Our hearts and prayers go out to our fellow neighbors and ranchers in South Dakota who are not only dealing with huge losses from last week’s incredibly under-predicted blizzards, but also from the onset of negativity that under-educated and mis-informed people have been making.

From our ranch to yours, we pray continuously for your recovery. Kudos to those of you who, although may be far from understanding what it takes to be in the ranching industry, still send prayers and help to everyone that was affected by these horrendous storms in both Wyoming and South Dakota. Just like any National or International tragedy, this too, is an equal tragedy that will have a lasting effect not just on these incredibly strong and courageous Ranchers in both states, but also on everyone directly or indirectly related to the livestock industry, everywhere.

I am married to a Rancher, to his ranch and to his family of incredibly hard working folks, so I know you will believe me when I say that Ranchers are very strong willed people, and those affected by the storm will get through this. Ranchers are not one to reach out for help, as they are very used to getting through plenty of hard times with just the strength in their hard working hands and backs, and the love of their lifestyle that has been in their hearts for generations. They don’t ask for hand-outs, and they don’t wait around for someone else to come pick up the pieces. They simply get through it and they get it done. They’ve seen more beautiful times than most will ever encounter in the work world and they’ve seen more hard times than most of us will when it comes to working for a living, and yet they carry on. Why? because ranching is in their blood, it cannot be shaken, it cannot be replaced by anything else.  It is why families have carried on the ranching traditions for generations upon generations. It is why some of the strongest men and women on this earth are 70+years old and still able to work circles around most. It is a passion that most cannot understand, but most certainly are intrigued by. It is a group of people who remind us what honesty and integrity is all about, and it is a group of people who will weather any storm, at any time, and never, ever give up. All for the sake of their family, their lifestyle, their livestock and the undeniable passion for what they do, that drives them.  So when you see a negative comment from a poorly mis-informed or mis-guided person, simply pray for that person, and follow it up with a positive comment.

These ranchers don’t need to feel the pressure of having to explain why an under-predicted but record breaking blizzard wreaked havoc on the livestock that they give their blood, sweat and tears to raise, and neither do the people who are trying to help them. You won’t hear a rancher complaining, but if you look close enough you will see it in their eyes. And when you see that kind of pain and sorrow in the eyes of a rancher, you can be sure its the kind of pain and sorrow that sits deep within their hearts, and never, ever goes away.  Godspeed to every rancher affected by this horrific and devastating storm.

Through Smokey’s Eyes

There are 5 resources you can check out if you can help out in any way, and you can find those resources here. If you can’t help that’s okay, you can still pray for the recovery of their industry, and for their broken hearts: http://beefmagazine.com/blog/5-resources-south-dakota-ranchers-hit-october-blizzard

( P.S. for those who like to tear every single detail apart for the sake of hearing themselves negate every little thing, and spark controversy regarding this blizzard, the attached black and white image of the cowboy is not an image affiliated with the blizzard in any way shape or form, it was taken by me in 2004 of a rancher in Arizona, who has also seen a tough time or two, and I thought it was a fitting photo for the moment.)

God Bless and Godspeed!

Very sincerely,

Amanda Smith

Professional Western Photographic Artist and Photography Instructor

Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God

www.facebook.com/amandasmithphotographs

Capturing this wonderful photograph, from the words of Amanda Smith Wyoming Photographer

There is nothing quite like photographing Wyoming in the fall.  The great cowboy state offers a plethora of “shooting” opportunities and I ventured out to get just that.  With the leaves already in full character of their fall colors in some parts of the state, I was eager to find a good cross between a cowboy, a horse, and Autumn. (whoever she is, ar ar ar.)

