Day 2: Six Days of Africa Photo Safari Tips

Today is the second day of a series here on my blog: Six Days of Africa Photo Safari Tips.

I'm running this series in preparation for my 2014 Kenya/Tanzania Photo Safari, which is listed on my 2014 Workshops page.

Today's tip: Go wide.

First-time Africa photo safari photographers often focus on getting super close-ups of the animals with super-telephoto lenses, and subsequently don't take wide-angle shots.

Taking wide-angle shots on your photo safari is important. These shots give a "sense of place" to your photographs - and for sure add interest to your slide shows. After all, you can take close-ups of lions and giraffes in a wildlife park or zoo. Right?

Of course, you can also take "sense a place" photographs with a telephoto lens - as long as you include the surrounding area in the frame. Just shoot wide, and don't fill the frame with the subject.

Lenses used for these photographs:
Lone giraffe - Canon 24-105mm IS
Elephant and elephants passing safari vehicle – Canon 17-40mm
Several giraffes - Canon 100-400mm IS
Safari guide – Canon 15mm lens

You can read about these lenses on My Gear page.

Getting back to telling the story, pictures of wild animals and beautiful landscapes are not the only pictures that tell the story of your photo safari. Behind-the-scenes shots do that, too.

Behind-the-scenes pictures also bring back memories of your long safari drives and time with your guide - and how close the animals actually come your safari vehicle.

I hope to see you on a photo safari or on any of my workshops. I'm there to help you make great pictures and process your images.

If you like the composition of the photographs in this post, and if you want to learn how to make the best possible exposure, check out my Kelby Training Classes on my On-Line Classes page.

If you like stuff like this, you can subscribe to my blog here.

Explore the light,
Rick

This post sponsored by Borrow lenses - which rents all the lenses you'll need on a photo safari. Back-up cameras, too.

Learn Digital Photography From Start to Finish on My 2014 Florida Photo Caravan

Sizzling South Beach at night.

The dates are set for my 4ths annual Photo Caravan, which starts in historic St. Augustine and ends in sizzling South Beach.

Dates: January 24 - 30, 2014. Cost is $950. Max number of photographers: 10.

You'll learn about: HDR, fill-flash, people photography, landscape and seascape photography, bird photography, sunrise and sunset photography, action photography, Photoshop, plug-ins, close-up photography, indoor photography, nighttime photography, reflectors and diffusers . . .  and more.

A cool HDR shot from the cool Colony Hotel in Delray Beach.

Speaking of HDR, above is my favorite HDR image from the workshop, inspired by workshop participant's Bob Sherman's idea. Thank you, Bob!

Close-up photography at Butterfly World is on the schedule, too.

We'll also cover composition and lighting.

Making vs. taking pictures is also on the agenda.

I'll help you with your people photography, natural light, fill-flash and HDR.

If you want to learn digital photography from start to finish - with a wide variety of cool subjects, shot in awesome locations (St. Augustine, Merritt Island, Delray Beach and  South Beach), this workshop is for you!

A favorite shot from Butterfly World.

FYI: There is no fee for non-photographer spouses. So bring your loved one.

Lots of photo ops in beautiful St. Augustine.

I hope to see you in sunny Florida!

See my 2014 Workshops page for more info and to register.

Explore the light,
Rick

This post sponsored by Adorama - great gear at great prices.

Announcing My January 2014 Tampa Action Photography Weekend Workshop

Photograph by Rick Sammon.

If you love fast-paced action photography and photographing the beauty of subjects in motion, please join me or my first Action Photography Weekend Workshop in Tampa, Florida, January 17 to 19, 2014.

Photograph by Kathy Porupski.

The workshop is designed to challenge photographers to capture creative images of fast- moving subjects. Participants will need to think fast and shoot smart.

Photograph by Jim Sykes.

I am working with my friend and local shooter Kathy Porupski to set up unique locations and special access to speeding motocross bikes, twirling dancers and running horses. Another friend and local shooter, Jim Sykes, will also be on hand to help us set up wonderful images like the one directly above.

I will be on hand to offer tips for capturing and processing high-impact images - like the one above. Kinda cool, don't ya think?

The weekend will include shooting sessions, post-processing sessions and a group slide show – plus tons of fun!

For more information and to sign up for this action-packed workshop, see my 2014 Workshops page.

Explore the light,
Rick

You Can't Have More Fun On a Workshop - while learning the art and craft of photography

Here's the thing about my digital photography workshops: we have a ton of fun making pictures and processing our images. We also have a blast before and after the official shoots.

Don't get me wrong. We take our photography very, very seriously, but as my friend Hal "Bull" Schmitt says: "If you're not having fun, you are doing something wrong."

What's more, the photographers - at all skill levels - who come on my workshops, leave the workshops not only with good pictures, but with new good friends.

My 2013 digital photography workshops - which I have been organizing fore more than 20 years - are filling up fast. And I'm putting together my 2014 workshops. If you want to immerse yourself in photography for a few days, these experiences can't be beat.

If you come on a workshop, you'll hear me say: "Stick like glue to the instructor." I'm there to help you every step of the way!

Above: This is what I'm talking about. It's our group shot from my Oregon Coast Photo Caravan.

If you have any questions about my workshops, shoot me an email.

