Water World

We live on a planet that is 70% water. But photographing water can be a difficult subject. How do you shoot it, how do you expose for it, how do you portray the water as a moving, living thing?

There are no hard and fast answers to any of those questions. As with beauty, a successful water shot is in the eye of the beholder. But there are some tips that I want to pass along to you.

First, if you want to show the motion of the water you will need a slow shutter speed. How slow is always the next question, and the answer is "it depends." Generally a MINIMUM shutter speed of about 1/4 sec is required, and often a much longer shutter speed of a few seconds is needed to show the flow and movement. Always keep in mind that the slower the water moves, the slower your shutter speed needs to be if you want to show its motion. Fast moving water, especially when it is moving across your field of view, requires a shorter shutter speed than slow moving water that is moving either toward you or away from you.

Second, my preference for time of day is either early morning or late afternoon / evening. The light is generally softer and warmer than in the middle of the day, and that gives a more dramatic or romantic look to the image. This image was made about half an hour before the sun set behind the hillsides near the back end of this view. It was a clear day, so both the blue sky and the greenish-yellow leaves reflect nicely in the water.

Third, to maximize your chances of getting a slow enough shutter speed, it helps to set the ISO at 100. In very bright lighting situations you can use a neutral density filter to help you slow down the shutter speed when needed, but when shooting in the early morning or late afternoon you can generally get a slow enough shutter speed without resorting to any filters.

Fourth is lens choice. I generally use a wide angle zoom lens for moving water in streams and waterfalls. But you can use a telephoto zoom for closer shots of water moving around rocks or other details that you want to concentrate on.

So with these basic ideas you can go out and start creating some beautiful water-based images, or improve on the skills you already have.

TECH SPECS
0.3 sec (3/10s of a second) at f/22, ISO 100. Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS II on Canon 5D Mark II body. Gitzo tripod with Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "When life places stones in your path, be the water. A persistent drop of water will wear away even the hardest stone."  --Autumn Morning Star

Macro - Or Is It?

Macro of flowers allows you to create beautiful close-up images. But sometimes you might not have a macro lens with you, or might not even own one. Or perhaps a flower is too far away and you just can't get any closer. What do you do?

Easy - use a telephoto lens to bring the flower in close, as I did with this trillium. It might look like it was taken very close to the flower, but in fact it was more than 10 feet away from me and was shot with a 100-400mm lens set at 400mm.

It is always fun and educational to experiment with lenses that are not "supposed" to be used for a particular purpose. Generally a long telephoto zoom lens is used for wildlife, and a macro lens is used for close ups of flowers, insects and other small subjects. But be bold and experiment with your lenses to see what they can for you. You might just surprise yourself!

TECH SPECS
1/400 sec. at f/7.1, ISO 800. Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens set at 400mm on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."  --Ralph Waldo Emerson

An Unexpected Honor

You've seen this image before. I've posted it a couple of times since I was honored that it was selected for several different awards this year. And just this morning I received notification from the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) that it is showcased on the Home Page of their website. You can see it at this link  http://www.nanpa.org

It was a great honor to have it selected as one of NANPA's Top 100 images in its recent competition, and now again to be highlighted on its Home Page.

This image was shot aboard a small boat in the Inside Passage of Alaska on a moody, misty day. The action was fast and furious as the eagles zoomed in to catch fish. My entire group was mesmerized by the aerial acrobatics these imposing birds can achieve. I shot thousands of images over the course of the afternoon, and of all of those, this is my favorite.

The eagle is in sharp relief against the mist and dark trees. Its sharpness against the soft background really makes it pop.

You can read more about this image at this link
http://awakethelight.blogspot.com/2019/02/bragging-rights.html

I have been a NANPA member for quite awhile and find it to be a very worthwhile organization. It does many good things for its members, including offering free Webinars, plus workshops, scholarships, and more. If you are not familiar with NANPA, check it out.

TECH SPECS
1/1000 sec. at f/11, ISO 1600. Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens set at 140 mm on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails..."  -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from "The Hobbit."

Great Hair Day!

Funky. Punky. Shake it. Don't break it. This is a fun, unique, and maybe even artistic shot depending on your point of view.

This Great Egret in St. Augustine was sporting long, flowing breeding plumage when a light breeze came up and created this unusual "hair-do." I was lucky to be there at just the right time. It was also a stroke of luck that he was perched on a high branch with the clean, overcast sky as a backdrop.

When I took the shot I did not realize that it would become a favorite of mine from the trip. The high key look, with a white subject against a white sky, and the only touch of color being the slight tonality in the feathers plus the orange bill all combined to create a simple yet unique image with nice flow of the feathers.

You never know what will present itself when you go out shooting, so it is best to always be ready for whatever comes your way. It is best to be as comfortable as possible with your gear so that when the unexpected happens before your eyes, you can quickly lift the camera and get the shot.

The St. Augustine birds trip held a couple of weeks ago was so popular that I will be repeating it in March 2020. Dates are not firm yet, but it will be sometime during the last week in March. In addition there will be an extension available to photograph more birds in the Tampa Bay Area in early April. No commitment or payment is needed at this time, but if you are interested and want to get on the list, please email me as soon as possible. Once dates are firm I will contact you and you can register at that time.  For details on the recent trip, click on this link http://awakethelight.blogspot.com/2019/01/new-workshop-just-announced-floridas.html

TECH SPECS
1/1250 sec. at f/11, ISO 1600. Canon 7D Mark II body with Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens set at 400mm. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair."  --Khalil Gibran

More Fun With LensBaby Sol

It has been fun playing some more with the new LensBaby Sol 45. It is virtually weightless, so when shooting with it, your camera feels very light in your hands.

Generally I leave the sharp sweet spot in the center, but you can also move it around to place the sharpest area of your image higher, lower, left or right.

This image of orchids in a botanical gardens is sharp in the center of the main bloom, and the focus falls off beautifully toward the edges. The look of softness with the LensBaby is different from typical shallow depth of field. Because of the lens design, the sharp area is relatively small, so even portions of the image on the same plane of focus as the main focus point begin to soften and reduce sharpness.

I used the Gradient Filter in Lightroom to darken the corners so that more attention is focused on the main central bloom. I also boosted the saturation slightly to enhance the lavender color.

This LensBaby is great fun, and can stimulate creativity. I have enjoyed using it with a variety of subjects. It is so easy to use, and easy to get used to. It is also relatively inexpensive and is available at a great discounted price for my clients at this link to Hunt's Photo and Video
 https://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/searchresult.cfm?sortby=score%20desc&manufacturer=Lensbaby&criteria=sol%2045&startrow=1&sp=YgsZg 

TECH SPECS
1/125 sec. at f/3.5, ISO 100. LensBaby Sol 45 f/3.5 lens on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."  --Maya Angelou

First Look - LensBaby SOL 45

I was happy to have the opportunity to test the new LensBaby Sol 45 lens. It (plus the similar Sol 22 for mirrorless bodies) is the newest model in the LensBaby lineup. I had seen some images that a friend made with the Sol 22 and was very impressed, so I wanted to check out the Sol 45 (on my DSLR) for myself. I brought it along on my recent Florida travels, and had an opportunity to put it through it paces.

Because it is simpler to use than other LensBaby options, and is priced lower, I did not have high expectations. Boy was I wrong. I was very pleasantly surprised to see how wonderful a lens it is.

Like other LensBaby options, it has a sharp area (that you can move around as you wish), and softens all the other areas outside of the sharp "sweet spot." That provides an artistic look that I really like.

The three examples above show you how well it works with a variety of subjects. Initially I thought it would be best for flowers, but in using it I found it was great with other subjects as well.

The top image was shot at the entrance to Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. It did a super job of rendering the central architectural details razor sharp. In fact the sharpness of this lens is much better than I expected, which made me very happy. There was no mushiness or loss of detail in the sharp sweet spot.

The middle image was shot of an iris planted along a public walkway. The light background is the sidewalk, and I love the way the lens retained the beauty of the flower, while allowing everything around it to be rendered progressively softer.

The bottom image was of a mock-up of a 17th century rifle, and once again the sharp sweet shot is beautifully clear while the surrounding areas are much softer, giving an old world feel.

So three very different subjects, all portrayed beautifully with a bit of an artistic flair by the LensBaby Sol 45.

As I mentioned, the Sol 45 is for DSLR bodies, and the Sol 22 is for mirrorless bodies. Each has a fixed aperture of f/3.5, and the lens must be focused manually, but focus is quick and easy.

Gary Farber, at Hunt's Photo and Video is running a special discount on both the Sol 45 and the Sol 22 for my clients. If this type of lens appeals to you, click on this link for special pricing  https://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/searchresult.cfm?sortby=score%20desc&manufacturer=Lensbaby&criteria=sol%2045&startrow=1&sp=YgsZg

As always, Hunt's offers Free Shipping and an easy-going staff of helpful people.

TECH SPECS
Building - 1/1250 sec. at f/3.5, ISO 400 on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.
Flower - 1/2000 sec. at f/3.5, ISO 200 on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.
Rifle - 1/1600 sec. at f/3.5, ISO 200 on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Life inevitably throws us curve balls that remind us to expect the unexpected."  --Carre Otis

Peek-a-Boo

The St. Augustine, Florida birds workshop has just ended, and what a trip! The variety of shooting options was huge, given the relatively small area that the rookery occupies. Birds certainly maximize their use of space.

By special arrangement, photographers are able to enter the area an hour before the place opens to the public, and can stay after it closes until sunset. That provides greater opportunities for shooting and more freedom of movement with no crowds to deal with.

This Great Egret was sporting its bright green mating eye-patch and was showing off its huge wings. These are beautiful birds who strike lovely poses as they fly or land gently in the trees. I happened to catch this view of a forward wing sweep, which covered a portion of the eye and created a feeling of shyness.

This image is cropped from the original since I wanted all attention to be on the wings and the eye. When photographing birds, you need a quick response time to capture movement since things change radically from one moment to the next. Rapid Burst mode on the shutter, and Continuous Focus (also called AI Servo) for autofocus helps to capture unique moments.

Using the Highlights slider in Lightroom, my favorite software for refining images, helped to bring out the detail in the bright whites of the wings.

TECH SPECS
1/1250 sec. at f/5, ISO 1600. Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens set at 227mm on Canon 7D Mark II body. Handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Birds are a miracle because they prove to us there is a finer, simpler state of being which we may strive to attain."  -- Douglas Coupland

Aerial Ballet

The Florida Birds workshop in St. Augustine is well underway, and has been going wonderfully well. A great group of highly motivated and excellent photographers is here with me, and we have been having a blast. The bird activity has been beyond spectacular, with breeding pairs of Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Wood Storks all around us. The action has been fast and furious, and everyone has come away with superb images.

Today's featured image is a roseate spoonbill in flight. They are not the most beautiful birds when stationary, but when flying, their wings create some lovely ballet-like moves.

When shooting birds in flight, it is important to do four things:
- set your camera to Shutter Priority,
- use a shutter speed of no slower than 1/1250 sec.
- use Continuous Focus (also called AI Servo on some cameras),
- and set your shutter to Rapid Burst.

Mastering those things will quickly move your bird photography to a much higher level.

TECH SPECS
1/1250 sec at f/5, ISO 1600. Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens set at 200mm on Canon 7D Mark II body, handheld.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." --Helen Keller

Swirling Twirling Fun

Today's image is a fun technique. It has been around for awhile, but I have recently started playing with it, and it is really fun and easy.

You can start with any image. It really doesn't matter because the end result is COMPLETELY different from where you started. Here is the image I started with.

BEFORE

You never know how the colors or shapes are going to turn out, and that is part of the fun. This technique works best in Photoshop. It takes just a few steps to create a unique abstract work of art. Here are the basic steps, but feel free to experiment once you have done the basics.
Ready? Here is all you do.




1.  Open an image in Photoshop

2. Go to Filter > Pixelate > Mezzotint. Make sure the Mode is set to "Medium Lines." Click OK.

3. Now go to Filter > Blur > Radial Blur. Amount 100, Blur Method "zoom," Quality "best." Click OK.

4. Repeat the Radial Blur step above as many times as you like. I have been doing it 3 times.

5. Now, make a duplicate layer of the Background Layer. The keyboard shortcut on a Mac is to press and hold the Command key and then press the letter "J." On a PC press and hold the Control key and then press the letter "J." This duplicate layer will most likely be automatically named "Layer 1."

6. Now that you have 2 identical layers, click on the original Background layer in your Layers Palette. Go to Filter > Distort > Twirl. In the Angle number box, enter a positive number anywhere between about 80 to 200. You can also set the number by sliding the pointer to the right to obtain the positive number of your choosing. Click OK. (You will not see the effect of what you have just done unless you turn off the "eyeball" in the Layers Palette of the duplicate layer above this layer.)

7. Now click on the duplicate layer (Layer 1) that you made a few moments ago. Go to  Filter > Distort > Twirl. In the Angle number box, enter a negative number similar to the positive number you entered for the Background layer. You can also set the number by sliding the pointer to the left to obtain the negative number of your choosing. Click OK.

8. With the duplicate layer still selected, you will now change the Blending Mode. This is a very powerful tool and you will be excited to see the results. To activate Blending Mode. look for the word "Normal" in the Layers Palette a little above your duplicate layer (Layer1). Click on the tiny arrow next to "Normal" and a drop down box will appear. Click on each option in the drop down box one at a time and watch the magic happen! Choose the Blending Mode that appeals to you most. One Blending Mode might be best for the image you are working on now, but another one might better for other images in the future. Be creative and choose the one that you like best with each particular image.

9. When you have found and selected the Blending Mode you like best, you can either flatten the image and be done, OR you can continue to experiment and play by rotating one layer or the other to see what effects occur. You can also experiment with flipping one layer or the other and using Blending Mode again to see what happens.

10. For finishing touches, you can saturate the colors more, crop, convert to black and white, or whatever you feel each image needs.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The true method of knowledge is experiment."  --William Blake

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Bragging Rights

I was thrilled and honored to have been named one of the Top 10 Professional Photographers Of The Year in the state of Virginia for 2019. In addition, the top image above was chosen as the Best Animal Image of 2019 at the annual professional photographers of Virginia competition.

The bald eagle image was shot from a private boat in the Inside Passage of Alaska last summer. It was a foggy gray day, with mist hanging in the valleys. We watched eagles for hours, fascinated by their aerial acrobatics as they took aim and grabbed fish in the clear, cold waters.

This kind of shooting requires a large supply of memory cards, and using Rapid Burst to capture a wide variety of images in a short period of time. The wing and body positions change constantly, so shooting with Rapid Burst gives you a much better chance of capturing a compelling shot. It is amazing how quickly these skillful hunters swoop and dive.

The other images shown are the other ones accepted into this competition. Under the eagle image, from left to right, are two Sandhill Cranes shot with a slow shutter speed for an artistic effect, a feather found on an Alaska beach (shot as I found it - I did not move the feather or add the rock), photographers photographing a brown bear in Alaska, and a water droplet on an Alaska iceberg.

All images were optimized in Lightroom, and no special effects or filters or other software was used.

As you may already know, the eagle image, titled "Eyes On The Prize," was also selected as one of the Top 100 images of the year by the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA).

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Success comes from hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do."  -- Pele