Saturday, February 14, 2015

Star Trails



"Star Trails"

When I first started my journey into the art of photography, there was one type of photo that I knew I wanted to learn how to get. I had seen so many different images that others had captured, and I longed to be able to do it as they could. By taking continuous photographs while your camera remains focused on one single point, then stacking them into one image, each shot blends with the last, until you're able to see the movement of the stars through the night sky over any given amount of time. This art is known as star trails, and I believe it is truly one like no other. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Tucson, Arizona and have a workshop with my favorite astrophotographer, Sean Parker.

What I thought would be a very difficult picture to attain, turned out to be very simple. The first thing you'll need is a clear sky with light to no air traffic. I say this about the air traffic purely because of the amount of time it takes to edit once you start to stack the photos. Some other pointers I was taught were to have a dark sky, no wind, and flat ground to place your tripod. This photo was taken with an intervalometer (a device used to count intervals of time on your camera) over the course of one hour.

Some of you may have probably already heard of Sean, and perhaps follow along with him on social media sites such as facebook and twitter. I had been following his work for a while, always stunned when he released another breathtaking image, and when I learned that he enjoyed to teach others, I couldn't pass up the chance to meet and shoot with him so I could finally better learn what I love to do. I highly recommend you check out his page and view some of his amazing images. I'd even suggest taking a workshop with him if you'd like to learn some pointers.


If you would like to purchase this photo, you can visit facebook.com/shaidphotography to contact me, or find me on etsy at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos and share your thoughts on them! Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:
Canon EOS 70D
Lens: Rokinon Ultra Wide 14mm
Focal Length: 14mm
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 1600
Exposure: 20 seconds per exposure
182 exposures stacked in StarStax

Other places you can find me:
Instagram
ViewBug
Flickr
500px
Twitter
Email

Friday, September 19, 2014

The Final Stop


"The Final Stop"

If there's one thing I've learned about living in the desert, it's that there is always something interesting to stumble upon. California seems to act as a gigantic treasure chest, with new more absurd finds at every glance. Whether it be something in nature, like a cave or oddly shaped tree, a beautiful animal of some kind, or some man made thing-a-ma-jig you happen to come across, there is bound to be some kind of beauty to be found.
This hidden treasure is often overlooked, and many won't find it unless you know where and what to look for. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, sits the Kern River Valley. The Kern River is known for its dangerous white water as it flows down the mountains into the central valley. The story goes that in 1966, a large amount of water caused the North and South forks of the Kern River to flood, causing bridges to wash out and objects to be swept away with the water. About 20 miles from where it first sat in Kernville, California, it made its final resting stop near Onyx, California beside highway 178. For as many years as it's been sitting half buried in the ground, I think it still has a lot of character and color to show. A path has clearly been paved where others have come to peek inside the now non-existant windows. I have visited it quite a few times just so I can view and photograph this natural piece of art. If you ever have the opportunity to travel though this area, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to try and find this hidden treasure in the ground.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos and share your thoughts! Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:
Canon EOS 70D
Lens: 18-135mm
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/400

Other places you can find me:
Instagram: Smileygirl469
Twitter: ShaidPhoto

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Galaxy Rise


"Galaxy Rise"

If I were to say that I like astronomy, I'd be lying. I'm not even sure that "love" would be a strong enough word. I suppose that everyone has that one thing that they absolutely live for when it comes to hobbies. I live for the sky. The universe encompasses me, and I'm forever filled with wonder, awe and questions. Just the simple thought that I have the ability to look back in time millions of years across such a vast and seemingly endless amount of space sends chills down my spine and makes me yearn for answers to all of the secrets out there.
That being said, I'm lucky enough to live in an area where I have the ability to step outside and look up to view a million stars without the worry of city lights or pollution. This photo was taken in July of 2014, while the Milky Way Galaxy was rising into the sky. If you look closely, you can spot Scorpius in the bottom left, and also Sagittarius on the bottom left. Sagittarius shows us the center of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The bright band is our galaxy's arms spiraling outwards into the universe, with the center being bright because of the enormous number of stars. Even if you're not a stargazer, the night sky is absolutely something to experience free of light and sky pollutants. If you're lucky, you may even see a "shooting star" like I've captured here.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos and share your thoughts! Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:
Canon EOS 70D
Lens: Rokinon Ultra Wide Lens
Focal Length: 14mm
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 6400
Exposure: 30 seconds

