Learning... it may be cheaper then you think

Only 16 days until start of the "Sunrise 2010 Exhibit."

Although I like this photo, it is missing the 3D effect that you can achieve with directional lighting.  In otherwords, I think think photo is a little flat.  Check out the photo in yesterday's blog to see if you don't agree.  To achieve directional lighting you need to get your flash off of your camera.  Move it to a 45 deg angle from your subject and see the improvement.  Raising it up above your subject a few feet to create what is called "loop" lighting.  I will discuss loop lighting in an upcoming blog.  To acheive directional lighting with natural light you need to study where the light is coming from and adjust your position or camera angle accordingly.

One more thing...

It has never been easier to learn photography, or whatever else you may be interested in.  The web has a wealth of information.  A lot of it is free.  But even the stuff that isn't free is very affordable.

Case in point... every time I receive the Extended Studies catalog in the mail from our local university I feel compelled to write a plug for Kelby Training, without which, I would be nowhere close to where I am today as a photographer.

I flipped open the catalog that I received in the mail today and saw that I can take a beginning Photoshop class for $349.  What amazes me, though, is that I can take as many online courses as I want over an entire year for only $199 through Kelby Training, and these are GREAT courses folks!  They are taught by top professionals in our field.  How cool is that!  You can find a class on just about anything photography related... wedding photography, Photoshop, web design, Lightroom... it goes on and on.  Another benefit is that you can take the same course over and over, if you're like me and it takes a few times to sink in.

That's enough of my sales pitch.  I am not tied to Kelby Training in any way, but you can probably tell that I think it is an awesome resource.  Check it out for yourself.

That's it for today.  Keep shooting!

Ryan 

Using directional light to create image depth

I have been shooting the sunrise from my deck for the past few weeks.  For this image I turned the camera towards this snow covered honey locust tree in our backyard.  The reflection of the morning light through the branches gives the photo a great 3-dimensional quality.  Directional lighting on the giant sequoias adds additional depth.

I am beginning to understand why David Ziser http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/ is such a big proponent of directional lighting.  I have found that the images I really like all have directional lighting (flash or natural) which creates shadows and depth, making the  image come alive.

This photo was taken just after sunrise at 7:31AM.  Camera specs were: Canon 1D Mark III with EF24-70mm lens at 40mm; 1/125 sec @ f/8.0; ISO 100.  I focused manually, using a tripod and cable release to eliminate camera shake.  A small amount of post-processing was done in Lightroom 2.0.  It is amazing how much better your photos look in the lighting that occurs in the one or two hours after sunrise.

One more thing...

Here's a link to an interesting site on photography with some great tips on how to take a better picture.  It's called lifehacker.  Check it out at http://lifehacker.com/5424825/most-popular-photography-hacks-of-2009

I hope your week is going well and the hustle and bustle of the holidays isn't getting you too frazzled.  Keep shooting!

Ryan

A Storm is Coming

Sitting in my home office writing these early morning blogs I get to watch some spectacular sunrises .  So a few weeks ago I decided to grab my camera and photograph them.  I took this photo last Saturday morning a few hours before another snow storm rolled into the Reno area.  Clouds and sunlight make for some splendid imagery. 

I like to process my images in Lightroom 2.0.  I usually spend no more then few minutes in post-processing.  I always shoot in RAW which allows me greater flexibility with my exposure and white balance settings, I use a tripod, keep my ISO as low as I can, and focus on the sky manually.

My camera specs for this shot were: Canon 1D Mark III with EF24-70mm at 40mm; 1/100 @ f/8.0; ISO 100

What a difference a day makes

I woke up to 10 inches of snow and still falling.  It is amazing how many different photos you can get of the same view, especially when you include the sky... which is constantly changing.  Starting January 1, 2009 I am going to attempt to photograph the sunrise everyday for one year.  In the mean time I have been getting up and shooting the sunrise from my back deck just to fiddle with camera setttings, etc.  Here is the photo I took at 7:00 AM yesterday, and the one I took today at the same time.

Dec 6, 2009 - Reno, NV

Canon 1D Mark III with EF24-70mm lens at 46mm; 1/400 @ f/8.0; ISO 100

Dec 7, 2009 - Reno, NV

Canon 1D Mark III with EF24-70mm lens at 48mm; 1/60 @ f/8.0; ISO 1600

Enjoy your Monday... and keep shooting!

Ryan

Just in case you missed it... yesterdays sunrise

Sunrise can make for some beautiful pictures.  Unfortunately you have to get up early to take them.  Yesterday's sunrise in Reno was at 7:02AM according to the Reno Gazette Journal, an acceptable hour, so I decided to take some shots and see what I got.  From our backyard balcony you can see planes leaving Reno Tahoe International Airport and heading south.  If you look closely you can see an early moring flight leaving just before the sun popped up from behind the mountains (no it is not sensor dust, it is a plane!).

My camera specs were: Canon 1D Mark III with EF24-70mm lens at 54mm; shutter speed 1/30 @ f/8.0; ISO 800.  I had my camera on a tripod and focused manually.  I used Lightroom to bring out the colors and artistry of the image.

Just Warming Up (Sunrises of Dec 2009)

These photos are a warm up for the start of my "Looking East: Sunrises of 2010" project on January 1, 2010.  I plan to take photos of the sunrise, where ever I may be at the time, for one year.  This month, however, I am taking these early morning shots all from the same spot... my back deck.  It is interesting (to me anyway) to see how many different images I can create shooting from the same exact location.

#1 December 2, 2009; 702AM; Reno, NV

#2 December 2, 2009; 702AM; Reno, NV

#3 December 4, 2009; 704AM; Reno, NV

#4 December 6, 2009; 7:23 AM; Reno, NV

#5 December 7, 2009; 7:07 AM; Reno, NV

#6 December 12, 2009; 7:28AM; Reno, NV

#7 December 13, 2009; 7:31AM; Reno, NV