Last week, I went out and photographed after our first big snow in West Michigan. I kept my pack light, taking just my Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mark II, 12-100mm f/4 PRO lens, NiSi 10-stop neutral density filter and a Vanguard Alta tripod. We received about five inches of snow overnight, and it was that wet snow — perfect for sticking on trees. I made my way east to the Fallasburg Bridge in Lowell, a suburb of my hometown Grand Rapids, Mich. I was amazed at the scene. While I had photographed the Fallasburg Bridge several times before, I had never … [Read more...] about Long exposure tricks: Use a low camera angle
winter
Photographing architecture in winter
As a commercial architectural photographer, most of my clients want images shot in great weather conditions: Blue skies, maybe a few clouds, green grass, leaves on the trees, etc. Living in Toronto, it means I can photograph exteriors from approximately June to October (or May to November on a good year). Does it mean I never shoot in winter? Not at all! There are some shooting opportunities in winter, like interiors and shooting with snow. Snowy conditions and low winter light can be great for architectural photography. With the right … [Read more...] about Photographing architecture in winter
Pick up your camera and go
Let’s face it — some days we don’t really feel like going out to take photos. Weather, kids, work, chores, projects...the list goes on. The list of excuses, because really that’s what they are. All of these things take us away from our passion, our hobby and even our photography work if it’s a job for us. Take action I came across a quote in a book I’m reading and this passage struck me as kind of perfect for all of us at times. "Creativity begins with an impulse, but it is the practice that hones the form. Having a creative practice makes … [Read more...] about Pick up your camera and go
Bundle up and submit your snow photographs for Photographer of the Day!
With winter right around the corner, we want to see your best snow photographs for our December Photographer of the Day feature! Whether it's making snow angels, sledding with the kids or out exploring in sub-degree temperatures and blizzards, submit your photos today for consideration. Those of you who don't know what snow is...well, you get this month off. This summer, we made some changes to our Photographer of the day feature, and have highlighted a new category every Friday each month. So far we’ve enjoyed seeing your astrophotography, … [Read more...] about Bundle up and submit your snow photographs for Photographer of the Day!
The Traveling Photographer: Shooting wildlife in wintry Japan (Part 1: Choosing a trip)
Our most recent trip to Japan was completely different from its predecessors: We went in the winter, on a trip dedicated to wildlife photography. Seeing the best of Japanese wildlife took us to the far reaches of Japan’s northernmost main island, Hokkaido, far enough to see the off-shore islands claimed by both Russia and Japan. We had a chance to see and shoot the marquee nature stars of Japan: Snow monkeys relaxing in steaming onsen hot springs, whooper swans in an idyllic snowy scene straight out of Swan Lake, soaring Steller’s Sea Eagles … [Read more...] about The Traveling Photographer: Shooting wildlife in wintry Japan (Part 1: Choosing a trip)
Photographer of the Day: Joan Manel Zamora
Category: Sports Photographer: Joan Manel Zamora "Mushing - Winter" Winter might be over, but the sport of dog sledding has always intrigued me. Here, the photographer showcases an individual dog, with the rest of the pack in the background, which creates for a fun, lighthearted scene. Processing the image in black and white helps to make the dog stand out and give it some additional depth with the scene behind. Originally shared with the Photofocus Google+ community right here. You can be the Photofocus Photographer of the Day. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Joan Manel Zamora
Photographer of the Day: Ian Lewry
Category: Travel Photographer: Ian Lewry - "Lake Bled in the Snow" This shot made me want to be there shooting alongside Ian. Call me crazy but I love snow and appreciate when there are photographers who get out and shoot in the winter no matter what the conditions are. The choice of composition in this image does a really good job of framing. By using the tree and the snow in the foreground it makes this look like a magical snow globe scene. I love that the boat points us to the background of the scene leading us to the wonderful … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Ian Lewry
There Is No Photography Season — Shooting in Frigid Temps
(Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Cathy Seaver, a commercial photographer in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She works primarily for Cull Group shooting product, corporate headshots, and other client needs. In her off time, Cathy enjoys getting out into nature to shoot what she sees around her. She is also an avid horseback rider, enjoying her time in the saddle on trails and playing around with a bit of dressage. Check out her work on Instagram.) “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” - John … [Read more...] about There Is No Photography Season — Shooting in Frigid Temps
Quick Tip: Cool Your Winter Photos with the Kelvin Scale
When shooting winter landscapes, I often want to show the cold temperatures I'm fighting through in my photographs, by having a cooler white balance. Using the Kevin color temperature scale, the normal temperature is 5500, known as "Natural Daylight." But if I want to show just how cold it was when shooting this, I take it down to 4800, which brings a cooler temperature into the photograph. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Cool Your Winter Photos with the Kelvin Scale
Lightroom Live: Monochromes For Winter With Jim Welninski
You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, January 8th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2 pm in the Virgin Islands. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: Monochromes For Winter With Jim Welninski
Lightroom Live: Monochromes For Winter With Jim Welninski
You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, January 8th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2 pm in the Virgin Islands. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: Monochromes For Winter With Jim Welninski
Photography Marketing: Take Advantage of the Influx of Wedding Proposals
The time between Christmas and New Year's is the biggest time of year for wedding proposals. So, with Christmas upon us, now's the time to get ready and push packages to newly-engaged couples in your area. Here's a few tips to get you going: Prep Social Media in Advance With the holidays, you probably won't be 100% able to monitor and post to social media as you choose. So now's the time to start using a system like Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule out your social media posts. Because you're going after weddings and engagements, try to post … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Take Advantage of the Influx of Wedding Proposals
Stories from the Set: Snowing in Florida with Mark Crislip
I travel across the country talking to some of the top photographers in the field to ask them to share their experiences while shooting on set. You'll soon learn that even season professionals encounter roadblocks during photo shoots. By staying calm under pressure they rely on their skills to overcome these obstacles to capture an amazing shot. Sit back, relax and enjoy a Story from the Set. Fashion photographer Mark Crislip shares how he uses shallow depth of field, color temperature, and fake snow to creates a winter effect--even in … [Read more...] about Stories from the Set: Snowing in Florida with Mark Crislip
Photographer of the Day: Mundl
Category: Nature Photographer: mundl Title: Untitled Contrast is a great tool for creating drama. In this image, soft, billowing clouds compete with a hard, stark mountain's edge. Light and dark are pushed to the extreme. The contrast captured in camera is further emphasized by Mundl's definitive, yet deft, hand in post processing. Excellent! Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr group. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Mundl
Photographer of the Day: Ric Rus
Category: Nature Photographer: Ric Rus Title: Goldfinches feeding before the snowstorm Overall execution is spot on, but that is not why I chose this image. In a word, dynamic. If you've ever watched the frenetic madhouse that is songbirds at a feeder, you know this image captures it perfectly, And, if you did not, now you do. Great wildlife photography capture behavior; just like this image. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr group. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Ric Rus
Photographer of The Day: Murray Fox
Category: Nature Photographer: Murray Fox Title: A Fresh Winter's Morning Too often, when we think of nature photography, we think only of wild places. Here Fox captures a wonderful, early morning, pastoral scene of horses in a pasture. Normally, I prefer off-center composition, but this is the perfect arrangement for this image. And, the color! Very warm and evocative. Photo originally shared here in Photofocus' Google+ Community. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of The Day: Murray Fox
Photographer of the Day: Marcel Theriault
Category: Nature Photographer: Marcel Theriault Title: Pine Siskin on My Balcony Simple is often powerful and so it is with this image. First, it is well-executed. The Pine Siskin is in tack-sharp focus, especially the eyes. Second, it is a simple, some might say drab, bird in a simple setting, but that is why it works. Nature is all around us, even on a balcony or fire escape in the heart of the city. In it's simple, yet skillful execution, Theriault's photo tells that story exceptiionally well. Photo originally shared in … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Marcel Theriault
Creating One-Click Snow in Photoshop Elements
Photoshop Elements has features that can speed up the editing process for those wanting to stay away from the complications of its big sister. One of these features is the one-click Fx. Keep It Quick... For now 1. With your image open in Photoshop Elements choose the Quick mode. 2. In the bottom right new options appear, click the Fx. This reveals a new panel with all manner of one click goodies. Some of these will work better than others depending on your image. 'Tis The Seasons. Choose a One-Click Filter 3. For snow, click the Seasons … [Read more...] about Creating One-Click Snow in Photoshop Elements
Winter Wonders | Photofocus Podcast 12/15/13 with Scott Bourne | Shooting Outdoors, Gifts for Photographers, Long Exposure, and the Nikon Df
This week's show, Rich tracks down Scott Bourne (who really is enjoying being retired) to talk photography. Rich showed up at Scott's place in Vegas with a microphone and refused to leave until Scott agreed to be on the show. Okay... that's a slight exaggeration, but we hope you have as much fun with the show as we did. We talk about a bunch of timely issues for photographers of all skill levels. … [Read more...] about Winter Wonders | Photofocus Podcast 12/15/13 with Scott Bourne | Shooting Outdoors, Gifts for Photographers, Long Exposure, and the Nikon Df
Advice for Shooting Outdoors in Winter
If you want to photograph wildlife (or any subject outdoors) pay attention to these winter considerations: Snow can cause your cameras meter to register an improper exposure by fooling the camera into thinking there is more light than there really is. A simple way to avoid this is to fill the frame with the animal or use your cameras spot meter to make sure you are reading only the light that is striking the animal, not the light that is striking the surrounding areas. See the exposure section if you need a brush up on metering non-medium … [Read more...] about Advice for Shooting Outdoors in Winter
Five Cold Weather Photography Tips
Yep it's cold - well it's cold most places. I am lucky to be in Vegas where it's been in the mid 60s but I saw the national weather forecast and it's cold. It will also be cold in Alaska where I'll be this time next month. So I thought it might be a good time to break out some cold weather photography tips. 1. Battery - Battery - Battery In the cold weather your super cool and modern camera battery will not provide the power you're used to having in the summer. The colder it gets, the worse your battery performance will be. The cure? Bring … [Read more...] about Five Cold Weather Photography Tips
Seven Cold Weather Shooting Tips
In most parts of the USA it's winter. It's cold. It's freezing! Here are some cold-weather shooting tips to keep your pictures good and your gear safe. 1. Get out there. Weather is the photographer's friend. Don't let the cold or snow or ice or whatever stop you. It can add beauty and visual elements to your photography that make the difference between good and great photos. 2. Bring extra batteries and keep them close to your skin. Cold weather zaps batteries. If you have at least one extra battery, you can really increase your shooting … [Read more...] about Seven Cold Weather Shooting Tips
Cold Weather Shooting Tip – Fingerless Gloves
I think I might have found the perfect fingerless glove. Etre Touchy gloves are made of 100% Acrylic material. They're a stylish, fun and practical way to keep your hands warm while using your camera. They also work well with other electronic gadgets. Their missing thumb and index fingertips give you the freedom to touch, tap, stroke, slide and pinch your devices controls in any way you desire. I used these gloves on a very cold day here in Gig Harbor while sitting around waiting to photograph a belted kingfisher - who never showed up mind … [Read more...] about Cold Weather Shooting Tip – Fingerless Gloves
