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Short stories about the inspiration and execution of my favorite photographs by Crested Butte, Colorado photographer, Dusty Demerson “Lone Pine” the Theory of Contrast
June 06, 2013
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A small pine tree in a forest of aspens. Contrast seems to be a recurring theme in my photography. I think it’s a theme in the rest of my life as well. The friends I choose, the music I listen to, the books I read and the clothes I wear exhibit a wide variety of colors, textures, personalities, flavors, sounds and emotions. Each image an artist creates is a product of everything in his or her life that has come before. Everything we do, see, hear, taste, smell etc. will influence the the remainder of our lives and the art we create. The single pine tree in the forest of aspens offers lots of contrasting elements. The shape of the tree, colors, textures, size and species all stand in sharp contradiction to the surrounding forest. Artists frequently use this technique to draw attention to the subject. If you have a field of ten thousand yellow poppies and a single red one, the contrasting flower is where your gaze will land. The technique is not subtle or secretive it’s obvious and demanding. This isn’t the only valid technique though. Subtle, intricate, delicate and refined compositions can work too. I think it depends on the scene and what the artist is attempting to say. The reason people tend to respond positively to this image is more psychological than visual though. Whether the emotional response is that of being alone, outcast, surrounded, small, colored, short or a different species, the visual contrast evokes certain feelings. The response could be positive as well. The pine seems to be thriving despite its surroundings. It could be a conqueror or the first sign of change in the evolution of the forest. Each one of us will respond to the photograph individually based on everything that has happened to us leading up to this moment or event. Just like the artist. The response you have today may be entirely different than a year from now. “Lone Pine” has generated many different emotional responses from me but it always has something to say. What does it say to you? I would love to know. As always, you can click on the photo for a larger view. You can also use the link below to share on Facebook, email or your favorite media. News Flash! Just sold at 18″ x 24″ Crested Butte and Paradise Divide by Moonlight The post “Lone Pine” the Theory of Contrast appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Death Valley Dunes
June 06, 2013
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A fierce wind whips sand dunes into shape. A few years ago California’s Death Valley National Park received lots of rare spring rain during March and April. Almost overnight the desert became a blaze of wildflower color, highly uncharacteristic of the name of the park. You probably saw this on the news. I did too. At breakfast one morning this rare event became the topic of conversation and when we had finished our food and wandered our separate ways I decided I had to go to California and make photographs. I finished the day gathering and packing my provisions and headed out early the next morning. Although I was planning on camping I knew it was going to be a really long day’s drive to Death Valley since Las Vegas is a 12 hour drive from Crested Butte and the park is even further. I had never been to Death Valley so I planned on getting a hotel upon arrival. Adventure number 1. There are a few hotels north of Las Vegas just outside the park. As it turns out, not much sleeping happens at these places. But I digress. Early the next morning I headed into the park. Even the drive is an adventure but all went well. Upon my arrival below sea level I was greeted with a temperature of 105 and a pretty steady 30-50 mile per hour wind. There were no wildflowers! Tent camping was just not going to happen. Photographs were not going to happen either. I was too far away from civilization to get anything like a weather forecast so I spent most of the day inside the park visitor’s center learning about the park and doing research. Not a bad day’s work after all. I decided to try another hotel but had a similar experience. Day two was a huge improvement in both temperature and lack of wind. The damage, however, had been done and my reason for driving halfway across the country (not really but have you driven across Nevada?) was now headed northeast in a hurry. There were a few bits of wildflowers left but nothing to photograph. I did shoot a little “stock” of tourists on sand and looking at stuff but nothing worthwhile. I was able to scope out the park and