Make a Print on a Bath Mat?

This past month I got into large format printing (and printing in general), making 24x36-inch prints on my Canon IPF 6100. What fun! Printing has added a new dimension to my photography. I actually can't believe that it took me this long to get into home printing.

In looking at the prints, I was reminded of two famous quotes about printing:

1) "I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, as long as it's a good print." Edward Weston (Weston, for newbies, was one of the greatest photographers and printers of all time.)

2) "If you can't make a good print, make a big print." Overheard at a bar, I think :-)

I know what Mr. Weston was saying. The material does not matter – the artist does. Today, however, I think you might void your inkjet printer's warranty if you try to shove a bath mat through the paper tray!

As far a making a BIG print. Sure, it can be more impressive than a small print. But who wants to look at a big print of a bad image?

Well, speaking of quotes/tips about printing, here are a few of mine (that apply to all size prints):

1) Make the best possible in-camera image. Screw up big time, and you can't fix it in Photoshop.

2) Make the best possible file in the digital darkroom. Among other things, use Adjustment Layers and sharpen (selectively, of course) for the viewing distance. Nik Sharpener Pro does a good of this.

At this point in the process, remember: garbage in, garbage out.

3) Calibrate your monitor... at least once a month. If your monitor is set too dark, your prints will look too light. If it's set too bright, your prints will look too dark.

4) Calibrate your printer - for the paper you'll be using.

5) Use your printer's color management software. Check each setting very carefully.

6) Use the right paper for the right profile.

7) Don't expect your print to exactly match the image on your monitor - when you make your first print. For one thing, different ink jet nozzels act differently, even from the same-model printer to printer. (The same is true, by the way, for cameras: you'll get slightly different colors from two same-model cameras.)

Here is something else to consider: ink dries at different rates depending on the humidity in the room. Different dry times means different results.

And perhaps most important, keep in mind that reflected light is illuminating your print; unlike your monitor which projects light. View your print in different lighting situations, and your print will "magically" change colors.

Consider your 1st print a test print. See what went wrong. Print again. But... wait at least four hours for the print to fully dry.

If you are feeling a creative low, get into printing your own images. I think you'll find it a rewarding process. After all, when you make your own print, you have total control over the final result.

Explore the Light,
Rick

P.S. Want prints to last a very long time? Use pigment inks rather than dye inks... but know that dye inks look a bit brighter than pigment inks.

Life Is An Illusion! Create One This Weekend

Click image to enlarge before reading.

In photography - as in all art forms - we can create illusions. Photographers can use in-camera techniques and digital darkroom techniques to create illustions. I created the illusion that two tigers are hunting side-by-side by combining two images of the same tiger into one image.

And speaking of illusions, check out the illusions by Akiyoshi Kitaoka. One of my favorites is shown here. As you'll see, you can make a wheel "stop" moving my simply looking at it. Dong forget to click the image to enlarge.

So here is a self-assignment for the weekend: Create an illusion with a plug-in in the digital darkroom. Have fun with it.

Maybe share your illusion on my Facebook page.

You can also send me an illusion image for the Plug-in Experience. Must be around 5x7, 72 PPI, JPEG.

Explore the Light,
Rick

Fine Tune Your HDR Images

Click image to enlarge.

Here's a shot of my living room. After lunch, I kicked off my shoes and decided to look out the window and relax. Too much blogging this week :-)

After my relaxation session, I got to work back in my office (a bit neater than my living room) on a series of five pictures that I took for an HDR (High Dynamic Range) image!

The average exposure from my series of images is on the left. The center exposure is the result of processing the set of images in Photomatix and cropping the image. Check out the high dynamic range of that image.

The image on the right is the result of:

a) processing my Photomatix image in Topaz Adjust (using the Spicify filter) and then fine tuning (desaturating the image, among other things) the image with the adjustment sliders;

b) playing around with the Shadow/Highlight, Levels and Contrast controls in Photoshop.

The next time you are creating HDR images, don't settle for the default settings in your HDR program or plug-in. Fine tune your images for even more creative images in Photoshop, Lightroom or Aperture.

I'm outta here! My living room looks too inviting to be sitting here at my computer.

Explore the Light,
Rick

P.S. You can get a discount on Photomatix on the Plug-in Experience Web site. You'll also find more examples of HDR images on the site.

Respect Your Subject

Several years ago, my friend from National Geographic, Sarah Leen, gave me some good advice on photographing people: "Respect your subjects and they will respect you."

I thought I'd share this quick tip with you because it is so very important.

