Across the Southwest » Spring

Colorado Wildflowers ~ Lupines on Kebler Pass

Adam Schallau — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:51:37 +0000

Another beautiful day on Kebler Pass near Crested Butte, Colorado. Is there anything more relaxing than wildflowers and aspens in summer? Yes… wildflowers and aspens with the warm sun on your face.

This image is a blend of two exposures, but instead of the normal blend to manage dynamic range, this time two images were used to extend my depth of field from the wildflower in the foreground to the aspen trees in the background.

~Tech details~
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: EF16-35mm f/2.8L Mark II USM lens
Exposure: 1/15 second, f/13 and ISO 320
Filters: none

Spring on the Chama River near Abiquiu

Adam Schallau — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:00:27 +0000

Late afternoon thunderstorms have added some color to the Chama River and saturated the surrounding countryside. Near the village of Abiquiu, New Mexico and Ghost Ranch.

This image of the Chama River is available for purchase at my website AdamSchallau.com.

~Tech details~

Camera & Lens: Canon EOS 5D Mark II and EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM lens

Exposure: f/11, 1.3 second and ISO 100

Filters: Hoya HD circular polarizer

Adobe wall, window, and flowers

Adam Schallau — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:19:39 +0000

A bouquet of spring flowers brings life to an old window surrounded by blue shutters and an adobe wall. A common spring-time scene in northern New Mexico. Photographed near the village of La Cueva on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Red-hot poker ~ Kniphofia uvaria

Adam Schallau — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:28:42 +0000

A Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia uvaria), also known as a Torch Lily. I discovered this beautiful flower poking up through a metal grate platform next to a shipping dock outside of Mora, New Mexico. Photographed with a Canon 50D and 24-70 f/2.8L lens.

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Salman Ranch Mill in La Cueva, New Mexico

Adam Schallau — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:47:18 +0000

The historic roller mill located in La Cueva, New Mexico. Now part of the Salman Ranch, the mill dates to the 1860s and was part of a major shipping center for the livestock and agricultural produce grown by a local family and their neighbors.

Rio Grande Gorge with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

Adam Schallau — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:25:29 +0000

When it comes to getting new toys, there’s nothing better than getting a new lens. Sure, a new camera body can be great but it doesn’t necessarily change the way you see the world like a new lens does.

I recently purchased a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II ultra-wide angle zoom lens to replace my EF 17-40mm f/4L lens. You might ask yourself, what’s the difference? Let me start by saying that the 17-40/4L is a great lens and is definitely the better deal of the two in terms of the cost-to-performance ratio. The 17-40/4L is half the price, takes a slightly smaller filter, and is both lighter and shorter than the 16-35/2.8L II. Wait, now I’m having second thoughts about selling my 17-40/4L and getting the 16-35/2.8L II. Should I have done it?

After one day out shooting with the 16-35/2.8L, I can say “yes”, it was the right move for me. The advantages of the 16-35/.8L II are a brighter viewfinder thanks to the f/2.8 maximum aperture which helps with manual focusing in low light and allows for faster shutter speeds when trying to stop motion. This lens is also capable of producing stunning sunstars which I hope to have sample to share soon.

On to the photo. One of the first places I usually visit to test a new lens is the Rio Grande gorge just west of Taos, New Mexico. For the shot shown above, I shot from the bridge with camera on a tripod and the lens set to its widest setting to include as much of the gorge as possible while not cutting-off the top of the clouds. One of the biggest problems with shooting from the bridge is the vibrations that rattle across it everytime a vehicle crosses the bridge. You have to hope that there will be very little traffic and you have to time your shot between the vehicles. I got lucky and was able to capture a few frames when there was absolutely no vibration from passing cars.

Featured Picture at FrameDestination.com

Adam Schallau — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:39:51 +0000

The Frame Destination (FrameDestination.com) is featuring one of my photos created during my time as Artist-in-Residence at Grand Canyon National Park. This image was captured after backpacking to the bottom of the canyon. It represents the confluence of Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch. If you look closely you can see the “Silver Bridge” over the Colorado River.

I have been using FrameDestination.com for the past two years for my framing and presentation needs including clear bags, mount board, mats and frames. My work that is currently on display at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was assembled using materials from Frame Destination. I would like to thank Mark and the rest of the team at Frame Destination for their excellent service, great products, and for selecting my image as the Featured Picture. Thank you!

An aerial view of the Rio Grande River near Albuquerque

Adam Schallau — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:11:57 +0000

This is from my flight back into Albuquerque as we made our turn for final approach into the Sunport. We were passing over the Rio Grande River a few miles south of Isleta Pueblo and the bridges that span the river on I-25. Can you tell that we’ve had a lot of rain in New Mexico? The monsoon has been very generous and has provided some insanely green crops, pastures and trees along the Rio Grande. Please click on the image for an expanded view.

Cactus Bloom

Adam Schallau — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:10:19 +0000

Late last month I was exploring along the San Juan River near the town of Mexican Hat, Utah. It was nearly 100 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and the wind was blowing. To be honest, I was prepared to write the day off when I spotted a bit of color among the drab brush. What I found was a single cactus in bloom with a brilliant flower perched atop it’s spiny base. With my wife holding a diffuser to soften the light, I was able to create the image you see here.

Details: Canon EOS 5D, 70-200mm f/4L IS @ 200mm.

A day in Colorado’s San Luis Valley

Adam Schallau — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:36:49 +0000

I have a few new images to share from my outing to the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, and the southern tip of the San Luis Valley. The weather was less than cooperative for most of the day with strong wind and some smoke from wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado.

At Great Sand Dunes, Medano Creek has begun to flow and was creating some very interesting patterns in the sand. With the wind blowing sand everywhere I elected to shoot with one lens to avoid lens changes and introducing sand into the camera body. For the two shoots presented here I used the Canon 24-70 f/2.8L which allowed me to frame compositions from wide-angle to short-telephoto. I had planned on photographing at the dunes all day and staying for sunset, but the wind continued to get stronger and I quickly grew tired of getting sand blasted.

After leaving the dunes I headed for a spot that I have photographed once before, the Lobatos Bridge over the Rio Grande River near the Colorado – New Mexico state line. I spent the afternoon hiking along the river looking for petroglyphs and enjoying bird watching. Near sunset I moved up into the San Luis Hills just west of the river and scouted a location to shoot across the hills looking back towards the Latir Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Mother Nature cooperated and provided me with nice clouds, some sweet pink light, and the wind subsided for a few minutes.

After sunset I packed up and started the long drive across the desert back to Taos. Along the way I had to cross back over the Lobatos Bridge just as the moon was rising over the distant mountains. With my headlights illuminating the bridge and the moon ahead I had to stop and create one more photo. This last image was shot with the 24-70mm lens, ISO 100, and the exposure was 30 seconds at f/11.

All things considered I think it was a successful day. I love to hear what you think.