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 I STAND ALONE In each photographer the spark of creativity is vitally different, each expression unique.
Inspiration can come in many shapes and forms. A bug, a face, a landscape, flowing water or flowers can inspire you to pause and think, “yes, this is the time to make an image.”
Recently for me, inspiration came in the form of a notion, an idea, a new piece of gear — all at the same time. Yes, it was my handy-dandy Lensbaby (no, I do not have stock in the company) and the new wide-angle adapter for it.
My notion, actually a form of previsualization, was to go to Badwater, Death Valley to make an image of someone alone walking along the path there. The landscape is so big and it just dwarfs people in the scene. How to show solitude, that was my quest.
Continue reading “Sometimes a notion” »
 THE WATCHERS Someone asked me once, “What inspires you to make an image, to get out of the house and go photographing, to think photographically?”
The resulting images did not have to be art, but, of course that is a nice result. What is important is that the image was made, the scene captured, the journey taken.
I am inspired by several things: a wonderful face, unique light, depression.
Now, don’t laugh at that last one. When I lived in Eastern Oregon, my second winter was cold, grey, long. My mom had recently died and I was alone and depressed as heck. I didn’t pick up a camera for three months. Christmas day I told myself — “self ! — enough is enough — go out shooting.”
There was hoarfrost on the trees and little plants, that I found absolutely fascinating (being a California girl who had never seen hoarfrost before). So, with an old army jacket on for warmth, three pairs of socks and a pair of big sneakers, I went a’drivin’ around just absorbing the foggy white landscape.
I shot trees, windmills, grass, funny signs and dirt. I didn’t know hoarfrost could form on dirt. The river was mostly frozen as were my toes as I hopped in and out of the car. Finally I had to head home. It was getting dark, my three pairs of socks were wet and my toes hurt. An unlined Army jacket is not made for warmth in the snow, nor are sneakers.
Continue reading “Celebrate inspiration” »
When you photograph your family, you are creating so much more than simple snapshots. You are creating a window in time for those who come after. You are creating a visual history of your family. Your images tell a story.
By now, I’m certain that you have collected many images from your digital and film cameras. Now what do you do with them?
You could stuff the snapshots of family dinners and picnics away in old shoe boxes — thinking someday you will work on them, put them in albums, etc.
But generally folks just leave those old negatives and prints in those shoe boxes. With digital, it’s also easy to have your photos stored away out of sight and mind — but now they are on CDs or DVDs. Maybe you will make a print or two to send to family and friends.
How about creating lasting books of the photos that you like best?
Continue reading “Once upon a time” »
 This sandwiched shot of Mono Lake shows both detail in the highlights and in the shadows. Without combining images there would have been no way to save the details. We haven’t had any photo questions these past few weeks and without questions I have run out of ideas for Shutterbug 101. But from one of my other desert forums came the question, “What is RAW data and why do you like it.”
Basically RAW means exactly that, it is the unadulterated, unprocessed image data from the camera — hence the word raw.
Continue reading “RAW means raw” »
 SPOT THE WONDERDOG: Ah mom, these sunglasses are way uncool. As we get close to the Holiday season, you may be tempted to photograph your pet for your annual greeting cards.
 EX-BOYFRIEND: Come on Spot the WonderDog, hold up your ears. Photographing one’s pet can be a challenging and sometimes exasperating event. But by following a few steps you can avoid most of the exasperation and just have fun. Your pet will pick up on your emotions so if you are stressed out by the whole event then forget it until another day.
Two kinds of photographs come to mind when I think about photographing my former pets. The very natural, in-their-habitat kinds of photos or the completely staged-for-effect types.
MouseGirl, my dearly departed hamster, wasn’t too keen on dressing up so I photographed her in her natural environment or just out sitting on the ottoman. She was just so cute and funny doing the normal, every-day hamster behavior that photographing her was a fairly easy task.
The last dog I had, the very well-trained Spot the Wonder-Dog, was a challenge. Probably because I dressed up and put him in a photographic setting when I was testing some new studio lighting equipment. I wanted to make a greeting card out of the final product.
Spot was not a happy camper, but being the special dog he was, he tolerated my photographic endeavors. Rather like a spouse or partner does when you are practicing a new technique or trying out a new piece of gear.
