Jeff Lubeck

Capturing a Kauai Spring Morning in Full Bloom

It is a glorious sunny Spring morning at the WaimeaBeachHouse in Kauai. Many of the plants on our property are in full bloom. Cactus, Crown, Hibiscus and Orchid are flowering – full stop.

Given the situation, I decide to capture the imagery with both a PHASEONE IQ4 150 and Nikon Z9 camera system.

The subjects will be the four plants. The images will be captured in the early morning. Each camera will capture an image taken within moments of each other. All settings will be established manually and be the same for each camera. Only the Focus and White Balance setting will be automatic. The images will be captured hand-held.

The images are presented as captured without any manipulation, except for cropping, such that the subject can be seen with material detail on the Website. The camera’s native color profile is embedded into each image.

Cactus

Prickly Pear with IQ - © Jeffrey H. Lubeck & MESH Art LLC - all rights reserved.

The sun is just above the tree-line to the east and is shining directly on the plant. Both images reveal the plant nicely. In general, and specifically in this image, the PHASEONE IQ captures the White Balance closer to what I see than the Nikon Z9.

A Post and photo-shoot about this Cactus is located [HERE].

Capturing Kauai – Cactus Bloom on Kahakai

The photo-shoot captures the plant at a another level. The images are captured using the IQ coupled with an Architectural\Technical (Cambo) camera and Rodenstock Lens.

Hibiscus

The sun is low to the sky and is backlighting the plant. Both images reveal the plant with depth.

The sun is really kicking in during this capture. So is the wind. Both images are solid.

Orchid

The sun is low to the sky and from the left (east) is backlighting the plant. The images are fairly similar in White Balance. However, the PHASEONE image is more closely aligned with what I experienced.

I really like both of these shots. The sun is hitting onto the face of the plant. With this image, the White Balance of what I experienced sits between the Nikon Z9 and PHASEONE IQ, but closer to the Z9.

Both of these shots work for me. The sun is hitting onto the face of the plant. With these images, I believe the sun perked up a bit for the PHASEONE. I would normally do a re-shoot.

Orchid at HIGH-NOON

A possible shoot never really ends for me. I am rarely not thinking a possible shot when something comes in view. As I was fixing the gate of our fence – street side – at Noon time… The orchids under our Plumeria tree presented this view. The sun was over-head and slightly behind the tree and flowers. Noon is not the Golden Hour, and rarely presents a good time to capture memorable images. That is unless, forest, jungle and tree cover with piercing light come into the mix.

Crown

* Thoughts and Worthless Trivia *

This Post is not intended to be a pixel-peeping A-B comparison between PHASEONE and Nikon. This Post is not intended to be a full-out photo-shoot. Both are conducted and presented in a completely different manner. This Post is about plants that are flowering in the yard of my home, it is the weekend, I am looking for a mental break, and have two types of cameras handy.

The Reality

Most of what is discussed below only comes into play when you are desiring the highest quality image printed on the highest quality papers and or at large sizes. Computer screens displaying images in a Post generated using Word Press (such as this one) render the differences somewhere between insignificant to meaningless. For example, WordPress only allows files in JPG format (8 BIT Color) to display. Most computer screens display images at 72 DPI (not 300 as captured.).

Gear Details

The PHASEONE capture is traditionally warmer (i.e., Higher in Kelvin) and Nikon cooler (i.e., Lower in Kelvin). In either case, adjusting the White Balance of the image can get close to if not exactly how I experienced the shot. The PHASEONE [AS SHOT] White Balance often matches exactly what I feel I experienced.

With these types of very close up shots, the Nikon Z9’s world-class [AUTO] focus and stabilization system presents itself front-and-center. It is rather remarkable. The PHASEONE [AUTO] focus system is otherwise outstanding. However, does not (sic., pretend) to match that of Nikon in closeups when pinpointing a small target with other objects very, very, nearby at a different distance. In short, it may take a few shots on AUTO FOCUS. More often than not with the PHASEONE in this setting, I shoot in Manual Mode and use the LIVE VIEW on the Digital Back to ensure proper Focus.

