Through Stewart's Lens

Elkhorn Ranch Digital Photography Workshop

2011-10-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

From January 22-29, 2012, I will be teaching a digital photography workshop at the Elkhorn Ranch southwest of Tucson, AZ. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the workings of your digital camera, ideas on composition, how to keep track of all those wonderful images, and what to do with them besides residing on your computer's hard drive.

Plus the Elkhorn Ranch is a delightful place to spend a week. Most guests come primarily to ride so the workshop has been designed to accommodate this aspect. As a matter of fact, the horseback rides become part of the photographic experience.

This is a workshop for photographers of all abilities but especially for those new to digital cameras including point and shoots. These so-called simple cameras have amazing capabilities and most pros carry at least one with them to capture those unexpected photogenic opportunities.

I hope to see you at the Elkhorn. If you have any photography questions beforehand please zip me an email at swa@infomagic.net. For ranch questions and to make a reservation, contact office@elkhornranch.com or call (520) 822-1040. By the way, click on the above image for a better view. Thanks.

Another Sky Correction

2011-10-13T16:20:00.001-07:00

At the American Cemetery in Normandy, France was this lovely statue. I tried to shoot it so the sun would be in its hand. But as you can see that gave me a backlit image. Here is another approach to correcting a dark foreground with a bright background. In Adobe Lightroom, I increased Recovery to 100% to tame down the sun and sky. Then to open up the foreground, I dragged the Fill Light slider. This however makes the overall image a little washed out. To correct this, use the Black slider. To add "pop" to the image, I also used the Clarity and Vibrance sliders. I thought the sky still needed some work, so I used the digital Neutral Density Filter to darken the blue. What do you think? Better?

Lights and Darks

2011-10-12T12:43:00.001-07:00

Another photographic challenge while in Europe was getting a good exposure when shooting dark buildings against bright, washed-out skies. Remember that the human eye can see a range of about 11 F-stops whereas the camera sensor can only "see" about 5. This presents a dilemma when attempting to capture a scene with very bright highlights and dark areas. A general rule of thumb is to expose for the highlights and let the darks go darker, just like in the film days.

There are a couple of tools that can improve photographing these situations. One is to use a graduated neutral density filter. This is a rectangular piece of glass that is dark at one end and gradually becomes clear at the other end. The filter is held in front of the camera lens with the dark end covering the bright part of the scene. This may help reduce the range of brightness and allow the camera to record all parts of the scene better.

A second option is using digital neutral density filters, such as found in Adobe Lightroom and some other photo editing software. The image is brought into the program and the digital filter placed over it and sliders are used to brighten or darken areas as needed. Keep in mind though that if there are overexposed areas in the original capture, there is probably no data for the software to work with. Always check your histogram and "blinkies" in the field to make sure that no important elements in your image are totally blown out.

A third option is to use High Dynamic Range software. HDR allows you to combine several images, each taken with different exposure settings, and combine them into one perfect picture. A few cameras, such as the Canon G12, have this feature built in. You push the shutter button, the camera takes 3 exposures in rapid succession and automatically combines them in the camera. This feature is still rudimentary but I believe it will become better and standard in future camera models. Probably not too far down the road, these new technologies will equal the seeing ability of the human eye and worrying about the range of light in an image will become less of an issue.

In the top image, the sky was very bright, but I was able to tone it down using a digital neutral density filter. In the second image, again the sky was a little too bright, but I brought out some detail with the filter. I also used the filter tool on the foreground flowers and then vignetted the corners to bring the viewer's eye more to the center.

Removing the Present

2011-10-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am back home in Flagstaff after visiting 15 countries over the last six weeks aboard the National Geographic Explorer. One photography challenge was capturing interesting images of historic features while excluding contemporary objects. One example was this replica of the type of sailing vessels used by the Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages. Unfortunately it was moored in the industrial part of the Lubeck, Germany harbor with cranes and other modern machinery near and behind it.

I made the image and then in Adobe Lightroom cropped out what I could and vignetted the corners to further hide unwanted features. You can also see that I changed it from color to sepia to give the image a vintage look. I may go back and do additional work on this image such as cloning out the building and crane that are still visible.