Explore the light,
Rick

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Conwy Valley, North Wales Photo Walk/Workshop

Photograph by Rick Sammon

I hope you can join me in the Conwy Valley, North Wales November 5 and 6, 2013 for a free  - yes free - photo walk and mini-workshop. (The walk and workshop are free. All other costs are on your own.)

New news: The event sold out in a few hours, but you can get on the waiting list. Info below.

I photographed in this picturesque valley (about an hour from Manchester) last year, where I made my photographs in this post. We also made a few videos during our trip. Check 'em out.

The other photographs in this post were made by my friend and local photographer Pierino Algieri, who will be co-leading the walk/workshop with me. Pierino's wonderful work can be found on his web site. I can't wait to shoot with him again!

Shoot me an email if your are interested in joining our small group of photographers. Please copy my contact in Conwy, Anthony Woodhouse. Anthony will put you on the list and send you follow up info.

Photograph by Pierino Algieri.

We'll be staying at the Meadow Sweet Hotel - which is one of my favorites hotels on the planet. You can contact the hotel at: info@meadowsweethotel.com. The hotel is within walking distance of the bridge and cottage in the photograph above.

Photograph by Rick Sammon

We'll try to find the white horses of North Wales, but I can't promise. We will photograph the castles and old churches, where I'll teach HDR.

Photograph by Rick Sammon

We'll trek through the countryside, where we will photograph wonderful waterfalls - and even double waterfalls. Pierino and I will show you how to get great shots at slow shutter speeds.

Photography by Rick Sammon

I hope to see you on the other side of the pond (or on your side if you are coming from Europe).

Photograph by Rick Sammon

Photograph by Pierino Algieri.

Gear Recos:
Canon 17-40mm lens
Canon 24-105mm IS lens
Tiffen 2-8 Stop ND Filter
Tiffen Polarizing Filter
Sturdy Tripod
HDR Processing Program, listed on my Save on Plug-ins page.

Take a pre-workshop of sorts – on line. Check out my Kelby Training classes.

All my workshops are listed on my Workshops page.

This trip is supported by the above organizations.

Explore the light,
Rick

This post sponsored by x-rite. X-Rite is the global leader in color science and technology. The Company develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services.

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Atlanta Digital Photography Workshop Wrap-up: Making Images in Yesteryear

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. HDR image created in Nik HDR Efex Pro. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

Last week at this time I was leading my Atlanta digital photography workshop with my good friend/excellent photographer/Lightroom master Glenn Taylor. We brought our talented workshop participants to two cool locations around Atlanta, Georgia: The South East Railway Museum and Old Car City. These locations are simply amazing for photography - especially HDR photography.

Although we were using the latest digital SLRs (I shot with my Canon 5D Mark III) and current versions of Photoshop and Lightroom, I felt as though I shooting back in time - in yesteryear.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 15mm lens. HDR image created in Nik HDR Efex Pro. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

The workshops was so rewarding that Glenn and I have already set the dates for our 2014 Atlanta workshop. Info on my 2014 Workshops page.

For now, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite images from the shoot.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

I removed some of the reality from my images in this post either by using a fish-eye lens, by altering the true color of a scene, by shooting HDR, by selectively blurring parts of an image - or by using a combination of all three techniques.

When we remove some of the reality from a photograph, the photograph can - but not always - look more artistic. Photoshop, Lightroom and plug-ins make creating artistic images relatively easy - if you have a creative vision.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 24-70mm lens. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

On my workshops I stress light and composition, the topics of my two latest classes on Kelby Training. The picture above of our model Hanna illustrates the benefits of shooting on an overcast day, when contrast is low. It also illustrates creative composition: shooting at an angle creates a sense of depth in an image, the Bel Air insignia adds a sense of place to the image, and shooting at eye level helps the viewer of the photograph relate to the subject.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

Another element of photography we talk about on my workshops is the importance of cropping. In the above photograph, the extremely tight crop (I know it's extreme) emphasizes the fins and tail lights of this cool Caddy.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40mm lens. Effects added with Nik Color Effects Pro. Several Photoshop CS6 enhancements.

Yes, the railway cars and old automobiles were awesome subjects. But hey, I especially enjoy photographing people on location. That is why I was so glad we had a great model. Thank you Hanna for doing such a wonderful job.

As you can see by reading the captions in this post, I did not use a ton of gear on this shoot: one Canon 5D Mark III camera body, three Canon lenses and a travel tripod. As usual, I like to keep it simple, and I recommend keeping it simple when you shoot. 

All my gear is listed on My Gear page - where you can find great prices on cameras and lenses.

When it comes to plug-ins, they can help you awaken the artist within. Check out the ones I use on my Save on Plug-ins page.

I hope to see you on a workshop - where we not only make good pictures, but where we also have a ton of fun. If you can't wait until 2014, there are spots open on a few of my 2013 workshops.

And speaking of making good pictures, check out some of the workshop participants images here.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. The opening image for this post is my favorite from the shoot. See what people are saying about it over on Google+.

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Light Illuminates, Shadows Define

Light Illuminates, Shadows Define. That about says it all.

Except: Composition is the strongest way of seeing.

That's what I was talking about today on my Death Valley workshop.

If you want to learn more about light and composition, check out my on-line classes at Kelby Training.

Explore the light,
Rick