I began reflecting on the images I’ve created this past year, and I have made an interesting observation. There was one filter that was pivotal in the creation of some of my favourite images — images that I would have really struggled to create any other way. And that was my Singh-Ray Vari-ND. Some of the techniques I’ve been able to use with this filter have been rather interesting — and I like to share them with other photographers whenever …
Finding the Singh-Ray Filters even more useful
One reason I’ve survived for over 35 years in the competitive world of freelance photography is my ability to read the writing on the wall. It’s just an awareness to cues about impending change that are given by the marketplace, cues that many will ignore. For example, I used to do a lot of photography for corporate annual reports. Before the internet, a publicly-owned company presented its face to the investing community with a glossy annual magazine-like publication that stated …
Covering the scenic western United States in a very big way
I try to visit new places each year, I will revisit a place many times, however, if I feel I can pull out an image that is different from what I already have. I usually stay for a period of three to ten days or more. It depends on the number of image opportunities I expect to find and the distance I will need to travel. Even if the potential of a place looks bleak when I arrive, I almost always …
Visiting Navajo Country and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with LB Polarizers
We were blessed with fantastic clouds, sunrises, and sunsets every morning and night, resulting in some of the best photographic opportunities I have had since moving to Arizona 18 years ago. As leader of the workshop, however, capturing great photographs is secondary to providing individual attention to the students. However, while everyone was busy firing away, I was able to take a number of photographs that I am very happy with. On the first morning, we were guided by our …
10-Day Tour of Scotland fulfilling a life-time dream
While I was anticipating beautiful scenery, I did not expect it to be so overwhelming. There was some rain, but what would the Scottish Highlands be without the rain, fog, and dramatic clouds? After a few days in Edinburgh to get over the jet lag, we rented a car and sped off to the town of St. Andrews. For those of you who are not avid golfers, St. Andrews is the birthplace of the sport and home to the greatest …
Marking my first decade as a nature photographer with eight-day trip to the Canadian Rockies
I was 19 and determined to become a nature photographer as well as a studio artist. Last May, I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts — concentrating in Photography — from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I am now a fine arts graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington expecting to graduate in 2014. As I have advanced in my studies, I have remained undecided on my future career path to becoming a professional nature photographer. …
Explaining how I create colorful images at twilight with the Gold-N-Blue Polarizer
Once the sun drops below the horizon, many photographers pack up their gear and go home. However, for those of us who have a Gold-N-Blue handy, twilight can present some great opportunities to capture a most magical light. Unfortunately, the color that presents itself during these twilight hours is often not long enough, nor strong enough, to permit us to photograph for very long. For me, this is where the Gold-N-Blue pays off. During twilight, the Gold-N-Blue dramatically increases the …
Running into a scene that’s got everything except good light, Time for Plan B
I often find wonderful compositions that prompt me to set up my camera and then wait for better light. And then wait some more. Sometimes it’s the weather that isn’t quite right, but just as often it’s the color or quality of the light that isn’t working for me. Every serious photographer has experienced the frustration of spending a lot of time and treasure pursuing an exciting image that’s just not happening the way we visualized it. Or maybe we’ve …
Feeling fortunate to photograph the rocky coast of Maine any day of the year
Living on the rugged coast of Maine provides a nearly endless coastline dotted with thousands of islands, inlets, and waterways to be explored and photographed in every season of the year. How could any serious outdoor photographer wish for more? But there is plenty more to appreciate about the Maine Coast… like the four distinct seasons we have. Each brings its own weather, its own colors, and its own nature. Winters can be harsh — freezing cold and wet. Spring …
Visiting Joshua Tree National Park to commune with the ancient boulders
It was the first time I had visited since 1987 when my wife and I went camping there. Coincidentally, our trip occurred right after U2 had introduced their new album “Joshua Tree,” and I remember listening to it non-stop as we sunned ourselves on the large round boulders at the park. The music and that location are positively and indelibly intertwined in my memory. Each time I hear those songs, I am transported back in time. So it was with …