Stoke-ness July Newsletter
Happy July!
This is the real month of adventure. You've got no excuse to stay inside (unless you are in the southwest right now) and even the night is pleasant for exploration. Stokeness is back with a second edition of what you'll need to get the most out of your short (too short) summer.
Be stoked,
Isaac
New Places
Every summer my Wife and I take a trip to Waterton Park in Canada.
It's only 3 hrs from Glacier National Park and is a must see if you are headed to Glacier. The drive to Waterton takes you through Glacier and along the edge of the remote Rocky Mountain front. The drive is incredible and underrated.
Bring your passport for the Chief Mountain border crossing where they'll stamp it with a cool Bear stamp. Schedule tea time at the castle-like Prince of Wales Hotel, then take a boat to hike the Crypt Lake trail. It climbs through a tunnel/cave to a hidden mountain lake.
Google Maps Pin
Gear
I get a lot of bags, too many bags. If you are my friend you will eventually be gifted backpack or camera bag.
With the amount of bags I use and get sent, I have become picky (I like to think discerning) about what makes the most useable bag. It turns out the bag that makes it on all my trips is the Flowfold Conductor Duffel.
Minimalist, tough as nails, and easy to fit whatever I need. The best feature by far is not having to dig to the bottom of the bag, it's all within reach when you unzip.
You can see more here
Full Disclosure: The company sent me this bag, but this is not a paid endorsement.
Who I'm loving on Instagram
@fordyates
Ford is a bit of a sleeper on Instagram. His account is sometimes hunting themed, which I think makes it cater to a smaller audience. If you can see past the duck camo, the stunning western themed photos are amazing.
Music I'm Diggin'
Waiting (PAL Remix) by Alice Bowman
I heard this song and was instantly drawn to it, so much that I listened to it a few times in a row. I can't think of the last time a single song got put on repeat. It's a serious crime in most cases to listen to the same song back to back, no quicker way to burn out a good tune. This one is different and gets better the more you listen.
Give it a spin.
Watch This
Can a fella self-promote for a minute?
I made a few videos recently and have a had folks tell me I should keep making them. You be the judge and let me know with the thumbs up (or down) button if I should keep the camera rolling.
Give it a watch
Reads
If you are an aspiring artist or even a long time creator, you know the struggle is real to keep creating. Many times the head games and the talk of well-meaning friends/family can make you think about choosing a safer, more "productive" path.
The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin is a LIFE CHANGING book that gives voice to what you already knew about creating and why you need, in your soul, to do it.
10/10 rating here folks.
Give it a read or listen to the Audiobook on your commute.
Photo Technique
I spent some time around horses recently and found that they can be a challenging subject to shoot. Often they act differently when humans are around and either want to taste you or run away. Here are a few things I do to get started.
Spend time letting the horse get to know you. It's tempting to grab your camera and start shooting, but you and an unfamiliar device will most like make the steed skittish.
Set your apeture to f/4 or f/5.6 and focus on the horses eye. this will create a good depth of field without blurring out too much of the horses other features.
Set your shutter speed to 400-500 range and adjust ISO to get the right exposure. The faster speed will make sure you catch a sharp image when the horse is moving.
Try getting low to make the horse skylined and follow the horse to a view with an interseting background.
Good luck and message me your photos and questions!
Thanks for reading. A couple things I could use your help with:
- Have something I should be covering? Reply to this email.
- Should I do a moto trip or a raft trip next?
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