Baltic Sea

2011-09-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

I am currently on the National Geographic Explorer sailing through the Baltic Sea with visits to many of the Hanseatic cities established during the Middle Ages. One of the main highlights occurs in Gdansk, when Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Poland, Lech Walesa comes on board to speak to our group.

My role on board is to help guests with their digital cameras so that they can take home better vacation images. It can be quite a challenge considering all the different models of cameras and varying photographic abilities. But it is fun.

Flagstaff Photography Center Show

2011-08-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hope to see you at the exhibit, which runs until September 24th. The Flagstaff Photography Center, located on Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff, is open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 pm and by appointment. Call 928-774-2544 or visit their website: www.flagstaffphotographycenter.com for more information.

The End is Near

2011-08-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

With help from some Bluffoons (or is it Bluffites), I finally have the major adobe clay coat on the inside walls of the strawbale shed. Ann spent her time being very creative on the exterior walls, including "painting" on a beautiful lime-clay slip and greatly improving the outside niche complete with a heart-shaped rock. The loft is ready for guests and is accessed by a ladder I built using directions off Youtube. The ladder's slope is such that a person can carry something in each hand (e.g. beers) without using a hand rail. Sweet!

Adobe Dreams

2011-07-28T18:11:00.001-07:00

We were back in Bluff in July and did some more work on the strawbale shed. We also got up on Cedar Mesa to have a walk-about and look at some centuries-old clay work. A couple of wonderful rainstorms managed to blow through and one produced a great rainbow. Another trip in August and most of the adobe clay work should be done. Ann is having fun (at least, I hope that it is fun) trying some different clay and lime slips on the outside walls.

La Plata Mountains

2011-07-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Ann & I recently enjoyed some day-hiking along the Colorado trail in the La Plata Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The wildflowers were amazing and having a camera (Canon G-12) with an articulated LCD screen made picture taking very easy. No groveling in the dirt to get those low down shots.

San Juan River

2011-06-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

We were back on the San Juan River on Memorial Day with friends from Flagstaff and Bluff and new friends from Montana and Washington. We lucked out in that the terrible winds that have been raking the Southwest calmed for a week plus the river flow increased. The daily floats were easy, putting us in camp early to explore, nap, or read. We did not even scout Government Rapid, which was a piece of cake at around 3,000 cfs.

North to Alaska

2011-06-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

In late April, I boarded the National Geographic Sea Lion in Seattle for a voyage north to Southeast Alaska. I was the Lindblad photo instructor for a series of three trips. National Geographic photographers Kim Heacox and Ira Block joined me for portions of these.

On the way up, we stopped at Alert Bay, a native village in British Columbia. The locals treated us to traditional dances and a snack of smoked salmon and fry bread.

Although April is considered quite early to visit these northern waters, we were awarded with mostly sunny weather and great animal sightings, including being surrounded by orcas in Icy Strait along with fantastic views of the snowy Fairweather Range.

The spring melt was just beginning when we entered Tracy Arm-Ford's Terror Wilderness and dozens of waterfalls plunged down the granite cliffs...spectacular. It was great getting back to Alaska, where I had done one of my first Lindblad Expeditions back in 1981.

Seeing the Invisible

2011-03-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

I always get a thrill out of discovering rock art. Sometimes the pictographs and petroglyphs are quite clear and easy to see and photograph. However, more often than not, the images are faded and difficult to decipher. I recently became aware of some software programs that help to enhance photos of rock art.

One program is called DStretch, which can be found by doing a search on the Internet. But first, you will need to download another program called ImageJ. DStretch is a plugin for ImageJ. I am still learning how best to use these programs; but in the meantime, here is an example. Check these programs out, have fun, and send me some of your results at swa@infomagic.net. Thanks.

Near Bluff

2011-03-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

Last week, Ann & I backpacked into the lower end of one of the many canyons sliced into the western edge of Cedar Mesa. As many of you know, this entire region is littered with the ruins and relics of the Anasazi. We witnessed some very well-preserved cliff houses and pictographs that looked remarkably bright and fresh, especially some hand prints. Last year was an exceptionally "good" year for tumbleweed, which gave the dog some difficulty. Does someone make sticker proof booties for Labs? On the drive to the trailhead, we found a wonderful "log" of petrified wood eroding out of the Chinle clays. Just another great hike in the Bluff area.

Kate's Paintings

2011-03-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

Our daughter Kate has been spending the winter in Arroyo Hondo, not far from Taos, working as the personal assistant to renowned painter Alyce Frank. One of the benefits of this arrangement has been Kate's opportunity to learn how to paint. Alyce Frank's style is called Magical Realism, in which she makes use of brilliant oil paints to imaginatively render landscapes of the American Southwest and occasionally portraits.

Above are two of Kate's first works. The portrait is of Alyce. The landscape is near Arroyo Hondo. I am very impressed (even if I am the Dad). I am looking forward to more beautiful art from Kate's brush.

Egypt

2011-02-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

What amazing things are happening in Egypt. In May, 2009, I was privileged to be on a Lindblad Expeditions trip that included the Suez Canal, Cairo, and Alexandria. We boarded the National Geographic Endeavour at the south end of the Suez Canal and joined a parade of ships steaming north. Part way through the canal, the ship was stopped and the captain informed that an "extra fee" was required to proceed. We had already paid a hefty sum to traverse the canal. Luckily on board was a retired American ambassador, who called a friend in Washington, D.C., who then called someone in Cairo, and soon we were on our way.

In Alexandria, a similar incident occurred when we told that the ship could not leave the harbor. But more phone calls were made and off we went.

While touring the cities, it was a little disconcerting to have armed guards on the buses and armed vehicles in front and behind us. But one of the highlights for me was a visit to the New Library of Alexandria built atop the site of the legendary Ancient Library, which was destroyed in 642 AD during the Muslim Conquest. The new library, opened in 2002, is a futuristic 11-story structure designed by Snohetta, an international group of architects based in Norway. We witnessed a machine that could digitize a book in a few minutes and visited a reading room where up to 2000 people could be seated. The room was bustling with students doing homework (and probably checking their Facebook pages) at dozens of computer terminals.

Near the end of our visit to Alexandria, Massimo Bassano, the National Geographic photographer traveling with us, asked the local guides if the more "serious" photographers could walk the last mile or so back to the harbor. The guides did not like this idea but Massimo persisted; and finally, about 10 of us with our big, expensive cameras dangling around our necks were let off.

Massimo immediately headed up an alley teeming with people. We were obliged to follow. Stern faces stared at us. One man wagged his finger and shouted, "No photos!" But then someone asked me, "Canadian?" I timidly replied, "No, American." Suddenly the locals began to shout, "Obama! Obama!" Smiles spread across those dark faces and hands were thrust out with thumbs up. What a relief! Everybody wanted their pictures taken and soon a parade of men, women and children were following us.

And now it's goodbye to Mubarak. Other dictators? Beware. Exciting, remarkable times.

Elkhorn Ranch 2011 Photo Workshop

2011-02-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

This year's photo workshop at the Elkhorn Ranch was the best yet...many participants, photogenic cowboys and cowgirls, and thundering herds. Remember that these workshops are not just for experienced photographers with expensive equipment. We teach digital newbies how to get the best out of their point and shoot cameras, which are amazing. Next year's workshop will be January 22-29. Come with your camera ready to aim and create outstanding images. Check out the Elkhorn website: www.elkhornranch.com.

The Canelo Project

2011-02-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to visit the Canelo Project in southeast Arizona, where Athena and Bill Steen operate a B&B plus offer workshops in strawbale building. I have been constructing a small strawbale studio in Bluff, Utah patterned after one of their buildings highlighted in their book Small Strawbales. It was great fun to see the incredible possibilities when working with clay, sand, and lime. Check out their website: www.caneloproject.com.

Solstice Lunar Eclipse

2010-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

All day long it did not look very hopeful for a view of the lunar eclipse on the solstice, an extremely rare celestial event. Thick flannel gray clouds blanketed Flagstaff's skies and an astronomer friend said that the forecast wasn't good. But we stayed up late (not easy for us old folks) and kept checking outside. Amazingly, as the shadow of the Earth slowly began to slide across the face of the moon, the clouds thinned enough for a most spectacular sight.

As you may remember from an earlier post, photographing the moon usually takes a normal daylight exposure since it IS the sun illuminating the lunar surface. However during an eclipse, the range of brightness is so extreme between the shadow and unshadowed areas that it is difficult to get a good exposure without resorting to High Dynamic Range techniques ( something to be discussed in a future blog - it's where several images are taken at different exposures and then combined using software). Additionally, once the shadow covers the moon, the light is pretty dim, requiring a much longer exposure. To keep it simple while I was outside in my pjs, I waited until totality was almost complete and then bracketed my shots. The best turned out to be .6 seconds @ f2.8; ISO 800.

Happy Holidays and Good Shooting (with a camera)! :-)

Old Roads

2010-11-30T20:56:00.000-08:00

Ever try to photograph a thousand-year-old road in the desert? The ancient Anasazi built a system of "roads" in the eleventh and twelve centuries, even though they did not have wheeled vehicles nor large beasts of burden. Their purpose remains a mystery. Until fairly recently, archaeologists believed that these roads were restricted to the Chaco Canyon area in northern New Mexico. However, several Bluff, Utah archaeologists have been discovering a number of Chaco roads and Chaco-style features, such as Great Houses, in southeast Utah.

One road northwest of Bluff is exceptionally distinct from the air at sunrise and sunset when it casts a straight shadow across the desert floor. Yet from ground level, it is quite faint. The folks and dog in the foreground are standing on the road and if you look closely another person is in the upper left distance, also on the trace of the road.

Following it southeast, one comes to a set of remarkable steps dropping into a canyon. Whether or not these were carved by the ancient ones or "improved" later by cowboys, is still an unanswered question.

Bluff Arts Festival

2010-10-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

October 22-23 was the annual Bluff Arts Festival. Kate Aitchison and Ann Kramer were two of the featured artists at the Cow Canyon Trading Post. Kate was showing her unique monotype prints, and Ann had a number of pieces made from recycled materials, such as coffee bags, bottles caps, and felted wool from old sweaters.

Bluff's first film fest was held Friday night, including a video about Katie Lee. Well-respected painter Shonto Begay was the festival's keynote speaker. An art walk on Saturday afternoon showed visitors the impressive diversity of artists associated with little Bluff City.

Additionally, art workshops were held each day. I got involved by teaching a digital photo class on Sunday morning. Don't miss next year's art festival. Go to www.bluffutah.org to see what events are coming up.

National Geographic Society

2010-10-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

In mid-October, I had the great opportunity to participate in a three-day workshop for photo instructors put on by Lindblad Expeditions and held at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C. It's not easy getting about 30 Lindblad staff together in one place at the same time. Some of us have been instructors for years while others were new at teaching photography. But it was a wonderful learning experience for all of us and, of course, lots of fun to see old friends and make new ones.

Gil Grosvenor, chairman of NGS, welcomed us the first morning. A Grosvenor has been involved with the society for more than 120 years...quite a legacy.

Then we began our workshop. I was definitely outnumbered by Mac users, but hey, I can buy several PCs for one Mac. At lunch, we tried to duplicate an historic painting showing the founders of NGS, including Alexander Graham Bell, John Wesley Powell, and C. Hart Merriam. Thanks to Lindblad Costa Rica staff member Willy Alfaro Cervantes for providing the sepia image. Later, we had a tour of the "basement," where a team of young engineers invent various ways to attach cameras to wild animals (critter cams) or vehicles to explore hostile environments, like the sea floor. What a fun job!

After three days, we were designated Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Certified Photographic Instructors. Whew. Sort of a long title, but you can just call me "The Photo Guy".

On the Rainbow Trail

2010-10-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? I have been very negligent in posting to the blog. Summer has been just too much fun.

Recently, we made a llama trek to Rainbow Bridge. We followed the old 1909 Discovery Trail, "pioneered" by trader John Wetherill. I have "pioneered" in quotes because Navajos, Utes, and Paiutes and earlier native Americans had already been to this largest of the world's natural bridges. Also, prospectors were in the area at least by the late 1880s. There is also good evidence that savvy Wetherill had actually scouted out the route during the winter of 1908-09 so that he could be sure to lead his main employer at the time, archaeologist Byran Cummings, to the bridge for the official "discovery" in August of 1909.

Though the bridge can be easily reached by boat on Lake Powell, this trail around the north side of Navajo Mountain remains one of my all time favorites.

2010-08-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is an unabashed announcement of my latest attempt at writing non-fiction. The University of Arizona Press is publishing this natural history book in November. But if you call them at 1-800-426-3797 or go to their website, www.uapress.arizona.edu, and use the code "FLR", you can get the book for 20% off. Such a deal!

Celestial Sights

2010-07-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Shoot the moon and stars. It's a blast. Remember that the moon is lit by the sun so to record detail of the moon's surface generally requires a normal daylight exposure. Anything longer will yield a burned out white disk.

For stars, put your camera on a tripod, boost the ISO (try 800 or higher), open the lens to a large f-stop, and set the aperture on Bulb or time exposure. Also, turn off auto focus (all those tiny specks of light against black sky can drive the autofocus crazy), and set the distance to infinity. Try exposures in the 15 to 30 second range. Much longer and you will start to get star trails. In the photos above the cliffs show up well because of a nearly full moon shining on them.

Depending on your camera and photo software, you may be able to reduce digital noise for a sharper image. Have fun.

Colorado College Graduation

2010-05-26T12:57:00.001-07:00

May 17th found us in Colorado Springs attending Kate's college graduation. Hard to believe that the last four years have flown by so quickly. Their commencement speaker was Wade Davis, a reknowned National Geographic Society author and explorer. Also, our good friends, Bill, Maggie, Alice, and Aileen, were able to be there on this very special day. Now our "little girl" is off on new adventures including a two-week backpack in Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park.

As you can see, the weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony and photography. The day before and day after were cloudy, cold, and rainy. My favorite "walk-around lens," Nikon's 18-200mm zoom, did a fine job capturing distant speakers, intimate moments, and action.

Shetland Islands

2010-05-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I have had a chance to write a blog. I was hoping to blog more from the National Geographic Explorer while sailing around the western Mediterranean and then up the west coast Great Britain. However, the internet connection on the ship was quite slow; therefore, rather expensive to upload pictures. Now that I am back in Flagstaff, I'll try to post more often.

Above are a few images from the Shetland Islands. The archaeological site is a broch called Mousa and dates from the Iron Age, about 2,000 years ago. The exact function of these mysterious structures is not known; although, they do appear defensive in nature. This 13 meter high broch is the best preserved of the 570 or so found around Scotland, mostly in the Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shetlands.

Brochs remind me of the Anasazi towers found in southeast Utah, which archaeologists first presumed were for defense, but now believe them to be celestial observatories. Something to ponder.

Corsica, France

2010-04-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

The west side of Corsica is a wild, rugged granitic landscape perfect for exploring by kayak, bicycle, or on foot. You can also drive, of course, but the narrow roads with terrifying drop-offs make for white-knuckle adventures.

Bonifacio is a walled city perched precariously on the edge of a high limestone cliff, where you can buy local sheep cheese, delicious olives, and a variety of wines. Corsica is also the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. It's definitely an island to return to for a more leisurely visit.

Menorca, Spain

2010-04-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today was a visit to Menorca, a tiny (minor) island owned by Spain. We got dropped off by Zodiac in the western coast town of Ciutadella. Skies were cloudy, the wind howling, and the temperature about 50 degrees, although clearing and warming were predicted. Unfortunately the weatherman blew it. The storm intensified as the day continued.

We managed a short photographic tour of the city before loading up on buses to head east, making stops at El Toro, highest (and no doubt windiest) on the island and at Poblat de Torralba, a prehistoric village and religious site several thousand years old. Then we continued to the east coast to Mahon, where an indigenous sauce has become spread (pun intended) worldwide as mayonnaise.

National Geographic photographer Massimo Bassano and I attempted another photo walk in the late afternoon; but after 45 minutes, we were all soaked to the bone so retreated to our ship. At Recap, we enjoyed white sangria, local gin, and tapas while learning that the tradition of serving alcohol and ham to visitors was to ferret out Moslems and Jews.

This soggy day was perfect for my little waterproof Olympus point & shoot.

