Zion National Park

In March, of this year I visited the Zion National Park in Utah. This is an amazing place that I would highly recommend if you go out west. Here are a few photos from that trip. This video runs 5 minutes. Comments welcome. Happy Shooting !



Crutch

The Story Behind the Photo

This was taken at my favorite place to shoot birds. The Venice Rookery, in South Venice, Florida. I had been watching this couple for several hours as the male kept leaving and returning with sticks for nest building. He would hand off the stick to the female and take off again, only to return with another stick or twig. This continued all day. I was lucky to get this shot at 1:57 in the afternoon. Shot with a Canon 5D and 400mm with a 2x converter at 800 ISO. The camera was set at 1/1000 sec at 7.1. Comments welcome...and as always Happy Shooting !

Photo Tip of the Week

Warm Up Those Tones !
Have you ever noticed that your shots sometimes have a cool, clammy feel to them? If so, you're not alone. The default white balance setting for digital cameras is "auto", which is fine for most snapshots, but it tends to be a bit on the "cool" side. So, when shooting outdoor portraits and sunny landscapes, try changing your white balance setting from auto to "cloudy". That's right, cloudy. Why? This adjustment is like putting a mild warming filter on your camera. It increases the reds and yellows resulting in richer, warmer pictures. I leave my cameras on cloudy 99% of the time....Try it and as always Happy Shooting !

Crutch

Hensley Settlement

In mid October, I was lucky enough to be included in a group that was invited to the Cumberland Gap Historic Park. The park is located on the Kentucky - Tennessee border. Dr. Jim Ford, Jim Ross, Pete and Liz Michael and myself were to be escorted to the top, to photograph the Hensley Settlement. To visit this part of the park, one must be accompanied by a park ranger. No vehicles allowed and one must make a short hike to the settlement. If you ever get this opportunity, take it. The weather was a bit foggy, as it had rained the day before. Everyone was excited at this opportunity to have this place to ourselves for the day. This short video will give you and idea of our experience. Special thanks to Ranger Scott Teodorski, of the Cumberland National Historic Park and volunteer, Dr. Gary McKenna, for hosting this photo shoot. I would be remiss, if i did not thank all the staff, of the park, for the excellent job of preserving and protecting this historic site, for future generations. As always, your comments are welcome and encouraged. Happy Shooting !

Charleston, S. C. 2009

I visited the Charleston area in late September. This was my first visit to the old town area, but will not be my last. I was a little late to take advantage of all the colors and flowers, but I plan to return in late spring next year. The weather was great and the city is very beautiful, as you will see in the short video. As always, comments are welcome. Happy Shooting !

St. Augustine --- Final Day of Florida Trip

Well I ended the trip with a great day in St. Augustine. This guy was a great subject. Again, there was a lot of activity here. In the marsh four over 6 hours total. A great way to wind up the trip. I'll get a good nights sleep and head home tomorrow.

Happy Shooting !

Kissimmee Rookery

Kissimmee was fantastic. The birds were active and plentiful. I can't remember a November visit in the past with so much activity. This guy seemed to pose just for me. I liked this shot and the different background colors. I'm off to St. Augustine......Hope it's as good as Kissimmee !

The Venice Rookery

I arrived late yesterday afternoon in the middle of a rain storm. I decided to lay low and get a early start this morning. Up at 6:00 and the rain had quit, but it was very overcast and misting. I set out for the rookery after stopping at McDonalds for a large coffee...yuck. I arrived at 6:15, but the available light was still not enough for picture taking, so I mounted a flash for fill light and got started. The anhinga here is a male and was very co-opertive. All in all, it was a fair day at the rookery....I ended the day with 580 pics. Packing up and moving to Kissimmee tonight.

All comments are welcome...Thanks for following me.

Steve

Michigan 2009 Video

I went to Michigan in July. I'm just now getting around to posting the photos. I created a video....Let me know if you like it ! I may start posting all future photos in video form. Comments are welcome, even the bad ones.

Steve

Photo Trip to Florida

I will be leaving Wednesday morning for a photo trip to Florida. I will post some photos here. My first stop will be The Venice Rookery, in South Venice, Florida. This is my favorite place for bird photos, so I hoping the weather and birds co-operate. Here is one from last year. Happy shooting !

The Story Behing the Photo

This was my "Last Photo of the Day", thus the name. It was late November in 2008 and the Florida sunset was just beautiful as always. I had been shooting all afternoon for about four hours and was trying to tear down and get back to the motel. It seemed like there was photos to be taken everywhere as the sun was very co-operative. I set up and just waited for the birds to fly through. The moment came at 6:08 pm using a Canon 1D Mark III & 100-400 zoom lens set at F5.6 at 1/6400 sec. ISO 400....Multi-segment exposure with no compensation.

Photo Tip of the Week

Most people prefer to set their Point & Shoot cameras to the auto setting and let the camera decide whats in order for the best shot at any given moment. I prefer to set my camera manually and make the camera do what I want. I have always suggested that you practice shooting with different apertures and monitor the results afterwards to learn how depth-of-field affects your photo.
You will find that a smaller depth-of-field (and smaller f-stop #) focuses all the attention upon your subject. This is great for taking a picture of your child, your dog or your husband .... subjects stand out against a blurry background.
Likewise, you will find that a greater depth-of-field (bigger f-stop number) will make everything from here to eternity appear in focus. This will help make those landscapes fascinating and lovely. In todays digital world, you don't have to worry about making mistakes, just delete and start over. This is a great tool for learning.
If you find these tips helpful, please take time to comment. Thanks, Steve.

