Fighting the Urge

I'm beginning to find myself fighting the urge to give irreverent titles to my blog and in describing winter this year! I think I have a grasp on how our recent ancestors felt when they first moved to the plains and the prairie. The hardships were not scarce. Either their crops disappeared under dark clouds of locusts, homes swept away by prairie fires or they froze or were driven mad in the never ending blizzards of winter!

Ha! Well, I don't have that much to gripe about I guess...after all we've got no place to be...let the winds whip through for days on end and bury our hard work in new snow each day - so what! Auuuuugggghhhhh!

Sorry, think that's out of my system now for the short term any way. :)

Tomorrow morning we get to test the snow blower repair made on Friday...wish us luck. But as I said, we're not going anywhere any how!

We are going to the Winter Thaw Nature Photography Workshop next Saturday though! Maybe that's what we all need - a reason to get out and enjoy ourselves?!

The workshop will be held at the Emmetsburg Iowa Lakes Community College campus on Saturday, February 20th. There will be a $20 registration fee to cover presenter expenses and lunch. Registration is required so plans can be made for food and materials.

To register or ask questions about the workshop contact the Iowa Lakes RC&D office at 712-262-2083.

My part in the workshop will be to emphasize the beginning aspects, equipment and field techniques. Photographing the Landscape, as well as Flora and Fauna. I also want to stress a part of digital photography that I am not seeing enough of these days - craftsmanship in the digital darkroom. There won't be enough time at the workshop to get deeply into this subject, but it is one I want to raise an awareness of.

I taught the darkroom for many years at the community college level, I worked in commercial darkrooms as far back as the early 1970's. Professional Photographers paid me to use my expertise in printing from their film, or entrusted their film to me for processing and printing. They needed me to help them keep bread on their tables and I took a tremendous amount of satisfaction from it.

Darkroom work - film processing and printing, is nearly a lost craft now, in oh such a short time since it was practiced on a daily basis in the industry and fine arts. I went to an exhibition a while back, an exhibit of Black and White photography. The scope of the work was amazing, even enviable - but the print quality was sorrowfully absent. It was as if Weston, Adams, Tice or Caponigro had never lived! WHAT A SHAME!

I do see this in digital darkroom work too, especially in Black and White work. Why do people throw a file into the digital soup and accept what the automated process gives them? If only people would reach back and study the masters - those that did it by hand, the hard way - the studied way. B&W isn't cool because it's "retro". It's only amazing when it's carried through as a fine craft.

I do strongly believe that most people do not realize this because they have never been exposed to the master photographers and print makers like Ansel Adams or George Tice and others. They don't have a base of comparison or experience.

OK, I'm getting cranked up again, must be the weather.

Anyway, I'm throwing the following illustration in for the workshop next week just to give people something to "chew" on for a bit. This relates to the digital darkroom.

Just as in traditional darkroom manipulation, digital darkroom programs can craft a fine image from a file that would not have been possible without processing in an appropriate
software or manner.

The following images illustrate an example of photo manipulation in the digital darkroom - illustrates how an image file looked prior to, and after processing in a photo software program. You see the true possibilities that rested in that file, the image that I saw when I took the photograph. It was a crappy day, snowing and windy. The subject matter (Bison) was poorly lit and could not be repositioned for the shot...the fence was there and there to stay...moving back or forward would not help and shooting through the wire was out because the subject was right next to it. The finished (processed) example also goes a step further to illustrate what you can do with image information that is obstructing or spoiling the experience of the image that you were wanting to create.

Original file from the camera

File after processing to bring out original intent and detail

Come on over to the workshop if you're able, stop and say "Hi"!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pioneer?

Bison near the Prairie Heritage Center

Would I have ever made it as a pioneer 150 years ago? I'm not convinced.

Now, I would have really liked to have seen the tallgrass prairie before the plains were explored or settled by non-native Americans! It must have been an amazing sight to behold...an incredible world of flora and fauna!

I watched a program the other night on PBS...it was about the Donner Party. Well, I knew where that would lead and I wasn't sure I was up to it. But against my better judgment went ahead and watched. It was such an incredibly horrific tale, but also one of cues not followed...advise not heeded...many mistakes leading to an unbearable winter under several feet of never ending snow!

I know what we've been having is not bad at all compared to that story. We are only past the 50 inch mark for this winter...by a few inches at least. This winter makes one wonder though, we have so much snow to remove and I'd been getting along just fine with a 27" 8 hp snow blower, however two days ago it broke down. The blower's 10 years old so I guess it's due, doesn't make it easier to cope with though.

We tried a fix yesterday, didn't work...we tried a couple more ways to fix today...didn't work. Going to have to haul it to town I guess.

