| [Not a valid template] |
|
I created the three frames for this HDR image on the last morning of our Wyoming trip with the tripod-mounted Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV (with Bubble Level). ISO 800. Evaluative metering bracketed +/- 2/3 stop around +1/3 stop at f/11. Denise and I had been tooling around on the main road looking for wildlife without success and the Tetons were covered with clouds so we headed down Antelope Flats Road to the two old old Mormon barns. We had sun on the structures for a few minutes at a time with the mountains still gray shrouded so I went tight for detail on the first barn as seen here. After I created a grunge HDR Denise helped me fine tune it with Photoshop/Filter/Artistic/Poster Edges and with NIK/Color Efex Pro 3.0/White Neutralizer. The latter brought some blue back into the gray sky. Thanks Denise! There will be lots more coming soon both on the blog and in Bulletins on several great NIK programs. |
Mormon Barn, Cabins (?), and Disaster Averted…
After we did the first barn we headed down the road a bit to the other one. Or could it have been an old cabin rather than a barn? I had created the image below on the the first morning of our trip before we headed up to Yellowstone.
| [Not a valid template] |
|
I created the images for this four frame HDR with the tripod-mounted Canon 16-35mm IS L lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. I bracketed five exposures around +2/3 stop at f/5 and discarded the lightest. For the whole story on this image and lots of lessons on choosing the best perspective check out my BPN thread here. There is even an image of me in action 🙂 |
And now for the near disaster….
| [Not a valid template] |
|
I created this image after nearly killing myself…. Read on for the whole story, or you could say, the hole-in-the-bridge story…. |
I walked across the small wooden bridge and wound up at A facing away (with the cabin off stage right). Denise was behind me and as I wanted to stop on the end of the bridge I motioned for her to go by me. As she did she began to set up her tripod at the spot marked Denise. I attempted to set up my tripod on the end of the bridge. Only I did not notice that one of the boards that made up the bridge was either loose or broken down. In any case I was turning to my right to get a good view of the barn when I stepped on the loose board or in the hole. I am not sure which it was. Now the fun started. If I had tried to hold onto my tripod as I spun around it and I would likely have gone face down into the stream where the water was about 8 inches deep. So I simply let go of the tripod that was topped with one of my EOS-1D Mark IV camera bodies and the 16-35 that I had borrowed from Canon Professional Services. Back to all that in a minute.
As I spun towards the water and the road it seemed likely that I would hit the rocks face down. My first thought was that I would be wearing wet sneakers on the plane on my long flight home that afternoon. My next thought was that I might actually be seriously injured. Miraculously one foot hit the slimy rocks at about B and I was now facing the road, back to the barn, and gaining speed. I took a huge lunging step as I careened across the stream 100% out of control and the other foot hit bottom at about C. I managed to slow up a bit as I ran through the stream with footfalls at D, E, and F (or something like that!) In probably less than 2 seconds I was standing on the road unhurt.
Denise had felt my tripod strike the back of her hand and grabbed it reflexively saving it and its precious cargo from a trip into the stream. The older couple that was nearby was as stunned as I was. Once I realized that I had survived unscathed I said to everyone there, “Would you like me to do that again so that you can get a picture?”
Had my foot gotten stuck in hole in the bridge I would likely have snapped my tibia and fibia in one fell swoop. Had I not kept my balance and hit the rocks face down, who knows? All in all we had a good laugh at my attempt at slapstick comedy. As usual, it turned out that I was blessed….
Ah Ester, “When you were in your early 20s.” From what I recall that must have been about 15 years ago, right?
Reminds me of the time when I was young (early 20s), ignorant (not knowing that such a thing as cattle guards even existed), and I was running downhill @ church camp (in the dark) and at the bottom of the hill was a real cattle guard (not the painted on kind)…to this very day I shudder when I think of how I could have maimed myself. I was going so fast my foot hit about 2 iron rails and I was over it before I knew what had just happened.
Gee Art, I thought I was the only graceful guy in the Park. I’m glad you didn’t fall in. It’d been mighty cold this time of year. I took a swan dive into Obsidian Creek a couple of years ago while trying to photograph some algae. Fortunately it was in June with maximum snow melt so I didn’t get boiled but unfortunately my gear went in with me. All’s well now and my gear did survive. Glad you only got wet feet!
artie you scare the hell out of me please take care in all the years i have known you this one was real scary looking forward to seeing you in the future regards nelson
Hey Nelson, I scared the heck out of me too! Thanks for stopping by. artie
I was in that exacttice same spot a month ago and set my tripod up on that bridge also. I didn’t notice the loose board, but did notice thatnthe bridge was a bit slippery looking, so I treaded very gingerly on it. Those barns are great subjects
Follow-up. When I re-read my fibia sentence it seems that I must have been drugged… Tibia and fibula….
Bryan wrote: By the way, the correct anatonmical word is “fibula” not “fibia”.
Duh. I knew that; I took Anatomy, Physiology of Exercise, Kineseology, and Tests and Measurements in my first term at Brooklyn College after leaving engineering school. I aced them all and two more hard courses and got a “B” in Group Games for Elementary Aged Children.” It pisses me off to this day. The instructors name was Evan Pickman, a tiny guy who was the start of BC basketball. I got to tell him that I was pissed many years later 🙂
Loved the pictures. When met the grand daughter last year, I asked her which was “the real Moulton” barn. Her reply – “they both are, having been built by the Moulton brothers around 1925.” You are truly blessed!
I’m still not sure how Artie managed to keep from getting seriously hurt but he displayed some fancy foot work for sure.
And I meant to type “anatomical”. 😉
Artie, sounds like a scary scene. Although probably funny if viewed on a video. By the way, the correct anatonmical word is “fibula” not “fibia”. 🙂
I saw something very similar about a week before you arrived in GTNP. Although the man wasn’t hurt he did, however, fall into the water. Only his pride was hurt.
Not sure who owns the property but fixing that board would seem a good option 🙂
I have visions of “Sir Richard – AKA Big Dick” running through my head. But you were a little more agile and the rocks not as sharp. Oh, and I think I will shoot by Denise rather than you from now on.
Very funny. I look forward to seeing you and Robin on The Blurry Day in Bosque thing.
I would say you stumbled across some great images there:)
Now that got a chuckle out of me 🙂
Artie, I am happy to hear you are still in good shape. If you had re-enacted the event, I would have suggested video. As Robert said, great barn photos. Keep safe.
Can we have a retake? I’ll set the video and we can have something better than the ABC as easy as 123. I just broke into the Jackson 5. LOL Gald to hear the only thing buised was your pride. What was the fate of your sneakers? 🙂 Have a good one.
I was willing for the retake. Pride not damaged at all; actually I was glad that I was once a good athlete or I would have wound up on my face. I locked the sneakers in the car on the floor of the front seat with the feet heater on for two hours and flew home dry 🙂
Art I’m glad you came out of this safely. I’m several years older (77) than you and I’m sure I would not have come out as well. You did get some nice barn photo, however.
You certainally were blessed. Your Barn photos are magnificent. Thanks.
Hey Robert, Thank you for your kind words.