I photographed this Buddhist monk in Cambodia. The respect I showed him helped me capture exactly the picture I had in my mind's eye. Basically, he let a total stranger into his life - and trusted that stranger - for a few brief minutes. I think you can see the trust in his eyes.

Explore the Light - and respect the subject,
Rick

Follow Your Heart And Listen to Your Ears

First, click to enlarge this pair of pictures that I took in Cuba.

The bottom image is blurry - due to accidentally using a very slow shutter speed.

Hey, I made a mistake. What can I say? It was the first time ever :-)

I jumped in this car at a moment's notice because I really wanted to get a photograph of this cute couple. It was hot as hell and I knew I had to shoot fast. I was not thinking. I forget to boost the ISO and reset my aperture. I had been shooting in the Av mode (as usual) in bight sunlight.

I might not have gotten the top photograph, my favorite from the trip, if I had not "listened to my ears," hearing the sound of the slow shutter speed. Upon hearing that sound, I boosted my ISO and selected a wider aperture, which resulted in a faster shutter speed and a sharp shot.

In photography, it's good to follow your heart - photographing what you love. It's also good to listen to your ears - listening to the sound of your camera's shutter. It's also good to listen for the focus confirmation beep.

And here's some more advice, given to me by a guide on an African safari: Go where you are looking. :-)

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. Any one remember the Minolta Talker camera? "Too dark, use flash."

Rare Photograph: Jaguar at Midnight

Any photographer of big cats knows that it's extremely difficult to get a nicely composed and properly exposed picture of a jaguar deep within the jungle at night.

Click here to see one from National Geographic. Now that's a cool rare image.

My attempt is the image you see here.

Like the look of the big cat at night? Well, you can achieve it, too.

You see, I took the picture in the Belize Zoo during the day - and then added the Midnight filter in Nik Color Efex Pro. What fun - and I did not have to stay up 'till midnight.

Click here to get a discount on all Nik Plug-ins.

Explore the Light,
Rick

Double Take of 007

A recent article in the Los Angles Times on the use of Photoshopped images reminded me of an ad I ad seen in a magazine and a video I had watched on YouTube - and how different the subject looks in the ad.

Here's the link to the ad.

Here's the link to the video. Watch the entire video.

Just something to think about....

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. Hope to see you at a future Photoshop World.. where I demo Photoshop techniques :-)

Boring Snapshots Can Bring Back Fond Memories

My son is going off to college next week.

I remember when he was born, and when he spent most of the day resting in his crib. What a joy to watch.

I remember holding his hand and taking care of him when he needed me. Talk about feeling important.

I remember his early steps and his first words. Of course he was the smartest person ever born in the history of the world. (Hey, he's going to Johns Hopkins, so the kid ain't stupid.)

Recently, he has not been around much - hanging out with his friends, as it should be. When he is home, he spends a few hours a day alone at his computer - IMing, emailing, etc.

I have lots of boring snapshots that I took of him growing up. I'd share them, but to you, they would be boring. Rather, I share these snapshots with you, which illustrate each of the aforementioned developmental points: resting, needing, first steps, being alone.

I sure am glad I have those snapshots of my son. They bring back great memories of a time that went way too fast.

So the point of this homily: Sure, make the best possible pictures. However, don't overlook the importance of snapshots. Take them, too.

And here's a photo tip: Always have a camera with you! My Canon G10 is my constant companion. Top two shots were taken with that camera.

Rick
P.S. I kinda like these boring snapshots. They bring back nice memories of watching a "Bambie" growing up in my back yard. (Believe it or not, I posted a "Bambie" picture recently on Facebook and got hate mail. Someone wanted to kill all the deers in my area because of Lyme disease... which I have had 2x. Please, no hate mail :-)

Reality Leaves a Lot to the Imagination

"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." – John Lennon

When we remove some of the color from an image, or change the color in an image, we remove some of the reality.

When we add noise (grain), we remove some of the reality.

When we remove some of the sharpness, we also remove some of the reality.

When we remove some of the reality, our pictures can (but not always) look more artistic and creative.

Plug-ins help us remove reality quickly and easily. Here I used the Old West effect in onOne Software's PhotoTools, and then added a camera frame in onOne's PhotoFrame Professional.

Have some fun today removing the reality from an image with plug-ins. Many plug-ins offer free trials.

Check out the poll on the right. What's your favorite plug-in?

Wanna save some $ while feeling creative? You can get a discount on several plug-ins at The Plugin Experience.

