How did I make the image? Many people love hearing the back story to both my thought process and the science behind how I make some of my images, here is the backstory on the making of this image. This image was shot in late May of 2016, Lupine were plentiful. This year, there are no lupine in this same place a week later than last year. A lot of snow this year I reckon is slowing down the process. …
The Lo-Down On Using Neutral Density Filters
Recently I posted this image on my social media sites of a sunset at Bandon Beach in Bandon Oregon while teaching a co-workshop with Gary Hart along the Oregon coast. Questions immediately came in on how I went about figuring out my exposure? What is the proper way to use a neutral density filter? WHAT IS A NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER? First off, for those of you who don’t know what a Neutral Density filter is, here is a simple definition: …
Sunrise at the Coffee Flats Schoolhouse
Waking one September morning well before the sun, I headed out to the intersection of Highland and Rocky Ford at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary with a thermos of coffee and a few breakfast bars. This year I was spending only two weeks in this prime South Dakota real estate. All of the roads here are dirt, dotted with cattle guards, potholes, and a few washouts. I would actually drive on pavement for just one hour during my visit …
Two Must-have Filters for Traveling Photographers
Travel is becoming harder these days, especially for the globe-trotting photographer. Packed planes, clients that want you to fly coach, lessening overhead space in addition to many airlines charging for what was once a given on flights, that space over your seat in which to place your gear. Over the past years, I’ve been working on reducing my “footprint” of gear, you can read my blog piece, “Traveling Light” to further explore that idea of minimizing to maximize. Having said …
Creeks and Waterfalls Captured all in Camera
I love shooting creek and waterfalls. I love hiking along creeks and rivers listening to the magical sounds of the flowing waters as they drown out the rest of the world leaving me in the moment along the beautiful forest trails of the Pacific Northwest. I do most of this type of shooting in the spring or fall, and I prefer overcast skies for balanced light, giving me awesome colors and crisp white waters. My second choice would be shade …
Choosing the Right ND Filter
I assist with the occasional photo workshop (John Barclay Photo Tours) and I am seeing something that bothers me. Participants are coming with a 10-stop ND filter and wanting to do 30-second or longer exposures. There’s always disappointment when they learn this filter will only give them a few seconds. I’m not claiming that I’m an expert, but I do shoot a lot of long exposures and would like to share my thoughts on choosing the right ND filter. This …
Tony Sweet Soft-Ray™ Diffusion Filters
The Soft-Ray creates a soft ambience and emotional impact from corner to corner and with other filters, without losing essential detail and contrast. All regardless of your aperture, unique among diffusion filters.
Vari-N-Trio™ Variable Neutral Density (ND) Filters
Create exciting motion effects, control glare and reflections, improve color saturation and tonal detail and give colors a bit more punch — all without stacking or changing filters. The color intensifier requires no adjustment. So just compose your shot, adjust focus, turn the polarizing ring to the desired look — and dial in density up to eight stops. It’s that easy!
Vari-N-Duo™ Variable Neutral Density (ND) Filters
The Vari-N-Duo is the best variable neutral density filter AND the best warming polarizer in ONE indispensable filter. Create exciting motion effects — and control glare and reflections and improve color saturation and tonal detail — all without stacking or changing filters. Just compose your shot, adjust focus, turn the polarizing ring to the desired look — and dial in density up to eight stops. It’s that easy.
Vari-ND™ Variable Neutral Density (ND) Filters
Add a dramatic new look to your work with motion effects and shallow depth of field, even in bright light or when using a flash. Just turn the Vari-ND to control the amount of light passing through your lens, adding between two and eight stops of neutral density with no loss of color fidelity or sharpness.