>Get internal HDR and Timelapse...we got the HDR half of it</li>
<li>Get a real GPS option...check (I have experienced the poor reception and battery life of built in versions)</li>
<li>Get a better screen...check</li>
<li>Dual multi-selectors...check (if you add the grip)</li>
<li>Keep dual cards (After the D3x-1Dx I wanted it to stay CF and SD)...check</li>
<li>Keep a good/consistent Battery...check (same as my 5DII and 7Ds)</li>
</ul>
It took almost 5 years, but we went from the 1DsIII <u>TO</u> 5D III:<br />
<ul>
<li>5616 x 3744 <u>TO</u> 5760 x 3840 (I really did want to match the D3x at 6048 x 4032, but not much more)</li>
<li>100 - 1600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 3200 <u>TO</u> Auto, 100 - 25600 in 1/3 stops, plus 50, 51200, 102400</li>
<li>Less than perfect 45p AF <u>TO</u> 61p AF (with spot AF :)</li>
<li>230,000 screen dots <u>TO</u> 1,040,000</li>
<li>5 fps <u>TO</u> 6 fps (the 1DsII was only 4fps and the 1Ds was only 3fps)</li>
<li>Exposure compensation of ±3 EV <u>TO</u> ±5 EV</li>
</ul>
I used the 1DsII then the 1DsIII, sold mine and have been waiting for the next sense the 5DII proved to be close for landscapes and the occasional portrait. I did want to hit 6,000 pix, but if 5,760 is going to give me better quality it is close enough. I would have happily taken 7-8fps, but I wanted at least 6fps and I would not give up resolution to have more speed. I did want internal time-lapse shooting, but that is a firmware thing that could be added easily. It looks like I got everything else that I wanted/needed.<br />
<br />
I have a 5D III and grip on order, and will use it heavily. It is almost exactly what I have wanted for big mile days when I take only one camera and should be a slight improvement for my landscape photography (over the 1DsIII and 5DII, but they did not need much improvement).<br />
<br />
I am sure Canon will eventually deliver a 30-50MP, slow, camera for those of you who want that, but I don't think that I would have bought the camera if it could only shoot 4fps in full quality 14-bit RAW, even at 50MP. When I need insane file size for landscapes I use my T/S lens' like a large format camera. I don't think I have ever had a client as for more resolution, ever. I also don't believe current lenses and diffraction limits of optics will make folks happy when they shoot a 45MP camera much past f/8.<br />
<br />
For those that wanted "serious" video features, that is the C300 and whatever else they bring out below it in that line. I don't need to produce music videos, TV shows, feature films or even commercials. I am just looking for a high quality way to record footage while I am in the field to shoot stills.<br />
<br />
I am happy with what Canon made for us who choose to purchase one, and I hope that those of you who are not happy will soon get a camera that will do what you need in the field.<br />
<br />
Happy analyzing, but really you should get out and do some shooting ;)Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com01447-1575 Poly Dr, Billings, Mt 59102, USA45.795656188176451 -108.5548782348632845.784585688176449 -108.57461923486328 45.806726688176454 -108.53513723486329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-14398366769359701062012-02-22T15:00:00.001-07:002012-03-14T14:00:38.857-06:0030 Days of Bikram Hot YogaWhen a <a href="http://bikramyogabillings.com/" target="_blank">new hot yoga studio opened in Billings</a>, and I found out about it, I had to give it a try. I am not one to try something half way: if I am going to try, I am going to give 100 percent. I decided that I would try 30 days of 30 classes, but that meant that I needed to find 30 days with as few trips as possible, so that I could actually make it to a 90-minute class each day.<br />
<br />
Most of you know that over the past few years I have begun to eat much healthier than the average American; I make my own juice for one or two meals each day, I typically have gluten at only one or two meals each week (one of them is always PIZZA), and I stick to organic foods as much as possible. Most of you also know that I am a pretty active person.<br />
<br />
In March of 2010, I weighed just over 180lbs, but that is old news. I cut my weight down to 155lbs by eating right and riding plenty of miles on my bike, but I always fall short of my healthy ideals when I visit "home," Chicago, for Christmas. I returned to Montana around 160lbs with a resting heart rate into the 60's and a 96-97% SpO2, not that great. After 30 days of Bikram Hot Yoga, I cut my weight down to 152lbs, my resting heart rate is back to 52 b/m and my SpO2 is back at 99-100%. Those results are great, but I did not do Bikram to get in shape. Actually, I spent much less time skiing, hiking and cycling while on my 30 day challenge, that I got more fit was a great side benefit.<br />
