More Summer Vacation Pictures

[MarkBarbieri]

I have put together a first draft slideshow from our summer vacation. The entire vacation lasted 5 weeks and went through 12 states. I was only there for the first few days and last couple of weeks. The slideshow only covers those last two weeks.

The pictures are primarily from Grand Tetons National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. They are a mixture of scenic shots, wildlife shots, and typical family vacation snapshots.

The music is Upside Down (http://www.amazon.com/Upside-Down/dp/B000XNZN6U/ref=dm_ap_trk1?ie=UTF8&qid=1219630922&sr=102-1) by Jack Johnson. I usually spend a couple of hours trying to pick the right song when I build a slideshow. In this case, I picked the song even before the trip. It was exactly what I wanted for this trip. I just wish the song was longer so that I could have stuffed in a few more pictures. As it is, they still feel a little rushed to me.

I may make some changes to the slideshow before I consider it done. There are some pictures I'm not sure I want to keep and a few others that I think I'd like to add in. If you see any that you think should be cut, let me know. Also, I rushed through the post processing, so if you see anything that looks wrong (dust spots I missed, horizon not level, etc), let me know.

For those unfamiliar with those parts of the world, I want to add that none of the pictures are "fakes." The animals are all real wild animals shot out in the wild (or on someone's lawn in one case). Those colors are really those colors. The only fakery I did was to use a polarizer to cut the glare. I also did a little HDR to deal with wide dynamic ranges.

For those of you that think that mountains and lakes never really look like that, I suggest that you watch them at sunrise more often. That seems to be when things look best. It can be tough dragging yourself out of a warm sleeping bag at 5:00 AM so that you can stand around in near freezing temperatures waiting for the light to be just right. It's really bag when you that and wind and clouds roll in making the entire morning a waste. Oh well, that's what makes it so special when everything works just right.

Also, I'm aware that my younger son was not wearing his seatbelt for the Wii picture in the van. That is not typical. We drove around my parent's neighborhood for a few minutes so that I could stage a shot of them playing the Wii in the car. I guess during all of the setup for the shot I forgot to make sure he was buckled.

Some of the many great moments on the trip include seeing a grizzly bear in the wild (my first time), seeing a moose in a pond on an otherwise wasted morning (see clouds and wind above), watching a herd of elk wade across a lake in the pre-dawn mist and hearing the bull bugle, playing in the snow during the summer, seeing the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (one of the greatest sights in the world), swimming in the "Boiling River", and (of course) watching my kids see more of this wonderful world.

The slideshow can only be viewed on a Windows PC (sorry Mac and Linux people, I'm working on the problem).

Here is the slideshow: http://www.box.net/shared/static/ec7inhnf6q.exe

[MarkBarbieri]

I suppose I should include a few sample shots to try to sell the slideshow. It's probably a lot easier to get people to download a 40 meg file if they've got some idea what it is in it.

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358418461_DfpAm-L.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358418611_9iMrA-L.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358418791_HboiD-L.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358419047_hvw7k-L.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358419169_UcCTg-L.jpg

http://barbieri.smugmug.com/photos/358419280_VzwyQ-L.jpg

Oh, and I apologize if my shots are the same old Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Rocky Mountain National Park shots that everyone takes. The hazard of going someplace very infrequently is that you tend to get conservative and take the easy shots. The downside is that your shots look like everyone else's.

One last thing. The cake in one of the pictures was for our 15th anniversary. We celebrated our anniversary on the trip. That was fitting because the last time we were in Yellowstone was on our honeymoon. Of course, we were poorer back then. We were able to afford a much nicer tent this time. Someday we hope to be able to stay in a lodge.

[AbsolutLaney]

The shot looks nice...

[wen-tom]

fantastic shots and slideshow Mark :thumbsup2

[stlkeeler]

Mark, your shots are absolutely beautiful! I've never been to that part of the world and you made me feel as if I were right there with you. I was torn between wanting them to slow down so I could savor them and wanting them to go faster so I could see more. Maybe you could add a second song? :lmao: Thanks so much for sharing!!

