We’ve all faced situations where the jpeg file of an image we’ve created just seems flat and lifeless, even though we may like the original composition. When this happens it can be a very disappointing experience. I’ve been shooting in RAW + jpeg fine for many years as I always like to see how my camera has captured a jpeg file. This helps me determine a game plan when using the RAW version of the file. This article features an image from a recent trip to New Zealand and illustrates how increasing landscape image impact can be quick and simple. Continue reading Increasing Landscape Image Impact
Trentepohlia Beauty in the Forest
During a recent trip to New Zealand I had the opportunity to create some images at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland in Rotorua. This also gave me the chance to view an abundance of trentepohlia beauty in the forest. Continue reading Trentepohlia Beauty in the Forest
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
During our recent trip to New Zealand my wife and I took part in a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour. Fans of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies will be familiar with this unique site. Continue reading Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand Sea Birds and Mammals
My wife and I recently returned from a ‘bucket list’ trip to New Zealand where we did field work for an upcoming e-book we have planned for 2017. While our focus was on landscape photography I did manage to capture a few images of New Zealand sea birds and mammals. Continue reading New Zealand Sea Birds and Mammals
Desert Textures
Whenever I have a camera in my hands a range of things intrigue me and catch my eye. During our recent photography tour to the Western USA I found myself drawn to various desert textures. Continue reading Desert Textures
Make every pixel count
Most of us have heard the old adage, ‘get it right in camera’. So, we often change white balance, use filters, and adjust exposure settings to get the best captures we can given conditions. If we really want to make every pixel count, I believe we also need to avoid cropping our images whenever possible. Continue reading Make every pixel count
Creating impact using subject bleed
As photographers we can sometimes miss opportunities to add visual impact to our images by how we choose to compose them. This short article discusses creating impact using subject bleed. Continue reading Creating impact using subject bleed
Reconnecting with camera gear
From time to time I fall into a habit of only using certain lenses and overlooking other ones that are in my bag. Recently I was out doing some extension tube testing and I only brought my 1 Nikon 30-110 mm f/3.8-5.6 with me as this is my ‘go to’ lens for this application. I hadn’t used this lens as a regular telephoto zoom for quite a while. Circumstances led me to Bird Kingdom where I ended up using the 1 Nikon 30-110 mm without extension tubes to capture some bird images. The experience reminded me of the importance of reconnecting with camera gear we may not have used in a while. Continue reading Reconnecting with camera gear
Is photography therapeutic?
Countless millions of people around the world enjoy photography for a variety of reasons. For some it is simply an enjoyable hobby. Others find it to be stimulating from a creative standpoint. Many people enjoy it as it helps them create a treasured family record of special events, as well as every day occurrences. A question popped into my mind recently: Is photography therapeutic? Continue reading Is photography therapeutic?
Halloween Diorama
The first stop during our recent extended photography tour was the town of Frankenmuth Michigan. My wife specifically wanted to visit Bronner’s, which is known as the world’s largest Christmas store. While she had an very enjoyable time browsing and shopping, I had the chance to use my Deluxe Vello Extension Tubes for Nikon 1 to photograph a Halloween diorama that was on display at the store. Continue reading Halloween Diorama