Balancing Family and Photography / Workflow Part 1

Welcome back to another week of everything to do with landscape photography. As falls slips into winter most photographers take this time to focus on other things, such as family and other things that we shouldn’t have ignored but photography has a way of doing this to us. We know family is the most important thing but one excuse and another and before you know you are so wrapped up in getting out that we put everything else on the back burner. Anyways, it is important to find a balance between family and photography. I know I am guilty often of tunnel vision and think only of getting that shot or getting back home and getting online with all the photo forums that there is to explore. I must admit many of my hours spent at home are on the computer either post processing images, checking out other images, or conversing online with other photographers. Trying to take me away from this can be almost impossible and if I am not doing this I am obsessed with what I am missing. I guess it has got to the point I feel guilty if I am watching TV, I am thinking of how I could be spending this time more productively with photography. It has got to the point I now need to force myself to get away from the computer no matter what it is that I am doing. I need to realize that the computer will still be there when I get back. As many of you this is hard to do as the world of digital photography online moves so fast it is hard not to think what I might be missing out.

So this month I am doing everything in my power to get away a little from photography. This means like anything it is time to find a new hobby. So this is the time to try new things and one of those things for me is working out again. This was something I used to love before I found photography so maybe there is hope for me still.
I encourage others who might be going through some of the same concerns to do the same things. Anyways, if you have any suggestions how I can put photography into perspective I would love the suggestions before I lose my mind and not the least my family.

Now onto something photography related. One the most important concepts in photography is consistency and when we are discussing photography this means workflow. I am going to break down a series of workflow patterns in the next couple of blogs that I believe work for me. Repetition and consistency make up habits that lead to a predictable workflow that increase productivity in photography. The importance of a consistent workflow is vital to the success of your photography. When does the workflow start, where does it end, and how important is this to experiment. This are some of the things I am going to try to discuss.

Workflow transcends throughout photography and begins the moment you pick up a camera. Basics are important to photography, but continuing to follow a plan that works for you is how you are going to take your photography to the next level. A simple but effective and consistent plan involves pre visualizing the scene before it happens. Check the internet for the area you are shooting at. Are there better times then others, is it a sunrise or sunset shot, where is the sun going to rise and where will the best light be. I am not condoning you go out and copy other people’s images but look for how others might have photographed the area before. Take some of those ideas and improve upon that. For example, could there a better composition, better perspective, or even a better time to photograph the scene. A great place to start with this is a google search or even better go to the photo site Flickr and type the area that you are interested in. Once at this point you have three choices for an advanced search which includes relevant, recent, and interesting. I always choose interesting as this gets me straight to the great photos and also the images others seem to also like. From this point I have a good idea of what, how, and where I am going to go when I get to the scene. Obviously, this can change as light means everything when it comes to landscape photography. But this technique gives me a good head start so when I get there I have a good idea of what I am looking for. This is part of my workflow that never changes and is always done beforehand. The other half of this process includes arriving early enough at a scene to explore all options and really finding out what moves you about each scene.

The night before I always check my bags, charge my batteries, and clean my camera for those pesky dust bunnies. One thing that many people forget to do in this process is to clean your tripod legs and make sure they are lubricated so they move effortlessly. Many times then I would like to remember I get out where I need to be and the tripod legs will not work because I had taken them out to the beach previously and sand, dirt, or grime got in parts and locked everything up. So make sure to give it a good rinse so when the time comes you are not fussing around trying to get the legs to move. Another part of my workflow is to make sure I have erased all my memory cards from the previous shoot but make sure that you have it copied, backed up, and backed up again before you erase. If you wait to you get out the next time shooting you can double check to see you have the images backed up. So always check your memory cards are backed up and then erase and format your memory cards.

The last thing to do before going out to shoot is check the internet for weather, and times when the sun rises, and sets. I am always on the lookout for partly cloudy forecasts, and weather that indicates that a storm is moving out. These are ideal situations when it comes to favorable weather conditions. When it comes to sites to search for when it comes to weather they are many that do a good job but the one I go to when I need the most reliable forecast is NOAA which can be accessed here at noaa.com. In my past experiences not only has this provided the most complete forecast but more then often has given me the most up to date forecast.

All of these habits make up my preparation every time I go out and shoot. This is the beginning of my workflow and something I do every time. If you do this consistently the habits will be ingrained and will become second nature. Although the habits seem minimalistic they make up a more important workflow that leads to patterns that will go a long ways to improving your overall goal of photography.

