Category Archives: How To

How to photograph fireworks

Posted on July 6, 2011 by

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 to be in relation to the firework display, and what else … Continue reading →

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

Baby Blue Bird: Anatomy of a photo #33

Posted on July 5, 2011 by

There are times, when many of the lessons we’ve learned be damned, we see something so exciting or new to us, that the most important thing is to get a picture, any picture at all. That’s nearly what happened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, birds, California, How To, nature photography, photography, portraits, road side, SLR, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Tomales Racing Sheep: Anatomy of a photo #32

Posted on July 1, 2011 by

I was driving through the coastal countryside of northern California one drear grey day, when I saw something that added a little color to my day. I came across the Tomales Racing Sheep during a practice session. They were running … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, California, documentary, How To, nature photography, photography, road side, ruminating, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disclosing where photographs were taken

Posted on June 29, 2011 by

There are times when I am loath to announce where I have taken a photograph. Some of the reasons are ethical, some a sense of preservation, and some… a little more selfish. Wildlife I won’t disclose the location of bird … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, ethics, How To, landscapes, Location, marine life, nature photography, photography, ruminating, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Anatomy of a photo #30: Silhouette on Hot Water Beach, NZ

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

I made this image on a recent trip to New Zealand. Where the silhouetted woman is standing is a hot spring that is only exposed at low tide. We were the only ones on the beach at a very early … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, How To, landscapes, nature photography, New Zealand, photography, portraits, SLR | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Anatomy of a photo #28: Great Blue Heron, boats and mist Part II

Posted on June 26, 2011 by

When photographing wildlife, the situation is constantly changing. The “wild” in wildlife is not there by accident. These animals and birds are not trained, they act and react according to their own needs and instincts. There is no studio, no … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, birds, California, documentary, How To, How To, How to, landscapes, Location, road side, SLR, underwater, video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Anatomy of a photo #27: Great blue heron, boats and mist Part I

Posted on June 26, 2011 by

As I drive my local roads I am usually on the look out for interesting animals in interesting places, that are fairly accessible- i.e. safe place to park, I can get good views and angles without spooking the subject away, … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #24: Dog’s Eye

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

One of my favorite ways to take a picture of an animal (as long as I am close enough) is to zoom in on a particular characteristic, and them take the photograph with a shallow depth of field. That is … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #21: Great Blue Heron

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

I noticed I somehow missed entry #21, so I am heading back in my posting numbers a little. I was hiking in one of my local state parks (I won’t name which one, as it is nearly undiscovered, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, birds, California, How To, How To, nature photography, photography, portraits, SLR, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Anatomy of a photo #17: Horizontal and vertical landscapes I

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

This one is a double photo. The lesson is simple. Sometimes it can be good to rotate your camera 90 degrees, because it can give the image a very different feel. Also, when doing landscapes, especially of valleys and such … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #13: Sunlit waves

Posted on June 12, 2011 by

This image highlights the importance of being willing to head out for pictures no matter what the weather… or even because of bad weather. I took this picture during a break in a storm at a nearby beach. The day … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a photo #10: Freezing the flow of water in an image: Gull and crab claw

Posted on June 10, 2011 by

This post relates to the importance of shutter speed. A fast shutter speed can freeze action, making something like water appear solid- almost like crystal or an ice sculpture. The picture above for example was taken with a shutterspeed of … Continue reading →

Posted in Anatomy of a photo, birds, How To, kayak photography, marine life, nature photography, photography, portraits, SLR, wildlife photography | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments