Great Smoky Mountain National Park
I have been working diligently on learning how to print fine art images. I made this image in Light Room CC from my trip with Nature In Focus Workshops last year around this time. If you would have told me I would be trying to print anything I would say you are crazy. So the learning curve begins!
Knightville Dam Huntington, Massachuset
I have been wanting to shoot some more slow exposures. So today I took the opportunity to try some 30 second or longer shots. This shot is a 33 second exposure made possible using a Tiffen IRND 10 stop filter. I used my Canon 5dMiii and Canon 24x105 L series lens. At ISO 100 f/11 I shot it in Monochrome and tweeted it in On1 Photo 10 and LRCC.
Southampton, Massachusetts Taken with a Canon 5dMiii and Tamron 15x30 Di VC USD Lens at 15mm F/8 ISO 100 1/640 of a second exposure.
So for a long time I questioned if I needed to go wider than 24mm for a focal range on a full frame sensor. Well I'm glad I did. The composition opportunities are incredible. This is a place I visit a few times a year and this composition is much different even at 24 mm. The weather dictated that I shoot monochrome so I switched over to that almost immediately. It's not spring here as far as foliage goes. The bare trees and yucky colored ground took away from the crazy clouds. Me, Sonia and Amelia ventured out for a ride and I got some nice black and white shots. I even did some slow exposures.
Slowing Down
In photography circles, we talk a lot about slowing water so we an get a dreamy effect. Take a few moments if you would to think about that. But apply it to your life and to a different degree, your photography. Slow down and look at things in new ways. Disect your subjects and appreciate all the perspectives offered to you.
This image isn't from the Smoky Mountains. In fact it is from Enders Falls in Conneticut. It's been almost a year since I went on a workshop with my friends David Akoubian and Cecil Holmes. But one thing I learned was to slow down. It had a lot to do with really taking in the beauty that GSMNP has to offer. But even more it was about enjoying the time and memories. David and Cecil have sold out the Smoky Mountain workshop but head over to Nature in Focus Worshops page http://www.natureinfocusworkshops.com/ to check out their other workshops. I believe there are still a few opening for the Grand Teton and Acadia NP workshops!
Junco male at the Stick.
Well I would love to say this is the last snow of this season, but it probably isn't. As many of you know today (April 4) Sonia and I celebrate the second birthday of my little girl Amelia. It was one of my very first blog post when she was born. I've gotten better at blogging. I also got better at photographing birds. For the first two years I got to shoot when Amelia took naps. I fit my passion in when I could. Being a father was very much like taking pictures. Every day there is something knew and exciting to try and be creative with. And Junco's. I captured this guy on the stick. There was a lot of activity due to the snow. And the Sparrows and Junco's were fighting for their dominance in their little bird world. As a father, I can only hope my little one has a great life. I hope she's smart like her Mommy and creative like me. She has so much of both of us in her. Thank you to everyone who has shared the past two years with us. And to my "Daddy" mentors. I am fortunate to have some great ones! Happy Birthday Amelia!
Love,
Daddy and Mommy.
Taken with a Canon 7d Tamron 150x600
So I had a little time to shoot during the beginning of the rain this afternoon. I have been shooting with my Canon 5dmiii pretty much since I got it. But I wanted to get closer to my further away perch today. I've always been a firm believer in in camera composition. I try my best not to crop unless I have to in post processing. With that said the sharpness and low noise on the 5d allows for a large amount of cropping without loss of quality. I love the extra reach the 1.6x crop factor the 7d offeres. It saves me time in post and challenges me to expose and nail the focus to get a tack sharp shot.
Many beginner photographers and even some advanced shooters opt for the APS-C bodies. Because they are less expensive and usually a lot lighter. And truthfully I think it's a wonderful tool when you haven't ever used a full frame camera. I find often times when working with students that they want to fill the frame with their subjects. So the extra reach allows them to get closer and stay outside the lenses minimum focus distance. and still allow in camera compositions.
Image made with a Canon 7d and Tamron 150x600 at 600mm F/8 ISO 640 resulting in a shutter of 1/250th of a second. Gear mounted on a Sirui N3204x tripod with a PH-20 Gimbal head. Looked at in On1 Photo 10 and LRCC. Carried in. Lowepro Flipside 500 and Peak Design Accesories. Lexar memory cards.
Female Gold Finch.
This little lady sat watching her man eat sunflower seeds for about 10 minuets this morning. I was snapping shots and decided to change my composition by simply turning my camera to a vertical composition on the tripod collar. It's offered me a different look and took a second to do. So look at both options when you are making an image. This image made with the Canon 5dmiii and Tamron 150x600. On top the Sirui N3204x tripod and PH-20 Gimbal head. Viewed in On1 photo 10 and LRCC. ISO 800 f/8 1/1000 of a second shutter speed.
Male Gold Fich
Female Gold Finch
I was excited to see these two at the stick this morning. They were hamming it up. If you haven't watched Goldie's do their thing, you are missing out. They are very photogenic. Image made with a Canon 5d Miii and Tamron 150x600 on top of my Sirui N3204x tripod and PH-20 gimbal head. I carry my gear in a Lowepro Bag and Peak Desigb Accesories. Editing work Flow through On1 Photo 10 and LRCC. I get my gear from Gary Farbar at Hunt's Photo and Video.
Image by Chee Chee Uggiano in Africa
. One of the greatest decisions a new photographer can make is to invest in themselves. All the fancy equipment is great to have. But investing in yourself is invaluable. Chee started taking lessons with me around November last year so she could get some nice shots on her trip to Africa. Well she did! Most importantly from the very first lesson she listened to what i felt would make her trip most enjoyable to photograph. So invest in lessons or workshops with a good teacher. One who will teach you from experiences not just text book. Great shooting Chee Chee!
I have been talking about On1 Photo 10 for some time. Well my friends over at On1 are now offering a free version! A few things I really like about the free version, is it allows you to get familiar with the programs and how they work in your workflow. For no money! Now the various things your can do with the plug-ins really is just amazing. Potrait offers you everything you need to make stunning Portraits, and Effects allows you to explore your creative sides! So go get it here today!
Junco on the stick
I guess the winds were heavy this morning. I came home to find the stick and the surrounding area to be a mess. I'm looking forward to fixing it up and capturing some bird over the next few days.
A plastic egg from Look Park
I belly flopped to the grass yesterday to make this image with the Tamron 15x30 F2.8 DI VC USD lens. I was looking for an opportunity to see the amount the lens dropped off at 2.8. It's pretty amazing. I wasn't prepared for the gorgeous foreground bokeh at less than two inches.
But enough about that :)
Easter is really a special holiday for my family. We made the decision to bring Amelia up in the Catholic Faith prior to her birth. Along with that many moments have been made special to Sonia and myself around the religious beliefs. I was baptized Catholic early on when I wasn't expected to live past a few days old. But I was raised in the Protestant Chuch. That being said, along my path to becoming Sonia's husband I learned a lot about how her faith views marrige and parenting. Our precanna and the class about Amelia's Baptisim really made me appreciate the journey. From the people who we met and shared those moments with. To the moments of seeing Amelia knocking the other two year olds on their butts to get all the eggs...ok the last part was wishful thinking :) I have to keep the Masshole alive in this family somehow! Happy Easter to everyone. I hope your day is filled with love and happiness. And if you hunt for eggs. Don't allow anyone to get yours!
Red Tailed Hawk
I went over to Arcadia Animal Sanctuary looking for some Blue Birds or herons. I hear they are back in the area. I was checking out some potential areas to capture some wildlife and had headed back to the car when this Hawk was sitting on a fence taking ins some rays after a snack of some sort. I was shaking like a kid in a candy store. I was about 8 feet away. I managed a few shots before it took off for some cover in the swamp. Canon 7d and Tamron 150x600 on my Sirui N3204x tripod (well it was a monopod) PH-20 Gimbal Head and L-Bracket. Viewed in On1 Photo 10 and LightRoom CC Peak Design Straps and LowPro Backpack.
One of our daily visitors at the Stump.
