art, film, landscape, nature, photography, travel

a disappearing act

When I was in college, I worked for a man who frequently raved about Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona.

But I’m rarely passing through Arizona unfortunately, so it doesn’t often pop into my periphery.

On this trip, however, because of my planned route, a visit to the little known canyon that Ansel Adams photographed a half century ago began to materialize.

Crossing into Navajo country near Four Corners was a whole new experience.

The vast, open, dry plains and amazing monuments rising out of the desert floor were simply awe-inspiring.

And, at least for a while, the clouds didn’t disappoint.

But then we got to the canyon…

This ancient place was inhabited by the Anasazi first, it is believed, several thousand years ago. Until, they seemingly disappeared. Just like in Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon.

Then the Navajo moved in and began cultivating and farming the fertile canyon floor, and are still living off the land there to this day.

Since the Navajo own, and many of their families inhabit this land, it is illegal to venture into the canyon without a Native guide.

The only exception being the White House hiking trail. And since we were just passing through, and didn’t have a tour planned, we decided just to hike down.

It was the wrong time of day to photograph the amazing homes carved into the side of this sheer cliff, but it was fascinating none-the-less.

The visit really was too short to properly take this magnificent place in, but I’m glad we at least got a glimpse.

It truly is a beautiful and haunting place.

a ll images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

advanced, art, equipment review, landscape, nature, photography, travel

canon 24 f/1.4L II // field review

Another lens I’ve coveted from a distance for the last few months is the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II (US $1749).

This super fast wide angle prime lens is supposed to be one of the sharpest that Canon has ever produced. Great for landscape photography, and certainly low-light situations.

And for this, I’ve been dying to test it in the field with my night landscapes.

So, along with the new 500/4, Canon sent me the new 24/1.4 for my Rocky Mountain National Park trip.

Photo courtesy Canon

As you can see, it is quite low profile and inconspicuous. I could see myself using it quite a bit while traveling and walking foreign cities.

While obviously not as versatile as the 24-70/ 2.8, the ease of use, amazing sharpness, and small design make it really appealing to me.

Forest and Creek, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 13 sec. @ f/22, ISO 200, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer, 77mm Hoya Pro 1 Digital NDx16

Forest and Doe, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/10 sec. @ f/8, ISO 320, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer

Forest Trail, Canon 17-40mm f/4L, Canon 5D MKII, 1/800 sec. @ f/1.4, ISO 160

Fishing The Alluvial Fan, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/5 sec. @ f/22, ISO 50, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer

Dream Lake Night, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 15 sec. @ f/1.4, ISO 1000

One of my favorite applications for this lens while in RMNP was capturing the landscape at night. It’s difficult to achieve a shot like this without a really fast lens, unless you’re wanting a star trail (from the longer exposure time) or a lot of grain and noise (from the super high ISO). The 24/1.4 was perfect for keeping the grain and noise low while still shooting fast enough to leave the stars in place. And this was on a night when the moon light was minimal.

Dream Lake Star Trail, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 240 sec. @ f/5, ISO 250

I was even impressed with its macro capabilities. With a closest focusing distance at 3 in., gorgeous wildflower shot are possible. Though not a true macro lens, I was impressed with its close-up abilities.

Alpine Forget-Me-Not, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/640 sec. @ f/2, ISO 100

Bear Lake, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/60sec. @ f/11, ISO 100, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer

The Alluvial Fan, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/8000 sec. @ f/1.4, ISO 100, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer

Half Moon Over Odessa, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/250 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 250

Odessa Lake Reflection, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/50 sec. @ f/4, ISO 400, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer

Stars Over Odessa, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 0.4 sec. @ f/1.4, ISO 4000

Odessa Lake Night Panoramic, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 0.4 sec. @ f/1.4, ISO 3200

Odessa Lake Sunrise Panoramic, Canon 24mm f/1.4L II, Canon 5D MKII, 1/80 sec. @ f/4, ISO 400, 77mm Canon Circular Polarizer, Singh-Ray 4×6″ Galen Rowell 3 stop Soft-Step Neutral Density filter handheld

I have a suspicion that this lens comes in handy most with weddings because of how insanely fast it is. But because of its sharpness and relative versatility, it’s a great landscape/ nature lens. My main issue with this tool was focal length. At 24mm, I found myself backing up and still wanting to see more. I may have found it more helpful with landscapes if it were a 20/1.4. However, it’s not. So, with that said, I found it to be gorgeous, with just a few limitations.

Overall, the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II is sharp, fast, versatile, and well built. This lens is a great tool in the Canon arsenal!

For more detailed specs, I again relied on the great people at the-digital-picture.com. They have fantastic reviews and accurate information.

all content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

art, film, landscape, nature, photography, travel

telluride // a few shots

By the time we got to Telluride, I was ready for a much needed break.

