Long Exposure Landscape Photography

The word Photography is derived from two Greek words, photo - meaning “light” and graphy - meaning “to draw”. Enter long exposure photography in the digital age, and what better way to allow the light to draw the scene than letting the light scribe the definition and contours of the landscape in front of you.

Long exposure images elongate the moment that a photograph was taken until the reality of the scene before you takes on a surreal twist. Some even say they are an art form unto itself. Running water becomes a silky substance, raging oceans turn into calm pools of glass, stationary cumulous clouds turn into streaking light across the blue hour or night sky, and for the patient, even the bright stars above us can be transformed into bright trails that arc around the north star in the sky.

Personally, there are two reasons I enjoy long exposures. One reason is that it gives us the ability to remove texture from certain parts of the image. Take a waterfall, you can replace hard, high contrast falling water with a silky flow and then allow the eye to focus on the textures and structures of another part of the image. Or even take the water of an ocean, undulating, crashing waves can easily be transformed to placid glass and allow a wooden pier or rocks on a beach to punch out onto the image. The second reason I enjoy long exposure photography is that it allows you to control the introduction of light into an otherwise dull image. It evokes emotion in a photo and can, if done properly, force the eyes right through an image.

Hilton Falls, Milton, Ontario

Dave in Action, 3.2 second exposure, taken mid morning on a sunny day, ND8 filter

Fifty Point Conservation Area, Grimsby, Ontario

Nature Reclaims Industry, 15 second exposure, one hour after sunrise on a cloudy day, ND4 and graduated ND2 filter












White Lake, Haliburton Highlands, Ontario

Ethereal Reflections, 240 second exposure, taken 45 minutes before sunrise on a clear night, ND4 and graduated ND2 filter












Salerno Lake, Irondale Ontario

Midnight Winds, 240 second exposure, taken after sunset on a spring night, no filter












OK, now that we know what long exposure can do to your images and you have seen a few examples… How do we accomplish this type of photography?

Tools of the trade

1. A DSLR camera with the ability to shoot in RAW, set long exposures including BULB setting and also manipulate ISO and aperture.
2. A sturdy tripod to hold the camera in place while you are taking the image
3. A cable release to eliminate camera shake (or, a camera with a shutter delay)
4. Neutral density (ND) filters and graduated neutral density filters (not necessary, but in time, you will want them)
5. A flashlight and a glow stick … You are mostly doing this at night, the glow stick sits on the neck of the tripod so you know where your camera is at all times. The flashlight is so you can see in the dark
6. Appropriate clothing… you do more standing than pushing the shutter button. It can get a little chilly if you show up dressed for daylight and two hours later its black and you are on a windy beach somewhere.
7. Editing software. Nature is rarely perfect. So, using the RAW editor and giving you the ability to further manipulate will empower you to give the image some final tweaks.

Let me go into some details on the “tools of the trade”. My ideal setup for long exposures is to use a wide angle lens, mount the camera on the tripod, lower the camera close to the ground for a better perspective and I manually focus on the foreground about 1/4 or 1/3 up from the bottom of the image.

I set my aperture to f20 or f22 and put my shutter speed to BULB. I set my ISO around 400 (I use Olympus). If you are a NIKON or Canon shooter, try higher and lower ISO’s and see what it does to the shutter speeds. Your ISO capabilities are superior to mine.

I meter the light at the foreground, focal point first, and then I meter just the sky. I use the appropriate ND filter that will give me the desired length of exposure, and then apply a graduated Neutral Density (ND) filter to adjust the exposure of the sky to match the foreground. There are a few manufacturers of ND filters. You can screw on ND filters or use square filters that sit in front of your lens. ND filters come in different levels, each eliminating a percentage of the natural light. The graduated ND filters are just that, graduated from clear to a set ND strength… these are sometimes overlooked but make a huge difference in the final image. Some photographers prefer to have more control and do this in an editing program, me, I am more of a purist and like to do this in the field.

Then, when I am set, I take the image, holding the shutter release for the appropriate time, check the image in the viewfinder, and then take one longer exposure and one shorter exposure. I usually do not take anything less than 100 images when I am on a shoot… remember, this is the digital age, it does not cost you anything to take an image other than time.

Then, when I am in front of the computer at home and I have all the images downloaded. I open everything in a RAW editor. The RAW editor will allow you to adjust clarity, exposure, blacks, fine tune the colour and give you a chance to create a top notch base image.