<br />
I did keep up with my traditional yoga practice during the 30 day challenge, and I am glad that I did. <br />
<br />
Bikram has a 90 minute class in a room of, at least, 105° and 40% humidity. I cheated a number of times and monitored the temperature myself and all of the readings came back between 108° and 113° -- THAT IS HOT FOR ME. The classes do not change, the narrative is the same each class and the same 26 postures are repeated with virtually no variation between classes. Below is the list of postures and breathing exercises, I have listed the posture as well as my own progression in the posture over the 30 days:<br />
<ul>
<li>Pranayama Series ~ Standing Deep Breathing…I found deep breathing in the room was challenging at first, but after a few classes I was used to the heat and humidity.</li>
<li>Ardha-Chandrasana ~ Half Moon Pose…This is a pose that I have never been overly strong in, and I still won't claim to be good at it, but now I find it easy to breath in the posture.</li>
<li>Pada-Hastasana ~ Hands To Feet Pose…I can't touch my toes, but after about 10 classes I found that I could really work deep into this posture and I can lock my face to my legs :)</li>
<li>Utkatasana ~ Awkward Pose…Okay, I am a skier, so I work this pose often and because of that I had little issue with this posture at all, but my second part of the posture looks great now (or I think so ;)</li>
<li>Garurasana ~ Eagle Pose…I have a solid Eagle pose, on the right side, but the left side still hangs up a bit on the left. (only because I seem to lose my balance when tucking my left leg behind the right)</li>
<li>Dandayamana-Janushirasana ~ Standing Head to Knee Pose…Tightest hamstrings in the world, but I found my standing leg strength improved as did my balance and concentration during the 30 days.</li>
<li>Dandayamana-Dhanurasana ~ Standing Bow Pulling Pose…This pose can be slacked on, but I charge into it, and therefore find it hard to "charge" and balance, but I keep getting better.</li>
<li>Tuladandasana ~ Balancing Stick…This is a pose that, in my head, I thought would be much harder than it is. After a few days I found that I could balance well, stretch both ways and make my body a "T."</li>
<li>Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Paschimotthanasana ~ Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose…Yet again, tightest hamstrings in the world, but around day 20, I could touch my toes, and each day I can get deeper into the posture.</li>
<li>Trikanasana ~ Triangle Pose…I thought I had a good Triangle pose, until I was forced to not use my mat, and with extremely sweaty feet. The first 10-15 days I struggled with Triangle, but with time I found that I could work hard enough to bring back a good pose, and Bikram says we should be able to to that on ice.</li>
<li>Dandayamana-Bibhaktapada-Janushirasana ~ Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose…Yet again tightest hamstrings in the world, but every few days I noticed my knees being bent less and less.</li>
<li>Tadasana ~ Tree Pose…I have been told that I have a perfect tree pose, I don't believe it, but I do have a very nice tree pose and I don't think that my tree pose changed much during the 30 days.</li>
<li>Padangustasana ~ Toe Stand Pose…Like tree pose, my open hips allow me to find success in this pose relatively easily, if my balance is on :)</li>
<li>Savasana ~ Corpse Pose…I found that after about 15 days I was able to truly relax during this first Savasana as I was in good enough shape to not have a racing heart for the two minute break, but the first few days I was desperately in need of the rest :)</li>
<li>Pavanamuktasana ~ Wind Removing Pose…Like tree pose, my open hips allow me to find success in this pose relatively easily.</li>
<li>Bhujangasana ~ Cobra Pose…For a man, my back is relatively loose, and I have always found Cobra pose to be easy.</li>
<li>Salabhasana ~ Locust Pose…Oh my elbows. Over the 30 days I found that I could get deep into Locust pose and that my elbows are starting to accept to pose.</li>
<li>Poorna-Salabhasana ~ Full Locust Pose…For a man my back is relatively flexible and strong, and I have always found Full Locust pose to be easy, but I found that I could get deeper into the pose than ever before.</li>
<li>Dhanurasana ~ Bow Pose…For a man my back is relatively flexible and strong, and I have always found Full Locust pose to be "easy," but I found that I could get deeper into the pose than ever before.</li>
<li>Supta-Vajrasana ~ Fixed Firm Pose…Guess what, after 25 days I found out that I can make it all the way back, but my knees are not completely together (yet).</li>
<li>Ardha-Kurmasana ~ Half Tortoise Pose…Another classic that I have found quite easy all along.</li>
<li>Ustrasana ~ Camel Pose…This is a pose that somedays your body loves, and others a flood of feelings overtakes you, and other than more stamina in the "hot room" I found little change.</li>
<li>Sasangasana ~ Rabbit Pose…This is a pose that I still feel I am doing wrong, even after asking about it in the posture clinic, but maybe it is just say for my body and I am trying to over think it.</li>
<li>Janushirasana ~ Head to Knee Pose…Yet again tightest hamstrings in the world, but every few days I noticed my knees being bent less and less.</li>
<li>Paschimotthanasana ~ Stretching Pose…Yet again tightest hamstrings in the world, but every few days I noticed my knees being bent less and less.</li>
<li>Ardha-Matsyendrasana ~ Spine Twisting Pose…This is a pose that I have noticed many do wrong, but I have been doing this pose for about 10 years, and find it incredibly powerful, thus I noticed little change in this pose over the 30 days.</li>
<li>Kapalbhati in Vajrasana ~ Blowing in Firm Pose…After 30 days, this is a breeze ;) (pun intended)</li>
</ul>
Bikram Yoga, like all other variations of Hatha Yoga that I have experienced, leaves you feeling more energized than when you began. When you add in that a typical person in a typical class will burn between 500-1000 calories it make for a great way to shed the pounds while you strengthen and detoxify your body.<br />
<br />
If you are thinking about trying a 30 day juice fast, consider a thirty day Bikram challenge at the same time. If you are looking to loose weight, reduce stress, improve balance, improve stamina, improve mental clarity, improve focus, improve strength…the list really goes on and on...give Bikram Yoga a try.<br />
<br />
What might be the best part of a 30 day challenge is that you, to be successful, must schedule and prioritize those 90 minutes each day to step on the mat. When you finish your thirty days I believe that you will have created two hours each day that you can make about you, your body and your health. I, being young and single, have few "responsibilities," so I might not "understand" the pressures of being a parent or spouse, but I do understand the need of our body to find time to care for itself, and I believe that making the time for yoga can make a huge impact on your life.<br />
<br />
My future plans...I would love to be able to continue to practice Bikram Yoga regularly, but as I spend around 120 days each year away from home it is not possible to practice continually. It looks like I will do a few 30 day challenges each year, and continue my current traditional yoga practice with plenty of cycling, hiking and climbing mixed in. Maybe it is my frugality, but I can't see spending $130/month to only be able to attend class half of the days. (Most of you know that I am gone most of May, all of June, all of July, half of August, half of November, most of December, and a mixture of other "short" trips the other six months of the year)<br />
<br />
Lastly I want to say on a big THANKS to Lea and Julie who are great people and ever encouraging instructors of Bikram Yoga. I suggest that anyone, regardless of age/shape/health, give Bikram Yoga a try at a studio near you; if you are in Billings go spend some time at <a href="http://bikramyogabillings.com/" target="_blank">Bikram Yoga Billings</a>.<br />
<br />
Namaste<br />
<br />
p.s. Remember you can hurt yourself practicing yoga...go at your own pace, listen to your body and leave your ego at the door.<br />
<br />
p.p.s. For those that don't know me...I have a very bad case of tall straight white guy syndrome (TSWGS), so when I use words like "open," "easy," and "deeper" that is within the range of a normal guy who suffers from TSWGS.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-5572083245787437642012-02-18T21:29:00.004-07:002013-09-13T18:05:47.521-06:00Climbing...This is the ever updating list of my current climbing gear:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/climbingapproach/tc-pro" target="_blank">La Sportiva - TC PRO</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.scarpa.com/scarpa/products/CLIMBING/CLIMBING-ROCK_CLIMBING/p_70023-001.2" target="_blank">Scarpa - Veloce</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-cragmaster-approach-shoe?p=78512-0-123" target="_blank">Patagonia - Men's Cragmaster</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Climbing_Gear/C50p#" target="_blank">Arc'teryx - C50p chalk bag</a> [3.3oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.arcteryx.com/product.aspx?language=EN&gender=Mens&category=Climbing_Gear&model=C80-Chalk-Bag" target="_blank">Arc'teryx - C80p chalk bag</a> [3.6oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/super_chalk.html" target="_blank">Metolius - Super