Elizabeth Carmel's Landscape Photography Blog

Red Poppies & Olive Trees

I love Tuscany and was thrilled to find a batch of red poppies & olive trees in Napa Valley that look just like a shot I would find in Tuscany. These are at the Castle Di Amorosa in the Napa Valley. The poppies are growing in amongst the vineyards there. This is a great photo location for autumn vine shots as well. These were all taken before 8 AM but the sun is still very bright, making for hi - key images. I did not use HDR, just some shadow highlight adjustment in Hasselblad Phocus to bring up the shadows and tone down the highlights. I also had to desaturate slightly to give them a more pleasant color. You can view all 3 of them in the wine country photographs portfolio on my website.

 

New Camera Paintings of Lake Tahoe

I have released two new camera paintings of Lake Tahoe - these were done in-camera with minimal post processing. I have found shutter speed of 1/20 or slower works best with these, on some I have even used 1 second. Just pan the camera in the direction that makes sense based on the subject. These are of Lake Tahoe at sunset looking towards the west shore, camera panned left to right.

Lake Tahoe Sunset I

 Lake Tahoe Sunset II

 

Response to a few questions about Hasselblad

Question/Comments: 1) Do you use either of Hasselblad's zoom lenses?

2) What are your thoughts on the H4D-50 vs the H4D-60 cameras for your type of landscape photography?

Response to #1: I do use the Hasselblad HC 50-110 zoom. I would like to try the 35-90 zoom but canot really justify the cost since I already have lenses that cover that focal range. I really like the images made with the 50-110, in fact I think most of my shots that turn into fine art prints have been taken with this lens. It is a heavy beast for sure, but it takes wonderful images. It needs to be treated with care. I had to send mine in for repairs when the front lens element came out, so I never carry it as my only lens on a trip - I always take the 80mm as backup.

Response to #2: I have not tried either the H4D50 or 60. I was planning to upgrade to the 60 but went with the H4D 40 instead since that camera allows me to use higher iso settings and get great results. I do not think either the 50 or the 60 has the same high iso function. The 50 is available now, the 60 is not. I'm not sure of the delivery schedule for the 60. You can get fabulous deals now on the H3D39 cameras, so those are worth checking out if you are making the move up to MF, and once you have one you can get a great deal with upgrades.

New Carmel Gallery May Newsletter just sent out - here is a link to online version.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/26ukyol

You can sign up for the newsletter at

http://www.thecarmelgallery.com/default.htm

June 17 - Squaw Valley Institute Presentation

I will be speaking at the Squaw Valley Institute on Thursday June 17. Please attend if you will be in the area. Below is the press release for the event:

Photographer Elizabeth Carmel Speaks at Squaw Valley Institute Event

 

Olympic Valley, Calif. – Elizabeth Carmel’s new book, The Changing Range of Light: Portraits of the Sierra Nevada, takes center stage at a presentation on Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 PM at the UC Davis Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences in Incline Village.  A no-host bar reception begins at 6:30 PM.  Tickets for the event, co-sponsored by Squaw Valley Institute and UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, run $10.  Students and children ages 17-and-under are free. 

 

Carmel’s book combines the author’s remarkable landscape photography with important information about how the depicted landscapes are threatened by climate change.  Prominent climate change scientists Robert Coats, Ph.D. and Geoffrey Schladow, Ph.D. contribute insights in the book, and will join Carmel for the presentation.  The synthesis of art and science summarizes the changes that will occur in the Sierra from global climate change. Inspiring quotes and poetry by renowned authors are also included and play an important role in making this book an uplifting celebration of natural beauty.

 

Elizabeth Carmel is a Sierra-based photographer specializing in unique, expressive landscapes and “waterscapes.” Her prints combine dramatic photography, vivid colors, and artistic touches to create new, captivating visions of the natural world. She has spent years exploring and photographing the diverse landscapes of the world, often traveling on foot or skis in wilderness terrain far from roads in order to capture her unique images. Her award-winning images are featured in numerous galleries and private collections throughout the United States. Elizabeth and her husband, Olof Carmel, currently own and operate their own photography gallery in Truckee, California.