Explore the light,
Rick

Beware of the Background!

Hi All

This is a real ad that I found in a magazine.

It reminded me of one of my main photo tips: Be Aware of the Background. Or, Beware of the Background - it can make or break a shot!

Explore the light - and watch the background,
Rick
P.S. My guess is that many readers of this blog post would have composed this picture differently :-)

Follow Up: Do We Only Photograph What We Recognize?

This post is a follow up to yesterday's post (Below.)

What do you see in these two pictures?

Hey, how 'bout you post your answers here (as opposed to twitter and Facebook) so all can see.

Explore the Light,
Rick
P.S. I'm off to the zoo today to photograph the elephants. It's hot here. I'll be wearing sandals on my feet.

Do We Only Photograph What We Recognize?

I took this picture six years ago in a place, believe it or not, called, Devils Garden, a magical area in Escalante National Monument, UT.

I took the picture because the subject reminded me of powerful image that I had seen hundreds of time while growing up. I recognized it immediately. (I wonder if I would have seen the picture if the place had not been called Devils Garden - putting the word "devil" in my mind.)

This photo got me thinking: Do we only (or mostly) photograph what we recognize - or what is familiar.

What do you think? And what would you say about this photograph? Here's what a few of my friends had to say about the image.

Dr. Richard Zakia
I connected with the image the instant I saw it. For me it is a contemporary image of the crucification of Jesus on a "tree". He hangs there in pain and sorrow, arms outstretched. The black is a reminder of his death on the cross for the sins of mankind and the bright white sun in the sky represents the resurrection. Outstanding. Powerful.

(Rick here: Check out Dr. Zakia's book, Perception and Imaging. Gets you thinking.)

Steve Inglima
It's a photographic Rorschach test....

We are hard wired to look for recognizable shapes and forms so that we can identify things that matter to us, such as either threats or treats.

So, when we can, we organize anonomous shapes into something that might make sense to us, and we might trim the extraneous information that doesn't quite fit in favor of a more plausable identity.

In the case of the tree's sillouette, to me it has an anthropamorphic prescence of outstrecthed arms on a body, with a foerboding sense...perhaps someone preaching.

A combination of a tree and preacher is a...treacher?

Mike Wong
I see the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.

Mary Lou Johnson
No doubt it is Christ on the Cross. Beautiful coloring and stark silhouette! It also looks like it is taken from behind him which is a whole different and new perspective. It looks like Christ is looking into the light in these last moments. Very very interesting angle! I like it more and more as I look at it longer. Great job, Rick!

(Rick here: I did the see the "looking into the light" angle. Interesting.)

Bob Sammon
Treebeard pays homage to the sun before the attack on Isengard.

Carolyn Fox
To me, I guess partially due to the size of the main subject in relation to the background, this photograph represents some type of "celestial being" welcoming creatures, & the whole world, into its' protective arms.

Susan Black Aurigemma
Jesus on the cross.

Anna Cary
I see a tree spreading it's "wings", with a little squirrel perched on one of the wings, applauding the break of day. Also, a bird about to take flight from the upper left branch. Altogether, a very upbeat feeling!

Joe Brady
Well, the most obvious to me is a crucifixion story - hands reaching out to the heavens and the bright light above - either seeking relief or welcoming the coming light.

For a science fiction fan, it could be an alien worshipping their sun, or embracing and/or welcoming the arrival of a visiting or returning ship entering the atmosphere in preparation for a landing.

I'm curious to hear what others see!

Spice Up Your Pictures With Spicfiy

Readers of this blog have seen several examples of Topaz Adjust over the past few weeks. I've play with Topaz on my Cuba old car pictures, HDR images and panos. Click "Older Posts" to see these images.

Today I decided to see how one of the effects in Topaz Adjust, Spicify, might improve a very flat looking picture of an owl that I took.

Well, Topaz sure did spice up that photo - with a tap of my stylus in about 3 seconds.

A Topaz Adjust tip: experiment with the sliders - all the sliders – before you decided on what's the best effect.

Explore the light,
Rick

Ride 'em Cowboy, Hi Ho Pixels, Away!

Howdy Partner,

I just finalized the details for a cool workshop in St. Augustine, Florida. Lots of great photo ops and photo learning. . . not to mention the best coconut shrimp that I have ever had!

Saddle up! Hope you can join the ride, so to speak.

Saddle up info on the workshop site.

Explore the light,
Rick
P.S. The photo here was not taken on the ranch on which we'll be shooin', but we'll get similar shots.

Don't Drink and Print

Did you know all of the following affect how you see colors:

- Drinking coffee, coke, etc.
- Stress
- Being tired
- Alcohol
- Age

The next time you set out to calibrate your monitor, make a print, or just want to work on an image in the digital darkroom, keep all those things in mind.

I gotta go. I have so much to do, which is causing me stress. I have to take a nap because I'm tired. I am 59, but I still have lots of energy – because I drink tons of Diet Coke! Maybe tonight I can relax and have a drink at happy hour :-)

Explore the Light,
Rick
P.S. This idea for this post was generated by a discussion I had with a few friends about the Colormunki - the calibration device I use to calibrate my monitor, printer and projector – before I have my cup o' Joe :-)

The Fun and Creativity Never Stops with Plug-ins and Photoshop

I'm a big fan of plug-ins. They help photographers expand their creative horizon. What's more, they are easy and fun to use. Not to mention affordable.

A few weeks ago I posed the top two pictures you see here. The top image is an HDR image created in Photomatix from HDR Soft.

The next image is that image enhanced with Topaz Adjust. Topaz Adjust is not a true HDR plug-in, but it's amazing what it can do from a single image.

The next image is the Topaz Adjust image transformed to a black and white image using Silver Efex Pro from niksoftware.

The bottom image was was created by adding the Magic Portrait Fixer in onOneSoftware's PhotoTools - with a bit of a saturation and contrast boost afterward in Photoshop. (I often play more in Photoshop after applying a plug-in. Try it. You'll like it.)

Save some bucks on Photomatix, Silver Efex and PhotoTools Professional Edition by clicking here.

The next time you apply a plug-in effect to one of your images, experiment with other plug-ins on the same image – and then continue your creative exploration in Photoshop, or Aperture or Lightroom, etc.

Explore the Light,
Rick

The Magic of Photomerge

If you have not tried Photomerge in Photoshop CS4, what are you waiting for? It is much improved over earlier versions.

This top image illustrates the magic of Photomerge. When I took the series of pictures for my pano, I thought: This pano is going to look kinda strange. No way can Photomerge line up all the boards on the dock. Their angles are just way too different.

Well, to my surprise, Photomerge did a good job.

Is that pano perfect? No. You can see some imperfections in the stitching process on the dock. (I could have cloned them out.) Is it fun? Yes!

The bottom image is one of my favorite panos (HDR+ pano). The stitching process was much more successful because the foreground was further from the camera.

So that's today pano tip: try not to include a very (I added very after a comment posted here) close foreground element when shooting a pano – especially if the foreground element has strong lines.

Explore the light,
Rick

Oops, I Forgot to . . .

There is a problem (technical) with this photograph. I forgot to . . .

Post your answer here. First correct answer wins a copy of my Field Guide. (Sorry, US shipping only.)

Good luck,
Rick
P.S. Actually, I did not forget, I took the picture to illustrate a good photo tip.

Butterfly Coming In For A Landing

Here's a good example of balancing the light from a flash to the available light - something I often talk about on my workshops and in my seminars.

Here's one technique.

This post was inspired by a tweet by Chris Klapheke (say that three times fast).

Thanks Chris.

Explore the Light,
Rick

Have a Good Book Idea? Team With An Expert... or Three

Yesterday's post featuring my butterfly picture (taken in my kitchen, by the way) got me looking through my butterfly picture folder, which features the photographs I took while working on my book, Flying Flowers.

In my seminars, I talk about working on that book, and how I hired three butterfly experts – Alan Chin Lee, Gary Noel Ross, Ph.D., and Tom Emmel, Ph. D. – to help me with the text.

Those experts added credibility to the book, which is important for any book and author.

If you have an idea for book and if you are not an expert on a subject, seek one out. He or she may be an expert and not a great photographer. Your timing may be just right. You might make a great team - which is attractive to book publishers.

These pictures were taken in Mexico at the over-wintering site of the monarch butterflies – where 30 million monarch gather each winter.

How did I get there? The experts invited me. :-)

See, it pays to network.

Explore the Light,
Rick

Beauty is in the Details

If you thought Topaz Adjust was cool, check out the latest plug-in from Topaz Labs, Topaz Detail. Just announced today.

Gotta run and record another Photo Focus podcast.

See the light,
Rick

Pano + HDR = Dynamic Duo

Click on the image for a larger view. Note: Images on this blog don't have the same vibrancy as the original images.

