View From The Room

We love visiting NYC! It’s got an energy and character I don’t think you can find any other place. Using points, we uped our room as in, we went up to the 25th floor so we could have the view you see in the last blog and this. While they’re not pine trees, the vertical lines out the window just fascinate me.

I don’t know if it’s the contrast of the shapes against the lines or the novelty of the water towers themselves, perhaps they make me think of the old west, whatever it is they just grab my eye!

This is the roof top view from our room looking left and right. I spent most of the night shooting them and then once the light came up (what light there is) I just kept on going. It’s a search for patterns, textures and character. The entire time I was thinking B&W. Looking for whites and blacks is the key because they are what give a visual depth to the varing heights of roofs and towers. I just love it!

Photos captured by D3x, 50f1.4 AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Guess Where We Are?

After an interesting start this morning at the airport, Sharon & I finally landed in the Big Apple. It’s great to be back. In fact, I’m so excited to be here and presenting at Adorama Thursday night, I went and made a whole new presentation for the evening. In fact, it’s like none I’ve ever done before. I should be fun. I look forward to sharing it with you!

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Photo captured by D3x, 50f1.4AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Does DOF Ever Change? The 50f1.4 AFS

“What is the best f/stop?” This is the #2 most frequently asked email question that I receive. Seriously! I’ve written about this a few times here on the blog. It came in again today and this time it really struck me as really funny since, I’m rethinking that whole DOF question for myself. Readers of the BT Journal have read a little about how I started to “re-investigate” minimal DOF earlier this summer. While I’ve owned the 28f1.4 AF for some time and I didn’t have really kind words about the new 50f1.4 AFS, I now own one. It’s all Joe’s fault!

The upcoming issue of the BTJ will chronicle how with the file quality of the D3x, I’ve gone 180 degrees back to shooting mostly wide open. This photo of a Brooks Griz is a good example of what I’m liking, 600mm at f/4. Technically the only thing that is sharp are the eyes, a little behind them and a little in front. Why does more look in focus than that? The readers of the next issue of the BTJ will have the answer (I gave an answer to the class last week in ME). What does that have to do with buying the 50f1.4 AFS?

This portrait of Jim taken in Central Park is why I think McNally is on to something in his own retro look back/forward at minimum DOF. Making the subject “pop” visually in the photograph has been the cornerstone of my photography from the get go. You can see it plainly in the photo of Jim where the background is physically so far away when shooting at f/1.4, the background is out of focus. It’s not so obvious in the thumbnail image of the griz. I’ve been very privileged to see some of Joe’s images where he’s exploring this same retro look back at minimum DOF that he has taken with the new 50f1.4AFS. What makes it work is the fact that while the 50f1.4AFS is not a fast focuser (is that a word?) it is gloriously wicked sharp! That measure of sharpness for me is when you can count the whiskers on the chin; this image of Jim taken with the 28f1.4 has that quality. The 50f1.4AFS delivers the same which is why I bellied up to the bar and bought a class B one from Jeff at Adorama when it became available (saved me some bucks).

Creating a video on the 50f1.4 AFS (and I still owe one on the 16Fish) will serve as a better review of the lens. For now, just wanted to keep you all in the loop where photography is taking me and where I’m taking my photography.

Moose on Adorama’s Podcast

You’re probably wondering what happened to me today, I’m wondering that myself. I’ll blog about that shortly but in the meantime, this just got posted and thought you might want to give it a listen. Enjoy!

Moose on Adorama's Podcast

You’re probably wondering what happened to me today, I’m wondering that myself. I’ll blog about that shortly but in the meantime, this just got posted and thought you might want to give it a listen. Enjoy!

The 3 Min Portrait or, The Saving Grace

We were at this very special place that my good bud Joe McNally told me about here in ME. He threw me a lifeline bless him, and at first, I didn’t grab it. But in that process of throwing me a line he also threw me a challenge, get a portrait of Andy. Why was that a challenge, well you need to know Andy to understand that. At first, Andy turned me down cold. Being a guest at his very cool place, I didn’t push which is staying in my comfort zone. I was going to do a brief flash lighting demo for the class using it to teach light more than flash. The demo was scheduled for 5PM, I had 90min to get ready.

After dorking around outside, I headed in to see what a couple of the students were doing. I found Sharon and my MMW assistant in the “shop” talking with Andy. I stopped, thought about what I’ve learned from Joe and the challenge and engaged Andy in conversation. He had in a back room a old radial plane engine and I asked what was the story. He told me it was from a B-29, that he used to have two and sold one and kept the other one because his dad flew in a B-29 in WWII. I asked where, and he said in the far east. I said my dad was in a B-29 at Clark, and asked where was his dad stationed. In Saipan. We instantly formed a bond talking about our dad’s WWII exploits. I made contact with my subject on a personal level, right out of McNally’s playbook. As you can see, I got Andy for 3 min (and made a new friend!) and it was the best 3 min of the day!

The photo itself is pretty straight forward. I have minimal lighting gear with me, SB-900, SD9 & 24″ EzyBox with SU800. That’s what Andy is lit with. Jim in the group had a Tri-Grip & SB-800 with 1/2cut CTO so that lit the back left truck. Another Jim had another SB-800 and that lit the other side of the truck. Not happy with the highlights on the tank. The last flash was an SB-900 was set to 200mm to light the truck globe behind Andy. All TTL driven, pretty darn simple, the 3 min portrait.

Thanks Andy and thanks Joe!

Photo captured by photographer with head reattached

What was I Thinking? Wasn’t Thinking is The Problem

Had a killer opportunity and rather than seizing the moment, my mind went to mush! I hate it when I can’t get out of my own way. The problem, so much too shoot and rather than pushing for something new, I settled for what’s easy. Stupid, stupid stupid! See what I mean….

Sucks, sucks, sucks!

My only saving grace was meeting and befriending a very genuine person, a craftsman and character and then having just 3 minutes of his time. That of course came as a gift from another dear friend who pushes me thank goodness to go outside my comfort zone. MTC!

Crappie photos captured by space cadet!

What was I Thinking? Wasn't Thinking is The Problem

Had a killer opportunity and rather than seizing the moment, my mind went to mush! I hate it when I can’t get out of my own way. The problem, so much too shoot and rather than pushing for something new, I settled for what’s easy. Stupid, stupid stupid! See what I mean….

Sucks, sucks, sucks!

My only saving grace was meeting and befriending a very genuine person, a craftsman and character and then having just 3 minutes of his time. That of course came as a gift from another dear friend who pushes me thank goodness to go outside my comfort zone. MTC!

Crappie photos captured by space cadet!

Kissing Lighthouses, MMW Day 3 – PM Shoot

We made the drive last night to Portland Lighthouse which I had photographed just a month ago. The one thing about this iconic locale is that at sunset, at that exact minute, you have to leave the park. We obtained permission last night to stay late and man, it was worth it. We had a great storm and the images were killer.

What you see here is our class lesson that I just finished from our shoot last night. This is by no means the finished image. I learned something last night standing there in the rain watching the light beam which really is messing with my mind. I’m throwing this up to just plant the seed and I will next week add water to it to see what grows for all of us. I want to thank the gang for going along with the crazy instructor who drug them all down to this lighthouse in the rain. They had to go on faith there was a reason to the madness and I appreciate that!

Photo captured by D3x, 45PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

And When The Light Sucks, or I’m Playing Tourist…

What are you going to do? I’m not sure why, but folks seem surprised when they cross my path somewhere in the wilds of North America, and that I can be out looking with no more intention then to just be out looking. Here’s a perfect example. It was a bald sky day – I’ve lamented about how I think they suck more than once on the blog. The majority of the time, they just don’t lend any drama to our landscapes.

How do I know this image sucks (besides the final visual)? It required more than two minutes in the digital darkroom to get this far, that’s a really bad sign. There was no drama to the light or the scene and none could be created in post, it’s just a “here’s a lighthouse” photograph which in my book is a loser.

But my intent for the day was not to make some great image. Sharon & I went to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse yesterday in the rain, a completely opposite lighting situation from today. I have seen a couple of cool images of this lighthouse shot right after a snow storm. I really like them so I did a 360 around the lighthouse and its cliffs looking at the light, thinking through where it would be at sunrise and sunset and the pattern that would be created. I took a number of set shots so if I came back again in the right light then I’m all ready to go. I was simply playing tourist and came away with that kind of photo and that’s just fine.

Photo captured by D3x, 24PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

And When The Light Sucks, or I'm Playing Tourist…

What are you going to do? I’m not sure why, but folks seem surprised when they cross my path somewhere in the wilds of North America, and that I can be out looking with no more intention then to just be out looking. Here’s a perfect example. It was a bald sky day – I’ve lamented about how I think they suck more than once on the blog. The majority of the time, they just don’t lend any drama to our landscapes.

How do I know this image sucks (besides the final visual)? It required more than two minutes in the digital darkroom to get this far, that’s a really bad sign. There was no drama to the light or the scene and none could be created in post, it’s just a “here’s a lighthouse” photograph which in my book is a loser.

But my intent for the day was not to make some great image. Sharon & I went to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse yesterday in the rain, a completely opposite lighting situation from today. I have seen a couple of cool images of this lighthouse shot right after a snow storm. I really like them so I did a 360 around the lighthouse and its cliffs looking at the light, thinking through where it would be at sunrise and sunset and the pattern that would be created. I took a number of set shots so if I came back again in the right light then I’m all ready to go. I was simply playing tourist and came away with that kind of photo and that’s just fine.