[Sorsha]

Mark - the shots and the slideshow are gorgeous! Very well done!

You were almost in my little corner of the world... I love Yellowstone...

[bnorm27]

Fantastic Mark!

[ChrisinNJ]

Beautiful! Absolutely Beautiful!

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Wonderful! We went two years ago and it brought back such wonderful memories.

Thank you for sharing!

[Quicklabs]

I enjoyed every picture in the slide show. Simply fantastic. While looking at other people's vacation pics can be a nightmare, looking at yours was sheer delight. Your boys are so charming and photogenic. Thank you for sharing something so wonderful and special with us.
Laura

[MontanaZoo]

Those are wonderful, Mark! Great job!

I was especially impressed with your Mammoth pics, I know those super white terraces can be really hard to get a good exposure on, did you use a filter? Looks like you were there about midday?

Where was your favorite spot to photograph during the trip?

And yes, some of the views looked familiar from other shots of the area I've seen (and taken) but I think yours are a higher quality.

[handicap18]

Spectacular work once again Mark!!

Great music to go along with it too. VERY Enjoyable! Thanks for sharing!!

[My2Girls66]

Thanks for the slideshow. Awesome, awesome photos!
How did you take the tent shot? Its SO cool.

[YesDear]

Of course they are all great. The two I have the most interest in are the last two. The tent and that blue sky and the campfire pictures are so interesting.

Any insight how you did them. Getting a balanced exposure is tough. What did you center your meter on?

[MarkBarbieri]

Those are wonderful, Mark! Great job!

I was especially impressed with your Mammoth pics, I know those super white terraces can be really hard to get a good exposure on, did you use a filter? Looks like you were there about midday?

Where was your favorite spot to photograph during the trip?

And yes, some of the views looked familiar from other shots of the area I've seen (and taken) but I think yours are a higher quality.


We were in Mammoth Hot Springs in the late morning. Those shots were taken around 9:00 to 10:00 AM, if I recall. It was just before we went for a swim in The Boiling River. I used a polarizing filter to cut down on the water glare. Most of the terraces were dry and barren, but the north face was still damp and pretty.

It's had to pick a single favorite spot to photograph. I loved the stunning view of The Grand Tetons, the wildlife and freakiness of Yellowstone, and the beautiful lakes in RMNP. I really can't pick any one of them.

Thanks for the slideshow. Awesome, awesome photos!
How did you take the tent shot? Its SO cool.

For the tent shot, I did the following:

1) Set ISO to 1600
2) Set Aperture to f/4
3) Set focal length to widest I had (17mm)
4) Set the camera to bulb mode and took several exposures between 15 seconds to 1 minute.
5) For each exposure, I ran into the tent and waved a flashlight around. That is what gives the tent it's glow.

The shots were taken about 40 minutes after sunset. It was late enough for the stars to be out but not so late that the sky was black.

I picked the the exposure time by trial and error guided by a little bit of experience. Another option for a shot like that is to wait another hour until everything is dark and then to keep the shutter open for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. That gives you nice long trails as the stars move through the sky. A shot like that is best if you can shoot facing north so that the stars circle around a point in your picture.

Of course they are all great. The two I have the most interest in are the last two. The tent and that blue sky and the campfire pictures are so interesting.

Any insight how you did them. Getting a balanced exposure is tough. What did you center your meter on?

For the campfire shot, the challenge was getting my subjects lit with a warm firelight. I did that by hiding a flash down near the fire and covering it with an orange gel. You can see where I hid the flash because some spill light illuminated part of the campfire grill. Obviously, I'm no Joe McNally.

I think the shot I used was just a normal program exposure mode shot using evaluative (matrix) metering. I toyed around with some flash exposure compensation and some exposure compensation. I also shot a few in manual mode, which was just another way to balance the ambient light with the flash. I would have preferred to take them a little later in the evening for a darker background, but it stayed light late and the kids got tired. I'll try more shots when we do winter camping down here in Texas.

