With the age of digital photography now becoming a mainstream part of society, how do you decide what photos are good to keep and what ones should be thrown in the trash? While we need reasons to reject an image, we don’t necessarily want to form a hypothesis of rules. If you ever take a workshop with me you will quickly realize that I choose to disregard rules in almost every aspect of my life and my photography. And I believe …
Filters Still Have an Important Role in High-Quality Photography
I recently returned from a week in South Dakota and it was an exhilarating, wonderful experience. I’d just switched to Singh-Ray 4×6 inch Galen Rowell neutral density grads from the “P” size, so I was looking forward to trying out these larger filters with my usual hand-holding technique. Here is how I approach hand-holding ND grads; it’s quite an easy process, and best of all, it obviously doesn’t require futzing around with a bulky filter holder. I often stack up …
Fall in New Hampshire – An Annual Color Riot
Our annual New Hampshire photography tour is one of our most visually stimulating workshops. We’ve been shooting and conducting workshops there for 15 years and really look forward to going back each year. It’s also when I keep my Singh Ray filters close at hand. Clear, chilly mornings will be wet, creating a glow on the fallen colorful leaves patterns, which is always a great subject. However, the color can be dulled by the glare deflecting light away, resulting in …
My approach to wildflower photography
It’s mid-August, which means depending on what neck of the woods you call home, wildflower season could very well be at its peak. Of all the seasons and natural events I enjoy shooting, wildflower season sits at the very top of the list. It is exciting, dynamic and fleeting. Capturing five-star wildflower landscapes is no easy task. Read on for some simple tips on how you can maximize your time in the field shooting wildflowers this year. 1. Do Your …
George Lepp Letter
A note from George Lepp Like most photographers, I used less expensive lenses and accessories when I began photographing nature subjects 40 years ago; I pushed them to the max to deliver the best results they could offer. My first filters were probably as good as my lenses, but as I moved to Canon’s top-of-the-line pro gear, I also upgraded my filters to Singh-Ray. It made no sense to buy the best lenses available and top themm off with a …
Video
Singh-Ray filters for video If you shoot video, you need Singh-Ray filters Today, virtually every high-performance camera also shoots HD video. Are you taking advantage of that storytelling opportunity, like Bob Krist, three-time winner of the Society of American Travel Writers’ “Travel Photographer of the Year” award? “I have a Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter on my camera or camcorder every time I shoot video outdoors. And I use their Graduated NDs to balance sky and foreground exposure, same as I do …
Shoot Better Black & White with Singh-Ray Filters
More and more digital shooters are discovering how they can create dramatic, impactful black & white images with a variety of Singh-Ray filters, including the Mor-Slo, Vari-ND, Color Intensifier, Gold-N-Blue Polarizer, ColorCombo Polarizer and Graduated NDs. Here’s what some pro photographers have said regarding the use of Singh-Ray Filters for black & white photography… Cole Thompson Black & White Photography w/ Vari-ND & Mor-Slo “To create my long exposure images, I use a Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter and stack a second …
Using Singh-Ray polarizers to enhance hot air balloon images in Albuquerque’s early morning light
There is no doubt that New Mexico is blessed with a multitude of dramatic natural areas and inspiring historical architecture, but what really stirs the soul of this photographer is the magnificent light to be found in the state. This is particularly true of the northern areas around the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia mountain ranges. During this most recent visit, I found all the national parks to be closed, but nobody had been able to turn off the light. …
Taking the new Mor-Slo 15-stop ND Filter for an initial test shot
I would go as far as to say it saved my trip! The way the 10-stop neutral density filter expanded my creativity was beyond my expectations. I love this filter, but imagine my surprise when I came home one day and saw the 15-stop Mor-Slo filter sitting there on my counter (insert exploding head noises here). As soon as I saw THIS little gem, I was eager to find the time to get out and play with it. When I’m …
Using the Mor-Slo 10-stop in Scotland
Barren, rocky, mountains floating in the mist, the ruins of historic castles, and rugged coastlines — I wanted to see it all. Once I began my career in landscape photography, it wasn’t a matter of if I would finally make it to Scotland… only when. This past summer, after a couple marvelous weeks in Iceland, my travels took me to Scotland to spend three weeks scouting for upcoming Aperture Academy workshops. I had done my research, and spent months on-line …