Chalk</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bisondesigns.com/Chalk/Competition%20Chalk-1lb%20Bulk%20Container" target="_blank">Bison Designs - Competition Chalk</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Climbing_Gear/R-320a#" target="_blank">Arc'teryx - R·320 climbing harness</a> [11.5oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/harnesses/lotus-harness-women-s" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Lotus Harness</a> [14oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/201001880_v_4160_60_87_0/8.7-Serenity.html" target="_blank">Mammut - 8.7mm Serenity, 60m rope</a> [108oz][51g/m] - <i>(1) (1/2) (∞)</i></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/201001850_v_4162_60_75_0/7.5-Twilight.html" target="_blank">Mammut - 7.5mm Twilight, 60m rope</a> [80oz][38g/m] - <i>(1/2) (∞)</i></li>
<li><a href="http://www.edelrid.de/en/sports/products/ropes/eagle.html" target="_blank">Edelrid - Eagle DRY 9.8mm, 60m rope</a> [131oz][62g/m] - <i>(1)</i></li>
<li><a href="http://www.edelrid.de/en/sports/products/ropes/ropes.html" target="_blank">Edelrid</a> - Condor DRY 10.3mm, 60m rope [144oz][68g/m] - <i>(1)</i></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/203000190_v_9000_55_6/Cord-POS.html" target="_blank">Mammut</a> 4mm Cord (30') [11g/m]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/203000190_v_9000_55_6/Cord-POS.html" target="_blank">Mammut</a> 6mm Cord (20') [22g/m]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/helmets/half-dome-helmet" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Half Dome Helmet</a> [11oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/climbing-packs/super-chute-rope-bag" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Super Chute Rope Bag</a> [17oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/climbing-packs/superslacker-rope-bag" target="_blank">Black Diamond - SuperSlacker Rope Bag</a> [15.7oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.edelrid.de/en/sports/products/bags/liner.html" target="_blank">Edelrid - Liner Rope Bag</a> [13.4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/dogbones-runners/dynex-runners" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Dynex 10mm Runner</a> - 240cm (X1) [2.5oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/dogbones-runners/dynex-runners" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Dynex 10mm Runner</a> - 120cm (X2) [2.4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/dogbones-runners/dynex-runners" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Dynex 10mm Runner</a> - 60cm (X3) [1.3oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/212000600_v_5018_120_8/Contact-Sling-Dyneema%C2%AE-8.0.html" target="_blank">Mammut - Dyneema Sling 8mm</a> - 60cm [0.8oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/webbing/8mm-express-dyneema-runners.asp" target="_blank">Camp - Express Dyneema Sling 8mm</a> - 60cm (X3) [0.7oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/webbing/8mm-express-dyneema-runners.asp" target="_blank">Camp - Express Dyneema Sling 8mm</a> - 120cm [0.7oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/dogbones-runners/nylon-runners" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Nylon 18mm Runner</a> - 60cm (X3) [0.7oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/dogbones-runners/nylon-runners" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Nylon 18mm Runner</a> - 120cm (X3) [1.4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/big-wall/dynex-daisy-chain" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Dynex Daisy Chain</a> - 140cm, 55in [1.52oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/big-wall/etrier" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Etrier</a> (6 step) [8.5oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.trango.com/slings_webbing/alpine-equalizer-6'" target="_blank">Trango Alpine Equalizer</a> [3.9oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/anchor-chain.html" target="_blank">Metolius Anchor Chain</a> [4.6oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sterlingrope.com/product/0/CHB/_/Hollow_Block">Sterling - Hollow Block / Prusik</a> (Long) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/belay-devices-0/grigri" target="_blank">Petzl - GriGri2 [6 oz]</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/belay-devices-0/reverso-3" target="_blank">Petzl - Reverso 3</a> [2.8 oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/belay-rappel/atc-guide-belay-rappel-device" target="_blank">Black Diamond - ATC-Guide</a> [3.5 oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/belay-rappel/atc-xp-belay-rappel-device" target="_blank">Black Diamond - ATC-XP</a> [3.2 oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/big-wall/nforce-ascender" target="_blank">Black Diamond - nForce