[Photographer Profile] #7 Mjollnir

Mjollnir

Boards Photographer Profile

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Hello, Forum. I'm Mjollnir.

Born in San Francisco, raised in the Big Sur/Carmel, CA, lived and worked all over the world in trade finance many years ago. 46 years old now.

Two careers and one marriage later, I now live in Hollywood (yes, that Hollywood).

I come from a family of musicians, and was myself a musician and composer for most of my adult life until my first marriage broke up, I was diagnosed with severe depression. I lost my muse and haven't picked up an instrument or written a score in roughly 11 years.

However, in that time, I met the woman was was to become my 2nd wife (we married this last September) who herself was already an avid and accomplished landscape photographer. After one too many trips where she shot and I impatiently sat/stood around waiting for her to finish, she got me a tiny Panasonic FS7, and I started to shoot along with her. That was two cameras and three years ago. She shoots Canon full frame, but I, having started off with such a small (but optically quite good) camera, liked the small form factor and stayed with Panasonic, first going to an LX5 and then to a GH2 last year. Hopefully I'll be upgrading to a GH3 this January as soon as they start shipping reliably. I really like the mix of quality and size in Micro Four Thirds, and likely will not be changing to Full Frame.

I shoot almost exclusively landscape, w/smatterings of architecture. Living where we do, we are extremely close to a large number of places that other people come to visit from all over the word: Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park, Death Valley National Park, The Mojave National Preserve, Joshua Tree National Park, Big Sur, The Salton Sea, Anza Borrego, and especially the eastern escarpment of the Sierra on the 395: the Owens Valley. Suffice it to say, we're on the road a LOT.

Many of these shots are from hiking around, but several as well are from very close to where my Jeep is parked. We've made a resolution this year to get MUCH farther out and away from the roads, and I expect that 2013 will be a much more backpacky/high country year.


Bridalveil & Cathedral Rocks, B&W by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

I don't really think a personal style applies to landscape photography in the same manner it does in music, especially landscape is dependent on certain atmospheric conditions, but shooting in RAW and using Lightroom and various NIK plug ins, it's certainly possible to highlight what one 'sees' for the picture more easily.


Hornitos Road, Morning in the Forest by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

There are particular things I gravitate towards, and they have changed over time. Once it was grand, sweeping vistas, but they get old and rarely have the light I like. Now it's more to do with crepuscular rays and light variation w/in the frame of a subject.


Hornitos Road Oak, Fog #3 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

Looking at what I've shot since I've been doing so, I have a tendency to try and create 'dreamscapes', for lack of a better word, or to convey an otherworldly aspect of what is otherwise just the natural world. It's lucky for me, then, that we live so close to the 'range of light' and the deserts of California. Conditions are almost always there if one is patient enough.


Hornitos Road Oak, Fog #2 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr


Road Into Morning, Merced County by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr


Sunspots, Tejon Ranch, NIK by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

One thing that has held over into photography for me from music is my firm belief in knowing your equipment. Know what it can and, more importantly, CAN'T do, know what the functions are, where they are and if you're ultimately serious about getting the best results: know your software.


First Direct Sunlight, Sentinel Meadow #5 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr


Road 208 (Bellview Road) #4 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr


Stoneman Bridge, looking west, Merced River by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

I process pretty much exclusively through LightRoom and use the full suite of NIK plugins. They get my highest recommendation with no reservations. They add something to the Adobe products that I think actually should have been there from the get go. I find that I can get what I want from a particular shot (and often more than I thought was there) without going over the top. I also shoot 99% of my shots on a tripod with a remote shutter release.

I only started selling photographs since last December, when I was contacted by a band who wanted one of my shots for the cover of one of their singles, and I haven't really pursued it much this year, but it was great getting paid for something I like doing in any case.


Owens Valley Sunrise, Bishop, CA by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr


The End of Fall, El Capitan Meadow, Yosemite by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

Remember: since there's very little that one can change when shooting remote/high country/backwoods other than angle, it's all about the light.

Shoot because you love it, and shoot well.

trooney

We took a couple of trips out your way in the last couple of years and explored a good number of the places you've mentioned. Making me ever so envious when I see your shots, which I always usually really like and enjoy seeing.
Do you leave them to languish on a hard drive or do you display anywhere?
We've not had the pleasure of Yosemite in winter but would dearly love to visit when the snow is on the ground. Was it with the photography that you decided to venture of the beaten track, as it were, or was hiking and trail walking something that you always did, but only recently started recording?

Mjollnir

trooney wrote: »

We took a couple of trips out your way in the last couple of years and explored a good number of the places you've mentioned. Making me ever so envious when I see your shots, which I always usually really like and enjoy seeing.
Do you leave them to languish on a hard drive or do you display anywhere?
We've not had the pleasure of Yosemite in winter but would dearly love to visit when the snow is on the ground. Was it with the photography that you decided to venture of the beaten track, as it were, or was hiking and trail walking something that you always did, but only recently started recording?

Here's my flickr stream, but it's a rather disorganized mess. http://www.flickr.com/photos/87368247@N00/

When I was a kid, we'd spend summers backpacking all over Yosemite and the Sierra in general, so I already knew about a lot of what's back there (although it's HUGE and one could never know it all).

When I took up photography, it was like a light bulb turned on.

Lagnagoushee

Inspiring stuff!
Thanks for sharing the photos and some of the narrative that drives you to create such lovely visions.

magicbastarder

so what brought you to boards? i'd always assumed you were a displaced paddy.

Mjollnir

magicbastarder wrote: »

so what brought you to boards? i'd always assumed you were a displaced paddy.

I don't actually remember specifically what it was, but it was right around 9/11, and I just sort of stuck around.

