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Author Topic: Yosemite on my Mind  (Read 8274 times)

tim wolcott

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Yosemite on my Mind
« on: April 09, 2012, 11:59:51 am »

For all of you that were in Yosemite 3 weeks ago when the storm dropped 4 feet of snow.  WHAT A GLORIOUS MORNING.  Many of you, who I met there and we talked and discussed Capture One and other tech.  You were wondering what software and why I was stitching the scene that was in front of us.  Here is the perspective composition you gain from stitching a shot with a longer focal length rather than using a wider lens and shoot it with one shot.  If you notice the trees are more three dimensional than using the wider angle lens.  The scene replicates what we all saw with our eyes.  I said, I would post this shot and like to say it fun and a pleasure to meet all of you.  


“There are no short cuts. Great photography requires understanding light and composition, vision and patience – simple discipline - simple but never easy.” Timothy Wolcott


Thanks again.  T
« Last Edit: April 14, 2012, 12:42:09 am by tim wolcott »
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Michael H. Cothran

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2012, 03:19:36 pm »

The first two are outstanding. I'd like to see the difference between what you've posted, which I presume are stitched, and a similar image taken with a wider lens in one shot. Showing one without the other doesn't do the viewer much good, especially when you're making a comparison. Your "theory," or hypothesis, intrigues me.
« Last Edit: April 09, 2012, 03:23:11 pm by Michael H. Cothran »
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tim wolcott

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2012, 12:30:13 am »

Michael I have been doing this for years.  It does offer a much better comparison to what the eye sees.  If you want to try it get a framing card and cut it as a panorama opening and set your camera up with wide angle lens.  You can see the difference.  I do not use wide angles very much even though I carry all the lenses.  Imagine a Banquet camera and how its works this will tell you everything.  If they were to shoot with a wide angle the people they were to shoot would be bowed on the outside and appear to be curved.  By looking at the mechanics of the banquet camera the lens moves therefore your allowed to use a longer focal length lens.  I try to stitch everything I can when it goes beyond what my eyes sees.  But of course many things you can't do this with.  And frankly I hate the stitching heads so I designed my own.  I believe I have a near perfect stitching head.  The only thing I'm missing is a fluid gear driven movements for micro adjusting.  but otherwise I believe its the best out there.  Sorry I don't have a comparison but I never take the time out to really do that.  But I was showing the guys and gals there in Yosemite who wanted to know how it works. 
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dreed

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2012, 04:03:07 am »

Where were you standing for the trees in the image to appear as you have them?
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tim wolcott

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2012, 12:44:25 am »

I was standing about 30-40 feet in front of the trees.  

I now down in Texas doing a book signing for the weekend and shooting the amazing spring bloom.  Talk about extremes.  T
« Last Edit: April 13, 2012, 12:51:24 am by tim wolcott »
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bellimages

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2012, 03:43:16 pm »

Tim ... Beautiful image!! I LOVE how the longer lens brought the background closer to the foreground (in this case).

Sounds like you're doing well. We haven't communicated in a long time.

Jan Bell, Bellimages
http://www.bellimages.com
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dreed

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2012, 05:38:34 pm »

I was standing about 30-40 feet in front of the trees.  

I think it is a combination of the snow and the snow on the trees, thus altering their shape, that's made that view a little less recognisable to me - the trees are much more obstructionist at other times of the year.
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tim wolcott

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2012, 12:08:50 am »

Yes, I agree the trees had been rained on then the snow fall started and snowed for a good 36 hours and another 6 inches just before the sun started to come out.  The ice on the trees allowed the color of the pines to really shine thru on the color shot and heavy weighted the trees.  The odds of the avalanche happening, with the fog at just the right spots and the sky and sun decided to come out just as the steam was rising at the right spots.  If the sun came out earlier the snow would have melted on the trees in the foreground.  But as I always say positive vibes.

I didn't see the trees as obstructionist, I saw them as an opportunity to align them to fill the voids in the landscapes where the dark granite was to heavy to the image.  It took me about 45 minutes to find just the height and position foreword and backward to make sure the trees complimented the background. 
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Scott O.

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2012, 12:02:28 pm »

Very warm weather currently = lots of melting snow = lots of water!  Better get to Yosemite soon.  Looks like an early spring and a very dry summer.  Waterfalls could be poor or gone by late July...

Piboy

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2012, 03:02:09 pm »

Great shots and like the stacking of the landscape.  As I carry my 40+ pound camera pack on the trails of Yosemite in a couple of weeks your pictures encourage me to keep my long lenses in tow.
Regards
Sam
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tim wolcott

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2012, 12:44:38 am »

Yes, I also will be there at some point this late spring.  I look forward to visiting the lakes and ponds of the high country.  The last time shot them I had my 4x5 and 8x10.  Look forward to having my IQ180 and having a large dynamic Range.  One of my collectors of my work is giving me his home in Chincapin.  So it will very nice to have a place to layout your computer and process your work every night.  I remember talking to Ansel about the ponds he favored so much and plan to visit those and many others.  T
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Fine_Art

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2012, 01:00:57 am »

I really like that first one. It calls to me.
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tim wolcott

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2012, 10:31:39 pm »

So since there was some request about stitching or not stitching and why a wider angle lens makes the image look far and duller.  By stitching allows you to capture the image just as the human eye sees the landscape.  So here is mine and Ansel's image.  

Ansel's image was a much wider angle lens and was shot with an 8x10.  MIne was shot with a 80mm on Phase One IQ180 captured with 3 shots.  T
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 10:33:43 pm by tim wolcott »
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Scott O.

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Re: Yosemite on my Mind
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2012, 01:07:02 pm »

Interesting comparison of two very similar images.  I like the trees and the greater detail of El Cap in yours, but Ansel captured a really yummy light at the base of Bridalveil Fall.  Obviously both images are really terrific.
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