find a campsite and make plans for the next day. Day three was really nice because I drove to Scotty’s Castle which is a marvelous oasis in the desert and followed that up with a torturous drive to “The Racetrack” where stones are known to move across the dried lake bed by themselves. Scientists really don’t know why this happens but most have come to the conclusion that when it rains the mud gets really slick and makes it easy for the wind to move the rocks. Sounds reasonable. The stones leave tracks in the mud and all of the tracks are going in different directions. Even stones 10 feet apart leave different trails. I think that rules out the wind, at least for me. I’m digressing again. I forgot to mention that there were sand dunes a short distance from where I camped. The first day I saw them (day two) the light was terrible at midday and since they face west the light was no good at sunset either. When I past them on day three a photographer in a red shirt was standing on top of the highest dune for most of the morning. I have pictures. Again, more stock images but not what I drove across Nevada for. Day four and my last day before heading home…and it’s windy again. I’m ready to hit the road and fairly frustrated with my productivity but decide to give the dunes one last visit. The light was beautiful. The wind was really annoying. I’ve put off showing this image because the “technician” inside me insists on the subjects of my photographs being “sharp”. The dunes are not sharp. I know the camera wasn’t moving because it was on a tripod. I eventually figured out that my subject was moving. The wind is constantly rearranging the dunes. So, I fired the “technician” and printed the photograph. I hope you like it. It’s growing on me! Please let me know your thoughts. The post Death Valley Dunes appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. A Colorado Aspen Forest in Black and White “White Forest”
June 06, 2013
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If you’ve ever hiked through a dense forest you may know the feeling of seeing endless trees. For me, it’s not claustrophobic or frightening but visually relaxing. Having your view filled with repetitive patterns, colors and textures is a really cool, intimate feeling. I guess my eyes and brain get to relax a little when the input is simplified. I’ve been asked a number of times where I captured this photograph and I really wish I knew. I’ve been able to narrow it down to the Kebler Pass or Ohio Pass areas of Gunnison County, Colorado. I had experienced the “feeling” long before actually capturing it visually. I had been working on this photograph for several years before editing photos one day and realizing that I “had” it. That’s why I don’t remember exactly where it was. I know it was autumn because in the color version there are a few yellow leaves way in the back. That’s part of the reason for the black and white presentation. Getting rid of the color was critical to the success of the photo. Another reason for the monotone treatment was control.
Most Aspen trees don’t have that birch-like white bark. They can range from greenish to brownish but are rarely “white”. These were pretty close though. Treating the image as a black and white allowed me to lighten the bark of the trees without messing with the “eyes” or other dark parts using the tools within Adobe Photoshop. The resulting artistic treatment was not what I saw but it was what I felt and reacted to when the image was created. Back in the “Ansel Adams” days using really great black and white films and proper darkroom technique I could have captured the same tonality. So, for those digital skeptics among you, the best images are created using the best techniques available to artists at whatever time they’re created. Ansel Adams would definitely be utilizing Adobe Photoshop tools and would probably be utilizing digital capture.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy “White Forest” as much as I do. It’s a great seller and looks awesome as a large single image on a wall. (It doesn’t like to share though.)
Sorry this post is a week late. I’ve been having some website hosting issues which I hope to resolve in the next few days. At least it’s working again but when the host can’t tell you why it crashed and it takes three days to recover it’s time to move on. I’ve been doing a lot of web work this week with a remodel of my wedding pages at www.color-west.com the wedding stuff is at: http://www.color-west.com/Templates/weddingnew.html. I’ve also been getting a few requests for prints from stock images. Those are hosted at: http://dusty-demerson.artistwebsites.com/. I hope everyone has a great week. It looks like I’ll finally get to do some skiing instead of website work. Yea!