A Craving Passion For Photography

Welcome back to another week, another trip, and some more good times. You know there is something pretty great about the fall season that makes me hope on a plane and get to the most colorful places I can. As most photographers know there are some places better then others and some are just down right stunning. You know the type of scenery that makes you think how in the heck can nature organize such beauty all in one place. But sometimes you have to know when it is time to slow down or do you ????

It is for this reason that I am writing this blog.For those that do not know me I am super passionate about photography and I will do anything to get the shot but sometimes you have to know your limits. A few years ago my determination was tested at the tender age of 35. I needed a total hip replacement due to a crazy sports life when I was younger that left my hip bone completely degraded. This meant I was going to have to change how I did things and come to terms with the fact I was not that young kid anymore.

After a mishap with the surgery and a immediate blood transfusion I barely came out of that alive. But this only made me more determined to get back to photography. The problem is that I had taken almost a year to recover and I had gained close to fifty pounds due to inactivity for the first time in my life. After a meeting with the doctors I was encouraged not to do any serious hiking other then on flat surfaces. Well as you know this just not work for a photographer who is into landscape and nature. Ignoring the advice of the doctors I began to get serious again about hiking and knew that somehow someway I had to get to those out of the way places that few ever get to see. This past summer I had climbed my way back into shape and was hiking close to 20 miles a day on Mount Rainier and starting to feel like my old self.

Then as soon as I had got my mojo back and everything was back to normal I re-injured the hip and needed to go back in for more X-rays. After explaining what I had been up to my doctor looked at me and said this can not continue. So I decided for the time being I was going to slow down a bit and focus on my family for a bit. Eight weeks later and I am about to do the Subway with my photography buddies Miles Morgan, Steve Turner, and Adrian Klein and I am now again out of shape due to the advice of the doctor.

But I thought hey how bad can the Subway hike be; well not that hard if you did not happen to have a replacement hip and you didn’t need to climb rocks. Well before I knew it I was in way over my head as I was not able to keep up and I was totally embarrassed but I kept going knowing I had to see the Subway.

Anyways I did make it and I was lucky enough to have a good group of friends who were patient but this made the dilemma even harder for me. What was I going to do in the future when it came to photography. Half joking I mentioned I now would have to write a book on the best photography places to shoot from your car window as this might be my only option in the near future. After some soul searching I have decided to go all the way and give it all I have until I can no longer. While the weather is bad and I wait for the winter to come I am in the gym seven days a week, two hours of cardio a day until I am “Rocky”.

Now I know what you are thinking and what the heck does this have to do with photography. Well it has everything to do with it. It’s a desire, a passion, a need to do something no matter what the cost is. I love photography and I will do anything for it and I will never go down until I am in a wheelchair. Mind you that might not be that much longer but that is what I bring to the table and that is what I invest into my images. I know most would tell me it is time to give it up but I have a craving so deep inside that I can not for the life of me slow down.This is what photography is for me.

If there are any images that seem to stick out for you that would be great to drop me a note.
Thanks again for coming by…..

2009 New England Fall Tour

Photo Slideshow

The link above called photo slideshow is a combination of the highlights of my trip this past fall to Vermont, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. You can also click here to see new images on website

I just wanted to check in with everyone and let everyone know what is going on in my life. I have some great news that I just found out from someone who emailed me today. I made the front cover of the November Outdoor Photographer with an image I took from Shi Shi beach in Olympic National Park awhile back. I also made the front cover of a great UK photography magazine called Photo Plus for their fall issue with a cover of Mount Moran from the infamous Oxbow Bend. So if you are near a bookstore check it out. It is always nice to see your work published as sometimes in this business it feels like it takes forever for that to happen.

I picked up a camera for the first time in my life at the end of 2005 while working as a DJ on a cruise ship that went around the world. At that time I was full of so many dreams and possibilities of what I was going to accomplish in this business. Well I was to find out quick that in this business especially landscape photography, that I could not have been further from the truth. I was going to really have to dig deep and find patience within if I was going to survive.

I tell you their are times I got so frustrated and thought this was never going to happen but I kept plugging away and made sure that the primary reason I did photography was for the fun and to see the world; getting my work out there was not going to be my goal. Eventually I got some breaks and things finally are looking up for me. Anyways, I just wanted to thank everyone for the constant feedback I get from photo forums like Flickr which never ceases to amaze me with the way people are so generous with their time.I have learned so much from other photographers and friends so thank you for that.

