The Photographic Adventure

10 Years of Change

2009-12-31T19:55:00.000-07:00

As I look back over the past years as a professional photographer I am amazed at the changes that have taken place in such a short amount of time. When I first started Ambrose Landscape Photography I was shooting transparency film, and mounted every slide in cardboard mounts, cataloged by hand, and stored them in a big filing cabinet in sheets of slides. The only way to promote your photography was writing letters to editors, and hoping they would be interested enough to view your work. Then when a submission was requested, the actual slides were then mailed for review. It was always a little scary sending off your prized images hoping they actually found their way home again....or damaged in the process.
Today as we celebrate 10 years of web presence I am amazed at the evolution of technologies. Now all our images are created digitally and stored in bits and bytes, where thousands of images fit on one small hard drive no bigger than a piece of bread.
In anticipation of this past decade of change we are launching a completely new and I think much better photographic site. Now photo editors can just view and choose images directly online, search entire image collections, rate images, make real-time decisions, buy full image rights, download full resolution images all with just a click of a few buttons. Likewise our print customers can also now search our entire archive, buy any and all kinds of prints, styles, and gifts with complete control.
We are very excited for the future of our photography business and hope you as our print customers and potential buyers will find the new site very easy to navigate, full of great information, and most of all full of great images for all your photography needs. We invite you to check it out, and encourage you to share your comments and opinions of the new site with us.
May you have a wonderful new year...full of new adventures. See you soon in our online galleries.

Wind Rivers

2009-08-16T18:57:00.003-06:00

It has been a great week as I spent a few days backpacking through the Wind River range in the Popo Agie Wilderness in western Wyoming. I hiked into lakes of Stough Creek Basin located in the southern end of the range. Yes, the added camera gear nearly doubled the weight of my pack, but as always, the rewards in the end are always worth it.
Spending this time in the outdoors, amidst the beauty of mother nature, continues to remind me that beauty is all around us and can be found almost anywhere....often right out your back door.

Time Stands Still

2007-10-07T20:29:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:

The song “Time Stands Still” written by the band RUSH is one of my favorites. There is one line of the song that seems appropriate for today; it reads “Summers going fast, nights growing colder, children growing up, old friends growing older.” Boy, the summer has gone fast! So fast I have not even shared one experience with you all summer. And, the nights are now definitely colder. Utah is a wonderful place, full of intense changes. But unfortunately, the change from summer to winter is often an extremely quick one. One day it is 80 degrees and the next day I have 3 inches of snow in my backyard. Autumn colors ignite but only last a few days before the snow and wind knocks them to the ground.

I woke this morning to lingering clouds on the tail end of a two-day storm. Every single day of autumn is precious to me. It is my favorite time of year, and for these few days in the Wasatch it is like walking in heaven. I soon found myself in a familiar canyon, shin deep in snow, witnessing the brilliant yellow aspens, surrounding a few dark pine trees, sprinkled with Utah’s famous powdered sugar. I know this beauty is only for today, and in two days there will be no more leaves on the trees. Just like the other autumn days in the Wasatch, I feel lucky to be here, and to be a spectator of this beautiful wilderness. Soon these canyons will be full of cars, buses, and tourists from all walks of the earth coming to ski our white powder. But for this brilliant autumn morning, truly time stands still.

The Photo Lesson:

In my experience I have learned that the best times to photograph are in those fleeting moments of change. Whether it is the change from night to day, or day to night. From clear skies at the front of the storm, or at the tail end as it changes from stormy to clear skies. If you focus your efforts to these moments of rapid change, your photography will become unique and allow you to photograph in the most beautiful light, and moments this world can offer.

You can download this and other desktop wallpaper by going to my “Workshops” page by clicking here. I appreciate any comments you would like to share.

Father's Day Duty

2007-06-17T21:55:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:
It starts like any other Sunday morning at our house. Jumping on the tramp with the two kids while the sun finally peaks over the surrounding mountains. This Father's Day morning is no different. I notice a Quail perched on our fence standing at attention, nervously watching the ground just below his feet. After watching him more closely, I notice Mother and babies scurrying through the ground cover. While observing him watch over his family, I thought it appropriate to reflect on the duties of fatherhood. I sat in the grass with my two little kids (twins) and we watched and talked about the Daddy Quail and what he was doing. I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own duties and responsibilities as a father to protect, provide, and love. I have learned that nature provides lessons for us all. I grabbed my camera, and shot a few frames trying to capture this learning lesson.

The Photo Lesson:
Life presents opportunities every day for us to make memories or photographs. Just make sure your equipment is always ready. (i.e. batteries charged, clean, etc.). The best way I found to do this is to always clean and recharge batteries when I return from a trip, not right before I go. That way my gear is always ready to go whenever the opportunity arises.

