First stop - Cedar Key, Florida !

Arrived in Cedar Key around 3:00 this afternoon. This sleepy little town is located on Florida's west coast. The main industry here is fishing and growing clams. They do cater to tourists, but not like Key West or Daytona. Everyone here is very laid back and they have some of the best fresh seafood in the state. I will testing that a little later. :) (smile)...It has been raining all day, but I did manage to get out and get this little guy. Lots of gulls and pelicans, but they are not active with all the rain. The sun will be out tomorrow and I will be up early.

Packed up and ready to ride !

Well, I think everything is ready to go. I plan to head out about 4:00 am .....Hopefully, I will be in Cedar Key, Florida in time to shoot some pelicans and sunsets. Will be moving fast this week and you can get daily updates here.
Crutch

New trip to Florida to shoot birds.

I will take off again on Wednesday morning to Florida to shoot the birds in their nest building process. This is always a fun time to shoot, plus the weather will make the trip worth it. Don't know about you, but this year the cold and snow are really getting to me. I will update here often, but you can follow me with my posts at www.twitter.com/crutch1948 I plan to be in Cedar Key, Wednesday afternoon to begin. Thanks for following and Happy Shooting !

Crutch

Photo Tip of the Week

Move your subject from the middle. When composing your shot, try moving your subject to the right or to the left in your frame. This adds a sense of direction and size to your subject that would otherwise be lost. Think of a "tic tac toe" board in your viewfinder and try to place the main subject on one of the cross points. It doesn't have to be exact, just close, for a very pleasing effect. Happy Shooting !

The Story Behind the Photo

During my trip to the west coast of Michigan, I located this lighthouse and immediately fell in love with it. This is the Big Bay Lighthouse. It is in the process of becoming a museum. Lighthouses are an endangered species, as GPS on ships have virtually eliminated them. I was able to photograph this point of view, by walking out on another section, of slippery rock. The wind made my tripod setup very difficult. I waited around for about an hour before the wind subsided and I was able to click the shutter. The moment came just before the storm arrived, at 2:53 p.m. Canon 5D ...16mm...1/100 at F9 ISO 100..As always, Happy Shooting !

Florida Birds 2009

In November of 2009, I arrived in Florida over the Thanksgiving weekend to take some photos at some of my favorite locations. This was not a great time to visit as most locations were not very active. But, it was good to getaway and great weather to get outdoors. This runs about 4 minutes. Comments welcome...Crutch

Photo Tip of the Week

Hope everyone has a great New Year !


What is the most difficult of all seasons to photograph? Winter, of course! It seems that more photographs are discarded in the winter than any other season. Why? Because the average tone of a snow-covered landscape is far lighter than a medium gray. So, photographs of snow are often underexposed. The rule of snow photography is very simple. "Most of your photographs will probably turn out too dark, if you let your meter be your guide." There is also an old saying, "If it is bright, add light." Remember, you must switch to manual mode, so you can over expose the snow. Start with at least 1 & 1/2 stops over to fool the camera. If you photograph snow on an overcast flat day, all you will get is a dull, light-gray photograph... no matter what you do. Photography during the winter is a challenge, even for the most experienced photographer. So, don't get discouraged, keep learning from your mistakes and keep practicing. As always, Happy Shooting !

Crutch