The post A Colorado Aspen Forest in Black and White “White Forest” appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. I Find Inspiration in the Work of Other Photographers
June 06, 2013
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Roofscape from Silverton, Colorado I’m not much of an architectural photographer. I usually refer my long-time friendBob Brazell any of that type of work that wanders my way. I do, on occasion, photograph architectural elements that strike me as particularly “artistic”. This was the case on a visit to Silverton, Colorado. Silverton is a mining town located between Ouray and Durango on the world famous “Million Dollar Highway” 550. Today the price tag for that roadway would probably be more like a million dollars per mile. It’s an amazing and sometimes frightening drive. But back to the subject. Silverton sits in a high mountain valley and thus is usually suffering from a temperature inversion which keeps any car exhaust, smoke or dust hovering over the town. Kind of dingy. Not the best atmosphere for beautiful color photos. I’m guessing that Ansel Adams enjoyed the same atmosphere in 1951 when he photographed the quaint mountain town. His view is a lot more inclusive than mine, showing a fence and two other homes on the right. His view also shows the mountain peak and a little grey sky as well. Ansel’s image is also in black and white even though he did do some color photography around that time. My choice for black and white came from the poor color saturation and haze in the sky. I knew I could have a lot more control over the contrast of the scene if I got rid of the color. I also chose to photograph a tighter view because since 1951 electricity, cable and satellite tv has come to Silverton and their additions have done nothing to improve the view. By cropping tighter I could eliminate a lot of those distractions. See, photography is as much about what you don’t show as it is about what you do. I’ve learned a lot from looking at Ansel Adams photos and other photographers too. Some of my favorites are Edward Weston, David Muench, Christopher Burkett, Edward Weston and Freeman Patterson to name a few. Not having any galleries or museums that show works from these photographers anywhere near here, I collect their books and can always peruse the pages at my leisure. Seeing the photos on websites just doesn’t have the same feel as a great reproduction in a book overseen by the artist. Seeing the works live and in person is may favorite though which is why I’ll wander to Denver or Santa Fe at the drop of a hat if there’s new work to be seen. For myself or any aspiring photographer it’s extremely important to see firsthand the works that the rest of the art world finds exciting and inspiring. Even if we’re not really producing that type of work it’s great to know what others find important enough to invest in. So, what do you do to stay or get inspired? I’d love to know. Maybe you can inspire me too. The post I Find Inspiration in the Work of Other Photographers appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. “Fearless”
June 06, 2013
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Small pine tree seemingly threatened by looming shadows of larger trees Way back in the winter of 2004 I got it into my mind that I needed to go searching for an image to enter into the Banff Mountain Photography Competition. This inclination was a response to and inspired by viewing the winning entries from the previous year at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. It was one of those “I can do that” moments. Actually, it was more of an “I should do that” moment based on the number of people I witnessed commenting on the images while waiting for the films to begin. A marketing opportunity, if you will. So one bright, crisp winter morning I set out for Taylor Canyon, one of my favorite winter locations, with the idea of capturing shadows on fresh snow. On sunny, winter, fresh snow days shadows are probably the most compelling subjects and just demand to be photographed. Let me back up and explain a little about Taylor Canyon. The 30 or so mile drive from Almont, Colorado to Taylor Reservoir is a heavily wooded, narrow canyon containing the Taylor River. Because it runs mostly east/west and because the Sun is so far south a photographer can sleep well into the morning and still catch “sunrise” in the canyon around 10:30 am. Maybe that’s why it’s one of my favorite places. A lazy photographer’s dream come true! Another thing you should know about Taylor Canyon is that in the winter there are only a few places to turn around. With snow banks 4 feet high on both sides of the narrow road your backtracking options are pretty limited. Anyway, the canyon being heavily wooded was not really helping me create great shadow photos on this day. The scenes were just too complicated for great compositions. There were too many shadows and too many trees. I had spent several hours hunting for new photos with nothing to show for my efforts. That happens a lot! I had all but given up and was ready to turn around and head home for lunch when I got to the base of the Taylor dam. Knowing I would be able to turn around above the dam, I stopped one more time and climbed the snow bank to check out the river. That’s when I saw it! On the far side of the river bank (only about 50′ away) was this small pine tree surrounded by fresh deep snow and imposing shadows. The fact that the shadows did not actually fall on the tree itself was luck or a blessing (take your pick). If the shadows had covered the tree the scene would not have the impact it does now. So, I worked the scene from various angles and with a variety of lenses until I ran out of film. But then I saw what I needed to see. Effective composition usually evolves through a variety of attempts and trial and error (mostly error) for me. Scenes get “fine tuned” over time and with some effort. But I’m out of film and I finally have the composition I want. What to do? Not having many other choices, I grab my Nikon 8800 digital “point and shoot” and capture the best composition of the day. While I did get the image I was looking for I’m still disapointed that I wasn’t able to capture it at the highest quality. A few months later I send the photo to Banff along with a few others and promptly forget about it. That’s actually a good scenario for entering contests. The odds are always against any one image doing well and our sanity will suffer if we “know it’s going to win”. In early June while heading out of town to the Canyonlands I received a call on my cell phone. I was actually amazed it rang on Kebler Pass Road since I usually have no signal there. Anyway, a wonderful woman from Canada was calling to let me know that my photo of “the tree with the shadows” was chosen as the First Place winner but that the file number I used for the title was simply not acceptable. I had to come up with a more appropriate title…now! I searched the vastness of my vocabulary and came up with “Fearless”. She thought it was perfect. Since that time this image has appeared on the Banff website as well as all of their presentations of their film festival winners, National Geographic’s website, and lots of home and office walls. If there are morals to this story I think they are: 1. keep at it a little longer. 2. always keep a camera available, even if it’s just a “point and shoot”. and 3. Use real titles not file numbers for your photos. I’ll be back next week. Keep smiling. The post “Fearless” appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Snowstorm Panorama from Taylor Canyon, Colorado
June 06, 2013
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It’s no secret that I like storms. Snowstorms are no exception. But when it’s dumping outside without a breath of wind and the snow is light as a feather and the air temperature is kind of warm I just can’t stay inside. That was today! This storm was supposed to be really cold and windy creating miserable photography conditions. So far those weather guys have missed the mark…again. No complaints here! So I got to spend the day doing what I really love, making new photos.
