New Beginnings

It has been a few days since I posted and a lot has happened since then.  My brother and his wife welcomed their new baby Samuel into the world a week early.  Sammy insisting on being born a week before the scheduled C-section reminds us that despite all our careful planning, children often have a mind of their own. 

The whole family is doing well and will be at home for the first time tonight.  Big sister Natalie reacted well to her new brother at the hospital.  Thankfully I could be there to help document her first interactions with her little brother.  The picture below is one I took while he was still laying in the hospital bassinet.  If you get in close you can eliminate the distracting elements (such as the plastic bassinet).  Make sure that you aren't shooting from an angle that is too low because then you get an unattractive up-nose shot.

I will work on getting back to regular content now.  Until then enjoy little Sammy.

Something Fun

Sorry I missed yesterday's post.  It ended up being day with lots going on.  Thought I would post something totally different today.  Every since I was young I had a love for all things space.  One of those things is Star Wars.  The original three (IV, V, and VI) captured me and provided hours of entertainment.  It probably didn't hurt that it had probably my favorite actor, Harrison Ford.

Elsewhere on the internet I've seen some awesome examples of photographs taken of Star Wars Lego characters.  This seemed like the perfect little personal project that I could revisit from time to time.  Some of the examples out there have very elaborate settings while others are very simple.  Since my Star Wars Lego collection is pretty limited I decided to go with the latter. 

Using a black piece of 3/16th inch foam board I set up my Storm Trooper in a position that looked good to me.  I knew that I also wanted the background to be black so I used a faster shutter to lower the amount of ambient light.  The next step took a couple different experiments with moving the flash around until I got a couple shots that looked how I envisioned.  Since I only have one speedlight, I took a couple different exposures with the light in different places for each.  This allowed me to simulate a more complicated lighting setup with only one light.

The last step was to composite them in Photoshop.  This was actually pretty easy since the subject and camera hadn't moved, just the light source.  I simply masked in the areas that I wanted from each photo then merged the layers before sharpening.  I look forward to posting more of these little projects as time goes on.

Bringing the Past Back to Life

While working on a project for church I started to scan some old slide that my Dad had.  First I had to find the adapter for the flatbed scanner then the right settings.  Now I'm hooked on converting all the old slides into a useful format.  Each picture will require some additional work in photoshop but it is a valuable way to transfer these images that otherwise sit in a cupboard and never get viewed. 

Looking at these images are a virtual trip back in time.  I've been using his old Montgomery Ward slide viewer to preview each image and each view is something special.  There are even slides of my brother and I when we were very young.  For now the personal project will have to be sidelined as the deadline for the church project is looming way to near.  It should be a project that keeps me out of trouble for quite some time.  There are thousands of slides in the cupboard over at my Mom's house.  I'm sure I'll post up some more pictures as the project continues.  With those images I will talk about what was done to improve the image quality.  For now I'll leave you with two images.

This is my brother and me Christmas 1984 (I'm on the left and Jon on the right)

This is my Dad when he was in high school in 1967

Sun Rays

I've always been fascinated by the shafts of light coming down from the clouds.  They seem to make any situation more interesting. On a late evening I was out at Mounds Park shooting sunsets when the sun started to peak out from underneath the cloud layer.  For just a few moments these sun rays, some call them God beams, shot out across the sky.  Thankfully I was well prepared and was ready to shoot the scene.

For this scene I was working on my HDR landscapes.  Not really knowing how they would turn out I shot the series and hoped for the best.  Once I got home I processed the image and the shafts of light looked just as they had when the picture was taken.  There are a lot of people that don't like HDR.  I think most of these people don't like it because it is easy to over process the image resulting in a surrealistic unnatural look.  For me HDR is a useful tool for difficult lighting situations. 

Here is why I like HDR.  The combination of the human eye and brain is much better at dealing with contrast range and tonal range than any camera on the market.  You can see this easily by standing indoors and looking out a window into bright sunlight.  With the combination of your eyes and brain you can see the detail in the much darker interior as well as the scene out the window.  Now try to capture that in a single exposure and you'll likely get a properly exposed outside scene and a very underexposed indoor scene.  This is because your camera meters off the very bright exterior and doesn't have the capability to capture the range of light in the scene.  Now you could take an exposure of the exterior and another of the interior and combine them but that is a lot of extra work.  For a scene like this you determine how many exposures you need, fire them off, run them through Photomatix (or similar program) and many times you are left with a reasonably good image.  There will be some cleanup or other adjustments to do in Photoshop to finish the image but overall you can get pretty good results right after minimal processing.  Personally I like to keep my HDR's as realistic as possible. The goal is to reproduce what the scene looked like when you were there.  With practice and learning materials you can get very quick at processing scenes.

