Soda Butte Lodge

This is an old lodge in Cooke City, Montana.  I've taken several pictures of it through the years, but have never processed one in black and white.  I decided it was about time to try that.
I processed this image in Lightroom using only Adobe Camera Raw.  Here are the steps I took:
I used the eye dropper tool to get the correct white balance (I hadn't yet decided to convert it to black and white at that point).
I held down the shift key and double clicked on first the white and then the black to set my white and black points.
I then tweaked the exposure just a little to bring out a darker sky.
I opened the shadows up a little using the shadow slider.  I also used the adjustment brush on the inside of the house to open those shadows up just a little more.
I moved the clarity slider up just a little.
I added some contrast.
I hit the "v" key to turn the photo to black and white.
I added a little more clarity and then I was done.
This lodge now looks quite a bit different.  One side is almost completely gone.  When you see something that interests you be sure to take a picture of it because the next time you see it (if you do) it may look totally different.  I have pictures of this lodge with the walls all standing, with one of them bulging way out and with one of them mostly gone.  It's been interesting watching the progress of the decay of this wonderful old building.  I wish someone had taken care of it or restored it.  Too much history has been lost through decay and neglect.  There's nothing I can do about that, though, so I'll just take pictures to document what happens and enjoy the history that I'm able to capture.  I hope you enjoy it too.

Altering Reality

Adding texture or a painterly effect to pictures can be done in various plug-ins.  This one was created in Topaz Impressions 2.  If you don't want to buy plug-ins, you can also create a painterly effect by using various filters in PhotoShop such as the blur tool, the Iris filter, etc.  You won't get the same effect, but you will be altering the reality of the photo and creating something that is uniquely yours.

Live YOUR Life!

I never listened to the group Sting much, but here's a quote from one of them that I think makes sense.  "Be yourself, no matter what they say."   If we pretend to be something that we're not, we cannot function completely, efficiently or honestly.  In order to succeed, we must be ourselves, be true to our beliefs and lead the life that we were meant to live.  Another similar quote that I really like comes from the Shakespeare play Hamlet - "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."  If you're not being yourself, and living as you were meant to live, you aren't really being truthful with yourself or with anyone else.  So, go out today and live the good life.  Live YOUR life!  

A Walk With Nature

For my blog post today I thought I'd share a quote with you from John Muir.  "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."    I think the reason this is true is because in nature everything is a surprise, an opportunity for a new beginning.  You never know what you're going to find and that's part of the joy of it, at least it is for me.  As you probably know, I spend a lot of time in Yellowstone.  One of the things that I really enjoy about it is that I never know what I'll find.  Maybe sometimes I'll find a grizzly bear, which is just wonderful, but other times I may not find anything other than the beauty that nature provides for us.  No matter what I find, it's always a wonderful experience.  So, if you're feeling a little down or a little bored, get up out of that chair and take a walk.  You'll be glad you did!   Have a great day!

Happy Spring!

When you're photographing objects it's always good to have an uneven number.  Unfortunately I couldn't do that with this picture because there wasn't another flower in the right place.  Sometimes in nature, you just have to take what you can get.  

May you have warm days, cool nights, a purpose to your life and someone to love.  Happy Spring!

It's Almost Baby Time in Yellowstone

It won't be long before we see bull elk marching through the wild flower meadows of Yellowstone.   In early June, the elk cows will begin to drop their babies.  Watching those little calves trying to run around when their legs aren't quite strong enough to do it, is always great fun.   The cows usually keep the calves pretty well hidden for the first three weeks, but a couple of years ago a cow and her calf were hanging out just across the Madison River, so we got to watch them quite frequently.  I'm hoping we'll get to experience that again this year.  It won't be long before it's time for the babies of Yellowstone to start appearing.  What fun!

The Act Establishing Yellowstone - SAVE OUR PARKS

I don't wan't to get into political discussions here, but I did want to share information about the congressional act that established Yellowstone.  In today's political climate, I am very concerned about the future of our parks and that's why I'm sharing this information.  I hope that Yellowstone, and our other parks, are never harmed for political or financial reasons. I live close to Yellowstone, am in the park a lot and do photo tours in the park so I can share my love of the park with others.  I hope that our legislators protect our parks, so future generations can enjoy them also.  It doesn't matter who you voted for, or if you're Republican or Democrat, if you care about our parks, please ask your legislators to protect them.

Here's Sec 2 of the act that established Yellowstone. If you're interested in reading the rest of the act, you can google it, but this is the most important section.  Act Establishing Yellowstone National Park (1872)

SEC 2. That said public park shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be, as soon as practicable, to make and publish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the care and management of the same. Such regulations shall provide for the preservation, from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their natural condition. The Secretary may in his discretion, grant leases for building purposes for terms not exceeding ten years, of small parcels of ground, at such places in said park as shall require the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors; all of the proceeds of said leases, and all other revenues that may be derived from any source connected with said park, to be expended under his direction in the management of the same, and the construction of roads and bridle- paths therein. He shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within said park, and against their capture or destruction for the purposes of merchandise or profit. He shall also cause all persons trespassing upon the same after the passage of this act to be removed therefrom, and generally shall be authorized to take all such measures as shall be necessary or proper to fully carry out the objects and purposes of this act.