Posted June 29th, 2015

Blowin' in the Wind

After a typically busy spring when I did not have much time and attention for photography, our photo club's trip to Dyea, Alaska (see gallery) got my creative juices flowing again. A couple of days ago I had the urge to make some images but I could not find much to inspire me in the immediate area of my home, so I headed out to the nearby Robinson Roadhouse. This historic site offers a number of interesting subjects, including the derelict buildings. But on a windy evening, my particular interest was to incorporate the tall grasses blowing in the surrounding open field, using long enough exposures to blur this element of my compositions. I did not anticipate finding large, thick patches of wildflowers at their prime, given that the flowers in my yard are largely finished in the wake of warm, dry weather. The flowers became the main target of my blur technique and, rather than playing a supporting role for a stronger, stationary subject as I had planned for the grasses, their motion became the entire subject of this more abstract image.
Pentax K-5, SMC Pentax DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM @ 128mm, 0.5 sec @ f/22, ISO 80, ND8 (3 stop) Filter