 

The UC Davis Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences is located at 291 Country Club Drive in Incline Village, Nevada.  Tickets for this presentation are on sale now on the Squaw Valley Institute’s website atwww.squawvalleyinstitute.org.  

 

Squaw Valley Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting programs having artistic, cultural and educational values. The Institute presents lectures, performances, forums, exhibitions and classes in the unique mountain environment of Squaw Valley, North Lake Tahoe, Truckee and surrounding communities, bringing together visitors, residents and friends in the truest sense of community. 

 

Shutterbug Article / Hasselblad H4D - 40 Impressions

This month's June issue of Shutterbug Magazine has a 6 page book excerpt of my book "The Changing Range of Light". They did a great job of reproducing the photos in a magazine format. The article is available in both the print and digital versions of the magazine. The print version is in almost every magazine rack in the country if you want to check it out.

   

 I had some time to head down to Big Sur a week or so ago and take my new Hasselblad H4D out for real world shooting. I was lucky to have some sunny weather since we were between April storms. Big Sur is one of my favorite places in the world - it is truly a photographer's paradise, especially this time of the year when the wildflowers are blooming. After reviewing my files from the new camera I can say that I am really delighted with the image quality and performance. The only problem I ran in to was an error message to restart the back when I used an off brand of CF card, so I think it is important to use the recommended Sandisk cards with this system - the problem was eliminated when I used the correct CF card brand. My unscientific analysis of the H4D files gives me the opinion that the image detail is better than the H3D - 39 - I find there is better detail in fine areas such as tree branches and leaves. The files also seem to accept sharpening better. The image below of the poppies along the coast in sunshine was shot at 800 iso due to the wind. This is an example of a shot I would not have been able to get with the H3D-39 since the poppies were blowing around and I needed to shoot the image at f22 for depth of field but at a high shutter speed to freeze motion. The flowers are tack sharp with no blur, and noise is minimal.  

Big Sur Poppies 

Here is another shot of one of my favorite places, McWay cove at sunset, shot with a split ND filter at 100 iso.

Mcway Falls at Sunset, Big Sur

All the files need to be processed in Phocus since Aperture and Lightroom do not support the files from this camera yet, but I am sure they will at some point. I also used the new Photoshop CS5 to do some post processing. CS5 is noticeably faster than CS4, and the content-aware fill tool is amazing. 

I also discovered that the Colorspace UDMA back up device will not accept files from the H4D (is does from the H3D). Colorspace needs to get with the program and update the firmware on this device. I called Hasselblad and they told me that they make the file formats available to all companies that request them so devices can be upgraded to accept the H4D files. Come on people get with it! 

I still have the H3D-39 kit available for sale, and an HC 35 mm lens, will consider all reasonable offers.

 

 

New Images from the Caribbean

I have posted a new series of images from the Caribbean on my web site. These were all shot on the island of Virgin Gorda with the Hasselblad H3D. I developed these images with what I consider to be a more contemporary, slightly desaturated color palette. I used this color palette to emphasize the beautiful blues of the ocean and the natural forms of the rocks and sand. I am also working on a second series that will introduce more of the pastel colors of the sunset. All images were developed in Aperture with Photomatix HDR plug in. I then did final retouching and sharpening in Photoshop. I think the Photomatix effect should be used sparingly to give the image a little pop - the image should not scream "I used Photomatix".

I think it is good to work on images in a series and edit images according to groups that work well together. All editing should be a bit painful. I eliminated quite a few strong images that just didn't quite fit the color scheme and compositional content of the others in order to come up with the final grouping I show on my website. Hope you enjoy the photographic journey to this distant island!

