Before Breakfast

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DSCF0916FUJIFILM X-T1 (55mm, f/9, 1/80 sec, ISO200)

One great thing about a vacation is that you can sleep long but sometimes there is a good reason to get out of bed early.

To catch Bryce Canyon in beautiful early morning light is such a good reason. When we arrived the “Early Birds” already left. I guess I’m getting lazy.

When I was shooting birds I stood up in the middle of the night, drove one hour to the location and arrived before sunrise. It was magical to catch the sunrise over the lake and to take images of the birds in wonderful soft early morning light. I used to pack my camera away as soon as the light became harsh. On vacation of course you need to make compromises and of course you need to recharge your battery. Photography isn’t the main reason to get somewhere. It’s to see new places and to have a good time.

DSCF0837FUJIFILM X-T1 (18mm, f/8, 1/60 sec, ISO400)
 DSCF0891FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/11, 1/60 sec, ISO200)

But this time my wife also wanted to see Bryce Canyon before breakfast. Here she took a shot with my X Pro-1 and the XC 50-230. The image below.

I don’t need anything else than a wide angle lens on a city trip but for landscapes I must have a tele zoom lens. To me a tele zoom is more essential than a super wide angle zoom. Just look at the image above. The sunlit rocks are too far away to get a useful image with a short lens. To get a shot like the one below you need a long lens.

DSCF3824FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (127.9mm, f/6.4, 1/120 sec, ISO200)
 DSCF0993FUJIFILM X-T1 (23.3mm, f/9, 1/105 sec, ISO200)
 DSCF3859FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (63.2mm, f/9, 1/40 sec, ISO200)
 DSCF3881FUJIFILM X-Pro1 (63.2mm, f/6.4, 1/420 sec, ISO200)

The air was fresh and there was a strong wind blowing but I didn’t want to go back to the car. The light was already changing. So I stayed there and continued shooting. When I tried to shoot a panorama a chipmunk approached me. With nothing but the kit lens attached I tried to catch the little fellow. This was the best shot. The XF 18-55 kit lens shot wide open at 55mm. Not too bad if you ask me. Even the Bokeh is pleasing. The tilt screen helped with the low viewpoint.

After the a while we got hungry so we headed back to our hotel. I went for an American breakfast “Plenty of everything” while my wife chose a healthy option. That is what I love about the South West of the USA: Breathtaking landscapes without the need to hike for days with nothing but a small tent and no chance to take a proper shower. Here you can enjoy amazing scenery without scarifying comfort and if you are very, very lucky you can even get an Espresso. I guess I’m getting old.

DSCF0998FUJIFILM X-T1 (55mm, f/4, 1/950 sec, ISO200)
DSCF1010FUJIFILM X-T1 (18mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec, ISO1250)