Saturday, May 29, 2021

Wow! Looks like it has been five years since I last visited this page for a post. Where does the time go? And what have I been doing? Well if you know me, then you know I started planning a move to Hawaii in 2016 after a month long vacation. It took me two years to liquidate my residence in Maryland and Delaware, while working teaching photography and conducting workshops. Toward the end of 2017 I let go of my teaching commitments as my home in Baltimore had sold and my move was imminent. In February of 2018 I made the move. In April of 2018 feeling somewhat settled, I had my first extended stay visitor. 2018 and 2019 was a great time sharing this island with guests. Then 2020 came and the pandemic had stopped all visitors. Now 2021 is bringing relief from the Covid-19 virus as vaccinations are taking place around the country. Travelers are returning to the island. I have had the big camera out several times since I landed here, but never sat down to post. Though I have to confess during the pandemic my iPhone was my go to camera on evening walks for sunsets. Today was different. I took the big camera out and enjoyed once again walking around outside mask off at a car event on Sand Island. While I was there I made a couple images of lone trees on the beach. It was such a beautiful morning! Processing Big Camera images...my 2007 MacBook Pro is just not getting updates on software and apps anymore, though it still works great. So last year I traded up. Now that is 13 years that Macbook pro serviced me for my photography. I am now in the process of getting used to the new Photoshop/Bridge/Lightroom updates on the 2020 laptop. SnapArt4 was the only software that made the conversion, so I have to go shopping for new software plugins. Always a challenge keeping updated.. These two lone tree images were processed with SnapArt4 just for fun. I met a woman today just learning photography and it was great talking with her. I met a man with a D3 who was just out like me shooting because we like to shoot. Honestly it was great to hang and talk with other photographers! New and experienced.
Yes I joined The Eyes of Hawaii Photography Club. It is a super group of photographers on the east side of the Island.  It will be great to get out and participate in events with them, now that some sort of normal life is returning.



Wednesday, September 28, 2016

"The Nude As Art" Photography Workshop

In this blog post I am sharing just a few "Social Media" appropriate images but ones I think, represent the artistic opportunity that we offered our participants.
My workshop partner Kiqe Bosch and I have just wrapped up our inaugural "The Nude As Art" photography workshop in Vermont. The reviews are coming in and we are very happy that the experience was a success for our participants!

One participant wrote ~
"I thought the format really worked well. I thought you and Kiqe made an excellent combination and balance.  You both have an artistic eye but bring different perspectives to it. Your personalities are an excellent balance for each other.  It went very smoothly.  I do not think I have ever gone to a workshop or had a trip where I have come away with such learning and an amazing number of usable, good images.  This was just terrific!
Many, many thanks!!!"

So we have decided to offer it again next year. I have added a link to the workshop information for 2017 on the side bar of this blog, or you can click here to access the link. All images here were processed using Photoshop and Perfect Effects by On One.  I hope you can join us!!

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Hilo, The Big Island Adventure

When I planned my trip to Hawaii, I also planned a trip to the big island to photograph the volcano field in an open door helicopter. I must say it was an absolute blast. I met Bruce Omori who owns and operates the Extreme Exposure Gallery in Hilo,  Ryan, our pilot and Mick Kalber a videographer who owns and operates Tropical Visions Video, at dawn where Paradise Helicopters keeps their fleet in a hangar near the Hilo Airport. It was grey, windy and it had been raining overnight but we decided to fly. Bruce said he likes it best with those conditions. The rain causes steam and saturation. I could not wait to get in the air watching as Ryan took the doors off and dawn broke into day. After a few short instructions we all got in the helicopter and Ryan took off.
I decided to shoot with my 28-300 lens on my D4, as we were only going to be flying for an hour and I did not want to even think about carry two bodies or changing lenses, so this lens selection gave me both choices of wide angle or telephoto, for maximum capture opportunity. Bruce suggested shooting in shutter speed mode at 1/1250. I also set my shooting mode to Continuous high. I set my lens to minimize vibration in active mode, the VR mode Nikon suggests for times when you are hand holding in moving vehicles like trains, cars and well Helicopters I assume! I loaded in a 16 gig XQD card backed up with a CF and I used both of them. At times when we were hovering over a vent I could feel the heat from the earth. It was so cool! or should I say hot! These shots were a few of my favorites from this very special morning shooting! The textures of hot lava and the flows were amazing to see in this foreign to me landscape. I hope to be able to make this trip again!! I can see how shooting this natural earth phenomenon can be addictive!!



Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Oahu....Musings...


Sets!!! Yes!!!



Well I have been here 12 days now and have nothing but good things to say! Time flies by though! The first week, after settling into the condo, I enjoyed a day trip to photograph sponsored by Oahu Photography Tours, owned by Alex Wilson. They did a good job getting to good spots and the driver/tour guide was most pleasant.
Yesterday I drove around the island myself exploring places. I had a plan but ended up just rambling, as I often do....turn left, turn right follow your nose kinda ramble. I actually ate a Teddy Burger for lunch and I don't eat red meat but I just had to try one. It was great; Teriyaki Burger with Pineapple! (I won't have another because I am not a red meat eater anymore, but it was good! A rare indulgence!) The high light of my day was hitting the North Shore just before sunset. If you follow me you know I am a beach girl! I love the sea! When I saw those beautiful BIG aqua waves, well lets just say I was in heaven. I could watch waves forever and I mean that! Each one is different and such an amazing creation of energy and beauty! I found a cool little spot to park and put on the 28-300...cheap, slow lens but the longest one I had with  me, it was low light, the surfers back lit and I wanted a fast shutter ugh!!! Hand holding High ISO...ugh...tough situation but I managed a few keepers after taking some noise out of them with Nik Define 2. I will have to go back to that spot! When I arrived there were two surfers in the water doing their thing...I mean really surfing big waves at sunset...hellooooo.....bliss! Well I was there too. It was a blast for me just to watch and try to get some shots..
This morning I played with a few more images from last nights shoot using Topaz Impression...and I think they capture the essence of the scene and action.


Friday, December 18, 2015

New Adventures ~ "THE NUDE AS ART" Photography Workshops



Its been a while since I made a blog post, yes, because................ I have been working on a very exciting new adventure in photography. I have long been a fan of Ruth Bernhardt's photography and especially her nude work and have often thought about doing nude workshops....so now the idea is coming to fruition.
Check out Ruth's book, Ruth Bernhardt The Eternal Body.
With this post I am making official, my partnership in photography workshops with a tremendous photographer from Vermont, Kiqe Bosch! He is a people and nude as art photographer and much more! 

So I reached out to Kiqe as I was taken by his work, which communicated with such visual clarity, a connection to his subjects. I wanted to know if he would entertain the idea of co-leading "THE NUDE AS ART" workshops. After a little conversation, to my delight he agreed! So in early December I made a trip to New England and met him, engaged in a studio shoot with two models and visited the Rudyard Kipling Estate as a potential venue for our first offering of "THE NUDE AS ART" photography workshop.

When we walked into the Estate, immediately both of us were taken by the photographic opportunity the house, carriage house and landscape offered. Within 24 hours we had made a deposit!
I appreciated Kiqe's professionalism in setting up the studio and models to work with! They were fabulous! He reserved space in a local dance studio and had lots of creative ideas for working with the models.
I could go on and on about the photographic experience...but I will let a few of the images I made that day speak to the experience.
After much work together, we have launched today the links to register for this very special photographic event! We will only be able to accommodate ten participants as we will actually be staying in The Rudyard Kipling Estate for three nights! (We have one preregistration so there are 9 spaces left)
Yes, you will be sleeping in either the Carriage House or The Rudyard Kipling house! How special is that! We will have catered meals in the house and dine together on premises! This promises to be an immersive experience in photography with two talented artists and educators in an amazing location! I hope you can join us for this very special photographic workshop! For more information and registration CLICK HERE or click on the link on the side bar of this blog. Hope you can join us there!


Saturday, August 15, 2015

A simple "Thank You!" and a few thoughts on street photography

Baltimore's Best! 

Today I led a street photography workshop in Baltimore and the subject of photographing people came up as we walked and observed potential subjects. I have always been willing to approach a person and engage in conversation before I ask them if I can make a portrait photograph. Candid shots in public places however I have never felt compelled to ask and often make the shots from a distance without any knowledge on the part of the subject, that they are being photographed.

The officer above was patrolling the street in Fells Point when I saw him and thought he would make a great subject. In light of all the trouble that has occurred in Baltimore I felt compelled to walk up to him and just say "Thank You." These guys really do put their lives on the line every day and are often villanized by the public or media. Now I am not saying they are all good, but in Baltimore, you really have to have a passion for the job. Public service is not easy!! So I did just that, walked up to him and said "Thank You!" That was my ice breaker, then I asked if anyone got killed overnight; which opened up a conversation. Shortly after that I asked if the group could capture a couple portrait images of him. He obliged willingly and even let me guide him to a shady spot not far away with a clean background. I then showed him my image and offered to e-mail the image to him if he wanted it. I always offer to send the image on to the subject when they are willing to work with me. If I intended to make money off the image or submit it to a magazine, then a "Model Release" would be needed but when teaching or doing personal work, it is not necessary.
I personally have never had more than a speeding ticket so I have no bones to pick with the law. I wanted to capture the essence of this officer in a portrait as he proudly walked the streets. I always get a great response from public servants when I first say "Thank You", either military, fire or police and the truth is I mean it! It's a genuine thought!
Morning Rest

On the other hand for candid shots I never feel compelled to ask. People in public places, are OK to just photograph, and if you don't take that approach as a street photographer you will miss tremendous opportunities. This particular subject was in fact sleeping upright on the bench. I was not about to wake him to ask if I could take this shot. If I had, the shot would have been ruined. The posture would not ever be the same and the natural light on the subject could change. So I stepped back and composed the image I saw in my mind, showing the workshop participants my thoughts on the image capture and composition. You the viewer would have no idea that he was sleeping. To me this image was really about the posture and character of his hands, and the light on the subject. I did not need his face to communicate what I was seeing and reacting to.  The hands told the story, a relaxed pose but lots of hard living.

So next time you find yourself doing some street photography, ask for portraits by breaking the ice with a compliment, engaging in conversation, then asking for a Photo opportunity....
Or embrace serendipity and shoot fast, and don't ask!
Both images were converted to black and white using Google Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Monday, August 3, 2015

Landscape "Swipes" Processing

Palouse Abstract Landscape Swipe

Yes, for those of you who follow this blog, it has been a while since I last made a post and I apologize for such a long abscence! It has been a busy year of travel, home maintenance, gym schedules and personal beach time. :-) and, I have just not been motivated to sit down and say anything other than my Facebook posts, which on my personal page are frequent, thanks to the convenience of my iPhone.

New to the Blog: 
I have added a block on the sidebar with a schedule of appearances and other camera club commitments for judging and workshops, they are coming in pretty regularly for fall 2015 and spring 2016. If you click over the dates on the schedule a link to the club event will be generated.

As I was working on the updates, I also grabbed a file from my Spring Palouse trip to process and give you some ideas about processing and making one of my favorite style of images  "The Swipe."

Image Capture and Processing Info:

All my image captures are raw files and require processing. Not news for lots of us who have been capturing digital images for a long time but important to understanding the process.
Raw file:
Raw File: Camera Settings: f/22 1/6 sec 28-300mm at 300mm ISO 100


Capture: Location Steptoe Butte, Washington State

When making landscapes swipes I choose an f-stop with great depth of field so as to render as many "sharp" edges as possible in the raw file. Then I meter the landscape and determine an acceptable shutter speed, somewhere between one second and 1/5 of a second, depending on the ambient light and ISO selection. Generally, shutter speeds over one second are too long. Obstructions in the landscape like telephone poles or dark tree lines can be problematic so knowing what landscapes work for this technique is also important to successful results. The best time of day to make swipes is early morning or late afternoon, unless you have a neutral density filter to cut light and slow the shutter then you can make them any time of day.

Once I have set my exposure variables, I select an area of the landscape to start the exposure and then I move from the waist (like a twist) in a horizontal way, across the landscape triggering the shutter as I begin my movement, creating the abstract image.  Usually I handhold my camera while making "swipes." It is important to try and maintain the horizon level so it takes a little practice.
 Compositionally, I like to divide the frame into thirds, two thirds land one third sky.
As you can see in the Raw file the image looks muddy and might even be considered a throw away, but no...processing a swipe is where you can add the pop!

Processing: Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop

In Adobe Camera Raw I first added some exposure to the image. Then I used the spot removal tool to get rid of the sensor dust spots which are almost always present when doing a swipe. (It is really important to have as clean a sensor as possible when doing swipes.)
Screen shot:  color filter

Screen shot: a few basic adjustments notice the white point/black point push. All swipes need contrast added in processing  using black point and white point adjustment. I also made specific color channel adjustments in ACR, bringing up the yellows, blues and greens.

In ACR I added a color filter to the top portion of the image changing the color and adding some pop.
I also applied the lens correction filter in ACR.
After making the adjustments in ACR I opened the file in Photoshop and made a few more tweaks toning down the vibrancy and saturation, adding some sharpness and curves.

For those of you who like and have tried swipes and been dissapointed, I hope this information has helped improve your technique and processing.