Those Unexpected Moments

Sometimes the best photographs are ones that have no planning at all.  The moment comes and you are lucky enough to have your camera ready to catch the shot.  It could be spectacular lighting, a dramatic scene or an exciting event.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to the unexpected.  Depending on the situation you may only have a moment to capture the scene.  For fleeting moments it is important to have a strong understanding of your camera so you aren't sitting there fiddling with it while the scene passes you by.

When my niece was still very young I had one of these brief moments.  She was playing on the floor of my parent's living room while I was sitting to the side taking some pictures.  In an instant she went from excited giggling to a very peaceful calm demeanor.  She turned her head and looked straight at me.  I had just enough time to take the picture before she looked away and started to play again. 

I'm always on the lookout for these situations.  They happen more often that you might realise.  Pretty much any time families get together there are little moments, that if captured, can create lasting memories.  In a lot of cases these moments make for the best shot you will take all day.  When involving people these moments are usually full of emotion.  As a photographer if I can capture the emotion of the moment for my clients they will be all the happier with the final product. 

To improve your chances that you can capture such a picture make sure you have a camera with you.  I know it sounds silly but I bet it wouldn't take long to think of a situation where you thought "If only I had my camera".  I know I've had such experiences.  It doesn't have to be a DSLR, it could be a point and shoot or even your phone.  As mentioned before the other important component of catching these situations is a strong understanding of your camera so you can quickly take the picture.

St. Paul from Harriet Island

In 2010 the Mississippi River flooded Harriet Island.  At that time I had been working on a sunset project and wanted a change of view from where I had been shooting at Mounds Park.  The water level was still high enough that the roads in were closed so I had to park outside and walk in.  There were still small ponds where grass normally.  Areas of the sidewalk were also under water.

The weather that day was stormy which added some interest to the clouds.  I set up in a couple locations and started taking pictures.  The first location's lower sidewalk was flooded but completely still .  This added a nice reflection of the knee wall.  The second image has a railing going directly into the river.  Normally there are a half dozen tall stairs that people sit on to watch the river.

Reflections in the water were pretty nice that night as well.  Usually when you get fast moving water the reflections are this messy blob of colors, but the surface that night was oddly smooth.  It would be interesting to know if this is caused by the high waters or some other factor.

Keeping the Past Alive

I'm fortunate enough to know a group of WWII reenactors.  My Dad was the first to meet them and invite them to use the pine Forest surrounding his house as an area to drill.  Now they affectionately call the property Camp Gerber.  In the time since my Dad's passing I've gotten to know them much better.  Like Dad and myself they have a passion for all things WWII.  They take it a step further by transforming themselves into living history.  They travel around Minnesota and the country educating and participating in many different events.

They have helped my family tremendously by helping to organize and evaluate the items in Dad's collection. The scope of his collection was way beyond our ability to deal with.  They have spent many hours in the basement sorting through box after box giving evaluations on real vs. authentic, valuable vs. common and so on.  Thanks to all their help we have been able to manage the collection and distribute much of its contents to museums and other collectors.  This way Dad's legacy of WWII education and love will continue.  It is wonderful to know that there are items in several museums that were Dad's and are now being enjoyed by as many people as possible.

Next time you are at an airshow or other event where there are reenactors take a moment to stop and say hello.  You'll find that besides being extremely nice people that they have a wealth of knowledge about a wide variety of subjects.  While their reasons for becoming a reenactors are varied they all have a love for history and its continued meaning for us today. 

It is through people like this that I have been fortunate enough to meet veterans that were at some of the most influential points in WWII.  The veterans are fascinating people that lived through incredible events in the nation/world's history.  It is always important to learn about the sacrifices that members of our armed forces have made for the lives that we enjoy.  Next time you see someone in uniform or something else that distinguishes them as military please take a moment to thank them for their service. 

Fireworks

Fireworks have always been fascinating.  They come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors.  Photographing them can be particularly challenging.  First there is little more than a faint trail when they are shot making it hard for an auto focus to prepare prior to the explosion.  Second they are very bright compared to their surroundings. Third you are never really sure where the next one will go off.  Last the exposures are long enough that it is all but impossible to hand hold.

Luckily there are some fantastically talented photographers out there who have taken the time to experiment to come up with techniques to make your firework pictures turn out better.  I'll talk about each of the problems above and offer some suggestions based on what I have learned from others as well as what I have learned by shooting fireworks on my own.

When I first started shooting fireworks I had a simple point and shoot that happened to have a fireworks setting.  I also had a cheap plastic tripod.  Even with a camera that did the brain work for me my results were still very hit or miss (mostly miss).  The misses fell into three categories: out of focus, didn't capture the full burst, camera shake.

