Joshua Tree Sunset

This was a challenging sunset shoot for me for a couple of reasons. #1 It was very, very windy. #2 I forgot to charge my batteries before this trip and by the time we made it to Joshua Tree, they were both flashing at me because they were nearly dead. I had to set up a shot ahead of time, turn the camera on, take the photo, and turn it off immediately, just to conserve the battery.

Lesson learned. Always double check the batteries before leaving on a trip and bring the charger even if you don’t think you’ll need it.

I really didn’t expect much of a sunset because of the mountains to the west. I’m used to wide open ocean for the sunset, so anticipating what the scene would look like in the dessert was a challenge. I didn’t think there would be any color in the sky. I was totally wrong. Not only did the sky behind me in this shot turn pink, but the land had a salmon colored glow to it. It was cool to see even if I didn’t get any incredible photos of it. I still have to edit a few of those and see if I like them.

Shot with my Nikon D7000 on a tripod. Edited with Photoshop CS6, Topaz Software, and Nik Software.

Rise and Shoot

This was shot the same morning of my recent sunrise photo that I posted from my Nikon. I can’t quite figure out what that little cloud is. Maybe a hornet? I though it made the scene a little more interesting, along with the colors.

I hope you’re enjoying this photo from the comfort of your desk as you sip your coffee today. Good morning!

Wind Turbines

When I look at this photo, I remember the crazy gusts of wind blowing through this valley. You can’t really tell just by looking at these turbines though. I should have had the girls that were with me posing as turbines too. Then you could see their hair blowing all over the place. This one was actually taken from the passenger seat of a moving car.

Shot with camera+ and edited with Snapseed. The drama filter made for a dramatic sky, once again.

Tangled Clouds

The clouds were pretty interesting the other evening. Just for a few moments, the light and the colors of the scene were awesome. I was lucky enough to be there to witness it. Stupid me didn’t wait around for the sunset though. I drove to another part of the coast, chasing a cloud that I was hoping would make for a great shot at sunset. Unfortunately, it evaporated before the sun went down and I was left in the middle of agriculture fields with nothing too exciting going on.

This was shot with TrueHDR. Edited with Snapseed, Tangled FX, and ImageBlender. I liked the Tangled FX version, but wanted to dial it back a bit by using ImageBlender to reduce the opacity of the effect to about 70% just to bring back a hint of realism.

Sneak Peak: Aquarella

I recently got a promo code for Aquarella, which means a review is coming soon! It turns your images in watercolors like this.

Yesterday, I went with a friend to check out some mustangs that some people had picked up from the BLM the day before. Amazingly, they were already able to touch one of the wild horses with their hand.

This photo is of 2 of the 10 mustangs they have on their ranch. When I saw the puffy clouds in the sky behind the horses, I knew I had to try turning this into a watercolor. I wasn’t disappointed.

Shot with camera+ and edited with Aquarella

Fake Lake

Looks like a reflection at a lake doesn’t it? I could have made it even more realistic by darkening the bottom half of the image a little bit, but I got kind of lazy, so you’ll just have to imagine its darker.

Foolproof

Last month, a friend of mine sent me a painterly image and told me to check out this app called Foolproof Art Studio for iPhone. There is a free version that you can play with. I was lucky enough to get the paid version while it was available for free.

Basically, you import your photo and make all of the strokes with your finger, or try the auto mode. Its very simple, you can adjust the brush size and the paint effect, and then go to work. It even saves a video of you creating your painting if you’d like to watch it back or share it.

I have a few apps that turn photos into paintings. Foolproof delivers the ability to create some dreamy paintings. I’ll be keeping this app on my phone for a while

Shell Beach Sunset

After a long day of editing wedding photos and finishing up a 5th day of Sal Cincotta’s wedding photography business workshop on creative live, I was ready for some fun. I looked out the window and saw a bunch of cool clouds that were part of a passing storm. I knew this was going to be a good sunset, so I ran out the door with my camera and headed to the beach.

Btw, Sal’s workshop was amazing. I highly recommend it for wedding photographers, or anyone that wants their photography business to be more profitable.

Back at the Beach

I’m back in California for a while. I still have health issues to take care of before I can really get my life started in Oregon. I caught the sunset at the beach last night and I wasn’t expecting much because there was some thick fog rolling in. Luckily, it stayed away from the pier.

The first 2 images were shot and edited with camera+. The last 3 were shot with TrueHDR. I’ve had TrueHDR on my iphone for almost a year, but never used it because I liked ProHDR better. Well, apparently, TrueHDR’s updates have finally turned it into an amazing app because the results are pretty fantastic. I may have a new favorite HDR app.
Enjoy…

Stormy Mt. Shasta

Mt. Shasta in the distance. I wanted the clouds to clear a bit, but no such luck that day.

Autumn Landscape

I needed an adventure, so I hit the road and drove around the Mt. Shasta area yesterday.

10 Tips For Landscape Photographers

While I don’t agree with everything Declan O’neil shares in this article, there is plenty of good content to share. If you’re wondering what I disagree with, its mainly his idea on how to post process. I say photography is art and you’re free to experiment and do what you want with your shots.

On to the Article…

by Declan O’neil

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment.” – Ansel Adams.

So many times I have pointed my camera at a landscape simply because it was there and looked beautiful. This was a a trap. I had been lured me into believing that simply taking the photograph was worthwhile in itself. All I had done was hold a mirror up to nature. I had not made the photograph. The image made no statement and expressed nothing about my own perspective.

