Cave Point Part 3 - The Shoreline

This post is probably an excellent time to address a question that Sherry had after my last post about my camera and how I protect it from water. (By the way, I don't often respond directly in the comments section since those replies don't make it to those asking the question but rather I reply by email)

As you check out my shots of the limestone bluff at Cave Point County Park keep in mind that the rain had just finally stopped for this part of our outing.  Spray and fog were technically still an issue...if you have the presence of mind to worry about those things.

As far as the camera goes I'm a terrible owner, Canon's worst nightmare.  You would think that once I bought a $1300 camera I would have straightened up my act, but my "carefulness" only extends to taking lenses off and on with two hands instead of one hand and an elbow.  (Don't ask me why...I also bang my elbows, shoulders and knees off every obstacle I can find)  

Lots of wind churning up Lake Michigan

I drop them in the sand, the mud, (just recently while shooting those sunflowers, remember?)  shoot in the fog and drizzle, etc.  I do keep it out of the rain and in my pack until I actually have a shot I want to set up, I wipe it with my lens cloth and shove it back in the pack.

Look at the cool curl on that wave!

If it were raining steadily I would make the effort to drag out my shower cap to cover most of the body and/or get out my umbrella (that rainy hike to the waterfall in the Smokies comes to mind) but mostly I'm just too lazy unless it's raining hard. Often I just shove it under my shirt or jacket until the next shot.

Look at the movement behind that breaking wave

I'm also too lazy to get out my tripod, even the little gorillapod most of the time, something I keep swearing I'm going to remedy when I see how much clearer my shots could be when I visit other bloggers' websites, like Linda's.  I know she's using her tripod often, I don't even have to ask!  I just get too excited by all my discoveries and can't wait to get to the next one.

After the wave crashed there was leftover water cascading from the crevices

Lately part of the reason I'm not getting the shots I want is due to the fact that my Canon 70D is pretty heavy, and I've been suffering from some tendonitis at my right elbow that definitely flares up worse when I start shooting.  It started around the time I bought the camera which may be coincidental, but regardless it hasn't gone away and I can't work on building up muscle in the area with it inflamed.  I finally caved and ordered a high quality ice pack by ColPac (quarter size) to start icing it often and try to get it under control.

Incoming!

I do take the time to switch out lenses with care and take polarizers on and off as needed.  The polarizers can make a huge difference, especially in bright sun, near the water, or even just to cut down glare and reflections when shooting "city street" shots. These shots would be awful with the glare off the wet rock and the large sheet of churned up Lake Michigan water were it not for a good polarizer. For those out there using a non-DSLR, I've hand held a polarizer in front of lenses when the sizing was wrong or I was using a point-and-shoot, it seems to help.

Do I need to duck yet?

When I've got Wayne along and his back isn't bothering him I ask him to tote around the tripod for me.  You may have noticed it strapped across his back on our recent hike in the Lions Den.  Of course every time I do that I still don't use it.  Mostly because he likes to "move on" and I don't want to make him wait.  We tend to set it up to get a shot of the two of us, but I only do that if the scenery warrants a good shot.  After all you know what we look like, right?

I screamed and jumped back a little after this one came up at me!

I don't remember if I mentioned that when Katrina and I first got to the park she stayed in the car while I wandered around in the rain shooting the flowers and lichens.  The rain had stopped by the time I got back and I dragged her out to check out the shoreline, even though she doesn't like heights.  She did seem to enjoy the waves crashing up against the rocks, she just stood a little farther back than I did.  I made sure to walk slowly and carefully on the slippery walk to help keep her anxiety in check.  We took a picture using the gorillapod of the two of us but it didn't turn out.  My movie came out pretty good though.  Click on the YouTube symbol at the bottom to see it in full screen.  If John is reading this he can send me a reminder email on how to make it bigger right in the post...I can't seem to find his last set of instructions.

One more post from the park on Tuesday about the surprise we found as we moved past the Point.

So, all my shameful photography secrets are out in the open.  Now if I only had an assistant to carry around a tripod for me all the time who didn't mind waiting while I set everything up.  Oh, and they'd have to do it for free.  I guess I could feed them lunch and give them a tent to use.  Know any takers for the position?