The other day I received a message from a photographer friend Rick Ferro that said, “Hey, I sent you a present.” A couple days later the box arrived and a surprise piece of new kit came out in the form of a 42-inch Glow Collapsible Circular Wind Proof Reflector with Handles from Adorama. Why the excitement? I have oodles of reflectors collected over the years. My collection includes many different sizes, shapes, colors and materials. All seem to have found their place in my arsenal of lighting tools. Why did I get excited about this … [Read more...] about Glow reflector offers wind-proof benefits over traditional reflectors
Bob Coates
Bob is a Lens Based Artist and has had the honor and privilege to author books and articles on photography and has presented seminars and programs from Hawaii to the Caribbean. As a former Panasonic Lumix Ambassador he has been able to stay up with the latest technology in the Micro Four Thirds cameras. Coates is a successful commercial and fine art photographer based in Sedona, Arizona with his wonderful wife who makes it possible for him to do all he does in the photography industry. Need a speaker? Get in touch.
Photography Blog | Commercial website | Art website
Photography Blog | Commercial website | Art website
Latest posts by Bob Coates (see all)
- Glow reflector offers wind-proof benefits over traditional reflectors - June 13, 2019
- How to cope when you can’t wait for the “right light” - June 7, 2019
- Water droplet photography, part two - May 30, 2019
How to cope when you can’t wait for the “right light”
As a professional photographer, you have to be able to deliver a solid product no matter the conditions. When a client tells you they want a photograph of over 60 people at 12:30 in the afternoon you need to produce. The challenge Precision Nutrition called for a photoshoot at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ. I was tasked with making a group photo in 90-degree heat with the sun driving straight down. I knew I could tame the harsh shadows with fill light. But, upon arriving I was also confronted with strings of lights over the scene. … [Read more...] about How to cope when you can’t wait for the “right light”
Water droplet photography, part two
Once again I will warn you that setting up for creating water droplet photos can be addicting. The variability of water drops and possible color combinations using different gels to get totally different looks can keep you occupied for days! See the set up and gear I used to create these images in Water droplet photography, part one. Backgrounds Backgrounds can make a huge difference in the look of your water droplet images. In some ways I feel that the more simple the better. Savage paper backgrounds are clean and come in a variety of … [Read more...] about Water droplet photography, part two
Vision of Vets
This Memorial Day I would like to introduce you to my friend and colleague Bruce Roscoe. Born in Burlington Vermont, Bruce studied photography in the Army in 1967 and served in Vietnam as a still photographer. He was assigned to the I Corp. As a veteran, he has embarked on sharing the stories and history of fellow vets through the years. Bruce’s project is called Vision of Vets. (VOV) He has been working tirelessly for the past few years to bring his vision to fruition. Bruce Roscoe Bruce is a portrait artist based in Prescott, Arizona. … [Read more...] about Vision of Vets
Water droplet photography, part one
Caution! If you take up creating images of water droplets you might become addicted. Last time I set up a droplet session I spent three days making images. With that health warning out of the way, let's take a look at making some very cool imagery. Gear There are many ways to create the droplets. I decided to get a head start by getting some necessary tools. The Pluto Trigger and Pluto Valve can save you a LOT of time. The Trigger is connected to the camera and controls the show. It tells the water drops when to fall, what size they should … [Read more...] about Water droplet photography, part one
Pairing Aurora HDR and Luminar Flex
We have all heard that the best time of day to photo is sunrise and sunset. This is quite true as the sunlight passing through the atmosphere softens the light giving our environment more dimension and a warm glow. But what do you do the rest of the day? Alternatives If you are working with a subject that is relatively small and close to you, adding fill flash, a reflector or using a shaded area can fill the bill. If you are a pro you especially have to be able to bring the image home no matter what the lighting conditions may be. What if … [Read more...] about Pairing Aurora HDR and Luminar Flex
Using Guerrilla Marketing to attract clientele
This past weekend I attended a Mastermind marketing class on selling my work as a fine art Lens Based Artist. People often ask why I attend marketing classes as I am well known as a solid marketing person. I don't know everything by a long stretch. We need to stay on top of new photography ideas and constantly be on the lookout for new skills. The same holds true for marketing. We need to keep eyes and ears open for new ideas from other industries. In this case I feel specialized marketing in the art world would be a great help to me. Working … [Read more...] about Using Guerrilla Marketing to attract clientele
Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part three
In our last looks at hiking gear part one and part two, we got our gear paired down pretty well for weight but still having lots of options to make interesting images. One piece of gear we haven’t talked about yet is the macro lens and extension tubes. Get close with macro It’s often a photography truism that if you want to make a better photograph get closer. In the case of making different nature images that means filling the frame. That can be problematic with optics limiting the focusing distance. The highest quality option is to get … [Read more...] about Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part three
Aurora HDR 2019 dynamic range for resort & real estate photography
When HDR software first came out I wasn’t a big fan. Mostly due to people overcooking the images with effects and saturation. The other problem was the selection algorithms were off leaving halos which were especially noticeable around the horizon and skylines of images. Aurora HDR 2019 and resort photography The programmers became better and the processing became more intuitive and I came to embrace the use of HDR software more often. When Macphun, (now Skylum) came out with Aurora HDR 2017 I was pleasantly surprised by how much more … [Read more...] about Aurora HDR 2019 dynamic range for resort & real estate photography
Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part two
This is a continuation from "Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part one." In part two, I want to show some of the other images made with the kit I shared with you. Tool thoughts Just because you carry a tool does not mean you need to use it. In the previous wildflower photography post I talked about controlling light using the Westcott 20-inch 5-in-1 reflector held by a Wimberley Plamp. For the most part I use the interior diffuser to tame the light most of the time blocking the direct sun and turning it into a relatively large light … [Read more...] about Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part two
Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part one
Spring is in the air and depending upon where you are the bloom has begun or will be coming your way soon with the April showers. (or snow in some cases!!) I’m going to share my kit for getting out and capturing the botanical blooms. And show you a couple of results. Camera and lens choices My camera of choice is the Lumix G9, a micro four-thirds camera. The quality, feature set and very important to me, lightweight, make it a great tool for hiking photography. Just for kicks I also carry a Lumix GX85 with an f/3.5 8mm fisheye lens. It’s … [Read more...] about Hiking gear for wildflower photography, part one
How to get high megapixel files with the camera you already have
Many photographers feel that they are limited in the final file size by the number of megapixels provided by their camera. In a way that’s true. In this tutorial I’ll give you a workaround to create huge, single image files with the camera you are currently using. Go big or go home In another post I shared getting a different look for your images by making panoramic photos. The idea here is to leverage that concept to the next level so we can have the size and shape photograph we would like, not just a long skinny image. The image … [Read more...] about How to get high megapixel files with the camera you already have
Photographing magazine portraits
Author portrait photo session — magazine cover Had a quick portrait session for an author who was getting images together for a magazine cover and article. I was able to complete the photography part of the job in one hour from the time I showed up to unload my gear, make the portrait and pack it all back up. This timeline was possible due to the camera and lighting gear with which I was working. It helped that my subject was receptive and followed instructions for posing very well! We have all had those sessions where you ask for a tiny … [Read more...] about Photographing magazine portraits
Photographing artwork for artists: The easy way
Artists can be picky when you photograph their work for reproduction. And who can blame them? Color is their world and any deviation from the vision can change the emotion of the art. I've been working with a way to shoot flat art that really simplifies setup and gets you better color and lighting than many other ways. No longer is there a need for polarizing filters and busting butt trying to get even light across the field of the artwork by trying to use 45 degree angles … See the diagram for the set up here's how it works for me … Lighting … [Read more...] about Photographing artwork for artists: The easy way
Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part two
This is my sixth year working with an entertainment restaurant. The original relationship was due to a personal project I created and shared with them. A quick recap for those pressed for time will find I photographed a restaurant to learn and practice new photography techniques. I gave the restaurant a framed print. For the full story check out part one here. The story continued and involves another personal project involving a musician, which was also shared with the owners. When the owners saw my artwork they decided to feature the bands … [Read more...] about Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part two
Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part one
Monetizing personal projects is important to me and I have found it to be a profitable way to build my business. You can too! First connection I made a twilight photo of my favorite local restaurant while experimenting with showing the lighted interior and a sunset. It was where I learned that the easiest way to make an interesting architectural photo of real estate was to set up the camera on a tripod and capture images over a time period of 20-45 minutes and blend them together. After this image was made I entered it in the Arizona … [Read more...] about Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part one
Capturing Red Rock panoramas
Photographing in the panoramic format can give your images a different look. Anything out of the ordinary can help set your images apart. And that’s a good thing. Here's how. Photographing panorama images: Technique Let’s talk for a moment about the technique of making a panoramic capture of a scene. While this may seem obvious to many I find that it is a common error in holding your camera in the horizontal orientation. While there might be a time for this, the resulting panorama will be very thin. You can add some pixels and height to your … [Read more...] about Capturing Red Rock panoramas
Monetizing personal projects — the musician
(Editor’s note: Bob Coates is a photographer whose talents stretch over many genres. Bob has authored books and articles on photography. He has presented seminars and programs from Hawaii to the Caribbean. He is Panasonic Lumix Ambassador who to stays up with the latest technology in micro four-thirds cameras. Bob is a successful commercial and fine art photographer based in Sedona, AZ with his wonderful wife, Holly, who makes it possible for him to do all he does in the industry.) The subject of monetizing personal projects is near and dear … [Read more...] about Monetizing personal projects — the musician
Composition tells the story & feelings within a scene
(Editor’s note: Bob Coates is a photographer whose talents stretch over many genres. Bob has authored books and articles on photography. He has presented seminars and programs from Hawaii to the Caribbean. He is Panasonic Lumix Ambassador who to stays up with the latest technology in micro four-thirds cameras. Bob is a successful commercial and fine art photographer based in Sedona, AZ with his wonderful wife, Holly, who makes it possible for him to do all he does in the industry.) Living in Sedona, I have been privy to lots of beautiful … [Read more...] about Composition tells the story & feelings within a scene
Making money with your work — Manchester Arms Restaurant
(Editor's note: Bob Coates is a photographer whose talents stretch over many genres. Bob has authored books and articles on photography. He has presented seminars and programs from Hawaii to the Caribbean. He is Panasonic Lumix Ambassador who to stays up with the latest technology in micro four-thirds cameras. Bob is a successful commercial and fine art photographer based in Sedona, AZ with his wonderful wife, Holly, who makes it possible for him to do all he does in the industry.) An editor of Photofocus mentioned to me that many … [Read more...] about Making money with your work — Manchester Arms Restaurant
