I find the light in New Mexico to be magnificent almost everywhere I go. So when I arrived in Albuquerque and found that the surrounding National Parks were closed, I quickly decided to explore the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. And I am really glad I did. See my blog story from November 3. But after a full day of balloon watching, we moved on to the historic area of Taos, New Mexico. I was really anticipating this visit to the UNESCO …
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. …
Photographers of all ages and stages of mobility should bring their cameras to the American West
I love to show other folks what I think is available to see and visit without straining their budget or their back. Born and raised in Ohio, I have long since adopted the life we photographers have in Colorado and the American West. For the many photographers who don’t live out here, however, I would advise you to come visit us soon. Bring your camera, a sturdy tripod and all your filters. The photos I’m including here are intended to …
Tracing the path to the home of dreams
Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer and Graduated ND Filter Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer and Graduated ND Filter I think to fully explain how I arrived here, I am going to have to take you back to where it all began. I grew up in the proverbial ‘center of the universe.’ Exactly 30 miles from the GWB (George Washington Bridge linking New York and New Jersey for you non-east coasters) Exit 52 off of Interstate 80. Nature existed there, but has greatly …
Capturing the Ice and Fire of Icelandic sunsets
One of the most sought after locations for both travel and landscape photographers is Iceland — the land of ice and fire. Iceland is a Nordic island country bordered by the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, plus the island is geologically active with many volcanoes, so the weather varies between different parts of the island. Generally, the south coast is warmer, wetter and windier than the north, and the central highlands are the coldest. As a veteran photographer from a tropical …
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 …
Field report on Singh Ray’s incredible 15-stop Mor-Slo ND
After several chats with Bob Singh about my need for such a filter, I was really pleased to receive one that I could test. There’s just one word to describe this filter — Wow! Less than a year after Singh-Ray’s introduction of the 10-stop Mor-Slo ND filter, here comes another technical breakthrough for all of us who work in Long-exposure Land. Many more logical photographers might ask why Singh-Ray’s 5-stop and 10-stop Mor-Slo filters are not enough? Why can’t we just …
Visiting Denali National Park at just the right time to join the 30 percent club
Not since my 45 RPM record collection dominated my life during the 50’s and 60’s have I been as interested in gathering information and experiencing a subject in as much detail as I now give to our National Parks system. The parks and the landscapes they present were the reason I returned to school in the 80’s to learn the art of photography, but I had no idea I would spend so much time in them. The green of the …
Recording the dramatic beauty found along the North Shore of Lake Superior
My favorite combination of on-camera filters starts with the 10-Stop Mor-Slo ND filter on my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. This is a very sharp lens. I add the Gold-N-Blue on top of that, and then use some combination of 4×6 Graduated ND filters. My favorite is the Reverse ND Grad. Sometimes I just need the Gold N-Blue Polarizer, which was used in the above panorama from the Temperance River, about a mile above Lake Superior. This next image was shot …
Strive to make fine art landscapes that are a lot more than realistic
When Don Smith switched from a 20-year career as sports photographer to dedicate himself to landscape photography, he adopted the philosophy that fine art images should do more than simply recreate reality. “The major theme in my workshops is the importance of seeing the finished image in my mind as I click the shutter. As Ansel Adams used to teach, we need to go on and visualize the finished image in our mind while we’re composing the scene in our …