The Future Professional Outdoor Photographer is………

…a storyteller!

You have certainly heard, maybe even said it yourself; anybody can take a picture! While that has always been true even before digital, the level of high quality photography is more prevalent today and easier to achieve. Why is that?

It is a combo of many things. Digital technology has made the ability to capture and process an image very easy. Software has brought many tools for interpreting a RAW file into a unique personal vision for the photographer. The web has brought us the greatest learning tools ever known. It simply is not that hard to learn how to create wonderful photography.

Yet one thing has always been there challenging professional photographers. It has been there from the early days of film to the today’s digital world. It is the biggest roadblock to success in photography.

Maintaining a current business model! … Continue Reading

Photo Contest WARNING!

If you are considering entering the New Exposure Photography Contest promoted by Vogue Magazine and Bottega Veneta, you may wish to read into the rules a bit before making that decision. The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), North American Nature Photographers (NANPA), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), are concerned about the terms and conditions of this contest.

Carol Wright over at PhotoAttorney.com writes in reference to the terms and conditions, which appear when read, that the contest organizers can use the photos submitted by entrants any way they wish including selling them.

As Carol writes: “This contest, which is targeted at students and emerging photographers, appears to be an effort to secure thousands of free images for unlimited use in publications and in advertising.”

And if you read this from section 7 of the rules you would probably agree: … Continue Reading

Watch This Stunning Kayaking Video

If you are an avid, or not, photographer looking to make movies with your video capable dSLR, then you probably spend time looking at the work of others. I do because I want to learn how great adventure and nature filmmakers create their moving images. Simply to learn.

I look at camera angles, lighting, movements, high speed motion vs. slow speed motion, audio, music, and most importantly; the story. I spotted this video  on Chase Jarvis site that brilliantly shows all those ingredients I mentioned, masterfully molded into a 7 minute film on kayaking in Mexico. The A-team is Anson Fogel and Skip Armstrong of NRS and Forge Films, collaborating on this project; Cascada. Take a minute and be inspired.

CASCADA from NRS Films on Vimeo. … Continue Reading

Shoot Adventure Silhouettes for More Marketable Imagery

Often when we photograph we are concerned about good light throughout our subjects and light that provides enough detail to tell the story we want told. We might use reflectors, flash, or HDR techniques to maintain important detail with strongly lit subjects.

But there are also times when we can create simpler photographs that tell a strong story and silhouettes are easy way to do that. They can tell just as effective of a story, set a mood, or create mystery and it’s those storytelling images that buyers of imagery look for when licensing images.

Last year we ran a post on creating nature images using the silhouette technique. These images included Sajuaro cactus,  lighthouses, forests, and windmills. What’s different is these images are adventure images and add the human element, a proven ingredient of top selling images. If you are an adventure photographer then silhouettes are one more approach to telling the adventure story and create more marketable images. … Continue Reading

Eagle Hunting…with a Camera

by Joseph Classen

Back in Missouri, where I’m originally from, seeing a bald eagle is a rare treat. During the winter months the eagles regularly congregate along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers systems, bringing out bird watchers and nature lovers by the hundreds to see maybe a half dozen eagles or so catching a few fish to fatten up on. During the rest of the year however, spotting one of our national birds is difficult to do in those parts. It’s quite the opposite here on Kodiak Island, Alaska, where I currently reside. I see more bald eagles in one day than most people probably see in a lifetime. And during the winter months, I regularly see dozens and dozens of them gathered together like groups of pigeons. It’s quite a sight! Even though seeing so many of these incredible creatures is a common occurrence for most who live here, I never get tired of it! … Continue Reading

A Conversation With David Muench; The National Parks

Last week, David Muench released his newly updated book: Our National Parks and it is a refreshing look at David’s 50 years of photographing the National Parks. When you think about 50 years of photographing the landscape you realize many things change during that time and David’s book contains images of scenes that will never be photographed the same way again. David joins us again for another conversation to share his images and his stories about their creation. (45 minutes)

To see David’s book, his website, and workshops, read on……

… Continue Reading

One Camera and One Microphone: Filming a Conservation Project

by Jerry Monkman

When Canon introduced the 5D Mark II a few years ago, I decided to give shooting video a try. I
had long been shooting still photos for land conservation projects and it seemed to me that
turning some of those projects into short videos could be a great way to tell the story of the land
being protected. I had no experience shooting video or recording sound, but what the heck – I
now had a camera that shot video, so I was all set.

As usual, I may have overestimated what I was getting myself into, but after six months of
practice, I was able to pull of this video for a client who helped foster an easement that will keep
the Anderson Farm in agricultural use for future generations. … Continue Reading

Death Valley Dreamlapse #2 by Gavin Heffernan

Filmmaker Gavin Heffernan has just released another wonderful night sky film from Death Valley.

As Gavin states: “This time our adventure took place at the infamous sliding stones of Racetrack Playa Lakebed in Death Valley. No UFOs this time (we THINK) but we got lots of cool shots of the stones themselves, as well as some epic starscape stuff — including a desert aurora, crazy star trails, and an awesome milky way pass. ”

DEATH VALLEY DREAMLAPSE 2 from Sunchaser Pictures on Vimeo. … Continue Reading

Are You Taking Care of Your Customers?

These days customers can be hard to come by for photographers. There are never enough of them and they have many options in today’s markets.  Because it is tough to land a new client, it becomes so important to take care of the ones you have after earning their business.

Out of sight = out of mind! I was horribly guilty of being ‘out of sight’ in my early days. I should make no excuses, but it was a different time. In the ‘olden days’ we marketed by direct mail and sales calls and maybe a portfolio showing. Today is different. While I occasionally make sales calls I rarely get them anymore and I like it that way.

If I was an art buyer I probably would prefer to not get calls (some prohibit it) even though my job is to work with photographers. If I was a real art buyer, it might take a lot to get excited about another photographer knocking on my virtual door. But I would get excited if a photographer contacted me in a unique and interesting manner and presented work that made me think “wow”. … Continue Reading

Why You Should Always Be Loaded for Bear

I was on a recent photo-shoot and when packing up I loaded all my camera gear that I thought I would need into the back of my truck and off I drove for a few hours to the assignment. I load it up all together put it in the back of my truck so I can mentally scan the gear and make sure I have everything I need for the shoot.

It was early in the morning and on the way there I spotted a deer in a farm field amongst the grasses and nicely backlit by the sunrise. I wanted the shot. I had to get the shot! But cameras were packed in the back.

I pulled over anyway hoping that I could open my truck canopy and grab the camera, attach the 300mm lens, and get an image that would make the cover of next year’s wildlife calendar. … Continue Reading