The Story Behing the Photo

This photo was taken in early November, 2008. I was looking for some late fall foilage on this trip to the Great Smoky Mtns NP. I had seen this mountain cabin on several previous trips to the Roaring Fork trail, but this time I decided to walk around and shoot from the rear of the cabin. I was struck by this vantage point, which was new to me. I decided to make a HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo, which is a combination of of several different exposures. It revealed the highlights and shadows very well. This image was taken November 6, 2008 at 3:30 in the afternoon, using a Canon 5D, tripod mounted, at 1/60 & F11. I used a 16-35mm lens set at 16mm, ISO 400.

Photo Tip of the Week

When taking photos in a national park, visit the national park's website. Many of them offer insider photo tips that are specific to that park. Stop at the visitor's center for the latest safety information and wildlife notices. Talk to a park ranger. They are an invaluable source for information about the park and its wildlife. Always take a short walk before you begin shooting, looking for good photo subjects and backgrounds. Pay attention to the light and from what direction it is coming from. If possible, begin very early or stay late...that is usually the best light. Happy Shooting !

The Story Behind the Photo

Traveling just south of Abbeville, Louisiana, I spotted this weird scene. I stood on the side of the road and snapped this photo. I really like the clouds and the wide open swamp. The placement of the trailer was performed by Hurricane Katrina. This photo was taken November, 2006 at 1:21 in the afternoon. Canon 5D with a 35mm lens, ISO 100, F6.3 at 1/640... -2/3 exposure compensation.

Photo Tip of the Week

Know your Camera. Take the time to study your manual. You should memorized every function and be able to quickly set your camera for a certain photo without having to look at your manual. This is imperative when shooting fast moving subjects or situations where the light is constantly changing. With todays DSLR's this is a major accomplishment. I have seen many great photographers get "The Shot" because setting their camera was just a natural reaction to the situation. Happy shooting !

Joining a Photo Club

Joining A Photography Organization
One great way to develop your capabilities as a successful photographer is to investigate and then join such a club. These organizations typically provide interesting lectures on various topics related to photography, including camera types, peripheral equipment, shooting techniques, different types of photography, and professional opportunities (among many others). These lectures are then followed by open forums and discussions among the members and their guests. Experiences of members in attendance are also shared to provide insights concerning photography nuances that others might not ordinarily notice. Additionally, activities are planned to develop “on the job” learning experiences for members in honing their photography skills and to also simultaneously observe some of the masters of the trade.
There is no age restriction in joining a photography club. Whether young or old, all are permitted - and even encouraged - to become active participants. Even those who do not yet own a camera but nevertheless have an interest and aptitude for photography are permitted to join.
You should be aware that most photography organizations that offer membership require fees or dues to offset at least some of the expenses of their meetings, guest speakers, and to provide basic monies necessary to help fund their year round activities.
The popularity of photography clubs continues to increase, as demonstrated by their availability internationally. Consequently, there is normally little difficulty in finding a photography club relatively close to your home. A person can even join an organization on a trial basis and attend few preliminary sessions. enables the potential member to see more of what the organization offers before actually joining. For experienced photography organizations, this is a real opportunity to “show off” its experience to newcomers.
Photography organizations typically hold monthly or weekly meetings. Frequently information about the clubs, their meeting plans, and activities are readily available on the Internet or simply through making a phone call to an existing member and getting onto a mailing list.
At the meetings, a variety of camera types are represented, and their conditions range from brand new to very old, from digicams to a simple black and white cameras, and from fully featured to very manual. Really, the only “requirements” joining a photography organization are to have the heart to learn, dedication to extend some time and effort to the group activities to expand your skills, and eventually to contribute your own insights.
I am a proud member of the Photographic Society of East Tennessee. Check it out at www.pset.org.

The Story Behind the Photo

This photo of a Rosetta Spoonbill was shot in Kissimmee, Florida. I had been watching this and several other "Rosie's" all morning. This is the shot I had envisioned and the opportunity finally came at 10:33 AM. I used a Canon 1D Mark III camera and a 400 mm Lens with a 1.4 Teleconverter. ISO 400, 1/2000 at F8.

Photo Tip of the Week

On occasion people have asked how I'm able to get the shots that are on the website. I will post an occasional tip and hope it helps you become a better photographer.
This week with Tip # 1 - Tripod, Tripod, Tripod. That pretty much says it all. I almost never handhold a camera. Not that it can't be done, but I am sure you will notice a big difference in your pics when you start shooting from a tripod. If you do not have a tripod, you can use almost anything to get stable. I have used my car, a fence post, a rock and numerous other stationary tools to get the job done. You will notice results immediately. Happy Shooting to All !

The Story Behind the Photo

I will on occasion, share the story behind the photo. Please feel free to comment on the photo or ask any relative questions.

This photo was taken in November, 2005 at Monument Valley Navejo Indian Reservation in Utah. I was in position to capture this image as the sun was rising in the east. I remember, leaving my vehicle and walking through the desert in the dark, looking for rattlesnakes with every step. This photo was taken at 6:26 am local time.

Canon 10D 14mm Lens 1/30 @ F14 ISO 100

Photo Pricing

I can do any size print. We print exclusively on 68 lb. Red River Photo Glossy Paper. Please email me with any special requests.
Some popular sizes are:
5x7 - $5.00
8 x 10 - $13.00
8.5 x 11 - $13.00
11 x 17 - $24.00
13 x 19 - $32.00
20 x 30 - $48.00

Don't see your size ? Just email us.

Hello everyone !

Thanks for stopping in. Hope to have some photos posted later.

Steve