The image above is my favorite so far from today’s images. Taylor Canyon is one of my favorite forested areas for winter photos. It’s about 20 miles from my home so I can get there any time the light or weather seems inviting. I’ll probably be back there tomorrow morning for more photos since today’s shoot didn’t quite give me what I was hoping for. That’s the way this photo stuff works more often than not.
The image above is a panorama of sorts created by combining 8 single images. I let software do the actual work of stitching the images together. I’m currently using Panorama Tools GUI as my tool of choice although there are many others that work very well. The challenge with stitching multiple frames is figuring out where the photo should begin and end. After all, a strong composition is a key element in a successful print. This image was actually cropped down from the original capture to help the Aspen trees stand out and become the focal point. Cropping also cut off the bottom of the tree running through the center of the photo. Psychologically, cutting something off lets the viewer know that it’s not as important as other elements in the image that are shown complete. That’s a compositional trick that is usually used at the edges of the photo but a lot of compositional rules get thrown out the window when working in the panorama format.
Another element contributing to the successful image is the lower contrast and softer focus of the background in comparison to the Aspen trees in the foreground. In this case, the background is really in focus but appears soft because of the falling snow. There’s a lot more snow between the camera and the background than between the camera and the Aspen trees so the foreground naturally has more contrast than the background. Hey, there’s another design tool at work. Our eyes are naturally drawn to areas of higher contrast and will tend to see areas that are in focus as more important than those that are “soft”.
OK, enough of that for now. It’s officially Arts Fair Application Season. I’m looking for a few great arts fairs to show my work this spring. I just applied to the Paseo show in OKC but does anyone have any other suggestions? Shows within a day’s drive of CB between April 1 and June 15 will be preferred but others could be considered. Thanks for your suggestions. See you next week.
