ASSATEAGUE, CHINCOTEAGUE - HORSES OR PONIES?

Chincoteague Ponies. 1/1600 @ f5.6, ISO 400. Nikon D4S, 300mm 2.8 with 2x teleconvertor.

For a couple of years, I've had Assateague and Chincoteague on my photographic trip list and with a few days off I finally decided to make it a reality. But first, I was a little confused about the difference between the two locations.

I'll try and break it down. The whole island is Assateague and is located in both Virginia and Maryland. The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is on Assateague Island but located in Virginia. Assateague Island National Seashore is located in Maryland and is a U.S. National Park. 

Well, are they horses or ponies? Apparently they are referred to as Assateague Horses and Chincoteague Ponies, although they really are all ponies due to their size. At the Assateague National Seashore, the horses are free to roam while on the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge they are penned in and not free to roam Assateague Island. Confused?

It really doesn't matter because both locations should be on your trip list and I saw plenty of horses, or should I say ponies, in both locations as well as plenty of other wildlife and many great locations to photograph during a day and a half visit.

Assateague sunset. 1/10 @ f20, ISO 200. Nikon D4S, 14-24mm at 14mm.

I arrived at Assateague National Seashore around noon and spent the remainder of the day taking short hikes, scouting locations, and of course stalking horses. One thing I noticed after crossing the bridge to the island and before I arrived at the park entrance was how close the marsh was to Bayberry Drive and that in several spots there was room to pull over. I knew then that it would be a great place to photograph the sunset.

And it was at one of these spots that I took the photograph above. Setting my tripod low in order to emphasize the foreground I was drawn to the green plant life in the water as well as the interesting pattern created by the marsh itself. This all came together and It actually makes this a much better photo despite what turned out to be a mediocre sunset.

Assateague Horses. 1/2000 @ f5.6, ISO 400. Nikon D4S with a 300mm 2.8 and 2x teleconverter.

I spotted these horses while on the Life of the Marsh trail which is a short loop boardwalk trail located off of Bayside Drive. And it's a good thing it was short because initially I only had the 80-400mm lens with me when I first spotted them so I returned to my car and retrieved a 300mm lens and 2x teleconverter to get this shot.

I like the two pools of water in the foreground marsh which adds some depth and helps bring you into the frame. These horses and ponies spend a lot of time with their heads in the grass eating, so patience and timing are needed in order to catch even one of them looking up. 

Chincoteague sunrise. 1/640 @ f5.3, ISO 200. Nikon D4S, 80-400mm at 195mm.

Chincoteague is about one and a half hours drive from Assateague so it is possible to photograph them both in a single day, at least during this time of year. Or, as I found out if you "camp" in Walmart parking lots, spending half the night in Fruitland, Maryland, and half the night in Ocean City, Maryland, it is a much longer trip than it should be and because of that, I almost missed the sunrise. Next time I'm camping on the beach in the National Park or staying in a hotel on Chincoteague Island, both better alternatives.

One tip I read prior to the trip is that if you wanted to see the ponies on Chincoteague you should drive along Beach Road until you come to a section where marsh is on each side and there is ample room to pull over. Ponies will be to the right, but I found it to be a great spot to catch the sun rising over Swans Cove Pool on the left. This tip saved the day and my sunrise shots.

Swans Cove Pool, Chincoteague. 1/800 @ f5.6, ISO 400. Nikon D4S with a 300mm 2.8 and 2x teleconvertor.

After the sun cleared the horizon, I began to focus on the various birds that were gathering in the foreground. There was still some great warm light coming from behind the birds, so I just waited for them to take flight and used that strong backlight to ensure separation from the background.

Assateague Lighthouse. 1/340 @ f5.6, ISO 200, exposure compensation +0.7. Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a 35mm (50mm equivalent).

One thing I always consider after choosing a photo destination is how I will spend the middle of the day. It could be a nap, long lunch, exploring the visitor center, or scouting locations, but on Chincoteague, it was the Assateague Lighthouse that captured my attention.

Sometimes a scene just presents itself and as entered the small clearing following a very short hike, I was immediately struck by the geometric patterns of the buildings and tower, the contrast between the white trim and red body and the light and shadows created by the surrounding trees. I also knew that this would look great in black and white.

Assateague beach. 1/250 @ f2.8, ISO 200. Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a 35mm (50mm equivalent).

The other thing I did during the middle of the day was to explore the beaches, or more accurately, set up a chair and just enjoyed the sounds and smells of the ocean. You could probably spend most of the day photographing the sand dunes and the birds along the coast. I only took a few photos along the beach but liked the subtle texture and slight warmth of this image.

Do yourself a favor and visit Assateague Island, enjoy the beaches, wildlife, and the beautiful sunsets and sunrises, but I would suggest you do it during the off-season.

PHOTOGRAPHING THE GREAT SMOKIES - DAY ONE

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park just after first light. 1/250 @ f10, ISO 400.

Day one began at the entrance to the 11-mile one-way Cades Cove loop road along with a half dozen other cars waiting for the park ranger to open the gate. The plan was to photograph the sunrise, however, the ranger didn't open the road until roughly 7:20, so the sun was already over the horizon. The first day of any assignment, whether a paid job - or like this, a self-assignment - brings with it some anxiety and anticipation. I've never been able to shake that, but, of course, the only thing to do is just start shooting. Anything will do, the point is to just start shooting.

Because temperatures remained cold in the morning, recent snow still stuck to the trees, offering a nice contrast between the bare trees in the foreground and the pines in the back. 1/320 @ f13, ISO 400. TIP: Using a long telephoto lens compresses the scene and enhances the contrast between foreground and background.

So as I entered the loop with the sun already rising fast, I pulled over at the first opportunity and began taking photographs. It wasn't great, but it did fit the idea that I start shooting. Ideally I would have been able to scout the location so that I had a better idea of where to stop along the 11-mile loop to get that first shot. With 11 miles to cover you never really know what's ahead of you and since it is a one-way loop, you can't turn back. I did four trips around the loop, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Still fairly early in the morning there was a slight warmth to the sky while the mountain has a blue-green look. The colors change throughout the day offering many looks at the same scene. 1/800 @ f16, ISO 400.

Being unfamiliar with the route, I pulled over almost every opportunity, got out of the car and looked around. Sometimes I grabbed my camera and shot, other times, I quickly returned to the car and headed for the next turnout. My goal was to make at least one loop as fast as possible, without missing any photos along the way and then take more time during subsequent loops.

Deer were the most visible wildlife I saw during my visit. Here two bucks greeting each other. 1/250 @ f8, ISO 400.

One thing almost all visitors to Cades Cove are sure to see is wildlife. Everything from horses, deer, turkey, elk, wolves, fox, coyotes and black bear*. Your chances of just spotting these creatures are reduced while driving, especially by yourself. I did spot some bucks in the distance and stopped to photograph them for about 20 minutes. I then walked to the other side of the street and that is when I spotted two coyotes moving across the field and finally before getting back in the car, spotted a bird Flicker Woodpecker off to the left. Three nice animals all because I stayed put for a while.

Not all wildlife is large and easy to spot. This Flicker Woodpecker (yet to be identified) was only a short distance from my feet as I was standing around looking at the great vistas. 1/200 @ f13, ISO 400. TIP: Don't forget to look down and always be ready to shoot.

But it is the Great Smoky Mountains, so much of the time on the first loop was spent photographing them. One thing I noticed is that the color temp and look of these mountains change throughout the day depending on light and angles. That was fun; it was like taking a completely different photo of the same scene each time.

Later in the day the mountains took on a different color and with the warming temperatures and snow melting, more of the grass became visible and provided a warm contrast to the cool mountains and sky. 1/50 @ f22, ISO 200, Cokin graduated ND filter.

Along the way, there are a number of structures and old cabins to explore. During the second loop as the sun rose, but still provided some quality light, I made sure to explore a few and am glad I did. I was drawn by the warm look of the wood that contrasted with the snow and also the shadows created by fences and the buildings.

Tipton Place is near the end of the loop and offered several structures to photograph. 1/160 @ f20, ISO 400, Exp. Comp. +1. TIP: I choose to shoot from a low angle since the snow surrounding the area had been trampled.

Typically there is more parking located at these sites and since I was already exploring the buildings, it seemed like a good time to explore the surrounding woods. Don't be afraid to walk off the road and into the woods, you might be surprised what is just out of site.

This small stream runs past Tipton Place and allowed me to take advantage of some nice light streaming through the trees. 1/50 @ f20, ISO 400, Exp. Comp. +1. TIP: When shooting into the sun, use the tree or branch to block light from hitting your lens.

When I returned in the afternoon it was a different experience for several reasons. First, the temperature had risen 30 degrees which meant the snow was melting fast. The first place I noticed this was the trees. Also, the number of cars making the loop had more than tripled quadrupled, which meant traffic jams as people would just stop in the middle of the one-lane road, mostly to look at deer. So it took more than twice as long to make the loop as it did in the morning. And this is the winter, so be prepared in the Spring. Again, my suggestion would be to take your time and not worry about spending too much time in one location. Why not let the wildlife come to you.

Clouds started to build and the moon came out in the late afternoon once again giving a very different look to the mountains. 1/50 @ f22, ISO 200, Cokin graduated ND filter. TIP: When you have interesting clouds, grab a wide angle and aim high.

With the first day of shooting down, my plan for tomorrow is to return to Cades Cove and a few locations I've identified along the loop in the hopes of getting a better sunrise. Then I'll start making my way to Gatlinburg, shooting and scouting along the way.


* Bears hibernate in the winter.