Hanging out with National Geographic

Last summer I had the chance to show a National Geographic writer a part of Great Basin National Park, along with research scientist Dr. Anna Schoettle. We went up Mt. Washington to look at bristlecone pines and discuss White Pine Blister Rust. My job was basically as driver and tour guide, so we stopped at one of my favorite overlooks.

Later, we went up high on the mountain, where we saw some small trees making a start at life.

We also looked at some old bristlecone wood, left from when the bristlecones died off the last time it got cooler and trees moved back down the mountain. Dr. Schoettle discussed some of the new threats these long-living trees face, like white pine blister rust, a non-native pathogen that has had a devastating effect on lodgepole pines in nearby Montana. We also discussed climate change, wildfires, and beetles. Fortunately, the trees in Great Basin National Park look to be okay at the moment, although it's hard to predict how they will do with the fast-moving climate change we're currently experiencing and the many consequences it has, such as more extreme weather events.

Craig Welch is a staff writer for National Geographic and was starting research on a story about forests in peril all over the world. He told us we might only see a paragraph in the whole story about bristlecones as he had so much material to cover. The article would be appearing in May 2022 in a special issue about trees. He enjoyed his trip and kept saying if he had known how stunning it was, he would have brought a photographer with him. 

Fast forward to September, and I was driving a National Geographic photography crew up the mountain for an overnight to capture photos of the area. I had been feeling kind of blah about photography, so was looking forward to being with some experts.

I was immediately impressed by their enthusiasm and abundant photo and video taking.

They made me slow down and take a closer look at bristlecone pine cones (love those bristles!).

And the male pollen cones.

The 2000 Philips Ranch wildfire that burned over one thousand acres included bristlecones, making for some dramatic scenery.

Another thing that impressed me was the vast amount of gear they hauled everywhere. The main photographer was Keith Ladzinski, world-renowned. His assistant Angie Payne (a great photographer in her own right) was a pro at anticipating needs and lugging the heavy bags. Videographer Tommy Joyce kept his camera rolling.

While I observed, I mainly tried to stay out of the way. I couldn't resist snapping a few photos myself.

September was a great time with the fall colors (the far-off aspen patch is one of my favorites!). And spending the night was a good call so we could enjoy golden hour.

I find that I particularly enjoy patterns.

Here's Keith checking a photo he just took.

More patterns. (Did you say squirrel? lol)

The burned trees made for interesting shapes and textures.

Here's Angie carrying tripods and lights. I learned a lot about how much they use additional lighting. 

We talked about bristlecones and their life cycles. This bristlecone is so much older than Angie, even though it's just barely taller than her.

As the sun set, we saw beautiful colors to the west.

The crescent moon hung in the sky.

Then it was time for sleep. Sort of. There were cameras going all night, and then we got up very early to go hike down to the "magic grove" of bristlecones to be there before sunrise. We needed our headlamps.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a cloudy morning, so we didn't get the most dramatic backgrounds, but just before sunrise was quite nice.

Plus, I just love this tree!

So, it's now May 2022. What about that special National Geographic issue? They sent me an advance copy for helping out. 

There's a gorgeous shot by Keith and a paragraph of info. In fact, it might be the most hopeful paragraph in the whole section! The article is amazing, Craig made it seem effortless to combine personal experiences with facts about complex issues. I heartily recommend picking up a copy.

You can also find the story online with a bonus timelapse of bristlecones in Great Basin National Park (and some other trees in other areas):

Forests are reeling from climate change—but the future isn’t lost (nationalgeographic.com)

It was such a great experience helping out the National Geographic crews. It is truly amazing how much work goes into every photo, article, and video. Hope you enjoyed this little behind-the-scenes look!

In Search of Sandhill Cranes

My husband and I got on the topic of Sandhill Cranes, and he mentioned that there were quite a few on the ranch right now. A few years ago I had photographed sandhill cranes in a feedlot and loved the light, but didn't get quite what I wanted. I told him my dream shot was of a sandhill crane in flight, backlit, with Notch Peak (a prominent mountain) in the background.

I went out early and went in search of some sandhill cranes. The easiest way to find them is to stop and listen. They make a lot of noise! It turns out their call can be heard up to 2.5 miles away. I found some on the edge of a field. In the photo above, one has its mouth open, making their pterodactyl sound (or how I imagine pterodactyls would sound).

A couple took off, making awesome silhouettes...and more noise!

I was a bit distracted by birds flitting around in the nearby corn field. One perched and I found a beautiful song sparrow.

The morning light on hay in the hay barn and the mountainous background was nice. This hay is watered by the meltwater from those mountains.

In this photo, the sandhill cranes had such a nice pattern with their wings.

Quite a few sandhill cranes flew to the bag yard, where there's lots of equipment and bagged silage. I went there and spotted some cranes in an empty feedlot. 

I crept closer. They stayed. I rested my telephoto lens on the bottom fence rung and started shooting. 

What I observed was that a couple of the cranes seemed to act as sentries. They walked back and forth, making lots of noise while the other cranes foraged.

In the photo below, can you see the nare (nose hole) in the birds' beaks? 

The birds got disturbed by something and a couple spread their wings. During the mating season, they'll do elaborate dances. Sandhill cranes mate for life, and their lifespan is often over 20 years, with the oldest known crane 36 years old.

