Dec 10, 2015 | Random Thoughts
It’s a real simple but marvelous present, $45(+S&H) and you’ll be a hero on Christmas day. Give Sharon a call 661.204.1506. Need more, here ya go …
“Why did you write the book?”
That truly is a good question. I have devoted my life to educating the public about their wild heritage. The method I’ve felt is the best for me to get this message out is photography. But as we all know, there’s more to photography then an f/stop or camera brand. We must have those essentials of course but we need a whole lot more. So in order to reach my own personal goal, I shoot one helluva a lot and during that process have learned some from my failures and successes. I’ve also learned that my greater goal requires more then one shooter. This is why we put such an effort in sharing all I’ve learned with others. All of that is wrapped up in the answer, why I wrote this book.
The reason the book is 396 pages is because it took that many to really answer, completely, the questions that my goals in wildlife photography brought to my door step. It has taken 30yrs to find just some of the answers and realize there are still more questions to answer. It’s this journey of time, exploration and passion for our wildlife that I bring out in the book so others can learn from what I’ve been able to accomplish so they can take that and run with it. It’s is very rewarding to hear from folks that they have read the book and already felt the call to do more with their photography. Even more is to be told that folks look at their photography differently, with more heart, more passion after reading Captured. The title has many ways it can be interrupted but when I came up with that title, the photograph really wasn’t what I was thinking about. Rather, it’s the effect YOUR photograph can have on those looking at your moment in time that you are sharing. As I mention many times in the book, I think I’m in the business of grabbing heartstrings and when you look at any photograph by any photographer, success comes when their heart is, Captured!
How did Capture get its look?
My original title for the book was simply, Journal of a Wilderness Photographer. As you can see, that wasn’t used but it did give the book its character and it was still written as the title suggests, as a Journal. It was written with the intention with someone reading by starting on page 1 and then going to pg2, 3, 4 and so forth. But as I was educated, I’m an old fart and only I read a book this way. With that all the “field notes” were added to the book so folks could skip around. Jessie is the very talented and brilliant designer having read the book, laid it out keeping it true to me and my message. She’s the one who truly gave Captured its visual look and feel and did it perfectly as far as I’m concerned. Captured is not about being a “legend” or having the best photos (because that’s not what I’m about), it’s about being the best one can be and then making a difference in the world with what that produces. So the look of Capture comes from my heart that was translated by the very talented and heart felt gang at Kelby Media and put into your hands.
What YOU will get out of Captured
Captured was written with the intention to be read, starting at Pg1 and going through to Pg396. I was very fortunate that my editor Scott Kelby pointed out that most don’t read a book these days like that (showing I’m an old fart). Rather, most folks skip around. So in recognizing this there is tons of little tidbits in the book just for this reason. 
Captured is my 24th book with a ton of the basics of photography covered in those books and here in the pages of the blog. So I didn’t rewrite all that material but moved on based on that material. The basics of what is an f/stop or what does ED mean aren’t in Captured. Captured explored what really hasn’t been covered before by authors and that’s refining, improving and employing the most important tool in photography, YOU!
And guess what, there is no recipe for that which is another reason why there are so many pages. One aspect of photography I have come to learn in my 30yrs is that every click is a compilation of one’s life up to that moment. Conscious and subconscious, it all comes into play which what makes each one of us a unique visual communicator. I truly want to see what you find in your photographic explorations. I don’t want you to have to have reinvent the wheel but help you roll it along further. That’s what Capture is all about.
Dec 9, 2015 | Random Thoughts
The Platypod Pro is getting a lot of buzz lately and for good reason. This very simple and small yet effective plate can serve you well in a pinch when you need a “tripod.” Plates for mounting cameras are not new but what makes this new entry cool is not only its size but “legs.” There are three bolts that can be inserted to give the flat plate the ability to be used on unlevel surfaces. It comes in a sleeve inside the case that when used alone makes transport really simple.
You have to add a tripod head to the Platypod to make it totally functional. I added the Really Right Stuff BH-25 which works well, it’s not to tall. What you see is the D4s / 24-70VR attached to the unit and when you have everything plumbed up, it holds the rig real steady. Personally, this rig is too much for the Platypod but not the D750 /18-35AFS which is more likely what I’d use it with. Because it is all such a small package, you can place it where you couldn’t a table top or traditional tripod. Give it a gander, you might find it in your stocking shortly :-)
Dec 7, 2015 | Random Thoughts
The last survivor of the USS Arizona just passed away, he and all who paid the ultimate price for our freedom shall never be forgotten!
We’d been planning it for months, paperwork filed with official channels asking for permission, route and mission decided on, all was good to go! The time had come to put the flight in the air. It was a beautiful clear morning 15 March as we meet the team at the gate of the airport. The day before we’d all meet in Rob’s hangar and went over the flight we’d been planning for months. The maps were pulled out and spread on the table, historic photographs of the day laid about, the route was selected and timed with my shot list making sure we can accomplish all that we had planned. Our flight path wasn’t one we came up with but one that followed the morning of December 7th, 1941.
The sun hadn’t graced the skies yet but there was a glow over Diamond Head outlining its very distinctive shape on the horizon. Air to air photography takes longer to get in motion then wildlife or landscape since you just can’t just jump into an aircraft and go. The first thing we had to do was get the screw out of the window I was going to shoot out of. The Cessna 172 is a very common photo platform for air to air work (though not my favorite). The windows though normally only open a short ways, too small an aperture to get the lens out to shoot. Because of the air speed you fly, you can safely and easily with the screw removed, let the window open fully (the airflow actually holds the window up for you) making shooting possible.
After that, there was the preflighting of the 172. I’m always comforted when I see the pilot have the POH in hand and running down the list as we get ready to go. Stab the wing tanks, plug in headsets, seat belts fastened and with a yell out the window ,“Clear!,” the prop turns and the engine kicks over. Then there is the warm up and initial systems check. Then there is talking to the tower so you can taxi. Then there is taxing over to the run up area and doing the last engine run up for oil pressure. An hour has past before at 07:15 its wheels up and in the air heading for our rendezvous.
Our subject plane, a gorgeous SNJ in the paint scheme for the USS Saratoga, is hangared at historic Barbers Point. As part of our briefing the day before we had arranged where we would meet once in the air. While you can plan everything well in advance and go through the preflight with flying colors there seems to be one thing that tends to come up way too often for me. And that’s radio problems most often from loose or dirty connections. And as you might guess, while working perfectly the day before, the first depress of the button and scratchy, static voice rang through the headset. We flew north towards our hook up point southeast of Wheeler Field. It was an amazing feeling flying the path of that historic morning!
Right on que, we find Bruce and his SNJ visually but radio communications are anything but clear. As long as we fly the brief, there should be no problems. We are a little early for our scheduled time over Wheeler Field. Wheeler Field is still active so clearance was obtained to do a couple of fly overs to photograph the SNJ with the Field in the background. We flew a little north and came down the shoot the same as the Japanese did that morning in 1941. In the background were the same rice fields and agriculture that was present on that day.
The radio came to life, a flight of Black Hawks were on their way into Wheeler. They were calling the tower. We heard no response and then the radio cracked to life clearing them. Rob waited a second and called the tower. The sweetest came across the radio answering back. “Ah good, I know her,” Rob said to us and he answered back. The two of them talked pleasantries and then got down to clearing our filed flight plan. With everything cleared, we had the next ten minutes to buzz the field and get the shots. That’s when the challenge begun.
Radio communications with the SNJ were challenging, the connection was sketchy at best. While we flew the brief, being able to talk on the radio to fine tune the photograph is essential. We flew the strafing runs the Japanese flew that fateful morning down Wheeler Field. Bruce is a Pearl Harbor historian and had told us much of the facts leading up to that morning. The P-40s had been lined up in a perfect row to prevent saboteurs from attacking the aircraft (an attack by sea wasn’t believed possible by some of the brass). Needless to say this made it real easy for the Japanese to cause a great amount of destruction with little effort.
One thing that is very hard to do in a briefing is explain angles. The angle of the photographer, the subject and the background so they all line up in the viewfinder is hard to prevision. That’s why the radio was so important. Despite the brief, getting the SNJ in the perfect position just wasn’t happening. After a couple of passes the radio crackled, “Photo flight, air space is now closed. Thanks from coming!” And with that, we headed south.
Bruce took us south on the same path the Japanese took to Pearl. The landscape below us now is nothing like what it was on that day. Oahu urban sprawl has grown up to Wheeler Field. We fly south checking the time. Bruce had managed to get flight clearance over Ford Island and the Pearl Harbor Memorial. A photo mission over these historic areas hadn’t been granted for quite some time because of some military installations in the area that the military didn’t want photographed. At the appointed time, Bruce starts calling the tower to get our clearance to start our run. “Sorry, we don’t have that paperwork, clearance denied.” The PAO hadn’t got the paperwork to the tower! Unlike Wheeler Field, we couldn’t just circle while we tried to clear up the problem. So off we went.
For the next ten to fifteen minutes Bruce tried to run down the PAO. Finally the PAO made the call to the tower and we were cleared for just two passes. That’s not what was originally arranged but the clock had been eaten up trying to reach the PAO. With months in the planning, it all came down to these two passes. The radio issues hadn’t cleared up and the same problems we had at Wheeler Field rose again. The goal was to get photos of the Memorial, Ford Island and other historic locations in the background of the SNJ. Lining up those items with just two passes and poor radio communications just wasn’t happening. After two passes without a word from the tower, we flew out of that pattern.
