Sep 4, 2014 | Landscape Photography
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Finding what it was for me (and that’s important because it might not be the same for you) that made the image reflect the wonder of the experience came on a walk on the lake at sunrise. Shooting simply with the Nikon 1 V3 / 10-30, I flipped out the monitor and put the camera on the ground. Keeping me from having to lay on the salt, I could move the camera around to take in the three key elements to me, the rock, its shadow and what creates the shadow, the sun. With this also comes the shadows in the cracks giving life to the background and sense of place. What’s not really popping out is the track made by the rock, which is more implied than shown. Now some who’ve not been to the racetrack might not understand that, but then that might be important. The bottomline, I’ve now got the photo for me that says, “You need to be here” rather than just, “I was here.” I made a step forward to improve on next visit. I’m happy.
Oh, and the image below is my favorite!
Sep 2, 2014 | Landscape Photography
So by looking straight down (shooting with the Nikon V3 monitor pulled out), I started to see more potential. You have no sense of scale how big the rocks are, but the imagination was starting to gel with the rock and mud. I felt like I needed to explore this more and so I did. mtc
Sep 2, 2014 | Landscape Photography
And sometimes I think mine runs away! For example, in this top photo I see the screaming head of a Condor. Might be a real stretch but I kept at it thinking it might lead me to my goal, the shot of the racetrack.
And feeling that wasn’t working, I decided to go close. Still shooting with the Nikon 1 V3, it’s real easy to not have to bend over to capture these kinds of photos. While I felt I was getting closer, I was still miles away for the image I seeked. mtc
Sep 2, 2014 | Landscape Photography
With the mystery of the moving rocks now solved, photographing them it no easier for me. Ya, it’s pretty cool the rocks and their paths but to me, they are rocks and dry mud. Where’s the photo, where’ the story? I’ve been out to the Racetrack many times and each time I go in search of the image and tend to come back, not satisfied. And on the trip at first, I came up against the same wall. I thought by taking Brent and Jake and sharing it with them for the first time, I might see something different. Then to stack the odds, I shot with the Nikon 1 V3 / 10-30 which permits me to shoot from the ground without being on the ground. That combo helped me break the log jam. By the time I left, I had gotten my best shots which is not to say they are great shots, just the best I’ve taken at the racetrack. mtc
Sep 1, 2014 | Landscape Photography
Hi everyone! We’re now in Vegas for Photoshop World after spending a little family time in Death Valley. While it was 115 degrees during the day, the nights which is why we were there were a pleasant 80 degrees. Along with Sharon, Brent and Jake, we were spending time with my best friend Russell Brown again chasing stars. As you can see, we found them. This is a simple click, Df, 16Fish, IS03200, 8sec f2.8. Why the Df? I still think it’s the best high ISO machine out there. If you see me this week at Photoshop World, please come up and say hi!
Aug 25, 2014 | Wildlife Photography
Here’s a prime example of what I’m talking about not thinking vertical naturally. Gulls are great subjects! Guaranteed that if you watch them for ten minutes they will do something stupid making for a great click. Here, this Laughing Gull is trying to figure out how to get down this flat fish it found on North Beach. Lying on the beach shooting with the D4s / 800mm on the Panning Plate all the elements for a clean cover shot are in place. And had I been smart, I would have slid closer and made that vertical shot. But I didn’t. The question then that comes up is, “Can’t it be cropped into a vertical?” It most certainly can be and that does happen but here’s the problem with that train of thought. Someone has to think of that after seeing the horizontal, they must see in the photo and then think and then act on the thought “That would crop into a great vertical for a cover!” And there’s the problem. When you suggest the cover in a vertical you have much better odds of getting that cover then someone having to see it in your photo. And this whole discussion is just to get you to think beyond f/stop and shutter speed when you go click and to taking your photography to the next level of storyteller!