My first category of misses is directly related to the first issue I listed at the beginning of the post.  Most camera's auto focus have difficulty in low contrast/dark situations.  To remedy this I try to find something in the foreground where the fireworks are going to be launched, focus on that, then switch my camera into manual focus so it doesn't seek for focus during the shot.  The only thing you have to remember with this is if you zoom in or out or move the camera you will have to re-focus.

The second issue as mentioned above makes it very difficult for the camera to determine proper exposure.  Since fireworks are almost always fired after dark the camera will determine that to properly light the scene you need a slower shutter speed and flash.  There are two issues with that.  Your flash will only effectively work for about 20 feet so all you will illuminate is the backs of the people in front of you.  So turn your flash off.  The shutter speed that your camera determines will be based mainly on the dark scene.  Depending on the frequency of explosions this may lead to over/under/correctly exposed images.  If your camera has a fireworks setting you can try that.  Otherwise manual exposure will be the best.

I'll combine the last two issues into this point.  I always try to determine where the fireworks are going to be fired so I can setup my shot with something interesting in the foreground.  The foreground element helps to set the scene and provides more interest in the final image.  To eliminate camera shake I always use a tripod with a cable release so I never have to touch the camera.

Here are a few things that I've learned that are helping me to improve my fireworks pictures.  If you can set your camera to manual mode.  The aperture should be somewhere around f18 to allow for longer exposures while not blowing out highlights.  As discussed before pre-focus and set your camera on manual focus.  When the firework is launched I open the shutter using the cable release and then wait for the explosion to fade before closing the shutter. This will give you the full arch and the nice looking firework shots.  If you want to really push the envelope invest in a neutral density filter.  This will allow you to hold the shutter open for minutes instead of seconds resulting in some really cool shots.  I hope these help you improve your fireworks shots.  I'm hoping to refine my techniques in our next couple trips to Disney World.  As for now here are some of my better shots from last trip.

Fun with Long Exposures

I'm always looking for new skills and knowledge to improve my photographic skills.  Light painting has been something that has fascinated me.  There are tons of very talented people out there that make some amazing creations by leaving the shutter open and using various light sources to "paint" an image.  One of the best examples is Denis Smith of Denis Smith Photography.  His images as well as story are inspiring.  Be sure to check his work out here.  He is also very open about his technique which is awesome.  So many times you see an image and wish there was a description about how it was captured.

I've gone out a couple of times and waved flashlights around for fun.  It is a great activity for kids and a lot of fun to watch.  For equipment all you need is a tripod, remote trigger, and manual settings on the camera.  Just open the shutter and let whoever has the flashlights dance around then close the shutter when you think you have something interesting. 

Granted if you want to make art like Denis Smith does your actions have to be a bit more planned out.  If you are just looking for something fun to do just find a few different colored flashlights (LEDs work great), put them on some string and start getting creative.

For the images below I had my niece, nephew and sister helping out.  My nephew and niece (2 and 4 at the time) had a blast.

My sister's attempt at a Christmas tree.  I think it worked well

I think this was a sword fight between my niece and I

I especially liked this one because of the ghosted image of my niece

The Eternal Chess Game

Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom has always been a favorite of mine.  Often times it was the first ride that I would beg Mom and Dad to go on.  POTC is one of those rides that no matter how many times I ride it, I never get tired of it.  Like many of the larger attractions the imagineers spent a lot of time transforming the area into the world of a pirate.  If they didn't spend so much time would the ride itself be as fun?  I think so.  By adding in all the other touches it really completes the effect.  From the moment you hear the music when you approach to when you enter and start seeing all the detail that went into the waiting areas; the excitement builds.

One of my favorite details is the eternal chess game played by two long departed prisoners.  I'm not a huge chess player but evidently the game the two prisoners are playing is a stalemate.  The number of people who go on the ride and look at that scene and recognize that the game can't be won is probably small.  The fact that someone took the time to set the game like that is really a statement of how invested the imagineers are in adding depth that most don't even realize is there.

I can still remember asking Dad to lift me up so I could see into the dungeon.  Rach can attest that I still make a point to stop and look down.  I even scratched up my expensive flight sunglasses on our honeymoon trying to catch a glimpse.  Now that I have better camera gear and a lot more knowledge one of my goals was to get a picture of the game playing duo.  I knew going in that I didn't want to use external flash because the integrity of the scene wouldn't be the same.  That meant cranking the ISO up and using the bars on the windows as a kind of makeshift stabilizer.  It took a couple tries to get one that was as sharp as I wanted but in the end I went home with a keeper.

Undoubtedly on our trip next year I will shoot these two again.  Hopefully I can bring a tripod or figure out a way to get a shot using a lower ISO so there isn't as much noise.  A new D4 would be really helpful as the low light capability far exceeds my current camera but somehow I doubt that taking a picture of two skeletonized chess players will be enough to convince Rach to let me spend $6,000.

