I have always been intrigued by monoliths, first by the statues on Easter Island, then by the monolith in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and most recently by Stonehenge in England. In each case, seeing these monoliths prompts the question; Who built them and for what purpose? I’ve always loved visiting Bandon Beach in Oregon because of the natural monoliths strewn along the coastline. Randomly placed, it is as though the earth were God’s chessboard and the monoliths the …
Photographing a Still life with Singh-Ray’s LB Color Intensifier
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View PostThe Black and White Florida Landscape – Palmetto Prairie
View PostBlue Ice Islands in a River of Gold
View PostMOMENTS
Waning Light at Black Sand Beach, Vik, Iceland. Sony a7RIV, Sony 24-105mm, f/14, 30 seconds, ISO 100, Singh-Ray 5-stop Mor-Slo ND French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson by all accounts was the earliest pioneer of street photography and a master at capturing unique candid moments – later to be termed a “decisive moment.” He was also a co-founder of Magnum Photos. In 1952, Cartier-Bresson published a book of images that was titled in English, “The Decisive Moment.” It included a portfolio of …
Yosemite Moonbows
Moonbow and starry sky over Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California Yosemite National Park is a mecca for adventure and nature photography with its steep granite walls, lush meadows, alpine spires, and booming waterfalls. I’ve spent four decades exploring its unique features and it always feels like home whenever I return. But as with any well-loved location, it’s easy to find yourself in a creative quandary when it comes to seeking out new perspectives. With iconic landmarks around every turn, …
Playing on the Beach with Singh-Ray Filters
Winter is my favorite time to photograph the beautiful beaches of the West Coast. Recently I was able to get out for a two-night adventure to Second Beach in Olympic National Park in Washington. Second Beach is one of my favorite beaches in the world, and I was incredibly excited to hike on it again. I was there to film a new episode of my video series “Out in the Filed with Randall J Hodges”. I was hoping for great …
Photographing the Scottish Highlands with The Mor-Slo 10 Stop ND Filter
View PostPhotographing Pinnacles National Park With IPHONE 11 Pro Max And Singh-Ray Cell Phone Neutral Polarizer!
I decided to take a hike in Pinnacles National Park, which is located about 35 miles from my home along the east-side entrance of Highway 25. My main goal was to get in a good workout. I parked at the Western Visitor’s Center parking lot and headed up towards the Pinnacles High Peaks via the Condor Peaks Trail and returned down the Condor Gulch Trail. The total distance was 5.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,591 feet. Besides water …
Photographing the Night Sky at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve
Situated about 100 miles (driving miles) from Orlando, FL is Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. It is a favorite photography location of mine for my black and white panoramic images. The Preserve is also one of just two International Dark Sky Places in the Sunshine State – the other, Big Cypress National Preserve, sits further south near the River of Grass – the Florida Everglades. Overall, there are 120 recognized International Dark Sky Places worldwide. The International Dark Sky Places …
Where to next… and what should I bring?
For me, a lot of the fun of photography is picking which new area I want to go photograph. I’m spinning a virtual globe and searching for the next spot. Once I find that location, the real work begins looking for the spots I’ll visit when I arrive. A lot of that process is done prior to ever stepping off the airplane and actually seeing the place with my own eyes. Searching images, trail reviews and looking over Google Earth …
The long exposure as a creative tool
As a professional photographer, I’m always exploring creative techniques and how they can be used to create impact in my images. One of my favorite techniques is to use a long exposure to deliberately convey motion by creating a distinct contrast between moving and static elements in a scene. As exposure time lengthens, moving objects are transformed from sharp, static subjects into soft, blurred ones. If you can identify the movement patterns and direction of dynamic elements in your scene, …
Photoshop and six tools… with a video demonstration
Editor’s note: We are huge admirers of Cole’s work and have always wondered how he processed his memorable B&W images. Here Cole describes his process – and illustrates it with the video included in this article. Cole uses the Singh-Ray Vari-ND variable neutral density filter and our Mor-Slo 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-stop solid neutral density filters to help create many of his images. A friend and I were recently discussing how I process my images. I was trying to …
5 reasons why you should be using a circular polarizing filter
The sun sets through fog as seen from Fremont Peak State Park, San Benito County, California (Sony a7R II, Sony/Zeiss 24-70mm, f/22, 1/10th, ISO 100, Singh-Ray Neutral Polarizer) If you are serious about your landscape photography, there is one filter that should be on each lens in your bag – a polarizer! Why? Well, that is what I will discuss in this article. But first you need to understand that the one filter that cannot be re-created in post-processing is …
My 3-stop reverse graduated ND filter. An essential tool for shooting sunsets.
Typical graduated filters are darkest at one end, and gradually lighten up along the length of the filter. These are essential for any landscape photographer’s kit, and are commonly used when the sun is above the frame, for instance in the late afternoon. They help balance the exposure of a bright sky and a darker foreground scene. The problem with this filter when photographing sunsets, is that the frame is typically brightest towards the middle, or top third, of the frame, meaning …
Photographing moving water
Moving water – waterfalls, rivers, streams and surf – often presents unique challenges to the landscape photographer. The most common way to capture images of moving water is to use a slower shutter speed. But how slow should the shutter speed be? The answer largely depends on the effect you are looking for in the final image. I normally divide my approach to shooting moving water into these three desired effects: Silky Milky Textural The silky effect is generally a …
“All-in-camera, old school photography” with digital cameras, Part 1
“To Photoshop” or “not to Photoshop,” that is the question. Well, not really, but for an all-in-camera professional like myself, there really is no choice. I believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with Photoshop, Lightroom or any other post-processing techniques used to create images, as this is the accepted norm these days. In fact, I’m a fan of many professionals out there who post process their images and produce outstanding images using their post processing tools. I believe each individual …
New creative interpretations with slower exposure times
As the digital era has evolved and cameras are ubiquitous, there are more and more images of literally everything, to the point that sometimes people wonder if it’s possible to make a photograph that’s original. One of the reasons that I enjoy using Singh-Ray filters, such as the Mor-Slos and the Vari-ND is that I can transform what I see in front of me into my interpretation of it, rather than just a documentary-style image, while maintaining the highest possible …
“Cleanse your palette” Another approach to using solid neutral density filters
Solid neutral density filters – I use Singh-Ray Mor-Slo and George Lepp solid ND filters – have become increasingly popular the past few years. Their ability to increase exposure times from 1-stop to 20-stops (2x to, amazingly, more than 1,000,000x) helps to emphasize motion, thus adding a soft and ephemeral feel to moving elements such as waterfalls and clouds. However, there is another use for these filters beyond emphasizing motion, and that is to hide it. To soften detail. To …
Pursuing subtle
In this age of “in-your-face” visual imagery we have come to be enamored by explosive vibrancy. Images are designed with easily categorized subjects allowing the viewer the ability to quickly digest the visual message and then move on. In the realm of artistic endeavor this is becoming almost formulaic. While some fantastic images are the result, such design structuring can stifle one’s imagination. Creativity does not thrive in a box. Images that limit the viewer’s choices leave little for interpretation …
Colorado Fall Color Road Trip
Fall is one of my favorite times in Colorado. The temperature cools down, fresh snow coats the mountain peaks, and yellow stands of aspens line the mountain valleys. Right now, I am in the middle of a fall roadtrip photographing some of my favorite locations in Colorado. Fall color is spectacular this year. Not only are the aspens vibrant, but the scrub oak is flaming red and orange. Whenever I head into the field, I always bring my Singh-Ray filters …
Taking the Tetons From “cool” to “Wow!”