Settling down of a dusty road somewhere in the middle of Wyoming, I lazily pulled my truck over for a look-see of what might be around this beautiful grove of oaks and ranch land I’d ventured near. Grabbing my sack lunch from the backseat of old red, and a bottle of cold Iced Tea, I turned the truck off and left the radio on low volume, enjoying the soft but masculine tones of the “Man in Black.”   Biting into my cold bologna and mustard sandwich (who doesn’t like those?)  I watched a cowboy driving a truck hauling a trailer pull in behind me, and then as I slowly chewed on my lunch, beside me, and then past me.  Catching a glimpse of him, I saw the buckaroo style hat he was wearing and the load of horses he was hauling, and my photographic mind began to go wild.  ”Oh please stop, please stop and unload those horses, and please be wearing something other than sweatpants and sneakers with that brazenly cool cowboy hat” I silently whispered through a mouth full of meat, white bread and mustard.

Urrrkkkk… the truck and trailer came to a halt about 100 yards in front of me and around a bend of those oh so gorgeous bright yellow oak trees (or where they cottonwoods? hell I didn’t know, but I guess I better find out if I am going to be photographing them.) And God knows I was praying I’d be doing just that, complete with cowboy and horses.

Out that cowboy jumped from the cab of his silver dodge and wouldn’t you know it, he was wearing red buckaroo boots, the tightest pair of jeans I have ever seen, and a neck-kerchief to boot.  ”Are you kidding me?” I thought to myself as I marveled at the opportunity laying itself out in front of me.  Quickly finishing off the rest of my sandwich and slamming down a huge amount of iced tea to swish around in my mouth (ensuring there were no sandwich pieces stuck to my teeth) I climbed out of the cab of old red and lumbered into the back seat to grab my camera out of its fully padded and extremely tough camera bag.

Reeeek….  I heard the familiar noise of the back of a horse trailer being opened up, and I froze.  ”AND he’s going to unload the horse?” giddy with a ridiculous amount of excitement I quickly but quietly shut the door to my truck and sauntered over to the cowboy and his entourage.  ”Excuse me, I’m here creating some western photographic art shots and I’d be deeply obliged if you wouldn’t mind my photographing whatever it is your doing, unless its something bad.” I said through a smile as he looked up at me. Studying me for a brief moment, I was lost in translation.  ”Oh, wait, here” and I handed him my business card (which clearly means I am a professional and not a robber, right?) Taking the card that really nice cowboy said “have at it” and walked up into the trailer.

Alright, that was easy.  I wasn’t going to waste this precious moment by making small talk so I set my camera for the proper exposure of the day – the good ole Sunny 16 rule – and promptly set my F-stop at 16 and my exposure at 60th of a second (aka 60.)  Not wanting to start out too close, lest I miss the scope of what was unfolding before my eyes, I made my way back to old red and turned around to study this morsel through my 70-200mm lens.  Dropping back to about halfway on the zoom, I watched this unknown cowboy unload first one, then two, then three, then a fourth horse.

What freaking luck was I having right about now?

Three chestnut colored horses and a black one, one tall cowboy wearing a pair of red buckaroo boots leading said pack of horses to a nearby watering hole. All surrounded by the prettiest Wyoming oak trees, completely dressed in fall colors, that I have ever seen.  THAT’S what kind of luck I was having.

Off and shooting I went, snap… did I even need another?  Snap… Nope. it just isn’t going to get better than this.  Everybody has seen the cowboy leaning over the watering hole with his horse.  I wasn’t interested in trying to re-invent the wheel with something that was already done superbly by another Western Photographic Artist. I had the shot I wanted, and I already was madly in love with the image I had just created.

“Hey, thanks!” I yelled, as I climbed back up in my truck.”  No problem, he yelled back and waved.  ”I can send you a print if you like?”  I said.  ”I’m not really a print kind of guy” he yelled back. “I hope you got a couple of good ones.”  and off he went.

Holy CAMOLY I thought to myself.  What a GREAT day this turned out to be!  Checking the LCD (because I’m obsessive like that) on my Nikon I viewed what would surely be a prize winning photo, noted by the beating of my heart and the adrenalin racing through my body. It was good, I loved it. I cannot wait to get it on the big screen. And off I went.

Folks this photo was created in a very spur of the moment, kind of moment. Sometimes, well most all of the time for me, those can offer up the very best kinds of moments.  Those moments where you really feel something in your heart when you depress that shutter button.  This is a good lesson to remember to always have your camera with you. You never know when a great moment is going to unfold in front of you. Be on the ready to capture it.