Ascenders</a> (R&L) [8.6oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/magnetron-rocklock-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Magnetron RockLock Carabiner</a> (X2) [3.1oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/magnetron-gridlock-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Magnetron GridLock Carabiner</a> [3oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/mini-pearabiner-screwgate" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Mini Pearabiner Screwgate Carabiner</a> (X2) [2.4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/rocklock-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - RockLock Carabiner Screwgate Carabiner</a> [3.1oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/nitron-screwgate" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Nitron Screwgate Carabiner</a> (X5) [1.8oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/positron-screwgate-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Positron Screwgate Carabiner</a> (X4) [2oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/vaporlock-screwgate-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - VaporLock Screwgate Carabiner</a> (X2) [1.8oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/hoodwire-quickdraw" target="_blank">Black Diamond - HoodWire Quickdraw</a> (X7) [2.9oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.omegapac.com/" target="_blank">Omega Pacific</a> - Omegalite 4.0 Quickdraw - Wire/Wire Gate (X6) [4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.omegapac.com/" target="_blank">Omega Pacific</a> - Omegalite 4.0 Quickdraw - Straight/Bent Gate [4.4oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/hotwire-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Hotwire Carabiner</a> (X18) [1.5oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/hoodwire-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - HoodWire Carabiner</a> (X17) [1.3oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/neutrino-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Neutrino Carabiner</a> (X13) [1.3oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/oz-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Oz Carabiner</a> (X7) [1oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/positron-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Positron Straight Gate Carabiner</a> (X6) [1.7oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/carabiners/ovalwire-carabiner" target="_blank">Black Diamond - OvalWire carabiner</a> [1.6oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/fs_mini_carabiner.html" target="_blank">Metolius - FS Mini Wiregate Carabiner</a> [.88oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mammut.ch/en/productOverview/products_climbing_gear_biners_usa/Biners.html" target="_blank">Mammut</a> - Element carabiner (X2 straight - X1 bent)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/verticality/accessories/other-accessories/spatha" target="_blank">Petzl - Spatha Small Serrated Knife</a> [1.8oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.trango.com/Shark_Nut_Tool" target="_blank">Trango - Shark Nut Tool w/knife</a> [2.9oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/adjustable_gear_sling.html" target="_blank">Metolius - Adjustable Gear Sling</a> [4.2oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/bouldering/impact-crash-pad" target="_blank">Black Diamond - Impact Crash Pad</a> (X2) [9 lbs 8oz]</li>
<li><a href="http://www.gibbonslacklines.com/us/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=263:classic&Itemid=304" target="_blank">Gibbon Slacklines - Classic Slackline</a> - 25m [4 lb. 10oz]</li>
</ul>
Current Pro: (in order of size, smallest to largest)<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/climbing-cams-stoppers-nuts-hexes/camalot-x4-BD2622_cfg.html" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 8.4-13.8 mm .33-.54 in (BD size 0.1)</li>
<li><a href="http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/climbing-cams-stoppers-nuts-hexes/camalot-x4-BD2622_cfg.html" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 8.4-13.8 mm .33-.54 in (BD size 0.1)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/tcu.html" target="_blank">Metolius Ultralight TCU </a>10.0-15.0 mm, 0.39 - 0.59 in (BD size 0.2)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalot-x4" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 9.9-16.5 mm .39-.65 in (BD size 0.2)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalot-x4" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 12.4-21.2 mm .49-.83 in (BD size 0.3)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalot-x4" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 15.5-26.6 mm .61-1.05 in (BD size 0.4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 15.5-26.7 mm, 0.61-1.05 in (BD size 0.4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalot-x4" target="_blank">BD-Camalot X4</a> 19.8-33.7 mm .78-1.33 in (BD size 0.5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 19.6-33.5 mm, 0.77-1.32 in (BD size 0.5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 23.9-41.2 mm, 0.94-1.62 in (BD size 0.75)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 23.9-41.2 mm, 0.94-1.62 in (BD size 0.75)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 30.2-52.1 mm, 1.19-2.05 in (BD size 1)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 37.2-64.9 mm, 1.46-2.55 in (BD size 2)</li>
