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 …
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 …
I-Ray Filter shoots serious infrared images without destroying the Nikon D-800
If you have opened a photography magazine lately, chances are you have seen an infrared (IR) image in one form or another, IR photography has seen a recent resurgence of popularity, largely because digital IR is so much easier than the notoriously tricky handling, shooting, and processing of traditional IR film. I do have to admit I like the look for certain scenes. But here is the catch. You have to convert one of your expensive digital SLRs to shoot …
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 …
Scott Fisher’s very brief trip to Iceland was nevertheless rewarding
As a professional video producer/editor based in Boston, Scott Fisher has also taken on landscape photography as a serious hobby to help him learn more about framing and exposure. “I realized a few years ago how using filters would step up my game as a landscape photographer. I have always used neutral density filters in my video work so I was a bit embarrassed that it took me so long to start using them in my still photography. “I currently …
Marco Crupi enjoys a quick trip down the Jersey Shore looking for something special to photograph
I like to go on short trips in and around my home in New Jersey. This past Father’s Day, I decided to head down the Jersey Shore for the weekend even though the weather forecast was calling for afternoon thunderstorms and showers. What a great call! My wife and I spent most of the day basking in the sun and enjoying the Spring Lake beach area. After several hours of relaxing on the beach, I decided to take a walk …
Explaining why LB Neutral Polarizer is almost always a good filter!
This is my part of the natural world, and I can feast on all the natural beauty around me for years to come. But there have been many more decisions I have made to assure success as an outdoor photographer — including the decision to use Singh-Ray filters. I’d like to talk a bit about the one filter that, as a landscape photographer, is almost always on my lens. That filter is the Singh-Ray LB Neutral Polarizer. Many photographers only …
Going to Olympic National Park and braving the threat of vampires, werewolves and heavy rainfall
From the time I started taking landscape images, there’s been something mysteriously drawing me to Olympic National Park, but it wasn’t the vampires and werewolves described in the Twilight books. The rugged Washington coastline with its craggy sea stacks and rough seas looked like just the place to make dramatic images. The only issue was the weather. When author Stephenie Meyer wrote the Twilight books, she picked the part of the lower 48 states with the highest annual rainfall. She …