Winter is moving along
Photos and recent updates
January is over, and I thought an update was in order. I’ve been taking more photos again! I took over 500 photos last month, and still going strong. You might remember last year was a significant lull in photography, but I have the urge to shoot again.
I captured a few spectacular snowflake photos (more photos and prints available) on Cat’s red fleece balaclava. She was very proud when she bought it recently. I don’t think she’s worn it yet. It’s still sitting on the bookshelf in the same spot that it was when she showed me. It was perfect for catching the snow undamaged, so I guess I’ve used the balaclava more than she has. I have no idea why I felt that detail was essential to this story.
I took the above photo with a Nikon D850 and a Laowa 25 mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro lens. The aperture was set at f/5.6, a sweet spot for good depth of field and limited optical aberrations. It’s focus-stacked from four images using Helicon Focus 8 to help gain depth of field. I’ll write more about this process soon, so stay tuned (or subscribe) for more info.
Since I last wrote here, I’ve also taken hoarfrost photos, testing various macro methods.
Hoarfrost is one of the most impressive ice structures. It forms little cups, plates, and spikes so densely packed it looks like a miniature ice forest. This depth and density make it very difficult to take macro photos that accurately represent the beauty of these crystals.
I’ve only had moderate success capturing these crystal structures well.
I first (hesitantly) tried my Laowa 25 mm ultra macro. This lens works great for snowflakes that exist primarily on a single plane, but I knew it wouldn't have the depth of field for these very 3D hoarfrost crystals without doing some significant focus stacking. However, it did lead to some interesting results.
These all had to be shot on a tripod with a macro-focusing rail. But this lens works like a microscope, and the gentle breeze that day made it frustrating to take pictures of the frost on moving tree branches.
I had better luck shooting with an 85 mm lens with an extension tube (see the alder cone photo above). It was undoubtedly easier, and I could shoot handheld. Less cursing was involved, anyway.
Photographing frost and ice is another topic I’ll be writing about in the coming weeks, with more details about the photo setups.
Some Recent Photos and Blog Posts
Aurora Borealis – January 14, 2023
We had a fantastic aurora display on January 14! A rare, early evening display surprised me when I took the dog outside. If you missed it, I posted many photos and wrote about the evening in my blog.
A little winter delight
The light is returning, and it feels great! I’ve spent much time photographing our snowy forests and the return of sunlight as we move toward spring. Read more and see more photos on my blog . . .
Nelson’s Saxifrage (Micranthes nelsoniana)
My latest wildflower post on the guide. I’m nearing the end of identifications from last summer, but I think there are still 8 or 9 left. I should have them all written by May when the bloom starts again.
The subspecies M. nelsoniana ssp. nelsoniana has documented use by Alaska natives as a food or dietary aid. The leaves are a source of vitamin C and pro-vitamin A. The leaves are eaten raw or mixed with seal or walrus oil. The oil is used to keep the leaves fresh for an extended period. Read more about Nelson’s Saxifrage . . .
I think that’s all of my updates for now. Stay tuned for future posts and articles coming soon! Thanks for reading, and enjoy the sunshine!