We shoveled out the lane, the turn-arounds, and the parking spots today. I spent some time (while shoveling) pondering what this could be compared to and came up with the thought that we had (if we still lived in town) shoveled out 7 neighbor's drive ways and sidewalks...by hand. I think I have all the incentive now that I need to get the old blower to town for repair!

What did the pioneers do? They shoveled by hand if they had to move snow...that simple. Guess I'll stop whining and just be grateful!

Bison don't let the snow slow them down either...they dig through it and find what's underneath...ask cows to do that and you have dead cows...don't have the wild instinct to survive without us pandering to them.

The Bison in the heading photo is one of the cows (female Bison) at the Prairie Heritage Center south of here. They seem to be taking winter in stride just fine. Hmmm..of course they don't have a driveway to clear out either! I kept the far farmstead in view with the Bison; I thought it was a good juxtaposition comparing the new world of the prairie with the symbol of the once wild prairie.

Speaking of the Prairie Heritage Center, you might want to put them on your blog radar...they now have their own blog going...great to see!

Other good friends, Bev and Dwight Rutter of The Prairie Flower, also have a new blog going!

Winter and loads of snow...a good time to blog don't you think?!

Still...

Prairie Autumn Stream No.27X14" Prismacolor (color pencil drawing)

I finally finished another autumn color pencil piece I started way back before Christmas. I'm glad it's over; it wrestled me most of the way. I will offer this piece for sale as all originals I do...just have to set up a page on my business website for it first...in the meantime, if you are interested just email me and I can give you the particulars.

As in my mid November post, this image also came from the same trip Georgie and I made down into Sac County, Iowa while working on the Watchable Wildlife project. The day was horribly windy and very little came out of the trip as publishable photographs but it was beautiful and I used the image files to draw from to try and recapture that valley along the Raccoon River.

Back lit scenes are a favorite of mine, but I'm going to take a rest from them for a bit and try to get onto some other images burned into some lost corner of my brain.

This is what it currently looks like in the back grove today, we're in a blizzard warning and all county plows have been pulled off the roads till later tonight. We can't even see the mail box down the hill as I write.


So, this is where I'm staying at the time being...where I should be I guess! Looking for warm weather images to conjure up!

Stay safe...stay inside!!!

Ignore It...Maybe It'll Go Away

Valley Summer Sky

Been working on some image processing with Watchable Wildlife website work and a photo workshop coming up in the next month. I came across this file of the valley out in front of the studio here at Prairie Hill Farm and thought - I remember when it used to look like that!

What a mixed bag we've had this month! 32 below zero (fahrenheit) to mid 30's above this past week...over 60 degrees difference! Whoa! The heavy snow cover has shrunk some with "rainfall" yesterday, but I still sink up above my knees!

Now the 100 yard uphill driveway is frozen ice...I like the idea of the image at this blog's header - ignore it, maybe it'll go away!!!

(Stay warm and upright!)

Winter in January

Winter near Bluebird Creek

Winter is a time I find I speed up in "multitasking"...a word I never grew to feel akin to. It is not an endearing thing watching jobs speed by without satisfying reflection, but when winter forces more work be undertaken indoors - you take advantage of the opportunity and charge ahead as best you can.

Widow Skimmer - Libellula luctuosa (female dorsal)
Taken at Center Lake, Dickinson County, Iowa
(from the Watchable Wildlife Project)

I've been forging on with the expansion of the Watchable Wildlife in northwest Iowa website work. I've only just recently completed editing 70+ short site videos and now am in the process of putting together over 70 page templates and processing images for them. These updated changes will not be reflected in the web site until later this spring and has been enjoyable working through. I'm finding myself thinking of all the sites I need to revisit again for more prolonged time and exploration. Another side adventure going through this process is rediscovering things we came across during the summer and some of the video footage and photographs taken. When going back through months later I also see images I'd like to paint from, images that trigger ideas I had not been aware of at the time.

In February a public workshop titled "Midwinter Thaw", is being sponsored by Iowa Lakes Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D), Palo Alto County Conservation Board, O'Brien County Conservation Board and Clay County Conservation Board. This is a workshop open to the public and it's goal is to encourage more people to get outside and become involved in nature during the winter.

The announcement for this winter photography workshop reads in-part that there is a dramatic upswing in wildlife and nature viewing locally and throughout the country, and that nature photography is often the next step for many people as they become interested in our natural resources.

The number of people interested in learning about taking good nature photos is growing. Topics like picking out the right camera equipment and its proper use; and marketing and selling your work will all be covered in the Nature Photography Workshop.

There will be four professional photographers presenting at the workshop:

Don Poggensee of Ida Grove, Stan Buman from Carroll, Dan Ruf from Spririt Lake, and myself - Bruce Morrison from rural Hartley. All are from the northwest Iowa area and each have had much experience in this field. These photographers will provide insight into how they achieve success in nature photography.