I had been working night and day for nearly 10 days in the park, not getting much sleep or rest.

It was nearing the Fourth, so I set the camera down for a few days to enjoy some time with Elle and our friends…

Except, of course, on two hikes… Bear Creek and Silver Lake.

Soon our restful time in Telluride was over and it was on to work more in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas!

all images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

advanced, art, equipment review, nature, photography, travel, wildlife

canon 500 f/4L IS II // field review

I have been itching to get my hands on the new Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM(US $10,499).

I’ve shot several times with the version one 500 f/4 and 600 f/4, and loved them, but I must admit, I was excited to feel the improvements in weight, sharpness, and features firsthand.

And what better time to put a super-tele to the test than on a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park!?

So, thankfully, a few days before my road trip, I received a huge 22 lb. box from Canon… woo hoo!!

Below are a few examples of photographs I made on the trip with the new lens. All technical info is also listed below each photo.

Overall, what I noticed most was the amazing reduction in weight. I hiked dozens of miles with this lens (along with all my other equipment), and let me tell you… it was leaps and bounds better than hiking with its predecessor.

They were able to shave off over 1.5 lbs thanks to magnesium and titanium construction elements.

Photo courtesy Canon

The difference in weight was so noticeable, in fact, that it wasn’t even too difficult to hand hold. Though I did prefer using this lens with a monopod :)

The sharpness and clarity are better than any other super tele I’ve evaluated so far. And in my opinion, I would have found it hard to improve on the original version. But somehow, Canon did.

Rocky Mountain Bull Elk, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/160 @ f/8, ISO 100, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Fly Fishing Dream Lake, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/4, ISO 400

unidentified bird (please help if you know!), Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/16, ISO 250

Rocky Mountain Bull Elk Silhouette, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/2000 @ f/6.3, ISO 500

I wasn’t able to play around much with the 3 different IS (Image Stabilization) settings, but I have found an excellent review that will certainly fill in some of the blanks that I’ve missed, from the good folks at the-digital-picture.com.

They also have a very helpful side-by-side review function that I have included, if you like looking at specs… Canon 500 f/4L vs. Canon 500 f/4L II

Cow Moose, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/8, ISO 800, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Moose Calf, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/8, ISO 800, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Cow Moose with Calf, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/125 @ f/8, ISO 800, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Sparring Marmots, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/640 @ f/4, ISO 640

Rocky Mountain Bull Elk, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/40 @ f/4, ISO 3200

White-Tailed Doe Deer, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/4, ISO 400

Mountain Bluebird Pouncing, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO 200, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Mountain Bluebird Flight, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/500 @ f/8, ISO 200, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

This new version also significantly reduces the minimum focusing distance, thereby making it way less difficult to shoot wildflowers while on the trail.

Dual Columbines, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/4, ISO 400

White Tailed Ptarmigan, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/200 @ f/4, ISO 400

Bighorn Ram, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/1600 @ f/8, ISO 400, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Three Bighorn Rams In A Row, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/400 @ f/8, ISO 400, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

Cow Moose In A Creek, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/100 @ f/8, ISO 800, with Canon Extender EF 2x III

American Robin, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/800 @ f/4, ISO 500

Alpine Wildflowers, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, Canon 5D MKII, 1/640 @ f/4, ISO 500

I was really happy with the overall construction and performance of this lens. It held up against foul weather… when hiking, I was rained on several times, and I truly didn’t worry about the moisture affecting this lens. The image quality is outstanding, even with the Extender EF 2x III. The weight and size are more manageable than other huge lenses.

And though my biggest complaint (always) with super telephoto lenses is that the AF is slow and difficult, the 500 f/4L II performed far better than any other lens of this magnitude.

There are only 2 real downsides to this lens, and for someone like me, who hikes a lot, the first is its sheer size and (though much lighter) weight. But considering any alternative of which I’m aware, the 500 f/4L II is the best option. The second con is the expense. At just over $10k, it is not an easy purchase to make. Unless your primary source of income is shooting wildlife or sports, it is not necessary… it’s a luxury. I will admit, I’m not a lavish living or spending kind of man… but I sincerely want this lens :)

andrew

advanced, art, film, film making, landscape, nature, photography, travel, wildlife

rocky mountain np // motion

For fun, I decided to make a short video of some of my time-lapses and motion captures from the trip.

And yes, I just had to sneak some marmots in for a cameo or two….

I hope you enjoy! For best results, watch in HD.

All motion clips are available for commercial and editorial licensing through Tandem Stills + Motion.

andrew slaton | blog

travelogue and visual catharsis of a nomadic photographer

Category Archives: nature

canyon de chelly // a disappearing act

canon 24 f/1.4L II // field review

telluride // a few shots

canon 500 f/4L IS II // field review

rocky mountain np // motion

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