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Carol Fox Henrichs | Photo Art & Nature Photography
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A collection of articles related to seasonal and travel photography. Read about photographing in specific locations, capturing seasonal images, dealing with weather, and traveling as a photographer.

Gazing Into the Past

Travel & seasonal

Spider Rock overlook inn Canyon de Chelly, takes on various hues and the light in the canyon assumes many shapes. Shadows form and reform on walls and crevices as the sun dances across the sky. After staring at the scene for a while, I began to see familiar silhouettes. Was that a rider on horseback in the shadows? I blink and he is gone. Was he really there? Perhaps it was the spirit of a warrior from long ago who continues to protect his homeland.

I can feel his presence as well as that of many others who used to call these lands home. Archaeologists report finding evidence that people have lived in Canyon de Chelly for almost 5000 years. These include the Archaic people (2500-200 B.C.), the Basketmakers (200 B.C.-A.D. 750), the Pueblo (750-1300), the Hopi (1300-1600s), the Navajo (1700-present).

Spider Rock is a sandstone spire about 800 feet tall located in Canyon de Chelly, pronounced “shay” from the Navajo word tsegi, meaning “rock canyon. This is a National Monument and a vast park in northeastern Arizona, on Navajo tribal lands. The formation is named for Spider Woman, a key figure in Navajo lore. According to Navajo legend, Spider Woman lives at Spider Rock and was first to weave the web of the universe. She taught the Navajo how to weave, how to create beauty in their own life and to spread the “Beauty Way”; the teaching of balance within the mind, body & soul. 

Gazing Into the Past

Camera/Exposure Settings

  • Exposure: 1/50 sec at f/18
  • Exposure program: Aperture priority
  • Metering mode: Pattern
  • ISO speed: 100
  • Focal length 35mm: 32mm
  • Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
  • Lens: Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS
July 27, 2020/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/nggallery_import/Spider_Rock_overlook_horiz_CFH181201-Edit_hi_rez.jpg 1200 1606 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2020-07-27 08:30:002020-08-11 07:05:58Gazing Into the Past

Auke Bay Rest Stop

Travel & seasonal

Alaska is known for its abundant wildlife. My trips there produced several opportunities for some great photo shoots. I made this image after an afternoon of whale watching. We came upon a group of Harbor Seals (is there a word for a group of seals?) competing for resting space on this colorful buoy.  We circled the buoy several times allowing for many cute shots.

One seal seemed to really want to be part of the group but was not being allowed on.  It reminded me of high school cafeterias where the seniors have their own tables and freshmen are not allowed. The sun was low in the sky, providing really good lighting and luckily, a gull dropped in for an added bonus!

Auke Bay Rest Stop The Perks of Seniority

Select the shopping cart icon above to see larger images. ⬆️


Camera Settings: Auke Bay Rest Stop

  • Exposure: 1/320 sec at f/7.1
  • Exposure program: Aperture Priority
  • Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
  • ISO speed: 400
  • Focal length: 40mm
  • Focal length 35mm: 80mm
  • Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII
  • Lens: Olympus M.40-150 F2.8

Camera Settings: Perks of Seniority

  • Exposure: 1/250 sec at f/7.1
  • Exposure program: Aperture Priority
  • Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
  • ISO speed: 400
  • Focal length: 97mm
  • Focal length 35mm: 194mm
  • Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII
  • Lens: Olympus M.40-150 F2.8
July 25, 2020/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/Juneau_AK-CFH-181691-2_hrwm_med_rez_wm.jpg 1104 1750 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2020-07-25 07:50:472020-08-11 07:36:02Auke Bay Rest Stop

Exploring Solitude

Travel & seasonal
Rocky Point Solitude

For me, this work evokes a sense of peacefulness and relaxation. Sure, I love the water. You probably know that if you’ve looked at my portfolio. You may also realize this scene is not from my home state of Texas and unlike anything I’ve seen along the Texas coastline. Still, the soft, muted colors of this scene from the eastern coast of Canada draws me in and I slowly exhale.

December 31, 2019/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/nggallery_import/Rocky-Point-CFH19-8345_hi_rez.jpg 1200 800 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2019-12-31 09:15:382021-02-25 10:33:29Exploring Solitude

Surprising Aruba

Newsletter Worthy, Travel & seasonal

Having been to many of the Caribbean Islands, I found Aruba to be surprising. In this post, I share a few of my photos from Aruba, along with my thoughts about my experience on the island.

As islands in the Caribbean go, Aruba is typical in that it has beautiful beaches. In fact, beaches there are known for the white sand and esquite clear, blue waters. I shot the following photos from my lounge chair, while enjoying my favorite, adult beverage.


Surprisingly, the climate is arid and desert like in many places on the island. i was the desert landscape while traveling to the north end and managed to capture a set of images while visiting the Alto Vista Chapel. The original chapel was built in 1750. The present structure was completed in 1952. Although not on the highest point of Aruba, the church is located on a relatively high point. Thus, the name, which means “high view.”

Another surprising thing I learned about Aruba is that aloe is an important part of the economy. Although buildings have taken over lands which once were aloe fields, our guide found several for us to visit.

May 23, 2019/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/;https://www.carolfoxhenrichs.photography/img/s/v-3/p2508592988-4.jpg 0 0 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2019-05-23 11:39:572019-05-23 11:52:20Surprising Aruba

Hypnotic Caribbean

Beach, Travel & seasonal
Aruba, March 2016

There is something hypnotic about waves washing up on a beach. A day can be easily spent gazing hour after hour upon the ever changing scene. The rhythmic back and forth lulls us into a relaxed, trance-like state; and we are happy.

Our visit to Aruba was too short but the time at the beach was memorable. Lounging by the white sand and clear waters left us relaxed, revived, and ready for our next adventure.

May 17, 2019/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/nggallery_import/1603_untitled225-Edit-2_hi_rez_wm.jpg 1200 1800 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2019-05-17 14:37:002021-03-14 15:31:34Hypnotic Caribbean

Between Journeys

Newsletter Worthy, Travel & seasonal
Ketchikan, Alaska

This image reminds me, that while traveling to new places and trying new things can be exciting and interesting, we must make sure we take care of our vessel. A well-maintained vessel protects and carries it’s cargo to the next destination. Our life’s journeys take us many places. We must not forget however, to make time between journeys, to rest, refuel, recharge, and make much-needed repairs.

May 8, 2019/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/;https://www.carolfoxhenrichs.photography/img/s/v-10/p3407889954-4.jpg 0 0 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2019-05-08 11:40:082019-05-27 16:44:30Between Journeys

January Studio Sale: Anasazi Ruins

Landscapes, Travel & seasonal

Anasazi Ruins, A framed, 9″x13″ pigment-based ink print on metallic photo paper. $25 plus shipping and taxes.

I’m cleaning out my studio to make room for 2019 projects and you can benefit! Each day I will list an item I am clearing out at a greatly reduced price. Click on the image above or go to my SquareUp storefront, select the item and pay for it. I only have one of each item so if you want it, don’t hesitate.

Taken at Monument Valley. This one is not currently displayed in my showcase gallery, so this is truly the only one I have for sale at this time. This is an acrylic frame with metallic, foil covering and has clear acrylic over the photo. Note, the dust cover backing has a couple of tears.


January 5, 2019/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg 0 0 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2019-01-05 14:41:442019-01-07 07:48:10January Studio Sale: Anasazi Ruins

Harbor Seals in Auke Bay

Travel & seasonal, Wildlife

Alaska is known for its abundant wildlife. My trips there produced several opportunities for some great photo shoots. I made this image after an afternoon of whale watching. We came upon a group of Harbor Seals (is there a word for a group of seals?) competing for resting space on this colorful buoy.  We circled the buoy several times allowing for many cute shots.

One seal seemed to really want to be part of the group but was not being allowed on.  It reminded me of high school cafeterias where the seniors have their own tables and freshmen are not allowed. The sun was low in the sky, providing really good lighting and luckily, a gull dropped in for an added bonus!

Auke Bay Rest Stop
October 19, 2018/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/nggallery_import/Juneau_AK-CFH-181691-2_hrwm.jpg 1135 1800 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2018-10-19 13:09:262020-09-21 12:30:59Harbor Seals in Auke Bay

5 Tips for Capturing Stunning Fall Foliage in Photos

Travel & seasonal

 

Happy Autumn! The colors associated with this time of year really excite me. Let’s discuss the top five items to consider when photographing fall foliage.

Light

The previous shot shows a wildlife viewing enclosure situated among the trees. The photo was made outside of Bar Harbor, Maine when we were there hiking in Acadia National Park. The skies were overcast, acting like a huge softbox with diffused light allowing me to shoot pretty much all day. On sunny days, early morning or late afternoon and early evening offer the best light for capturing the warmth of fall colors. The side lighting in the morning and evenings can make for some interesting shadow effects.

If you must shoot in bright sunlight, you may want to consider shooting more intimate landscapes or closeups rather than expansive, wide angle shots. I carry a pop-up softbox I can use to place over smaller items to diffuse the light.  I also use  a reflector to block direct sunlight if needed. This item has come in handy on several occasions. Both of these are affordable and collapse for easy transporting.

 


Location

You have your big 3 locations in the USA; the New England states; the Colorado Rockies; and the upper Midwest of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. To be honest, I don’t get many opportunities near my home in Texas to capture fall foliage. I have been lucky enough to find a couple of good spots that I can share.

One is Lost Maples State Natural Area, northwest of San Antonio. With its protected stand of Uvalde bigtooth maples, you can be treated to spectacular fall colors. Mind you, autumn usually comes to central Texas in November–giving your New Englanders plenty of time to enjoy your own colors before trekking down south. To ensure you will see the colors, check their fall foliage report on their website https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lost-maples.

Another place I have found fall colors is Block Creek Natural Area. Again, colors vary based on weather conditions but Sharron and Larry Jay have created a great setup for photographers.


Exposure Settings

I use Matrix metering for everything, regardless of sunshine or clouds. I’m constantly checking the histogram to make sure no highlights are being clipped. Oversaturated reds blow out really quickly. I’ve also found that yellows in bright light are often clipped. I use exposure compensation as needed to eliminate clipping in the histogram. Good light on nice colors is going to look good on the camera, so don’t force it.

Light reflecting off the leaves may throw off the auto white balance, so use the appropriate manual setting for your shots or find an object in your frame that can serve as a neutral reference. If you shoot RAW, then you can probably correct this later.


Get Closer

The temptation of wide shots, of entire forests or mountainsides may be hard to resist. However, variety is important. Shoot the panoramic landscapes, but also remember that beauty can be found in the details.

Macro photography is a great way to explore the colors and textures of autumn, while also using unique points-of-view.

Another way to get closer is simply switching to a longer telephoto lens, or zooming to a longer focal length with a zoom lens. Telephotos are great for isolating parts of subjects, and they usually will throw your backgrounds beautifully out of focus. Try focusing close with that telephoto lens — with many of today’s zoom lenses, you can fill the frame with a single large leaf.

Out-of-focus backgrounds are a photographic effect you can heighten, or reduce, by controlling your aperture: wider apertures will result in a shallower range of focus, and softer backgrounds. Smaller apertures will increase the range of focus, resulting in sharper backgrounds. You’ll need to make the creative choice depending on what, and how much of the background you want to see in the image. This is a perfect reason to switch to your camera’s Av (aperture-priority) exposure mode, if you’ve been using fully automatic exposure up to now.

Take the time to consider the background, and experiment with more dynamic ways to make your main subject stand out.

Don’t forget the power of wide-angle lenses. A standard zoom lens, such as an 18–55mm lens, can produce some spectacular results — especially if you move in close at its widest setting and focus upon one object in the foreground. A low-hanging branch with leaves can suddenly become a broad burst of color and detail, if you move in and focus upon the nearest leaf.


Create Abstracts

One of my favorite things to do with photography is to create impressionistic motion-blurred images. Although wind often creates problems when photographing autumn foliage, I try to use it to my advantage. So if it starts to blow too hard for sharp shots, I switch gears and go for motion blur.

Look for opportunities to take fall photography of wind-blown foliage using long exposures of 1/2 sec or more. These images often work best if some portion of the scene is not moving, such as a solid tree trunk surrounded by wind-blown autumn foliage. You may consider using a tripod to ensure that stationary objects are rendered sharp in your photo during the long exposure.

No wind? No problem! Create your own motion blur by moving the camera during a long exposure to create interesting abstract blurs. This technique works well when photographing forest scenes with lots of color. About 1/2 sec to 2 sec of exposure time usually works best with this technique.

September 22, 2018/by Carol Fox Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/https://www.carolfoxhenrichs.photography/img/s/v-3/p3081436904-4.jpg 629 800 Carol Fox Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Fox Henrichs2018-09-22 16:51:502020-10-19 11:27:135 Tips for Capturing Stunning Fall Foliage in Photos

Nature’s Kaleidoscope

Travel & seasonal
Read more
September 14, 2018/by Carol Henrichs
https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/nggallery_import/1605__alaska_412_hi_rez_wm-2.jpg 1055 1800 Carol Henrichs https://cfh.art/wp-content/uploads/foxlogo-banner_med_rez_wm-300x86.jpg Carol Henrichs2018-09-14 10:48:512020-09-21 13:38:56Nature’s Kaleidoscope
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