The Bosque del Apache workshop that I am co-leaing with Juan Pons and Chris Klaphke officially starts tonight. This morning we went on a scouting mission. Here are a few of my shots, along with some tips.

My gear: Canon EOS 7D and EOS 5D Mark II; Canon 100-400mm IS, Canon 400mm DO and Canon 24-105mm IS.

But first, if you are interested in our December 2012 Bosque del Apache workshop, shoot me an email.

Above: Get on site before sunrise. Expose for the highlights. Don't be afraid to boost your ISO; you can reduce the noise later in Lightroom or Photoshop.

Above: For dramatic blastoff shots, shoot with a 24-105mm lens. To add some color to the sky, use the User Defined Gradual Filter in Nik Color Efex Pro. To get a discount on Nik plug-ins, and to see what other plug-ins I use, click here.

Above: Experiment with the placement of the horizon line in the frame. To enhance the color in a scene, try the Spicify filter in Topaz Adjust. Info on Topaz on my Creative Plug-ins page along with Nik info.

Look up and watch out for falling bird poop! Got me. Photo by Juan Pons.

Above: Speaking of looking up. . . . Shoot straight up. Experiment with creative cropping in the digital darkroom. Usually, dead center is deadly. And, use AI Servo Focus to track birds in flight.

Above: Focus on the eye. If it's not well lit and in focus, you've missed the shot.

More shots to come.

For more photo tips, check out my apps.

Meeting the group in 1/2 hour. We will have a blast - even before the blastoff tomorrow morning.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Chis is our guest instructor. Check out his store for Outdoor Photo Gear.