A Tribute to David Stoecklein - by Jason Whitman

On November 10, 2014, the world of photography lost a legend. David Stoecklein was certainly one of the finest photographers to have striven to capture the spirit of the American West with his camera. If you are a fan of the American West, you have probably seen his work.

While David was a world-class artist and Canon Explorer of Light, he loved to share his knowledge with students of his workshops at his ranch in Mackay, ID. I had the privilege of taking one of these workshops in June of 2014 and in November 7-9, 2014.

I want to share some of the images I captured and edited as I feel they honor what he taught me and they faithfully capture the spirit of the American West.

Opening image: This is a photograph of Mike Seal, a close friend of David’s and a true Idaho cowboy. This is one of my favorite edits in my portfolio.

Above: This is my favorite image from our American flag series.

Above: Nothing speaks to the spirit of the west like horses running free.

Above: An appropriate image for this tribute: Jack riding over the hill in the Big Lost Country in central Idaho.

The final image I am sharing is called "Memorial."

Although David is gone, his legendary photography will live on, both his work behind the lens and instructing those who love to photograph the west. His wife, Mary, and sons plan to continue his photographic workshops, and I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Seeking to Capture the Spirit of the West,
Jason Whitman

http://www.jasonwhitmanphoto.com

http://www.facebook.com/jwhitmanphoto

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Westcott Shoot-and-Scoot Weekend

 Click to enlarge images.

My friends know me as the "shoot and scoot" photographer. At home and around the world, I like to shoot fast - and then move on to the next location or project.

This past weekend I had two, two-hour Westcott shoot-and-scoot photo sessions: One on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Saturday: For the first hour we shot at my house. For the second hour we shot at a local bed and breakfast.

The concept: to illustrate that you don't need a ton of expensive lighting gear and an expensive studio to get great shots – if you have the right gear and a bit of photo know-how.

Above: I shot tethered to Lightroom, so I could check my shots. My lighting set-up: Three Westcott SpiderLites (daylight-balanced constant lights) and the relatively new Westcott Eyelighter.

The background: Westcott soft cloth white background on a Westcott lighting sand.

I like the Eyelighter because it adds a beautiful catch light to a subject's eyes – and because it can reduce/eliminate shadows on a subject's face.

My camera gear for all the shots: Canon 5D Mark III and Canon 24-105mm IS lens. All my camera gear is listed here.

Above: I took this shot with the same lighting set-up minus the Eyelighter. Of course, it's not fair to compare apples to oranges (as in a different pose, which changes the mood, as well as where shadows fall). I just wanted to share this photograph with you to show you the effects of the Eyelighter. What's more, I like this shot, too. It has a different feel than the Eyelighter photograph.

Above: Here are two more with-and-without the Eyelighter images. Guess which one illustrates the benefits of the Eyelighter?

Again, I know its not fair to compare apples to oranges. Of course, I could have created more flattering light in the photo on the right – by repositioning the lights.

The background: a piece of red fabric that I picked up at local arts and craft store.

Above: It's always good to show the model your shots on the back of your camera. It makes the session more personal.

Above: Another Eyelighter shot. This image illustrates how the model's outfit and background can change the mood of a photograph – as did the red background.

Above: Here's my favorite shot from my Saturday bed and breakfast shoot.

Above: My lighting set up: One Canon 600EX- RT speedlite in a Westcott Rapid Box. I triggered my speedlite – wirelessly – with my Canon ST-E3 speedlite transmitter. I shot on the Manual exposure mode and adjusted my , ISO shutter speed and aperture so that I was able to capture some of the ambient light in the room and background.

All my lighting and camera gear is listed here.

A note about processing my model images: To soften the her skin, I reduced the Clarity in Lighroom.

So you may be asking, "Why only a two-hour shoot?" Well, I only had the model for two hours. I did, however, set up the gear in my house before the model arrived, but that took only 15 minutes.

Above: My favorite shot from my Sunday session: a one-light shot of my nephew and his girlfriend. For this awesome couple, I wanted more dramatic lighting with strong shadows. So using only one light was the answer.

My background: Westcott soft cloth black background on a Westcott background stand.

Above: Here's a behind-the-scenes shot, with all the Spiderlites turned on. For my shot, the Spiderlight on camera left was turned on.

Want to learn more about lighting, check out:
- my on-line classes
- my apps
- join a photo workshop.

Explore the light,
Rick Sammon - the shoot-and-shoot photographer :-)

Photo Failed it to Photo Nailed It! #5: Envsion the End Result

Click images to enlarge.

From time to time here on my blog I run a post: Photo Failed It Photo To Nailed It! The concept is twofold:
1) I'll share a pair of pictures, along with tips, that illustrate how you can nail a shot;
2) You'll see that pros don't always get it right the first time. :-)

This post: Envision the End Result

The opening image for this post is my favorite image in my Route 66 Gallery. It's an HDR shot taken after sunrise. I processed the image in Photomatix (get a discount here) and then added a bi-color filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.

The key to the starburst effect: wide-angle lens, f/22, have the sun peek out from behind an object. Also: your lens must be spotless. A small speck of dust can look like a big blob in your photo when you are shooting into the sun.

That's the shot I envisioned in my mind's eye. I wanted to photograph the Blue Swallow Motel at Sunrise while shooting into the sun.

The picture below illustrates a photo failure.

The failed shot, taken 10 minutes before I took the Nailed It shot, is a photo failure mostly due to the boring lighting and composition. My apps can help with both.

Use the Search feature in the right-hand column to see other (4 to date) Photo Failed It Photo To Nailed It! posts.

Explore the light,
Rick

Photo Failed It to Photo Nailed It! #4: Controlling Natural Light with a Reflector

Click images to enlarge.

From time to time here on my blog I run a post: Photo Failed It Photo To Nailed It! The concept is twofold:
1) I'll share a pair of pictures, along with tips, that illustrate how you can nail a shot;
2) You'll see that pros don't always get it right the first time. :-)

This post: Controlling Natural Light with a Reflector

I took these photographs last year in a Maasai village in Kenya. The photo on the left is a failure for a few reasons:
• subject looks bored;
• lens flare (caused by sunlight hitting the front element of the lens) makes the image look flat;
• not the greatest composition.

To nail the shot, I asked our guide, Simon, to hold a reflector so that it bounced the light onto the subject's upper body. The bounced/reflected light added contrast and intensified color.

I shaded my lens with my hat to prevent direct sunlight from falling on the front element of my lens. Yes, I was using a lens hood, but the sun was very low in the sky – and more shade was needed.

I talked with the subject, Alex, and together we created a more interesting and more natural pose.

Finally, I moved in closer to give the portrait a greater sense of intimacy.

Moral of the story: When photographing people, consider the pose and see/control the light. And: don't leave home without a reflector/diffuser kit.

My gear:
Westcott Rick Sammon Light Controller and Tote
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 24-105mm IS lens.

Use the Search feature in the right-hand column to see other (3 to date) Photo Failed It Photo To Nailed It! posts.

Explore the light,
Rick