Author Archives: Galen Leeds Photography

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About Galen Leeds Photography

Nature and wildlife photographer, exploring the world on his feet and from his kayak. Among other genres, he is one of the leading kayak photographers in Northern California. To learn more about him, visit him on his website- www.galenleeds.net

Anatomy of a photo #58: Song Sparrow perched on grass

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

I have better, higher definition photographs of many birds, including song sparrows, but it isn’t always about having high detail in nature photographs. Sometimes, the story told by an image that zooms out a little, takes in more of the … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #57: Marbled Godwit in the sun’s first light

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

The Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) is one of my favorite shorebirds, for the simple reason that it was one of the first ones that I learned to identify. Its mottled cinnamon coloration coupled with its long slightly, upturned beak that … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #56: Portrait of an old cowboy

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

This is Donald “Red” Rightsell. He was raised in the once small town of Patterson, California. He started roping in rodeos and jackpots when he was 18, and hasn’t stopped in over 65 years. At the young age of 70 … Continue reading →

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The why of kayaking with your camera

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

  Recently I addressed some of the issues people new to kayak photography should think about, without realizing that I never said “why” people should kayak with their cameras in the first place. So today, I will talk a little … Continue reading →

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Focusing on Portraits: Animals and otherwise

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

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 →

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The Yellow-billed Loon: An Essay in Photos

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

This is a rare bird in the area where I live, but occasionally we have one that will stop and spend a summer. This is a younger bird, but it seemed to feed well here in our coastal waters. I … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #55: The Red-throated Loon rises

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

It was a grey and foggy day. Not so distant shores were hidden by the thick, low lying vapors. The birds were thick, as the winter migrants were making their presence known on the bay, and settled in for the … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #54: Rainbow on the beach

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

In the picture above I was at Matapauri Bay in New Zealand, walking along a short trail that cut through two small hills near the beach. A sudden down pour  forced me to stow my camera (a.k.a. cellphone) in a … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #53: Osprey and fish

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

I was out kayaking one day when I saw an osprey on the rocky shores of Tomales Bay feeding on a decently sized fish. I got up a little speed while still a distance away so that I would have … Continue reading →

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Finding scale in New Zealand

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

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 documentary, How To, How To, marine life, nature photography, New Zealand, photography, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Intro to aperture, shutter speed and ISO: Part I Aperture

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

There are three main factors within your camera that affect the proper exposure of your photographs. They are the aperture (how much light you let pass through the lens at any given moment), the shutter speed (how long you let … Continue reading →

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The North American River Otter: An extensive essay in photos

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Galen Leeds Photography

This post celebrates the North American River Otter. While somewhat misnamed (they are found on lakes, ponds, rivers, open ocean, in swamps, bogs, marshes, wetlands, and more. They are one of the more common mammals that I come across while … Continue reading →

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