<li><a href="http://dmmclimbing.com/products/dragon-cams/" target="_blank">DMM Dragon Cam</a> 38-64mm, 1.49-2.52 in (BD size 2)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 50.7-87.9 mm, 2.00-3.46 in (BD size 3)</li>
<li><a href="http://dmmclimbing.com/products/dragon-cams/" target="_blank">DMM Dragon Cam</a> 68-114 mm, 2.66-4.49 in (BD size 4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/camalottm" target="_blank">BD-Camalot C4</a> 114.1-195.0 mm, 4.50-7.68 in (BD size 6)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/dyneema-tricam-set-975.asp" target="_blank">Camp of Italy Dyneema® Tricam</a> 16 - 28mm (size 0.5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/dyneema-tricam-set-975.asp" target="_blank">Camp of Italy Dyneema® Tricam</a> 20 - 30mm (size 1.0)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/dyneema-tricam-set-975.asp" target="_blank">Camp of Italy Dyneema® Tricam</a> 26 - 38mm (size 1.5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/dyneema-tricam-set-975.asp" target="_blank">Camp of Italy Dyneema® Tricam</a> 29 - 41mm (size 2.0)</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/offset-micro-stopper" target="_blank">BD Off-set Micro Nut</a> 3.7/5.1 mm, 0.147/0.200 in (size 1)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/offset-micro-stopper" target="_blank">BD Off-set Micro Nut</a> 5.1/7.5 mm, 0.202/0.330 in (size 3)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/offset-micro-stopper" target="_blank">BD Off-set Micro Nut</a> 5.9/8.4 mm, 0.233/0.330 in (size 4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/offset-micro-stopper" target="_blank">BD Off-set Micro Nut</a> 7.4/9.4 mm, 0.290/0.370 in (size 5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 6.1/11.4 mm, 0.24/0.45 in (size 3)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 6.9/12.4 mm, 0.27/0.49 in (size 4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 7/13 mm (size 1)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 7/13 mm (size 1)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 8.4/13.5 mm, 0.33/0.53 in (size 5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 10.2/15.5 mm, 0.40/0.61 in (size 6)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 10/16 mm (size 2)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 10/16 mm (size 2)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 11.7/16.3 mm, 0.46/0.64 in (size 7)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 13.5/18.3 mm, 0.53/0.72 in (size 8)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 13/20 mm (size 3)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 13/20 mm (size 3)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 15.2/20.8 mm, 0.60/0.82 in (size 9)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 15/23 mm (size 4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 15/23 mm (size 4)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 17.3/23.4 mm, 0.68/0.92 in (size 10)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 20.1/26.7 mm, 0.79/1.05 in (size 11)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 18/27 mm (size 5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 18/27 mm (size 5)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 20/29 mm (size 6)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 20/29 mm (size 6)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 22.9/30.5 mm, 0.90/1.20 in (size 12)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 23/33 mm (size 7)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.camp-usa.com/products/climbing-protection/pro-nuts.asp" target="_blank">CAMP-Nut</a> 23/33 mm (size 7)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/stoppers" target="_blank">BD-Nut</a> 26.4/35.1 mm, 1.04/1.38 in (size 13)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/wired-hexentrics" target="_blank">BD-Hex</a> 33/45.7 mm, 1.30/1.80 in (size 7)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/wired-hexentrics" target="_blank">BD-Hex</a> 39.1/54.1 mm, 1.54/2.13 in (size 8)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/wired-hexentrics" target="_blank">BD-Hex</a> 47/63.7 mm, 1.85/2.51 in (size 9)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/wired-hexentrics" target="_blank">BD-Hex</a> 55.6/75.2 mm, 2.19/2.96 in (size 10)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/protection/wired-hexentrics" target="_blank">BD-Hex</a> 65/89.2 mm, 2.56/3.51 in (size 11)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
I'll be buying plenty more, but that is what I have now. Feel free to leave me gear suggestions.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-5206907029050838442012-02-09T12:27:00.000-07:002012-02-18T21:30:42.346-07:00Teaching...Most of you know that I teach photography half time at Rocky Mountain College, where I am also the staff photographer. What keeps me happy with my job is the ability to spend time teaching, both art majors and non-majors, photography. I teach 200/300/400 level courses and each course brings a new group of students and challenges, but we all know that challenges bring opportunity. <br />
<br />
Last semester I instructed an ART247 course titled Digital Nature Photography, although it is a 200 level course that tends to fill with non-majors it is my favorite course to teach. The subject matter is what I spend most of my free time doing, and Albert Einstein said it best “If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” Teaching what I love most to people who may be learning how to use a camera for the first time is challenging, but extremely rewarding. Last semester I structured the class a little different than I had in the past, and it felt as though I was not getting my message through to the students. It was a great surprise when the students made their final presentations of the semester's images and they had great works to show, and an excellent understanding of what/how they made the works. It was even more affirming when I received my course evaluations from that class. The course averaged 4.7 "excellent course" and my average was a 4.5 "excellent teacher" (five is the top score) . Those numbers put a smile on my face, but what I found most rewarding is that two students (evaluations are anonymous) commented that, because of this course they found a new hobby, and for a class of non-majors that is all I could ever hope for. <br />
<br />
I also instructed a 400 level travel photography course, but that can't compare ;)<br />
<br />
I make myself read these quotes frequently, so that I can stay out of my students way and in doing so be the best "teacher" I know how to be. <br />
<ul><li>"There are many teachers who could ruin you. Before you know it you could be a pale copy of this teacher or that teacher. You have to evolve on your own." - Berenice Abbott</li>
<li>"Experience is the best teacher of all. And for that, there are no guarantees that one will become an artist. Only the journey matters." - Harry Callahan</li>
<li>"I don't think there's any such thing as teaching people photography, other than influencing them a little. People have to be their own learners." - Imogen Cunningham</li>
</ul>My Grandfather is who I consider to be my first and most influential photography teacher, he pointed me in a direction and said play, experience and learn. I have had countless other influences in my life as a photographer, but the best thing I ever learned was how to lean. I strive to point students in a direction, giving them the knowledge needed, so that I can and say play, experience and learn. What comes out at the end should be an individual, that has pieces of what I have shared incorporated into them, but an individual. My goal is that students love photography, always continue to learn and that they get a little bit better every time they bring the viewfinder to their eye.Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7950330910914940638.post-77903267459765851762012-01-18T09:25:00.000-07:002012-01-18T19:40:03.828-07:00End of the Year in Yellowstone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-January-7-8--2012/i-n49rSWs/0/L/120108YNPMG5934-S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/Yellowstone/Yellowstone-January-7-8--2012/i-n49rSWs/0/L/120108YNPMG5934-S.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gray member of the Lamar Canyon Wolf Pack chases a cow elk from Soda Butte Cone clear across to Hitching Post in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. Captured with a Canon7D and 500/4.0L IS + 1.4TC III in aperture priority mode with an exposure bias of - 1 at ISO400, f/7.1, and 1/1250th of a second. The camera was handheld.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have made many trips to Yellowstone from the end of October through present, and all but my most recent are online, but I have been too busy to get individual posts online.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20995858_L5ZLp5" target="_blank">Yellowstone, October 29 & 30, 2011</a><br />
This trip was made with students from ART243 and ART247 photography courses. We had a good time, with plenty of learning (and that is why I take them to YNP), but the subjects were few and not completely cooperative. Other than landscape images of thermal features (Fountain Geyser erupted for us) most of my shooting was of birds (Bald Eagles, Tundra Swans, Trumpeter Swans, American Dippers, etc.)<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20965506_cDVwdT" target="_blank">Yellowstone, November 5 & 6, 2011</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">This trip, like the one before, was made with students from ART243 and ART247 photography courses. We had a really good time, with plenty of learning, and that is why I take them to YNP. The big difference between the last trip and this one is that we were able to find a number of cooperative subjects. We had the great fortune to be the only ones photographing a Red Fox around Tower (for about an hour), we had a friendly Coyote near Lower Geyser Basin, a pair of calm Bull Elk near dynamite curve, and we got another </span></span>Fountain Geyser eruption.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20726727_7SGzvQ" target="_blank">Yellowstone, November 18 - 20, 2011</a><br />
I had one student who was in both <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">ART243 and ART247, but he could not make either of the previous trips, so the two of us made a trip to the park. Things were fairly slow, and there was almost as much snow then as there is in the park now. We did get to see an Ermine (run across the road), there were plenty of cooperative Mule Deer (buck and doe pairs), we found a few Coyotes, and the snow made for some nice landscapes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20675669_NKPgHr" target="_blank">Yellowstone, December 9 - 11, 2011</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">With classes finished and a three week trip to Chicago looming I decided to make a three day ski trip to the park. It was cold (-10) and there was plenty of snow (more then than now), but I had some new skis and plenty of ambition. I photographed the full lunar eclipse from above Blacktail Lakes, I photographed the Lamar Canyon Pack as they crossed the road in the Lamar Valley, I photographed an American Bald Eagle in a frosted tree, I spent time with a few Coyotes, spent plenty of time on my skis, and even more time in my tent. Did I mention that I took numerous photos of the full moon? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://www.shumwayphotography.com/gallery/20954682_gQpgz6" target="_blank">Yellowstone, January 7 & 8, 2012</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">After three weeks in Chicago I needed to return to Yellowstone, add in a full moon and there is little that can keep me from making a trip. Things were incredibly slow in the park, but I did end up with two good Wolf encounters. The first encounter was two black members of the Mollies Pack run directly below me along the Lamar River in the Lamar Canyon. The second was a Gray member of the Lamar Canyon Pack chasing a cow Elk near the road in the Lamar Valley. Beyond those encounters and a few shots of the moonrise/sunset I took virtually no other photographs. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Yellowstone, January 14 - 17, 2012</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">I just returned from this trip, but I have not finished editing photos yet. I did cut the 1602 images down to 331 very quickly. The trip was slow, but I found one or two things each day to photograph, and I made sure to snap lots of photos of everything I could. I have a feeling that I'll actually write a real blog post for this trip when I have the photos ready. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">I am sorry for the delay, and for the rather brief report from each of these trips. </span></span><br />
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</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">p.s. we had a good amount of snow to start off the year, but then much of that melted and we failed to receive any more snow, but as of today it is snowing, and the forecast is for it to stay at or below zero with heavy snow falling for the next few days, so here's to winter finally arriving in the mountains. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span>Dave M Shumwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00167245795032028082noreply@blogger.com01600-1652 Rimrock Rd, Rocky Mountain College, Billings, Mt 59102, USA45.797630966430873 -108.5567021369934145.796246966430871 -108.5591696369934 45.799014966430875 -108.55423463699341