I used a 35MM lens for the shots. The Nikon Z S 35MM 1.8 Prime lens. The PHASEONE Blue Ring 35MM 2.8 Prime Lens with PHASEONE XF body.

The Z9 captures images in 35MM FULL FORMAT at 45 Megapixels in14-BIT Color RAW uncompressed. AUTOFOCUS was AFC Single Point. Uncropped image size in pixels 5,504 (H) by 8,256 (W) at 300 pixels per inch or 18.3 (H) by 27.5 (W) in inches. File size is 266 MB.

The IQ4 captures images in 4×5 FULL FORMAT at 151 Megapixels in 16-BIT Color RAW uncompressed. AUTOFOCUS was Single Point. Uncropped image size in pixels 14,204 (H) by 10,652 (W) at 300 pixels per inch or 35.5 (H) by 47.3 (W) in inches. File size is 877 MB.

Gear Details (A Visual Comparison)

Manual Settings

I like a low ISO setting. Given the early light and tree cover, 35-50 ISO was not going to happen. I settled on 200 most of the time. I did get to use 64 ISO on the shot of the Crown and Cactus. The lower the ISO the less noise in the image. The IQ will go to as low as 35 ISO natively. The Nikon will go to as low as 64 ISO natively. The Nikon has a LOW 1 (50 ISO) and LOW 2 (35 ISO) additional setting.

I like the lens operating in the middle of its range in terms of aperture (f-stop). This is usually around f8 – f11. These settings provide wonderful depth (bokeh) in the image.

If I am shooting outdoors and hand-held at a relatively still target, 1/250s to 1/320s is a solid shutter speed. I can shoot the PHASEONE and Nikon at lower speeds hand-held, but wanted to keep things simple. Nikon can go materially lower given it is a smaller and less heavy set of gear – that also has industry leading image stabilization technology.

I shot each image with the same settings for an apples to apples outcome.

Goin Fish’n at Dawn

I decided to take a trip to the Kawaiʻele Waterbird Sanctuary at dawn. It is located a few miles west of the house. It is a a quiet place. It is a special place to me.

As the sun begins its day on the Sanctuary the quiet is broken. A bugle calls Reveille at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) located nearby. It is followed the the playing of the National Anthem of the United States.

I am impressed, the Waterbirds not so much.

A Hawaiian black-necked stilt (aka aeʻo, or kukuluaeʻo) decides it is going to do some fishing to start the day.

Fish’n at Dawn

Nēnē Circles the Sanctuary

The skyline over the Waimea Canyon behind the Sanctuary is a light, light, blue. The nēnē circle the Sanctuary.

Familiar Friends

There are also some familiar friends on the pond such as the Hawaiian Moorhen.

A New Visitor

I notice a bird new to me. It appears to be a Night Heron.

The Stilts pair up on the ponds. These two seemed together but separate.

*** Jeff’s Worthless Trivia and Other Thoughts ***

A link to another Post about the Sanctuary is located [here].

This day is a national holiday in the United States – it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King was born on this day (January 15th) in 1929. King was chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law and civil society. The movement lead to several groundbreaking legislative reforms in the United States.

Dr. King gave a speech at my town’s High School (Grosse Pointe, Michigan) on March 14th, 1968. Three weeks before his death. The speech was entitled “The Other America.” The story of the speech and behind its happening is remarkable tale. A link is located [here].

Awesome from Start to Finish – Kauai Surfriders

There seems to be an endless list of not-for-profit organizations and volunteers. While these organizations often possess wonderful intentions – how many deliver from Start to Finish?

The Start

The news is littered with headlines and stories about these organizations and their asperation. These groups are often originally manned by people who are passion about their cause. The starting narrative is often heartwarming and compelling.

