Sharpness vs. High ISO

I've been asked a lot lately about ISO and picture sharpness.  I have an opinion.  Just ask anyone that knows me.  They will tell you I do!  I know we are all sick of hearing this ....we all have our own way of doing things.  In photography there is no perfect condition, or equipment.  It's our our personal preference.  

That being said...high ISO does NOT affect sharpness(not considering low shutter speed, subject movement and camera movement).  At any ISO sharpness is up to the person holding the camera.  What confuses some is sharpness and "grain".  Let's pretend that graininess in a photograph is like a persons complexion.  Some lucky beautiful people have amazingly smooth, flawless skin.  Now let's add some grain.  A man for instance has a more "grainy" face.  The pours are more obvious along with the hair follicles.    There is a significant difference in the fine grained beautiful women and the more obvious course grained man.  In film the higher ISO-the more defined the grain.  The lower the ISO the less obvious the grain. 

Here's the gist.   A sharp picture is a sharp picture.  It does not matter how much grain there is.  Two different things. 

I prefer sharpness over the low ISO/low grain.  I feel much greater confidence in low light if I pushed up the ISO a little.  Many times my photo opportunity feels like one of a kind.  Only one chance to get "that one" shot.  It's like risk management.  I lower the risk of a photograph being not sharp with low ISO/shutter speeds.  Tripods are a must.  Bright sun helps.  Flash fill is good.  Then there is that one rainy day with the White Faced Ibis were  running and I wanted a sharp photo. Up went the ISO.

The picture above was taken late today in my front yard.  Just for the purpose of this demonstration I hand held the camera.  Low light macro shot.  It was shot at 1/250 of a second at f/11.  The ISO 3200.  Pretty dang sharp.

Woodpecker....

My daughter and I were out last week at Bear Lake looking for wildlife to photograph.  Listening was the objective here.  For a great distance this woodpecker could be heard.  I am not sure what all the banging was about.  Looking for food?  Testing for a spot to make home?  Whatever the case this little guy has a head of steel.  And no brain.  How can he bang his head against the wood at a high rate and not get a headache.  It's all weird.   Another oddity of nature.  Somehow, somewhere people believe that we all came from a single ameba.  Cell splitting, a lot of evolution and then ....banging your head against hard wood.  Somewhere in that theory of evolution I get a little confused.  This winter and spring my camera has been aimed at birds.  A change for me to take such interest in the winged world.  This woodpecker was just another new adventure out there.  There's more waiting for all of us.  And endless supply.   Get out and shoot.    It's a blast!

Where I have been....

The blogs have been slow in coming.....

Last week a few days of relaxation at my house at Bear Lake.  No phone lines, no cable, and no internet. Peace and quiet.  Before that Yellowstone...THE BEST.  

This week 24 hours counting holes in a grid ceiling, on my back at LDS hospital.   At my age (54) it's always on your mind.  Chest pain, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations a definite sign of a heart attack.   Hope is that these conditions never are felt. 

Entering an emergency room with these conditions three things happen.  

First, you get a pass.  No waiting to check in.  No long conversations about insurance and symptoms.  Right to a bed with friends all around.  

Second, an invisible sign is place around your neck that says - "pin cushion".  And another that says "free, unending supply of blood here. help yourself".  

Third, a stamp is placed on your forehead that says "no sleep required"

I don't think I have ever had the opportunity to spend time in the hospital as a patient.  Except one time as an out patient.  What an experience.  LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah has to be the best hospital in Utah.  Maybe anywhere.  Truthfully, the staff at LDS Hospital made my personal experience there not too bad.  An example..Claustrophobia is a little gift I carry with me everywhere.  One test that potential heart attack patients get places you in a piece of equipment that is literally a tube.  Good thing for tranquilizers and very kind doctors and nurses.  At one time I am sitting on this camera/testing machine with two nurses and technicians waiting for me to give them the OK to go ahead.   Now I know what the Norbest turkey feels like in the oven when we wait for the little red thing to pop up.   More attention than I have had since I tried to exit a plane while airborne (claustrophobia is a bugger sometimes).  After enough Xanax to put down an elephant I did it.  Couldn't be more proud.  

Thanks to the nurses, the doctors, the admitting group, the cleaning ladies and especially Jon my nurse.  He offered to hold my hand during the big test if the Xanax did not work.  Just kidding.  But he was sincerely interested in my welfare.  Great people, and a great hospital.

Both photo's above were taken tonight on my way home from Washington Park.  Washington park is located up Parley's Canyon.  While there I had some discussions about photography with some friends and educators.  All while wired with a heart monitor.  Though I was little weak it was a great time.  My heart today was still with photography and as the Doctors told me, doing very well.   Another great day.

Buffalo Ribs

Another image of spring for the wildlife in Yellowstone.  Click on the picture and look at the ribs and ridge on the back of the buffalo's.  These guys and gals are tough.   In no time they will be fat, butting heads and rolling in the dirt.

Sandhill Love...

Spring in Yellowstone is tough as a winter recovery period.  Although, monogamous parenting is in the air.    Unlike big game, many wild animals that fly pick a mate and stay with them for life.   These two Sandhill Cranes have made Floating Island Lake their nursery.  Technically a pond, it is prime for a nest site.  Once the eggs are laid the vigil of long hours in the same position begin.  As seen above the two are spending most their time feeding around the lake.  At all times one or the other is at guard for predators. They must have keen vision and other senses.  Several times I notice that as a large bird would fly overhead they would look up to see what it was.  

