Monthly Archives: February 2015

Photographing the Dark Side Using the Sony NEX-5T! (Yr. 2: Day 27)

Background, Year 2,

Early in the afternoon, just prior to dusk I found three Snowy Owls. This owl photograph started another round of “dark side” photographs … taking images of the northern night!

For two nights in a row I have headed north of Knife River, Minnesota and chased the Northern Lights. These photos were taken about 3:15 am last night (night of Feb 17-18). The Aurora colors were a bit better than the previous night, but I still missed the light pillars. Some back lighting is present from a distant security light.

These night time photos were taken with my new SONY NEX-5T. My primary reasons for purchasing this camera were twofold: low light photography and landscape photography. The NEX has exceeded my expectations even with the kit lens. Here in northern Minnesota, the combination of the Lake Superior wilderness and dark night skies allows me to spend significant time out in the wild with my camera. I was looking for a high quality, light camera which I could easily pack into the back country with me. Here is what I have found:

  • Trying to focus on infinity for night photographs initially threw me off given there is no infinity hard stop while using manual focus. However, this issue was easily solved once I learned to to set the ISO to 24,600 (increases light sensitivity) and point a red laser on a distant tree or object. When the red light is as crisp and small a circle as possible, one has achieved infinity focus. After focusing I set the ISO back to the desired level.
  • No need to use the bulb setting … use a two second delay when pushing the shutter for landscape and night images
  • I was disappointed that a charging unit did not come for the battery, but I made a purchase of a backup battery which included a wall plug-in charging unit. I do not like having to insert the USB cable into the camera to charge it. Bad things happen when a camera is resting on a desk or table next to a computer.
  • Although I was worried that the minimum aperture of 3.5 would not let in enough light for night images, and I would have to purchase an additional wide angle low light lens, the kit lens with its 3.5 aperture has worked superbly in low light.

Snowy Owl Just Before Dusk
Y2-D027-Snowy-Owl

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Knife River Night Lights
Knife-River-Night-Lights-1 Knife-River-Night-Lights-2

Winter Color for the Eyes and Ears (Yr. 2: Day 20)

Year 2

There is a children’s book named the Selfish Giant (excerpts):

“My own garden is my own garden,” said the Giant. “Anyone can understand that, and I’ll allow nobody to play in it but myself.” So he built a high wall around it, and put up a notice that said, “Trespassers will be prosecuted.”
He was a very selfish Giant.

Then spring came, and all over the country, there were little blossoms and little birds. But it remained wintertime in the garden of the selfish Giant. The birds did not care to sing in it as there were no children, and the trees forgot to blossom. Once, a beautiful flower poked its head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice, it was so sorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again.

Here in northern Minnesota, during the deep winter with its cold north wind and severe cold, it would appear “The Selfish Giant” has triumphed. In my yard the giant has been defeated. Hundreds and hundreds of birds visit my five feeders every day; their color and song brightens the winter landscape. Over the course of the day I see cardinals, purple finches, goldfinches, redpolls and many, many more species. Even when not feeding, many of the birds remain in my yard and fill my local world with song and color! Here is just one example from yesterday’s performance, a red-bellied woodpecker.

Sunrise Color (this woodpecker always visits a few minutes before dawn)
Y2-D020-Red-Bellied-Woodpecker-2

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The Giant’s Castle … Not My Yard!
Selfish-Giant

Nordic Night!

Year 2

Last week’s storm just keeps on giving in terms of beauty. Although no bird photos today, I was up before the dawn, and Nordic skiing after the sun set on the Lester Amity Trails. The day started with a brilliant sunrise, and twenty minutes before sunrise the scene was both gorgeous and surreal out on the Lake Superior ice.

Later in the day we received 5+ inches of bright white fluffy snow. Thus, after day I went cross-country skiing. I hope you enjoy my photographic journey on both sides of the day … during the Nordic Night.

Ice Planet Sunrise Over Lake Superior
Y2-D019-Ice-Planet-2 Y2-D019-Ice-Planet-1

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Nordic Night
Y2-D019-Nordic-Night-2