Day 36 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, hand-held (braced on floor)
Nikkor 105 2.8 VR Macro, 1/5 sec, f/3, ISO 400

The end result of boundless energy. Of all the shots I tried, I just liked the simple approach to this one. Available light in the living room, sleeping puppy, my best bokeh (out of focus area blur) performing lens I own. Today marks 10% completion on this project.

Why Compelling
The simplicity of lighting, moment and capture is what stands out to me. Not technical, just looking at subject, framing, light and placement of the elements. I love the bokeh this lens has.

-Landon

Day 35 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, tripod, cable-release
Sigma 10-20 @10mm, 13 sec, f/8, ISO 100, ND400

Thought this might make a good B&W when I saw the foreground, middle ground & background.

Why Compelling
I liked the texture in the foreground snow and kept it in the shot, even with the sunlight trying to get stronger from the parting clouds. The snow leads you into the scene to some dark rocks. The background is nice and leads you with lines back to the middle ground. I liked this shot for today much better as a contrast study than a color study.

-Landon

Day 34 of 366

Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, hand-held
Sigma 10-20 @10mm, 1/40 sec, f/8, ISO 100

Icicle Valley panorama view. It was really hard to choose the photo for today after shooting 640 shots on this day. This one came out better than I thought it would. 8 verticals stitched together with CS3. I fell through the "trails" several times today. Lots and lots of snow and pretty vistas. I need to buy some snow shoes to go further on the trails, but the packed trails allowed for some vantage points with just boots on. Just don't step off the trail, you sink very deep.

Why Compelling
I liked the final resulting composition with the 180 degree view, the way the steep foreground leads you to the rive, the curve of the foreground the mountains and the river all work for me. The sky was just interesting enough to top the scene off pretty well. Between 3 and 4 feet of snow in this valley. There is a lot of detail in this shot and needs to be printed large.

-Landon

Day 33 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, tripod, cable-release
Sigma 10-20 @10mm, 30 sec, f/11, ISO 100

My icebergs got washed away with the high water last night. Left this thin shelf of ice stuck on some rocks marking where the high water was during the night. See shot below of what was here last night. This ice was a few yards away. 27 degrees, overcast, slight wind.

Why Compelling
I liked this thin ice hanging between and on these rocks with the water four feet below it. This ice was not here the night before, so it happened overnight. I like the bubbles caught in the ice. I like that the water can be identified, but not a real subject in the photo. The toning was an idea I had for this image because of the lack of light this morning.


2.5 minute exposure- no filters.
Ice came down and left a couple thousand pounds sitting on this boat ramp when the water receded.

-Landon

Day 32 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, tripod, cable-release
Sigma 10-20 @10mm, 6/10 sec, f/8, ISO 100

Results from a test. 360 degree HEC processed panorama.
125 total shots (25 vertical shots @10mm x 5 bracketed shots each).
Final result was 10,000 pixels by 3,900 pixels.

Why Compelling
Well this point of view changes the perspective of this location, and I like that. We have the storage building for the local boat & paddle club on the left and an overview of the river with a bench and a tree on the right. I like the color, the vista, the low angle, and the fact that you cannot see the sun (I placed it behind the building). Something different to explore.

Day 31 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, tripod, cable-release
Sigma 10-20 @10mm, 6/10 sec, f/8, ISO 100

Lots of images taken today, but this one was something different to end the month with.
A self portrait of me recording a video.

Why Compelling
Well, it is a self portrait, that has to count for sharing. I just like behind the scene shots so thought I would share this one.

-Landon

Day 30 of 366
Manual mode, matrix metering, Nikon D200/grip, L-bracket, hand-held
Nikkor 75-300 @300mm, 1/640 sec, f/8, ISO 100

Why Compelling
Well I just like the simplicity of this shot. The single grass reaching out of a foot of snow, the shadow, the depth of field and the framing. I liked it better in b&w with the grass being deep black. Lots of other shots taken today, but this one just stood out to me.

Thoughts:
• went for a 16x9 ratio crop as I liked it better
• kept some foreground for depth, as well as the feeling of the depth of the snow
• top of the frame went into some darker areas of the background that I did not like
• tried cropping it more square too, but I just prefer this one

-Landon