It's all in the eyes

It is said that the eyes are a window to the soul.  Just by looking at the eyes in a photograph you can almost feel the emotion the subject was feeling.  When I was first starting my journey as a professional photographer I was sitting in my bedroom just testing out my shiny new Nikon D200 and my lab mix Allie rolled over and looked at me.  Thankfully my camera was ready and I captured the moment.  It was one of those times when you don't really have time to think about the shot.  You just crop and shoot. 

While the photo has nice leading lines what really makes the image is her eyes.  If she was looking off instead of straight into the camera I don't think it would be nearly as endearing.  Her soft, almost golden eyes immediately draw attention.  This is also why, in many cases eyes are an essential part of portraiture.  So many times I see images where all the elements are there in the right proportion but the eyes aren't quite looking at the camera.  For me this takes a lot of the value of the picture away.  You no longer have that connection with the image.

This isn't to say that every portrait or image of a person/people has to have everyone looking directly into the camera.  For instance if there is a mother and child in the image and their eyes are locked on each other it is their interaction that is key instead of their interaction with the person viewing the photograph.  More than anything the interaction has to be present. Incidentally this is why I prefer to have brand new babies sleeping in pictures.  I don't mean to say that there should never be an image of a newborn with its eyes open.  I even have some of these types of images on my walls.  Since infants don't really start to engage their surroundings for a few weeks it is hard to capture the emotion and connection in their eyes.

Below is the image I started this post with.  It remains one of my favorite images of Allie in large part to her eyes.  They aren't the excited eyes of the dog that greets me when I come home.  Instead they are the eyes of a companion that always seems to know what I'm feeling.

Food Glorious Food

One of the most difficult things that I encounter when planning a trip to Disney World is deciding where to eat.  There are so many amazing places to eat that it is hard to prioritize where we want to go.  On the last few trips we have purchased the Disney Dining Plan.  There are several varieties of this plan but we have always gone with one of the more basic plans that includes one sit down, one quick service, and one snack a day.  For us this plan has more than enough food and we usually end up going to the general store before we leave to use up the rest of our snacks.

The sit down meals are where we have a problem deciding.  Epcot alone has enough great sit down experiences to fill an entire vacation.  The Living Seas is always a mainstay for our trips.  Kids love it because an entire wall is an aquarium.  The food is a little more upscale but not to the point where you don't have a clue what you are ordering.  Nine Dragons in China is another must for our family.  The food is amazing and the restaurant is usually not all that busy.

On our last trip Via Napoli had just opened.  All the reviews that we had read were very positive and the lure of brick oven pizzas were too much to resist.  We made reservations in advance because we knew that it would be difficult to get in as it was a new highly reviewed restaurant.  The pizzas didn't disappoint.  Mom and I each ordered pizza and Rach ordered an Alfredo dish.  The food combined with Disney's unique ability to completely immerse you in an environment added up to a very positive experience.

Incidentally these were the perfect size for Alex to put on his fingers and eat like the crazy kid he is.

Who else has pizza ovens like this?

Just a few short years ago

While looking through my catalog of pictures on my computer I came across one of my favorites of my son Alex.  At the time the image was taken he was less than one week old.  Now a rambunctious toddler it is hard to remember when he was this small. I miss the days where he was able to fit on my arm.  He was so peaceful and was a welcome distraction during my father's ongoing treatments.  Dad used to say that he was the best therapy there was.  We spent as many days as possible at Mom and Dad's so he could hold his grandson and take his mind off all that was going on. 

As a whole newborns are one of my favorite ages to photograph.  When they are that young they sleep a lot (which I really like for pictures) and will generally stay in whatever position you put them.  As long as they are fed, warm and clean they can be some of the easiest, and most rewarding, photos to capture.  With patience and practice I've really come to enjoy the unique challenges that young children.

Below is one of my favorite newborn poses.  It can be done with either one or both parents.  I've also used this pose with twins (mom holding one and dad the other).  The pose also works with the child being naked or clothed.  For a naked child you have to make sure the room is warm and that whoever is holding the little accepts the potential messes that are associated with infants.

Hard to believe this is the same kid!

One of my favorite places to stay

It is not secret that my family and I are huge Disney fans.  My wife have gone several times and have taken Alex once.  Growing up we were fortunate enough to make the trip to Disney about every other year.  In the more than a dozen times that I've been to Disney we have stayed at a variety of hotels on and off property.

Now that I have a family of my own I prefer to stay on property.  Staying at a hotel outside of the Disney properties means renting a car and driving everywhere we want to go.  Dad used to say that part of going on vacation for him was not having to drive everywhere and I feel the same.  There is something very calming to know that once I step foot on Disney property I won't have to worry about driving anywhere, finding parking spots, or filling the tank.

