I'm Going on a Photo Trip, Should I Hire a Guide?

There was a time when I thought that going on photo workshops was a waste of money. My attitude was that I was a good photographer, I didn't need to pay a lot of money for a professional to give me tips. Although they would be welcomed and a nice addition, at first glance it just didn't justify the cost of many of these trips. At least not until I started to do some traveling on my own and discovered what the cost of those trips was really about. I compared my photos to those that did go on the trip. Where in the world was that shot? I never saw that place! Wow, look at the lighting, I should have gone in the afternoon rather than in the early morning.

Are you following me here? It isn't about the camera knowledge, the professional expects you to have a relatively good working knowledge of your camera and the basic photography skills. That is unless you took a beginner class in which case you probably haven't traveled too far at all. Those can be found online and performed in your backyard or home area. The professional guide expects to provide you with situational tips, but mostly what you're paying for is the knowledge of the area. Where the good shots are, some that aren't on the regular tourist routes, and when the best time to visit these spots are.

I lived outside the Smoky Mountain National Park and photographed extensively there. I was always running into photo groups run by such well known photographers as Tony Sweet. I looked up his workshops and marveled at the prices. Well, of course he is very well know and I'm not, he is a professional photographer and I'm not, but along with that his workshop success came from his knowledge of the area. He knew exactly when to be where. I realized that was what he was really selling, because I often ran into his group when I had planned to go shoot the same area. You see, I too knew the area. But I would sure consider going on one of his workshops on Whidby Island, WA. Going it on my own there was totally unproductive. Not to mention these guys often have special permission to go places we as individuals can not go.

The other time that a photo tour/workshop is highly recommended is overseas. The professionals have been there time and time again. They know where it is safe, the best place to stay and eat. It is also much safer to travel in numbers. These trips are often not too much more expensive than if you booked and planned everything on your own. They provide hotels and these are obtained at a group rate, transportation, usually a van and it too is included in the price. Some times some meals are included. One of my dream trips would be to go to Istanbul, Turkey and Venice, Italy with Jim Zuckerman. I know I would be safe and he actually hires models during the Festival of Venice that wear traditional costumes and provide some awesome photo memories and a fun time.

I chose to talk about Tony and Jim because I know them, but if I didn't how would I find a trip or guide that would provide good quality and maybe isn't so well known. That's easy, the internet. Look at their work. Most of guides post on FB now and have web sites of their work. They include such accolades as publications as well. Also, if they are local to the area you are going, they may not be published world over like Tony and Jim, but that doesn't mean they are any less skilled as a photo guide. The big answer is check out their work.

In an earlier post I wrote that getting a mentor is a way of improving your photo skills. This doesn't have to be in person either. For some time now I've been friends with Aphoto4 You on Face Book. She now has a new page just for her work, NATURE Photography by Aphoto4you.  Her work is incredible, she is located in the Yellowstone, Tetons and the Glacier National Park areas. To my knowledge she is not world famous but I would hire her as my guide in a minute. She truly knows where to go if you want wildlife, or landscapes. How do I know this? Her work is posted for all to enjoy. 


That being said, will I take my own advice on my trip to Yosemite next week. Yes, I have signed up with John Senser, to photograph Yosemite Falls at night with a full moon to capture a moonbow. I considered trying this on my own then realized, I've never been to this park, I'm not sure what I'm looking for, some posts on this say you can't readily see it but the camera can pick it up. Time to take the workshop, with a small group of like minded individuals and one professional that has spent his entire adult life doing this in this park. It's worth the money $82 for 4 or 5 hours. The next post you'll read here will be about my Yosemite trip. Until then


Happy Shooting!
Laura

Learn to See Your Surroundings; You Just Might be Surprised

A little over a year ago I moved to the Southern California Desert. I was horrified to find that there is nothing to photograph. I had become spoiled with the lush rich variety of the Smoky Mountains and all I saw out here was brown.

