The end of our week tends to be a little less scheduled than our Mondays-Wednesdays. So, despite somewhat cloudy and dreary weather forecasts, Mary and I took off to see how the new camera might perform. We headed towards Missoula and a couple of scenic sites on my photographic bucket list: The Big Bend of the Flathead River south and west of Round Butte, Montana, and the giant Glacial Lake Missoula ripple marks in the Camus Basin south of Hot Springs. On our way, we noticed that we would drive by the entrance to the National Bison Range--so we stopped there also.

Photos from the Bison Range and the Lake Missoula ripple marks should show up on Twpattphotos in a few days -- The new camera has forced me to relearn some of my processing techniques. There are settings within settings in the new camera and some of them try to help 'a little more' than what I am used to. I am figuring out which ones to keep, and which ones to turn off. 

So far, the Nikon Z is working well. My lenses work well (although I have to give away more pixels than I would like when I use my crop-sensor lens). I had planned to get a full-frame camera sometime, so as I acquired lenses, I purchased full-frame lenses. The full-frame lenses give me all the pixels that I am used to and the Z6 sensor is definitely better quality than the sensor in the D5300. The biggest issue so far is that even though all of the controls I am used to are there, they are all in different places. On the other hand, I can see how the lay out of the Z6 controls will ultimately be more 'user friendly' than the D5300's. Stay tuned for more thoughts on the camera as I get used to it.

A couple of thoughts on the Flathead River photos. After the Flathead River leaves Flathead Lake below Kerr Dam, it flows south more or less along the western edge of the Mission Valley. West of Round Butte, the Flathead flows directly towards and almost seemingly into the glacial-lake-bed-choked mouth of the Little Bitterroot River before it makes a sudden 180 degree bend back to the north. The river flows north for a few miles and then east toward Sloan's Bridge. Past the bridge, the river quickly it turns south and finds its way to where the Jocko River joins near Dixon. 

The 'Big Bend' of the Flathead is gloriously scenic. The river's west, south, and east banks are lined with light-colored cliff-like glacial lake deposits that are actively slumping into the channel. It is a little-known scenic spot that really isn't very difficult to find. Drive west from Ronan on Round Butte Road, turn south on Sloan's Bridge Road, and then travel 2-3 miles past the bridge to where you can see the river off the road to the right.

Click the images to see them in the Montana Spring Gallery. Go to http://twpattphotos.com to see today's Home Page Slide Show.

Big Bend of the Flathead River IIIFlathead River, south of Round Butte, Montana. April 6, 2019. Flowing to the east and turning north. Big Bend of the Flathead River IIFlathead River, south of Round Butte, Montana. April 6, 2019. Flowing south towards the Little Bitterroot River.
Big Bend of the Flathead River IFlathead River, south of Round Butte, Montana. April 6, 2019. Turning east around the bend.