Come Float with me in NYC

Details

Argh Matey!That’s right, with pirate hate, sword and eye patch and camera in hand, we’re doing a 3hr Cruise on Circle O with the B&H and Lexar crew on 18 Oct! They are not only crazy enough to let me on board, give me a pirate sword but I also get a mic so you can hear me all over the boat! How sick is that?!

A whole lot of folks have been asking if we’re coming back to New York this fall. I am most happy to say we most certainly are. While everything is in place, plans made and logistics dealt with, details won’t be broadcasted until 8 Sept. I can tell you we’ll start the fun 17 Oct at Calumet, then B&H and finish up at Unique on the 20th with a WHOLE bunch in between. I’ll be doing formal presentations and shoots the like you’ve never seen done by me or in NY before and if all goes well, I’ll have an informal photo walk as well. So stay tuned, we’ comin back to the Big Apple..Yahooooo!

Photoshop World Magic – A Tuition Scholarship!

Photoshop World is just such a kick ass experience on every level! Sharon meet up with one very generous gentleman who has made available a number of scholarships to our workshops folks in the past. He was moved by his experience at Photoshop World and is offering another scholarship for our New Hampshire K&M Adventure. While I have two folks in mind, I wanted to open up this generous offer to a little wider audience. You would be responsible for your getting to and from NH, lodging and meals, but the rest is covered. If you are interested, you need to give Sharon a call 661.204.1506 (9-5 PST) and have a conversation. This is a marvelous opportunity for a photographer and want to thank our anonymous sponsor for once again reaching out to help another shooter! That is what Photoshop World is all about!

Fall Color Class Online!

I’m totally pumped about our Fall Color Class being posted on Kelby Training…great timing! It’s a two hour class between behind the camera and behind the computer lessons…I talk too much! Filmed in our backyard in the Sierra, we were very excited to share our home with folks. And those who want to explore these lessons but with an East Coast flavor, join us this fall for what is looking like a killer color year! Thanks to all the folks at Kelby Training for producing a great class! (You can thank Brandon for the Bloopers reel!)

Yosemite 2013 Workshop

Ya! Winter Yosemite Workshop in 2013…can’t wait! The dates are 14-17, March 2013. You would arrive on the 13th for our evening get together and plan on leaving after sunset (dark) on the 17th. The price is $1695 which includes the workshop packet, transportation once you’re at Yosemite Valley and instruction. Once signed up you would get more info in regards to lodging.

We are talking about a lot of photography (not a bunch of hiking) and some of the best and least known locations. If we’re really lucky, we’ll have the snows and a winter storms that blow in great clouds and create gorgeous landscapes. We’ll photograph everything from critters, waterfalls, granite, trees and whatever stops in front of our lenses in color and black and white. We’ll spend time in the digital darkroom answering those kinds of questions and hopefully we’ll get an opportunity for a star trail or two.

Hope you can join us, we look forward to sharing our decades of wanderings with you. To register, call Sharon at 760.924.8632 (9-5) PST. You will need to pay a deposit of 50% to reserve your spot!

Moose & Griz

Many ask if I will be taking photographers to photograph Grizzlies again. I’ve not take photographers to AK for Griz for many years for many reasons. An opportunity has come our way that might make it possible for us to do this again. Part of the equation is you and if you would want to join us. And the big issue there is price and I more than realize this is not inexpensive but it looks like a participants price would be around $6k for 5 nights (In Sept) and that does not include transportation to AK (but does include everything once you get to AK). If this is of interest to you, give us a call 760.924.8632. Not taking sign up yet, just seeing is there is enough interest to pull the trigger.

The Image is Everything!

We are constantly being asked business questions, I mean a lot! There is a whole lot that goes into a photography business, much of which is basic common sense. a whole lot is very specific to just photography. Many simply send an email looking for a one sentence answer to, “How do get my photography business started?” Or more commonly of late, “How do I make money from my photography?” They see all these statements about how you can make money on the web with your photography and while it is true you can make sales, this is a far cry from a sustained income or business. When I talk about business and selling images, I’m talking long term, longer than 1 day or 1 month or 1 year. This requires more than a 1 sentence answer.