However, as time moves forward for many of these types of organizations, the narrative drifts toward one of failure. Sometimes the storyline involves scandal.

This Post presents a story about a volunteer organization delivering on its promise. Delivering in a big way. I am not a member of this organization,

The Kauai Surfriders are part of the International Surfrider Foundation. This local group has been grabbing headlines in the local news about actually getting stuff done on a regular basis. Really? Hmm…

The Mission Statement of the Surfrider Foundation is as follows:

The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.

Recently, my life (and that of my wife Linda) intersected with the Kauai Surfrider Foundation and its Net Patrol team.

The two miles of ocean beach in Waimea – from our home just west of the Waimea River to the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor – is part of our daily life. A late Fall storm deposited a little over 1-ton of fishnet debris on to the beach near our home. The storm’s planting of the fishnet debris was a surprise.

The Debris

The Debris.

The Bin

Each day we pass through the harbor as part of a 4 mile round-trip beach walk and or run. In the middle of the harbor is a large storage container. The container is owned by the Surfriders. The container has signs that encourage people to place any debris in it for safe disposal. A phone number is provided in order to contact the Surfriders Net Petrol in the event a bigger issue is encountered.

The Net Patrol was formed in 2007 in response to the growing problem of debris appearing on the outlying beaches and coastlines of Kauai. The debris landing on Kauai’s beaches each year is measured in the tens of thousands of pounds. Often entangled in the debris are whales, monk seals, turtles, and fish.

The Effort

On the last day of the storm the fishnet debris settles on the shoreline about 1.5 miles west of our beach house and .5 miles east of the boat harbor. Linda calls the number listed on the container. Linda reaches Barbara who heads the Net Patrol. Barbara, Linda, and Jeremiah Aguilar of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) coordinate an effort to remove the debris from the beach.

The NET Patrol: (from left to right) Lisa, Kurt, Indvik, Claire, Greg, Kim, and Dan.

The effort leads to the successful removal of about 1/2 of the debris. The story is wonderful, and a Post about it is located [here].

The Finish

However, what about the remaining 1/2 of the debris? Would there be a follow-up and successful completion of the work required? Experience tells me this is where volunteer organizations fall down. More often than not the initial enthusiasm and momentum dies and there is no successful completion. The result: a job not well done.

Well, the opposite happens with this story. Linda, Barbara, and Jeremiah stay with it and in a few weeks another effort to clear the beach of the debris takes place. The Net Patrol shows up again (in full force). The beach is cleared. Not only does the Net Patrol finish this job, but they have the energy to complete another cleanup near Shipwreck beach 35 miles away a few hours later.

The Net Patrol Team Round Two! Net Patrol Head Barbara in black dress (on right). Linda is holding Net Patrol sign.

The beach in Waimea at the former location of the fishnet debris at sunrise on New Year Eve 2023.

Capturing a Kauai Spring Morning in Full Bloom

Cactus

Hibiscus

Orchid

Orchid at HIGH-NOON

Crown

* Thoughts and Worthless Trivia *

The Reality

Gear Details

Gear Details (A Visual Comparison)

Manual Settings

Goin Fish’n at Dawn

Fish’n at Dawn

Nēnē Circles the Sanctuary

A New Visitor

Awesome from Start to Finish – Kauai Surfriders

The Start

The Debris

The Effort

The Finish

Recent Posts

Blogroll

Meta

Jeff Lubeck

Capturing a Kauai Spring Morning in Full Bloom

Cactus

Hibiscus

Orchid

Orchid at HIGH-NOON

Crown

*** Thoughts and Worthless Trivia ***

The Reality

Gear Details

Gear Details (A Visual Comparison)

Manual Settings

Goin Fish’n at Dawn

Fish’n at Dawn

Nēnē Circles the Sanctuary

A New Visitor

Awesome from Start to Finish – Kauai Surfriders

The Start

The Debris

The Effort

The Finish

Recent Posts

Blogroll

Meta

* Thoughts and Worthless Trivia *