I left home at dark thirty yeasterday to shoot sunrise at the Pawnee Buttes. I was thinking that I would make this beautiful big landscape with sunrise color and snow.
What I didn't plan for was getting stuck about 3 miles short of the buttes. The sunrise was no good anyway, so that part didn't matter. What appeared to be light a fluffy drifts turned out to be 1 1/2 feet deep with a wind crust that could hold me and sugar snow for a base. In a monumental act of stupidity, I had no shovel in the truck (Tacoma) and wound up digging out about 100' with a snowshoe. The combination of digging, removing igloo-quality blocks of snow and locking rear diff. got me out. Needless to say, I drove like a wuss the rest of the day. So, the message is don't go out there unprepared - you won't be found until April.
The attached image is a leaf trapped in ice on Pawnee Creek.
Posted by Todd Caudle on December 28, 2006 at 2:11 PM
Ouch! That hurts! But I've been there, brother. I did the same thing in the Silverado October of last year up on Rampart Range Rd., but I didn't even have a snowshoe. I used my hands and a piece of cardboard. Funny when you consider the snow shovel I bought specifically for my travels is somewhere in my garage.
157 views and no comments? Well, let me take a stab. The pattern in the ice is really intriguing, but perhaps due to seeing through it to the creekbed, it looks dingy. And although you work with what Mother Nature gives you, she didn't provide you with a very sexy leaf. I think there's an interesting photo in there, but it might be a 15-20% slice of what you've got here. Blow it up large on your monitor and hunt around the image. (Or not, what the fark do I know? )
Posted by Momo Vuyisich on December 28, 2006 at 3:39 PM
Hi Dave.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience.
I think your image lacks contrast. I would definitely darken the grays, and maybe slightly lighten the whites. I do not like the leaf. If it were bigger, then yes. Maybe a bottom crop to the top of the leaf might emphasize the pattern. Just my 2c.
Posted by Pam Colander on December 28, 2006 at 5:25 PM
Negotiating the Buttes area in the pre-dawn hours is confusing enough in good dry weather. I can't imagine getting stuck in a lot of snow...without a shovel! Good thing you had the snowshoe. The first thing I notice on your shot is the interesting pattern in the ice. The leaf is kind of an incidental and doesn't contribute much. I agree more contrast would improve it. You're lucky to have taken any shots at all
Pam
Posted by Brian Jackson on December 29, 2006 at 2:22 PM
Intresting image, but to me is a little dull. I agree with Todd and maybe try messing with the WB settings. Also a cropped area around the left would look cool. Like one of those cool Brent D ice shots.
Getting stuck in snow is a least better than mud. At least you can shovel your way out.
Discussion
4 repliesWhat I didn't plan for was getting stuck about 3 miles short of the buttes. The sunrise was no good anyway, so that part didn't matter. What appeared to be light a fluffy drifts turned out to be 1 1/2 feet deep with a wind crust that could hold me and sugar snow for a base. In a monumental act of stupidity, I had no shovel in the truck (Tacoma) and wound up digging out about 100' with a snowshoe. The combination of digging, removing igloo-quality blocks of snow and locking rear diff. got me out. Needless to say, I drove like a wuss the rest of the day. So, the message is don't go out there unprepared - you won't be found until April.
The attached image is a leaf trapped in ice on Pawnee Creek.
157 views and no comments? Well, let me take a stab. The pattern in the ice is really intriguing, but perhaps due to seeing through it to the creekbed, it looks dingy. And although you work with what Mother Nature gives you, she didn't provide you with a very sexy leaf. I think there's an interesting photo in there, but it might be a 15-20% slice of what you've got here. Blow it up large on your monitor and hunt around the image. (Or not, what the fark do I know?
Sorry to hear about your bad experience.
I think your image lacks contrast. I would definitely darken the grays, and maybe slightly lighten the whites. I do not like the leaf. If it were bigger, then yes. Maybe a bottom crop to the top of the leaf might emphasize the pattern. Just my 2c.
Pam
Getting stuck in snow is a least better than mud. At least you can shovel your way out.
Brian