I'm not sure when we started to stay in the hotels just outside of Epcot but the area quickly became my favorite.  There are five resorts in that area and three that I have stayed in.  Furthest out are the Swan and Dolphin hotels, then the Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk.  Yacht and Beach Club's are closest to Epcot.  On one of our stays at the Beach Club we had a walkout room that was less than a five minute walk to the entrance to Epcot.  The Yacht and Beach Clubs also offer two awesome pools my favorite being Stormalong Bay.

Stormalong Bay features a shipwreck that boasts one of the tallest resort water slides in Disney.  The bottom of the pool is a sand like material that is easy on the feet.  It even has a whirlpool that sends you spinning in circles.  Aside from the pool is one of my favorite little eateries.  Beaches and Cream Soda Shop.  Modeled after an old soda shop it has great burgers and awesome ice cream.

On the other side of the lake is Boardwalk Hotel.  So far this is a personal favorite.  It is modeled after turn-of-the-century Atlantic City.  There are many little shops and places to eat along the boardwalk.  Rach and I honeymooned at Boardwalk and were lucky enough to have a room that faced Epcot.  This allowed us to watch the nightly fireworks from our balcony.  There is a great souvenir/grocery store, sweets shop, art gallery, and other restaurants and entertainment that attract guests from the surrounding hotels. 

Probably the best feature of any of these hotels is their proximity to Disney Hollywood Studios (or MGM as it will always be for me) and Epcot.  Epcot is a five minute walk while MGM is either a 15 minute walk or 10 minute boat ride.  For our last trip with a small child with this was ideal because we wouldn't have to wait for buses when going to two of the four parks.  It also made it easier to take a break from the parks and come back to the hotel when Alex needed a break.

For someone like me that enjoys staying out late to take pictures in the park and of the hotel areas it is an ideal place to stay.  Again I don't have to wait for buses and I can really take my time going where I need/want to go.  I can carry equipment with me and not have to worry about it getting damaged by someone with a huge shopping bag or stroller bumping into me and damaging it.

An added bonus for any of these hotels is the proximity to the Fantasia Gardens mini golf course.  Just a short walk from any of the hotels and you can play on two different incredible mini golf courses.  One is designed like an actual golf course with sand traps and other hazards.  The other is themed after the Fantasia movie and is more of what you would typically think of for a mini golf course.  My wife and I always have competitions when we play there and I'm looking forward to continuing that with my son.

Superior's North Shore

For my son's third birthday my wife planned a trip to the north shore.  She was also hoping that it would be a chance for me to get some landscape pictures and star trail pictures.  Initially I had mixed feelings.  I was excited to go on a mini vacation to celebrate the our son's birthday, but it was too early for any foliage (sticks just aren't that interesting in pictures).  As we drove further and further north I realized that the landscape would be interesting enough without leaves on the trees.  Our resort in Tofte, Mn was mainly surrounded by evergreens which made it even better.

The one benefit to the time of year we went was the rivers and waterfalls were in full force due to the spring melt.  It seems that no matter where you went there were waterfalls.  Even small ones that fall off mini cliffs at roadside.  I don't know that I've ever been in an area where there are as many state parks close by than Tofte.  Within just a few minutes drive we could be at several different parks.  Expanding that drive to about an hour and the number increases even more. 

During the few short days that we were up north we managed to go to Temperance State Park, Tettegouche State Park, and Split Rock Lighthouse (although that short trip was mainly due to Alex being car sick).  On any vacation I try to get a photo of where we stayed.  Most of the time it ends up being a couple interiors that go into a scrapbook.  This trip was unique in that there was a little private bay right in front of our unit. 

I decided to shoot a rather large panoramic to encompass the entire area.  To the left of the frame there is beautiful blue sky with some wispy clouds.  This transforms into this thick fog on the right side of the frame.  I've never seen fog like this.  Our entire trip there was this bank of fog that sat a few hundred yards off shore.  Periodically it would come in and blanket the shore line then it would quickly move back out.  Please check it out at my SmugMug site and look at it in a much larger size. 

A pricing education

On several occasions I've been asked why professional photography is so expensive.  With services like Shutterfly or printing through Target etc. it is easy to see why there are questions about why prints are more expensive.  The question of sitting fee, event fee, wedding fee has also come up.  I've heard comments  like "Why is it that expensive you are only working for 3 hours?".  It is comments like that make me want to help people understand what goes into consideration when photographers create their pricing.

While every photographer has their own circumstances that contribute to how they price their products and services there are some universal considerations.  First let's talk about equipment.  Most professionals have a wide variety of gear including; cameras, lenses, flashes, memory cards, radio triggers, camera bags, tripods, lighting equipment, and a myriad of other accessories.  To start equipment causes high start up cost.  As with any technology, photographic equipment is constantly evolving.  This along with the occasional repair bill makes the equipment side of photography expensive.  In my gear I have two camera bodies (just in case one fails), five lenses, a flash, two radio triggers, CF cards, a bag, two tripods, and some lighting equipment.  This means that on any given shoot I'm bringing close to $15,000 in gear (it could easily be much more if I were using the new D4 which retails at about $6,000 for body only).  Depending on the camera and other gear you are carrying it is very easy to carry the equivalent of a nice vehicle in camera gear.