Anyways, on to the exciting part of this blog. I just got back from a extended photo trip to New England which was full of color no matter where I went. I visited five different states in all and drove around five thousand miles and took thirty thousand images. It was exhausting but a lot of fun at the same time. I started my journey in Albany New York so I could make my way up to the Adironacks, specifically hike Mount Joe. As expected, things did not go very well for me as I have the worst luck in the world when it comes to photography trips and equipment. I got off the plane at 4 in the morning instead of 9 at night due to another mechanical failure on the plane. A seven hour delay and no sleep for 36 hours I was pretty tired so I took a taxi to a hotel and slept for the night instead of trying to drive straight to the Adironacks.

The next morning I got an early start as I picked up my rental car and made my way up North only stopping for gas. As I got nearer to my destination I got very excited to see the colors get better and better as I continued to drive. Once I reached the Mount Joe parking lot I got my rain gear out due to the fact it was raining and snowing at the same time. As I used caution to hike up the sketchy trail I started to slip more as the elevation increased. Near the top I ended up slipping on a rock, tumbling down the rocks, landed on my tripod which I snapped in half on the leg.

So here I was at the top bleeding from my forehead with a need for immediate stitches and no tripod. You have to understand that this place has been a dream of mine to visit since I began photography. So I haven’t even taken the first image of my trip and on top of the hike with no tripod with snow falling everywhere. So I got bag and stripped some clothes to makeshift a temporary place to keep the camera still. This did not work to well and I paid for it later. As I half heartedly made my way back down to the car, I ended up lost and off the trail only to fall again and cut myself in several more places. This was not going well and I was panicking. After a few curse words and screams I made it back to the car only to find out I had been broken into with the car doors wide open. Cursing again I checked my personal belongings to find only clothes were stolen – I know I don’t get that ! (I hid the laptop really well).

Almost in tears I pulled out my itinerary to find out where I would be staying for the night – Rutland, Vermont was the destination and the GPS would tell me how long I had to drive – OMG six hours to Rutland ; I thought it was only going to be an hour as I thought you could cross over right into Vermont without driving almost all the way back to Albany before heading North again – wow am I ever stupid ! Anyways I made it to the hotel around 2 in the morning having to fix only one flat tire . So I pull up to the motel and right away it looks like a scene from the Psycho movie and I am staying at the Bates motel. The motel is a steep hill up to nowhere and there is no cars in the parking lot and the lights are off. So I knock on the door and wake the front door guy up and he was nice enough not to scream at me. He explains to me that because of the rain there would be no one here this week and that normally it is full ; sure it is buddy !!!

So I grab my keys and make my way to the room as I nervously check for someone in the bushes to come out at me. I open the door slowly and pow the smell hits me like a freight truck ! The room had this unusual strong odor and mildew was the overwhelming first thing I smelled.This room probably hasn’t been used in years and the decor is from the 1950’s. You are probably wondering why I just didn’t find another place well the answer to that is that I pre-booked it for the 13 days through Expedia and no chance to get my money back. As a photographer I do not have the luxury of spending more money that so I suck it up and decide I will take a nice hot warm shower.

Beat and exhausted I hit the shower turn on the water and realize there is no hot water and the only water coming out was brown because I guess the showers had not been used in so long that dirt filled the drain pipes. So in disbelief and thinking there is no way this can get worse I dry off and check the internet for places to go; as no surprise to me the advertised free Wi-Fi apparently only works for Window computers. According to the front doormen I should be able to figure how to make it work since kids can do it all the time when they are there.

Now it is five in the morning and I am not going to figure out this internet thing so I decide to check out what is on TV as all motels have TV at least – right ? Well now this was getting ridiculous – three channels – are you serious?

So I decide I need to end this awful day and go to bed. That was the end of my first day of this epic journey I was about to take part in. Check back for further stories from the trip in a later blog.

Best Places This Year To Photograph Wildlflowers On Mount Rainier

Welcome to another blog story and this time I wanted to catch everyone up to date on the wildflower situation on Mount Rainier National Park. I want to apologize for the amount of images but I am trying to show as many places to go as possible. I have to say I do not think I have seen so many in my life. Everywhere I look there are sorts of arrangements including Indian paintbrush, lupine, asters, and lilies just to mention a few. I have now made several journeys up to Mt. Rainier in the last few weeks and enjoyed it each time. Trying to recommend one place to go would be impossible but I am going to try to highlight at least a few places I think should not be missed.

I began my travels on Rainier on the Sunrise side and most of the time on Mt.Rainier the flowers are always peak first so this is always the best place to start. In terms of where to go on the Sunrise side I always start on the Sourdough Trail and work my way to Berkley Park. To get here park at the Sunrise Visitor center and make your way up a short path to the Sourdough Trail. Look for flowers on the slopes with Rainier in the background; just be careful not to fall on the rocks. While hiking this gorgeous trail take in the view cause it one of the best on the mountain. As you continue you make your way by Frozen Lake and take note of the color of the water – unbelievable!