Alhambra, Spain

2010-04-06T13:33:00.000-07:00

After docking at Motril, Spain, we boarded buses for the scenic drive up to Granada (which means pomegranate, and our guide insisted each fruit always has 613 seeds) to the famous Moorish Alhambra palace and gardens. Although, the site was taken over by Catholic Spain in 1492, it still retains much of the original Islamic splendor.

It's a very popular tourist destination plus we had to stay in groups, which made photography challenging. Plus the mid-day sun was not very exciting. It was scan a scene and shoot from the hip. Yet, it is still lovely place to visit.

Proud Parent Report

2010-03-31T21:38:00.001-07:00

While in Colorado Springs at Colorado College, we also attended a senior student art show consisting of nine monotypes. These remarkable, colorful creations from paper, fabric, string, and ink stirred our imaginations. One looked liked seahorses, another like Christmas wrapping paper, while others inspired visions of the creation of the universe. All of them brought joy and wonder to the viewers.

Oh, and did I mention, the artist was Kate Aitchison, our daughter?

Baby, It's Dark in Here

2010-03-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

We attended a dance performance at Colorado College, where photography was allowed but not flash. Most of the dancing was done under fairly dim, colored lights, which were constantly changing hue and intensity. I needed a long lens to fill my frame, but I only had a slow 18-200mm zoom with a maximum aperature of 5.6 when zoomed all the out to 200mm. So I cranked up my ISO to 6400, hoped for the best, and shot away.

I was pleasantly surprised. Try getting shots like this with a film camera and no flash.

More P&S Versus DSLR Comparisons

2010-03-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more image pairs. In each case "A" was taken with a point & shoot camera and "B" with a Nikon DSLR. The "A" shots are JPEGs straight out of the camera. The "B" shots were shot in RAW and then worked slightly in Adobe Lightroom (my favorite software for cataloging and doing minor work on images).

So what is the advantage of having a DSLR? One is if you plan to make large prints (over 8" X 10"), the greater resolution of the DSLR becomes apparent. Another advantage is that the DSLR has essentially no shutter lag between the pushing of the shutter release and the capture of the image. The long lag in most point & shoots can be frustrating when trying to capture fast action like sports, flying birds, and small children. Also, DSLRs can make remarkably good images in dim light without flash, an aspect we will explore in the next blog.

Which is the "Real" Camera?

2010-03-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

Many times I have folks come up to me, look at my expensive Nikon DSLR camera with an expensive lens attached, and then apologize for having "just a point & shoot". Well, let's take a look at what a $200 camera can do compared to a one costing ten times that amount.

Here is a basic sunset picture, one taken with an Olympus point & shoot, the other with a Nikon D300. Can you tell which is which? Do you like one over the other?

Over the next week, I'll make some more shots with both cameras, and then discuss the similarities and differences between the two.

Bottle Caps Become Art

2010-03-04T13:42:00.001-08:00

Ann has been experimenting with various discarded materials to give them a second life as works of art. She makes delightful tote bags and wallets from aluminized juice pouches and coffee bags, gorgeous zippered bags of felted wool obtained from old sweaters bought at Goodwill, and lately has been crafting pins from bottle caps. I have been trying to do my part by consuming plenty of bottled beers to produce a supply of caps. Sometimes a husband just has to make these sacrifices.

Today, we photographed some of Ann's pins so that the pictures could be posted on her brand new site (www.etsy.com/shop/2ndGoRound ). We tried a couple of different studio set-ups including light-colored backgrounds, lit backgrounds with a frontal studio light, ambient light but finally settled on diffused natural light with the pins sitting on black fabric. A little post processing in Lightroom; and voila, nice shots for the web.

Dreaming of Last Fall

2010-02-20T14:41:00.000-08:00

Flagstaff weather is being its typical unsettled, late winter style with sleet and wind today. I got to thinking of our llama trek last October near Bluff, Utah. The autumn colors were fabulous, days warm, nights crisp, and the rock art was spectacular.

I tried a couple of panorama shots, which are quite easy. Set your camera on aperture priority so that the depth of field does not change as the overall exposure might. Take several overlapping pictures of the landscape (using a tripod is handy but the two examples were handheld). Then using Photoshop or another program that has a pano-program, let the computer and software splice them together.

