It all started in Rocky Mountain National Park
Thought I'd do a little catching up with this blog and provide a bit of history on my journey into the world of digital photography. Being bitten so late along with the bug I had a lot of catching up to do.
On of my last jobs on the road as a consultant was, in Berwick, Pennsylvania at the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant. I could work 4 day work weeks and drive home on weekends. I found an apartment near the plant and next door was an acquaintance from Nine Mile Point. She lived in Oswego so we started to ride share, alternating weekends to drive back and forth. On one of these weekly drives I noticed a big Nikon camera and asked about it. Boy, did I get an ear full. She showed my some photographs she had taken. They were amazing.
I had always enjoyed taking pictures as did my Father before me and had recently been diagnosed with Macular Degeneration in both eyes. A disease that had taken my Fathers eyesight. Yup, it scared me. Having him over and over again say he'd wished he'd done this or that I decided it was time to make time.
Anyone that knows me, knows that when I looked at the price of a good Nikon Camera I choked on my wallet. A few of the moths almost got away. So I found a good deal on a Canon outfit that came with EVERYTHING. I was soon to discover that the EVERYTHING it came with was junk. So here I was with a Canon 7D and a couple of kit lenses.
I devoured articles on taking digital photography soon to learn that I had a lot of learning to do.
Months later I didn't know a damn thing other than every other guy or gal on the internet had their own idea how to take the best picture. So armed with a variety of opinions, a pretty good camera and other sundries I decided to head out on my first big photographic journey before it was too late. It had to be out West as that is where my Father had always wished he had gotten to see. I knew of one place the family did not get to visit on a grand motor home adventure years before. A little research on the internet and I KNEW it had to be Rocky Mountain National Park!
So off i went for a week and the end of September, 2014. Flew into Denver and grabbed a rental car. On my way to take some world class photographs. Looking back on it I'm glad I got a few decent ones. I knew little about photographic composition, metering, and the list goes on. Armed with a sense of adventure and over confidence I struck out. Literally.....
The first day I settled into my hotel room and took off on a short drive. Not too much time. I was fortunate to head to the high country toward the Alpine area. The next day I headed back in that direction determined to capture some beautiful vistas. Stopped and got a few pictures along the way and never made it to the Alpine center. A snow storm blew in and everyone hightailed it back to the low country. The Next day the road was closed and stayed that way to the following Spring. Below, the storm rolls in.
So the rest of the week I stayed in the low (ish) country. Snow and ice on the mountains and roads. One morning I got up in the wee hours to be at Bear Lake prior to sunrise. An iconic photo opportunity. All wheel drive on ice. I made it. Tried to get out of the car and couldn't stand up in the parking lot, It was as if someone had greased an ice skating rink. I also found that morning just how bad my cataracts were. I couldn't see even with a flashlight. So down the mountain I crept...SLOOOwly... Learning more about the Rocky Mountains in the Fall. The remainder of the week was pretty uneventful. Saw some beautiful sights. Learned what an elk jam is when traffic knots up near elk along the road. Took hundreds and hundreds of elk pictures only to find out at home that unless you take the time and effort to get that ONE special shot all elk pretty much look the same. Hiked back to Ouzel Falls which is quite a trip for someone that was as bad out of shape as I was. Got passed by a couple that must have been in their 80's. Enjoyed the experience. Take a look at my RMNP gallery and you will see the best this rank amateur could muster on his first outing. Enjoy! Click on the below picture and you will be taken to the Gallery/