To make it to Berkeley Park keep going roughly 2-3 miles to witness without a doubt the most wildflowers in the park. This year I have never see so many in Berkeley Park. Even though you do not get a view of the mountain from this park it is worth the hike. As you hike here you will pass a creek that follows you throughout the park. This is a great opportunity to shoot Lewis Monkey flowers (the pink ones that grow next to streams).

Do not be afraid to get your feet wet to get the best compositions here, as there is opportunity everywhere. To get more views of the mountain keep going on the trail to Grand Park as you are met with an open meadow that goes on forever. On the return to the visitor center makes sure to head down the trail when you hit Frozen Lake to go by Shadow Lake, which is a great place to relax and have a picnic. This is the lake you can see from the Sourdough Trail when you look down into the valley. Now keep along this trail and you will get back to the Sunrise visitor center but keep going on the Silver Forest Trail with views of the Emmons Vista.

This is where you want to be for sunset if you want an amazing image. Get there early so you can find a good composition with the valley and the river going up to the mountain. Remember while on the trail to keep going even when it looks like it ends to get to an open meadow with plenty of opportunities. This is where you will find the Holy Grail in terms of wildflowers – just amazing !!!

If time allows make sure to head up the hill when you have a chance to get the most close up views of the mountain. I will warn you the climb is a little steep but well worth it. Make sure to get shots of the mountain with the lodge in it. Continue on this trail to Sunrise Point and take in the vistas, as they are a plenty.

Now if you are heading to the Paradise side, which is always a fan favorite for wildflowers offers great views as well. I always begin my journey on Paradise side with a sunrise shot from the Dead Horse Creek Trail. You cannot go wrong from here as long as get high enough to unobstructed views of the mountain. There are plenty of wildflowers along this trail and a great place to get sidelight on Rainier. Follow this trail all the way up to High Skyline Trail to get closer then you could ever imagine to the mountain.

The treat this year is the wildflowers are higher then they have ever been and you can get some very close up views of the mountain with great foregrounds of wildflowers. To get there make sure to keep going all the way to the top so you are heading in the direction of  Camp Muir. Once up top you will have a completely unobstructed view of the mountain and wildflowers. After this continue along the High Skyline trail until he heads back down to Paradise area. Make sure to turn around when you can to get some great shots of Mount Adams and Mount Saint Helens in the background  behind the Tatoosh Range.

You will make your way for about two miles before you get to the meadows worth shooting again. Warning: this place is filled with people and hard to get pictures without people in them. If you are lucky enough to get the place to yourself make sure to stop at the bridge and get a few shots of Edith Creek and the surrounding wildflowers with Rainier as your backdrop. Make sure though to include the S-Curve that leads up and around to the mountain for a great shot. Make sure to take a look at this winning shot by Daniel Ewert from Nature’s Best Landscape winner of this year. While there get a shot of Myrtle Falls with Rainier in the distance. You can never go wrong with this image for stock purposes. If time allows I always like to make my way over to Mazama Ridge as this place rarely fails for good compositions of the mountain and wildflowers. In terms of a sunset there is no better opportunity then shooting Tatoosh Range as they seem to come alive when the sun goes down.

In my next blog I will be discussing Comet Falls and Van Trump Park plus some hidden secrets when shooting around Reflection Lakes.

Oregon Coast Workshop Photo Tour

Hello to all of you photographers. I just got back from teaching a photo workshop on the Oregon Coast workshop this last weekend with Adrian Klein.  I just I got to tell you we had a blast and even though we did not have the best weather I have not laughed as hard as I did in years. You know sometimes weather does not shine down on you as would like but you make the best of it ; well we had a share of storms and fog but we made the best of the situation. I was surprised at how big the waves were and when mixed with the fog we got some unexpected surprises.

For this workshop we decided to rent a house in Lincoln City that would hold a good number of us so that we could get to know each other better. We all met on the Friday at the house and went over some details before heading to Cape Kiwanda. I promised I wanted to show the class some of the lesser known places on the Oregon coast but still would be stunning to see. So for sunset on Friday we decided to hit the back of Cape Kiwanda by accessing it about a mile north of Pacific City. To get there you make a left at unmarked dirt road which makes its way down to the beach. From there a 4x 4 vehicle can drive along to the beach to the backside of the cliffs of Cape Kiwanda. Once there half of us had cars that could make and the others well we were making the long hike in. Once we all gathered together we made our way first to the arch and practiced shooting the waves at different shutter speeds.

Some of us got a little crazier then others – I speaking about you Tiju who decided to make his way out onto the rocks out in the middle of everything as the waves crashed all around. I know have done some crazy things but it seemed like he might be taking the cake on this one. After shooting the arch some of us made our way up the sand dunes to the top of Cape Kiwanda; unfortunately things were a lot tougher then we thought and about half ways we realized were not getting to make it top of the cliffs for sunset. Note to self always take the easier route when trying to get somewhere for sunset. Anyways, we decided at least were going to have some fun going down and as we decided to return to our youths as we raced down the dunes. After making it down we realized we had a rogue among one of us – I am talking about you MILES ! Miles decided to try to make it to the top for sunset and found himself with one of the toughest tasks trying to make it back. Anyways, Miles finally back to the rest of the group and we all headed for a feast to the infamous Pelican Brewery were we were glad to still be alive. Once we all realized we had stuffed ourselves with too much food we sluggishly made our way back to the house. By the time we made it back it was almost one in the morning and sunrise was going to be impossible.

So instead we decided to sleep in and go to breakfast at the Pig n Pancake. On a full stomach again we made our way for a morning hike to the Cascade Head Preserve Area. Once at the trailhead we saw the sun trying to make its way through the fog and we all got some great sun ray shots.

So I guess it worked out not making the sunrise and going later. Later in the day, we made our way down the coast watching the waves grow out of control and made a few stops along the way to stop and shoot the waves at Boiler Bay State Park.

So even though we did not get sun we were getting some great atmosphere to shoot the coast. Anyways we travelled up north to Oceanside for sunset and as we got closer the weather we noticed it was going to be raining and everyone decided to make the best of the situation. I have to admit what a great group to still want to go out in the rain and shoot – man you guys are an inspiration for sure….

Next time I will be talking about the new updates to Photomatix Pro specifically Exposure Fusion

So after some getting completely soaked and spending almost half an hour to get a group photo together because it was so wet we decided to go back and talk all night about Photoshop; funny thing when you get photographers together as it seems to always lead back to something about photography where no one wants to go to bed.

Well sunrise came upon us and another wet morning but spirits were high as we laughed about everything imaginable and as the workshop concluded I have to say I was really sad to see it come to an end. Everyone was so passionate and enthusiastic from the very start and was a really inspiration to me. So thank you everyone for the good times and I can not wait to see the rest of everyone’s images. I also want to give a special thank you to my partner Adrian Klein for putting all of this together in such a organized fashion. He was able to make things run smooth, got us places on time, and was there to support me in every way. Thanks Adrian !

Columbia Gorge Workshop

Welcome back to the blog. So much is happening of later I do not know where to start. So I finished a workshop this last weekend with my partner Adrian Klien. We explored the area of the Columbia Gorge and all its wonders. We visited everything from waterfalls, wildflowers, cherry orchards, and even some storms. The Columbia Gorge is known primarily for its amazing waterfalls, flora, and endless hiking trails. The weather did not let us down either as we got everything from amazing sunsets to thundershowers; all of it making it an exciting week.

I got to say we had a great group of photographers each with their own vision that they brought to their images. Although we all shot in the same area it was amazing to everyone to see how different everyone saw things. Even within feet of each other we had totally different images each stunning in its own respect.

The “gorge” was bursting with color when we got there and it is really like you have entered a different world when you visit this place. Spring time is the time to go to capture all the lush greens, wildflowers, and powerful waterfalls. Our first stop was PonyTail falls and was an interesting stop as we all made our way into the creek to get better vantage points.

It is always an adventure when you make your way out into water and this was no exception. The difference was we had the whole group at one time or another trying to traverse across. After shooting a number of waterfalls we headed to Rowena Crest to visit the Tom McCall Preserve Area.

This area sits atop the Columbia river and is a great place to see sunrises. When we arrived we were amazed at the amount of wildflowers such as arrowroot balsam and lupine. The challenge here is to visit this place when the winds are not blowing a hundred miles an hour. So keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best I cranked my ISO to 1600 on my Canon 5D MK2 which is a great improvement on the old Canon 5D for noise levels and hoped for the best.

I was amazed that even at ISO 1600 I was getting almost complete noise free images, and I was able to freeze the movement of the wildflowers from the wind. Another trick that is more difficult when dealing with movement in the foreground is to shoot the foreground at a f-stop around f/8 for a quicker shutter speed and merging that with another image right after at f/16 to get the background all in focus. Theoritically this increases the chances of freezing the movement of the foreground flowers. Anyways we had a such a great time we came back for sunrise and tried it again.

