My infrared cravings – foray #2

I had dipped my big toe into the cold murky waters of infrared photography and received quite a bit of positive feedback on my first set of pictures (my infrared cravings – foray #1).  The next step should’ve been to carefully wade into that deep pool – little by little – and stay close to shore, perhaps only getting my feet and ankles wet. However, the encouragement from friends and strangers alike emboldened me to push far beyond baby steps. Instead, not knowing or caring where the bottom was, I decided to jump in headfirst.

A bit of backstory

Back in 2008, I had met most of the prominent members of the Mid-Atlantic region NikonCafe.com (a friendly internet community) at the DC zoo, over lunch, at a fundraiser, and/or as volunteer photographers at the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Walk. I had already seen the wonderful pictures online but during these gatherings, I also heard the stories of great times, witnessed the camaraderie, and sensed the enthusiasm for their bi-annual migration shoots down at Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The excitement, each time, was palpable and I had finally pledged to attend the next event.

What was I thinking? It was bad enough for a short slightly overweight woman with small hands to carry around one semi-pro camera body and several lenses for a few hours but to carry two semi-pro bodies, tripod, several lenses, etc. for several days was bordering on the ridiculous. However, I did it. I survived to tell my tale…

Front and Center

My friends call me the Lone Ranger, as I prefer to do everything by myself, especially travel. However, for three and half days in April 2009, I was not alone and I really, really liked it. Well, I liked everything except carrying all my gear for 13-hours a day, getting up at o’dark-thirty, stumbling around in wet sand, red-clay, and/or high grass, crawling back to my room completely exhausted, and having to get up again only a few hours later. Truly, it was a great time and I believe my pictures were some of the best I’ve ever made, especially the infrared ones.

After running through Greece at breakneck speed in 2007, I now try to center myself before I make a picture. Centering is similar to a Zen-like state of being where I become part of the scene, it becomes part of me and I can visualize it with my eyes closed. This is why I always travel alone but the Eastern Shore – with its wild beauty and sinking barrier islands, an enormous bay on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other – seemed to be the perfect place to practice this tradition with fellow compassionate travelers. The charming little town of Cape Charles, Virginia – just across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel – was our base during the Spring migration shoot where we captured all of the 7:30 pm sunsets then ended our day with a well-deserved feast at dinner. We also traversed as far north as Chincoteague (a one-hour drive) to be ready for a 6:00 am sunrise and to capture the abundance of wildlife as it collectively wakes up for its morning feedings from the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, or some meandering creek or cove between them.

Seeing such pristine landscapes for the first time was often overwhelming and finding that perfect lens, angle, and exposure in the dark more daunting than I had imagined. However, only one lens is necessary on the infrared camera. Despite what most pixel-peeping pundits think, my Nikon 18-200 VR was and still is an amazing performer on my regular color DSLR camera (Nikon D300) but it practically sparkles on the D200.

A false-color infrared image of an island wetland on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in April 2009 (below)

Trees reflected in an island blue-skied cove of Chincoteague, Virginia - infrared

Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens

I would wager that the 18-200 VR is the quintessential lens for an infrared converted camera. The lens certainly made my leap of faith an easy one.

Been there; going back again

I returned for the Eastern Shore Fall migration shoot in October 2009 with my fellow NikonCafe.com members to center myself for the expected and silently revel in its splendor. And although we trekked across some of the same places earlier in the year, it still managed to surprise me as I was in awe of the unique transformation the wilderness had taken on during this season of change.

A false-color infrared image of a Chincoteague Island sunrise on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in October 2009 (below)

Sun rises to create shrubbery silhouetted in golden reflections on an an island cove in Chincoteague, Virginia - infrared

Image above made with a Nikon D200 IR-converted camera and Nikon 18-200 VR lens

I look forward to the Virginia’s Eastern Shore Spring 2010 Migration Shoot with confidence because there are plenty of other photographic opportunities to explore and that infrared pool isn’t so unfathomable and scary anymore.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 1:27 pm. It is filed under infrared, photography, ramblings, travel and tagged with Assateague Island, autumn, Capture NX2, Chincoteague, Color Efex Pro 3, cove, danilew.com photos, Eastern Shore, fall migration, false color, foliage, infrared photography, landscape photography, migration, Nik Software, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D200, NikonCafe.com, Photoshop Elements, reflections, spring migration, springtime, sunrise, travel photography, Virginia, water, wetlands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.