Can you have a photography business in this day with our current economic trends? I believe so but it requires you observe the number one tenant in the photographic business. The image is everything! And I’m not talking about 1 image or 100 or 1000 but a continual creation of a body of work that is always growing. Not talking about 1 image processed 100 ways in Photoshop either. I’m talking a continual growth in your photography creating an inventory your can pull from when you need it. There is a very old business adage, You Can’t Sell from an Empty Cart. There are a lot more sayings I pile on during our Biz Class, but everything comes back to this basic cornerstone concept. The image is everything!

A Moment with Sierra Lightning

Saturday night we had the makings of a thunderstorm actually producing some much needed rain. By sunset, nothing. Then I thought I saw a flash but never heard any thunder. Forty minutes later the fast moving storm had gone north past us. Using the iPad app Radar, I saw the track of the storm to be right over the house so I grabbed the D4, 24f1.4 AFS and tripod and went out on the deck and waited. I got outside and just set up when the first “close” claps began. Just then it started to pour so wimping out, I went inside.

Once inside (and back to the Olympics) I switched out lenses to the 50f1.4AFS because I could see less of the sky. My settings were basic night lightning settings, ISO100, 8sec f/4 – f/5.6, Manual Focus, Flash WB (so the house lights would be warm). I attached the MC-36 and while watching the Olympics, every time I heard the shutter close, I depressed the shutter release. And as fast as the storm started, it was blown past us. What you see here in the video is the start of the storm, the meat of the storm and then the last downpour light up by car lights. In one of the last frames, while there is no bolt of lightning, dead center you’ll see a Big Brown Bat flying by.

When it comes to creating the video, that’s a snap. I took all the images and had them in a folder. Launched Photoshop > Time Line > Add Media and selected all the images. I put a Cross Fade between each image and then Export > Render Video and upload. It was that simple! I like the video presentation for the storm rather than the stills you see here (my favorites from the shoot). And if I could, while you’re watching the video, I’d be right be hand your chair yelling, BANG!

#74 Hits the Course

This is the closest we’ll ever get to racing at Reno. In Sept, 2011, my dear friends permitted me to place a GoPro in the cockpit of #74 Super Corsair to create an amazing video. What I have here is just 15min of the 208min process of getting an Unlimited up on the course and back down again.

Just what are you seeing here? The video starts with my bud Casey turning on the GoPro just at the start of the process of getting #74 ready for racing. You see Brady getting in #74, #74 being pulled out, gassed and placed on the ramp prior to the race (in the skies is a L-39 show). You’ll then see Robert Odegaard, one of the best pilots out there, get in #74, do the preflight and then taxi. #74 will take to the skies (you can see the GoPro in the still capture above and me taking the photo on take off in the video) and get in place with the other Unlimiteds prior to jumping on the course. You’ll see a T-33 Jet, that’s the pace plane. You’ll see the Unlimiteds jump on the course and then Robert take #74 around on three laps. You’re watching one of the best behind the stick. It’s a great show! Enjoy!

And if you’re wondering why I’m just posting this now, it’s because I’m behind! I have 980GB of video shot during the last year that I’ve not edited and posted. This 15min comes from 5.98GB, 208min of video and even though I edited it in Photoshop CS6, still took 2hr to get done. But I think you’ll find it worth the wait.

Short Lens Course – Next is a Few Weeks Out

Short Lens Wildlife Photography Course, 18-19 AugustYOU could be the next Dave !760.924.8632 / 661.204.1506

What am I Teaching at Photoshop World?

Photoshop World is just over a month out and we can’t wait. There simply is nothing better, funner or down right more energizing then PSW! I’ll be there doing all sorts of fun. The PreCon will be a ton of fun, it was sold out the day it was posted. Be sure that you make it to the Art of Digital presentation where eight of us share nothing but our photographic passion with you. Emails have started to come in asking what I’ll be teaching, here ya go.

