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Desert Bones

Winter, 2013-14, near Drumheller, Alberta. Olympus OM-D.

Winter, 2013-14, near Drumheller, Alberta. Olympus OM-D.
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E-M5

Aperture f/11.0 ISO 200 Shutter 1/1000 Focal Length 12/1

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Feb, 2015

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this shot just south of Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, the winter of 2014-14. It was a bitterly cold day, and quite still. Most people associate deserts with sand, and bones with animals, but midwinter in the prairies is very desert like, and most bones that show are artifacts of farming almost a century past.

Time

I went out driving on backroads, mostly to see how far into drifted roads I could get without getting stuck, and found this scene. I think it must have been about two or three in the afternoon. The sun never gets high, mid winter, and provides some interesting shadows and contrasts because of that.

Lighting

This was fully natural light - trying to add more would have been futile I like to play with monochrome, but took this shot in colour, which ended up looking almost monochrome, but for the fading blue of the sky. Shooting into the sun definitely helped here

Equipment

Basically, I used a two-wheel drive pickup with really good winter tires to get the site, stepped out wearing a down parka and toque, and took the shot with an Olympus OM-D camera. I think the stock lens was on, but don't remember.

Inspiration

I like farm boneyards, and I like winter. Combining the two can be very rewarding. Turn me loose in an abandoned farm, and I'll be sure to have fun!

Editing

I hate to say it, but I don't consider photo manipulation after pressing the shutter release to be photography. I try to lay out and frame my shot so that it works with no manipulation. Sometimes I'll crop a shot, but this one is as it showed in the viewfinder.

In my camera bag

I usually carry an Olympus OMD with three lenses - Olympus 60mm, Olympus 75 - 300mm, and Olympus 12 - 50 mm with macro. I used to use an OM-10, and have recently started getting back into 35mm film, with OM-10 and OM-1, and have an adapter to use the OM lenses on the OM-D, but have not yet tried that.

Feedback

Be willing to get very cold, with snow in your boots and down your neck, to get a good winter shot. At the same time, be ready to accept the amazing shots that luck throws your way! Not all great shots are the product of great effort!

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Desert Bones

Winter, 2013-14, near Drumheller, Alberta. Olympus OM-D.

Behind The Lens

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