Searching for Solitude

2007-05-13T20:55:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:
I love the Teton’s in May. It is a time of year where the snow is releasing its grip, yet the crowds have not yet come. If you have ever photographed in this park you already know it is very much a ‘morning only’ place. Evenings are usually spent in some random turnout in hopes that the sky turns a very rare red behind the silhouette of the peaks. With no crowds, I sit on a rock wall at the ‘Snake River Overlook’ in solitude listening to the wind blow through the trees. Just here to enjoy the view, breath the fresh air, and perhaps get lucky with a red sky, but I already know that is not going to happen tonight. This is a very famous photography spot, but in May, I can be assured I will sit here alone with plenty of time to reflect and enjoy the view.
Within minutes of one another, four other photographers show up and gather right on top of me. Literally, tripod legs intertwined with tripod legs. One guy starts spouting off about how he is a ‘professional’ and starts jabbering about gear and his 3 different imaging programs he uses to process his digital images. Give me a break! He has every piece of little gear you could think of. From multiple leveling bubbles on his camera to vest and belt pouches jammed with who knows what. I did get a kick watching him spend so much time looking at his leveling bubbles, yet rarely looking through viewfinder. I couldn’t help but notice everyone around me firing shot after shot, bracket after bracket of the same composition, in less than desirable light. The whole experience was just blah!!

The Photo Lesson:
Yes, the Tetons are iconic symbols of the Rocky mountains. Which means everything has been photographed again and yet again. Although finding an original image is rare in these parts, if you search out a little solitude, away from the ‘marked overlooks’ you have a higher likelihood of being able to create images that have a deeper meaning. Otherwise, you may find yourself side-by-side other ‘professionals,’ feeling corralled into getting the same shot as them. Don’t be afraid to break away and find your own inspiration. The above image was taken the next morning (this morning actually) in complete solitude. Creating and now looking at this image reminds me of a long list of great memories I have had here in the Tetons.
You may download this image as wallpaper for your computer by clicking here, or visiting my website.

Rocky Mountain High

2007-04-22T21:56:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:

With a quick break between the winter and spring, I always find it refreshing to scale the cliffs, now free from ice, to enjoy a little Wasatch solitude. These cliffs are literally my back yard, and while growing up I scaled them many times. In our youth, my brother and I used to come up here all the time to play on the rock, watch the Mountain Goats, and learn of the beauties in nature. We both have many great memories here. With this quick break before the rain starts, I climbed back up these cliffs to rekindle old memories, and perhaps create some new ones. The day was beautiful and like always, the goats were accepting, like welcoming back an old friend. This image was created as a mother and her new ‘kid’ looks out over the valley below. An hour or so later they walked right up to me with mountain goat curiosity, thus creating another great memory for me to take from my home.

The Photo Lesson:
Wildlife photography is very rewarding, but requires discipline and respect. Download my tips on Photographing Wildlife on my workshops page.

You may download this image as wallpaper for your computer by clicking here, or visiting my website.

Dust in the Wind

2007-04-15T19:37:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:
As winter begins to loosen its grip on the Wasatch mountains, their beauty seems to fade from the brilliant whites of winter to the dull of dirty brown. Not feeling excited to run around in the Wasatch this week I made a quick photo trip to ‘Little Sahara,’ a small Utah state park about an hour or so from home. This small out of the way park is home to some spectacular landscape photography, although I have yet to see another landscape photographer here.
I stepped out of my trusty truck right at the dunes edge and immediately knew I was in for a real treat! Atop the first dune I was blasted with a 60mph wind carving up the steep slope and blasting me with dune sand. I soon found an interesting photograph and started to set up. In a matter of minutes, my tripod, all my gear and myself was covered in sand. I quickly retreated out of the direct wind to asses the damage. I quickly realized that this day was going to be a total loss, or was it? Needless to say, I do not give in too easily. I have learned through my years of experience and firmly believe that there is always something beautiful so long as we are willing to open our eyes enough to see it. However, today is a little difficult to see through the blasting sand, but I know it is there.
After walking a few miles over dune after dune, I looked back towards the mountains from where I had come and saw a beautiful display of clouds and mountains as they mingled with the dunes before me. I quickly saw how I wanted to capture the image, but knew my traditional set-up procedure would not be possible. Knowing I could not set up the way I normally did, I simply set all my camera settings while wrapped around my coat and then fell to my knees and captured the image you see here. You can download this image as screen wallpaper by clicking here, or visiting my workshops page. This day was not a total loss, but one of inspiration.

The Photo Lesson:
I think the lesson here is very short. Pre-visualize your images, and know your camera well. By understanding how I wanted to frame this image in my mind (before looking through the viewfinder) I was able to make the correct settings on my camera (depth of field, focal length, etc.) and then quickly frame and shoot. If I were to take my traditional approach in these elements no doubt my gear would be completely destroyed and I would be purchasing a new camera setup right now. However, by pre-visualizing this shot, and making the settings in a protected zone, I was able to capture my vision with no substantial damage to my gear.

The Blending of Seasons

2006-11-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Adventure:
It seems to happen every autumn here in the Rockies. Just as the season’s colors are at their ultimate peak, a large storm inevitably blows in, and smashes the Wasatch Front with high energy and blankets the mountains in snow. During this short-lived storm, most of the leaves get knocked from their branches, and just like that the autumn color is gone for the year. This year is no different. The storm approaches, and around mid-afternoon the snow is falling, and accumulating quickly. I soon find myself up in the canyons, all by my lonesome, photographing the colors among this contrast of white.