Dang, I want to Get Started in Wildlife Photography!
If you read my book, Captured, you probably got disappointed when you read my statement, “If you want to play with the big boys, you gotta have 600mm!” But I started with a 400mm and that was my longest lens for my first 5 years. That focal length taught me all the main lessons I depend upon today to be successful. You have a basic DSLR and a 70-300 or a 100-400. I’m going to share with you all that my 400mm taught me, permitting me to get where I am today. These are all techniques, tricks and tips you can apply to your photography to get you way beyond “started in wildlife photography.”

The Art of Aviation
There is an art of flying metal. These speed machines that defy gravity bend light just as gracefully. But how do you take these gas fueled machines and make them a piece of art? This is basic photography of light, exposure, focal length, moving the viewer’s eye around the image, manipulating it while you tell the story. The subject might be “just” a plane, but the techniques, tricks and final results must make the heart fly. Don’t let the title fool you. There is a lot more to this than just airplanes, we are talking romance!

I’m very grateful to all of your who get up early and join me in class, I have new programs and plan on entertaining you at the very least. I’m really excited to play Santa as I’ll be giving away subscriptions to our BT Journal iPad version during the entire Photoshop World as well. In fact, the entire Peterson Herd will be in Vegas, I can’t wait! But more importantly, I’m there FOR YOU! SO if you see me, stop and introduce yourself, say hello and if you have a question, ask it. Look forward to meeting you all!

Shutter Time with Sid & Mac

I had the honor of being asked to be on Shutter Time with Sid & Mac last week. It was fun to and Sid & Mac got me a talkin. In fact, it’s a L O N G interview, so grab a couple bottle of Merlot and give it a listen. Thanks again Sid & Mac!

BT Journal vol15.1 Back Issue available for iPad

Brent has been real busy and has BT Journal vol15.1 Monument Valley back issue (not included in a subscription) now available for purchase. Brent had me jumping writing 36 new, expanded captions, creating not 1 but 2 pg28 Digital Darkroom lessons and much more. I don’t know how many Monument Valley time lapses are in this issue but I do know one of the DD lessons on pg28 is how to assemble one in Photoshop.

Brent had a lot of fun assembling a lot of new Monument Valley images of mine into a number of slideshows. Those have captions as well. At the same time, we have updated the navigation of the Journal with the new tools available from the publisher. Be sure to check out the updated instructions on page 2. If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll see the option to purchase this newly released back issue (not included in your subscription) when you launch the BT Journal in the Newsstand. If you’ve not subscribed, you can find it at the top of our app’s Main Screen.

BT Journal Premiere Digital Issue - FREE!
Ipad version released 03.30.12 – FREE! (click on icon) Subscriptions like anything iPad is purchased through iTunes. At this time, subscription to hard copy will not include digital copy. Back issues and issues released before the start date of your subscription not included.

Americana, Lobster & Fall Color!

Fall conjures up a nostalgic photographic time in my mind. The light is mellow, the color is everywhere and there is a nip in the air signalling a changing of seasons. It also brings up thoughts of youth, trick-o-treating, Thanksgiving, football and traditions. If there is one region in North America that brings this all together at one place and celebrates fall, it’s Maine! We’ve been venturing to ME for fall every year for over the last decade and we simply can’t get enough of this magical region this time of year!

The best part about going to Maine and neighboring New Hampshire in fall is the photography. Now just shooting fall color for me gets old after a while. But it never gets old when you can photograph an old truck, ice house, lobster boat, fishing pier, railroad, quaint seaport village and eat great food! That’s why we keep traveling back to the region in fall, it’s never the same and there is such variety. Did I mention the great food!

I know I didn’t mention lighthouses, but there are some gorgeous, romantic and unique lighthouses to explore as well. And when you’re on the coast in ME in the fall, there is great lobster. Did I mention the great food!

We are going back again this fall, taking our K&M Adventure there. Our Fall Tour is Oct. 6-14, 2012. We’re going to be in ME & NH spending half the time out of Freeport, ME and the other half out of Mt Washington, NH. We’re going to check out them lighthouses, the great food, fall color, history and just about anything else the lights takes us to. It’s a marvelous adventure in some our most gorgeous country!