I took pictures and they all looked the same, I eventually quit, but was not happy. I am passionate about photography so I occasionally would take a trip to the coast and shoot some, but it just wasn’t enough. I of course complained to my friends that it’s awful, all brown, nothing to shoot, until they finally got tired of it and told me there is pleanty to shoot, I just wasn’t looking. People that live out here truly believe the desert is beautiful but I couldn’t see it. Finally I bought some books on desert trails, and began asking, not complaining about where to go photograph and hike. My life changed, I began to see things different, I had to really look hard it’s not as easy as point and shoot and you have a gread landscape like I was used too. But then challenge is what makes you grow as a photographer.

I learned that in the desert you don’t shoot a lot of landscapes, but it is better to shoot smaller subject areas to bring out the color and often subject. Wild life is all pretty small and due to the heat are not wandering around like the bears of the Smokys or the deer of the Appalachian and Cascade mountain ranges. There is no water for beautiful reflections or streams for curves to draw the eye in toward the subject. You have to think micro. No . . . not macro, micro as in a small area with a definate subject. Shoot it to make it look like a landscape. In other words I had to learn how to look at my environment in a different way, then boom the desert became a place of numerous photo opportunities. 

Here are some examples. The first photo was taken of the windmill farm using my tried and true landscape style of the Smoky Mountains. It's a pretty blah photo!

Below is the windmill farm at sunrise the next morning, with the main focus on the sky and the windmills. Leaving out the background with all the clutter of  mountains and windmills, greatly improves the aesthetics of the picture. (At least in my opinion)

Another example of viewing the world as micro environments was taken on the Art Smith Trail in Desert Palms, CA. I took a landscape shot of these red flowers with the rocks and mountains in the background. Once again, a not so compelling shot.

However, after looking at it through the micro point of view I chose to shoot just one branch of the tree with the interesting rock formation in the background. Once again the shot below is a much more appealing photograph.

The shot now has depth and character. I'm learning a new way of seeing the world and that in some cases less truly is more. I am no longer stagnant in my photography but growing by leaps and bounds. I still miss the Smoky Mountains, but embrace the new challenges ahead. 

Happy Shooting,

Laura

Don't Settle for being a Good Photographer; Become an Outstanding Photographer

How do I do that you ask? It will not come overnight, but it will be a fun journey and it keeps you involved with your passion, even if you are not actually clicking that shot.

My journey begins and continues with research; studying photographs taken by others to determine what about that particular shot is so appealing to me or what is it that makes it just another snap shot. I have learned to pay close attention to the light, the lines, the color, clarity or bokah and how they are all put together to form the overall composition and tell a story.

Here is an example. I took this photo in Joshua Tree National Park.

 I liked the shot, felt it was a good shot until I saw a simular shot taken by Jim Zuckerman. It was on the  cover of Petersen's Photo Graphic magazine, Volume 2.

 A must read for improving your photography. View articles or subscribe at Petersen's Photo graphic Magazine

After looking at the two shots I realized that although mine was nice, it did not have the depth perspective Jim Zuckerman achieved by composing his shot with large boulders in the foreground. He also used shade and shadows to give it feeling as well as the warm late afternoon light.

I have purchased every volume of this magazine and highly recommend it. Mr. Zuckerman himself advocates using this method of learning and in fact used it himself when he was starting out. He is now a world leader in outdoor photography and composites.

Reading books, photo magazines, articles on the internet (Trey Ratcliff has a free tutorial on HDR on his web site, “Stuck in Customs”), blogs of professional photographers as well as friending other photographers on FaceBook are also great tools for improving your skills. When you are researching, look for photographers that do the same type of photography you are interested in. For example following Brenda Tharp when you are interested in portrait or baby photography would not benefit you in the least. Many if not most successful professional photographers have blogs discussing various aspects of photography. Some, like Chris Marquardt have two wonderful pod casts (“Photography Tips from the Top Floor” and “Daily Photo Tips”) that are free and very informative. From time to time he will offer an assignment or challenge encouraging you to put into practice the discussion of the podcast. Engaging in photography research keeps you up to date and involved, even when you can’t be out shooting those prize pictures. This will help you stay interested and excited about shooting because you literally see the improvement and feel satisfaction rather than frustration when you know how or at least have an idea how to handle a challenging situation, be it lighting, weather or what to do with all those buttons on your camera. (If you don’t already know what the buttons do I strongly suggest you learn them well. Especially if you plan on taking any workshops which many of these professionals offer.. Feild instructors generally require that you have at least a decent working knowledge of your camera.)