Here is the shot:
http://photos.barbierifamily.org/photos/354879351_Lz7VU-XL.jpg

[klmall]

Mark - Slideshow is very upbeat and your photos are beautiful as usual! I absolutely love the kid pics and my favorite is the "tent at night". That sky in the background is such a contrast! Thanks for sharing your family's experience.

[WVDisGeek]

Mark,

I don't know what I can add to the other posters, but "WOW!" Those were some truly exceptional pictures and I loved the song. Nicely sets the mood.
Enough pictures of the family to convey the memories of the trip and that is was a vacation, and enough of the shots of the majestic scenery to make you a) want to start planning a trip out west and b) grab my camera and start practicing. Getting ready to head out to a local regatta. They are going to have a hot air ballon "lighting" tonight. Thought it would be good practice for night shots for the Disney trip in December.

You are "The Man!" Great slide show! :worship: :worship: :worship:

[orchjoe]

Mark,

I enjoyed your slide show very much. Thanks for sharing that with us.

The "tent" shot is.... Wow!!!! **Jaw drops to the floor** :thumbsup2

[KimAshton]

Wow your pics are amazing.

[YesDear]

Mark, my favorite picture of the lot is your son in the bear jacket and the hat. I see that framed on someones table for years to come. That to me is a classic picture you will cherish 20 yrs from now!

[Todd_H]

Awesome job on the slideshow, Mark. Very inspirational (both photographically as well as making me want to visit that part of the country).

Like many who have posted above... love the tent pic.

[Dan43]

beautiful photos.
What camera are you using?

[cathy0124]

Spectacular Mark! What wonderful memories your family is making :goodvibes

[WVDisGeek]

Mark,

Shared your slide show with a couple of guys at the office who are into photography and they asked me a couple of questions that I promised I would pass along to you....

How many shots did you take on vacation and what lens did you use for the sweeping vista shots (particularly the two shots of the lake towards the end with the mountain reflections in them)?

They were both VERY impressed with your shots. One of them, our CFO, is a real tech head and puts together similar shows of his summer trips. Last year was China, the year before was Ireland and before that was Europe. He is very interested in what type of lens you have that gives the tac sharp pictures at those ranges. Both of those guys shot Nikon D200s.

Thanks!

[MarkBarbieri]

Tell them that the key to really sharp shots is to use Canon gear.:rotfl:

Seriously, I used the same lens and technique for most of my scenic shots. I used a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I stopped it down 2-3 stops (f/5.6 or f/8). Most lenses are less sharp when opened wider and all lenses lose sharpness from diffraction as you stop them down further. The sweet spot for any lens is usually 2 stops from wide open.

The other important technique issue was getting the most stable shot possible. I used a good, solid tripod. I triggered the shots with either a remote shutter release or by using the timer mode. I also locked up the mirror.

Finally, the most important thing in getting really nice mountain shots is taking the shots shortly after sunrise or before sunset. Sunrise is usually better because there are fewer people and less wind.

[WVDisGeek]

Thanks for the info on the lens and shots. I have turned both of the guys onto the Dis Photography boards and they are not (yet) big Disney fans! :lmao:

Also, thanks for the heads up on Jack Johnson. Picked up one of his albums this weekend and have it playing on the computer at work right now. Very relaxing during Budget season!

[iluvdisnee]

BEAUTIFUL And BRAVO! Nice Work!! That is one of my DREAM vacations...I MUST get to the Tetons!

[Gdad]

Fine work throughout Mark- I really enjoyed the slideshow. You have a lovely family.

[MarkBarbieri]

Fine work throughout Mark- I really enjoyed the slideshow. You have a lovely family.

I wish. I hire models to portray my wife and kids in vacation shots. It's much easier working with professionals.

[alan]

Very impressive, I have to say. The scenery is quite outstanding, and extremely well captured.

regards,
/alan