Our location is considered to be on the edge of the migration rate for sandhill cranes, but we actually have a few that stay all summer long. I'm not sure if they breed or not. Occasionally a couple stay long enough for us to count them during the Christmas Bird Count, but not often. 

What do you think these two are saying to each other?

I decided to see where else sandhill cranes were on the ranch. I found a few at the pond. Can you also see the killdeer?

A few sandhill cranes looked like they were discussing things at the beach.

A couple more were visiting cows and ravens.

This small sandpiper was also in the pond.

This killdeer was also looking for some food in the mud.

I also found sandhill cranes out in the meadow.

Not far away were some turkey vultures sunning themselves. Others were riding the high winds.

This turkey vulture stretched out its wings to sun itself.

It was a lovely morning out looking at birds. What about the shot I wanted? I didn't quite get backlit wings, but I did get a silhouette of a sandhill crane flying with Notch Peak in the background! 

For more info about these cool birds, see the All About Birds website.

What are your experiences with sandhill cranes?

Photography Magnets and Notecards for Sale

 

BRISTLECONES and MILKY WAY (L to R): Old tree with wildfire glow, Bristlecone curtsy, Diagonal bristlecone, Reaching to the stars

I started taking more photos when Desert Boy was small. As he toddled along trails, I amused myself by looking at what would make a great photograph. Going at a slower pace was quite beneficial! Soon I found I had a real interest in photographing the night sky and learned about astrophotography and the Milky Way. 

A friend encouraged me to sell the photo of the bristlecone and the dark sky (top left in the photo above). I hadn't even noticed the glow on the horizon when I looked that way, but the long exposure showed it. The glow was from the 2014 Hampton Fire, and I knew I could never re-create that photo. I loved taking photos of the Milky Way with bristlecones but also found other fun subjects.

OTHER MILKY WAY: Whoa!, Old Car, Utah sign, Nevada Sign, Old Yellow Truck, Pegasus, Stella Lake Starlight

I sold some photos, mostly at the Ely Art Bank, which always has new offerings, so is fun to check out. I often ask the kids to pick a favorite. I also entered some photo contests and kept clicking away. I've had several photos featured on the cover of Ruralite Mt. Wheeler Power edition and in Nevada magazine, including some wins in the Great Nevada Picture Hunt. 

Eureka Restoration Enterprise in nearby Eureka, Nevada asked me to do a show. Wow! My first ever show! I included some landscape photos, which are often taken during sunrise or sunset to get the magical light.

LANDSCAPE: Snowy Sunset, Deer in Clouds, Cave Lake, Reflected Sunset, Sunflower Sunset

I continued entering some contests, and won a big prize in a BLM calendar contest: a ticket to attend the Winter Photo Shoot at the Nevada Northern Railway. Avid train photographers converged in Ely for a long weekend and we were treated to amazing access to the whole yard and several train rides. I was definitely intimidated with so many expert photographers around me, but it was also exhilarating. I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience.

TRAIN: Divergence, Boys on Engine 40, Engine 40 Glamour Shot, Engine 40 Steaming Along

I live on a ranch, and although I have nothing to do with the day-to-day operations, I love documenting some of what happens. The cowboys and cowgirls are especially photogenic.

COWBOY Theme: Spring branding, Boot closeup, Roping

The Great Basin is such a wild place that it is easy to spot wildlife. Three of the photos below are in or near my yard! This type of photography is very different than the astrophotography, but also very rewarding.

WILDLIFE: Meadowlark Singing, Snuggly Marmots, Pronghorn Closeup, Kestrels and Lizard, Owl and Moon, Foxes

I've taken thousands of photos of wildflowers, but most of them aren't what I would call amazing. Then I thought about doing flowers at night, and that was a game changer!

FLOWERS and MILKY WAY: Palmer's Penstemon and Sunflowers

Of course bristlecones are always a favorite subject, especially the ancient ones. I marvel at how they survive adversity, and in some cases seem to thrive despite of it.

BRISTLECONES by DAY: Magestic bristlecone, Dancing bristlecone (at sunset), Long roots

When I was feeling so fatigued by the pandemic,  I heard about Comet Neowise, a comet that only comes by every 6,800 years and was first discovered in March 2020. In July 2020, it was found to be bright enough to see with the naked eye. We could even see it from our house, but I headed up higher, to the bristlecones, for my favorite photos. This mission to try and get great photos made July speed by and put a big smile on my face. I've been so glad to see folks coming to our local Farmer's Market, where I occasionally sell photos, also smile when they see these photos.

BRISTLECONES and COMET: Old bristlecones, Perseverance, Bristleone Framing

During 2020, we've been doing so much remotely that I decided to offer magnets and 5x7 notecards of the photos above for sale. Just email me (gretchenmbaker @ gmail.com) and let me know which ones you would like. Cost is 5 for $25 (mix and match notecards and magnets) or 10 for $45. Both prices include shipping. Limited to supply at hand. 

I also have signed up with Pixels.com and you can now get some of my photos as face masks (if you have to wear one, why not wear a piece of art!) and other products. 

And if you just like browsing beautiful photos, you can find out more at my website, GretchenBaker.com.