This past June I was asked to assist in teaching a photography workshop to 5 combat-wounded veterans, most of whom had no previous experience with a digital SLR camera. This workshop was part of a series of programs for combat-wounded veterans run by Honoring Our Veterans (https://www.honorvets.org/), based out of Jackson, WY. The goal of HOV is to improve the quality of life for combat-wounded veterans by offering them activities that strengthen their physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning. “It …
JEFF’S CORNER
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 …
“From Film to Digital – Singh-Ray Filters Have Stood the Test of Time”
Back in the days when I shot film Singh-Ray filters were an indispensable part of my technique that enabled me to control the light, balance dynamic range and give a little extra snap to every image. Fast forward to the digital age and the same still holds true. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of saying “I’ll just fix it in post”, but the truth is filters are every bit as important in the digital age as they were …
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 …
Rediscovering My Origins with Singh-Ray Filters in Hand
I was born in 1960 in Augsburg, Germany, just 15 years after World War II destroyed significant parts of this historic city. Augsburg’s origins go all the way back to two decades BC. It has survived the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages, Medieval Times, the Crusades, the Renaissance, the Industrial revolution, two devastating World Wars, and now the Technological Revolution. The city’s population is just a bit over a quarter million today, about 60,000 people more than when I lived …
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 …
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands, an exotic collection of mostly volcanic islands that seem to be stopped in time. They are a destination on most if not all photographers’ bucket lists, they were on mine. So, after shifting into a new phase of my career after spending almost 25 years at Sports Illustrated, when I was presented with the opportunity to travel to the Galapagos to help scout and develop a future photo expedition for Guy Harvey Outpost, I jumped at the chance. Since my …
JEFF’S CORNER
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. …
“From Film to Digital – Singh-Ray Filters Have Stood the Test of Time”
Back in the days when I shot film Singh-Ray filters were an indispensable part of my technique that enabled me to control the light, balance dynamic range and give a little extra snap to every image. Fast forward to the digital age and the same still holds true. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of saying “I’ll just fix it in post”, but the truth is filters are every bit as important in the digital age as they were …
Waterfall Polarizer
The Singh-Ray Bryan Hansel Waterfall Polarizer When photographing waterfalls, one of the popular looks is to make the water look silky. On the waterfall workshops I teach, it’s the most sought-after effect to learn. Photographers love the look and being able to achieve the silky look brings a smile to a photographer’s face. The look also changes the emotional impact of your shot. With the silky look, the image feels more peaceful and calming which is one of the emotions …
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 …
Rediscovering My Origins with Singh-Ray Filters in Hand
I was born in 1960 in Augsburg, Germany, just 15 years after World War II destroyed significant parts of this historic city. Augsburg’s origins go all the way back to two decades BC. It has survived the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages, Medieval Times, the Crusades, the Renaissance, the Industrial revolution, two devastating World Wars, and now the Technological Revolution. The city’s population is just a bit over a quarter million today, about 60,000 people more than when I lived …
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 …
Photographing Wildlife with Filters
I have a large selection of various Singh-Ray filters. Filters, to me, are about controlling light. When we think of using filters, most of us are thinking landscape photography. It just so happens that controlling light with filters is equally important when photographing wildlife. I use two filters when photographing wildlife: the Singh-Ray Polarizing Filter and the Hi-Lux Filter. Both have their value in different situations and both are necessary to optimize the image quality. There are two types of …
Working with a Polarizer in Namibia
Light isn’t always light. We often have those times when the light is pouring through the particulate matter of an urban landscape, the “stuff” in the air warping the air molecules into a huge “soft box.” Those early and late “golden hour” moments provide that magical light all photographers love to find – and use. Sometimes however, the light provided is less than perfect, or the sky hovering over the landscape is too “blown out” (too bright to be able …
The “Five-Stop Effect”
If you have thumbed through the pages of a photo magazine recently, chances are good you have seen the stunning effects created by ND filters. My palms start sweating when I see puffy clouds streaking across the sky. I know these clouds will look magical when I shoot at slow shutter speeds from 1-4 minutes using my 10- and 15-stop Singh-Ray Mor-Slo ND filters. Honestly, I look at clouds differently now knowing what transformative effects I can create using these filters. …
Working with a Polarizer in Namibia
Light isn’t always light. We often have those times when the light is pouring through the particulate matter of an urban landscape, the “stuff” in the air warping the air molecules into a huge “soft box.” Those early and late “golden hour” moments provide that magical light all photographers love to find – and use. Sometimes however, the light provided is less than perfect, or the sky hovering over the landscape is too “blown out” (too bright to be able …
Is There a Perfect Aperture for Landscape Photography?
The sun sets into Pacific Ocean fog as seen from Fremont Peak State Park, elevation 3,169 feet, Gabilan Mountain Range, California. Sony a7RII, Canon 11-24mm, f/16, 1/4th, 100 ISO. How often do you think about your aperture choice? There is an old saying amongst photojournalists: F/8 and be there! Many amateur landscape photographers seem to think f/16 is the popular choice. If one thinks about maximizing depth-of-field, then their thinking is correct. But when should one use f/22? Is that …
Random thoughts….
Ramblings from the White Mountains Just wrapped up a photography/camping trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire – and spent a lot of time roaming the White Mountains in exploration of the abundant photo opportunities. They are spread out, but so are many of the iconic areas, so this was nothing new to us. There were numerous waterfalls in the area and, if you head down to the Lakes Region, you’ll find countless lakes and reflections. I have two …
“All-in-camera, old school photography” with digital cameras, Part 3
In this third installment, I’d like to drill down further into the “Digital Rolls of Film” process that I rely on, show you a few images and explain the filters and settings I used to create each image entirely in the camera – with less than one minute each of post-processing time! Silver Falls in Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area in Oregon. F/22 @ 1 sec. -1 stop Exposure Compensation, ISO 50, 67mm with Singh-Ray LB Circular Warming Polarizer. …
Some tips and techniques from the “Last Frontier”
Editor’s note: We are pleased to welcome Jeff Schultz to our blog. Jeff has lived in Alaska for close to 40 years and conducts workshops and custom tours to many of his favorite locations throughout the state. Canon 5D Mark III with 16-35mm f4 lens at 19mm, f9 for 4 minutes ISO 400. Singh-Ray Mor-Slo 10-stop ND Filter and 3-stop, Hard-edge Galen Rowell ND Grad. Filter It! Being an old-school film photographer, I’ve always maintained that making the image the best I …
When the great becomes commonplace
I remember years ago, after submitting images for an article, a phone call from my editor. “Please… no more slot canyon shots. Please….” I was disappointed, but I understood. For several years after the slots got “discovered” by people with their new DSLRs, slot canyon and desert southwest images were all over the internet. That’s when the handwriting was on the wall, from what I could see. Images that were previously inaccessible to all but the most dedicated photographers and requiring specific, finely …
Tips For Better Wildflower Images – Part 2
Tip #6 – Auto ISO Most new digital cameras are now offering Auto ISO. I find, when photographing wildflowers and fighting a relentless breeze, that this feature can save the day and really allow me to concentrate on my composition. I first tried this feature last March in the hills of southern Washington. I was working on a sunset shoot with some Balsamroot and Lupine. I had envisioned catching a sun star as the sun lowered on a nearby hill. …
Tips For Better Wildflower Images – Part 1
Editor’s note: It’s flower time in many parts of the world now, so we thought these tips from Don Smith might be helpful – here is part one. Don’s essential tools for shooting wildflowers include his Singh-Ray warming and neutral polarizers. Many photographers also choose our ColorCombo Polarizer for flowers. One way or the other, a polarizer is a must-have creative tool for this type of photography. Sony a7R II, Sony/Zeiss 24-70mm, f/22, 1/30th ISO 800. Spring is in full bloom and …
Capturing the image you envision
Photographers now have more powerful tools available to them than ever before. Exciting new sensor technologies already up to 50+ megapixels. Lenses that can resolve the finest detail. Huge advances in the digital darkroom, such as the ability to easily blend multiple images using luminosity masks. With all these advances, where do filters fit in? In my photo tours and workshops I often hear “I can do that later in Photoshop.” Photoshop is certainly a powerful tool, but it can’t …