Photo captured by D3x, 24PC-E on Lexar UDMA digital film

We Interrupt Your Normally Scheduled Programming…

For snow. Yeah baby, it’s snowing here on the Eastside!

File it under Pilot Error

A lifetime ago before I put out my shingle as a photographer, I haunted a camera repair shop, leaning on Geoffy’s workbench just fascinated by all the little gears, switches and elements that make a camera work. When a piece of gear was broken because the photographer screwed up, Geoff would simply shake his head wearing that Willey Coyote grin and say, “Pilot Error.”

As I mentioned, I’ve spent most of my week getting the new digital library computer set up and running. The Dell T5500 only has loaded on it image processing software, has no contact to the outside world and is the hub to the library’s 40TB of storage. It is the machine that gets the submissions out to clients and makes the gallery prints (that I’m so behind on, sorry). To say it’s rather important to the business is an understatement. SO when this BRAND new machine which is lightning fast came to a roaring halt when I tried to print, well, lets just say I wasn’t a happy camper. After a couple of days of frustration and many conversations with those smarter than I (THANKS Dave, Russell, Tom, Adam) it was suggested to change just one setting, one I had altered from the default.

The problem, PS would start to spool up to print and then stop but not before sending the paper through the Epson 7900 and coming out blank. Any image I tried to print larger than 300MB, the computer, my brand new hot rod would just shut down and not play. Well, when I changed the Memory Usage in CS4 to 95% (Edit>Preferences>Performance) like I’ve always done, I was causing my own problems. I was told long ago that was the way to go and logically that makes sense, give PS more RAM so it works faster. It don’t work that way as I found out. I NOW know that the Ideal Range that PS suggests is actually the ideal range determined by the engineers at Adobe and scripted into PS. I set the Memory Usage as you see and all is right in the world again. The bottomline, my three days of frustration were all pilot error!

But today the Epson 7900 is cranking out gorgeous prints and by Monday I should be all caught up with the print orders. So, I woke up smelling the flowers (so did Jake it seems), again and all is right at my desk.

Coming back from our morning walk, saw this big sunflower and I thought it kinda summed up the day’s prospects so I grabbed a camera and made a couple of clicks. It also served as another test for the new computer, just to make sure nothing goofed up during the night. And while I was shooting the sunflower I saw this tight bunch of daisy’s blooming. The shape of the bunch reminded me of an old 6mm fisheye photo so I ran back in and got the 16mm. I focused at its minimum focusing distance and went click.  A new computer working, friends so willing to help out and flowers still blooming. It’s been a good week with a happy ending!

Photos captured by D3x, 24PC-E / 16Fisheye on Lexar UDMA digital film

Thank You for your gift!

The Poll reveals…

I want to thank all who made the click and took the poll posted a month ago. 4632 of you clicked and it was ~very~ interesting to me to see the results. I did the poll because to be honest with you, looking at the stats prior to and after the poll, I can’t tell why folks come to the blog. While 36% of you indicated Wildlife Photography, the MooseCams centering on wildlife have less viewership than boring ones like Packing da Bag which falls under the General Photography in which 26% of you say why you come to the blog. Now why is any of this important?

You probably noticed that I’m giving away all this content, the knowledge I’ve had to gain and the pain I’ve paid for is here and on the website free of charge. I have no problem with that obviously because I keep doing it (I’m not quick to learn somethings). On the other hand there is this time thing and time is getting more and more precious, less and less coming my way to do what I need and want to do with my photography.

I was hoping the poll would help me make the most of the time I put into the material I present here on the blog. I’m still uncertain on that account. The reason for this blog posting, like most, because I receive emails asking why I took the poll. Now you know the rest of the story.

Video Viewing

We want to thank all you  fans of our MooseCams and videos. We understand that watching the videos here on the blog can be at times frustrating for folks. The video pauses, spinning thingie appears and my beautiful voice and killer grammar and tips go on hold. We truly appreciate folks wanting to see and hear the videos and understand there is this issue for some. If the videos weren’t watched so much by so many, pushing the videos through the pipeline to your computer would be easier (140000 views in just a couple of months). Many emails arrive asking what can WRP do to make the viewing more seamless for you.

This free content comes at a price to you the viewer, I want to maintain a certain level of quality.  That quality makes the videos larger than what you find on uTube. You have a couple of options, view at off peak hours, let the whole episode load before viewing, faster internet or the podcasts (which go up the same time as the video on the blog). Hope one of these options helps those who have the viewing problems.

Lexar’s UDMA USB Reader

Lexar’s UDMA USB Reader

I want a multi-slot single reader!

Season’s Greetings to all around the world!

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