News from Rod Barbee Photography
March 2022

Greetings,
 

 

I got a dose of perspective last week. It was a bit of a gut-punch when I heard the news that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was being traded. And the next day, our long-time defensive captain Bobby Wagner was released. Two iconic Seahawks and all that were left from the 2013 Superbowl winning season.

But when I compare that to what the people of Ukraine are going through, I really have nothing to whine about. I want a winning football team. They want their lives, homes and democracy to remain intact. Not really a comparison when it comes down to it.
 

Come and be inspired
 


Come be inspired by the most amazing light show nature offer: the auroras. John Barclay and I still have a couple of spaces available in the Sept. 27- Oct. 4 tour to Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

The autumn is a great time for auroras in Yellowknife. The nighttime temperatures are still comfortable (or at least tolerable), with the lows maybe dipping down to freezing. And during the day we’ll photograph autumn landscapes, including a couple of waterfalls. We may even see some wildlife.

We stay in a comfortable modern hotel, which has its own restaurant and is within walking distance of a grocery store and several great restaurants.

But the real reason we’re there is to look up into the night sky, slack-jawed and in awe at the spectacle overhead. The way those lights move you’d swear they were alive and reaching for you. It’s truly amazing.

For more temptation and information on signing up, visit my auroras tour page.

 

Coming Soon



In just a couple of months I’ll be conducting my annual spring workshop in Olympic National Park. Talk about inspiring, in Olympic you can experience and photograph majestic rain forests in their prime, streams with moss covered rocks, rugged sea stacks on the coast, waterfalls at their peak flow, and snow-capped mountains.

There's still room left in the workshop, which is limited to only six participants. Visit my Olympic National Park in May page for more.

And there's still room in my June Palouse workshop, co-led with Cliff Zenor, as well as our September workshop to Newport on the Oregon Coast.

 

My new Tripod!
 


As long-time readers of my newsletter may remember, I was pretty excited back in October of 2019 when, while I was in Newport, OR with the Out of Chicago photo conference, I got to see, touch, and play with a brand-new tripod from a brand-new tripod company.

Colorado Tripod Company is a sister company to Breakthrough Photography, maker of some of the best filters you can buy. At the Out of Chicago conferenced, the Breakthrough reps had several copies of Colorado Tripod Company’s 2-Series carbon fiber tripod to show.

These tripods were very smooth and quick to set up and they sure did look well made. The best part, the price. The Colorado Tripods are significantly less expensive than, say, Gitzo or Really Right Stuff. And as far as I could tell, the quality was just as good or better. (Subsequent reviews I’ve read just reinforced my opinion)

But the 2-Series tripod is just too short for my uses and what I was really in the market for was a much taller tripod than my current Gitzo, which is about 60” tall (without the head). My current Gitzo is just great for about 90% of the photography I do, but it’s just too short for photographing auroras overhead.

I was told by the rep that Colorado Tripod was developing the 4-Series, which would be 70 inches tall and only $499. And it was supposed to be available by the end of the year (2019). Comparing the price to the $1000 or more I’d pay for a similarly tall Gitzo or RRS and buying one was a no-brainer. I went on their website that night and pre-ordered one (for a pre-order price of $459!).

And then I waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Months passed. Then a year.

Long story short, I finally got a tall tripod from Colorado Tripod Company. Not the exact model I ordered. There’s no ETA on the 4-Series. I ended up with an upgrade. You can read the whole story on my blog. And once I have a chance to get the new tripod out in the field I’ll let you know how it stands up. (Stands up. Get it?)

Read the whole convoluted story here.


 

Covering my legs


And what was the first thing I did to my new tripod? Chrome wheels? No. I added my preferred type of leg wraps: cushioned cork bicycle handlebar tape. You can read that thrilling tale here.







 

Spring time!



Last week I saw the first blossom on our plum tree. Now I'm starting to see blossoms on trees all over the place. Feels like time to get out and test out my new tripod! Maybe dip it's long, long legs into a rushing stream. Before you know it, I'll be in Olympic National Park with my workshop group finding new scenes along my favorite stream. The Trilliums along that stream should be looking great.

You should join us!

That's all for now. Just trying to keep hope alive for Ukraine. Take care, everyone.

 
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