Adding to equipment is insurance.  Unfortunately today's society is very litigious.  With that in mind many photographers carry liability insurance.  Unlike many larger companies, getting sued could very easily put a photographer out of business.  The equipment we use must also be insured in case of damage or theft.

Time is another huge consideration that must be included in pricing.  For any shoot there is a certain amount of time spent in preparation.  The preparation time includes cleaning equipment, charging batteries and formatting memory cards.  In addition to that is time spent planning the shoot itself.  Another factor of time is travel to and from the location.  The last component of time is post production.  Depending on the length of the shoot there can be anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks worth of hours spent prepping pictures for viewing.

Most photographers are continuously spending time in books, classes, online programs to help make them better at what they do.  It takes many years of work to develop a personal artistic style.  There are many college programs, seminars and workshops focuses on different aspects of photography.  For the most part all of the education and continuing education is all out of pocket.

Depending on the individual photographer there are other items for consideration.  If there is a studio then there is overhead for operating that space.  Most photographers have a website which also has fees associated with it.  Any advertising also plays a part.  Aside from the actual camera gear is computer and software.  To be able to use powerful professional editing software you have to have a top of the line computer.  Keeping the computer and software up to date is expensive as well.  Take Photoshop for example.  Currently if you buy CS5 it will cost you $700.00.  When they update the software it usually runs between $200-300. 

All of these components together along with the photographer's individual family circumstances determine what they have to charge to be able to pay the bills and still bring home money for the family.  I hope that this helps create a better understanding as to why hiring a professional costs the amount it does.  We don't just pick a number out of the air hoping that people will pay it.  We don't set out to take as much money from clients as possible.  Instead our pricing is carefully thought out and designed to cover the cost of being self employed as well as providing money for our family. 

Now something fun to look at.  This is the ceiling of the Temple of Heaven in Epcot.  To get this shot had to lie on the ground in the middle of the room.  Thankfully Rach was the only one there to make fun of me.

Up close and personal

Macro images have always fascinated me.  There is something about being able to see the minute detail in everyday objects that captures my imagination.  Thankfully I have an awesome wife who supports my career.  Last Christmas she bought the 105mm macro lens that I've been drooling over for months.  Now my interest is full blown obsession and I can often be found photographing all kinds of mundane things. 

There are some things that beg to be photographed close up.  Insects are always good although they can be tricky as the don't tend to stay still for long.  Flowers are also great.  A quick change in settings can affect the overall image dramatically.  The best example of this is the razor thin depth of field (DoF) you get with wide open apertures.  For flowers this allows you to totally isolate even the smallest details and blur everything else.

The challenge that a DoF that shallow creates is holding still enough to get that tack sharp image.  A tripod greatly helps as well as a cable release.  If you don't have a cable release but you do have a tripod don't worry.  Most cameras have a built in timer.  Just set that and the camera should settle down before the shutter is activated.  If you don't have either of those finding something to brace yourself or working in a very bright location (or use of flash) are your best bets for getting that sharp image.

Reflections

There is something truly magical about reflections.  We encounter them every day and yet when I see one in a landscape it still captures me.  I'm not sure if it is the symmetry or added depth that I like.  Add a sunset plus a reflection and you end up with something striking. 

Getting the perfect reflection in water can be very difficult as the water has to be ridiculously smooth.  The slightest disturbance can distort the image and take away from the effect.  Now this isn't always the case.  Some reflections look perfectly good even with some distortion. 

Our last trip to Gull Lake afforded me with an excellent chance to get a nice reflection with sunset.  After a few days of sitting on the dock only to have the clouds disappear or drop to the horizon I finally got a night where everything lined up just right.  The image below is a three panel stitched panoramic.  In reality since each panel was a nine frame HDR the image is composed of 27 different exposures.  I decided to use HDR for this because I really wanted to get some of the detail in the shore across the bay.  You can get a perfectly good sunset by underexposing the image slightly.  That gives you the rich colors in the sky while the foreground elements are usually in deeper shadow.   For this particular scene I wanted to try to preserve the image as I saw it while sitting on the dock with Mom.

I should add a big thanks to Mom for being a constant source of support and a frequent shooting companion.

As always prints are available here as well as the image in full resolution where  you can see much more detail.

Night HDR

HDR has quickly become one of my favorite ways to capture difficult dynamic light situations.  On our last trip to Walt Disney World one of my main goals was to work on my HDR technique at night.  One of the more challenging locations was Cinderella's Castle.  At the time it was decorated with hanging lights that, from a distance, made it look as if the castle was frozen.  Adding to the difficulty was the castle changes colors in somewhat short intervals.