And finally, practice taking pictures using different settings, different lens and keep a small notepad handy to write down the settings and lenses you used for each shot. Study them with your notes so that you will know what tools to use to get the effect you are seeking. With digital photography this is very easy and not at all costly. I learned using film and it was an expensive education and I understood when people didn't want to burn the money with this type of learning. Now there is no reason not to.

Now get out there and have fun learning about your hobby/passion. I will be.

Happy Shooting,
Laura

Getting Ready for that Trip of a Lifetime

As photographers we all have places we dream of going and photographing, our photo bucket list if you will. When we get the chance to visit one of these places how do we prepare? Generally we choose these places because we have seen pictures of them and want the chance to take our own. For me such a place is Yosemite National Park. Of course Ansel Adams has some of the most documented photos of the park but there are countless others, and now my opportunity is coming in May. In this post I'm going to address how I prepare for such a visit so that I can make the most of my time by actually taking pictures, not running around looking for a great spot or wondering why when I did find a spot my shot doesn't look as good as others pictures. Hopefully this will aid in others preparation for their bucket list trip.

The first step after setting the dates and making the reservations for lodging is to do research. Yes, the ugly word from school. The one we all thought we were finally done with. I promise there are no written assignments here, simply pure fun. With the internet we have opportunities that no other past generations have enjoyed, instant information and lots of it. Start general and simply do a search of your destination, in my case Yosemite National Park. Having done this I found sites that have detailed explanations of hikes, views, amenities, distances from place to place, maps and of course pictures. I start by getting maps. As I locate information on trails, and see pictures that I would like to have a go at I can mark them on my map. I also get a good idea of distances from place to place. Yosemite is a very large park, I can't possibly see, hike and photograph everything I would like to in 4 days. With that piece of reality hitting me square in the face, I must plan carefully.

Armed with road maps, trail maps, topo maps, shuttle maps and of course just  the general park map, I go looking for the views I most want and what area and trails have the most to offer for the time I have available. Again, the internet is a great source, Flickr is a great start, as is Face Book and professional photographers web sites. Also, printed books. Many photographers make money writing and there are several books out there, especially on very popular areas for photographers, that not only offer ideas of shots but have specific information about how to get there, when is the best time of year, day and some even off advice on camera settings and filters. These books are usually small enough to carry in your backpack, daypack or camera bag. I purchased two such books for less than $10.00 each. (I would not advise ordering these off the internet until you have an opportunity to look through them and make sure they will be helpful. I found mine on the internet, went to the local book store and looked through them and chose the two I purchased from several I found on the internet. One of the books was so bad that it would have been a terrible waste of money.)

Next I will spend weeks, reading and creating my itinerary so that when I arrive at the park I'm going to utilize my time well and not waste time looking for information on the park and how to get around. A word of caution here, don't overbook your schedule, allow for the incredible sky or the wildlife that just happens to show up as you're getting ready to move on. Photography is about the moment, great lighting is not to be wasted because you feel you have to get to the next picture. Your next picture just came to you. Without ever moving your tripod you can create several very different scenes as the lighting changes.

As you are doing your research, don't forget your gear. I posted on facebook that I was starting to get my gear ready, remember my trip isn't until May, and someone posted questioning getting my gear ready so soon. If you are not a professional photographer this might be wise. I discovered that I will need some filters that I do not own in order to really capture Yosemite landscapes well. (Part of my research) After having read this in one of my purchased books on photographing Yosemite I started researching filters. For this I've used You Tube demonstrations and contacted some of my Photographer friends on face book. If you are not on facebook you should sign up and start a circle of friends that you can share your passion of photography. Whatever you do though do not sign up, find a professional and start asking for help. Build a relationship first, you will find it rewarding and that for the most part they will be glad to help on occasion. They will visit your site and comment on the photos you post unsolicited and the feedback is invaluable as you grow in your hobby. (If you want private lessons make sure you find a photographer that does that and pay for it. Remember you expect to be paid for your time in your field. Be courteous when asking for that occasional help.

When you discover that there is camera equipment that you need to purchase, do so in a timely manner so that you have plenty of time to learn to use it. Trying to figure out how to attach a speedlite or combination of filters when the picture is in front of you is a very bad way to learn. I can almost guarantee that the shot will be gone by the time you figure it out at worst and at best the shot didn't come out like you thought because after the fact you learned of another or better way to use the tool.

Now! Go plan that bucket list trip and most of all, Happy Shooting.
Laura

Artistic Expression Required

We have all spent untold hours, taking pictures only to get them home and when viewed we discover they aren't at all what we wanted or expected. What do you do with them? I used to delete them and hope for another opportunity to re-shoot the subject. Sometimes that works, especially if you are able to return the the spot you were photographing. However, what if that isn't the case, how do you save these shots and make them more that mere presentable snapshots?

Photoshop is the answer, not what you're thinking. These shots just can't be repaired to create that perfect picture in the sense you're thinking. Think outside the box for a minute. Change the goal of the shot from the perfect picture into an artful masterpiece. Your own unique interpretation. Never let on that it wasn't what you intended and people will think you're the most creative, artsy person they know.

Photoshop is a powerful tool and can do a lot more than tweek photos. Using the available filters and sliders you can literally change the shot so dramatically it will look nothing at all like a photograph but become a masterful piece of art. It is almost as much fun as taking the pictures. Below are a couple of my own examples.

This is Mabry Mill along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. I had hoped to get some clear shots of the mill that included a lot of detail and the reflection on the water. Having never been there before I did not know what kind of lighting to expect. Of course it was awful! But, I had to make due, I wasn't going to be able to come back in the morning for the perfect lighting situation. HDR wouldn't work well either because it was too windy and the shrubs and trees would become a blur. I took my shots and when I got home I went to photoshop to make the best of it. It couldn't be repaired so -- here we go -- outside the box.

While still in RAW (Always shoot in RAW, it has so much more information and detail, making it easier to  tweek).  I increased the fill light to bring out the detail in the water wheel and deeply shadowed side of the mill, then saved the file as a TIFF. Opening the TIFF in photoshop and choose to desaturate all but the reds, making the mill stand out from the rest of the surrounding area. Next I went to the filter tab and chose the poster filter. (No set numbers here, this is an individual piece of work, make it to your liking. Stop trying to please everyone else.) What I wanted the end product to look like was anything but a photo. (See the detailed segment below) When printed on canvas this really works and I have taken a so so shot and made it a successful piece of art.

 

Now see if you can figure out how I created the pictures below and get out some of your own pictures and begin to see what the filters and sliders in photoshop can do for you. It's almost as much fun as taking the pictures and certainly just as rewarding when you create that perfect and unique personal interpretation and expression.

                                  The Grand Canyon                                

The Blue Ridge Mountains

One final note. Even if you don't use photoshop, experiment with whatever program you do use for processing and tweeking. It is a lot of fun and can be very rewarding.

Until next time, join me on Face Book for daily updates and see what new pictures I have posted.

Have Fun with Photography,

Laura

It's been too long

I can't believe it's been almost a year since I've updated my blog. Since moving to California my photography has slowed significantly. I'm hoping that this year I can pick it up again. I've done some photos for a design company and am promoting pet photography. I also have created a Facebook site with my photos in an effort to promote my work to a larger audience.

You can visit my site at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Photography-by-Laura-Lee/245784977832?ref=ts

Make sure you click on the photo link on the left to view my photo albums. I have organized the photos according to category or place to make it easier for my viewers to see what they are most interested in.

I hope to be more diligent this year about posting regularly on my blog.

Happy New Year and Happy Shooting.

Laura