The post Snowstorm Panorama from Taylor Canyon, Colorado appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. The Peaks of Paradise Divide Tower over Crested Butte, Colorado
June 06, 2013
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Winter brings its challenges to those of us who live at altitude. First, there’s snow which is our only form of precipitation from early October until sometime in May. Then there’s the temperature. Last night my home saw -16 but some of my friends living on the valley floor saw -35. They had some trouble getting cars started this morning. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not really complaining. I live here by choice and if I ever tire of the winter challenges I can move to Phoenix. Along with the challenges, winter brings some awesome photographic possibilities for those of us willing to do a little extra work. The “Paradise Divide Over Crested Butte by Moonlight” image above is a good example. This photograph really only works in winter when most of the ground is white. In the summer the moonlight has little effect on mostly-green foliage. The lights in the homes don’t come on until after 9 pm so they tend to be more scattered than all on at the same time. In winter the lights are on by 6 pm which is an extra bonus for me since I can be done with work a lot earlier than in summer. Another added ingredient for the winter version is the blue of the sky reflected on the snow. Blue tones tend to recede visually and contrast nicely with the yellow lights in the windows which, being warmer tones, tend to advance. The thing I like most about this image, however, isn’t the colors or that I got to go to bed earlier. My favorite part of the image is the sense of scale. The towering mountains looming over a tiny town show just how this valley feels to people arriving for the first time. It’s a warm, welcoming and inviting feeling despite the towering peaks. It makes me feel comfortable and protected. The effect is enhanced by the use of a long telephoto lens (300mm) which visually compresses the distance between the peaks and the town. How does this photo make you feel? I would love to know. You can leave a comment here on the blog, send an email or post a reply on Facebook if you prefer. Please feel free to share this with anyone who may be interested. Have a great week and Happy 2011! The post The Peaks of Paradise Divide Tower over Crested Butte, Colorado appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. A Huge Snow Storm Makes for some Beautiful Photographs
June 06, 2013
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Peace in the Trees If you’ve been watching the news lately or following any Crested Butte folks on Facebook you would know that we’re in the middle of a monster of a snow storm. Saturday morning I had 17″ of the lightest, whitest snow I’ve ever seen covering my parking lot. We’ve had at least another 12″ since then with the major part of the storm coming in tonight. We could see 6 feet or more by Tuesday night when this thing is supposed to move out of the mountains. Skiing has been incredible. Driving, not so much! The photography has been pretty great too. Unlike most winter storms, this one has blessed us with plenty of snow but absolutely no wind…not even a breeze. This unusual chain of events has provided super light snow accumulating on every little bump or texture of everything around. Not only are there piles of the white stuff on tree branches, rooftops, bicycles, cars and the like, there are also small accumulations on every little protrusion of every tree in the forest. This morning, I found myself heading out to capture this beautiful event. The photo above is just one of the resulting images. Purposely throwing the background out of focus keeps the viewer’s attention on the Aspen trees in the foreground. If everything was in focus the image would be confusing and the viewer would not know where I wanted him to look. The conifer forest below exhibits the same effect. Winter snowstorm panorama Both images may be viewed larger by clicking on them. Which one do you like best? Do you hate them both? Any opinions at all? Anyone?…Bueller, Bueller? I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. See you next week! The post A Huge Snow Storm Makes for some Beautiful Photographs appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Colorado Winter Pasture with Snow
June 06, 2013
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Bleak winter pasture with odd composition Sorry this post is so late this week. It’s been one of those “uninspired” days. You know the kind. It’s not that you have nothing to do. It’s that you just don’t want to do anything and what you do try to accomplish doesn’t work. Computer is misbehaving. Christmas shopping is not done. Nasty wind outside. Nothing on TV. I do have a good book waiting for me so that’s something. This photograph is kind of how I feel tonight. Interesting lines that don’t go anywhere. Definite stark, lonely, quiet mood but not really depressing. Just kind of introverted. Interesting in an odd, “breaking all the rules” sort of way. I can’t decide whether I really like the photograph or not but I can’t throw it away. I think it may have something to say (at least to me) but I’m not quite sure. What do you think? Does this image stir any emotion or mood in you? Is it just weird? I really would love to know your thoughts and feelings. On a more cheerful note…here’s an invitation. You’re all invited to attend an art opening on Wednesday evening from 6 to 7:30 at The Lodge at Mountaineer Square right across the road from my place here in Mount Crested Butte, Colorado. I hear that there will be some food, music and drink to accompany a lot of top-notch art to grace the walls of the Lodge through the winter months. The Show is called “Winter Blues”. I would love to see you there. No RSVP necessary…just show up. The post Colorado Winter Pasture with Snow appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Winter Blues