Ansel Adams understood that the photographer needs to find a voice through the landscape. For years I floundered because I had nothing to convey other than the obvious beauty of the land. I realised that I had to find a way to engage with the landscape because, if I couldn’t, then neither could the people who saw my photographs.

The following tips are just reflections based on a personal philosophy of what I believe is important in landscape photography.

1. Have Something to Say about the Landscape

The land takes time to read and to understand. You have to stand still and see the way light changes the contours and shapes. As the sun moves, it lights forests and streams in dramatically different ways.

It took me a long time to see that light gives landscape its own voice. Light creates mood and emotion in landscape. The land is a huge canvas on which light paints a complex and delicate picture.

For me, photography is about capturing the way in which light transforms the land. My decisions, therefore, about what to photograph and how to compose the shot are all dictated by the question, ‘Does this say something about light and landscape?’ This simple question leads me to reject many frames which, while beautiful, present no opportunity to explore my chosen theme.

2. Get up Early!

If given a choice between dawn and sunset I would always choose the former. I have nothing against sunset shots but I usually find that there is nothing original that I can add to the thousands of sunset photographs I have seen.

Dawn light, however, is always surprising. You never quite know what you’re going to get as you wait in the darkness.

It is rather like wildlife photography because you might get the shot you have wanted for years or you might get nothing. Dawn light can range from the most delicate dusky pink to a warm yellow.

Keep an eye on weather forecasts because, if you are lucky enough to live in an area with really cold nights and clear skies, you can sometimes catch wonderful cloud and vapour effects which have disappeared by the time the rest of the world is awake!

3. Imperfection is Fine!

Landscape photography is made especially difficult by the huge dynamic range you encounter. There is no way of controlling light balance in the field.

ND filters sometimes help but I find them fiddly and often not right for the particular location I have chosen. Often I have to reject a magnificent opportunity because there is simply too wide a dynamic range.

I am not a fan of HDR techniques or software. They give themselves away and I feel that they destroy the integrity of the shot. Most shots can be light balanced on the computer. Sometimes, however, the shot is actually better because of impossible dynamic range.

The photo of mussel beds in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand would probably be rejected by most camera club competitions. It might have been possible to grab a little detail from the land but I rather like the mystery of the black geometric block against the hammered silver of the water.

It’s technically a rather poor photograph but it has something that draws you to examine it more closely. Look beyond getting the perfectly lit shot and see the potential of the subject.

Read more:
http://digital-photography-school.com/10-tips-for-landscape-photographers#ixzz23j1408Bx

12 promises every landscape photographer should make

I’ve been reading more photography articles lately and thought I’d start sharing the good ones with you.

Photos by Guy Edwards

In the post below we’ll show you how a little bit of effort on your part can go an awfully long way when it comes to capturing stunning landscape photography.

No more driving to the local scenic spots during your lunch break, parking in the car park and walking 20 paces or so to lazily shoot the same old view that every other visitor to the site does. We’ll reveal the benefits of getting up at dawn to shoot sunrise scenes, making the effort to trek up mountains for better views, and the joys of seeking out bluebells in a forest, lone trees in fields and surging waterfalls.

We’ll also help you frame shots better, with tips on adding foreground interest and composing arty abstract shots. Plus we’ll teach you new camera skills to set the right shutter speeds for milky waters in your coastal shots, how to take total control of depth of field and focusing, and how to best use telephoto lenses to isolate interesting sections in your scenes.

So, prepare to make an effort… as, when it comes to landscape photography, you will only ever get out what you put in.

1. I will… get up at dawn
A common mistake beginners make is to only photograph landscapes in the middle of a sunny day. It’s much better to set that alarm clock and get to your location before sun up. Before, during and just after sunrise are great times to shoot landscapes as the sun is lower in the sky, which means softer, warmer light across your scenes, and more colour in the skies.

This lower angle of sunlight also creates longer shadows, so you see the relief of the landscape, adding more depth to your shots. Use a tripod as light will be low, so shutter speeds will need to be slow.

2. I will… wait for the clouds to break
Wherever you live, the weather can be a pain in the proverbial. However, don’t put your camera away simply because the clouds have gathered or there’s a storm brewing. A skyscape full of clouds can add much more drama to your shots than a block of blue sky.

So get out there, be patient, take your time, and wait for a break in the weather to highlight the focal point in your scene and to bring life to your landscape shots. You’ll be surprised on how many occasions that seemingly dull, grey days offer fleeting golden moments.

3. I will… climb a mountain
We’ve all done it – driven to a beautiful location deep in  the countryside, only to pull over by the side of the road to step out and lazily take a shot (or worse still, shoot from the car window!). You won’t get great shots like that.

Instead, pop on your hiking boots, prepare a packed lunch and get your camera gear on your back, then trek up to the beauty spots far from the car parks. Being higher up will create better opportunities for capturing stunning vistas, with far more interesting mountain scenery than down below with the coach tours

Continue reading at digitalcameraworld.com

Cloudporn

We had some cool clouds coming through this weekend. Both of these were shot just from the front yard.

If you follow me on facebook or flickr, you saw this beauty yesterday. Everyone sees different things in the cloud. What do you see?

Nikon D7000 shot.

iPhone4 shot. Camera+ and snapseed used.

Worth the Trouble?

I haven’t been shooting much lately because of my health. Being even slightly active causes more pain than its worth. Yesterday, I went for a really mellow stroll along the beach for 10-15 minutes. By the time I got home, it felt like something inside of me was swelling up and causing quite a bit of discomfort.

I’m thinking I’ll have to finally get to the doctor today, so I can figure out whats wrong, and fix it so I can shoot again.