This time a little less wind but still very active. After that we spend some time shooting the cherry orchards in Hood River Valley which if you catch at the right time is absolutely amazing with clear views on sunny days of Mount Adams and Mount Hood. We decided after that as it was not the far away to head to the Dalles mountains which is on the other side of the Columbia river and is in the state of Washington. Once here we visted an abandoned classic car left out in a field of wildflowers that can be difficult to find. I have to say that I have never seen so many wildflowers in one area; it was covered from end to end and on top of that we were getting some amazing cloud formations with the sun setting.

For the next couple of days we visited wildflower areas and some more waterfalls that seemed to get better as the workshop progressed. We spent the final day going over the workflow from taking the picture all the way to producing the print. This was informative just to see what others do and to see things that can always be improved. By the end I think we all a great time and got some good images; but all we wanted to do was catch up on our sleep.

I want to thank the workshop participants as the were amazing and their work inspiring.

Return To Death Valley

Lend Me A Hand - Mesquite Dunes Death Valley National Park

Sorry for the long absence but I have been so on the road for the last six weeks. I just got back recently from another trip to the Eastern Sierras. You know the first time I went I had such a good time and saw so many stunning scenes, I knew had to return as soon as possible. I returned to some familiar spots and visited some new ones.
I began the trip in Death Valley to see some more of the familiar places again that I missed out the first time. I made all night drive to meet another fellow photographer, Lisa Dearing, somewhere in the RV park. Lisa is fantastic photographer who I met up in Denali National Park while camping at Wonder Lake. Next morning, running late, I made to make the hundred yard dash to get somewhere that accentuated the flowing curves of such an awe inspiring place. The best way to demonstrate this was to find the nicest flowing curves. The problem was that they were all on the highest dunes. So I had made the trek up the dunes but found out real quick that I was in terrible shape and for every step I took I fell back two making the  journey a real eye opener. Once making it up I got some great light which made getting some decent images easier. After finishing up at the dunes we moved on to “The Racetrack”. I know other photographers have shot this place to death but I have never got the chance to see this place.

View From The Top - Mesquite Dunes Death Valley National Park

I always visit a place because it moves me in some way and the reason I got into photography almost four years ago was to see the world and bring back home just a taste of what I had experienced. So I do not necessarily go to a place from a photographer’s angle  but sometimes as a tourist. I also find this helps me bring perspective to my own life and a great way never to lose sight of why I got into this business in the first place.

So after finally making it out to “The Racetrack” I stood in awe for several minutes without moving. Just witnessing in person the phenemeon of “moving rocks” just really makes you realize how powerful nature is in the scope of everything. I began the scouting for the best composition of moving rocks I could find. It turns out the first one was the best as the rocks were almost non-exisent questioning whether people were actually taking the rocks with them. I am not sure the reason for the disappearance I would love to know. So I spend the day and night getting to know as much as I could about the place. I can not say I got the best sunrise or sunset but it was great just to be there. After a couple of days we packed up everything and headed to the Alabama Hills. Stay tuned for further adventures from the town of Lone Pine.

Fields Of Gold - Mesquite Dunes - Death Valley National Park

In the mean time I thought I would share some thinking on
“ Layered HDR”. This refers to combining a HDR layer with a Raw image to get the best of both styles.

What is HDR?

HDR is a set of techniques that allows the opportunity for a greater dynamic range of exposures through digital imaging techniques. It captures the full range of luminosity between light and dark in a single scene. What this means in terms of photography is that the processing of HDR captures everything from dark shadows to bright highlights and combines it into a single image.

Why use HDR?

They are many benefits to processing a HDR over a single image. Digital cameras today are becoming more advanced everyday but the present day digital camera can only capture latitude of four to six stops. Therefore in a scene with strong contrast the  in-camera meter will only be able to expose for either the highlights or the shadows and not both. Processing through HDR allows you capture the full magnitude of the scene without sacrificing either of the extreme tonalities.

When should you use HDR?

HDR is a real advantage when it comes to scenes that are hard for the camera to photograph in terms of contrast. Images that benefit the most from HDR has very dark tonalities and bright highlights in the same scene. Some examples of this might be found when shooting indoors with minimal lighting. In terms of shooting outdoors, the early or late hours when the sun reflects its light onto a scene causes harsh contrast. Extreme variances between the unlit areas in deep shadows and the areas illuminated by the sun provide opportunity to shoot in HDR. Shooting this type of scene in a single exposure would be impossible without the aid of filters. But by shooting in HDR you can capture the full spectrum of luminance and provide detail throughout the image.

Do I need to do anything differently when shooting for HDR ?