Once the RAW editing is done, and because nature is rarely perfect, you can now clone out imperfections, eliminate digital noise and do any other editing you wish to do to your image to create a final product you can share with your friends or hang on your wall.

To see more of my landscape and nature photos please visit my Gallery

For more information, please contact me on my website

Photography Idea To Try This Weekend ~ Home Town Photos

Get out and walk around your home town this weekend... now, more than ever, cityscape's are changing... new buildings and bridges, highways and urban sprawl are changing where we all live and work.

This photo was taken of the Grand River in my hometown three years ago... now, a huge condo sits right in the middle of this image and another one scheduled to be built.

This weekend, get out and appreciate the town you live in and take some photos of the way it is today... so three years from now you can still appreciate the "way it was"

A new venue to learn more photography skills...

"The Lounge" was started to give all levels of photographers the opportunity to take a more in-depth look into different genre's of photography with other like minded people that share the passion of photography. We do this in a relaxed group setting twice a month from September to April.
 
We also will have other events like sponsored photo outings as we get them created... these photowalks will be topic specific and will be lead by PRO photographers that specialize in specific photography styles.
 
Why would you want to become a member of "The Lounge"? Where else can you meet people who enjoy creating photographs just like you, experienced and amateur photographers sharing their shooting methods, discussing possible travel locations, talk apertures, f-stops and Photoshop, the opportunity to look at and try the latest photogrpahic gear, get wholesale pricing on photographic workshops ... plus PRO's giving you their inside tips - and all in one place?
 

People often ask us if we are a "photo club"... my answer is, "No, a photo club is probably run by amateur photographers that are enthusiastic about photography just like you. 'The Lounge' is owned by a professional photographer that has had the pleasure of mentoring under some of the worlds most successful photographers. As a result of that real world experience I have taken that learning and have now passed it on to our instructors. All our instructors can now take pride at being better teachers having learned the teaching skills that are imperative to making our instruction a successul learning environment. We believe we offer more insightful presentations and valuable information that you will not receive elsewhere."
 
Our members also receive access to the latest photography gear through our sponsorships and relationships. This gear is brought to our meetings for you to look at and see first hand on how it operates in the real world... from professional studio lighting set ups, to the latest super telephoto lens and new products that hit the shelves. At the Lounge you will have opportunities to see this gear, opportunities that you will not get at your local photography club.
 
The Photographer's Lounge also has far reaching relationships with professional photographers from Canada, America and Europe. When possible, we bring you these photographers that work with the Photographer's Lounge when they visit Ontario. As a benefit of membership we offer our members the opportunity to talk one-on-one with these world class PRO's without an extra fee as you would have to pay elsewhere.
 
We also introduce you to the latest photographic news and information as it is announced... no need to scour the web anymore, we sent it right to your inbox as we get the press releases. We cover topics from photography gear, composition, editing tips, photographic destinations, printing and the latest news from the industry. Members can also access this .online in our "Members Learning Center". Here they can look at their leisure for tips, tutorials, shooting locations, video tutorials and different gear suggested for each type of photography genre.
 
As a member of "The Lounge" you also will receive the opportunity to attend our workshops with our International Teachers at a more attractive price than you would have to pay if you were not a member.
 
Member's also receive discounts on products. Our partners and sponsors have authorized us to extend to you affiliate discounts on their various products. Your membership investment could easily be erased with the deep discounts you will receive on software and photographic gear through "The Lounge".

These benefits begin from the moment you register and are active till the end of our meeting season in which you registered. For example, any member registering in February of 2013 will have an active membership until April 30, 2014. You will be required to renew your membership after April 30, 2014 in order to activate your membership for the following year.

To see how we structure our meetings please see the "Meeting Page"

To see our calendar please have a look here.

To register and become a member please visit our "Membership Page"

Here is a Great Christmas Photo Opportunity - "Phil Kline's, Unsilent Night"

The 2012 event takes place on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 7pm, City Hall, 50 Dickson Street.

Phil Kline's Unsilent Night is a free outdoor participatory sound sculpture of many individual parts, recorded on cassettes, CDs and mp3s, and played through a roving swarm of boomboxes carried through city streets. Since 1992, this 45-minute work has grown into a worldwide annual communal event that has become an essential part of many winter holiday celebrations.

Experience it for yourself!

Bring your camera, tripod, mp3 player with speakers or your portable CD or tape player to simultaneously play an outdoor ambient music piece.

It's like a Christmas caroling party except that we don't sing, but rather carry the music, each of us playing a separate track that is a voice in the piece. You will walk from City Hall through historic downtown Cambridge and return to City Hall for the event's finale. While the ambient music delights your ears, your eyes will be treated to light installations along the route.

How do you get the music?

New Unsilent Night iphone app available! Download at www.unsilentnight.com

A limited number of CDs and cassettes for you to play on your music player are available at the event, and there are also a limited number of Mp3 players with speakers that can be borrowed for the evening. Pick these up inside City Hall the evening of the event.

Do I need a portable music player to participate?

The more music the better the experience, but if you don't have a portable music player, you are still more than welcome to participate in the walk, take some photos, hear the music, and see the lights.

Composition Workshops for Photographers

Do you want to learn how to take better photos? Check out our composition workshops that we run in South Western Ontario.

Small to medium sized groups, lots of laughs and you will walk away a better photographer.

See these workshops at the Photographer's Lounge website

Composition Photography Workshops

The Photographers Lounge has recently announced a series of "Composition Workshops" desigend to help photographers take better photos. A list of these workshops is below.

December Workshop - X-Mas Street Photography Workshop

Downtown Waterloo is the perfect location to capture the Christmas lights at night. Waterloo Town Square is a great launching point to walk up and down King Street and head over to Waterloo Park to photograph the lights and the twinkles in kids eyes.

Date: Friday, December 14th, 2012 - 7:30pm till 10:00pm

January Workshop - Rural Winter Workshop

As the ground freezes and the forests open up the photographer is presented with unique and new subjects to photograph. From baren pine forests to pathways that lead to nowhere; this is the time of year you should not be sitting indoors watching TV and reading magazines. Join us on a morning walk through the forest at Puslinch Lake.

Date: Sunday, January 13, 2013 - 9:00am till 11:30am

February Workshop - Frozen Water Workshop

Lake Ontario offers a beautiful photographic scenery 365 days a year. The winter offers the photographer a unique perspective of frozen formations, water and wild life. We will head to Burlington's waterfront and take a stroll down the board walk to capture the scenic waterscapes and people.

Date: February 17, 2013 from 9am till 11:30am

April Workshop - Spring Flower Workshop

April showers used to bring May flowers, but times are changing and the rural roads are lined with new growth. And The Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton always have unique and seasonal flowers blooming inside and outside in the vast landscape that the grounds cover.

The cost for the workshop does not cover the fee to enter the facility.

Date: Saturday, April 6, 2013 from 9:30 am till 12:00pm

May Workshop - Farmers Market Workshop

Waterloo Farmers Market is an iconic destination in Ontario for travellers and locals. A visit to the market with your camera will present you with photographic opportunities that include, Mennonites, vendors, people, fruit, vegetables, street performers and livestock (horses, pigs, cows)

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013 from 9:30am till 12:00pm

June Workshop - Abandoned Photography Workshop

Did you know that there are dozens and dozens of hidden gens that have been abandoned along the Ontario waterways? One such abandoned location is the old German Mill along the Grand River between Glenn Morris and Cambridge. Together we will go for a hike through the bush and walk to the old German Mill that sits along the Grand River.

While we are together we will also give you a list of other safe abandoned locations you can visit in Ontario.

Date: Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 9:00am till 12:00pm

June Workshop - Out at the Badlands Workshop

Many people have visited the "Badlands", and if you have you know that the area has so many photographic opportunities that you can get lost in the location. Together we will work on composition and help you segment the area into scenes to help you walk away with some unique and compelling images you will want to share with your friends.

Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 from 8:00am till 11:00am

July Workshop - Urban Exploration Workshop

One of the most historic and quant cities in Ontario is Galt, Ontario. With its long history of being a mill town, the factory buildings still stand. Now, 100 years later, modern facilities have crept in and a well conceived mix of old and new exists on this river town.

From some of the oldest churches, to the Grand River, to the University buildings; you will be presented with photography opportunities of old and new.

Date: Saturday, July 20 from 9am till 11:30am

August Workshop - Under the Stars and City Light Workshop

If you want to capture the photo of a lifetime you have be there at the best times. The Toronto skyline is one of the most photogenic along the Lake Ontario coastline.

We may be getting up early for this one, but you will be presented with skyline photographic opportunities that range from city lights, to blue hour and into the golden hour.

We will start our on the waterfront and end our time together at the Distillery District in Toronto.

Date: Saturday, August 31, 2013 from 4:30am till 8:30am

September Workshop - Golden Hour Workshop

One of my favorite places to photograph is along western shores of Lake Ontario. It is here where you will be presented with a beautiful view of a sunrise over the water. Along the beach you will also see broken down piers, birds and a very photographic shoreline with a mix of sand and pebbles.

Everyone that visits this location wants to return time and time again... and so will you.

Date: Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 6:30am till 9:30am

October Workshop - Fall Colours Workshop

The Forks of the Credit offers the photographer some of the most beautiful scenes in Ontario. The undulating landscape and dense tree population, combined with flowing rivers is unmatched in Ontario. Come with us as we go and photograph this area while we teach you how to capture those iconic photos you see in calendars and postcards.

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2013 - 9:00am till 11:00am

November Workshop - Santa Clause Parade Workshop

A visit to a Santa Clause Parade offers much more photographic opportunities than just the floats that meander by you. What about the people, the Christmas decorations, the performers?

But getting that great shot is often not as easy as it first seems. The crowd gets in the way, the angle is not right. We will teach you how to attend a parade and walk away with well composed photos that you will be proud of.

Date: Yet to be determined.

On our Creative Composition workshop you will learn how to develop your photographic eye and start to create great photos rather than just taking snaps.

The workshop is aimed at beginners who are new to their camera – whether a compact or DSLR – and who are looking for a gentle introduction into photography.

The Creative Composition workshop will be of use if you are looking to create images that are pleasing to the eye and create visual stories that are interesting.

Your workshop will begin with a discussion on what makes "Good Composition".

• Orientation and the rule of thirds
• Leading lines, curves and S-bends
• Framing and filling the frame
• Perspective and depth of field
• Colour and shapes

All these compositional terms will be explained using a range of professional images.

After our discussion we will be putting the theory into practice.

As the workshop moves outside, 1:1 time is available with the Workshop Leader(s) to help you apply such principles to your own photos. It finishes back indoors with a review of your photos over coffee; a powerful opportunity to understand how others see and capture scenes.

The practical discussion will take place at a predetermined location where we can sit as a group and have a discussion without interruption.

Although this workshop can be completed at any time, it is well suited to being taken at the beginning of your photography journey.

Our workshops run from two (2) to three (3) hours and the timing has been listed above in the Composition Workshop schedule.

How It Works

You arrive at the workshop at the predetermined time. You are responsible for getting yourself to and from the workshop.

Once you register you will receive directions to the studio. To register please visit http://www.photographers-lounge.com/workshops/composition-workshops/

Who Should Attend

The photographer that will get the most out of one of these workshops is someone that has a camera and wants to learn how to take better photos with the gear they have.

Evolution of an image

I always say to my students that nature is rarely perfect. Inevitably you have to make modifications to a photo to bring back the colors and tonal range that you saw through your view finder.

Now, there are some purists out there that say they never crop an image, or they never make any more modificatiosn to a photo that using Ligthroom or a raw imaging software... and, HEY, thats OK, to each his, or her own...

The following is an example of the post processing I just did on an image I took this morning when out at Puslinch Lake with a good friend, Gary Simmons.

I bracketed 5 images, this is the middle exposed images, there were two lighter, and two darker.

 As you can see, its a decent photo, a good tonal range, th eisland in the cross hairs of the upper right 1/3 lines, nice color in te sky, strong reflections, and thanks to a graduated filter, a close exposure between the sky and the refelctions.

But I still wasn't happy with the image. So, here are the steps I took to bring back the vibrance to the photo to better represent the scene I had scene.

1) put the 5 images into NIK HDR Efex to create a base HDR image. I used a default setting that I have for sunrise water photos and it created a much better image that brought back the magenta's and lightened up the shadows in the foreground.

2) I took that image into NIK Color Efex PRO and used a preset filter I have set up for these twypes of images. It further brought out the magenta, brightened the sky and added a hint of vignetting.

3) I took that image and saved it, then reopened it in NIK Silver Efex PRO and created a black and white version with strong blacks. I then saved that photo.

4) I opened up the black and white image and the image I ran through NIK COlor Efex PRO and layered the color image over the black and white image... then with a layer mask I brought through the stronger blacks while leaving the sky and refelctions alone.

5) I then merged the layers in CS6 and fixed the levels, cloned out some imperfections and cropped the image to an 11x14 and saved the image to a file...