In the first couple nights I was out shooting and processing I found that the skies were coming out looking rather terrible.  They were very noisy and filled with strange color artifacts.  There were a couple ways I found that helped with the situation.  On some later shots of Spaceship Earth I added some positive exposure compensation to try and expose the sky better.  The other way was to mask in a sky that looked better and fit the over all scene. 

In the picture below I did mask in a different sky because the rest of the image worked pretty well after running it through Photomatix.  I did have to fix some of the highlights that were a little blown out and remove a couple people that decided to linger in frame during the shot.  Now that it is done I think the final image works pretty well.  The dark sky keeps the attention on the castle.  The pathway that leads up to the castle makes a nice leading line to draw your attention from the bottom of the image right up to the castle.

Mainstreet Electrical Parade

The lighted parades at Disney have always been a favorite of mine.  On our last trip I was happy to see they had brought back the Mainstreet Electrical Parade.  This parade really brings me back to the trips we took as children and the wonder we felt at seeing out favorite characters.  On this night I had waited patiently for a few hours as I wanted to get a prime spot to shoot the Wishes Fireworks show.  The nice part was I could take care of two events from this location. 

Some people wonder why they request that you refrain from using your flash during events like the MEP and on some rides.  For the MEP it is mainly so the people that have to navigate the floats and other smaller vehicles aren't blinded by hundreds of flashes going off.  Another reason is to preserve the atmosphere.  Using your flash illuminates parts of the parade vehicles that they don't want you to see.  Yes we know that it isn't actually Pete's Dragon or a train traveling down Mainstreet, but that is the illusion they are trying to create.  The same goes for the dark rides.  Using your flash can/will ruin the effect that the imagineers worked so hard to create. 

Now capturing the dark rides as well as the parade can be difficult without using a flash to stop the motion.  For those of you that have point and shoot cameras it can be very difficult.  With a little practice and good technique you can come away with some really nice results.  While equipment does play a part in your final image, technique and vision are essential.

Here is how I go about capturing events like the Mainstreet Electrical Parade.  My camera was set in manual mode because I knew that the relative brightness of the lights on the vehicles and the darkness of the surroundings would make it difficult for the camera to determine the correct settings.  Since I'm shooting with a Nikon D700 noise is not as much of a factor.  With that in mind I set my ISO to 1600 so I could get a fast enough shutter to stop most of the vehicles without motion blur.  The combination of high ISO and a large aperture put me in the 1/40th of a second range for the shutter.  While this is a speed that is easy to hand hold I was mounted on my tripod for that little bit of extra stability.

If you don't have a tripod or don't want to crank your ISO up find a trash can or light pole to lean on to help steady yourself.  You can also use panning to get sharp images of moving objects even with slower shutter speeds.  Controlling your breathing helps too.  Below are a few of the examples from that night.  I liked how the lights from the vehicles put a soft glow on the crowds.  This is one instance where large crowds actually help make the scene

Emotions in Photographs

Sometimes an image captures our attention because of emotion.  The emotion may be from what was captured.  It may be caused by circumstances in which the picture was taken.  Depending on the situation the emotion may be local or global.  By that I mean that it may only have appeal and emotion for the individual or it may have the appeal and emotion for the masses. 

My favorite picture is not one that I took.  This particular picture wasn't taken by a famous photographer.  In fact I'm not sure who captured the moment.  On a trip in 2004, just two short years before my Grandfather's death, my Dad and Grandfather went on a trip to Normandy with the WWII History Round table.  During this trip my Dad and Grandfather  had the opportunity to visit the landing beach where Grandpa's unit came ashore.  The picture itself is of the two of them standing in the causeway that Grandpa used to move inland from the beach. 

This picture isn't my favorite because of the technical skill used to capture it (there is even a part of some one's hat in the left of the frame).  It isn't my favorite because has some new element that I've never seen.  It is my favorite because it evokes emotion.  As far as I know it was the first time that Grandpa had been back to the actual spot where he landed during the famed Normandy invasion.  Dad devoted a large portion of his life to collecting militaria, educating, and participating in WWII events.  Part of his drive was because of his Dad's time spent in the service.  For me the emotion comes from the image itself and the people associated with it.  You can see the emotion on both of their faces as they stood and faced the sea.  It was also the culmination of a dream for Dad.  Knowing how much this moment meant to them and what the two of them mean to me brings the external emotion to the image.

While I'm sure this image won't stir everyone who looks at it.  It will always hold a special place in my life.  Now as we approach three years since Dad lost his battle with cancer, it serves as a reminder of his love of family and his passion for history.  Even though Grandpa and Dad are no longer with us they continue to be examples of what I hope to become as a husband and father.

It's all in the details

One of the things that Disney does really well in all their parks is set the scene.  While most people spend their time gazing in wonderment at the buildings and landscaping of different areas; I think what really finishes the effects are the little things.  There are so many things that our eyes see and our brains process every day that we don't even think about.  These things all contribute to our environment even if we aren't aware of them.  Disney goes the extra step and adds those types of details into their environments so your brain really accepts that you are in those locations. 

Below are two examples of these details.  While they are both geared towards attractions that Disney created, they are made to look like advertisements that were put up by some local businessman.  Next time you are at Disney or similar theme park, look for these little pieces to the puzzle.  For larger views to see more detail check them out full size here.

Creating something artistic

We have all had times when the scene before us looks better in person than it does through the camera.  Rather than deleting those images try applying an artistic filter to add some interest.  Photoshop has many built in and some free available for download.  Depending on your needs and budget there is a myriad of plugins available for purchase.  I've purchased the photographer bundle from Topaz Labs.  Among enhancement filters there are artistic filters.  The best part is the effects are customizable.  The following image was a panoramic HDR of the forest that surrounds the Gull Lake timeshare our family enjoys every fall.  Initially the panoramic didn't really have the interest that I was looking for.  After using a couple different filters the final image was much more to my liking. 

For the final image I used a plugin that gave it the look of an oil painting.  If you go to my SmugMug site and look at the image full size (original size) you will see it even adds brush strokes.  I had it printed as a 10x30 and am quite pleased with how it turned out.  It would look even better on canvas.

Next time you have an image that didn't capture quite as you would like, try getting creative with the processing and you may find that a dud image turns into something great.

Welcome, foolish mortals to the Haunted Mansion

Ever since I was young the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney Word's Magic Kingdom has been a favorite.  From Thurl Ravenscroft leading the "Grim Grinning Ghosts" to Madam Leota, the attraction never disappoints.  On our last trip I had a goal of photographing the exterior area at night.  The toughest part was going to be getting the nine exposures for the HDR without throngs of people in each frame.  Thankfully there are regular breaks in the people coming out so I could get a few frames in then wait for the crowds to clear.  In an unexpected twist a cast member came and stood by the hearse and didn't move for almost the entire time it took to get the shot.  What made it all the better is she left shortly before I was done.  The result?  A perfectly ghosted figure in period dress on the lower right of the image.  She really completed the image for me and I would have thanked her but it wasn't until we had returned home that I processed the image and found out her addition.

I did take several series of the same shot because there were a few frames where people walked though with those blinky, shot ruining souvenirs they sell.  With a little patience I was able to get one that worked well.  Little did I know that on our next trip the queue area would be completely different.  Disney is in the process of making more of their queues interactive.  I'm sure that I will like the new additions and will spend an annoying amount of time photographing the area. 

Here's your Thurl Ravenscroft trivia today.  Even though he was in many Disney movies and his voice can be heard on many Disney rides; most people would recognise his voice as "Tony the Tiger" from Frosted Flakes.

Taking better pictures of children

One thing that my mentor, Howard Berg, told me when we were shooting weddings was "Get out of the six foot bubble."  What he meant by that was, change your perspective.  Kids are a prime example of where that works great (although it should really be incorporated in all subjects).  Since the majority of adults are taller than kids, most pictures tend to be shot at a downward angle.  While this is easier for the person taking the picture it isn't necessarily the best angle to capture your subject.  Kids see the world from a lower viewpoint and getting down on their level can bring new interest to your photos.  Another added benefit for the child that is a bit shy is you aren't towering over them.  This lesson was learned in my three years as a children's studio photographer.  Aside from the fact that I'm just a generally terrifying individual, the fact that I'm 6'3'' tends to make me a bit intimidating to smaller kids.  Removing the height element tends to make them get used to you faster.

Making the most out of a blah sky

There are days when you go out shooting and the weather doesn't quite cooperate.  On our short family trip to Tofte I had one of these days.  Originally rain was supposed to move in all day, but as it turned out we ended up missing the entire system.  However, being right on the edge of the system made for pretty boring overcast skies.  The only benefit was less ambient light.  This allowed slower shutter speeds.  For most shots of moving water I feel it is important to capture the motion to make the viewer feel like they were there.  Without a neutral density filter the only way to slow down the shutter is dropping the ISO as low as possible and going with the smallest aperture.  If this picture was taken at the same time of day with blue skies the water would be frozen.

How do you get the silky water without a neutral density filter?  Get up early or stay out late.  Use a tripod with a cable release.  Hope for cloudy days.

One last note.  Since the skies had no definition at all I tried to minimize how much were in the shot.  Normally I wouldn't crop out quite so much of the sky even with blah clouds but the foreground was really interesting so I thought it would be acceptable in this case.