Virgin Gorda I

© Elizabeth Carmel, 2010 

Hasselblad H3-D 39 For Sale / Caribbean Images

I have been traveling in the Caribbean the last few weeks and am currently sorting through a few thousand images to pick the ones I will put in my portfolio. The editing process is relatively painless thanks to Apple's Aperture program. We went to St. John, which is a U.S. virgin island, and Virgin Gorda, which is a British island. Both had some amazing scenery. I particularly liked Virgin Gorda because of the large granitic boulders on the beaches. It was similar in many ways to the scenery of Lake Tahoe & allowed for some interesting compositions of rocks and water. I will be posting the final selections to my website and this blog.

I have decided to upgrade my camera system to the Hasselblad H4D-40 instead of the H4D 60 (which is still not available as of today). The reason is mainly that I can use the high iso functionality that is unique to the H4D-40 more than the increased resolution of the 60 mp. The H4-D 40 is designed with micro-lenses over the sensor that allow for great 40 megapixel shots even at iso 800, and it can be pushed to iso 1600 if needed. (see my previous post on this topic for more info). I like the freedom to do handheld photography if needed, and to freeze motion on a windy day. 

I will be selling my current H3D-39 megapixel with the 80mm lens  for $10,000. This camera is in great working condition with a few minor cosmetic blemishes on the back, and I will also include a day of training with the system here at my studio. Email me at [email protected] if you are interested in purchasing this camera. I can take credit card payments, but will only ship within the USA. I will also be selling a Hasselbald HC-35 mm lens for $2500, with original box, lens hood, & leather case, in excellent condition. I am finding that I do not use this lens now that I have the 28mm, so that is why I am selling it.

I will do  review of the H4D-40 when it arrives soon, and will post image samples and impressions on this blog. I will also be doing a post on how I handle airline travel with heavy & expensive camera gear.

This image below is from "The Baths", a rock & ocean grotto in Virgin Gorda. It was processed in Apple Aperture using Photomatix Pro plug-in for HDR rendering. 

 

In-Camera Light Paintings from Wine Country

The Napa wine country is in full bloom with the mustard flowers now. I did a few in-camera paintings of landscapes in the wine country and have posted them on my website in the Camera Paintings Portfolio. It is still a mystery to me how to get the best effects - I try many different motions with the camera and a variety of shutter speeds to cover different options, but it seems a bit random what ultimately ends of making the best camera paintings. The best solution seems to be just shooting a few hundred frames of any subject and selecting the one that works. The key is to make them more blurry rather than less, because they end up looking more painterly that way. I am realizing how much more difficult traditional landscape photography is compared to doing these camera paintings. To take a traditional landscape photo you really need the convergence of amazing scenery in beautiful light with minimal wind- camera paintings require interesting colors and forms, which are easier to find. I think they are a fun way to explore the landscape, and people in our gallery seem to be enjoying the effect in large prints.

Wine Country Spring 

New Carmel Gallery Website Launched

We have been working on our new Carmel Gallery website over the winter months and are finally ready to unveil our new e-commerce enabled website. This new site has many great new features we are excited to share - such as easy, secure ordering of fine art prints, books, notecards, calendars, and jewelry. The new site can even handle gift certificate orders that are instantly delivered to your recipient via email. There is also a "wishlist" feature that allows you to save your favorite images on a list to share or print. Images can be easily shared to your favorite social networking site, and emailed or printed. There is more detail about our images and the gallery - even a cool new slideshow video of the gallery interior. Please stop by the new site and check it out. All orders placed off the website during the month of March are eligible for a 10% discount using the checkout code TCG10. If you live in the northern California area and do not want to pay for shipping, you can select "GALLERY PICK UP" during the checkout and you will not be charged for shipping. Otherwise, all prints are shipped insured via Fedex Ground.

The new Carmel Gallery site features our top-selling images. We have many more images on our individual websites at ElizabethCarmel.com and OlofCarmel.com. We will also extend the 10% off special to phone orders on any images not available on the new website. Please call the Gallery toll free at (888) 482-4632 to place a phone order for items not on the website.