Really? Why? Why go out shooting when you KNOW the subjects look like shit, the light is shit so the photographs gotta look like….shit? It has to make you scratch your head!
Lordie…it really can’t get much worse! No sooner then the sun comes up and yuck!
But if you wait a couple of minutes, the reason why you went out becomes clear. At least it does to me. Set up the tripod, walk the 600mm & D3x for a while, stalk some critters, make some clicks, do a little panning, get the cob webs out and reaffirm good techniques and practice good habits. That’s why I go out when I know it’s going to suck. Yeah, I got up at 04:30 to be in place at sunrise knowing once that sun came up, I would not be a happy camper. Photographically, for that moment at least.
Mono Lake has a lot of water right now causing much of the familiar beach to disappear. The California Gulls have to change up their biology a little, feeding on the Brine Flies in locales and with habits they normal don’t have to contend with. So getting some of that biology for the long term story recorded is a good thing. It felt good to get out and stretch the 600mm, it had been a month since I had a feathered bird in its glass. And being out is always better then being inside if for no other reason you stretch your mind. And me being me, once out on the beach I saw a possibility unfolding with time. When you find food, well, those who have read Captured know the answer. What was it and did it happen? Come on back tomorrow to find out.
Photos cpatured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film
Jay Maisel is an amazing photographer! When you here someone like that and you see his images, you need to listen. Doesn’t mean you do everything he does thinking that will make you great. But it does mean you take in those words of wisdom that apply to your photography and run with them. One of the wisest pieces of advice I think we should all follow is, always carry a camera! An iPhone camera doesn’t count to me since I can’t take that image 24×30. Jay is an amazing city shooter so whenever I’m in a city like Salt Lake City (here for PDN Outdoor Expo), I try to do my Jay. So when we walked to dinner, I naturally had my camera and the approaching afternoon thunderstorm clouds naturally grabbed my attention.
I really like the buildings in the top photo but the clouds not so much. I like both the building and clouds in the bottom photo but, I don’t know, it just doesn’t see complete. They are both simple clicks finished with Silver Efex Pro. The top photo, I squared the buildings using Free Transform > Distort in Photoshop. I used that since you have no clue if the clouds have been stretched or not. They are just clouds. But Free Transform > Distort is real fast and I like fast. Not going to set the world on fire, the photos though do bring a simple pleasure and the satisfaction that but listening and learning from the master, Jay, carrying the camera did pay off. That brings smile to my face.
Photos captured by D3x, 24-120VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
The PDN Outdoor Expo, the first one, is just a few days away. I’ll presenting on the 4th, here’s my class desciption
From Camera Click to Computer Click, Producing Gorgeous Landscape Prints
Moose Peterson
Sponsored by Epson
Do you long to be able to produce that amazing 24″ by 30″ print of your landscape images, consistently and spectacularly? Every time I click the shutter, it’s not only to produce an emotional response from the viewer of my landscapes, but the quality required to output a print in large format. The quality starts at the point of capture, which must be carried through in image processing to final preparation for printing. Come, spend some time with Moose Peterson, who will share all the steps in this process, cutting through the myths and getting down to the realities of producing gorgeous prints of your landscapes!
We are totally thrilled out third and last in our Romancing the Landscape series at Kelby Training was released last week. To be honest with you, I was so busy with shooting at Oshkosh, I wasn’t aware it had been finally posted. It wasn’t until I started to receive the love notes that I knew it was up. We’re had a whole lot of folks say this is our best class yet. Sure do appreciate those kind words. I hope you’ll check ‘er out and think the same thing. And if you really like it, let the folks at Kelby know so we can produce some more for you. Happy viewing!
