Lightning storms capture the attention of just about everyone. Bolts catapulted through the sky are spectacular to view and dangerous to be too close to. While most prefer to view grand shows of lightning from the safety of their abodes, some of us chase the radar in pursuit of the perfect scene against the perfect storm. Though lightning contrasts dramatically against the night time sky, my preference is the appearance of lightning at dusk. The lightning becomes a part of the …
The Story Behind “Melting Giants”
I was photographing in Nova Scotia when someone told me that Newfoundland to the north had icebergs. I have always been fascinated with icebergs (I think most people are) and so I decided that my next trip would be hunting icebergs in Newfoundland. I say “hunt” because I was warned that icebergs were unpredictable and inconsistent. One year you may see many and the next yearâŚnone. You just have to go and hope that you’ll be lucky. I prepare for each …
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 isnât always light. We often have those times when the light is pouring through the particulate matter of an urban landscape, the âstuffâ in the air warping the air molecules into a huge âsoft box.â Those early and late âgolden hourâ moments provide that magical light all photographers love to find â and use. Sometimes however, the light provided is less than perfect, or the sky hovering over the landscape is too âblown outâ (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 …
Using the reverse graduated neutral density filter
I’m a firm believer that if you do as much as possible in the camera when you capture an image, it will lead to the best image. Even if we love post-processing work, getting the best exposure on an image allows us to use our software as a creative tool – not a “fix-it” tool. Thatâs why I carry a complete selection of Singh-Ray filters for the types of shooting I do. Different filters help me in various tough lighting …
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, youâll find countless lakes and reflections. I have two …
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. âPlease⌠no more slot canyon shots. PleaseâŚ.â I was disappointed, but I understood. For several years after the slots got âdiscoveredâ by people with their new DSLRs, slot canyon and desert southwest images were all over the internet. Thatâs 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 …
Polarizers, how they work, when and how to use them…
Editor’s note: This is an updated article on polarization that E.J. originally wrote for the Singh-Ray blog several years ago. The spring and summer are definitely times you want to have your polarizer with you, so we thought this might be helpful. Polarizing filters are one of the most misunderstood areas of photography that I encounter while teaching and moderating online technical forums on photography. It seems that only flash photography is more misunderstood in my classes and workshops. There …