Also, if your camera gear is getting heavier with each passing year, consider having a friendly, fuzzy llama helping you out. E-mail me for more information about these remarkable pack animals, which can carry over 100 pounds. You can take a few camping extras like a bottle of wine!

2011 Photo Workshop Set

2010-02-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

It's not too early if you want to get a reservation for the 2011 Digital Photography Workshop at the Elkhorn Ranch southwest of Tucson. Contact the ranch directly at office@elkhornranch.com for accommodations, horse rides, rates, etc. Or zip me an email at swa@infomagic.net for details about the workshop.

Where's Spring?

2010-02-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

It just keeps snowing here in Flagstaff, so this morning Simone and I went out to the Kachina Wetlands for a XC ski. The fresh powder on top of who knows how many feet of packed snow was heavenly. As we rounded a stand of ponderosa pines, we saw a half-dozen Canada geese floating in a bit of open water. Of course, when they spied Simone, off they flew. I was able to get a few quick snaps before they disappeared. On the image of the geese, I have applied a little vignetting (using Adobe Lightroom) to draw the viewers eye toward the subjects - a technique often used by Ansel Adams. What do you think? Is it too obvious? Annoying? Or just right?

The Thinker

2010-02-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a photographer gets his or her best ideas when just...well, you know...wandering around. We were hiking in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona when we stumbled upon a throne with a view. Just a few minutes of deep thought, and we came up with some brilliant (at least they seemed brilliant at the time) picture ideas for the Elkhorn Ranch Photo Workshop.

Elkhorn Ranch Photo Workshop

2010-02-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a week teaching a photo workshop at Mary and Charlie Miller's Elkhorn Ranch, which is located southwest of Tucson. This was our third season doing a workshop there and the turn out was great. It's a wonderful place to take exciting horseback rides, hike in the canyons or up mountains, and enjoy delicious meals with old friends and make new ones while learning how to use these darn, complicated but totally amazing digital cameras. We are planning on offering the workshop again in 2011 on January 23-30. Contact me for more information.

Arizona Blizzard

2010-01-24T06:14:00.000-08:00

As you probably heard on the news, Flagstaff got pounded by a blizzard the past week. We received about 4 feet in Kachina Village. It's always challenging making good snow pictures - the camera's meter wants to make the white snow 18% grey, falling and blowing snow soak your gear, fingers go numb, and then when you bring the cold camera back into a warm house, moisture condenses on it. (Put your cold camera and lenses in a plastic bag outside before bringing them inside.)

Once you check your histogram and maybe "add more light" using the exposure compensation button to get the snow bright and white, then you may want to play with white balance. For example, setting the WB on tungsten will give your image a bluish cast making the scene look extra cold. Experiment and stay warm.

No Bluffin'

2010-01-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

Ann and I just returned from a long weekend in Bluff. Much to our surprise (and delight), the San Juan River was frozen. Near the Mexican Hat Bridge, an ice dam had formed forcing the river under the dam and emerging under the bridge. Upstream at the BLM Mexican Hat put-in, the river was frozen all the way across. But to the shock of one of our friends, the ice was not as solid as it appeared, and she broke through almost up to her knees.

This was the weekend of the annual Bluff Balloon Festival and many of our favorite balloons were there. The weather was cold and dead still - perfect for hot air flying. The balloonists did not do their traditional mass-ascension in Valley of the Gods because of concern over ice and mud in the valley. Instead they flew an additional time over Bluff, which is always exciting.

Trying to capture images of the Balloon Glow is a challenge. This year I simply put my camera on a tripod, left the ISO setting on 200, and shot away when the balloonists turned on the gas. Sometimes the camera's meter locked onto the bright flame and the picture was dark overall, but occasionally the meter read the lit balloon fabric and gave me a much better exposure. The great thing about digital is that I could shoot and then quickly check my histogram and look for blinkies (over-exposed areas) and try again.

Got Plaster?

2009-12-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

The first layer of adobe plaster is on the strawbale shed in Bluff. Next Spring, I hope to see you there to get "plastered" when we do the inside. :-)

The First Entry

2009-12-15T16:17:00.000-08:00

Here I am joining the high tech 21st century. I am going to try blogging, which I hope will be better then my experience on Facebook. :-)