Have a great day and God Bless!

Amanda Smith, Wyoming Photographer

Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God ©

Click here for my first discussion on Capturing Fall in Wyoming: www.amandasmithphotography.com

www.amandasmithwyoming.com

Capturing fall in Wyoming by Photographer Amanda Smith offers a fantastic look at what can be created in the great Cowboy State.  Read on.  

“There is something to be said about ‘capturing fall in Wyoming’ and Wyoming Photographer Amanda Smith, seems to be able to do just that” – comment from published Author, Susan R. Stoltz.

I like to think that creating a piece of photographic art in the fall, comes with a feeling of calmness combined with cool “sweater wearing” evenings, a good pair of cowboy boots, a jug of lip burning coffee and a crispness to the air that only Autumn can bring. So I’ll start off my post today about “capturing fall in Wyoming” with a quick side-note that you don’t “have” to wear cowboy boots when shooting in the fall, and you don’t “have” to carry lip burning coffee, but I do.

A Lazy Sunday evening drive through the hills of Boxelder Canyon in Converse County, Wyoming, provided for me quite the ambience in the setting of the September sun. There it was up ahead, a giant of a tree that I was determined to photograph in fall, even if I did burn my lips off while gulping down slurps of coffee on these winding Wyoming roads.

Wiping my mouth off on my sleeve, I pulled over to the shoulder of the road and crept my old dodge ram pick up over the cattle guard, pulling off onto the golden prairie I put the truck in park and climbed out of the cab. Stretching my tired back I grabbed my camera, twisting the strap around my wrist and quietly walked across the sage brush clumped ground to a spot where I could study what stood before me. This giant of a tree, with her branches stretching out east and west and north and south, mesmerized me in her new coat of amber colored leaves. I sat down on the cooling ground, and waited patiently for the sun to sink behind this majestic wonder. Sometimes the key to a great photograph that you’ve already created in your mind, is patience. Soon the rays of the autumn sun began to play across the branches of this old tree and as I brought my camera up to my eye, my breath quickening at the adrenalin that almost always races through my body when I know I am shooting from the heart, I began shooting. And there it was, that old familiar and beautiful feeling right smack dab in the middle of my chest, depressing the shutter at the insistence of the beating of my heart, I knew I captured a golden moment. A moment that completely captured what “Fall” is in my mind. Leaves painted a hue of liquid gold that only God and Mother Nature can create. Continuing to shoot, because I wanted to be sure I’d actually created the shot I came for, the sun sank behind the tree and I could no longer see the beautiful rays shining through the leaves.

I made a conscious effort not to check my LCD screen, and turning my camera off, I pulled myself up off the now cold ground, worked out the kinks in my body, steadied myself and began the walk back to my truck. Happy and satisfied that I was sure to love the photo I’d just created.

And I did.

Boxelder’s Autumn Tree © Amanda Smith, Professional Photographer and Western Photographic Artist, Wyoming.

I call her “Boxelder’s Autumn Tree” because that’s exactly what it is. There is no need for intriguing titles that may or may not move those that view this masterpiece. The title “Boxelder’s Autumn Tree” says it all.

Have an incredible and very BLESSED day!

Amanda Smith

Western Photographic Artist

Professional Photographer, Wyoming

Editor and Publisher of The Glenrock Bird Central Wyoming News, an Associated Press Newspaper.

Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God  (©)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs

Amanda Smith Wyoming websites and articles Directory:www.amandasmithwyoming.com

Amanda Smith Wyoming photographer captures horses in the mist. She is the publisher of Open Range Magazine and the Bird Central newspaper, an award winning Associated Press newspaper formerly known as The Glenrock Bird, prooudly published by Dignified Designs and Shooting Stars Photography

Once upon a misty morning, my husband and I ventured out onto the back property of our ranch in Wyoming, where a reservoir had filled up completely from the the night’s previous rain shower.  The coolness of the morning combined by the warmth of the night, and moisture from the much needed rain, created a mystic ambience, to an already gorgeous morning. And this photographer was ready to capture something amazing.