After leaving Ford Island, the flight split with us heading back to Honolulu and the SNJ back to Barbers Point. After landing and buttoning up the 172, we hoped into the van and drove over to Barbers Point where Bruce was waiting for us. We spent the rest of the day with Bruce having the most amazing, historic ground tour of December 7, 1941. With Bruce’s military clearance, we were able to tour Wheeler Field and see the OC where the card game was going during the attack in which Taylor & Welch left, got into their P-40s (parked at remote strip) and got in the air to bring down some attackers. We saw the secret, underground plane assembly plant and runway. It’s a tour that if you’re into history is absolutely amazing!
We even went back to Pearl, visiting both sides of the channel. Late in the afternoon found us at the hangars on Ford Island. There and at the sea plane port just down the ramp, we could see the remnants of the bombs and bullets of that morning. We were at that infamous place where all the B&W photos of the PBYs and Ducks burning was taken, the pot marks still in the cement. We then went up to where the Arizona and other battleships were moored, next to the officers’ quarters and got out and stood where the explosion did so much destruction. Very powerful!
At the end of the day, we ended up back at Barbers Point. Barbers Point construction was well underway on Dec 7th but not active. While a bomb did fall nearby, many think it was not intentional. In the last waning light of the day, we wheeled out the SNJ on the deactivated base for our last couple of portraits for the day. Our flight occurred from 07:15-08:11, not too much different than that morning. Despite not going 100% as planned, it was an incredible flight and amazing day. It helped to fill in lots of questions about that day, how it came to be and our response. And while the photographs are not as I envisioned, they will always be very special since the military since closed the circuit we flew to photo missions. Experiencing our aviation history from the air, it is an experience that leaves an lifelong mark!
Dec 1, 2015 | Random Thoughts
“How do you pick your backgrounds?” This question came in an email after a person saw my Instagram post yesterday. At first, I laughed to myself and then thought, this is a really good question. Picking backgrounds is essential as visual storytellers, it is how we set the stage for our subject to perform on. But the word “picking” leads one to think we have complete control over the background. In some cases, like shooting portraits and in the studio, we can and should meticulously pick that background. When shooting static aircraft, I at times have the ability to pick that best background. But the majority of the time in my photography, the background is a fluid element as the subject is moving. In that case, what do you do?
There are actually many options but they all rely on YOUR seeing the background in the first place. In these two photographic examples, I kept them in my files to specifically talk about when backgrounds don’t work. The top photo, the bright spot, top right, pulls the eye away from the subject. The mind’s eye goes to light and bright first and when it’s at the top of the frame, it’s a strong visual magnet. And what can I say about the bottom photo. It’s a bitch sometimes working with ‘cous, especially when they have a stick up their butt (200-400 w/ TC-14eIII)! How do you solve these issues? The most common answer for folks is Photoshop but in the top photo, Photoshop was used and that’s as good as it gets. In the bottom photo, well I simply don’t use Photoshop on my critters so that’s that. What other options do you have? In the top image that was shot with a 70-200, going longer would have cropped out that top corner but then, the size of the wall in Monument Valley would have been diminished hurting the story IMHO. Going longer with the Moose would have made that stick even bigger, not good. In both cases, just waiting for the subject to move, the ballon left and the moose right solved the problem. This only works though when you recognize the problem to start with. And then there is the last option which I use a lot, just don’t take the photograph. In this we are picking by simply not picking to shoot. So in the end then, perhaps we do have control in picking backgrounds.
Nov 19, 2015 | Random Thoughts
The power of the Raw file and post processing in ACR can change your storytelling and Reuters says, effect how the news is reported. That’s powerful stuff folks!!!
Nov 19, 2015 | Random Thoughts
My man at B&H and I thought that up until the end of the year, I’d post select B&H specials that would make killer Christmas presents as well as items that you might not notice are on short term specials. Starting today, I’ll post them as they come in for your consideration. Now be forewarned, toys and well as tools will be posted, temptation might be great!
Nikon Aculon 6×20 Laser Rangefinder (Dark Green) $30 off until 11/20/15 at 4:30 PM (Must be purchased before 4:30 PM)
Ruggard Fabric Camera Rain Cover (Black) – $20 off until 11/21 – Do you know anyone who shoots outdoors??? J
Vello Bluetooth Shutterboss Advanced Intervalometer for Nikon – Compatible with Apple Bluetooth Low Energy Compatible Models
Some of these are part of B&H’s one day specials so if something excites you, don’t hesitate. Oh, feel free to blame me for the purchase to your spouse, I’m use to it :-)
Captured is my 24th book with a ton of the basics of photography covered in those books and here in the pages of the blog. So I didn’t rewrite all that material but moved on based on that material. The basics of what is an f/stop or what does ED mean aren’t in Captured. Captured explored what really hasn’t been covered before by authors and that’s refining, improving and employing the most important tool in photography, YOU!