The Photo Lesson:
There are really two lessons here I want to talk about. The first is fear. Do not be afraid to get out there when the weather gets tough. More often than not, it is the tough weather that produces the most rewarding images. The next is protecting your gear while shooting in difficult weather. There are many ways to protect your gear from falling moisture. My favorite set-up is a sturdy tripod and my baseball hat. It fits beautifully over my camera body and the bill protects the lens from water. This set-up also allows me to keep shooting even while the snow is falling. Just remember to embrace tough weather, and to protect your equipment.

Running Next Door

2006-08-31T13:08:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:
It was late evening as I was working in my office, reviewing images from a recent trip to Colorado. I leaned back in my chair, looked out the window facing west and saw the bright red sun, sinking like a fireball into the horizon. Three minutes and 28 seconds later I was standing in a field of grasses and scrub oak high above the valley floor. There have been some recent fires across the west, which fills our valley with smoke. This smoke causes the sun to go blood red in the evenings. I was only able to get a few shots before the sun dipped below the horizon, but the rewards for quick action were worth it.

The Photo Lesson:
You rarely need to be in some exotic location to get great photography. Often times, original images are found right next-door, literally. There is a small park close to my home and is always a great spot to go when the light gets interesting. This shot is one of the many original views that have come from simply running next-door. So pick out a few locations very close to home that you can run too when the light begins to dance.

Timpanogos Winds

2006-08-24T20:12:00.000-06:00

The Adventure:
It is 3:30 a.m. as I shoulder my loaded pack; too heavy this early in the morning. It has been raining all night and the air is cold and very humid. The dark trail ascends upwards some 3000 vertical feet before me, and is illuminated only by the glow of my headlamp. Although the march above 10,000 feet is a little strenuous on the shoulders and feet, I know it will be well worth this temporary discomfort. There are only a few days in August where the mountain wildflowers really bloom in the high alpine setting of the Wasatch Mountains, and today is one of those days!
I climb the final steep rocky ridge and top out into the vast meadow nestled below Mount Timpanogos. It is twilight, and the sun will rise very soon. I survey a nice spot in the meadow and set up for the morning show. The sun begins to rise amidst the fading storm clouds, revealing the spectacular beauty of these mountains, the wind howls across the meadow filling my lungs with fresh mountain air!

The Photo Lesson:
Yeah, that’s right the wind was howling! This scenario usually spells disaster for photographing meadows of wildflowers in low light. Now the light was perfect, no direct sunlight, so the colors are great, but how to keep those flowers from moving! I spotted a small rise in the meadow and positioned myself on the downside of it. This helped eliminate the force of the wind, but did not solve the problem. This is where digital photography equipment jumps way beyond the realm of traditional film. By cranking up the ISO rating I was able to take advantage of a fast shutter speed while maintaining a proper depth of field, all the while maintaining the rich colors with little grain (noise). Remember the ISO rating can be changed from shot to shot, and is a very powerful tool not to be overlooked.

Uncelebrated Freedom

2006-07-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

I mix, mingle, and swim amongst the masses; a sea of color surrounds me as everyone continually moves, mixing the colors of red, white, and blue. Friends laugh and play in the morning sunshine, while old neighbors converse. A small child stares at the red fire engine, while a daddy helps his daughter catch candy from the passing parade. A similar scene transpires all across the nation this day, from the big city, to the farming town, from the mountains to the sea. A celebration of freedom, but let us not forget.

Each time I stand in the wilderness, take a breath of clean wild air, I cannot help but celebrate the freedom of life. We each have our own will, our desire to live, the one thing that no one can take from our grasp. Our will, like the wild breath we take is our own, the thing we fight for every moment of every day. It is a freedom that endures as long as we honor it, as long as we choose to breath.

As we celebrate the political freedoms of today, may we not get so lost in the masses of mixing color that we forget to celebrate the freedom that resides in each breath we take. Let us celebrate our freedom to simply live.

A New Adventure

2006-06-30T09:13:00.000-06:00

Every time I jump from an airplane, throw myself off a snowy cliff, or step into the wild with my camera strapped to my back, it is always an adventure. I mostly know the outcome and understand the inherent risks before taking each plunge. As I stare into the glowing light of my computer screen, and write my first ‘blog,’ I can’t help but think I am embarking on a new type of adventure; and I am excited!

I remember many years ago while on a nature photography trip to the Canadian Rockies, I found myself lying in a grassy meadow, looking up at the sky, and thinking, “I wish I could do this everyday.” Shortly after I officially started Ambrose Landscape Photography, which has given me many experiences in nature, and has made me look at the world through very different eyes. Through photography, I truly found out who I was, what was important, and how I wanted to live my life. Life has been an adventure ever since.

In my opinion, I think looking through the camera eye can give a person more perspective, vision, and personal awareness than most anything. With landscape photography, you actually become part of the scene; become intimately connected with each and every element. You are just as important as the mountain before you, and just as important as the mosquito biting your leg. Landscape photography is fantastic, don’t you agree?