Here is the final image that was created using NIK Software... I like them both, but personally, the stronger contrast and increased saturation and increased detail on the rock pile on the right draws me to the bottom photo... plus, the alterations on teh bottom photo seemed to bring back the true sky color and a truer white in teh morning fog... you be the judge...



Rick Sammon seminar - Kitchener - September 2012

Rick Sammon, a Canon Explorer of Light, is one of the most active photographers on the planet. The dude just can’t sit still!

Rick has published 36 paper books, including Secrets of HDR Photography, Exploring the Light, and Digital Photography Secrets. Rick’s book, Flying Flowers won the coveted Golden Light Award, and his book Hide and See Under the Sea won the Ben Franklin Award.

He is also a leader in iPad and iPhone photography apps. His apps include:
• Rick Sammon’s Light It! – a collection of live-action movies that show Rick’s basic lighting techniques.
• Rick Sammon’s iHDR – an interactive iPad app that shows the user the wonders of HDR photography.
• Rick Sammon’s 24/7 Photo Buffet – an e-book that offers 24/7 access to Rick’s best photo tips, tricks and techniques. iPhone and iPad versions available.

Rick, who has photographed in almost 100 countries around the world, gives more than two-dozen photography workshops (including private workshops) and presentations around the world each year.
He co-founded the Digital Photography Experience podcast (www.dpexperience.com) with Juan Pons and also hosts several shows on kelbytraining.com and has a three-day class on creativeLive.com.

Rick has been nominated for the Photoshop Hall of Fame, is considered one of today’s top digital -imaging experts, cutting through lots of Photoshop “speak,” making it fun, easy and rewarding to work and play in the digital darkroom.

When asked about his photo specialty, Rick says, “My specialty is not specializing.”

See www.ricksammon.info for more information about Rick.  

Introducing The Event

Saturday, September 22, 2012 - 10:00am till 12:00pm
Bingamens Conference Centre in Ballroom BC
425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener, Ontario

Saturday Morning you will be treated to Rick’s first presentation in Canada. He will be demonstrating a Speedlite Shoot.

Rick will demo his favorite speedlite tips, tricks and techniques. We'll have a model, some soft boxes and a background.

Rick will show you how you don't need a professional studio to get professional quality results.


Saturday, September 22, 2012 - 1:00pm till 4:00pm
Bingamens Conference Centre in Ballroom BC
425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener, Ontario

In the afternoon Rick's presentation will be “Exploring the Light”. In this informative and fun-filled presentation, Rick Sammon will begin by sharing his people, wildlife, landscape and travel pictures from around the globe – illustrating the difference between taking pictures and making pictures. For every image, Rick will share a photographic technique, digital darkroom tip, or a photo philosophy. He will cover seeing the light, controlling the light, playing with the light, HDR photography and some composition techniques. 

This is not just a slide show of pretty images. Rick is here to share what he’s learned over his many years as a professional photographer. As Rick “takes” us on a visual journey through the exciting world of digital photography, he will share some of his favorite Photoshop CS5 enhancements. 

Come and learn from one of the best teachers and photographers of our time. To reserve your spot visit us here... http://www.photographers-lounge.com/seminars/rick-sammon/

Been in a planning phase lately

My apologies for neglecting my blog for the past few weeks. It’s been a crazy time planning photo tours, workshops and an expedition to find out what global warming is doing to the Polar Bear.

From India, to Greenland, Tofino and up possibly as far as Baffin Island the next 18 months is going to add to the air miles.

If you are interested in some great travel opportunities, or simply want to learn how to take better photos; check out what I have been planning through “The Photographers Lounge”

At the Photographers Lounge we understand that everyone learns at their own speed, budgets and through different methods. That is why we offer a number of different programs designed to help every photographer.

It does not matter if you are an amateur wanting to learn to shoot better family photos, or a professional looking to expand your knowledge; the workshops, seminars and photo tours at the “Photographers Lounge” of Waterloo region are designed to help you on your own personal journey.

The elusive art of “Bird of Prey Photography” … or is it that elusive?

For me, birds of prey capture my imagination because they seem so regal and powerful, the majestic imagery of an animal that can soar so silently until it strikes at a prey sort of compels me to want to capture the perfect emotion of the moment when the shutter clicks.

How many times has this happened to you? You are standing there, waiting, after some time has passed you’re A.D.D. sets in and your mind wanders, you start looking at the resident ducks, the occasional squirrel that darts past aimlessly and you start photographing “something” because your shutter finger is getting itchy… then all of a sudden, splash, squawk and before you can turn the lens towards the sound, the bird of prey is flying off away from you with a fish in its claws?

You regale in a full range of curse words, get pissed off at yourself and go shoot the same old ducks butt sticking out of the water as it feeds on the weeds below… you’re blanked again and you swear off bird photography till you see the next image that inspires you.

Nature photography is patience… it’s planning, and it typically takes hundreds of photos before you capture that one photograph that meets your expectations. But if you think nature photography can be difficult, try taking photographs of birds of prey. This type of photography amplifies all of the above and offers the photographer an extra set of obstacles. There are harsh lighting conditions, shy and sometimes overtly aggressive subjects, you have to take into account shutter speed, aperture, distance from the object to ensure detail, size of the subject, background noise and the actual speed of the bird that you are shooting.

But all that being said, if you love to photograph birds then there is nothing more exhilarating than capturing a picture of a beautiful bird in its native habitat. If you do not consider yourself a bird photographer, I would encourage you to try it… Look at me, I never considered myself a bird photographer. Anyone that knows me would chuckle if they heard that I was willing to spend long periods of time perched in a “blind” or wait in a covered area attempting to photograph one of our local birds of prey. I actually spend more time scouting areas, talking to locals to learn what they see and identifying habitat than I do taking photos.

Have I lost you? Are you thinking to yourself, “planning, scouting, going out time and time again just to learn about a birds habits… is this guy for real?”

Yes, it’s true… you see there are a few sayings that photographers always need to keep in the back of their mind. One, success in photography comes more from the six inches behind the viewfinder that what’s in front. The knowledge you gain by planning will increase your chances of success. Two, it takes at least twenty visits to a location to get a photograph that has that “WOW” factor. These repeat visits and patience will pay off, trust me!

How to Find Birds of Prey
When you initially spot birds of prey, get familiar with the area where you are trying to find them. I have noticed that many birds that I photograph have a regular routine in their habitats. They hunt at the same times, they perch on the same limbs, and they hunt the regular locations. This is true for hawks, eagles, herons and many other kinds of birds.
One thing to remember, flight is tiring for these large birds. They do more sitting and standing then they do flying. So when you are trying to locate birds, watch the tree lines and single trees adjacent to tree lines. If you see a Heron in a specific pool, or a Hawk spending the day perched in a particular tree scouting for prey, there is a very good chance that they will come back to that spot again and again. They may not come back tomorrow, but they will eventually, and if you are prepared, you will be rewarded.

Do not ignore indigenous species of birds for “tells” of the location of birds of prey. If you hear a murder of Crows raising a racket, look around them. This often happens due to the presence of a bird of prey. Crows love to harass these meat eaters. So next time you hear a murder of crows going crazy, get out your long lens and see what caused it. This trick also works with other territorial birds such as sparrows and mockingbirds, these birds will verbally scold and chase any predator birds in their area to protect their young and livelihood.
Photographing Birds in Flight
Photographing birds in flight and capturing their gracefulness is a challenge that any wildlife photographer needs to aspire too. When comparing a perched bird to a bird in flight is “no-contest”. Hands down, the more interesting images are always of a bird of prey in flight.
The best time of day for flight photography is during the golden hours, up to 90 minutes after sunrise or 90 minutes before sunset. The reason for this is not just to get the bird lit with beautiful golden light versus the harsh noon light. The sun is lower in the sky so the underside of the bird will be better lit, you will catch the finishing touches like the glint in the eye and it will aid in proper exposure. Another great time to photographing a bird in flight is when there’s snow on the ground, or over a larger body of water. The light reflects off the snow and water and illuminates the underbelly of the bird more effectively.

Considerations to Increase Success
Exposure Mode - Always try to shoot in Manual mode, setting your aperture and shutter speed manually will reduce the amount of bird silhouettes. When tracking a bird in flight, chances are you will slip off your target. If the camera was set in Shutter priority or aperture priority your camera will suddenly meter differently and you will ruin the shot.
Aperture – If possible, try to keep your aperture up around f/5.6 to f/8.0 if the light is there. These settings will allow you not to miss the detail in the bird’s eyes. If light is low and its forcing you to dial up the aperture to f/2.8, bump up your ISO value to maintain higher shutter speeds and more optimal needed for birds in-flight photography.
Shutter Speed - I have photographed birds most shutter speeds and have captured the moment, but luck had a lot to do with the capture. I panned properly, the tracking was easy, the light was perfect, etc… As a general rule of thumb, try keeping your shutter speed above 1/1250 of a second or more. The faster the shutter speed, the better your chances of getting a tack sharp image of that bird in-flight.

Focus and “Frames Per Second” – Your DSLR has a few different focus modes. For bird photography especially you should set your focus on “Continuous Focus”. This will allows you to track the bird and the camera will constantly adjust focus on the focus point of the lens. Where to put that focal point? I aim for the neck or head with an aperture of f/8. There will be some forgiveness with that setting. It is an f/2.8, well, focus right between the eyes of the bird and hope for the best… and I do mean hope… this is one of those times where you will take those hundred plus images to get the one image with the WOW factor.
“Frames per second” is the amount of images your camera can take in a single burst. This, coupled with continuous focus only helps photograph sequences, but won’t make all of your images in focus. Tracking the bird is half the battle, if your focus point slips off your target it doesn’t matter how many frames per-second your camera can fire, they will ALL be out of focus. Also, I find that with my camera, which does 6 frames per second, tends to take one or two images to catch optimal focus. So not only do we have to worry about slipping off the focal point, your hop sis generally to get the image on frames 3 thru 6
As with anything, practice makes perfect. I practice my hand held panning skills on birds such as pigeons and local garden birds. They are smaller and faster, move in more erratic flight patterns and will give you the practice you need to refine this skill. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Happy shooting everyone!

New Mentor Program Available at KPEP Photography

MENTOR PROGRAM

Mentor Programs have been a historical method of passing information from one photographer to the next as far back as I remember. For you, the benefit of working with someone more experienced, with a program tailored to your specific goals is a sure way of expediting your learning curve.


The times when I personally learned the most in photography was when I spent quality time with people vastly more experienced than me. Whether it was out in the field, sitting at coffee shops talking, or getting advice on editing... these times were when I learned the most. I don’t care how many books you buy, how many YouTube videos you watch, clubs you join... all that knowledge these things fill your brain with will never come together until you find a mentor to walk you through your journey.


The Program that we create for you will be customized to YOU. In the beginning I will work with you to define your specific goals, identify any areas that need improvement and then, through a series of specifically designed assignments, provide one-on-one personal and telephone consultations and critiques. Together we shall implement a work plan that will accelerate your development as a photographer.


Creating an Individualized Program is important because each person has a different goal, and learns at a different pace. For example, you may be looking at developing a part-time photography business, or maybe you just want to take breathtaking landscape photos to show off to your family and friends. No matter what your goal is, I will work with you to make sure we achieve them together.


Program Options and Cost - There are three completely customizable options available in my Mentor Program to help you define and realize your individual goals.


Three-Month Option

The Three-Month Program option provides for one 2-hour personal session every three weeks plus up to one hour of personal or telephone discussions per month, as well as a final two hour follow-up session after the three months period is complete. Personal sessions will include discussions of specific problems or needs, field sessions, photographic assignments, and critiques - all designed to meet your particular requirements and complete your portfolio.

Three-Month Program - $ 350 (Payment: 50% due upon acceptance. Balance due 45 days after start date.)

Six-Month Option

The Six-Month Program option provides for one 2-hour personal session every three weeks plus up to one hour of personal or telephone discussions per month, as well as a final two hour follow-up session after the three months period is complete. Personal sessions will include discussions of specific problems or needs, field sessions, photographic assignments, and critiques - all designed to meet your particular requirements and complete your portfolio.

Six-Month Program - $ 600 (Payment: 50% due upon acceptance. Balance due 3 months after start date.)

One-Year Option

Program option provides for one 2-hour personal session every month plus up to one hour of personal or telephone discussions per month, as well as a final two hour follow-up session after the three months period is complete. Personal sessions will include discussions of specific problems or needs, field sessions, photographic assignments, and critiques - all designed to meet your particular requirements and complete your portfolio.

One-Year Program - $ 1000 (Payment: 25% due upon acceptance into the program; 25% due 2 months after start date; 25% due 4 months after start date; balance due 6 months after start date

How to Contact Me

Please visit the "CONTACT" page of my website and email me with your contact information. I will respond and set up an initial meeting to discuss what type of workshop that will suit your individual needs best.