Tamron's ultra-wide-angle 15-30mm zoom lens

This past February I was lens shopping for a wide angle lens that performed well for ski and bike photos. Shooting these themes requires a fast lens that is reliably sharp and can stand up to the elements. I'm not normally one to let price determine my purchase decision but affordability is never a bad thing. After some research on the web I pulled the trigger on Tamron's SP 15-30mm f/2.8 VC USD. What follows are some of my shots over the past 6 weeks which help prove this lens can go toe to toe with the Canon and Nikon at half the price.

The 2.8 aperture is a key feature for anyone shooting in low light situations. What makes this Tamron lens so special is the additional image stabilization feature, something no other ultra-wide 2.8 lens has.

Focal length: 15mm   Exposure: F/7.1  1/30sec

The image above was taken at Horseshoe Bend, on the Colorado River, near Page Arizona. It is one of the most photographed places in the country and a wide angle lens is required to capture the grand scale of the scene. On this given morning, the skies were overcast, making the light dark and moody. A dozen photographers line the cliff at the time, and all of them were restricted to using tripods for their shots. I on the other hand, was able to shoot sans tripod at 1/30sec, allowing me to get closer to the edge and compose with more freedom.  

Most of the time I shoot at 1/1000sec or faster as the quick shutter speed is essential for freezing action of a skier. In order to create content for adventure companies the logo needs to be sharp. Take this shot of skier Sven Brunso-

Focal length: 16mm   Exposure: F/101/1000sec

It would be easy to capture the bases of the Fischer skis by shooting this tighter but such a composition would eliminate the cool rock, snowy trees and dark blue skies encompassed by shooting it wide. The same can be said about this next shot, yet I include it for a separate feature found on the Tamron which I am a big fan of- Weather resistance!

Focal length: 17mm   Exposure: F/101/1000sec

To get this shot I had to sit in a hole directly underneath the pillow Sven was airing off of. The result was a cascade of snow falling on me and my camera. When I emerged from the snow-cave, my lens had snow and water all over it, but thanks to the Fluorine coated front element cleaning it off was painless. Five minutes later I had completely forgotten about the soaked lens as Sven and I snagged this gem.

Focal length: 15mm   Exposure: F/131/1000sec

This lens is badass! Im really excited to shoot bike stuff with it soon. But right now there is still great skiing out there so I expect I'll be taking it on some more winter adventures for the time being.

Graysill Natural Avalanche

Shot from Graysill Mountain, looking north toward Grizzly Peak (upper right)

Here are a few thoughts on a natural avalanche which ran Jan 25 or 26 in the cat terrain: I shot this from half a mile away but there is a lot to take away from it; even at such a remote distance.

For starters you may recognize this area, as the Colorado Trail runs through the lower track of the slide and along tree line. This is the high point between Bolam Pass and Graysill Creek. 

The face is a southeast aspect, with a large flat area to its northwest, which provides a generous fetch point for snow transport. As January's final storm cycle moved out we saw considerable winds out of the north and northwest which deposited a hefty load onto the slope. This is also shown in the wind stripped bare spots of the western faces. 

The wind added more stress to an already substantial storm total but the final straw that made this run was sun in the first days after the storm cleared. The sun is significant for two reasons. It directly warmed and weakened the snow causing the failure and it was also the source of the melt freeze crust which more than likely was the interface the avalanche slid on.

I would also note that this slide, which ran very wide in relation to the size of the slope, was able to run naturally on an angle roughly 30-34 degrees. Yes that is prime avalanche terrain but it could be thought of as slightly low angle for a natural to run so big. Soooo there ya go- a lot to take in from a single picture.