June 06, 2013
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Fresh snow and sun create abstract shadows Winter photography can be truly challenging with cold temperatures, difficult terrain and stark (or buried) subject matter. Just finding the motivation to leave a warm home and hot cup of tea behind to venture out into the cold, bleak white of winter can cause one to rethink his plans. Handling equipment, using the tripod, keeping batteries warm and dealing with condensation or frost just add to the adventure of winter photography. But it can be worth the extra effort. Winter scenes offer their own unique expressions. Sunlight has a whole new set tricks that just weren’t available when the ground was covered with foliage. Shadows and sparkles become a visual treat we couldn’t even imagine last summer. New colors fill the palette as well. Cooler tones now dominate the landscape once filled with browns, greens and yellows. Lines, shapes and textures take on much more abstract forms in winter creating sometimes simpler, sometimes more complex compositions. If you haven’t picked up on it by now, I love winter landscape photography. Even though it’s truly challenging and the compositons are entirely different than those of a few months earlier, I appreciate the stark, bare beauty of the winter landscape. Another bonus for me is that I very rarely encounter other photographers on my winter outings. Not that I don’t enjoy a little company but my psyche changes in winter as well. While usually outgoing and chatty, my winter persona is somewhat more reserved and introspective. Winter is my time for self analysis and solitude. Anyway, about the photograph. “Winter Blues” is a version of a consistent winter theme of mine. I love the play of shadow and light on smooth fresh snow. In and of itself, this abstract scene offers a lot of interest but having the lines minimally broken by the cause of the shadows is an important element to the story-telling of the image. The tree trunks complete the story by showing the viewer where the shadows come from. Leaving those forms to the imagination would bring a mystery to the scene that, I feel, wouldn’t support or enhance the story and would leave the scene feeling a little two-dimensional or flat. I photographed the scene both ways, trust me in this! “Winter Blues” will be one of my photographs at the Alpenglow Gallery in the ski base area for the winter season. The show, titled amazingly, “Winter Blues” will open on December 15th and run through March of 2011. The opening reception is 12/15 from 6-7:30 pm at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square in Mount Crested Butte. I and the other exhibiting artists would love to see you there. Finally, I hope your holiday spirits are buoyant and happy and that your shopping is going well. If not, maybe I can help. Photographs make wonderful, affordable gifts and can still be delivered in time for the holidays. I have two websites set up just for your gift-giving and shopping pleasure. My sites: dusty-demerson.artistwebsites.com and imagescolorado.com can fulfill your print order, offer matting, framing and delivery directly to you. Limited editions and signed prints are always available directly through me at: [email protected]. I hope you have a terrific week and will take a second to let me know your thoughts on Winter Blues via email, Facebook, or the comment form below. The post Winter Blues appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Autumn Winds
June 06, 2013
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For years I’ve been experimenting with “shooting the breeze”. You know, capturing the effects of wind on a two dimensional flat, still piece of paper. (Or your computer monitor)
In Crested Butte we usually get wind with rain or snow making this experiment not only challenging but also fairly uncomfortable and bad for a camera. On rare occasions, like this one, the wind came with a blue sky and fall colors.
Most modern digital cameras require some kind of neutral density filtration to allow a long enough exposure time for the movement to show. Sometimes a polarizing filter is enough but usually not. This image was made with a 7 stop ND filter allowing an exposure time of about 15 seconds. Since the bare branches had less wind resistance they registered fairly sharp because they didn’t move. The branches with leaves were moving like crazy providing a surreal effect which I love. I hope you do too!
Please let me know your thoughts on this photo via the “leave a reply” secton below or email or Facebook as usual. I would love to hear from you whether you like the image or not.
Finally, and just in time for your holiday gift-giving needs, the shameless self promotion portion of the blog.
I have a new website created just for you. It’s at: http://dusty-demerson.artistwebsites.com/ . Many of my most popular images are available as prints, matted, framed or printed on canvas directly to you. These are not signed like you would find at the galleries but the images are the same and the prices are unbeatable. Give them a visit especially if you have someone who’s tough to shop for.
Have a great week!
