There was a power outage in our part of town, so it was a perfect night to do moonlit photos without the intrusion of city lights. The three lights in the yard run on batteries that are charged by small solar panels during the day. The remarkable thing about this photo is how little our dog Sunny moved during the 30 second exposure. He was patiently waiting for me to finish what I was doing so we could get on with our night walk. This is my favorite photo for this date.
My lovely wife Melissa wanted a portrait, so we picked a nice location and went there on a day with nice, soft light – ideal for doing portraits. This is one of her favorite images, and a favorite of mine too. This is my favorite photo for June 24.
Bob, my brother-in-law and photo buddy, were driving through Nederland Colorado when we spotted these orange colored poppies in front of the Presbyterian church. We stopped and took pictures. This is my favorite photo for June 10. If this feels a bit like deja vu, I also drove through Netherland June 9, 1997 on my way to take what ended up being three of my favorite photos for that date.
I was photographing baby sparrows being fed in a bird house. The depth of field (DOF) was really shallow and I was curious how shallow.
CELEBRATE WHAT’S RIGHT WITH THE WORLD! Dewitt Jones, TEDx Talk, South Lake Tahoe
Link
CWR Website The Film from Shervin Communications on Vimeo.
Life (and great photography) is about inspiration as much as it is about information. Whatever it is that moves you to do things is just as important as knowing how to do it. If you aren’t inspired, all the information in the world won’t help you very much. But if you are sufficiently inspired, you will move heaven and earth to find the information you need. It is about vision! This 22 minute video is about finding the kind of vision that inspires your life and your photography.
President Reagan’s 13 minute speech at the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc is considered to be one of the great speeches in American History. In addition to President Reagan, these world leaders were present: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.
President Reagan’s 13 minute speech at the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc is considered to be one of the great speeches in American History. In addition to President Reagan, these world leaders were present: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway, King Baudouin I of Belgium, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada.
The text of Reagan’s speech follows.
Royal Arches, North Dome, and Washington Column from Stoneman Meadow. Yosemite National Park. California.
Summer is the most popular time to visit the national parks. With so many to choose from, where should you go? Which national parks will provide the best photographic opportunities in the summer?
Pika, Rock Cut, Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
What are the best national parks to photograph in the summer? Here are my choices, grouped by state from west to east. This list includes the favorites I have been to and want to go back to again, plus the ones I haven’t seen and most want to photograph.
Summer is here and that means hot weather. So it is time for a “save your camera gear” reminder. Camera gear has a temperature and humidity rating. A top of the line Canon camera body has a limit of 115°F and 85% or less humidity. A black camera on a hot day can easily exceed that limit. Less expensive cameras of any brand have lower limits so it is important to protect your gear.
Favorite Photos, May. Click for a larger version.
Here are my favorite photos for the month of May. The story behind this “favorite photos by date” project is here.
It was a rainy, drizzly day at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but photographers and bird watchers were everywhere. I was leading as photography field trip. This curious Blue Jay got closer and closer and was eyeing me carefully. I kept clicking the shutter as the jay got closer. This is one of my two most favorite photos for this date.
Danielle and I were creating portraits in my studio for both of our portfolios. In this image I was going for a classic look with minimal contrast. As you can see from the catchlights in her eyes, I used two studio lights aimed at her face. The main light was up and to camera left and the fill light, which was only dialed down a bit, was up and to camera right. A third studio light is behind her and high to the right, putting a highlight on her hair. This is my favorite images for this date, and one of my all time favorite portraits. I made display prints of this image in several sizes from wallet size up to 16×20 inches.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Washington D.C.
U.S. Flags at Sunset, Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa
From Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Washington D.C. Click for a larger version.
Richard Duane Klug (the name just above the rose) was born January 26, 1946. He died in Darlac Province, Vietnam, November 14, 1967 at the age of 21. He is one of over 58,000 American soldiers that died in Vietnam, and one of over 1.1 million American soldiers that have died in all American wars (almost half of them in the Civil War). It is with a profound sense of gratitude that I reflect on the lives of those who “gave the last full measure of devotion” on behalf of their country.
Sorry, no favorite photo for this date. An this isn’t the only date in May that I did not take a single, solitary memorable photo.
There is nothing quite like working with a beautiful model. I like working on stairs in soft light. This is one of my two most favorite images for this date.
A look at my “favorite photos” folder for May 1 tells me May 1 has been a great day for photography. I have picked three most favorite photos for this date.
This article is going to feel at lot like a travelogue – because it is.
It was late in the afternoon when I arrived in Moab Utah, and even later when I drove in to Arches National Park. I just kept saying “Oh, Wow!” and and driving around taking pictures.
You’ve seen this young lady before. I have been photographing Ava and her sisters for over 15 years. This is one of our first impromptu photo sessions. This is my favorite image for April 13.
Not only is this my favorite photo for April 3, it is one of my all time favorite flower images.
Great Egret. Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Fremont, California.
When I posted this photo on one of my Facebook pages, a friend posted this happy comment: “I LOVE this egret photo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at the right wing trailing in the water. How DO you capture these?!”
Good question.
“Harry Potter is in the house!” Our grandson Finn came over to play and he brought his Harry Potter glasses. This is my favorite photo for March 27.
Chesapeake Conservancy Osprey Cam
Sierra Club picked 6 of their favorite spring bird watching webcams. You can see all of them here.
I’ve always been a mountains kind of person, but after several days at North Myrtle Beach South Carolina I learned how much I loved the beach. Or maybe it was being with family. Or both.
I had recently acquired an iOptron SkyTracker but cloudy night skies in Columbus Ohio had prevented me from trying it out. My first clear night came during a visit to Lamoni Iowa, a location that is also blessed with dark skies far from big city lights.
It was the license plate that caught my eye. “I be late” struck me as humorous. I wondered what kind of person gets a license plate like that? Are they habitually late, or is it just a joke?