This board's photography, esp. in the Random Thread, is the highest quality/lowest snobbery ratio I've ever found on the web.

Nebezpeci Mys

As many others on this forum I absolutely adore your work and am jealous (in a good way:D). Love the occasions when one of your pictures shows up on the forum here and then am usually left thinking 'I want to see more of these'. So, outside of boards and flickr do you use any other sites/apps to post your pictures on?

Mjollnir

Nebezpeci Mys wrote: »

As many others on this forum I absolutely adore your work and am jealous (in a good way:D). Love the occasions when one of your pictures shows up on the forum here and then am usually left thinking 'I want to see more of these'. So, outside of boards and flickr do you use any other sites/apps to post your pictures on?

Aw, shucks... * blushing *

Thanks so much for the kind words.

I've been thinking about piggypacking on my wife's efforts to totally redo her site, and getting my own domain and putting up a site w/more functionality, ecommerce, etc... but that's yet to happen. Maybe Q1/'13.

I'm too caught up now in work/travel and getting some of the absolutely outstanding new m43 lenses that are out now for more shooting. New Year's Eve in Death Valley at Badwater Basin is a distinct possibility.

And when that snow melts around Horseshoe Meadows this spring at 11,000 ft.......

Life is good. Really pleased that you like what I shoot!

Nebezpeci Mys

Mjollnir wrote: »

New Year's Eve in Death Valley at Badwater Basin is a distinct possibility.

And when that snow melts around Horseshoe Meadows this spring at 11,000 ft.......

Sounds amazing, would love that myself...

You're more than welcome - just some honest feedback.

Merry Christmas to you and your GF and happy shooting! Can't wait to see the results...

chisel

Fantastic photos, and your story too. I was in Ca twice and it's a beautiful place.

Very inspiring!

Diabhal_Glas

Blissful and inspiring landscapes, love it.

PhinglasPhil

I really enjoy viewing your images. Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes for 2013.

Philip
(Dublin)

squareballoon

Beautiful, beautiful photographs. A very interesting read of your story too.

Brian

Was about to ask if you were selling your GH2, but then I saw you were in the USA they're almost going for free in the States now, unlike over here.

Mjollnir

Brian wrote: »

Was about to ask if you were selling your GH2, but then I saw you were in the USA they're almost going for free in the States now, unlike over here.

Believe me, Brian: the Panasonic GH series is known for video, famous for the various hacks, but it, and the GH3 especially, are extraordinary for stills.

I live with a pro who shoots Canon. Hell, I married her.

Other than the FF sensor, and including the native lenses, it's a better format.

Results do not lie.

davyjose

Mjollnir wrote: »

Other than the FF sensor, and including the native lenses, it's a better format.

Results do not lie.

The GH series, or the Canon, is better?

Your work is stunning by the way.

Brian

Mjollnir wrote: »

Believe me, Brian: the Panasonic GH series is known for video, famous for the various hacks, but it, and the GH3 especially, are extraordinary for stills.

I live with a pro who shoots Canon. Hell, I married her.

Other than the FF sensor, and including the native lenses, it's a better format.

Results do not lie.

Don't I know it! The people over on personal-view and dvxuser are video fanatics. The versatility of the GH2 (m43, swivel touchscreen, evf, mic input) is so appealing but their availabliity is quite limited in Europe so there isn't much price competition. I expect I'll pick up a secondhand one on adverts in the next few months.

What do you make of the Olympus OM-D E-M5? It isn't hacked (yet!) but it has in-body stabilization so that would be great for video once the camera's full potential is unlocked.

Mjollnir

Brian wrote: »

Don't I know it! The people over on personal-view and dvxuser are video fanatics. The versatility of the GH2 (m43, swivel touchscreen, evf, mic input) is so appealing but their availabliity is quite limited in Europe so there isn't much price competition. I expect I'll pick up a secondhand one on adverts in the next few months.

What do you make of the Olympus OM-D E-M5? It isn't hacked (yet!) but it has in-body stabilization so that would be great for video once the camera's full potential is unlocked.

The OMD is, from what I've seen, fantastic for stills.

I never shoot vid myself, but I understand that it's IBIS is also good for handheld stills under difficult conditions. I shoot off a tripod almost 99% of the time, so that doesn't effect me, but for street shooters and others like them, it appears to have great benefit.

sprinkles

I really love your photos, they're all very atmospheric, Hornitos Road Oak is beautiful. Road 208 reminds me of the telly tubbies

Must be a joy having such wonderful vistas on your doorstep (relatively speaking). Always love your contributions to the Random Photos thread.

PS: I always thought you were this guy: Majik_Imaje

AngryHippie

Amazing Photos there, Just checked through your photostream on Flickr, there is a noticeable development of your shots just getting better and better with time. I'm particularly fond of El Cap - Mist Clearing. Fantastic work. Thanks for Sharing

Mjollnir

sprinkles wrote: »

I really love your photos, they're all very atmospheric, Hornitos Road Oak is beautiful. Road 208 reminds me of the telly tubbies

Must be a joy having such wonderful vistas on your doorstep (relatively speaking). Always love your contributions to the Random Photos thread.

PS: I always thought you were this guy: Majik_Imaje

Ha! No, I'm not that guy, or Aleut or Inuit, but I do have a lifelong fascination with Greenland and the high Canadian Arctic.

I'm actually grew up in one of those families where I was taught to play the pipes around 10, and have been going to highland games my entire life.

By blood I'm a Scot, by temperament a Northern Californian and by geography a Los Angeleno.

sprinkles

I love the arctic. Would love to go to Greenland someday. I'm hoping to get some time up in Whitehorse in the near future and possibly Cape Thompson later in the year (northern Alaska), all for work but my camera will definitely be coming along for the ride!