Stuart Nafey Photography

Vivian Maier - Street Photographer

2011-01-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

If you do nothing else today, watch this video and visit the associated web sites that tell the story of Vivian Maier. This is the most inspiring article on photography I have seen in a long time. Go full screen.

John Maloof's site - http://vivianmaierphotography.wordpress.com/

Chicago Magazine article

Learning to Focus - Part 3

2010-12-23T23:59:00.000-08:00

Tripods

You must own a tripod! That 3 legged support structure is one of the oldest tools known to mankind. They hold pots over a fire, were used in sacrificial ceremonies and support machine guns in war time.

Now, tripods provide portable stability and sharper images for a variety of photographic techniques. Long exposure pictures taken in low light that would blur if the camera moved can be sharp and vibrant with the stable support of a tripod. A telephoto lens will amplify any camera movement and easily blur your picture. A tripod, and, in fact, any stable surface, can help keep those pictures in focus.

Note: Nikon recommends that you turn off Vibration Reduction (VR) when using a tripod. VR starts a gyroscope when you hold the shutter release down halfway that helps stabilize a hand held camera, but can induce movement and vibration when the camera is supported on a tripod, especially when using a telephoto lens.

Heavy lenses come with their own tripod mounting bracket to correctly balance the weight.

Tripods come in a variety of sizes, strength and quality as do the camera mount heads. What you need depends on your camera and application and is beyond the scope of this post. Suffice it to say that heavier cameras require stronger (and more expensive) tripods. Here is a nice informational article on Wikipedia.

But there are tips to improve the performance of any tripod. First, check the bottom of your camera. Most have the standard size (1/4 inch, 20 threads per inch) screw socket, ready to attach to a standard tripod. Camera mounted? Let's go.

Keep your tripod short. Shorter is more stable. I do not extend the legs any longer then I need to. And I only raise the center pole as a last resort!

Add weight. Since a heavier support is more stable, you can improve the performance of your inexpensive tripod by hanging weight from the center. Some tripods include a hook at the bottom of the center pole. I carry a bungie cord for this purpose and use my camera bag as the weight. Tying the tripod to a secure point embedded in the ground is even better but less portable. This is a big help for long exposures.

A little weight can help stablize a lighter tripod.

If it is windy, I will stand upwind with my coat open like a flasher trying to protect the camera from moving. Every little bit helps.

Small tripods for small cameras are useful too. Gorilla Pod makes a popular flexible leg tripod that will wrap around a pipe or chair back.

This size Gorilla pod is perfect for my Flip camera.

Some people make their own tripods. You can see a wide variety at Instructables.com.

I find that an unintended advantage to using a tripod is that it slows me down. Moving and framing takes more effort and I find myself spending extra time thinking through the shot.

You might want to add a mono pod to your collection. They add stability, are easy to carry and can be used in places where tripods would be awkward or forbidden. Even using a mono pod, I look to support it against something solid, such as a railing. Place the base firmly against your foot or even inside your shoe. And, again, shorter is more stable. Only extend it as far as you need to.

The idea is you can improve the sharpness of your photographs simply by creating a positive stable platform for the camera, whether it be on a $1000 tripod or the top of a fence post.

More focus to come...

Learning to Focus - Part 2

2010-12-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

Camera Movement

Another seemingly obvious bit of advice is to not move the camera while taking the picture. The small size and live view LCD screens on point and shoot cameras make it a challenge to hold those cameras steady. While electronic innovations such as Image Stabilization (to be covered later) are extremely helpful and work well, moving the camera can and will reduce the sharpness of your pictures. Take positive control and keep that camera still.

Shutter speed can overcome camera movement and will be covered in another post.

Composing the picture on the LCD screen on the back of the camera seems like a great idea. But holding the camera out at arm's length is an unstable posture. And then you push on the top of the camera to take the shot. Gravity, mass, balance and inertia are all working against your efforts to keep that camera still and capture a sharp picture.

I moved the camera before this 8 second shot had finished.

One solution is to use the view finder, if you have one. Placing the view finder to your eye adds a point of contact and helps steady the camera. If your camera does not have a view finder, well, I suggest you look for one on your next camera.

Otherwise, steady your arms by leaning against anything, put your elbows on a table, or your shoulder against a wall. Keep your arms close to your body.

Pushing the shutter release is the next problem. Tiny cameras held at arm's length will move as you take the picture. Remember (from part 1) to push the release halfway and wait for autofocus to do its' thing. This is when Image Stabilization works too. Now you only need a tiny bit more pressure to take that shot.

DSLRs have more heft and are easier to hold steady, that is unless you have been shooting all day, then it feels like a lead weight. I recommend using live view only when you need it, like to shoot over the heads of a crowd using that fancy swing out and swivel LCD screen. Otherwise, use the view finder to get that extra contact point. Keep your arms close to your side. Lean against something, especially when using slow shutter speeds. Prop the camera itself against the wall too for an additional contact point. One foot forward is more stable then side by side. The more stable you hold the camera, the slower the shutter speed you can get away with and the lower the ISO you can use.

Even your breathing can create camera movement. That is what makes the biathlon an Olympic sport. The athletes control their breathing to steady their aim. Photography is not yet an Olympic event but to get every ounce of sharpness, think about your breathing while shooting. Just before taking the picture, take an easy breath, let half out, hold it and snap the shot.

The message here is to think about how to steady your camera with every shot. It is something you can control. Do not rely totally on Image Stabilization, auto focus, high ISO and a fast shutter speed, not if you are aiming for the sharpest picture you can get.

More focus to come...

Learning to Focus - Part 1

2010-12-15T00:12:00.000-08:00

Tack sharp focus, Unsharp mask, out-of-focus, bokeh, Gaussian blur, motion blur, shallow focus, depth of field, soft focus. These are all terms used to define the quality of the sharpness of a picture. And they are all good keywords to have in the beginning of this post.

Photographers may artistically use the full range, from exact focus to completely blurred, often in a single picture. As you will see, there is quite a bit to think about and my intention is to explore and document the various techniques used to achieve that desired focus on a consistent basis. As always, this blog is primarily for my own education. And I hope you benefit as well.

In focus or out of focus, it's your choice.

I will start this multi-part journey simply. Folks show me their pictures and I enjoy looking at them. So many are unintentionally out of focus, often due to the simple misunderstanding of how modern cameras use auto focus.

Push the shutter release halfway down and hold it there before taking the picture. This activates the auto focus and auto exposure functions and allows the camera time to adjust to a generally good picture.

This seemed obvious to me, until I met someone that did not realize that this is how cameras work. There was instant and dramatic improvement in their pictures when I pointed this out. This instruction is probably on the first page of the first chapter of your camera manual, but many people do not realize its' importance. Many folks are used to Instamatic cameras with fixed lenses. That shutter release has only one function, to release the shutter. When they buy their first point and shoot camera, they assume it works in a similar manner.

There is more to this halfway shutter release that we will use in a variety of focusing techniques. It also performs other functions. If you are viewing a picture or have the menu up on the LCD screen, it resets the camera in preparation to take a picture. It turns on telemetry in the view finder or an information window so you can check a variety of settings. It is the most used function on digital cameras and crucial for getting the most out of auto focus.

More to come...

What camera should I buy? Part 2

2010-12-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

Let's assume that you will buy a new camera. If you are going to create serious art, sell your services for weddings and portraits or even make it a serious hobby, an SLR (probably a digital) will best suit your needs. They allow you the most creative options with large image sensors, interchangible lenses, filters and attachments.

On the other hand, if you are looking to document your life, want ease of use and the best quality a point and shoot camera can deliver, consider the Canon G12, the Nikon P7000 or the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5.

These top of the line point and shoot cameras are what many professional photographers carry when they are not working. They take excellent pictures and allow full manual control. The specs are slightly different for each camera, but they have Image Stabilization, 5x to 7x zoom, HD video, hot shoes and are as good as a point and shoot gets in low light. Lenses are not interchangible, eliminating that concern making them much easier to carry.

I do not own any of these cameras but one is on my wish list. The links take you to Amazon where you can read many user reviews and associated comments yourself.

You will see many cheaper point and shoot cameras. When you evaluate their features and quality, these are the cameras that they should be compared to.

What camera should I buy?

2010-12-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

It seems everyone wants a better camera and I am often asked for advice on what camera they should buy. Considering the sheer number and variety of camera types, I tend to respond with a series of questions. Will you be creating serious art or casually documenting your family vacations and how much money can you spend are usually the first few. Several more questions follow before I suggest some internet searching.

But I have recently added a question to that list that I often ask myself whenever I get the urge to purchase the latest technically advanced offering. Am I getting the most out of the camera I own? Do I understand everything my camera can do? Am I taking advantage of those features I have? Am I getting excellent pictures and, if not, is it the camera's fault or mine?

Be honest. Will I use the new features? Can I afford the accessories, the additional lenses, the tax and the shipping and insurance? Will I auto-magically get better pictures?

To me, photography is about composition and exposure. All cameras help with exposure but they have their limits. You will often get a better picture if you take some level of manual control over the exposure settings. Your present camera will most likely allow you to do that. Composition is entirely up to you and has little to do with the camera. And again, you want the ability to take control over the automatic functions, like focusing for example, as you compose the photograph. More zoom is nice, but you can move closer too. You will need these skills with the new camera as well.

Taken with a Nikon D80, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, ISO 100 and a shutter speed of 0.6 seconds.Taken from about 60 feet away in a fairly dark grove of eucalyptus trees. The D80 is not known for low light performance. Cropped and tweaked in Photoshop.

So, study your camera first. Read the manual. Understand every mode and how to push your camera's limits. Two things will happen, you will confirm what you really need in a new camera and better yet, you will instantly take better pictures.

Get more out of your camera by experimenting. Professional photographers would save the last frame on their film to experiment with settings. Do that any time you have your camera in hand (and after you get the important shots you went out to take).

If you truly need a better camera for an event, rent what you are considering buying and test it out. You just might find that your present camera is not so bad. I find the claims a bit exaggerated on all the cameras I've rented. Then search the forums for the opinions of others.

Maybe take that money and upgrade your computer or software. Take classes. Study composition, color and Photoshop. Invest in a new lens. A quality lens on a mediocre camera will take better pictures then a terrible lens on a good camera.

Once you are getting everything you can out of your present camera, a new one can take you to the next level. Check out this article by Scott Bourne to help your search. But first, consider these thoughts. They might make more difference to your photography then a new camera body.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz #19

2010-12-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

It's Monday, but a week late on this answer. I'll take a break from the quiz and write some deep thoughts on photography for your reading pleasure and my own education. Scroll on down.

We vacationed in Northern California last summer to fullfill Lori's fishing needs. I captured some nice shots and read Carl Sagan's "Demon Haunted World". I took a series of pictures of a small river and forest that I think will make a really nice panorama.

Lassen Volcanic National Park was mostly closed due to heavy snow. It is home to a potentially active volcano seen here reflected in Manzanita Lake. It is a short hike to take this picture. The park is another example of the many dramatic natural landscapes found in the United States. Slightly out-of-the-way, this area sees less tourist traffic and can make for a relaxing yet facinating vacation.

Friday Foto Quiz #19

2010-11-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Know what "mountain" this is? Don't say but you can still leave a comment. I'll try to post the answer on Monday.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz #18

2010-11-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, this is "The Thinker" by Rodin. If you are good with Wikipedia and Google Maps, you could positively identify the location from the seesaw sign in the background. Scroll down for more.

Originally named "The Poet", the sculpture portrays Dante contemplating his poem about the gates of hell depicted below at the same location.

These pictures were taken at the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia. There are 10 full size bronze versions of The Thinker in the United States, 2 of them in the bay area at Stanford University and the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

The museum in Philly had a large collection of hand sculptures. I knew little about bronze sculptures before this visit. The originals were carved in wax which are then used to create molds which in turn were used to cast the hollow bronze statues. A complex series of levers is used to exactly duplicate a sculpture into other sizes. The original wax versions are eventually lost.

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia hosts a great number of excellent art, history and science museums. Check'um out.

Friday Foto Quiz #18

2010-11-12T18:34:00.000-08:00

There are 10 of these full size bronze sculptures in the United States. I left a clue or 2 in the picture to help you locate where this one is. Don't say here. I'll provide the answer on Monday.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz #17

2010-11-08T17:29:00.000-08:00

Any idea where these trees are? Scroll down for more.

These trees are located in Ferndale, California and are locally known as Coast Cyprus or Gumdrop Trees. I have found little information about that species on the internet but they were fun to look at and must be quite a trick to maintain. Ferndale is a great little town filled with Victorian style houses.We stopped by on the 4th of July during a winding tour of Northern California back in 2006 (I think). Thanks for playing!

Friday Foto Quiz #17

2010-11-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

Do you know where this tree is? Feel free to say so but don't reveal the answer. I'll do that on Monday. click the picture for a larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz #16

2010-11-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

Did you recognize the reflection in this picture? Scroll down for more.

Fort Point is a National Historic Site and part of the the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It was built between 1853 and 1861 to protect San Francisco during the Civil War. It is the brick building in the bottom picture in the foreground underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

The fort is open to walk around Friday through Sunday and is free. The entire fort is also a museum hosting a recreation of civil war era life. Climb the granite circular staircases to the roof for spectacular views of the bridge, the bay and the city.

The bridge was specially engineered to save the fort from demolition and is a "must see" stop on my tour of the city.

It was raining during my last visit. Thanks to my sister for suggesting reflection shots in the puddles. I received several correct answers this week. Thanks for playing.

Friday Foto Quiz #16

2010-10-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Know where this is? Leave a comment but not the answer, I'll provide that on Monday. Click the picture for a larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 15

2010-10-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know how this image is generated? More details follow the pictures.

MonkeyLectric from Jade Ajani on Vimeo.

I'm all about the light. MonkeyLectric is a company that makes an LED imaging product that you mount on the spokes of your bicycle wheels. It takes advantage of our brain's persistence of vision ability and creates whole pictures using linear rows of lights.

You can see the circuitry, batteries and rows of LED lights in the second picture.

I took these pictures (not the video) at the 2009 Maker Faire where you where able to draw your own pictures which can programmed and appear on this spinning wheel.

Check out their web site at:
http://www.monkeylectric.com/index.htm

Thanks for playing.

Friday Foto Quiz # 15

2010-10-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Can you describe how this image is produced? Email me if you know or leave a comment that does not reveal the answer. I will provide that on Monday.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 14

2010-09-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Did you guess what this is a picture of and where it is? Read more details below the pictures.

If you guessed Abraham Lincoln's eyeball, you are correct. You can hike up very close underneath Mount Rushmore and take pictures from a different point of view, one that brings out the detail in this enourmous sculpture.

I find the importance of a "catch light" in the eyes translates to all forms of art. The artist here took great pains to carve out the eyes in a way that left a block of white granite to create the illusion of a reflected light that makes eyes come alive, a very important feature to consider in portrait or animal photography.

It wasn't quite the right time of day to get that Rembrandt lighting portrait photographers strive for. They all have racoon eyes or look like they are wearing masks. Next time.

Mount Rushmore is a US National Memorial in South Dakota. It is worth a visit along with many natural and man-made curiosities in that area of the country.

Friday Foto Quiz #14

2010-09-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Can you tell me what you see here and where it is? If you know, don't post the answer. I'll do that on Monday. You can email me with the answer or leave a snarky comment.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 13

2010-09-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Only a day late with the answer. It was a busy Monday. Do you know this waterfall? I received one correct answer via email. For the answer, continue reading below the picture.

It was very crowded and hot the day we visited McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park and we decided not to hike to the base of the falls. So this is the only view I have. Check out this link for an overdose of pictures from Google Images.

Burney Creek orignates not far away due to the porous nature of the volcanic rocky ground. The falls are fed by snowmelt, numerous springs and a large underground reservoir, creating a wide and misty basin. Of course it is another California state park.

More information here.

Thanks for playing

Friday Foto Quiz # 13

2010-09-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Another water fall and a double at that. Do you recognize it? Feel free to say if you do but don't reveal the answer. I'll do that on Monday.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 12

2010-09-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know what's going in this picture and the event that took place this last weekend? Read on below the pictures.

These pictures were taken at the Great Reno Balloon Race in Reno, Nevada in 2009. It is the largest free hot air balloon exhibition in the nation and the 2010 race was this past weekend. I didn't go this year, but it is a great opportunity for photography and the wonderment of getting close to these hot air balloons.

When I say close, I mean that the pilots will actually let you inside the balloon while it is inflating with the fans only (which they use before the propane fire breathing blasters). You can walk through the field of 100 balloons rising at once with no restrictions or cost. I have a stop action animation of the mass ascention at this link.

It is an easy drive to Reno from the San Francisco bay area and it is possible to avoid the downtown casinos all together if you want.

Plan on getting up early if you want the "Glow Show" and "Dawn Patrol" pictures. They start at 5am. The entire 3 day event is over by 10am each day.

For more information, see the Great Reno Balloon Race web site.

Another similar but bigger event takes place in New Mexico, October 2-10, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with more of everything. I've never been there but this is the mecca, according to the balloonists I talked to. Good luck getting a hotel room at this date.

Well, thanks for playing.

Friday Foto quiz # 12

2010-09-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

What 's going on in this picture? And where was it taken? Hint, it's part of an event happening this weekend. If you know, leave an indication but not the answer. I'll provide that on Monday.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 11

2010-09-06T22:12:00.000-07:00

Did you identify anything about the picture? More information below the photo.

This picture was borrowed from the Lighthouse's web site.

Pigeon Point Light Station is a California State Historic Park about 30 miles south of Half Moon Bay. At 115 feet, it is one of the tallest light houses in the United States and the tallest on the California coast. It first went into operation on November 15, 1872 using a Fresnel lens comprised of 1008 prisms which projects light as in the above photograph. That lens is no longer in use and is only fired up for 2 hours each year on the Saturday closest to the aniversary date. On that night, hundreds (thousands?) of people show up to witness the event and take pictures. The deteriorating condition of the lighthouse may stop the display indefinitely and you can no longer tour the lighthouse tower itself. The grounds and museum remain open and there is a working hostel on site.

If all goes well, the next lighting will be Saturday, November 13, from 6pm to 8pm. Some tips if you plan to photograph the next event. Wear warm clothes. Get there early, before sunset, if you want to park close by. Take a tour of the grounds, the museum, the hostel and the local beach. After lighting the lamp, the lens remains stationary for 5 minutes for photographers to capture the star formation and then it begins to rotate. Hope for some moisture in the air. Fog helps to define the rays of light. You will meet lots of other photographers with tripods. Consider using a red flashlight when adjusting your equipment. It's kinder on the eyes and less chance of spoiling other's photographs.

For long exposure camera settings, I start with an F/8 aperture. That is about the best quality aperture for my D80 and gives a decent depth of field. Experiment from there. I use the lowest ISO, again for best quality. Even though it is a low light situation, the lighthouse is not moving. You don't need that wide open aperture or a high ISO. Go for better DOF and low noise instead and use a longer shutterspeed. Use a tripod. Turn off image stabilization, at least on Nikon lenses. Use a remote shutter release or time delay to reduce camera vibration. Focusing is always tricky in the dark, but the lighthouse is pretty bright, so autofocus should work. Be quick, the five minute grace period when the lens does not rotate goes by fast.

I'll probably be there, either to take pictures or as a docent. I recently volunteered to work there and begin training this Saturday.

Here is a link to their web site: The Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park

Thanks for playing the Friday Foto Quiz.

Friday Foto Quiz # 11

2010-09-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

How much can you tell me about this picture? It is not a product of photoshop except that I warmed it up a little. I prefer not to think about how cold I was when I took it. Please leave a funny comment but, if you know, don't reveal the answer. I'll do that on Monday.

Click the picture for a larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz # 10

2010-08-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

Did you guess what this person is doing? Keep reading.

His name is Robbie Virus and, in this photo, he is playing a theremin with his San Francisco based lounge band, Project Pimento. They have a new CD out entitled "Space Age Love Songs".

The theremin is an early electronic insturment, "invented in 1919 by the Russian scientist Leon Theremin" and often used to create mood music in science fiction movies. This instrument is played without actually touching it. The loop on the side and the antenna on top create an electromagnetic field. Disturbing this field with your hands will create a tone. Moving the hands closer and away from the metal antenna varies the pitch and volume of that tone, not an easy instrument to play well.

Robbie is the best I've seen on this instrument, at least live. His band continues to ride the tiki lounge wave playing all your favorite James Bond themes, a very cool and unique show. I also saw his name listed as a theremin musician in the credits of the first Hell Boy movie.

Click here for the Project Pimento web site.

Click here for a Google search for theremin.

Thanks for playing!

Friday Foto Quiz # 10

2010-08-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

What is going on here? You can make comments, but if you know, don't reveal the answer which I will give on Monday. And it has nothing to do with my owl presentation on Saturday at the HMB Library. (See the next post down for more information on that.) Click the picture for a larger view.

The Owls of Canada Cove

2010-08-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, at 2pm, I will present my slideshow and lecture about the owls that live near my home at the Half Moon Bay Library. I've had the opportunity to watch and photograph them over the last 11 months and witnessed a one year life cycle of courtship, nesting, hatching 2 owlets and then watching them fledge. The presentation follows them in pictures with facts about owls along the way and a fun selected short subject too.

And, there is a nice write-up about me in this week's Half Moon Bay Review.

Remember the date, Saturday August 28, 2pm at the Half Moon Bay Library.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz #9

2010-08-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Did you guess the location of this water fall? The answer is below the picture.

Great Falls Park is along the Potomac River in McLean, Virginia. It is maintained by the National Park Service but is not an official National Park. In 1784, George Washington proposed one of the first canals in this country to bypass the falls looking to improve commerce and travel up to the Ohio river valley. Higher engineering resulted in improved lock technology and early use of black powder blasting in the construction. It took 17 years to build the canal, which didn't work very well. Most of the year the water is too low or too high. The area still floods today.

In 1906, they built the Great Falls Amusment Park which existed until 1952. The county maintained a carousel until 1972 which was destroyed by Hurricane Agnes.

Today, it's a great place for hiking, kayaking and rock climbing. Read more here: http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm

After your hike, check out The Old Brogue Irish Pub on Georgetown Pike in the town of Great Falls for good beer, food and music. http://www.oldbrogue.com/

Thanks for playing.

Friday Footo Quiz #9

2010-08-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Another waterfall for the quiz. Know it? Say if you do but don't post the answer. I will on Monday. Click the picture for a not much larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz

2010-08-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

Criminy, it's already Wednesday and I am supposed to post on Monday! Well, the answer is that this is the glass work art of Dale Chihuly. His large scale sculptures are created by a team of glass blowers and are displayed around the world. I have seen his distinctive work hanging from the ceiling in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and in the lobby of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic in Mountain View.

There are excellent videos of his studio work on his web site: http://www.chihuly.com/

These pictures were taken when his traveling exhibition stopped at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. Click the pictures for a larger view. Thanks for playing.

Friday Foto Quiz #8

2010-08-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

Do you know what this is a picture of? Say if you know but don't reveal the answer. I'll post more pictures over the weekend and give the answer on Monday. Click the picture for a larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz

2010-08-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

Bodie State Park, CA, is a gold mining town gone ghost. It is isolated enough that the few people that never left were able to maintain the town in a state of arressted decay and it is now a state park. Wander around the buildings and look in the windows to see things as they were left when abandoned. This is not a staged reenactment but a snapshot of life as it was. Just 13 miles east of 395 near Mono Lake, (the last 3 miles are dirt), this is a great place for history buffs and photographer's alike. Make a day of it, bring water, a hat and plan on walking/exploring a lot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California

Friday Foto Quiz

2010-08-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Do you know where this town is?
Please do not say the answer but feel free to comment if you do know. I will reveal the location on Monday. Click the pictures for a larger view.

Answer - Friday Foto Quiz

2010-08-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

As Ken Burns puts it, National Parks are America's best idea. This underground National Park is Carlsbad Caverns, located in New Mexico. I believe the formation is named "Giant Dome" and resides in the Hall of Giants.

We visited the caverns in July of 2007. I had just bought a Nikon D80 and was learning to use a DSLR. the low lighting of a cave was the challenge. We had not yet envisioned our light drawing project. I was confused as to why a white LED flashlight made the formations appear blue. I've learned alot about LEDs and white balance since then.

This is a great place to visit. The scale of these formations is lost by not including people in my pictures as a reference. Plan to spend several days here to get the full experience. The main self guided tour is mind blowing. Then sign up for guided tours to lower levels and other nearby caves. The history of those that found and explored the cave is fascinating. Stay for the nightly show as 400,000 bats fly over your head as they leave the cave entrance. Then go take the main room tour again because you missed most of what is to be seen. Here is the link: http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm.

Friday Photo Quiz

2010-07-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

I've been posting these on Facebook and despite their loose permissions policy, you still cannot view my profile unless you are a member, so...

Every Friday I will post a picture here that I've taken in my travels and ask you to identify something about it.

This week we go underground. Do you recognize this formation and where it is? Please do not give the answer but feel free to leave a comment that you do know. I'll post the answer on Sunday.

Tour de France is more then a bike race

2010-07-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

I look at photographs with 3 things in mind - education, inspiration and entertainment. This extends far beyond still photography to include movies, TV and sports coverage. I find the Tour de France bike race to be one of the most amazing visual experiences on TV providing a full serving of everything I look for.

The Tour is a 21 day dynamic challenge for any photographer and the coverage provided by the Versus cable network is first class. These photographers and videographers ride along with the 197 racers over the streets of France on the back of motorcycles and hanging out of helicopters without getting in the way. There is no stopping the race to accommodate for advertisers. Accidents happen, and lenses snap from their camera bodies.

Yet, these people persevere to bring you street level views of the rider's faces, from their eyes to their injuries and of the high tech bikes they ride. You see and experience, close-up, all the skill, concentration and emotion that is the sport. Ever changing lighting, from bright sunlight to full downpour rain and every shadow in between test their exposure and focusing skills. Shooting moving targets while you twist backwards on a motorcycle make creating good composition an amazing feat.

Dodging spectators adds to the danger, but they are also interesting subjects and are included in the coverage. You must see the costumes and enthusiasm of these fans to believe it. Don't forget the support teams. Cameras and microphones are installed to monitor team strategies. It is amazing to watch these small cars, covered in bike parts run the gauntlet of people crowding the narrow roads, bikes and motorcycles winding between them.

And, you get a free tour of France, amazingly photographed. While the motorized camera people show us the cobblestones, the local houses and gardens of the small towns and big cities of France, the helicopters give us grandiose views of medieval castles, cathedrals and estates. There are endless miles of sunflower filled farmland, green forests and vistas from the highest Alps. The Versus camera crews always find a way to include the peleton as a focal point in the composition whenever possible.

The race started July 3 and runs until July 26. Every day includes between 3 to 5 hours video of race coverage, interviews and technical analysis. The picture quality has improved greatly over the past few years and is now broadcast in HD. This TV event is not just coverage of a sport but also a colorful, undulating visual feast for the eyes.

Check your local listings (it feels funny to write that) and visit http://www.versus.com/ for more information.

Shooting the Tour of California

2010-05-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Mark Cavendish in green riding along side Lance Armstrong

Access gives many sports photographers an edge. Courtside in basketball, on the sideline for football or where ever that coveted sweet spot is will give you the best chance of getting a great shot. So I think the Tour of California bike race is different. It comes to me, right through my home town - right down my street. There are no fences to block my shot and no press pass is needed. It's not quite that easy.

The first thing to think about is if you want a particular angle on the riders or a certain background, getting both is difficult. You scout your area days in advance and you run into other photographers doing the same.

The peleton passes by the historic Johnston House

Then you must consider road closures. The police and the peleton are most unpredictable. The best bet is to get there early and bring some food and a chair.

Research the race and riders. Know their colors. It helps if you can follow the race on your smart phone as they approach. Is there a break-away group? Is there a sprint or feeding station nearby. All these factors may affect if you want a fierce racing shot or one of everyone sitting up, eating and throwing half empty water bottles at you. Then again, they may not.

Unless you photograph bikers every weekend, there is no time to practice. If you are smart, you practice by shooting all the support vehicles, press motorcycles and police that go by before the riders. That is not a bad idea because, no sooner that you see the riders approaching, they are on top of you and then they are gone.

Access helps you get the shot

Keep both eyes open so as not to miss anything, trip over someone else, get in the way or be hit by a vehicle.

Scouting the route, I decided to show something of Half Moon Bay and also try for a shot on the Tunitas Creek hill climb. I tried to get the riders with the green hills and the historic Johnston house in the background and was successful. Are they in focus? Not very. A faster camera would help.

I then jumped in my car and drove up to Woodside where Tunitas Creek crosses Skyline drive hoping to park, walk down the hill and get a shot of each rider's faces showing the pain of the climb.

I was lucky to get a non-muddy parking spot about a half mile from the intersection. The top of this mountain was in the clouds. Water dripped from the trees and down my back as I protected my camera under my coat. A thousand people crowded the intersection, many shivering in biking attire. Bicycles covered every bit of ground that wasn't occupied by spectators. As I approach, the Amgen van drives through saying the riders are one mile away. Holy Moly, I wanted to hike down the road a mile or 2 to get my shots.

I squeezed through to the middle of the street and hightailed it down hill, dodging police on motorcyles and speeding support cars loaded with spare bikes. I found a break in the redwood trees that let in a little bit of light through the fog and took my place along side a dozen other photographers looking for the same shot, and just in time. Balancing on a small mound, a steep slide of mud on one side and the road on the other, I squeezed off a few blurry shots between the other photographers as the peleton roared by.

Lance (second from left) with the peleton out of the fog on Tunitas Creek road. A fellow photographer on the right

That Tunitas Creek climb was nothing for these stellar atheletes. Here, I'm thinking about the Pyrenees in France and how it tests the Tour de France riders. They should be spread out, struggling up the hill, moving relatively slow with pained concentration on their face. Think again.

I scored a few pictures and learned a few lessons. All is good. Maybe, the climb out of San Jose to Modesto will give me those shots I want. Or staking out a corner at a time trial would provide some great opportunities. Those vantage points were more of a commitment than I had time for this year.

Team Radio Shack on Tunitas Creek road

Birds on the Coast

2010-05-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

The owls of Canada Cove - Stuart Nafey photo

Looking for wildlife to photograph? A recent blog post by Scott Bourne lists his top 7 bird and wildlife photography hotspots in the states.

Reading this article, I realized that many of the birds he mentions to be found in these refuges can also be found here in the San Francisco bay area. According to information provided by the Don Edwards Wildlife Preserve, the bay area has "30,000 acres of wetlands, open water, and upland habitats, are home to at least 800,000 birds at any given time and to millions during peak migration". That link takes you to a comphrehensive list detailing when you might find which birds.

Just a partial list of birds we have spotted here in Half Moon Bay include:

Barn owls
Pacific Great horned owls
Great blue Herons
Cattle egrets
White herons
Green herons
Cormorants
Lesser murres
Oyster catchers
Snowy plovers
Red tailed hawks
Golden eagles
Turkey vultures
Kestrels
Kites
Peregrine falcons
Hooded oreoles
Downy woodpeckers
Acorn woodpeckers

Not to mention all the other sea birds, finches, hummingbirds and other North American varieties. It is a worthy project to document the birds of the bay area.

Timing the Sun and Moon

2010-04-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our ancestors quarried and hauled gargantuan stones many miles to build monuments that could predict where the sun and moon would rise and set. Photographers now days have it a little easier.

The Photographer's Ephemeris is one tool that combines centuries of observed astronomical and gravitational data with Google maps and shows you in exqusite detail where the sun and moon will be directing their light and the corresponding shadows, at any time of the day or night, at any place on earth, even allowing for elevation of the surrounding terrain. Well, maybe not every coordinate on earth, yet. I have not tested it's limits.

Stephen Trainor is the author of this free program. An iPod app will also be available on April 17.

Watching the short tutorials reveals the power of this program. Mark my words, this is something we all will applaud today, take for granted tomorrow and some will actually complain about in the future. Since this will actually save you time and money, Stephen provides a donation link to help maintain the service. Please consider contributing.

Here is the link to his blog or click the picture above. Thank you Stephen, for making my life that much simpler.

Kite Aerial Photography

2010-04-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

Kite Aerial Photography is a technique I am itching to try and this photograph taken by George Lawrence after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco is inspiring. Someone (at the USGS?) did a great job of creating a zoomable high resolution version.

Golden Hour

2010-03-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ah, the golden hour, that period of time 1 hour after sunrise and 1 hour before sunset when our ultimate light source filters through the maximum amount of atmosphere. There are only 2 in a day. I took this picture in Bossier City, Louisiana during the evening version. More often then not, I miss the morning occurance. The musician in me refuses to recognize two 7 o'clocks in the same day. I do take advantage if I am forced to rise early, if I must take someone to the airport at 0 dark thirty for instance. I rationalize and balance what I miss by staying up late and developing pictures in the dark of night.

If you want the Golden Gate Bridge to be lit from the city side, you have to be there before noon. If you want to take advantage of that atmospheric phenomenon instead of buying filters or warming it in post production, get there early. This shot was taken at 07:30 am, not too bad. Click on it to get the full effect.

Facebook Fan Page

2010-03-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

On Facebook? Follow my page for quick news and gallery updates!

Stuart Nafey Photography on Facebook

Why lenses cost so much.

2010-03-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

The Canon Library gives you a "How They Do It" tour of a virtual lens factory, showing every step, from raw material to a finished product of producing a 500mm lens.

Pictures from Antarctica

2010-02-18T23:06:00.001-08:00

Gentoo Penguin_DSC4143, originally uploaded by jc_on_vacation.

Friend Justine Carson recently returned from a month long, photography workshop/trip to Argentina, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island and Antarctica and brought back incredibly beautiful and amazingly close-up pictures of penguins, seals, birds, ice and mountains. When they were not on land taking pictures, they were studying wildlife photography techniques and listening to lectures about the animals and geology they had travelled so far to see.

Only back a few days, Justine kindly threw together an excellent presentation for our February workshop. Those pictures and many more are now up in her Flickr gallery. Thank you Justine!

King Penguin_DSC4613, originally uploaded by jc_on_vacation.

Maverick's Photo Roundup

2010-02-14T23:58:00.000-08:00

Several people have asked if I was able to photograph the Maverick’s surf contest this weekend. I was on my way to ski Kirkwood when I heard the Maverick’s competition was on. We had an excellent time skiing and I have no pictures from the contest.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

But there are plenty great pictures to view. The weather was excellent and the waves were huge. It’s not easy getting these shots since the breaks are about ½ mile offshore. Either you climb the slippery cliffs with a very long lens or you beg, borrow or pay your way on a boat to get the close-ups. As of Sunday night, here are some links to the pictures that I have been able to find.

Flickr has a “Maverick’s Surf Contest 2010” group with over 300 pictures.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mavericks2010/pool/

I like to watch the group as a slideshow. It fills your browser window with the largest picture it can and border’s it in black. Maximize your browser and try it.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mavericks2010/pool/show/

Several encore videos of the live action and commentary is on Mavericksurf.com.
http://www.maverickssurf.com/contest/see/webcast.php

Check out this raw video footage taken from the Channel 5 news copter.
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=61790@kpix.dayport.com
Note: look for the "Chopper 5 News of Maverick's Surf Contest" video

The Sunday Chronicle has 2 stories on Maverick’s, one on the front page and another in the sports section.
Huge waves at Mavericks injure spectators
and
MAVERICKS - Biggest of the big waves

And the Chronicle also has 2 photo galleries of the event with over 200 pictures combined.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2010/02/14/SPBQ1C1FN9.DTL&o=
and
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2010/02/14/MNTA1C1AAA.DTL&o=

Regulo Zapata Jr. has pictures up on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2056640&id=1215168613&l=3ff43523e4

Slideshow in the Santa Cruz Sentinel:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_14396254

That’s a start and there are more out there. Some of the pictures are absolutely fantastic. The photographers caught beautiful angles with surfers framed by the curl of the wave, shots of wipeouts are captured second by second in burst mode and the spectators and the spirit of the event. It looks like Mavericks delivered big time this year and there are some award winning pictures that document it.

The Apple iPad and the Photographer

2010-01-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Is the iPad a new useful product for photographers and photography in general?

Photo bloggers are already writing articles discussing using it to display your portfolio, transferring pictures to and from cameras, other computers and online galleries, photo manipulation software and even tethering it as a view finder for location shoots. Tim O'Brien discusses how the iPad can help visually impaired photogs. Check it out.

Apple iPad and Photographers - G. Dan Mitchell Photography blog

What the Apple Tablet Will Mean to Photographers - Scott Bourne PhotoFocus blog

What the Apple Tablet May Mean to Blind Photographers - Tim O’Brien Photos

How to Pack Photography Gear - Chase Jarvis

2010-01-26T15:14:00.000-08:00

Found this short video where Chase Jarvis demonstrates equipment packing strategies. He covers suitable bags and cases, common required gear and tips on how to deal with airline security.

Journey to Nepal Slideshow in Half Moon Bay

2010-01-24T00:53:00.000-08:00

Lars Howlett, photographer for the Half Moon Bay Review, recently trekked in Nepal and will present a slideshow of the journey at the Enso Gallery, on Kelly Ave in Half Moon Bay on Sunday, January 24, 5pm.

I enjoy Lars' photography and expect this to be an exceptional show. Photos are also on exhibit in the gallery until January 31. See links below for the gallery and articles he has written about the trek.

Among Mountains, Monks and Sherpas

An exhibition by Ocean Studio photographers
Michael Powers and Lars Howlett

Documenting the KarmaQuest expedition from the Coastside to the Himalayas of Nepal

January 1 - 31st, 2010

ENSO Gallery
131 Kelly Avenue in Half Moon Bay

Slideshow by Lars Howlett, Sunday, January 24th, 5pm
Sharing 200+ images telling the stories of the journey

Gallery open to the public during yoga studio hours as well
as Saturday mornings, Monday evenings and by appointment.

For more info see
http://www.ensohmb.com/
or call (650) 726-1409

http://www.oceanstudio.org/
http://www.findlars.com/
http://www.karmaquest.org/

Links from a series written and photographed by Lars for the Half Moon Bay Review :

Article 1 : The inspiration and training for the expedition with organizer Karma Lama and adventurer Michael Powers
http://www.hmbreview.com/articles/2009/10/28/news/doc4ae8643d5c19d940114167.txt

Article 2 : A visit to the Tengboche Monastery and a look at the spiritual side of the journey
http://www.hmbreview.com/articles/2009/11/25/news/doc4b0d679a7593e578643673.txt

Article 3 : Describing the ascent of Kala Patthar and the physical experience of the trekking
http://www.hmbreview.com/articles/2009/12/04/news/doc4b16ac7d194a0932695302.txt

Article 4 : Being one with the tribe on the coast with Michael Powers and on the trail to Everest
http://www.hmbreview.com/articles/2009/12/09/news/doc4b1fec9001ca3373745242.txt

GoPro video of Bart Willems surfing Mavericks

2010-01-22T12:04:00.000-08:00

This is a tiny version of the video. Try clicking the full screen button for the best view.

From the notes on the YouTube video:

Bart Willems went for a session in 15ft surf at Mavericks on 2010-01-10 and documented a session on GoPro HD camera. A 3 hour session is condensed into 5 minutes of highlights.

Music by Jamie Shelly - Cherrybubblegumcity (thanks for making good music Skulpie)

Photos by Seth Migdail (thanks for sharing Seth)

Camera donated by VirtualAfrica - virtualafrica.co.za

Thanks you to all the local Mavericks surfers for sharing their Magnificent waves!

GoPro's latest camera is a tiny high definition (720p), mountable, wide angle, waterproof video camera for $269. I've seen these on skier's helmuts in Utah and I sure would like one.

Big waves for California coast

2010-01-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

Update: The wind knocked things down this past week but an even bigger swell appears to be on the way (good for pictures) but rain is predicted too (bad for camera equipment and comfort).

A large swell is approaching the California coastline and is expected to arrive on Wednesday, January 13 setting up some possible great photo opportunities. Mavericks could be big if the wind dies down. You might want to rent a big lens using the link below (wink, wink, say no more). The surf should be bigger then normal everywhere so please be safe!

Check out this web page for links to wave activity in the Pacific and a web cam for Mavericks.

Update: Strong southerly winds are making things pretty sloppy this morning. I see a boat or a jet ski at Mavericks but no riders. Wind is forcast to calm somewhat and change more westerly this afternoon.

BorrowLenses Promotion

2010-01-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

For 10% off a rental until January 31, 2010, click the BorrowLenses icon in this post and use the code "2010" before checkout. Clicking from here awards me some credit too. Thanks!

Full Moon, Christmas Lights and Mobile Homes

2009-12-31T01:21:00.000-08:00

I decided to catch a few Christmas light pictures before the season ends and the full moon is a bonus. These pictures were taken before it was completely dark, trying to catch some blue sky and clouds to contrast the lights. The moon is a bit overexposed in these shots which can be remedied by merging lower exposed shots I took from the same position, in other words, HDR. These are out of the camera with a little tweeking in LightRoom.

In addition to visible sky, I like the colors, the tree silhouettes and the reflections in the automoibles and water in the street.

Bay Taper dot Com

2009-12-24T22:40:00.001-08:00

Just a quick update to suggest you checkout a bay area photographer, videographer and sound recorder specializing in "the San Francisco Live Jazz & Creative Music Scene". I aspire to his dedication quality work and talent.

BayTaper.com

Have a fine holiday!

Pumpkin Pie Stop Action Animation

2009-11-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

I took over 1100 pictures of Lori making a pumpkin pie and created a stop action animation using the humble Windows Movie Maker. It turns out that neither of my Windows machines are powerful enough for Photoshop to convert that many RAW files in one action or Windows Movie Maker to render them into a video larger then for an iPod.

I overcame that problem by converting half of the RAW files at a time to 720x480 jpgs, compressing them down to 5. In order to create an AVI file in Movie Maker, I had to create 12 different videos of 100 pictures each and then combine them to make one complete video. For posting on SmugMug, I then saved the video in another smaller format.

Looking back, I could have shot the original pictures in jpeg at the correct resolution saving a big step. And I need to figure out the best format to save it for the web. Still working these things out.

It's not too bad. Click the picture below and check it out. And then read my own critical review below.

More thoughts: I learned a few things here, after repeated viewings.

1 - I observe the exposure changing nearly every frame, as Lori moves her arms in and out of the picture. The cause? I used aperture priority mode. As things move around, especially the black sleeves of Lori's shirt, the "correct" exposure changes and the camera adjusts the shutter speed. While her arms are now correctly exposed a change can be seen in surrounding areas such as in the wooden cabinets.

Once I determined the best exposure setting, I should have worked in manual mode which will lock those settings in. Do not change them! Determining that correct exposure is the trick. Using manual mode, chances are not every scene will be perfectly exposed, (ie; the black shirt moving in and out of the picture and moving to various scenes within the kitchen). You need to experiment and find the settings that balance exposure for the whole of the animation.

2 - I also see the focal length changing, or at least appears to change. Watch the edges of the video as they disappear and reappear. My guess is the autofocus is adjusting as arms and items move around the frame. The solution again is to set the best focus for the scene and turn off the automatic focus. I need to verify this with the next animation.

3 - The color and brightness are dull. I filmed this at night under a mix of incandescent and full spectrum fluorescent lighting. I set the white balance to incandescent and did not use a white or grey card. I thought the colors looked pretty accurate.

Maybe what this needed was more light. A faster lens would help too, enabling faster shutter speeds. It would also allow a smaller aperture and a greater depth of field, bringing more into focus.

To summarize what I have learned, consider using manual exposure settings and turn autofocus off. Bring in more light then you think you need, especially to compensate for low light lenses you may not own. If the project is important, rent the equipment you need. Learn to use the software and know the capability of your computer.

For software, I may look into Adobe Premier Elements. Similar to Photoshop Elements, it appears that Premier Elements provides all the basic tools needed to create and edit video for about a 1/5 of the price of the full blown program.

Foothill College Contemporary Big Band

2009-11-22T22:05:00.000-08:00

The contemporary big band program at Foothill Community College appears to be ending it's long run, falling victim to the sad economy. Under the baton of John Gove, the bands attracted many of the bay area's first call players as well as providing a friendly environment for up and coming students. Contemporary music was the key. From Jim McNeely to Maria Schneider to Thad Jones to obsure Duke Ellington pieces and also local composers such as Ray Brown. I listened to my wife Lori practice the most bizarre trombone and piano parts and picked up quite an education by proxy. While others recorded their end of semester concerts, I started taking pictures and have put together a collection. Click here or any of the pictures below to go to the full gallery.

Open PPGBA Meeting this Thursday

2009-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

I just recently learned of the Professional Photographers of the Greater Bay Area which appears to be another valuable resource for picture snappers, especially in the San Francisco bay area.

They are holding their annual "Sustaining Members" meeting Thursday, November 19, free and open to everyone. Guest speaker Ed Pingol will discuss lighting. There will also be several photo labs and other vendors showing their wares.

Click here for more details.

Great Horned Owls

2009-11-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

Birds are great subjects. They are plentiful and colorful. They are fleeting which make still pictures of them challenging and all the more appreciated. A friend recently showed me a picture of a great horned owl taken just a short walk from my home and I realized I needed owl pictures of my own.

2 owls live in the eucalyptus grove right down the street. I can hear them hooting as I type this. They do not seem much afraid of us and often sit rather close to an accessable path. They also sit very still. This is an advantage as I am shooting them in late evening light and in deep shadows. With the aperture wide open, I am using 1/10th of a second or slower shutter speed.

According to Wikipedia, we have a male and female. The male being the smaller of the two and with a lower pitched song. All the hooting may be courtship rituals in progress. If so, they would build a nest and little owls would appear in the early spring. All in all, an excellent photo documentary opportunity and blog worthy too.

If I am correct, in the pictures above, the first is the male. The second, the female, is not winking at me. She appears to have lost her right eye.

I will be photographing them as often as I am able. I am using a Nikon D80 with a Nikkor 70-300 4.8/5.6 lens usually cranked out to 300mm and still requiring some extreme cropping. Using a tripod and remote trigger helps. Focusing through the branches is another challenge. I hope to score some great shots going forward and posting them here.

This was my first shot and hand held at that! He was sitting in a great location.

Worlds Collide Concert Pictures

2009-10-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

From a core group of musicians, 3 unique performances emerge. "Worlds Collide" at the Little Fox Theater this past Sunday evening was a journey through the minds of the Murray Low Trio, the Aaron Lington Quintet and John Worley with Bari Bari. We often experience these musicians while following our friend John Worley's gigs but he was more the side man for this show, providing us the exposure we rarely make the effort to see. And the icing on the cake was the opportunity to photograph everything from the balcony of the theater.

Clicking any of the pictures below will take you to the full photo gallery.

Backyard Bird Photography

2009-10-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

In order to improve my skill sets for action photography, I took on the project of shooting birds in flight. Our backyard feeder attracts a large amount of colorful finches who do not seem to have a great fear of my presence, at least when I am sitting still. I take advantage of this virtually free opportunity and spend hours sitting, observing and photographing these creatures.

I have written my experience up as a tutorial (with some of my favorite pictures) and posted it to the Instructables web site. Instructables is a fun Do-it-yourself site with content entirely provided by the members. It is free to view and, if you would like to contribute, free to join.

My tutorial is entitled "Backyard Bird Photography" and clicking here will take you there.

This tutorial is also entered in thier Digital Photography Contest, so..., if you are a member of Instructables and are so inclined, you have my permission to vote for me.

Update: The tutorial picked up one of 5 first prizes, a weekend photography workshop put on by Popular Photography magazine. I know I need it and I guess the judges thought so too.

Filters

2009-09-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

It is time I learned a lot more about on camera filters. Filters, by definition remove something from that which they are filtering. Camera filters remove somthing from the light entering your camera, maybe a color or the amount of light or blocking light coming from specific directions. I felt the need to get me some of these filters and the more I researched, the more products available (at many different prices) and the more information I found.

One good (online and free) primer that explains filter basics and then goes on to give brief descriptions of 2 dozen common filters and how they can compliment your photography can be found at:
http://www.digicamera.com/features/filterprimer/index.html

One way to narrow the choices is to think about what effects you are aiming for or consider a problem you just can't seem to overcome with the camera as is. I am looking to soften moving water in bright light and also reduce glare from shiny surfaces. From my reading, a neutral density (ND) filter should help with the former. It appears to block all colors equally hence blocking just the amount of light entering the camera. For the latter, a polarizing filter, specifically a circular polarizing filter sounds about right.

So an ND and a circular polarizing filter sound like a good start for my needs. Now, to determine which brand and quality to pony up for. People like Scott Bourne suggest bying the best, especially if you have expensive lenses. "Why put a cheap filter on an expensive lens?" He and Rick Sammon often comment about filters on their podcasts which can be found at http://photofocus.com/.

One last interesting fact is that no professional photographers seem to recommend a plain or UV filter just to protect the front of your lens as any extra glass will degrade your picture. Since I need all the help I can get, there are no UV filters on my cameras.

So, I will update this entry when I decide and buy some filters. More to come!

First Stop Action Animation Video

2009-09-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

This blog is all about learning photography and I have no problem showing "first attempts" even though I feel it is not my best work.

I took a series of about 200 pictures from a hill above the Reno Balloon Race and created a stop action video of the mass ascension. Click on the picture to go to the video.

Using Photoshop I created an action that adjusted levels, brightened, added contrast and resized the 200 pictures. I then imported them into Windows Movie Maker, configured a few things like setting each frame to display for 1/8 of a second and I experimented with several different quality settings. The Windows program was very easy to work with and is free as opposed to buying and learning Premiere. I have not looked at other video programs.

One improvement for this video would be to not move the camera between shots. The jumpiness is a bit annoying. The exposure changes too. I believe I left the mode at aperture priority as the sun was going in and out due to the clouds and it gets a little dark at the end. Setting the exposure and using manual might have helped. Not every frame is in focus either, at least in the beginning. I noticed that the auto focus changed as the balloons moved. After a few frames, I focused and then turned off the AF.

Another helpful hint would be to set the camera to take the pictures at a specific frequency. I had rented a D90 and could not easily figure this out when I needed to. I took the shots manually, counting to 10 when not much was happening and more frequent when the balloons were rising.

And there is no music! Maybe Yakkity Sax would fit.

All in all, it was a fun project that can still be improved on. And the lessons learned are most important!

Update: I neglected to include a useful web tutorial on stop action animation that was a big help to getting started:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Stop-Motion-Animation

The Great Reno Balloon Race 2009

2009-09-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

We just returned from 3 days at the Reno Balloon Race with nearly 3000 pictures and a few dozen videos. The question is this: what are the most efficient work flow solutions for reviewing, editing and posting the best pictures? I think that will be the subject of my next blog post. In the meantime, here are a few choice pixs. Click any see to the larger versions.

For more hot air balloons, my Flickr gallery is here and Lori's gallery is here.

Light Painting the Johnston House

2009-09-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

While searching for a light painting opportunity last weekend during the full moon, I noticed that the Johnston House in Half Moon Bay sat dark on it's hill. The house is normally lit by an intense white light and stands out clearly while driving highway 1 through town. Large and white, I took the opportunity to jazz it up a bit with a new spot light I recently purchased.

Low Key Lighting

2009-09-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

What I learned today: a definition of low key lighting.

From Wikipedia:

Low-key lighting is a style of lighting for photography, film or television. It attempts to create a chiaroscuro effect. In traditional photographic lighting, three-point lighting uses a key light, a fill light, and a back light for even illumination. Low-key lighting requires only one key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector.

Low key light accentuates the contours of an object by throwing areas into shade while a fill light or reflector may illuminate the shadow areas to control contrast. The relative strength of key-to-fill, known as the lighting ratio, can be measured using a light meter. Low key lighting has a higher lighting ratio, e.g. 8:1, than high key lighting, which can approach 1:1.

The term "low key" is used in cinematography to refer to any scene with a high lighting ratio, especially if there is a predominance of shadowy areas. It tends to heighten the sense of alienation felt by the viewer, hence is commonly used in film noir and horror genres.

I always understood the term in a venacular kind of way, meaning a kind of dark environment (a jazz club immediately comes to mind), but when I took on a recent project put forth at Utata, this is the first picture I entered.

The project, entitled "Iron Photogrpher" to include a flower, something rusty and low key lighting. I felt the picture met 2 of the 3 criteria and I underexposed to try to meet the 3rd.

Placed alongside the other submitted pictures, my photo pops out much lighter then the others. So I thought deeper about the term and realized that "low key" is probably a technical term that I have given little thought to. How often have I seen "key grip" in the credits of a movie and not taken the time to look up what it means.

The Wikipedia definition actually and briefly explains normal photographic lighting as having 3 considerations, a "key" light being the most important (the "key" lighting illuminating the most important feature of the subject), a fill light to reduce contrast and a back light to further even out the shadows. Low key can result when you remove the fill and back lighting. It also suggests the "chiaroscuro effect" which defines a large contrast between light and dark throughout the entire picture.

An image search on Google shows many low key examples. And my image still appears too light.

I was thinking that my photo has only one light source, the sun, but the problem arises as the sun is reflected off the grass in the background, a backlight if you will that distracts from the contrast within the subjects, that is if you are aiming for "low key".

So, I assume at this point that the pictures fails the 3rd criteria of low key lighting as is generally accepted and I need to try again. Maybe this can be salvaged using Photoshop to alter the background. Maybe an off camera flash, controlling the ambient light of the background with a fast shutter speed would accomplish the feat.

Maybe the pictured failed but, FTW, the reason I impose projects on myself is to incite me to shoot and hopefully learn somethng I did not know before.

Full Moon + Great Weather = Night Photography

2009-09-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is a good time for night photography. The moon is full, the skies are relatively clear and the temperature is not too cold.

Here are a few web pages with tips for photographing the moon itself.

http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/howtophoto/
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/moonset-moonrise-photography.html
http://digital-photography-school.com/moon-photography-made-simple

And on Friday September 4, the rare event of the full moon setting just as the sun rises allows you to shoot a low moon with your choice of foreground illuminated by that rising sun. Getting out of bed that early on Friday is good practice for the upcoming Reno Balloon Races.

Moonlight provides a great opportunity to take unusual pictures of common objects. Get your tripod and remote shutter cable out, drag along a partner and find something to take long exposure shots of. Old cars and ancient architecture are favorites. Bring along some colored lights and a flash and try some light painting.

It's a holiday weekend and many of you have an extra day to play with, so why not give it a shot?

Andrew Zuckerman Photographs Wisdom

2009-08-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

Last year, Andrew Zuckerman published a book of portraits and interviews with 51 iconic people over the age of 65 entitled Wisdom. Visit the web site to not only get an over view of this work but also to study an amazing "Making Of" video that shows the studio setup required to obtain the consistent look of the portraits. From the photographer's point of view, the amount of equipment that was hauled around the world and the lighting setups are worth seeing.

Tod Dickow on tenor sax - Shot of the day from last month

2009-08-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

We are going to see John Worley play at the Hedley Club and Tod Dickow is sitting in. Then I remembered that I scored a few good shots of him last month at Gordon Biersch playing with Fasmania. The band plays in the back alley in the evening with a black net stretched across as a ceiling. This usually presents quite the challenge using the 70-300 f4/5.6 lens, needing to crank the ISO to 3200 on my D80. All things considered, this shot came out fairly good. I like that I caught the Gordon Biersch logo behind him. A larger depth of field might have brought the sign into focus but, I needed a f5.6 just to get 1/60th of a second shutter speed. If they would only remain perfectly still while playing!

Riding into the Sunset

2009-08-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

My picture of the day is a man on a bike riding through Quarry Lakes park in Fremont, California, a relatively new park developed from an old gravel quarry.

10 Default Camera Settings I learned the hard way

2009-08-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

Too often, I leave the settings on my camera to whatever the last shoot or picture required and then find that a day or 2 later, those settings are not appropriate for the next shoot. Many of my pictures are spontaneous action shots and do not allow much time to check the settings, let alone frame and focus. Even when I have the time, it is easy to forget (my mind is like a seive) one or more important controls that could be set to take a better picture. So borrowing from many other photographer's suggestions, this is a list of 10 default camera settings for my Nikon D80 that I review before I leave the house.

ISO = 100
Auto Focus = On
Autofocus = Continuous
VR = On and Normal
Camera Mode = Auto
Picture Quality = RAW
White balance = Auto
Metering = Matrix
Battery = Charged
Card = Formatted

ISO = 100 - This is a killer. Using the lenses I own, I often must crank the ISO to get decent exposure. Photographing musicians in available light is tough as are action shots of surfers with my 70 -300 f/4.5-5.6 lens. If I forget to reset the ISO back to 100, I later find the nice landscape pictures I took to be very noisy at ISO 3200.

Auto Focus = on - As my eyes get worse, I depend more and more on autofocus. I sometimes shut this off after getting the proper mid-air point of focus when anticipating a critter to walk or fly into that space. Forget this and you will waste a few precious shots later when you are trying to shoot anything else. It is also a good idea to occasionally check that the diopter setting in the view finder is adjusted to your vision.

Autofocus = Continuous Servo - Often, for me, quick grab shots are of moving targets so my default is Continuous Servo (AF-C). Hitting the AF button twice will easily take me to Single Servo (AF-S) if I want to lock focus.

VR = On and normal - For lenses equipmented with VR, the majority of my shots are handheld, but when taking long exposures on a tripod, Nikon recommends shutting VR off. The penalty for forgetting to turn this back on is blurry long distance shots when you are back to shooting handheld. I rarely touch the normal/active switch, but it can be moved and normal is my default. You might use Active when shooting from a moving car, but I am usually driving and not taking pictures. It is right next to the VR on/off switch, so check it while you are there.

Camera Mode = Auto - I usually shoot in Aperture or Shutter priority modes and sometimes in Manual and one or the other may not be right for an instant grab shot. So, my defalut setting is Auto. I may take a quick shot in auto, review the meter settings and then move to a priority mode from there.

Picture Quality = RAW - It is more work, but I need all the help (and resolution) I can get, so I shoot in RAW. There are times when I want to display the pictures quickly to a client. I will then shoot RAW + JPEG. Forget to reset this and it greatly reduces storage space. I may also shoot in JPEG only when using burst mode for action shots and need more buffer space. 5 or 6 RAW shots will fill the buffer and may cause me to miss the best shot in a series. Forget to go back to RAW and you lose resolution and many other controls (like the ability to change white balance) when you need it.

White Balance = Auto - Another killer setting if wrong. It is not difficult to hit the WB button and turn the dial thinking you are changing the ISO and end up shooting daylight pictures with a Tungsten White Balance and never notice this until you are back home reviewing pictures. At least I think that is what happened. This is where shooting in RAW mode helped recover some shots.

Metering = Matrix - Unless I specifically want spot metering for a shot, I default to Matrix Metering. I am still studying when best to change this setting.

Battery = charged - This seems silly but especially when taking long exposure pictures, you can never have too many fully charged batteries. You will not be happy driving to that spot and carrying all your gear down the goat path to the beach in the dark and running out of power after 5 shots. Brutal. Another thing to consider, Rick Sammon says that low batteries operate at higher temperatures which may affect the color balance in the image sensor.

Card = formatted - I try to start a shoot with an empty card. there is nothing like running out of memory and having to delete selected shots from a previous shoot and wondering if you had already downloaded them. When you get home, download the pictures, then back them up to a second drive and then (and only then) format the card. Formatting not only deletes the pictures but cleans all the bad bits out and provides maximum storage availability.

So, who says that digital cameras make taking pictures easier then ever. In the old days, after loading the film, you only thought of aperture, shutter speed and focus. Now there are dozens of buttons, menus and sub menus that can make your day or cause you grief. The settings I cover here are easy to get at and change (or mess up). I am not even talking about custom settings, deep within the menu dungeon. See your Thom Hogan guide for those settings.

I have suffered from every one of these setting failures, sometimes more then one at a time. So, I have written them down on a piece of paper and put them in the clear window on my camera bag in an attempt to minimize the damage and just maybe get some better pictures. These may not be your default settings, but they are all good things to think about before leaving for that shoot and looking unprepared. The best time to check your settings just might be when you get home, while the pictures are downloading to your PC.

Picture of the day

2009-08-16T22:55:00.000-07:00

I cannot postively identify this butterfly or flower which I found along the Merced River just east of Mariposa, but it is still my picture of the day.

Minus Tides

2009-08-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

In the last workshop, we talked of photo opportunities in our backyard, one of which occurs when there is a “minus tide”. Essentially, a minus tide is a relatively rare, very low ocean water level condition that exposes a large amount of reef or ocean bottom. The coast here has a vast amount of shallow reef that, at a very low tide, traps many marine animals and exposes underwater plant life not normally seen while walking on the beach during regular tides.

I found this more technical explanation on the internet:

Jeff Renner
What's a minus tide?
A minus tide, also sometimes called a negative tide, is an unusually low tide. Tide 'heights' are referenced to a base level set as zero. This level, called the 'datum', is the same level used to reference water depths on NOAA navigational charts.

Usually, low tides still remain a bit above zero, often a foot or two above. But the swing from high tide to low tide levels is greatest when the sun and moon are either on exact opposite sides of the earth, or especially when they're on the same side of the earth. This corresponds to a full or a 'new' moon. The gravitational 'tug' by both the sun and moon pull water toward them. As the earth rotates under the oceans, high tides occur when that part of the earth is facing either the moon or sun (or both). Low tides occur about six hours later, when the earth has turned ninety degrees away from either of those 'bulges' of water.

Sunflower Sea Star

This is indeed a photo opportunity to capture a wide variety of sea life provided the light is right and you are very careful with your equipment. Of course, you must consider the possibility of dropping your camera in the water. Even if the strap is securely around your neck, the rocks are slippery and if you fall in, your camera is going with you. These are things probably obvious to you but did not occur to me until I got out there for the first time.

But, if you are adventurous and except that risk, here are a few tips.
- Water proof boots help you get around easier and give you a bit more confidence.
- This is a good place to experiment with a polarizing filter which can reduce reflections on the surface of the water and provide better photographic access.
- Polarized sunglasses will also help your vision.
- Some kind of a reflector can be used to illuminate the critters hiding in the cracks or provide more direct light when the sun is low.
- I find a tripod to be a hindrance but you may want to try one if the lighting is poor.

When are these tides? Well, there are 2 low tides every 24 hours, but the times vary. You just need to know what time they happen and how low they will go. And you don't necessarily need to wait for an absolute minus tide. Look for any tide near 0 and take a walk to the beach with your camera.

Click here to go to the daily tide chart adjusted for Half Moon Bay. The chart shows the tides 2 days at a time. Scroll down to find more search options and a link for the entire year. I see that that the minus tides for August and September will mostly be between 1am and 5am, when they do occur. October and November have some low tides on some late afternoons. The first week of December is looking good for some -1.50 foot tides.

Check out photos others have taken. Click here to go to Flickr pictures tagged with the words “fitzgerald and marine” which show many pictures from the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve in Moss Beach. The preserve is easily accessed and very popular during these low tides.

Click here to go to a tide pool group in Flickr.

The Half Moon Bay Review posted an article about the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve and how it recently gained enhanced protection status, a good thing with the state park closings looming over our heads. Click here to read it.

Well, that should keep you busy for a bit. Have fun and take some pictures!

Princeton Art Walk Pictures

2009-08-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to the gallery of pictures we took at the Princeton Art Walk this past Saturday. This is a most unusual event put on by the artist community of Half Moon Bay and the Coastside. Watch for future happenings.

Princeton Art Walk - Saturday, August 8

2009-08-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Lori and I will be performing Light Drawing at the Princeton Art Walk tomorrow. This is in Princeton Harbor, Half Moon Bay, CA, starting at 7pm. This is a free and organic event in which artist's open their studios and homes to an evolving display of interactive art. Most activities will be up and down Harvard Street. Look for us after dark to be projecting near real time light drawings on the sides of buildings.

For more details, see this article in the Half Moon Bay Review and this PDF document for the schedule of events.

See you there!

Golden Gate Picture of the day

2009-08-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

This was taken 2 weeks ago and is my first attempt at the mature subject of the Golden Gate Bridge peeking out of the fog. Taken from the Marin Headlands, be prepared to sit around waiting for the right conditions. Bring a book or load the iPod with a collection of photography podcasts. And be prepared for the cold and wind. Also, the fog can move very fast and the picture can be gone in the time it takes you to get out of the car and focus your camera. I did a fair amount of level correction in Photoshop and a little red saturation to get the effect I was looking for. Checking the web cams (see the link in the right column) can help survey the conditions which may change drastically by the time you get there.

Hawk at Redondo Beach

2009-08-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

Is this a young redtail hawk? He was fairly big and his tail was not red. Anyway, that is my picture of the day.

Picture of the Day

2009-07-31T18:15:00.001-07:00

Just driving down Highway 1 and noticed the irrigation and Johnson House in harmonic convergence. Click the picture for a larger view.

About Flickr

2009-07-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

Our last photography workshop discussed the online photo hosting site, Flickr and here are the notes I prepared:

In addition to hosting pictures from photographers around the world, Flickr also functions as an online community and a social networking site and can be used to meet other photographers that share your interests. Keep in mind that Flickr’s primary function is to display your pictures and you can choose what others see or how much you interact with anyone else. In short, it is nothing like Facebook, no one is bugging you to be their friend and there are no ads when viewing your pictures, even for the free accounts. There is one ad on the free account when you go to your Flickr home page, but it is small.

According to Wikipedia, as of June, 2009, Flickr hosts 3.6 billion pictures. It was started by Ludicor in Canada in 2004 and bought by Yahoo in 2005. At that time, all content was moved to the United States and is now subject to US laws. It is currently the most popular photo hosting site.

There are both free and Pro accounts available. The free account limits your picture upload to 100 megabytes a month. The Pro account cost $25 for a year and allows you unlimited uploads. You can upload video, all accounts are limited to 90 seconds for each movie and pro accounts may upload High Definition video.

A note on the upload limit – if you have a free account, do not directly download pictures from your 10 megapixel camera into Flickr. Learn to use software to reduce your image files to a much smaller size while retaining picture quality. This will allow you to upload many more pictures taking full advantage of your free account. And select only your best pictures to upload. Leave the blurred and duplicate pictures out. You wouldn’t put those blurred pictures in your photo album.

A Yahoo ID is required to join. If you do not have a Yahoo ID, Flickr makes it easy for you to complete the form to get one.

Flickr is used by amateur and professional photographers as a quick and easy way to share their work with friends, family and clients. Bloggers use it as an easy place to store photos to use on their blogs and to allow others to use for web content or printing.

I find Flickr very easy to use and configure to my specifications. You control all privacy settings for photos, whether the general public can see them or just friends and family who are members. You can send guest passes to non members to see pictures you listed as private. You have some control over how your gallery appears to others. You can organize your photos into sets and collections. And there is plenty of assistance provided by Flickr to help you get the most out of your page.

Censorship (what you see) defaults to the strictest level, suitable for minors. You can adjust what you allow yourself to view from there.

There are few restrictions to what people can post. This is regulated only by the country from which you are viewing. Germany and China have very strict restrictions on what their citizens may view on Flickr.

Beyond publishing my photos, I find real value viewing the work of others. If you seek to improve your photography, looking at and analyzing other photos is an excellent way to learn. Some people follow their own course and prefer not to be influenced by other work. More power to them. I find other work very interesting, educational and inspiring and find Flickr is an excellent source for help and ideas.

Groups – Search out groups within Flickr, there are thousands of them, each with a specific theme in mind and thousands of people contribute to these groups everyday. If you need inspiration or want to learn a new technique, visit a group with a theme that interests you. You can view the photos by selecting from thumbnails or run a slideshow of the entire pool. Again, looking at and evaluating other’s work is a great way to further your abilities.

Some great groups to visit are “The Commons” and “Explore”. The Commons hosts photos with no known copyright restrictions and is filled with pictures from the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute and many international libraries, museums and colleges. Explore hosts “most linked to” and “most viewed pictures” and represents an amazing collection of random work from around the world. I also enjoy a group called “Light Junkies”, a collection of light drawing and long exposure photography. Use the search engine at the top of the page to locate your interests.

The Commons is here: http://www.flickr.com/commons/
Explore is here: http://www.flickr.com/explore/
Light Junkies is here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/lightjunkies/
Here is one for the Golden Gate Bridge: http://www.flickr.com/groups/ggb/

Interact - You can comment or add overlay notes on any picture which the owner allows comments. You can join groups, add your photos, join in on discussions in each group’s forums and receive feedback on your pictures. Tag your photos with key words to help you sort through your photos and to help others discover you too. Commenting and receiving feedback can enhance everyone’s experience and provide valuable insight.

Protect Yourself – You knew it sounded too good to be true, but actually, it’s not so bad. There are a few things you should consider when you post pictures online. Posted pictures can be copied. Every digital picture contains data such as when the picture was taken and the camera settings. It can hold your name and contact information to protect your copyright privileges. You should make sure that your contact information is embedded in each photo you post. This gives you some form of copyright protection and gives others the ability to contact you if needed. The only way to completely be sure your work is never copied is to never post it. So, you need a level of trust to participate in the fun.

Obey the rules – Be aware that Flickr maintains the right to delete your account and all the pictures at any time for any reason. There have been a few complaints and disputes but there are usually facts missing from what I have read. These problems are rare. The rules are not unreasonable. Stay in the boundaries and keep copies of your pictures on your own computer.

Spend time setting up your Flickr profile. There are some copyright settings there too. That is where you determine who can see your pictures and if they can comment on them.

Flickr makes it easy to view various sizes of your picture, embed them into web pages and share them via email. It goes on and on and new features are instituted all the time. I use Flickr everyday, enjoy the interaction, learn from others and (until I find something grossly wrong) recommend it to everyone. Have Fun!

Reference: Derek Story produced a podcast (#175) on the Digitalstory website entitled “Top 10 Flickr tips”. Check it out.

SF Bay Bird Observatory Photo Contest

2009-07-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Red-winged Blackbirds - PHOTO BY GARRETT LAU

The San Francisco Bay Bird Obsevatory holds a photo contest as part of their fund raising activities and the submissions period starts today with a deadline of October 9.

"The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach, and to contributing to informed resource management decisions in the San Francisco Bay Area."

Prizes include bird photography workshops with Oliver Klinkworth or Bruce Finacchio and gift certificates from Borrowlenses.

Read all the details on their web site: http://www.sfbbo.org/support/clickoff/clickoff.php

Surfers and Rodeos

2009-07-26T01:23:00.000-07:00

It was a busy 3 days and a good chance to practice sport action shooting. Huge swells hit the bay area and the surfers hit the water. I caught some shots at Steamer Lane on Thursday, Half Moon Bay on Friday and then went to the Driscoll Ranch Rodeo on Saturday.

Web Cam Roundup - San Francisco Bay Area

2009-07-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

There are a wide variety of photogenic sites around the San Francisco bay area, each with their own micro climate and access challenges. The fog may be in or out, it may be cloudy in one area and sunny just a mile away, the surf may be up or flat, the traffic to that site may be insurmountable. Before I drive or hike somewhere to take pictures, I often check the conditions via the many web cams located around the bay area. Here is a list of active web cams I find useful. Some cameras allow you to take control to pan and zoom the scene.

SanFranciscoBay.com has the most complete collection I have found to-date.

SFGate and CBS5.com have their own similar collections.

But there are more:

Controlable "Alcatraz" cam which is actually from Sausalito.

SurfLine.com links to all available cameras pointed at the ocean in addition to listing surf conditions. Explore this site to find reports and surf cams from around the world. this link takes you to Central California.

Hi-Def San Francisco (pictured above) monitors the bay and skyline from Sausalito, tracking ships and offering time lapse movies of interesting days.

SamCam at Sam's Chowder House in Princeton Harbor will give you an idea of the weather conditions in Half Moon Bay.

For traffic conditions, I check SFGate's traffic page and 511.org for a live map of drive time and highway speeds.

I also monitor the Bay Area Air Quality Management District looking for clues to air clarity.

That's a start. I'll list more as I find them and l'll link this post for easy access on the side of this blog.

Happy viewing!

Worldwide Photo Walk 2009

2009-07-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

I participated in Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk this past weekend. Over 30,000 people participated around the world.

A photo walk is a group of photographers getting together in one place, ambling through a town, and photographing anything that moves or doesn't, basically terrorizing the natives. You discuss equipment, techniques, composition or anything you can get them to talk about. Just watching what they photograph is a learning experience. I wholeheartedly endorse this annual event.

View images from the walk that I posted on Flickr here.
View the San Francisco North Beach Walk group photos here.
And view walk photos from around the world here.

Photo Op - Bay Area Fog

2009-07-18T13:47:00.001-07:00

I've been searching for clues on getting those spectacular shots of buildings, bridges and sunsets peeking through the San Francisco bay area fog. Here is an article by Tom Steinstra from DateBook's Fog Week on the SFGate web site that discusses opportunities for catching those views. In addition to their mountain top suggestions, read the comments for a few more. (Warning: some colorful and angry commentary.)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/16/SP6618ORUH.DTL&type=living

"For the totally lazy, or if you're traveling, you can often get above the fog shots, up to the minute, from the camera at Lawrence hall of Science above Berkeley. http://sv.berkeley.edu/view/"

And 2 other useful webcams I picked up from fellow photogs at the World Wide Web Photo Walk:

Hi-Def San Francisco - is a cam located in Sausalito pointed at San Francisco displaying up to 1080 resolution and provided by CloudView Photography. This is the best SF cam I have found to date.

CBS5.com provides many traffic and bay area site cam links from Ocean Beach to Heavenly Valley Ski Resort.

InStep Quartet Photo Shoot - Part3

2009-07-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

What can possiblie go wrong?

There were a few mishaps but not too much went wrong on this photo shoot. Let's include the things that could have gone wrong in this list.

- Be on time, actually be early. I was on time but I should have gotten to the site much earlier (or gone days before) to scout locations. Why not become familiar with appropriate photogenic locations in your area as well as sun direction at various times of the day. Spending time scouting locations saves time for your clients. In this field, I would rather wait for my clients then have them wait for me.

- Equipment can break unexpectedly. I was prepared for shooting outside with a stand and umbrella reflector by bringing weights to stabilize the stand. An umbrella can take off like a kite in a moderate wind, taking your expensive lighting with it. What I didn't expect is for some parts to fall out of the center part of the stand allowing it to spin freely like a weather vane. We used a business card stuck in the gap to finish the shoot. Do not let unexpected problems put you off your game. Fix it or have spares and move on.

- Get permission. Having permission from property owners is a plus. If not, expect security to make no allowances for trespassing. If confronted, be polite and move along. We were setting up for a great shot on these blue metal stairs when the man happened along. We did not get the shot.

- Pay attention to what is in the frame. This takes practice when time is limited. You are trying to quickly get as many shots from as many angles as you can. Taking time to analyze the background will save you time in post. We settled on a location with cool looking doors but there were also many windows around. Reviewing the pictures, I find the windows fairly busy with distractions reflected in the glass, such as cars, picnic tables, the back of the model's heads and worst of all, the flash setup. I might be able to remove that rodent trap in Photoshop but glass panes are not so easy to reconstruct. Pay attention and avoid unwanted objects when you shoot. Shooting tighter can help or move to sharper angles but if it is not working, say so, take charge and move to another location. It is also important for you to pay attention to the models. They cannot see themselves as well as you can. Is their clothing or their hair out of place? Are the props blocking anything important? Pay attention to these things, move items and comment when needed. I personally do not touch the models.

- Flash needs to recharge. Of course the flash needs to recharge. I knew that. And the higher power you shoot, the longer the recharge time. This is a timing issue that takes practice and experience. The flash did not fire for some of my best shots. Bright sun and bracketed settings did save the day for some.

Conclusion - Look at everything I learned. This was a successful shoot for me and most importantly, I hope the quartet like the pictures. It is really for and about the client. Just make sure what you can provide is fully understood by all concerned ahead of time. Then go a have fun!

The InStep Quartet is a professional, high quality and multi-genre San Francisco bay area based string quartet. Read more about them on their web site.

Part 1 - Part 2

InStep Quartet Photo Shoot - Part 2

2009-07-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

The Flash Rig

I want to say that the InStep Quartet are lovely people, patient, fun and appreciative. We had a great time shooting these pictures to our mutual benefit.

We decided to shoot the pictures at the now closed Alameda Navy Base for some rustic (and rusty) atmosphere. I expected bright sun and figured on shooting in whatever shade we could find at high noon. The flash would help even out the lighting. I was also hoping for some clouds and wanted to use the flash to control the ambient sky light in an artsy and dramatic way. There was not a single cloud in the sky, just bright, hot sun. The rig did work but was a challenge get everything right. More on that later.

I am in the market for flash equipment for studio and location work. Renting is a great way to get experience and field test expensive equipment before you buy. Fortunately, the San Francisco bay area hosts the photography rental company "Borrow Lenses". They are not far from my home and I was able to rent the lighting equipment I needed for this shoot on Friday, practice with it over the weekend, shoot the quartet on Monday morning and return it before 6pm.

The company is easy to work with and I appreciate that they were able to adapt to my needs. Nikon equipment is currently very popular so it is a good idea to reserve your equipment ahead of time, easily done on their web site. You also have the option of buying damage insurance.

I rented a Nikon SB900 Speedlight flash (ask for the manual and the color filters), 2 Pocket Wizards, a 13' light stand (the only size they rent at that time), a 48" reflective umbrella (again, the only size they rent) and a Gary Fong Lightsphere (which I never used). Batteries are your responsibility. There were none in the Pocket Wizards and the SB900 ran out after a few uses. There was no indication that an umbrella adapter was included or available. I called to talk about this and they noticed it before I was able to ask. So they ran out and bought a few (complete with brass monkey and cold shoe) and included one at no cost.

I had the weekend to experiment, scaring the bird and the wife with umbrellas and flashing lights in the house, referring back to Zack Aria's One Light Workshop video several times (mentioned in Part 1).

If the equipment is new to you, practice opening and closing everything. Take things apart and put them back together. Ask for the manual for everything you rent and read through it. Practice going through the menus on the flash. The idea is that you do not want to take time learning how to setup the stand or configuring the flash during the shoot. I discovered ahead of time that the flash does not lock into the cold shoe and the set screw can come loose with the flash falling out. I secured it with a velcro strap before the shoot and had no problems.

I totally neglected to take a picture of the setup for posterity, so dumb.

I did take the opportunity to try utilizing the flash for my Backyard Bird Photography project. Results? Well, let's just say you learn more from failure. The goal was to stop the action of birds in flight. I need more research for the proper setup to accomplish this. I did observe that, for the record, birds are not concerned with the flash and this was setup (without the umbrella) very close to the bird feeder. But that project is a subject for another post.

The InStep Quartet is a professional, high quality and multi-genre San Francisco bay area string quartet. Read more about them on their web site.

Next: Part 3 - What Could Possiblie Go Wrong?
Part 1 - Part 3

InStep Quartet Photo Shoot - Part 1

2009-07-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to shoot publicity photos for some friends and gained valuable experience and knowledge. This is a new chapter in my photography adventure which I jump into, whole heartedly with both feet. But it takes a bit of practice...

Let me first say that I shoot live musicians whenever and wherever I have the opportunity. And I play jazz myself, so I have some experience at the challenge of getting good angles. But a scheduled photo shoot requires a more deliberate approach. This post will document my thought process and lessons learned.

To prepare, I spent the time required to thoroughly watch the Zack Arias DVD, One Light Workshop. Keeping the instructional simple by using only one flash unit for all examples, Zack clearly demonstrates how to master the light in any setting using manual control over shutter speed, aperture, ISO and flash power. If you are confused at all about flash photography, I highly recommend this 4 hour DVD set. Check out a short trailer from the video and a review by photo blogger David Cross on Zack's web site for much more detail: http://www.onelightworkshop.com/page5/page5.html

Next, understanding how the client will use the pictures and what type of setting they desire will help determine the equipment you will need. The clients chose the defunct Alameda Navy base as a backdrop with all it's industrial and decaying atmosphere. I thought it best to shoot in the shade wherever possible to minimize stark shadows and squinting and decided on a simple Nikon SB 900 speed flash, a reflective umbrella, a light stand and a pair of pocket wizards for remote control might help even out the light and be easy to deal with. A larger flash and a larger light box would have provided a better light source for a 4 person shoot but since I do not own this equipment and need to rent it, I considered the following in my choice:

- we had a short 2.5 hours, beginning to end for the shoot, including location scouting, discussion, and picture review
- I do not have an assistant and so wanted to keep the rig as portable as possible
- I wanted to keep the price down
- I am considering buying these items and wanted to test their limits in the field

The InStep Quartet is a professional, high quality and multi-genre San Francisco bay area based string quartet. Read more about them on their web site.

Next - Part 2: Renting and Testing the Flash Rig

Part 2 - Part 3

Nikon Rumors

2009-07-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

As a Nikon user, I find the Nikon Rumors web site of interest. They search the world advertisements for hints about new and discontinued products. If you are in the market for new equipment, check out the Price Watch page for known best prices and suggestions for whether to buy or wait on evidence that new products are about to be introduced.

SmugMug User Groups

2009-07-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

SmugMug is a photo hosting company based out of Mountain View, California. I post my some of my photos there. They recently decided to sponser SmugMug User Groups which have been forming all over the United States and Canada.

The idea is to gather photography minded amateurs and professionals together for a monthly meeting where they can "learn, teach and meet other photographers that share your passion". They use the meetings to gather feedback for their company and even giveaway swag.

3 groups have formed in the San Francisco bay area alone and I attend the group at SmugMug headquarters in Mountain View. There is no fee or even a requirement to sign up, and you can bring friends. I have signed up for all 3 but so far they meet on the same nights.

To date we have had presentations by wedding photographers Gene Higa and Dane Sanders and Gary Levenberg, Chief Business Guy of QiGo. BayPhoto of Santa Cruz attends the meetings with many samples of their printing process and experts to answer questions.

So far, it has been a useful and rewarding experience for me, keeping my mind on photography, meeting other photogs and helping me get the most out of what SmugMug and BayPhoto have to offer. Check it out.

Direct Link to find a User Group in your area: http://smugmug.com/smugs/find/

Mitch Tobias - San Francisco Photographer / Musician

2009-07-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting interview, written in November of 2000, with San Francisco based photographer and musician, Mitch Tobias.

http://www.creativepro.com/article/music-to-his-eyes

View his web site and portfolio here:

http://www.mitchtobias.com/pages/homepage.html

Model Release

2009-07-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

I am about to shoot a musical group for their publicity photos and must finally address the issue of model releases. When do you need a release? What about minors? How are the models protected?

There are many articles and opinions that cover model releases along with forms and templates on the net. As I find them, I'll list articles with clear explainations and templates for generic forms here.

Understanding the Model Release Form

This "eHow" post describes some basics such as what a release is, what is does and when to use it. There are links to templates at the end of the article.

There are also a few tips on using the forms here and here.

Do you need a model release when selling pictures of yourself? Here is an intelligent discussion on the the subject:
http://photo.net/business-photography-forum/00Tgga

More to come...

Testing Flickr embedding practices

2009-07-06T20:10:00.001-07:00

This is a test from our Flickr workshop. Flickr prefers that you use this option (1) when embedding photos in web sites. Clicking the photo takes you to the photographer's photostream.

This is option 2 using the straight URL which does not link back to Flickr.

Which Monitor Is Best For Editing Digital Photographs?

2009-06-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a new computer monitor and researching if any particular LCD monitor is best for editing digital photographs. The recommendation is for monitors built with IPS panels, which of course are more expensive then the standard monitors for sale that are made with TN panels. The one exception seems to be the 2209WA model by Dell which, as of this writing, sells for $279.

I find that these monitors are difficult to track down as the panel type is normally not listed in the specifications, but I found this list of recommended monitors - http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/s-ips-lcd-list.php .

There is a note regarding the Dell 2007WFP monitor that states 2 different type panels were used and what you may get is not guaranteed. They also state that the 2209WA that I listed above uses an e-IPS panel, a cheaper version of the S-IPS panel found in the more expensive models. The fact that it is even on this list and in my price range makes the 2209WA very attractive.

IPS monitors generally have wider viewing angles, reproduce color more accurately and give a sharper image. The trade off is a relatively slower response time. This is a consideration if you play fast moving video games resulting in blurring or ghosting.

If you use a Macintosh computer with the 20” or larger Cinema Display, lucky you. According to this list you have an IPS monitor!

Want to read more about the difference in LCD monitor technology, try this page - http://www.pchardwarehelp.com/guides/lcd-panel-types.php -

Who knew? I love the internet. If and when I buy one, or discover more information, I'll write about it.

Hubble Space Telescope Photo Gallery

2009-06-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe the most unique and inspiring photo gallery on the internet is the collection of pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. View the phenomenal number of pictures of our universe taken through this high flying camera at:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/

Classic Car Photo Op in Santa Cruz - Saturday June 25

2009-06-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

I found this article in the San Francisco Chronicle (original story is here) and it sounds like a good photo opportunity. Remember to get shots from all angles, inside and out. I am sure the people (car owners and spectators alike) may be just as interesting. And while you are there, stop by Steamer Lane for great shots of actual surfers, next to the Surfer Museum at Lighthouse Field State Beach!

Here is a gallery of photos from last year.
http://www.santacruzwoodies.com/wow08/index.htm

Surf wagons to haul in at Santa Cruz Wharf

No toy story - these woodies are the real thing

Never mind that Santa Cruz lost the official "Surf City" moniker to a Southern California city (which shall go unnamed here) ... its municipal pier is the place to channel your inner Jan and Dean next weekend. The 15th Annual Woodies on the Wharf, Northern California's largest show of classic surf wagons, brings in 200 gnarly, pre-1952 wood-paneled cars, some from as far away as the East Coast and Canada, that cry out for a load of surfboards. The day also offers clowns, free balloons and face painting for kids, while music, collectible T-shirts and prize drawings - and the wharf itself, with local surfers showing their chops in surrounding waves - will appeal to all.

Vitals: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Free. Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz. (831) 420-5273, http://www.santacruzwharf.com/ or http://www.santacruzwoodies.com/.

Travel Photography tips in the Chronicle

2009-06-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

There is an excellent article in this past Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle about taking photographs while traveling on vacation. There are lots of very clear tips on learning to use your camera, lighting and composition. There are tips on how to edit and organize your pictures and tips on video too. They supply sample good and bad photo examples along with some statistics and comments from readers. Read it in Sunday's paper Travel section or check it out online at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/19/TRPL186G1V.DTL