The post Autumn Winds appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. A Winter Melody
June 06, 2013
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Winter Melody Once again it’s snowing in the Crested Butte high country and scenes like this will be popping up in the week ahead…if the wind subsides. I, however, will be enjoying family and turkey in Oklahoma and, hopefully, capturing a few more fall color images before turning the corner to winter. Winter Melody is a scene that I drive past several times a day. The arrangement of the Aspen trees on the hillside always remind me of music whatever the season. I have photographed the scene in every season and even have some other images that I like. But, the stark contrast of the tree trunks against the snow show the musical nature of the scene better than at any other season. Most of our snowfalls come with a little wind so the snow doesn’t hang on the branches of the trees. When I photographed this scene without snow on the trees the contrast just seemed too great. There was too much attention to the tops of the trees and not enough emphasis on the intersection of the trunks with the hillside. On this morning the scene was just right. We had a few inches of fresh snow over night. The sky was still overcast keeping the shadows from overpowering the forms of the trees. The sun was not shining. What makes the scene work is the sketch-like quality which I did enhance by converting the photograph to black and white. This photograph is printed on canvas and gallery wrapped at 20″ x 60″. Print number 1 of a limited edition of 25 is normally $900. To celebrate Thanksgiving and winter coming to the high country (and the start of ski season) Winter Melody #1 is available this week only at $600 which will include shipping in the US. Each successive print will rise in price by $50 until the edition sells out making #1 a great investment for your home or office. As always, I look forward to your comments using the “Leave a Reply” section below, via email or Facebook. The post A Winter Melody appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Wee Three Bears
June 06, 2013
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I’m fortunate enough to live in rural Colorado, a place teeming with wildlife. I would never call myself a wildlife photographer though. It’s a very specialized discipline requiring big, heavy, expensive gear and, most of all, patience and an extensive knowledge of your subjects. I will, however, photograph wildlife if they walk in front of my lens. Living where I do, that happens from time to time. Very rarely, animals will pose for me while I’m traveling far from home. Traveling through Alaska while celebrating my parent’s 50th anniversary a few years ago I had the opportunity to spend an evening touring Denali National Park. Not really a fan of these organized tours, I tried to bow out of this one by citing my recently-acquired intestinal virus as a great reason not to spend the next five hours on a school bus with no “facilities”. I was reminded that since I had not eaten in 24 hours I probably had nothing to “lose”. That argument won out.
I will sing the praises of our driver/tour-guide for the rest of my life. She was a rookie driver but had more knowledge of the park and the wildlife than everyone else on the bus combined. She also had the eyes of an eagle. She could spot wildlife half a mile away and tell us what it was, its sex, what it was doing and what it had for lunch the previous day. She was truly amazing. Even with a 200mm lens I couldn’t see many of the birds she was trying to point out. Our driver had spotted a large female grizzly bear with three cubs a few days prior to our tour. She knew just where to look for them and amazingly, they were just where she thought they might be. A little more than a quarter of a mile away up a drainage above the road we could identify “Mama” and here three brown spots. Mom was slowly eating her way down the hillside while the kids were having a blast sliding down the little remaining snow in the gully. We watched for about 15 minutes while my fellow tourists complained under their breath about the animals being so far away.
We traveled well into the park viewing a few caribou and Dall sheep as well as an eagle or two. We even were blessed by a rainbow in Polychrome Basin. My personal stomach ailments prevented me from being my usual photo-hungry self so the landscape images I made left a lot to be desired. Traveling with 30 other people doesn’t help my creativity much either. I do my best work while traveling solo (but that’s a story for another time).
As we were heading back to the entrance to the park our driver noticed that the four bears had worked their way down the drainage and were now only about 100 yards from the road. She said that we would sit and wait as long as everyone in the bus remained inside and absolutely silent. I’m thinking some of the group didn’t even breathe for the next 45 minutes or so. With the windows on the bus lowered to allow a clear shot, we took turns photographing and viewing Mother Grizzly and her three cubs slowly eating their way to our bus. My seatmate asked me what I thought was going to happen (via whisper). I said I thought they would come right up to the bus. She said “In your dreams”. She was right! Occasionally dreams come true too.
Mom and her three cubs crossed the road 20 feet in front of the bus as we sat in silence and amazement. They dissapeared into the tall brush and it was time for us to get back to “camp”. We had barely travelled a hundred yards when a moose stepped out of the brush right in front of the bus. We almost ran it over. I didn’t get that picture!
Not everyone who travels to Denali has the experiences we had but I highly recommend the trip if you can do it. The more time you can spend inside the park the more likely you are to be rewarded with memorable images. That’s the case everywhere I’ve been but sometimes the Powers of the Universe conspire to reward even short visits. There is no substitute for patience either. Please let me know your thoughts and feel free to share this with the links below. I do have photos with Mom with the cubs as well.
