My First Shoot at the Black Hills Photo Shootout

September 28, 2012 in Canon 5D Mark III, Landscape Photography, photo workshops. black hills photo shootout

I arrived yesterday here in Spearfish, South Dakota for the Black Hills Photo Shootout, where I am the keynote speaker tonight.

Early this morning, Les Voorhis and Jason Hahan, organizers of the event and two of the talented instructors on the shootout, took me to Spearfish Canyon for quickie photo shoot. Hey, they don't call me the "shoot and scoot" photographer for nothing!

Les and I are doing a waterfalls, HDR and cowboy photography workshop next year. Shoot me an email for info.

What a location. What light. What wonderful photo ops. What nice guys.

My first thought: I need to come back here and spend some time.

Above is a quick "jump out of the car and shoot" shot.

All the images this post are 5D Mark III in-camera HDR images. The shot above is a hand-held HDR that I grabbed on the way to breakfast.

I need to give Les 75 percent of the credit for the first two photos and the photo below, because he invited me to the Shootout, took me to the locations, and loaned me his tripod. Thanks Les!

I hope to post more pictures here from the Shootout. Stay tuned.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Left is the average exposure for the scene and right is the Canon 5D Mark III HDR image. Kinda amazing that technology can do for us! For more on HDR see my iHDR app on my Apps page. I also teach HDR on my photography workshops.

Junkyard Shots From My Canada Workshop

September 23, 2012 in Canon 5D Mark III, HDR, Snapeed, photo tours, photo workshops

Today was day two of my photo event up here in Canada with The Photographer's Lounge, which is headed up by my friend Kevin Pepper. What fun.

We took our workshop students to a junkyard for an HDR and model shoot. Afterward, we had a quick download and review session. We were assisted throughout the day by our mutual friend Tom Baker, known for his wonderful HDR work.

We focused on making pictures, rather the just on taking pictures.

Here are a few my favorite shots, all of which were processed with a touch of Nik's Snapseed.

We'll be using Snapseed, and other Nik plug-ins, on the images we take on my Coney Island Photo Walk next month.

Morgan Oldershaw was our model for the shoot. Thanks, Morgan, for being such a good model - and sport.

Above is an in-camera HDR image I captured with my Canon 5D Mark III.

Above is another Canon 5D Mark III in-camera HDR image. Both images were hand-held.

For more in HDR, check out my app, Rick Sammon's iHDR.

At the beginning of the workshop I suggested to the workshop participants that they try to "tell the whole story" of the junkyard. Taking close-ups and focusing on details and patterns helps achieve that goal. This photograph illustrates a composition technique: rule of odds. I talk about that and other rules in my latest Kelby Training class: Composition, the strongest way of seeing.

Kevin and I hope to see you on one of our workshop. Good photo ops, good people, good image process . . . and good fun!

All my events are listed on my facebook events page.

If you were on the workshop, please share your photographs on my workshop photos page. In fact, if you have been on any of my workshop, please share your photographs on that page.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. My next Junkyard shoot is in Atlanta with my friend Glenn Taylor.

I'm Saddling Up for the Black Hills Photo Shootout

September 20, 2012

I can't wait to start shooting - pictures, that is - at the Black Hills Photo Shootout next week. I'm also looking forward to my keynote presentation.

I have not been to the area, but I have photographed cowboys, which is just one of the workshops at the event.

If you can't make the shootout, here are some tips for photographing cowboys.

When you think you are close, get closer. The closer you are to the subject, the more intimate the portrait becomes.

Take a picture that tells a story, and remember that the background can help to tell the story, and establish a sense of place.

Cowboys often ride off into the sunset. Shoot during sunset and sunrise for dramatic images. Expose for the highlights. Check your Highlight Alert to make sure highlights are not overexposed and washed out.

Use reflectors to fill in shadows, as illustrated in the photograph below. That's me on the right in the photo above.

Yes! These tips works for cowgirls, too!

Make pictures. All these pictures were made on my workshops. They are all set-up shots . . . that took some time to set up.

Explore the light,
Rick

My Apps Don't "Do" Anything - except make you a better digital SLR photographer

September 20, 2012 in iPad and iPhone apps

Many people ask me, "What do your Rick Sammon apps do?"

I say, with a smile, they don't "do" anything, such as enhancing an image you take with an iPhone. They do, however, offer tons of tips, tricks and techniques - with text, photos and videos - that will make someone a better digital SLR photographer. That goes for outdoor, nature, HDR, studio and HDR photographers. Basically, they are interactive e-books that make learning fast and easy - as well as affordable.

So if you need some digital SLR photo advice that you can take anywhere with you, check out my apps.

As you'll see, I like to make learning fun.

Explore the light,
Rick

Mike Cullivan: A Day at the Races

September 20, 2012 in action photography, sailboat races, salilboats

After having the very best lobster dinner with my good friends Mike and Linda Cullivan in Maine last week, Mike shared a few of his recent favorite photographs.

Mike says about the images: The sailing photos were taken at the 23rd Annual Great Chase Yacht Race in Quincy Bay, Mass. Ninety-five boats started the race and 83 finished. Twenty to 30 mph winds, with gusts to 35 mph, eliminated some of the boats. I was in a 25' power boat in three-foot choppy waves for about three hours and managed to get a few nice photos. Image stabilization sure did help get tack-sharp shots.