When shooting in HDR, you do need to do things different then if you were going to shoot for a single exposure. Begin by changing the shooting mode to continuous, as multiple exposures at one time are essential to HDR. Depending on the brand of digital camera you have, you can set auto bracketing to shoot from three to nine exposures ranging from the darkest regions of an image to the lightest. If you have an advanced Nikon DSLR you can set this auto bracketing so that it will fire off nine exposures in a row from darkest to lightest. If you own a Canon, then things are a little different, as most Canons only auto bracket three exposures in a row. To get the most of your bracketing it is important to make sure that you capture detail in the brightest parts of the image and detail in the shadows. Review your histogram and make sure if you have the option to turn on a highlight warning in your camera you have this turned on. Your exposures should range mostly in the three to five exposures. But in situations where the range of contrast is significant it is important to capture at least nine exposures to provide enough information for processing in HDR. When it comes to different ranges of exposures it never hurts to have more then you need. Determine if the scene you are looking at displays high or low contrast in a scene by reviewing your histogram. Each scene is different and exposure needs to be considered for each scene independently.
Noise needs to be minimized in the HDR image, so it is imperative to keep the ISO below 200. The cumulative effect of high ISO images will destroy an image with excessive noise. When shooting in priority mode on the camera make sure to keep it on Aperture priority, as you do not want to change the aperture mid way through. Only vary the shutter speed to change the exposure. Lastly, it is near impossible to do this without the aid of a tripod as the different exposures need to line up exactly to work and my experience hand holding and trying to do HDR have always failed. If you have a cable or remote release for the camera this really helps to ensure the camera does not move.

What do I need to start HDR ?

To get started in HDR you will need to look at a third party plug in for Photoshop called Photomatix Pro. You might be tempted to use the Merge to HDR in the actual Photoshop but I encourage you not to use this, as the results are often very poor. When it comes to third party plug-ins for HDR there are a few others but in my experience Photomatix Pro has continually provided the best results. To find out more information about Photomatix Pro click here.

How Does Photomatix Pro work ?

Using Photomatix Pro is very simple and user friendly. You begin by selecting the several exposures you took for the image. Then drag those images to Photomatix Pro icon or right click on your mouse and choose open Photomatix Pro. Once you have brought the images into Photomatix Pro you click on Generate HDR and your images will combine into one 32-bit image. This process takes some time but at the end of it you are left with a single processed image. Once this single image is processed you will need to Tone Map the image, which renders the image into a workable 16-bit image, which then can be altered in terms of color, contrast, and luminosity. For more information on Tone Mapping you can click here.
In terms of tone mapping I encourage you to leave it on its defaults and make the rest of your changes in Photoshop. The reason I say this is that Photoshop is where you want to make all your big edits to the image, as it is less destructive. In Photoshop you can make changes on a separate layer and still make changes at a later time to the image. Overall. Photoshop’s ability to handle editing is far superior then Photomatix Pro.

Is there advanced HDR methods?

Like all new advances in digital photography, people can get carried away with HDR and its abilities. Options are available in HDR that can change the image into a highly unnatural look by over processing. For those who like the benefits of HDR but want to avoid the look of surreal imagery, HDR can be applied in a modest amount. Under the Details Enhancer tab, apply a low strength amount in combination with high smoothing to achieve a very natural look to the image.

Lastly, for those looking to achieve the most natural look in HDR, save the final image of HDR as a separate layer in Photoshop. Later in processing, blend that layer in with a single processed layer done in Photoshop. More specifically, I will save the HDR layer above a layer processed normally in Photoshop and blend in the HDR layer where I have lost detail or blown highlights. This advanced technique in Photoshop requires you know how to blend layers in Photoshop. Once the saved HDR layer is on top of the single processed image, you can also change the layer’s opacity to fifty percent to blend the two layers equally avoiding the look of over processed HDR.

How to get more information on HDR ?

A search on the Internet on HDR will provide lots of information on everything you need to know about it. As well, there are many tutorials on the subject as well as videos. Start by looking at example of others and the process they have gone to achieve their look. Try to recognize the type of scene where HDR really works for you and the degree of exposures needed for each scene.  Like anything HDR takes time to get better at it but I promise you the results in the end are worth it.
Practice! Practice! Practice!

Last Adventure On Our Eastern Sierra Trip

Along The Owens River Before Sunrise With Mount Tom In Background

Welcome back for the last adventure of the trip. This will be a short blog as I apologize for previous lengthy stories. Anyways,  we left Death Valley to return one more time to the Owens Valley. From our research we had seen some great images from the valley with Mount Tom in the background.The scene that we were visualizing was a sunrise shot with Mount Tom to the east. We had scoped out some possible foregrounds earlier and now we had to commit to something before the sun came up.