It intrigues me how these beautiful animals identify each other.  While I was there no names were shouted out.  Not even "Hey you".  There is a definite bond.  A bond so great defense from predators can extend to death for each other in that protection.   An interesting "tid bit" about Sandhill cranes is they have been known to eat their young if they see a deficiency.   Their wing span can be as wide as eight feet.  They are graceful in the air and on the ground.  

This was one of the first photo op's we had the first day in Yellowstone.   

Vacations Over..

I think there is a saying that goes like this - "The bad part about vacation is when it's over".    It's been an incredible time away.  Spring brings new life in Yellowstone.  It's good and bad.  New life often means easy targets for predators.  The good part is the energy, curiosity and ignorance of the wildlife young.  The parents of each newborn shows skills that have been passed on for centuries.  My thoughts as I witnessed these relationships is that we humans can learn a few things from the wild.  

It really is a great time to be in Yellowstone.  Be prepared.  This time of year the incredibly tough winters show it's rage on the wildlife.  It's common to witness elk birthing calfs only to immediately be taken by predators.  All sorts of animals with obvious signs of starvation.  I witnessed a two year old grizzly that had encountered a porcupine.   It's face was covered in quills.  One of the more heartbreaking natural scenes this photographer has witnessed.  It was within hours of losing it's precious life.   Barely moving and never lifting it's head.  Only enough energy to pick at grass and eat it.  

Another occasion revealed an elk that had been attacked by a predator.  It was wounded bad enough that it could do more than stand.  Many times it would stand and attempt to move only to lay back down.  The next morning it was gone.  It is a sure thing that this elk provided sustenance for another living creature.  

The "tough" scenes are far outweighed by the beauty and new life in the park.  It's the start of a yearly cycle that if missed will occur again next year, and the year after and the year after that.  I hope to miss few.

There is story to the picture of the buffalo calf in the river.  Stay tuned and I will post the rest of the story.  

Tonight while driving home my eagerness to sleep in my own bed was tempered by the beautiful scene in Randolph, Utah.  Laziness is not a trait of a photographer that loves to capture beautiful scenes like the one above.   Roadside.  Waiting for that perfect placement of cloud and sky.  Nature usually gives a lot if you are patient.  It was an incredible week capped by a sensational drive home.  

Found my "Big Horn" boys...

What a day!  Beautiful, sunny, low temp's and great company.   About a mile past the Tower Junction we found these beauty's.  They were accompanied by seven ewes.   These poor girls sure were getting a lot of attention.........

It was obvious that one of these guys was in charge.  No sharing today.  And he made dang sure his buddy was not getting any lovin'.  A couple of times they had some words.  In fact boss man approached me once to make sure I was not interested.  Wasn't even on my mind.   He charged to me as if to butt heads.  Then he saw my head.  He had no chance.  Seriously my knees shook for a minute or two.  Not really big animals.  Just not afraid of a good solid head butt.  

Saw a lot of cool things today.  It's late and have to go.......getting up early.

Yellowstone Day One....

Is this heaven?  How can anyone smile all day.  

Today is another first.  I have wanted and tried to photograph sand-hill cranes in the wild for a few years now.   Wow was I lucky today.  On the road from Mammoth to Lamar Valley is a pond that every year has a mated pair.   This pair calls it home for a short while and hatch and raise their young here.  My experience at this pond has been great.  From a black bear to moose to fighting coyotes.  But today it was "Crane day".   Today we saw two grizzly's two black bears, several bull elk, a ton of cow elk and buffalo, sand-hill cranes, great blue herons, a hunting golden eagle, a nesting osprey and last but not least a bratwurst dog with chips.  What a day!  What will tomorrow bring?????

When purchasing the bratwust the counter person asked me today how I was.  My response - "better than I deserve".  

How to...

Who knows which of any of us will become critics.  For this week it is all of us!  Here is some help.  Really I think, like photography itself, it's a personal thing.  

Tonight I sit in a hotel in WEST YELLOWSTONE.  Hope to get some sleep tonight.  It's like Christmas eve when I was 7.  

Critique, Please!

For those of you that have access, this weeks assignment is to be a critic.  Review the photographs of those involved in the assignment and make comments to their photo's.  No Mr. nice guy (or girl).  Find things that you actually think will help the photograph.  Be specific. Mention likes and dislikes.  Rate 1 to 10.  In the end the photographer should have a clear picture as to how you think the photo may improve with the subject involved.    

My photo above is waiting for your critique and observations.  I have had it filed for some time. As you follow my blog one thing you will notice that is a preference of mine is to limit the clutter in a photograph.  Is there a limit to how little can be in a photo?  To each his own interpretation.  

The lovely bird above has a very unique feature.  It's red eye.  My goal was to find this guy in an area that would compliment his feature with a complimentary color.  But not over power it.  Overpower an eye ball?   You know what I mean.  The subject is the bird.  The "statement"  is his eye.  In all aspects of visual perspective your eyes are drawn to red first.  In almost the same way  the eye is drawn to bright spot(s) in a photograph.  So my goal here was to have a complimentary color to the red eye.  Also to have very little distraction in the photograph to keep the eye the "statement" in the photo.