Friday's "Photo Failed It To Photo Nailed It!" Capture a Bird in Flight

From time to time here on my blog I'll run a post: Friday's "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: Capture a Bird in Flight (BIF).

I took the opening photograph on one of my Alaska photo workshops. I feel as though I nailed the shot because:
• I had the focus point set on the gull;
• Auto focus was set to AI Servo - which tracks a moving subject;
• I got a good exposure – by checking my histogram and highlight alert;
• My camera was set at high-speed continuous shooting.
• I captured animal behavior;
• I was in the right location for the right light;
• The background was not distracting;
• And . . .  I was damn lucky to get a perfect silhouette of the gull's head on its wing.

The funny thing about the photograph: the gull did not "nail it." He dropped the fish after a brief catch!

My gear for the shot:
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 100-400mm IS lens.
Exposure Info: ISO 640, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., exposure compensation: -0.33 (to preserve the highlights while shooting on the Av mode).

Above is one of my Failed It shots from the same shoot. The failure was caused because:
• My camera was accidentally set on One Shot AF;
• I did not have the focus point set on the gull:
• My camera was not set on continuous shooting.

See what happens when you "shoot before you think" - and don't double check your camera settings! :-)

Learn more about bird photography in my on-line class, Master the Art and Craft of Bird Photography." Save $10 with code: rsbirds1.

Explore the light,
Rick

The Making of My "Devil's Punch Bowl" Image

I received several emails about the making of my Devil's Punch Bowl image, posted on social media a few day ago. For those who wrote, here ya go!

The image is one of more than 225 images in my new on-line class, Master Landscape & Seascape Photography.(Save $10 by using this code: landscapes.)

The image, taken on my Oregon Coast Photo Caravan Workshop, started out as a seven-stop HDR bracketed sequence. HDR was needed due to the extreme contrast range. The key was to take a sequence that captured the entire dynamic range of the scene.

I used my Canon 5D Mark III and Canon 17-40mm lens @ 21mm.

To get the entire scene in focus, I used my wide-angle lens, small aperture and focused 1/3 into the scene - a basic practice for getting max depth-of-field.

As usual, I processed my HDR sequence in Photomatix, the #1 program I recommend for HDR imaging. My goal: I did not want my HDR image to look like an over-cooked  HDR image.

HDR negatives can look a bit flat. To add contrast to my image, I used the Tonal Contrast filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.

I also "burned" the sky in the window in the distance. I also spent some time cloning out bootprints in the sand in the foreground.

To learn more about landscape photography, check out my on-line class, Master Landscape & Seascape Photography. Save $10 by using this code: landscapes.

I teach all this stuff on my photo workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

Gear Recos for My 2015 Photo Workshops

Above: You do not need all this gear for a workshop. It's a shot of the gear I took on an extended African safari.

"What's the best camera bag for the workshop?" "How about lenses?" "Is there a lot of walking or hiking?"

I get asked those questions in advance of my workshops. Here are my recos for my 2015 photo workshops.

For all workshops:
• Bring your tripod and laptop - and your enthusiasm for making great photographs!
• Pack hiking boots or hiking shoes, whichever is more comfortable.
• I travel as light as possible. I often have one camera on a Black Rapid strap and a lens/acessory in my photo vest - as illustrated in the Provence photo by Diane Eubanks below. My 70-200mm lens is on my camera; my 24-105mm lens is in a pocket. My backpack was on the shore, in sight.
• Roller bags are not recommend for on-site shooting. Some folks roll their gear onto the plane and then switch - on site - to a backpack or shoulder bag (shipped empty or stuffed with clothes in checked luggage).

Of course, workshop participants are welcome to bring all their gear with them for each shoot. In the image below, taken by Hal Schmitt, I have just two lenses (second one is in my tote). All the other photographers have lots of gear in their backpacks.

Speaking of traveling light, I talk about "The One Lens Shoot" and "What If You've Only Got One Shot?" in my new Master Landscape & Seascape Photography on-line class.  Save $10 with this code: landscapes.

Shippensburg, PA
Bag: Shoulder bag. No hiking. Mostly in one or two locations.
Lenses: Wide-angle zoom and medium telephoto zoom.
Other: Speedlite.

Fossil Rim, Texas
Bag: Shoulder bag or backpack. No hiking. We'll be photographing from safari vehicles.
Lenses: Mid-range zoom and long telephotos lenses, say up to 400mm.
Other: Speedlite.

Oregon Coast
Bag: Backpack. We'll be walking around most of the day at each location. The coast is usually a few minutes from your car. Some slippery rocks and slopes.
Lenses: Wide-angle and extreme wide-angle lenses, say a 14mm.
Other: NEOS overshoes, ND filter, head-mounted flashlight.

Casper, Wyoming
Bag: Backpack. We'll be moving from location to location. Cars will be nearby.
Lenses: Fast lenses, as you'll be photographing indoors at the Wonder Bar. Mid-range zoom and long telephotos lenses, say up to 400mm.
Other: ND filter, head-mounted flashlight, speedlite.

Provence
Bag: Backpack. We'll be walking around at each location. Cars will be nearby.
Lenses: NEOS overshoes, wide-angle zoom and telephoto zoom, say up to 200mm.

Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Bag: Backpack or shoulder pack. Easy walks to locations. Cars are nearby.
Lenses: Wide-angle zoom and telephoto zoom, say up to 200mm.
Other: ND filter, head-mounted flashlight, speedlite.

Iceland
Bag: Backpack. We'll be walking around most of the day at each location. Bus will be nearby.
Lenses: Wide-angle zoom and telephoto zoom, say up to 200mm. For night shooting, you may want a fast wide-angle lens.
Other: NEOS overshoes, ND filter, head-mounted flashlight. Warm clothes.

Atlanta, GA
Bag: Backpack. We'll be walking around Old Car City (open fields) and around the Railway Museum. Cars will be nearby.
Lenses: Speedlite, wide-angle zoom and telephoto zoom, say up to 200mm.

Bosque del Apache, NM
Bag: Backpack. We'll be walking to the shooting spots, which are not more than 5-10 minutes from our cars.
Lenses: Mid-range zoom and long telephotos lenses, say up to 400mm, or even longer. For night shooting, you may want a fast wide-angle lens.
Other: Head-mounted flashlight. Warm everything: gloves, hat and coat.

If you are looking to get new gear, my friends at Adorama have a wide selection to fit your needs and budget. You can borrow lenses from borrowlenses.com.

Click here to order NEOS.

Shoot me an email if you are booked on a workshop and have more gear or logistic questions.Of course, a follow-up email to all workshop participants includes more detailed info.

New to my workshops? Check out my new Master Landscape & Seascape Photography on-line class! Save $10 with this code: landscapes.

Explore the light,
Rick

Images of the Old West

I am gearing up for my June 2015  Casper, Wyoming Old West Photo Workshop.

In going though my files from past workshops, I came across some of my favorite photographs of the Old West, and decided to add some captions. Here ya go, pardner.

Opening image: Waiting for you. The longing eyes of this cowboy are the main subjects of this photograph. As in many of my images, I try to capture the mood and feeling of the subject – the most important element in a photograph.

Above: Riding hard, riding the herd. Cowboys don’t just ride hard, they ride herd – riding along with the cattle or horses. I feel as though this image captures that togetherness.

Above: Boot and spur. Detail shots help to tell the story, and as a photographer, I am a storyteller.

Above: Trail boss and greenhorn. To me, the ruggedness and confident posture of the cowboy in the foreground says, “trail boss.” The silhouette of a younger and thinner cowboy in the background says, “greenhorn.”

Above: Yee-ha! This cowboy’s “yee-ha” said it all!  Putting him slightly out of focus adds a sense of mystery to the image.

Above: End of the day. I actually took this picture at the end of a long day of photographing this cowboy and cowgirl. They deserved a break, alone and quite by a pond.

Above: Mystery cowboy. By including only the shadow of the off-camera cowboy in my frame I added a sense of mystery and drama to the image.  Not being able to see the cowgirl’s eyes also adds a sense of mystery to the image.

I hope to see you on my Capser Photo Workshop!

Explore the light,
Rick

What's New? Master Landscape & Seascape Photography on-line class! Save $10 with this code: landscapes.

Help!

I was going to title this blog post, "With a Little Help From My Friends," the title of another Beatles song, but then I remembered something that my brother Bob once told me: One-word sentences can be effective. Very. :-) Thanks, Bob.

Beatles song titles will run throughout this post. I will use them to share a story (business lesson) about a fellow pro – a pro (who I had helped a few times) opted not to help me with a small request. I think, but I could be wrong, that the pro thought I was competition.

"With a Little Help From My Friend." - I've had a lot of help over the years. Some of the help came from photographers you've never heard of, and some of the help was from world-famous photographers. The pros who helped me were happy to help. They did not see me as a competitor, and I feel the same way about them. Here's why.

I enjoy helping my fellow pros. More than a few have been Guest Bloggers here on my site, and I have interviewed more than a few for the Digital Photo Experience podcast, which I co-host with my friend Juan Pons. Juan has also helped many pros with his interviews.

Many pros offer the same services (workshops) and products (books, on-line classes, etc.) that I do. It's friendly competition . . . in my book anyway.

The path to greatness is along with others.

"All Together Now" - True professionals feel as though we are all in this together, and that by helping others, we are helping ourselves. They follow the "All Together Now" philosophy.

That philosophy is summed up in this quote: "The path to greatness is along with others." - Baltasar Gracion, Spanish Priest

That, my friend, is the message of this post.

"Don't Let Me Down" - The pro, who I thought was a friend, let me down. At first I was upset, I felt as though the pro was "Bad to Me." I started to write an emotional email, because I thought the pro was my friend, and because I had helped the pro. But I did not click Send.

"Let It Be." - I figured it was best just to let it be, because, as someone who helped me once said, "Never let your emotions influence your business decisions."

"Come Together." - My message for photographers, and all professionals starting out, is this: Come together. Look at your associates as friendly competitors.

"Come together right now . . . ."

"If I Needed Someone" - If you don't work together, and if you are a "Nowhere Man" working along, someday you may need some "Help!" And when you ask for help, you may get, "No Reply."

Getting back to the pro who inspired this post, I say/sing: "Ob-la-di-ob-la- da." Life goes on.

Explore the light,
Rick

What's New? Master Landscape & Seascape Photography on-line class! Save $10 with this code: landscapes.