The program is also highlighting the Watchable Wildlife website and project that will eventually include 13 counties in NW Iowa.

The workshop will be held at the Emmetsburg Iowa Lakes Community College campus on Saturday, February 20th. There will be a $20 registration fee to cover presenter expenses and lunch. Registration is required so plans can be made for food and materials.

To register or ask questions about the workshop contact the Iowa Lakes RC&D office at 712-262-2083.

My part in the workshop will be to emphasize the beginning aspects, equipment and field techniques. Something to think about or check out in February!

Georgie and I were able to get out yesterday morning and do a little trekking around the hills and river valley south of us. The frost was beautiful and the sky was clear...an amazing combination for winter landscapes and photography. The Bluebird Creek area photo at the top of this blog is a great example of Little Sioux River valley landscapes in the winter.

It's actually very nice out there this weekend with temps in the 20's and 30's instead of 30+ below zero! You might need some skis or snow shoes if you wander off the roads though - either way enjoy and get out there!

Carrying On...

Eastern Red Cedar now covers what was once prairie for hundreds of years.

Not meaning to make this another "weather" blog, but I learned from listening to the state climatologist yesterday that this is the first year in perhaps 20-25 years that the arctic polar front is now south of Des Moines, Iowa. If you're as old as I am you'll remember winters just like this one! We've been more than 20 below zero each night since last week. We may be dancing with this weather the rest of the winter! Another note...this polar front cycle usually lasts 10-15 years. Nice to know we may have a lot to look forward to next winter too doesn't it...hmmm.

I had to get out of the studio yesterday afternoon...getting stir crazy. I sauntered down into the Waterman Prairie complex south of here and tried to garner some images from this frozen place. My hands don't work as well as they used to in this temperature but I tried my best.

Subadult Male Bald Eagle

The first thing I happened across was a subadult Bald Eagle that was sitting in a dead snag along the northern edge of the prairie. Unfortunately the bird was sitting at such an angle from the vehicle that I could not get a good base under the camera and telephoto lens for a "sharp" image. I could have stepped out of the truck with a tripod but the bird would have flown immediately.

I've found the vehicle to be your best blind for birds of prey "as a rule"...there are always exceptions. To leave the vehicle for a steadier shot in this case looked hopeless...I was just too close for the bird's comfort. The bird was also situated in such a way that the only shot I had was twisting to my left and shooting over my shoulder...that seldom works...what to do?

I sharpened the image some for this blog and you may not be able to tell from this image but the bird is "not quite there" as far as adult plumage is concerned. This male (judging by it's smaller stature) Bald Eagle is a tad off from it's ultimate adult plumage with some mottling and brownish tinge in the head and tail plumage...I'm guessing maybe it's a 4 year old? Hope to see him again next year...maybe he'll pose for a tripod shot! (Oh, he did fly after I took a handful of photos from inside the truck.)

Near the Waterman Prairie Valley Complex

I wandered down along the valley near the Little Sioux River and tried to capture a sense of the sky as it turned darker to the north with a nice herringbone effect in the clouds. The only thing around to put in the image's foreground were some bales that didn't make it out of the field before the last snow storm. It was late afternoon with only 15-20 minutes of sun left yet the temperature was still way below zero...the only thing in my favor was the absence of wind - thankfully! My fingers still went numb and my batteries failed...replaced them and tried again...uh...I much prefer spring, summer and fall!

The hills off to the left in the far background became part of the greater Waterman Prairie complex this past year! I'm really looking forward to getting to explore it in the years ahead.

The image at the top of the blog is a privately owned piece of property near the Waterman Complex that was once tallgrass priairie. It has been allowed to turn into a monoculture of Eastern Red Cedar trees. Looks very dramatic in it's winter garb but unfortunately does not support a fraction of the diversity that the original prairie would have. It does give winter refuge to a lot of White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkeys, and even a few species of songbirds such as Cedar Waxwings, American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds.

More snow on the horizon here - batten down the hatches!

Oh My...

Window Frost

32 below zero isn't so unusual two or three hundred miles north of here. The first winter Georgie and I spent in NW Ontario, we were in the minus thirties more than once; our coldest morning was 36 below zero. That was in the good old days when they never talked about "wind chill".

I remember thinking how unusual it was that the single digits in Iowa felt colder than way below zero in Canada. The difference was the humidity I guess...but exposure to skin was much more significant in those colder temps!

We actually hit 32 below zero here this morning at the studio, according to the weather channel. Our poor house window thermometer only goes to minus 30 and it was "Blank"! I went out to do some chores and fill the feeders around the yard...I felt fortunate there was little wind but still noticed the bitter cold in very short time.

Inside is where to be today...keep warm!