Year in Review: 2012

What an amazing year 2012 has been! I've met some incredible people, seen some awe inspiring places and learned more than I ever could've imagined. I feel blessed to have had the amazing opportunities I've had this year: from the Tetons, to Zion, to Canada and everywhere in between. So many of you inspire me to be better, to keep creating and to keep exploring, and for that I am so grateful. Thank you. Here's a video to wrap up 2012 and bring in the new year. Enjoy.

And in case you missed some of the highlights of the year on the blog, check the links below:

Grand Teton National Park
Park City and Salt Lake
Zion National Park
Monument Valley
Salt Flats
Canyonlands National Park
Caineville, Utah
Goblin Valley
Humboldt Redwoods
Yosemite National Park
Cecret Lake
Mount Timpanogos
Bonneville Speed Week
Canada: Banff, Jasper and Glacier

Bonneville Speed Week 2012

The Yankee Engineuity Express starts down the flats reaching 153 MPH.

Another day full of engines, salt, and speed! Bonneville Speed Week is like nothing else. Men and women spend the year building and perfecting their vehicles in hopes to squash land speed records on the fastest course in the world. Racers of all types lined up despite the wetter-than-usual salt this year. A storm had hit the night before, closing two of the three courses, but had not managed to dampen any spirits. Spectators, racers and photographers were as giddy as school children; something about loud and fast cars that gets people excited.

Those invested in the 'projectiles' wait anxiously while docked at the starting line, waiting for their signal. Large trucks peel out as they push the aerodynamic cars down the course until they can reach third gear pace. The crowd waits for the punch as the driver finally picks up his own speed and quickly disappears into the mirage near the edge of the horizon.

Many come to show off what they've been working on during the past year, revving engines and lifting hoods ready to share their life story to any passerby curious enough to strike up a conversation. Those who have been coming back since the beginning, however, are there for only one reason; to get some speed! 

This car waited hours at the starting line, only to pull off at mile 2 after reaching 161 MPH.

The salt flats are aptly named, as there is no shade to speak of. You have to make your own if you want to be out of the sun.

Some of the competitors have used their life savings to build the kind of car required to reach speeds of up to 400 MPH. 

Speed Week is a perfect time to show off your pride and joy, even if it never races for timed speed.

Photographically speaking, I kept my Singh-Ray warming filter on my 17-40mm and my Vari-N-Duo (warming filter and neutral density filter combo) on my 70-200mm. This allowed me to get shots that weren't completely blown out by the bright scene and play around with a slower shutter speed (see first photo). As all races are held during the day, the bright harsh light is always a factor when shooting Speed Week. It just becomes part of the scene. I would definitely suggest a warming polarizer of some sort. It make just that extra bit of difference in such harsh lighting.

People from all over the world come to see speed records fall at the salt flats.

Canon 24mm TS-E

I got the chance to really use my 24mm 3.5 tilt shift lens at the Salt Flats a few weeks ago. It takes a lot more time to set up a shot, but it can produce some amazing results! I actually love taking the time to set up and manually adjusting everything. I've been trying to utilize the tilt function of the lens so that the plane of focus is spread between the foreground and the background. Everything is in focus from the details in the near foreground of the salt to the ridges in the far mountains. Take the above photo for example. Taken at aperture 3.5 and still the foreground and background are in perfect focus. This technique is a bit difficult to master, but I have a feeling I'm going to be using it often. 

Time-Lapse: Taking Down Tent/Sad Story

I've been without my camera for almost a month now.  I thought I would be getting my camera back all clean and fixed pretty soon, but I was informed last week that the $300 repair they thought was going to fix the sensor turned out to be a $3,300 sensor replacement.  I'm sorry?  Did you say $3,300?  That's right.  I was devastated.  I still am.  However, there is some good news in this sad, sad story.  I ordered a Canon 5D Mark II and it's on the way!  I can't feel too bad, as my used 1Ds Mark II went above and beyond the call this past year.  Yes, I only had it a year, but I paid a fraction of what it cost new.  I don't regret buying it at all, but I had the thought of selling it to Adorama about two months ago and I can't stop thinking, "If I had just sold it then!"  It's too bad.  It sucks.  But I have moved on and I am stoked to get my hands on the 5D.  I've been wanting this camera for a while now, and since the 5D Mark III came out, and the Mark II prices lowered a bit, I had set my sites on it becoming my second body for a while now (so much for that plan).  Now it will serve as my one and only (at least for the time being) and I have plans of it serving me well.  I am really excited about the HD video, the insanely high ISO capabilities, and the overall image quality this camera promises to deliver.  

On another note, I made a time-lapse video of yours truly packing up my tent at the Salt Flats and wanted to share.  I hope to be putting up a few more of these time-lapse videos in the next few days.  Enjoy.

Location: Salt Flats

For two weeks now, I've been without my camera.  It decided to die on me while traveling in Monument Valley.  I took it into Pictureline in Salt Lake City and had them send it into Canon for a repair.  Last week, I got some good news about how much it was actually going to cost me to fix my camera, so I will be reunited with it soon.  It's a good thing I have a very giving friend who lent me her camera while I've been without mine.  It's actually the same body I used just a year ago; the Canon XS.  It is a great camera, but boy, do I miss my full frame.

Being at the Salt Flats last night made me realize why I love photography.  The sky put on a light show and I was more than happy to be a part of it.  The 'true' salt flats were covered with a layer of water, so driving on them was not an option.  But a dirt road a few miles west provided some cracking desert floors with clear 360 degree views.  It was an amazing night and I took full advantage.  

Now, on to some technical talk.  The only way I could have gotten these photos in-camera was with the use of my favorite Singh-Ray neutral density (ND) filters.  All of the images in this post, except the last one, were captured with two ND filters stacked on top of each other; 3-stop reverse ND, and 2-stop soft step graduated ND filter, with a total of 5 stops to balance out the exposure difference between the foreground and the sky.  Without these filters, I would have either a white sky or a dark foreground in every photo.  The camera's sensor has only so much range and needs help holding back brighter areas, in this case, the sky to properly expose the scene.  Filters allow the photographer to capture a scene exactly how they saw it.  I use my ND filters often and would recommend them to anyone looking to get into landscape photography.   

Bonneville Speed Week (5)

Bonneville Speed Week (4)

Bonneville Speed Week (3)

Bonneville Speed Week (2)

Bonneville Speed Week (1)

Bonneville Speed Week is going on this week out at the Salt Flats in the northwest region of Utah.  Racing started last weekend and will continue through the rest of this week.  Densely packed salt on miles of flat land make this natural phenomenon a breeding ground for speed demons and motor heads.  Competitors line up to take their turn to try and break the speed records set in previous years.  Car bodies of all shapes and sizes are streamlined and modified to maximize speed.  Engines revved and spectators awed as each rocket-like car or motorcycle came up to the starting line.  Completely decked out in fire suits and crash helmets, each competitor was focused on the ride.  There was no joking around, no smiles for the crowd.  These drivers were focused.  Going down a speedway at 200 + MPH is serious business.  One small hiccup and your done.  The goal is speed.  No matter what the cost.