Without a seconds notice this black squirrel was up on the Stump and having his way with some suet. I'm sure him and his army of buddies eat a lot of the seed I put out daily and that's ok. The Boyz chase them off for their daily exercise. I was talking to Sonia tonight about how sometimes focusing on the business end of photography is all consuming. My business has grown to a manageable level over the past year or so. For some reason that drives me to do more. But I have this moment tonight where I said to myself, don't forget to enjoy this journey. I do enjoy my work. I enjoy watching nature unfold in front of me. I love the smiles of people when I capture their special moments for them. And I enjoy capturing my little girl growing up. Saturday I am going to take some photos of her at her first Easter egg hunt. I can't wait!
I'm sure you are all sick of Junco's by now!
I had a bunch of Junco at the stick this morning. I was excited to capture a couple on the stump as well. I believe this is a female, because of the brownish tones in her feathers. I captured this with my Canon 5d Miii and Tamron Lenses 150x600 on my Sirui N3204x and PH-20 Gimbal. Viewed in On1 Photo 10 and LRCC. Carried in Lowepro Backpacks and Peak Design accessories. ISO 1600 F/8 1/500 of a second Shuter Speed +1/3 stop Exposure compensation.
Female Junco on the Stump
I have been wanting to add a log to my sanctuary for reason of enjoying watching the feathered and furry friends. i am hoping to attract some different species this spring. The Downey wood peckers and Junco's had already enjoyed some suet treat I left for them. My Grandfather would love this. He had a much simpler approach. Stale Donuts. But hey I don't live in a yard like his. They had a huge amount of land between his house and the Cape Cod Canal We would literally see hundred of species there. I hope everyone is enjoying Palm Sunday, Image made with Canon 5d Miii and Tamron Lenses 150x600 on my Sirui M3204x Tripod and PH-20 Gimbal Head, Looked at through On1 Photo 10 and LRCC, Carried with Peak Design accessories and Lowepro Bags
Lens Capture
Lens Capture attached to Slide Mini Strap
I wanted to talk about the Peak Design Lens Capture. I twisted the Peak Design Slide Mini strap so I could show how I attached the strap to the lens Capture. Let me first say there are several ways to use the Lens Capture this was my way of not having to lug a big back pack in a small green house for Macro work. I had my camera on a tripod 90% of the time so it made things easy to use. I had three lenses that I changed between. The Tamron 15x30, 90mm and 180mm Macro (shown attached) the lenses locked in really well. I never felt uncomfortable about them falling out. Even with other people bumping into me. The lenses MUST lock in. I say this because I found that when attaching the lens opposite of the lock the lens didn't stay locked. But once you see how it works it's really easy to use. I pivoted between lenses with no effort at all and literally made lens changes in seconds. I hope you consider Peak Design products for you use. Please click any of the Peak Design logos on my site for discounts on their products.
Junco's at the Stick
My Bologna had a first name it's JUNCO my Bologna has a second name it's JUNCO! They come to eat here every day and if you ask me what I'll say? That's just ok with me. :) Canon 5d Miii Tamron Lens 150x600 at 600mm.
Downtown Springfield, Massachusetts
Sometimes when I shoot I like to see how my camera sees differently than I do while using the monochrome settings. Rather than convert a color image to a monochrome I shoot it that way. In fact I did this for almost a year when I was training my eye to see shadows and black and white. So most often times I can really see where my image will end up while composing the shot. I most often shoot the same frame in both color and monochrome. Why not? Also the Monochrome settings in your camera may not be the very best. Expand your vision by trying different shooting styles. Canon 5d Miii hand held at ISO 400 f/8 at 70mm resulting in 1/250th of a second. Viewed in On1 Photo 10 and tweeted in LRCC.
Tamron 180 Macro lens on a Canon 5D Miii
I got to shoot a little over at Mount Holyoke College Bulb Show today. I will be writing a more in-depth review of the Peak Design Lens Capture in another blog. Canon 5d Miii with the Tamron 180 Macro on top of The Sirui N3204x Tripod with K-30 Ball Head.
Please take a look at my work. I hope you find it relaxing and artistic. I have a love for black and white photography. I am primarily an event photography with a love for all subjects. I try to help you see the emotions and energy of the moment as seem from behind my lens. Enjoy!
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