We have a space for YOU! We’ll be picking you up and dropping you off in Portland, ME. You have the option of signing up for one week or the other or, if you’re adventerous enough, join us for the whole time. The price for just one week is $1995 and for both, $3550. We actually have a couple of folks who have signed up for the whole thing (they’ve traveled through eastern fall color with us before) so we only have 3 seats left (the max we take is 8). The price includes transportation to and from the airport and during the adventure, our wit and instruction and one helluva good time. If you’re interested in going, give us a call at 760.924.8632 / 661.204.1506. We look for to adventuring with you!

It Normally Doesn’t Work This Fast

Dave already came to the Short Lens Wildlife Course with talent, but to say he capitalized on what he learned so quickly is an understatement!

Dear Moose,

Thank you so much for a wonderful workshop. I feel like I learned several things and most importantly it made me look at my photography and my practices and evaluate what I do. So yes, it made me think!

I appreciate your advice on the owl pictures. I have learned several lessons from that photo prior to coming to your workshop and you helped confirm for me other things I had been suspecting. In truth it is the oldest picture in my portfolio, so I do believe my abilities have changed since then. In that spirit I submit to you my newest photograph taken yesterday with my new D800. I listened very carefully to what you said and evaluated what I needed for my photography and decided it was the best fit for what I wanted to do. Considering I’m coming from a D200 I feel it has been quite a leap. I tried very hard while shooting yesterday to keep the things you taught me in the workshop and through your books at the forefront of my shooting and think it greatly helped.

I don’t think the photo is quite in the uncommon realm yet, but I feel like I’m getting there.

Again Thank You.

PS…By the way, no cropping, I zoomed with my feet!

Incredibly well done Dave!

Death Valley Workshop

Posted this on my FB & G+ walls yesterday so we only have one opening. The dates are 6-10, Feb 2013. You would arrive on the 6th for our evening get together and plan on leaving after sunset (dark) on the 10th. The price is $1495 which includes the workshop packet, transportation once you at Death Valley and instruction. We’ve not decided on which lodge yet, once signed up you would get more info in those regards.

We are talking about a lot of photography (not a bunch of hiking) and some of the best and least known locations. If we’re really lucky, we’ll have the rains for a great wildflower display and a winter storm blow by for great clouds. We’ll photograph everything from rocks, mud, sand, ghost towns and critters, whatever stops in front of our lenses. We’ll spend time in the digital darkroom answering those kinds of questions and hopefully we’ll get an opportunity for star trails.

Hope you can join us, we look forward to sharing our decades of wanderings with you. To register, call Sharon at 760.924.8632 / 661.204.1506 (9-5) PST. You will need to pay a deposit of 50% to reserve your spot!

Can You Make Money from Your Photography?

I think so and I want to help you find out if you can. Having just adding a new segment to our business, aviation, I have a fresh perspective to the old realm of business. The business of photography, it seems to mystify, frustrate and baffle most. This is especially true for editorial, magazines like you see above. I can understand why, there is a ton of really bad information out there! For a long time, we held a business course in our office but the response died so it stopped. Then with the web getting hot, the “need” seemed great again so we offered a class but it too soon died off. Now in the first half of this year we’ve been pounded with the question, “DO you offer a photography business course?”

We have help we want to offer you! The price will be $695 (the written materials you’ll take home are worth the price alone!) for two days of incredibly intense class time. You will have to come with a 1500 word article and 20 images to illustrate that piece. You will have to come with a list of 10 questions. Understand that the biz starts with the editorial market so we’ll be covering that quite a bit. It will have nothing to do with fine art, weekend craft show market. You will need an open mind and a willing heart because the business of photography is not for the faint of heart. If you really, really, really have a passion for photography and think you want to learn about the business, this is the place for you. The class will be limited to 20 and will be held Nov 17-18, 2012 in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Want to sign up, call 760.924.8632 / 661.204.1506, NOW!

Favorite Questions from Short Lens Course

As I see it, when you pay for one of my workshops, you’ve paid to have your questions answered. The problem though is you don’t know (or remember) the question to ask to get the answer you need. So when you comes to our classes in Mammoth, you’re required to bring written questions. Here’s a sampling from the questions I received this weekend at our Short Lens Wildlife Course. It was a great weekend with great folks and we covered a lot of ground.