Grabbing my camera at o’ early thirty, out we trekked.  Off in the distance we could hear the soft nickering of our four horses coming down off the sage covered hill above the reservoir.  It was a sight that moved both of us completely, and our creative juices began to flow.  Quickly my husband took off his red t-shirt and moved towards the inquisitive and slow moving animals that once worked these very lands as cattle movers.  Placing his shirt around the neck of Whip, his quarter horse, he gently walked him over to the island that sits just adjacent to the reservoir. The other three horses; Josh, Beggar and Blackie, all lumbered along behind Whip, lining up in sequence behind their faithful leader. It was as if each of them knew we were about to create a masterpiece, and in the early, beautifully diffused, sunlit light of this softly fog layered morning, we did just that.

With a quick removal of his t-shirt and a snap of the red material in the air, with no other sounds to be heard, all four horses moved into action running full speed ahead across the sand covered island. With Whip in the lead and all four horses heads held high, it was a sight to behold that absolutely took our breath away.  Across the island Whip ran, farther and farther away from the other horses, who, as if knowing, slowed down their speed while watching the beauty of the chocolate and marshmallow colored majestic being that is Whip.

I knelt down while simultaneously pulling my camera up to my eye in one fluid movement, and as I looked through the lens, following the majestic movements of this incredible animal, I felt that familiar emotion in my heart.  A wild beating as though someone had plunged a needle of adrenalin deep within me.  SNAP!  One shot… SNAP!  two shots… my breathing quickened as this beautiful animal made his way towards the edge of the reservoir and SNAP! I felt it… that “Knowing I just got the shot” feeling that only a photographer who shoots from the heart, can experience.

Hoofbeats drowning off into the distance of the sage prairie he ran on, Whip continued on his race towards the horizon, head high and black mane and tail whipping in the lightly misted, morning breeze. Josh, Beggar, and Blackie following lightly behind as though they too, were aware that a masterpiece had just been created.

Mystical Beauty © 2013
by Amanda Smith, Professional Photographer, Wyoming
All rights reserved.

I photographed this incredible and surreal scene with my Nikon D700 using a Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 lens set at an ISO of 200, a range of 70mm zoom, 0 exposure (I just left it alone) at f7.1 and 1/200 of a second.  It was the perfect setting to capture this incredible moment.  I didn’t want a lot of light to come in, as I really wanted to still be able to capture the details of the scenery through the mist.  So even though the morning was dimly lit and the light was diffused by the fog, I went with 1/200 of a second so that I could let less light in, and chose f7.1 to allow enough time for light to enter my lens while still maintaining a good amount of clarity (sharpness) in my image.  I do think I could have gained a bit more clarity (sharpness) had I set the f stop to 11 and the timing of light entering my lens at 1/100 of a second … F11 would have allowed an even sharper image. But I was concerned about my shutter at 1/100 of a second being open too long to cease the movement of Whip as he ran across the sand (I could be wrong, its just my experience and my humble opinion, not any unwarranted advice.)

I think the final creation turned out excellent and the only thing I would have changed was to have been much closer (about another 25 yards closer) and backed off the zoom some, which would have allowed a bit more sharpness to the image once I blew it up to 20×16.  Either way it was a great shot, and studying the settings afterwards, and comparing them to what I could have done, was a great way for me to better understand a unique setting such as this dimly lit and diffused, early morning sunlight combined with a fairly dense fog.

And that my friend, is the key to becoming a better photographer. So let today’s banter remind you that this is a great way for you to “study” what masterpiece you’ve just created, and understand exactly why it worked.  Doing so will ensure you are always at the ready no matter what setting you find yourself shooting in.  Consequently, as it turned out, had we waited another 15 minutes we would never have been able to create this shot the way we did.  And there hasn’t been a foggy morning since.  And in this part of Wyoming, foggy mornings are few and far between. And therein lies the lesson that I learned this morning, always be ready because time runs out, and it runs out faster than you think. And as the old adage for me goes, a really good photographer can’t recreate a really great shot, that was missed.

Happy Shooting and GOD BLESS!

Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God ©

Amanda Smith Western Photographic Artist