Stoke-Ness November Newsletter
Like clockwork, it started snowing today.
All good things end too soon they say and it was a damn good fall, but the snowflakes make me excited for a white season.
In this issue, I share a video about Montana, a place you've never heard of and a photographer you probably haven't heard of either.
Be stoked,
Isaac
New Places
The Northern Selkirks are a mountain range that most folks haven't heard of and for good reason. The range is located in the north of Idaho sandwiched in between well known Montana and the large population of Washinton state. With no National parks in sight, this area is way under the radar.
I took a trip up to the beautiful Priest lake and hiked Lookout Mountain with photographers Morgan Phillips and Rod Trevino. The mountain has two lookouts on it, on higher than the other. When we arrived the newer of the two lookouts had blown over in a windstorm, but there are plans to rebuild.
The hike is short, just 1.8 miles one way and not too strenuous. The lookouts sit on the edge of a 500ft cliff that makes the views go on forever You can see all the way to Canada some 60 miles away.
I'd recommend a trip here if you want to avoid crowds and feel what Montana was like 30 years ago.
Google Maps Pin
Gear
I wanted a Jet Boil stove to go backpacking with but hesitated because of the $110 price tag. When I looked on Amazon for a similar model I found the Sahara Sailor Ultralight Collapsible Camping Stove.
It's so compact it fits in the palm of your hand and requires only a small pressurized fuel canister. It easily fits in your backpack an even has a built-in lighter button.
I've used it on several trips over the last 4 months and I'm very impressed. Did I mention it is less than $9.00?!
Yep, #worth it
See more here
Who I'm loving on Instagram
@ultrabrad
Brad recently stopped by my house in Montana and I was curious to ask him a few questions about his style. How do you make it so soft and dreamy in your photos?
Seriously though, his photos are amazing and his editing style really draws my eye in. From mountains to jungles his photos seem otherworldly.
P.S. he just released a few presets and they are amazing. I don't say that about many peoples presets. His are useable on more photos than most presets and you will learn how he makes things so dreamy by looking at his settings. 10/10 would recommend.
Give him a follow here
Music I'm Diggin'
Does anyone else dance when they get home from work? I mean like a shoes off, pouring a drink, excited that I'm done for the day type of dance?
Milky Skittles by Manatee Commune is just the right song for this, trust me. If you need a lil mood bounce before your friends come over for dinner this will do the trick. Just remember that the moves you do in your socks need to stay in your house.
Give it a spin.
Videos, Movies, and TV
Growing up in Montana and herding horses myself, I appreciate this film portrayal of ranch life here. Beautiful and heart-tugging, this video will make you long for a simpler life.
Give it a watch
Reads
It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden is a book about making your dreams and goals happen.
It's short and a very very easy read. The format just flows goodness into your brain and when you are done with it you will have the guts to take on the world.
This is a book I come back to time and time again.
Give it a read sooner than later.
It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be
Photo Technique
Motion Blur is a cool way to give your photos some energy. I use it when I shoot autos most often. There are a few tricks to get it right that take some practice.
Settings:
I like to set my shutter speed at 1/50 or lower, but not lower than 1/15. This will create that smooth looking blur without losing sharpness on your subject.
I adjust the aperture and ISO to what is needed for proper exposure. In midday, this can be upwards of f20.
I like a wider lens, but anything wider than 50mm will work.
Set your camera to HighSpeed continuous shutter.
Technique:
There are two ways I generally get motion blur.
1: For the image above I sat on the tailgate of my Landcuiser and had a driver cruise at around 10-15 mph. We don't need to go fast here, just have it look fast. Too fast and we won't be able to match the motion of the vehicles and lock in for a sharp focus on the subject. The vehicles need to match speeds.
I lock my elbows to my chest and start firing away, checking every ten shots or so to see if I nailed a sharp focus. The key here is to be as stable as possible and match the movement of the vehicles. This way only the passing earth will be blurry.
2: If you are standing on the ground, have the subject slowly pass you while you pivot matching the speed of your subject (horse, motorcycle, car, cyclist). This works even better if you are on the inside of a corner. I like to hold the camera with both hands at chest level and use my eyes to look at the subject (not at the camera) to match the speed.
I hope these help, it's so fun to get a motion blur photo right.
Good luck!
I am grateful you let me send you an email every month. As long as you keep opening them I'll keep looking for cool stuff to share.
A couple things you should know before you leave:
- I'm looking for an intern/collaborator for video editing. This person will get all of my knowledge in daily interaction and get to help create new videos. Know anyone who is interested?
- I'm releasing a series of Christmas cards. Do you want some?
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