How many days does it take to get an animal familiar enough to you?

-If only there was such a formula! The best example I can think of are hummingbirds. You might find one that will have nothing to do with you, one that will tease you getting so close and another that will land on your lens, all in the same hour! Habituating wildlife is not a good plan. The best plan that you can apply over and over again is learning Basic Biology. This is something we go over quite a bit in class.

 

When using a flash on small animal, what is the optimum distance between the animal and off-camera flash?

-Flash is an essential tool in wildlife photography! One of the first basics we learn is the Inverse Square Law in which all flash, no matter size, model of make operates. Once we have a handle on this basic, you have your own answer. This is something we delve into, practice and put into action and solve during the weekend.

 

Is there any particular advantages to “camo” attire and accessories?

-You’re fashionable, to someone? Critters don’t seem to know the difference between a photographer in camo or out (we’re not talking hunting here). You basic critter could care less so spending hard earned money on this when Basic Biology knowledge that you can gain for free will get you closer, makes the most sense to me.

 

My equipment is capable of much better focus than I seem to be getting, can you speak to settings and techniques that might lead to better results

-You’ve gotta start with providing your camera a stable platform to operate from. Handholding is an essential tool! Then you have to maximize the settings for your particular camera body and lens to YOUR style of photography. This something we go over, practice and put into practice in class.

 

Do you recommend a sensor cleaning kit, if so which ones?

-I sure do, that from Copperhill!

 

I have a 300f4AFS and a TC-20eII, Would you use that combination? Is the TC-20eIII worth the investment?

-The 300f4AFS is a great lens I still use a lot! While it works well with the TC-20eII, the TC-20eIII rocks! The TC-20EIII is one of the finest teleconverters I’ve ever owned! What happens though to your f/stop and effective f/stop when you attach a converter? That is something we go through thoroughly in class because if is such an important tool.

 

A word on cropping would be appreciated

-That is easy for me, I don’t crop. Doesn’t mean you have to adopt that standard but for my, getting it right, right in the frame is what it means to be a photographer. It’s also how you obtain the highest quality from your file. How to you photograph critters and not have to crop? That’s why you’re here in class.

 

Interested in fill flash primarily for birds

-this is a primary and great tool for photographing birds, flash! But we’re not using flash for exposure the majority of the time but for color. The exercises we do in class help you find the answer to this question for your photography which might not be the same for myself or other participants. Even better, you’ll leave with the tools to constantly improve on your own settings.

 

Would love to see a demo of flash feathering

-and that you will! The basics though is real simple, we don’t use the center hot spot of our flash, but just the edges. Understanding of the inverse square law permits you to use this essential technique with confidence.

 

On your blog you were talking about the no-brainer that was the D800E when it was first announced, yet you seem to have gone with the D800, what changed for you?

-darn good question! If you’re going to have a damn big ass file camera, might as well go all the way! That’s until you have that big ass file camera and you realize you don’t even need that much. While the D800e is a great tool and for its application, rocks, I just don’t experience in my photography that application so I saved the extra pennies and went with the D800.

 

 

 

Moose Crits

Ever since I did The Crit at the B&H Event center a couple of months back, we’ve been flooded with requests to look at folk’s images. I’m honored that folks want to hear my $.02 worth when it comes to their photography. The one issue, kind of a big one is time. There’s all of you out there and just little ol me here. I’ve already had over two dozen folks ask to meet with me at the upcoming Photoshop World for this sole purpose. But that’s one place I don’t have extra time. Many come to our office for a Private Tutoring but that requires some more of your time and expense. How to help?

I’ve done a few Crits using Hangouts on Google+ and they work out pretty well. They are not free, I charge for my time. At this point in time it’s the only solution I have to help folks that works. So if such help would be useful to you, give Sharon a call at 760.924.8632 / 661.204.1506 (9-5PST) to see if we schedule a time.

Just had a call from someone who just read this and asked if we’d have a class here in Mammoth just looking at images. Never thought about it but that might work too. If that would be of interest to you, give Sharon a call and we’ll make a list and if there is enough interest, will make it happen.

« Previous Page — Next Page »