The post Wee Three Bears appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Sunset Solitude
June 06, 2013
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As autumn’s colors start to fade and those of us who live in the “high country” of Colorado anticipate the first snows of winter photography opportunities are sometimes hard to find. This season is a perfect chance to explore new or different perspectives and equipment. I tend to approach landscape photographs with wide angle lenses, attempting to capture as much of the surrounding beauty as possible. “Sunset Solitude” is a complete reversal of this idea. Captured with a 300 mm telephoto lens, the scene in the East River Valley near Crested Butte is a greatly compressed point of view. The lower slopes of Whiterock Mountain are squished into the sunlit meadows of West Brush Creek.
Sunset light coming from the west really shows off the variety of textures in this valley. That’s one of the great characteristics of light coming from the side of a scene, especially at a low angle. The higher points of the scene are brightly lit while the lower parts fall into deep shadow creating relief and contrast that accentuate texture and contours.
Normally the purplish mountain in the background would be black but light reflecting from the west side of Crested Butte Mountain on the left and out of the scene, casts just enough light to add some mystery and muted detail to the background. Since our eyes are naturally attracted to the brighter, more contrasty part of an image, our immediate gaze falls into the sunlit center of the photo. As we continue to view the photograph, we discover the minute details in the shadow areas of the scene.
This image is a bit of a departure from my usual offerings in that it is much more subtle than most. The mystery and secrets of the scene lie in the shadows and must be searched for instead of being found “in your face” in the sunlight. I think this image also reflects my usual mood at this time of year. Generally outgoing and extroverted, in late fall I tend more toward introspection and quiet solitude. Most unique imagery reflects the mood, character and personality of the artist at the time it was created in some way. “Sunset Solitude” is no exception.
As always, you can see a larger version of the photograph by clicking on the image. I would love to know your thoughts and feelings about this photograph via the “leave a reply” opportunity on this page or via the link below for email/facebook etc. Feel free to share this blog with anyone you think might enjoy the subjects.
With the holidays fast approaching I can still offer limited opportunities for family or individual portraits to be delivered in time for gifts. Check out my portrait site at: http://www.demersonphotography.com for additional information.
Until next week, enjoy some solitude and introspection.
The post Sunset Solitude appeared first on Dusty Demerson - Crested Butte Photographer. Red Sunrise on the East River (Colorado)
June 06, 2013
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With our autumn colors now mostly a drab brown (with patches of white in the shade) we look forward to colder temperatures and lots of the white stuff to cover the ground soon to support our winter play time. As the outdoor colors wane finding inspiring subjects for landscape photography becomes a challenge. Patience is required. Attention to the atmosphere helps too. On the drive up to the old mining town of Gothic, Colorado the road starts out several hundred feet above the valley providing a few really nice overlooks of the East River meanders. These overlooks are awe inspiring but provide limited opportunities for unique viewpoints or approaches to a really nice subject. I’ve spent hundreds of hours looking for photographs in this area a few miles north of my home with few images to show for the time.
One morning as I was leaving home for my usual Breakfast at Paradise just before sunrise I noticed that the sky was cloudy with openings to the east. That’s where the sun comes up! This is a pretty rare event up here. If we awake to clouds it’s usually raining or snowing with no hope of a nice sunrise. But this morning, instead of heading to Paradise, I decided to head toward Gothic with the hope of the sun lighting up the bottom of the clouds overhead. Ten minutes later I had what I had hoped for. As the sun rose it lit up the bottom of the clouds over the river with beautiful red light which reflected wonderfully in the river below. So now a drab brown scene has a ribbon of red wandering through. As always, if you click on the photo you can see a larger version. The subtle colors of this photo can vary greatly from one screen to another but the printed photograph is really cool.
Please let me know if you have any comments or questions. The birthdays of my uncle (RJ Calvert 90) and my father (Gordon Demerson 80) remind me that the holidays are quickly approaching. Photographs make wonderfully personal gifts that can appreciate in value over time. If you’re looking for such a gift please be sure to check out http://www.imagescolorado.com for open and limited edition prints for your walls and for your friends. Finally, a very fond farewell…no, a see-you-later…to Heidi and Mike Frazier. I wish you well in any venture you choose to pursue.
Until next week!
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