Leaving Death Valley along the Joshua Flats

We made our destination along the Owens River which has a lot of complementary features that makes for a strong foreground. In particular we were looking for a S-Curve that would lead the viewer’s eye through the image. We got there with plenty of time and we made a decision to break up and find our own foregrounds so that we would avoid all having the same images. I decided I really needed some strong impact if I was going to create a lasting effect with this image. I set up my tripod in the actual river to get the perspective that the viewer was right there with me. I decided to focus on the minutes before sunrise as I liked the cool colors from the mountain peaks and the moon that balanced the rest of the image. After working several different compositions we retired back to the hotel to pack our gear and head back to the airport.

Early morning light on the fooliage along Owens River

In retrospect I had a great time on this adventure and I learned a lot of things from my past mistakes. I can not say enough great things about the Eastern Sierras in winter. If you ever want to see some winter magic that is easily accessible this is one place not to miss. Looking back and some of the places we visited we were all fairly pleased at how lucky the weather had cooperated for us. The only place that we did not get a chance to visit was Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake. For me these are two places I am dying to see in winter conditions. Well I guess I have something to look forward to. Anyways, thank you for allowing me to share my adventures with you and I will be back soon with more tips and stories.

First light of the morning hits the peaks with Mount Tom in the background

Death Valley – Eastern Sierra Photo Tour Part 4

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Death Valley – Eastern Sierra Photo Tour Part 4

To see the complete Eastern Sierra slideshow watch the video above or click here. Video has music so make sure to have the volume on.

After finishing up at Yosemite National Park we made our all night journey to Death Valley National Park. Driving on two hours of sleep we made it all the way to Lone Pine and could not drive on. So we headed up to Alabama Hills and slept until sunrise. We got some good light and even got some keeper images. After finishing we all packed up in the cars and headed to Death Valley. I personally have never been there so this was very exciting for me. Later that afternoon we arrived in Death Valley and tried to map out where we wanted to be for sunset. A group majority decision to shoot in Mesquite dunes was the next calling. After seeing so many stunning images from this area, I wondered how was I ever going to be able to compete with that. We made the hike into the dunes and as the sun began to set I still had not found anything I liked.

With a few more minutes to sunset I saw a nicely shaped dune on the horizon but it was going to be a big risk if I did not make it there in time. The thing with the dunes is you want to maximize contrast and that means getting one side lit by the sun and the other in shadow to get the most dramatic images out of the scene. Again I found myself running like a mad man trying to make it there on time. I was able to get a few shots off before the sun disappeared behind the mountains. As the rest of the gang headed back to the car I stayed awhile to shoot some twilight images – BIG MISTAKE! I waited a little to long and now I had no idea of the direction of where the car was and it was dark. Scared and confused I prepared for the worst. I tried to remain calm and backtrack to where I could footsteps. I eventually found some and followed them out of the dunes. I have no sense of direction and this proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I finally made it back to the car and frustrated and hungry we headed for the nearest restaurant.

Next morning we decided to make the journey out to Badwater, which is the area where salt flats create unique octagons. To get there in time we had to be there super early as the hike onto the flats takes about half an hour. Leaving at four in the morning and making the long drive we made it to Badwater and we were behind as light was already beginning and we had not even started the hike. Again I found myself running to get there in time. As I dropped my bag and threw everything onto the ground I reached to shoot a few shots off before the light disappeared. The problem was nothing was happening and I realized I had forgotten my camera battery on the charger. I looked over to my friend who also had a Canon 5D Mk 2 and begged him for his back up battery. He looked at me and said you are one lucky guy that I have the same camera and backup battery. I was able to get the last of sunrise light and found some unique foreground patterns that complemented the light on the mountain peaks. We made the hike back to the car and all I could think was boy do I have to get my act together! From here we headed back to the motel situated right in the heart of Death Valley.

Upon returning to the room I noticed my sleeping blankets and pillow that I carry with me all the time were gone. I carry these items always when I travel because I am paranoid of what is on the sheets. This might be because of a recent trip to Arizona where my wife pulled back the bed sheets to uncover a bed full of dead rats and some under the pillows. Since then I will not sleep in a hotel without bringing my own stuff. Needless to say I returned to find my stuff missing. Why in the heck would anyone want my pillow – I mean seriously – drool and what else was on it. This had to be the strangest thing. After talking to a manager he told me to return another day and he would try to track it down. With that in mind we headed to Bishop to shoot sunrise and Mount Tom. I will continue the last of the adventure in the next few days. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed it.