"X Shot" information.
Camera - Nikon F3
ISO - 400
Shutter - 1/1000 sec.
F/stop - 5.6
Lens - 105 mm
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer
303-674-0615
Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado.
"X Shot" information.
Camera - Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
ISO - 500
Shutter - 1/4000 sec.
F/stop - 6.3
Lens - 500 mm
Tripod used for this photo.
LOCATION.
1. Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, Monte Vista, Colorado.
2. Drive time form Denver is about 4 hours.
3. I believe the cranes have already left for Idaho, where they spend the summer.
THE CHALLENGE.
I think this was the 20th time photographing the cranes and I always came out of there with something
new. With so many birds and the changing weather, its almost impossible to come up empty. Therefor
there really isn't any challenge, just plan on spending a lot of time with the birds to see all of their activities.
SOLUTION.
When covering something that provides shooting possibilities that last all day, you want to avoid having your images looking similar. The best way to do this is by using all your lenses. Don't get caught only using big glass. For fun I would decide on using a certain lens and stick with it until I got something good.
Note - An earlier blog was dedicated to the "Dance of the Cranes", posted March 19th, 2012.
OTHER PICTURES FROM THE REFUGE.
ALL PHOTOS ARE FOR SALE, CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Wildlife Photographer
303-674-0615
Weekend Flash Back - Denver, Colorado, 11/7/2008.
"X Shot" information.
Camera - Canon EOS-1D Mark II
ISO - 1600
Shutter - 1/400 sec
F/stop - 4.5
lens - 24/70 zoom
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer
303-674-0615
Dancing Sandhill Cranes, Monte Vista, Colorado.
"X Shot" information.
ISO - 800
Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Shutter - 1/800 sec.
F/stop - 6.3
Lens - 500 mm
Tripod was used for this photo.
LOCATION.
1. The cranes were mostly located on or above the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, Monte Vista,
Colorado.
2. It's about a 4 hour drive from Denver to the refuge.
3. If your going to go, go now, they will be leaving for Idaho soon.
THE CHALLENGE.
The Sandhill cranes take part in a courtship dance, once they bond they are a pair for life. This dance makes great pictures. Most of the time the birds don't let you get to close. I wanted to get a good look
at their activity and see how many fun shots I could come up with.
SOLUTION.
The first thing I had to do was shoot with my 500 mm lens and sometimes add a 1.4 tele converter.
My set-up was on a tripod, which made it a lot easier to shoot. After watching their daily behavior, I noticed that more dancing was done in the mornings, after they flew in to feed and late afternoon/evening, before they flew off for the night. I would watch the flock of birds on the ground to see where the activity was and than shoot away. If you don't have a big lens, you can shoot at a low ISO and than crop in on your subject in the picture. The lower ISO will let you to do this without causing pixel problems.
OTHER SHOTS OF DANCING CRANES.
All photos are for sale, contact email address below.
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Wildlife Photographer
303-674-0615
Weekend Flash Back - Evergreen, Colorado, 11/29/2006.
"X Shot" information.
Camera - Canon EOS-1D Mark II
ISO - 400
Shutter - 1/200 sec.
F/stop - 4.5
Lens - 24/70 zoom
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer
303-674-0615
Utah's Canyonlands.
Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO - 500
Shutter - 1/30 sec.
F/stop - 22
Lens - 300 mm
Tripod and cable release were used for this shot.
LOCATION.
1. Canyonlands is locate in Utah, about a 6 hour drive, west from Denver.
2. I went to the section of the park called Island in the Sky. This is just a small part of Canyonlands.
3. Unless you have weeks to spend shooting photos, I recommend you take one area and really
explore the possibilities. Mornings, evenings, weather, clouds and wind are some of the things
that can effect a photo.
THE CHALLENGE.
After making earlier blogs of Candlestick Tower (posted 3/3/12) and Mesa Arch (posted 2/26/12), both main attractions inside the Island in the Sky area, I wanted to see what was left to make another blog.
SOLUTION.
Easy, just don't shoot those two subjects. The thing that makes most of these images work is the time of day they were shoot. I can't stress enough, if you want something nice, wait for the great early morning
or evening light.
OTHER SHOTS OF ISLAND IN THE SKY.
ALL PHOTOS ARE FOR SALE, CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Landscape Photographer.
303-674-0615
Weekend Flash Back - South Fork, Colorado, 4/10/06.
"X Shot" information.
Camera - Canon EOS 1D Mark II
ISO - 400
Shutter - 1/1000 sec.
F/stop - 8
Lens - 500 mm
Mono Pod used for this shot.
This was the first Lynx reintroduced to Colorado by Division of Wildlife.
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer
303-674-0615
Candlestick Tower, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.
"X SHOT" information.
Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ISO - 400
Shutter - 1/30 sec.
F/stop - 5.6
Lens - 70/200 zoom
LOCATION
1. Canyonlands National Park is about a 6 hour drive from Denver.
2. Candlestick Tower's location can be found on the map they give you when entering the park.
3. Moab is a good place to stay nearby.
THE CHALLENGE
Before entering a national park, I check out the postcards to see what's the main attractions and how
they are photographed. Then I try to shoot something different and that was the plain with Candlestick
Tower.
SOLUTION
1. I visited the tower a number of times during the day and pretty much shot the same pictures that where
on the postcards.
2. Right after the sun set, the canyon and my subject took an erie look, the tower was black but the
background took a purple/blue look.
3. This was the shot I didn't see on postcards, now I had to capture it.
4. My camera, with a 70/200 zoom was put on a tripod and I used a cable release.
5. I took a tight light reading on the background and then used those same readings when I took the shot.
OTHER SHOTS OF CANDLESTICK TOWER
All photos are for sale, contact email address below.
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Landscape Photographer
303-674-0615
About Me
- Ken Papaleo
- Evergreen, Colorado, United States
- I worked for the Rocky Mountain News for 28 years, until they went out of business. I now do freelance work, post this weekly blog, ski and play with my four grand children. I still have the love to get out and take photographs, which brings me great peace and comfort.
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