Continue reading “Say hey with photos of your pet” »
Today we are going to address some questions from a friend in Bakersfield. Thanks Linda!
Q: Why does it take so long for my camera to fire when I push the button?
A: Digital cameras have a nasty little problem with slow shutter release times. From the time you “push the button” until the shutter actual fires can vary, but it seems like it takes forever.
Part of the problem is that people do not give the camera time to focus. Even film point and shoot cameras need time to focus before the shutter is released. To speed up that process, push the shutter release button halfway down to focus and then hold it until you are ready to take the picture.
For example, you have the whole family lined up for a candid portrait. Joey is messing around, Suzy is poking little Sam and Mom has her eyes crossed. To get everybody on the same page and give yourself time to focus, have everyone close their eyes. Push the shutter release button halfway down to focus and then tell everyone to open their eyes and giggle, say cheese, whatever to make them smile. As soon as they do that, push the release all the way down and voila! portrait. The release time will still be slightly longer than a film camera but that is just one of the oddities of digital cameras. You need to be aware of that and soon it will become second nature.
Continue reading “Why, oh why? Some questions answered.” »
 Wildlife photographer Ron Wolf aims his big Canon lens at the hummingbird feeding station during the recent photography workshop. Visit Ron's Flickr stream for some great images. www.flickr.com/photos/rwolf/ A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to take a workshop with noted bird photographer Bob Steele during the Kern River Preserve’s Hummingbird Festival. The Weldon location is one of the premier birding areas in the country and I wanted to learn how to photograph hummingbirds.
Remember how we talked about long lenses and bird photography in the previous column? This workshop made it pretty clear that the 300mm with 1.4 tele combo is really the bare minimum for effectively shooting birds — and that is for ideal, set-up conditions.
Most of the shooters there were using the big guns, 500-600mm lenses which cost between $5,500 – $7,200, and a paltry $500 for the lens hood/ shade. (We will be taking donations for my upcoming birthday, OK?!)
HOW TO SET UP FOR HUMMINGBIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
Because of the feeder set-up at the Preserve, I was able to sit on the ground, brace my elbows on my knees to insure a steady camera, and create some pretty decent images. Lenses longer than 300mm absolutely must be on a tripod, and I probably would have had an easier time of it if I had brought mine out of the car.
Continue reading “Faster shutters for fast wings” »
 A hawk was close enough to my car on a telelphone pole allowing me to photograph it with my 300mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter. You love your point & shoot digital camera but now you yearn for something more. A camera that offers more versatility and interchangeable lenses. A camera that lets you get closer to wildlife than the zoom on your small digital.
Perhaps you want to shoot birds — with a camera, not a gun.
Be forewarned, if you want to get into photographing wildlife, especially birds, you must have have a LONG lens. The very minimum focal length would be a 300mm with a 1.4x tele converter. I have used that with some success in photographing birds.
When I was first starting out as a photographer I was on a nice drive with the ex and children. I really wanted to photograph the great blue herons we saw in the fields outside Davis, Calif. But every time we got even a little close to the birds they would hop/fly off just out of range of my wimpy 200mm lens.
So I figured if I got out of the car and sort of crept up on them I could get a good shot. Slowly, ever so quietly, I approached the herons. And off they would go as I brought the camera to my eye.
In frustration I finally gave up and went back to the car. My ex said wryly, “It is really hard to sneak up on a bird — especially if you are wearing reds pants”.
Smart aleck. But the lesson stayed with me and I never wore red pants again.
Continue reading “Movin’ on up (to a digital SLR)” »
Last time we talked about using your camera in manual mode and the relationship between aperture and shutter speed. Reiterating — aperture controls depth of field and shutter speed is important for stopping movement — or not stopping it.
Sometimes you want to freeze the action — a kid kicking a soccer ball, the tight end just catching a pass, a flower swaying in the breeze. Fast shutter speeds can stop the action at a key point.
Continue reading “Still movement” »
So many times people say “I don’t know what to shoot.” You never know what will catch your eye so you just have to get out there and be open to possibilities.
Galen Rowell said once “I almost never set out to photograph a landscape, nor do I think of my camera as a means of recording a mountain or an animal unless I absolutely need a ‘record shot.’ My first thought is always of light.”
Continue reading “Eye of the beholder” »
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