4 of my 8 January 2012 FL Events Are Free!

My Florida Photo Caravan begins with a special shoot: Horses on the Beach.

I have eight events schedule for January 2012. I hope you can join one . . . or two!


St. Augustine
Free Seminar - Exploring the Light. Not part of the Photo Caravan.
January 21 – 4 - 6 PM
Hilton Garden Inn
401 A1A Beach Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL
Register by email

Lots of birds to photograph at Merritt Island.
Four Florida Locations on My Photo Caravan!
January 21 - 28 (Welcome Dinner for Workshop Group Only 7 PM)
St. Augustine, Merritt Island, Delray Beach, South Beach
Click here for info. Only 2 spots open.

Cool HDR photo opportunities in South Beach.
Ft. Laurderdale
Free Seminar - The Camera Looks Both Ways (People Photography)
February 1 - 7:30 to 9:30 PM
ArtServe
1350 East Sunrise Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Register by email

Master HDR on my workshop.
Delray Beach
Digital Delray Days
January 30, January 31 and February 3
Colony Hotel
595 East Atlantic Ave
Delray Beach, FL
Click here for info
Orlando
Seminar and Workshop
February 4 - 5
See poster at the end of this post.
Click here to register.

Tampa
Free Seminar. People photography: Lighting and Photo Philosophies
February 6. 
7 to 9 PM. Doors open at 6 PM for book signing.
Hilton Garden Inn
Tampa Northwest/Oldsmar
4052 Tampa Road
Oldsmar, FL 34677 

Email to register.

Need a hotel room at a discount? Use this code - Sammon Seminar -  at the Hilton.


Oldsmar 
Rick's On-location and In-Studio Lighting 
 February 7 and 8
Produced by Dave Cross workshops. Yes! Dave will be there, too!


Vero Beach
February 11
Seminar and Book Signing 10 - 3
Indian River Photo Club
Address:
Kight Center (V-Building ~ On 35th Street On Campus)
     Indian River State College
     3209 Virginia Avenue
     Fort Pierce, FL  34981
Email to register and then just show up!

I hope to see you in the Sunshine State. If not, click here for my other USA workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. For my Florida Photo Caravan and Digital Delray Days, you need Photomatix or HDR Efex Pro. Get a discount here.

Give the Gift of Tough Love - Get a Book With Loving Photo Advice

in
 Photograph © Rick Sammon

Several months ago, I started Tough Love portfolio reviews/business advice sessions. Here's the link to my original post. Check out the comments while you are there.


Don't worry, I will not beat you over the head with advice :-)


In case you missed it, if you live in the US, I'll send you an autographed copy of my favorite book, Exploring the Light.



Hope to see you - or a loved one - on line.


Explore the light,
Rick 
 

What's Your Favorite National Park - and Why?

in , , , , , , ,
Bryce Canyon National Park. © Rick Sammon
I'm on a National Park kick today. I was just wondering: What is your favorite National Park - and why?

Post a comment in the Comments section here on my blog. I - and other blog followers/National Park lovers - would love to hear your thoughts. What's more, if you have pictures, include a specific link. Share and share alike.

Mt. Rainier National Park. © Rick Sammon 
Explore the light - and explore the wonders and beauty of our National Parks.

Zion National Park. © Rick Sammon
Arches National Park. © Rick Sammon
If you enjoy or parks, and want to help preserve them, check out the National Parks Conservation Association.



All the photographs in the post were taken with my Canon digital SLRs and Canon lenses. See my Gear page for info. Enjoy the weekend!
Rick

P.S. If all these pictures look sharp, it's because I sharpened them with Nik Software's Sharpener Pro. You can get a 15% discount on all Nik Software if upon check out you use this code: RSAMMON.

Friday's Fab Photographer: Laurie Rubin

in , ,
It's Friday - time for another Friday's Fab Photographer here on my blog. This week, the fab Laurie Rubin. For past Fab Photographers, type Friday's Fab Photographer in the search window of my blog.


Take it away, Laurie.


As the Education Project Manager for Nik Software, I get the privilege to demonstrate our award winning software and work with some of the giants in our industry (including Rick Sammon). 


Nature photography is a passion of mine and I seek to capture the moment that speaks to me and hopefully to my viewers. In particular, I look for behavior in animals that express emotion or action.  The key is to find the "story" in an image and not just take a snapshot because it is there. An intense connection between the animal or landscape that I am photographing sometimes just takes my breath away.  


For example, there have been times when I've photographed a lion or bird and they are as intense and interested in me as I am in them. When the sky opens up and the light falls on a single tree in a forest or when there is the perfect light, pose or a behavior that is evoked that I couldn't have choreographed if I had planned it are the types of moments I seek.
I recently returned from a trip to Africa where I was able to experience the vast landscapes and animals in Kenya. From the elephant herds dusting themselves in Amboseli to the crossing at the Mara River, it was an incredible experience that will change me forever as a photographer and as a person.

Above:
The herds in Africa are amazing and getting the environment in the shot is important. I tend to focus in on my subject, so being reminded to include the landscapes in some of my images helps to show the place and time.


Above:
Being able to position yourself so that the herds were walking toward you is key to getting an interesting photograph. Having an experienced guide with you makes all the difference!


Above:
Animals such as lions tend to sleep most of the day, so it takes a lot of patience to hang around to capture that special moment. In this image, it was beginning to rain, so the lions took shelter under the bushes. The rain helps to bring out the saturation of dark green the background.


Above:
Capturing special moments such as a rainbow with animals and interesting clouds was a real treat. This can also be a photographic challenge when you have the bright sun and deep shadows. Something that I learned on this trip was to overexpose by 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop to bring up the details in the shadows. You can also use software such as Viveza 2 and the Shadow Adjustment with Control Points to selectively enhance certain areas of your image. Detail Extractor, one of the new filters in Color Efex Pro 4, helps to bring out the details in the clouds and the colors of the rainbow.


Above: 
Isolating your subject can create an interesting image. Often times the animals will be grouped together, so again, patience is the key to getting that shot. You will be rewarded more often times than not by taking a few more minutes to wait and see what unfolds before you.


- Laurie A. Rubin, Education Project Manager, Nik Software.


• • • • •

Laurie A. Rubin is an award-winning photographer specializing in nature and landscape photography. 

As the Education Project Manager for Nik Software, the makers of award-winning software for photographers, Laurie oversees all of Nik’s acclaimed live Guest and Master training webinars and is responsible for creating and coordinating educational content and projects. 

Laurie teaches a number of Master Classes and Seminars herself on enhancing landscape and wildlife images, and co-hosts guest webinars. Her passion for photography and sharing with others, skill behind the camera and vast post-processing experience in the “digital darkroom” makes her a sought out favorite for educational webinars and seminars.

"Photography is art - whether it is realistic or artistic, it is your vision, what you saw at that moment. You can choose to leave it as is, or enhance it to bring out the feeling of the moment. The choice is yours." 

- Laurie A. Rubin, Education Project Manager, Nik Software
www.imagesbylaurie.com

• • • • • 

Thank you, Laurie!

Readers: You can get a 15% discount on all Nik Software if upon check out you use this code: RSAMMON.