Another photo from the recent CANP gathering in the Lee Vining area. In the scene are left to right; Preston Birdwell, Lon Overacker, & Youssef Ismail. As the wind was howling through the Lee Vining canyon we all decided to take a few minutes to receive instructions from Youssef on the fine art of using a 4x5 LF camera to photograph the top of a tripod ballhead as clearly seen here in this image.
I'm not sure Preston & Lon could truly believe what they were seeing, but I left at least learning something new anyway.
Posted by Lon Overacker on October 9, 2008 at 5:10 PM
Paul,
Your story cracks me up! Photographing the top of the ballhead! too funny.
Actually looks like a large format slinky to me.
The howling wind doesn't show well here, but believe me folks, it was windy!
Thanks for posting Paul - got any more?
Lon
Posted by Lon Overacker on October 9, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Here's another one in the wind. this was just up the road from Paul's image and probably less than a 1/2 hour later. This is a pt-n-shoot grab shot, but both Youssef and I used my car as a windbreak and shot this with 4x5. Not sure it was worth the price of a sheet of film, but a challenge none the less.
That's a lesson in very creative use of LF camera movements. And good use of the slinky technique!
Nice 'bow, Lon.
Posted by Cory Freeman on October 9, 2008 at 9:54 PM
UH, you must learn to embrace the wind grasshoper, when visiting the ES. Ha so that's what you guys were up to!
Posted by Richard Wong on October 10, 2008 at 12:57 AM
Great shots guys. Definitely worth the film Lon. I would have taken a digital image of that scene if I were there.
When I went to Lake Mary in Mammoth last Saturday around sunrise it was so windy that the snowflakes and rain was flying horizontally! I didn't try to get out of my car.
Posted by Steve Sieren on October 10, 2008 at 1:43 PM
Ha Preston looks like he's freezing his ass off, Lon has the hey wait a minute face, and Yousseff where the heck is the lens on that thing? Very commical shot Paul now that I've met all of you.
I also tried to capture a rainbow that morning. No luck with getting it stand out though and finding good comp like Lon did. handheld 1/250 iso 500
Is there a rainbow secret I don't know about to get them to stand out.
Posted by Youssef Ismail on October 10, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Paul,
This is great! I love your perspective and story. I really hope I calculated the proper extension factor for that exposure of extreme macro of the threads of the ballhead to QR plate.
Lon, I also hope the sheet of film was worth the rainbow.
Hey Paul, would you mind emailing me a copy of this photo?
Posted by Eric Good on October 10, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Are sure the wind didn't just blow the bellows downward? You guys look like you were having a good time... man I'm jealous.
Here's a documentary rainbow image I took on my recent trip down to the beach. Of course many others had the same idea and pulled over to capture it in front of me with their cell phone cameras.
Steve: Yes, I was bloody cold! The wind was whipping in gusts near fifty mph! The only things not moving were the rocks! Youssef did make a shot here and it took allof us to hold him, and the tripod and camera still as well as create a windbreak.
Excellent shot, Paul! The rainbow shots look great!
For those not there, we decided to go down the hill to Lee Vining, and lo and behold! it was dead calm! Go figure!
It was a grand Sierra day with good friends, none the less!
Discussion
9 repliesI'm not sure Preston & Lon could truly believe what they were seeing, but I left at least learning something new anyway.
Your story cracks me up! Photographing the top of the ballhead! too funny.
Actually looks like a large format slinky to me.
The howling wind doesn't show well here, but believe me folks, it was windy!
Thanks for posting Paul - got any more?
Lon
Lon
Nice 'bow, Lon.
When I went to Lake Mary in Mammoth last Saturday around sunrise it was so windy that the snowflakes and rain was flying horizontally! I didn't try to get out of my car.
I also tried to capture a rainbow that morning. No luck with getting it stand out though and finding good comp like Lon did. handheld 1/250 iso 500
Is there a rainbow secret I don't know about to get them to stand out.
This is great! I love your perspective and story.
Lon, I also hope the sheet of film was worth the rainbow.
Hey Paul, would you mind emailing me a copy of this photo?
Here's a documentary rainbow image I took on my recent trip down to the beach. Of course many others had the same idea and pulled over to capture it in front of me with their cell phone cameras.
Excellent shot, Paul! The rainbow shots look great!
For those not there, we decided to go down the hill to Lee Vining, and lo and behold! it was dead calm! Go figure!
It was a grand Sierra day with good friends, none the less!
-P