Other places you can find me:
Instagram: Smileygirl469
Twitter: ShaidPhoto

Friday, April 25, 2014

Ocean Force


"Ocean Force"

Do you know those moments when something captivates you so deeply that time seems frozen in that very second? This was my experience over and over again at the beginning of 2014, when I had the joy of visiting the Pacific Ocean at Morro Bay, California. As always when I go to the coast, my favorite thing to do is sit on the beach and capture the waves. On this particular time though, I had a special treat. There was going to be a storm coming into California, and not only was it high tide, but a high surf warning was also issued. I stopped at one beach so that I could take pictures of the Elephant Seals that were traveling through the area, and decided to walk out to the pier to see the view of the beach. I happened to notice a person trying to snap a picture of one of the seals while the waves were growing in size. It was the perfect time to catch the shear size of the ocean's force. I started taking photos of the waves, and all of a sudden, a huge wave rolled in, crashing on a lone rock. The man on the beach looks dwarfed by the size of the powerful water burst. These are the moments in nature that take my breath away.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos, and share what you think.  Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:
Canon EOS 70D
Lens: 18-135mm
Focal Length: 135mm
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 160
Exposure: 1/1600

Other places you can find me:

Instagram: Smileygirl469
Flickr: flickr.com/photos/shaidphotography/
500px: 500px.com/shaidphotography
email: shanna@shaidphotography.com

Friday, February 7, 2014

Where Water Meets the Sky


"Where Water Meets the Sky

Sunsets on their own are incredible. Well, at least I think so. The colors amaze me. So view that beautiful sunset over an ocean and I become speechless as for the words to describe how uplifting the wonder makes me feel. Suddenly, the blue sky becomes an open canvas for the sun to paint on, and the water acts as a mirror to the spectacle. I believe I took about two hundred or so photos with this sunset. I didn't want to miss one single second of it, and wanted to be able to relive the beauty over and over. Although it was getting chilly along the ocean, I insisted on laying down in the sand to get this shot of the foliage on the beach, along with the water and colorful sky. I'm glad that I did, because although my body wasn't feeling great the next few days, I got some great angles I couldn't have otherwise gotten. That's what was important to me. I highly suggest if you have a chance to get to the Pacific Ocean, bring some warm clothes just in case, a lawn chair and your camera, because you'll see an amazing sky show once the sun is ready to set!

If you would like to purchase this photo, find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to check out my page there, look through the photos and let me know what you think. Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important!

Photo Details:
Canon EOS 70D
Lens: 18-135mm
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/250


Sunday, November 17, 2013

Touch Down


"Touch Down"

I've always loved looking out the window of an airplane while flying. The different view of our world astonishes me to no end. With that being said, I have spent countless hours while in flight trying to capture these special views of the planet. Out of every view, one I had never been able to save the one moment that I find most intriguing. Time and time again, when landing, I have listened, felt and watched as the airplane once again meets up with the ground. In that moment, you can truly see and feel the force that is used to make such travel possible. In the sky, you travel hundreds of miles per hour, and barely feel the motion at all, other than the occasional turbulence from the weather. Unknowingly, I had taken it upon myself to freeze that crucial moment in time. That moment when you're seat belt is fastened, your seats are in the upright position, and you descent. Suddenly, you are enveloped by the sheer strength of your speed you hardly noticed. Now I can finally say that I have Touch Down.

I invite you to view and like my page at facebook.com/shaidphotography. You can find all of my photos here, and I'd love to hear your thoughts!

This photo is also available for purchase at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography.




Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Lake Erie Waves Hello



"Lake Erie Waves Hello"

Growing up on Lake Erie, I loved going to the beaches and swimming in the lake, riding the waves. Being young, I figured that's what all lakes looked like. Of course, now that I'm grown, I can fully understand why it truly is a Great Lake. Its size and beauty never cease to amaze me. I now live in an area that has a lake, although nothing like what I'm used to. In my eyes, the Great Lakes are like mini fresh water oceans. Especially when I'm reminded of the waves I used to ride when I was young. Any time I return home for a visit, I make sure to put some time aside so that I can return to the beaches I went to so often so that I can take in the beauty and wave hello back. Please follow me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. This photo is available for sale at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography.