Category Archives: How To

Anatomy of a photo #84: Faux Fringing a sheep

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

I remember well (although apparently not well enough) reading an article by Galen Rowell (yes, the other Galen) about how he was able to create a diffraction fringe around a fellow climber and his ice axe. It’s a fantastic photograph, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, How To, nature photography, photography, road side | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Least Sandpiper and Marbled Godwit, an exercise in video

Posted on January 21, 2013 by

When I’m out photographing wildlife, especially if I come across a species that I already have really good images of, I will sometimes switch my camera over to video mode. Stills are fantastic and can be so evocative of emotion, … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, documentary, How To, How To, kayak photography, nature photography, photography, shorebirds, SLR, video | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How to photograph fireworks

Posted on July 4, 2012 by

I wrote this last year, and decided I should repost it… It’s actually pretty easy to get the technical parts right, when taking pictures of fireworks, which means the important part is to think ahead and decide where you want … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, photography, SLR | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Finding scale in New Zealand

Posted on April 26, 2012 by

So often when taking photographs, we see something amazing, raise our cameras, take the shot, and walk away very pleased with ourselves. Until we get home and review our pictures. We were so impressed with how much larger or smaller … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, nature photography, photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Using long lenses for portrait photography

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

When people think about “portrait” photography, it seems they instantly think of fast 50mm and 85mm lenses, perhaps going up or down a hair in focal length. No thanks, I’ve been there, done that, and don’t feel the need to … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, How To, photography, portraits, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Getting clarity by turning off your focus

Posted on January 19, 2012 by

One of the best camera tech tips I ever got was to turn off the focus capability of the shutter release button. I’ve been doing so for years now, and today, I suggest that you do the same. (Gasps of … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, How To, photography, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Birds in Flight: Part I

Posted on November 5, 2011 by

New I’ve recently had questions about photographing birds in flight. Today I will begin to address some of the techniques and tips for flight pictures, although to some degree it will be somewhat general, as there are so many different … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, How To, nature photography, photography | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

Anatomy of a photo #63: Checkerbloom unfurling

Posted on August 16, 2011 by

Wildflowers are marvelous to hike about and photograph. Pictured here is Point Reyes checkerbloom (Sidalcea calycosa), also known as checker mallow or annual checkerbloom. This is one of the plant species endemic to California, and is not found naturally anywhere … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, How To, nature photography, photography, portraits, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Anatomy of a Photo #60: Harbor seal silhouette

Posted on August 11, 2011 by

Normally I wouldn’t try to photograph wildlife by shooting into the sun (or the suns reflection), but rules are made to be broken. Silhouettes are created by facing towards the light source and throwing all we’ve learned about proper lighting … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, How To, kayak photography, nature photography, photography, seals, SLR, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Anatomy of a photo #59: Geometric ice anamoly

Posted on August 10, 2011 by

This is an image of one of the more bizarre ice phenomena that I have come across in nature. Perhaps this is something rather common, but it is the one and only time that I have come across it. While … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, How To, nature photography, SLR, weather | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

How to take photographs from a kayak: Six quick tips on holding yourself and your camera

Posted on August 9, 2011 by

Perhaps one of the most important things for being a successful kayak photographer is learning how to hold your camera and your body. Since a tripod is impractical do to the amplified movement at its head, you and your body … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, kayak photography, nature photography, photography, safety, SLR, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Focusing on Portraits: Animals and otherwise

Posted on August 6, 2011 by

A portrait tries, with a single snapshot in time, to tell a story. This is true, whether the image is of an old ranch hand, a cow, or a wild animal. Usually this will be a tightly focused image, where … Continue reading →

Posted in How To, nature photography, photography, portraits, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment