Tag Archives: oklahoma

Angel in Black and White

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I’ve been wanting to change up my shooting style, if I really have one, to try something new. Wanting to do more black and white portraiture. I was working with a friend the other day and I asked “may I do your portrait?” and of course she said yes, well she chirped back “sure,” so that’s what we did.

The only light I had with me was a SB-600, yes I still have and use it and yes it still kicks out some good light, I have a small 6X9 Impact soft-box for the light modifier, it attaches with Velcro, works great in a pinch just like this one. The stand for the SB-600 I used a tripod, I attached the mount for the speed light to the head’s plate. Positioned the tripod on the table and used the swing-arm on the tripod to position the light right above me and the camera.

I wanted to go with a white back ground so I used a piece of white expanded PVC that we had behind a wall cutter cleaned it and placed it on a cart against the wall.

After getting everything setup and the flash’s power set, it was time to go to work sorta speak. I like to talk and have a conversation with the people that I photograph, it helps to relax and keep a calm setting, even joking around can get you a nice candid shot, a moment out of the norm, or other words the images that people don’t like to show. These are a few of them. I do want to go back and get some with a larger studio light but I still like the way they turned out.

Angel Adams is a creative in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. You can learn about her here on her site here or @angeladams

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge – Oklahoma

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West of Tulsa almost 3 hours is the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. Designated as the “largest such saline flat in the central lowlands of North America,” the 11,200- acre salt flat of Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is essential to wildlife.

However on this visit I ended up staying the wetland area of the refuge. The refuge consists of approximately 26,232 acres of classified wetlands. Wetlands include things such as lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, and low level areas that are prone to flooding and have high soil moisture. Wetlands can contain shrubs, trees, grasses and/or wetland specific plants. Wetlands provide homes for many reptiles and amphibians. Wetlands also aide in the decomposition of organic matter and naturally filter water as it passes through.

Here are a few of the photos I was able to capture. I am planning to head back, most likely in the fall.

Sunday Photo-Drives : Oxley and Tall Grass

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The last few Sundays I’ve been trying to go somewhere local to take photos and explore my home state a bit more. Here are some of the fruits of my drives so far.

First is Oxley Nature Center, if you’ve been to my blog before you may have seen a post or two about this place. It is a local park and nature preserve, with hiking trails and visitor center. It is setup as an immersive experience to highlight our local flora and fauna. Here are a few images from Oxley Nature Center.

“Meditation at Sherry Lake” Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa, OK ©Billy Sauerland
“Cattails” Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa, OK ©Billy Sauerland
“Swan in Flight” Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa, OK
“Swan Landing” Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa, OK

 

Second is a drive up to the Tall Grass Prairies Preserve north of Pawhuska, OK. The preserve is a Nature Conservancy conservation preserve, their goal is to restore the native grasses along with bison, birds and other native species. This is one of my favorite places to head to when I’m needing a breather from Tulsa. Here are a few images from the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve.

Update 5-8-2017: I’ve reedited the image “Osage Prairie” to reflect more of a romantic feel that I was wanting to achieve.  I believe I was able to reach that goal.

 

This bale was not at Tall Grass it was on the way there just outside of Skiatook, OK. The state is covered in them, but I love the circular texture of the bale.
“Osage Prairie” Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, OK
“Birds and Bison” Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, OK
“Grazing Bison” Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, OK

A walk at Oxley

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The Mary K. Oxley Nature Center located in Mohawk Park, Tulsa, OK is a gem of a place to go and be lost for twenty minutes two hours or an entire day. Trails that crisscross or lead off in one direction through the woods, along creeks and following the edge of a lake. You’ll discover a myriad of birds, possibly some deer and an armadillo or two or three. Along with all of the fauna there are also all the flora that comes along with being in the woods in Northeastern Oklahoma. Here are a just a few glimpses at what you’ll find.

The Mary K. Oxley Nature Center located in Mohawk Park is located at 3452-3676 Mohawk Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74115. You can contact them at (918) 669-6644.

Why I ♥ Oklahoma?

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Sometime ago I was asked, what is there to like about Oklahoma? Well there are a lot of things, but more importantly I don’t just like Oklahoma, I love Oklahoma. Now that’s not to say there aren’t a few things, well maybe more than a few, that I wouldn’t change. But its my home, where I was born and raised, and I can say that. We do have a few things to learn here at home, a few things to change and improve on. But I still love it here, now it was almost 100* today, and well I’m a fat man and it’s not very good to people of the larger variety in the summer, but that’s on me. Anyways, I caught a couple of images of Oklahoma that say why I love it here. They are simple, however I think they say a lot.

If you click on the images below you will be taken to my 500px page where they are available to be purchased as stretched canvas prints or digital downloads.

Oklahoma afternoon Sea of grass

Now I know you could find images like these in other states, but these are not from anywhere else but my home, Oklahoma!

1st Oil Well in Oklahoma, near Chelsea, OK

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I was out driving near Chelsea, OK and came to the site of the 1st Oil Well in Oklahoma. It wasn’t all too impressive, but I thought it was neat just the same. This un-assuming site is a small square notch in a field where cattle graze now. After passing it on my way to the east side of Spencer Creek campgrounds, I thought I would stop when going back by.

Moon or not to Moon?

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I had traveled north to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma. To try to capture the “supermoon” not sure if that title was entirely accurate. I had left around 5 pm and the moon rise was to be about 9 pm. I wanted to get up there in time to do some scouting to try to get the best vantage point. The main image I was wanting to get was one of the moon as it just crested the horizon, when it was the biggest. However the haze and clouds prevented the moment when it crested the horizon from being seen. As well as hampering the amount of light that the moon produced. So shifting gears I tried to capture the moon illuminating the valley that I was just above. However the light being produced wasn’t sufficient for that. So with the clouds and haze being a factor I tried to use them to my advantage. I think I was successful at that, the clouds provided a nice veil to catch the light a created a nice wash of tones and colors. For the moon itself, I did a series of exposures trying to get the moon as detailed and full as possible.

These are the images I was able to capture tonight up at the Tallgrass. Its worth trying agin, maybe on a clearer night.

Moonlit Clouds

The moon brought out a variety of colors and tones that created a nice wash. I thought this might look good as a large print on canvas. If I did print it, I would need to lighten it about 20%-30%, since you loose about that amount when printing.

Moon

Well all I can say is I sure could use a bigger lens, I guess we all could.