If you have not tried Photomerge (panorama feature) in Photoshop... what are you waiting for? Or as my grammar school nuns would say, For what are you waiting? :-)

Anyway, if you have not tried HDR photography, that's right, For what are you waiting?

And... if you have not combined HDR imaging with Photomerge, well... you get the point.

The middle and bottom panos here are a combination of several straight-out-of-the-camera shots.

The top pano is a combination of 3 bracketed exposures of 5 different shots.

The basic process:
1) Shoot your HDR images (using a tripod of course).
2) Process each set of images in Photomatix. (You can get a 15% discount on Phototmatix by using this code upon checkout: Ricksammon.)
3) Use Photoshop's Photomerge to combine your HDR images.

For an even more dynamic image, try processing it with Topaz Adjust, as I did on the top pano. Topaz Adjust is not a true HDR program, but it can add a sense of depth and dimension to your images.

By the way, all 3 panos were shot with my Canon G10.

We'll be shooting the Buddhist temple during my Croton Workshop.

The nun photo? Well, I just wanted to show you what I went through as a kid!

See the light,
Rick
P.S. "Never end a sentence with a preposition." Sister Lucia

Got Mac?

Yo, as David Leveen says when he comes over to work on my Mac (and iPhone). He's the man when it comes to fixing/updating my Mac – and getting me set up with my iPhone.

Need Mac help in the NY Metro area, check him out at MacSimply.

More on David.. and me :-)

See the light,
rick

Happy 40th Anniversary!

On this day 40 years ago, I was planning the trip to Woodstock (in my 66 VW camper) with by pals, some of whom you see here hanging out with me in a parking field at the festival.

Much as changed - in the world and with me. But ya know what, I still feel as though I am 19 in many ways. My son has helped. So has music. And so has photography – because making pictures is so much fun and offers a sense of freedom, which was important to hippies back then :-)

If I had a time machine and could go back in time, I'd travel to when Santana played at Woodstock – the high point, so to speak, of Woodstock for me. Catching a sandwich dropped from a helicopter was kinda cool, too.

Any Woodstockers out there? I would love to hear from you!

PLJ (Peace, love and joy),
Rick

P.S. What, no photo tip?! Okay, here goes:

Do you think that when Santana plays a guitar solo he is thinking about what note he just played, what note he is playing, and what note he will play next? Do you think he is thinking about what key he is in, how far to bend a note, to pull-off or hammer a note, etc.?

My guess is no.

It's the same thing with photography: we have to know our cameras and the technical aspects of photography so well that getting the shot becomes almost automatic. That's when the magic of photography happens. Soooooo, practice as much as possible - just as Santana did for years before stepping out on the stage at Woodstock.

It's Been a Long Time Comin'

Photo © Rick Sammon

Hey, Woodstock was 40 years ago this weekend - hence the play on words in the title of this blog post... which is actually about long exposures.

Uh, if you don't get the play on words, do a search on CSN. If you don't know who CNS is, do a search on Crosy, Stills and Nash. :-)

This info comes from my buddy at Canon USA, Rudy Winston. Take it away Rudy!

• • •

How long it takes to write an LONG EXPOSURE image to the memory card in any EOS camera, regardless of specific model, depends upon whether the user has activated the Long Exposure Noise Reduction. There are three possible settings on most models: Off, Auto, and On.

If the user turns Long Exposure NR Off, he or she should find writing to the memory card pretty quick -- little effective difference vs. taking a conventional shot at normal shutter speeds in daylight. In other words, the red Card Busy light on the back of the camera will appear lit for only a second or two, if that.

However, if Long Exposure Noise Reduction is active, things change. Long Exposure NR is achieved via the "dark frame subtraction method". This in essence means that the camera shoots the actual long exposure picture, closes the shutter, AND THEN ACTIVATES THE SENSOR FOR THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME AS THE ACTUAL EXPOSURE. It then compares the level of sensor noise generated by this second, "blank" exposure to what's in the actual image file. Armed with this info, it then processes the actual image and removes the fixed-pattern noise where it's seen in both files. The blank file, of course, is not saved to the memory card.

What this means, though, is that the camera is literally tied-up for double the length of time of the actual exposure. A Bulb exposure of, say, 60 seconds means that the camera will then blink the red Card Busy light for an additional 60 seconds, as it reactivates the sensor to generate this blank image. You cannot shoot a picture during this period -- so for someone shooting, for example, fireworks, where they might want to take a series of Bulb exposures in quick succession, it might be preferable to put up with a little noise and turn the NR feature off. This is something the user who posted this inquiry will have to decide for him- or herself, usually on a case-by-case basis.

Long Exposure Noise Reduction ONLY impacts images taken at shutter speeds of one full second and longer (2 seconds, 4 seconds, etc), regardless of whether they're set by the user, automatically set by the camera, or the BULB setting is used. You can certainly leave the feature active at all times; it's simply ignored at shorter shutter speeds (like 1/125th second, etc).

'Nuf Said. Never Underestimate....

Here are two pictures that illustrate the point that we should never underestimate the importance of:

1) An interesting subject. (Which was actually the original title for this post - because the subject is of utmost importance.)

2) An interesting background.

3) A good exposure.

4) Good composition.

5) Attention to digital enhancements. I used Topaz Adjust on the top image.

See the light,
Rick

Is What You See What You Get?

If what you see on your monitor is not what you get from your printer, here are a few possibilities:
- Your monitor is not fully warmed up. May take 1/2 hour.
- Your monitor is not calibrated.
- You have not calibrated your monitor for a month.
- Your printer is not calibrated.
- You are not using the correct printer profile.
- You are not using the paper for the profile you are using.
- The lighting in your workspace is not consistent.
- You are working on your images with a screen background that is distracting you with strong color. Best to use gray.
- Print head is out of alignment or nozzles are clogged.

Even if you do all that stuff, your prints can be a little off – even if you have a large monitor. Monitor color and brightness are not exactly the same from side to side and top to bottom. Also, colors and brightness will look different the more you look to the sides. Knowing this, after you calibrate your monitor with your calibration device placed in the center of the monitor, work on the most important part your image there.

What's more, a print reflects light, while your monitor projects light. So the quality of the images is different.

Still more: Prints take a while to fully dry. Colors and brightness can change after a few hours.

Finally, we see colors differently at different times of day. We also see colors differently after drinking cola and coffee.

Well, I gotta go - and get my first Diet Coke of the day.

See the light (and color),
Rick
P.S. My guess is that age might also have something to do with it, especially if one has cataracts. Is there a doctor in the house who could comment?

Very Cool Feature in New Photomatix Pro 3.2

One of the coolest features of the new Photomatix Pro 3.2 (one of the most popular HDR imaging programs out there) is that you can reduce chromatic aberrations. This not only a cool feature, but an important one.

In the top image, the chromatic aberration is visible along the railing. The image was processed with the old Photomatix (with a touch of Topaz adjust).

The bottom image was processed with the new Photomatix (also with a touch of Topaz Adjust). Look ma! The chromatic aberration is greatly reduced.

You can get a 15% discount on Photomatix when you use this code upon checkout: ricksammon.

If you like to play with plug-ins, check out Plugin Experience.

See the Light (and the chromatic aberrations),
Rick
P.S. If you have really nasty chromatic aberrations, best to remove them first in Photoshop/ACR or other image-editing program.

Reaching Unconscious Competence And Important Saddle Time

After returning from my most recent seminar (Image Makers in Blue Springs, MO), the following email was in my in box.

I am sharing excerpts here, with the permission of the writer. It has a good few messages – especially about learning to become a good photographer and the different levels of learning.

Good thing I showed one of my favorite horseback riding pictures during the seminar :-)

Rick
P.S. Hey, getting email like this - and learning - is one of the reasons why I do so many seminars and workshops.
--------------------------------------------
Dear Rick:

I thoroughly enjoyed your photography seminar yesterday. I was the incessant note taker.

We spoke briefly at supper about you wanting to learn more about horses and riding. I am not certain what your schedule looks like, but I would be willing to spend some time with you so that you could move toward your dream of "riding as fast as the horse wants to run." I have done this, and I can assure you that it is thrilling.

In jumping they call it "throwing your heart over". I believe you could make some significant progress in 3-4 hours. But as in anything else worth doing, "saddle time" is crucial. Riding horses is another form of learning to dance - the better the communication, the better the dance.

You also asked about a quote used by my horsemanship mentor:

Levels of Learning

1. Unconscious Incompetence
2. Conscious Incompetence
3. Conscious Competence
4. Unconscious Competence - The level we all want to reach in the things we care passionately about.

Thank you again, and God bless you,

Stephanie Moore

Print Out This Image

15 years ago, when I dropped my son off at pre-school for the first time (with tears in my eyes of course), I noticed a poster on the wall with the words you see in this image. It's the final image in all my slide presentations.

So true.

We hear and we forget.

We see and we remember.

But when we "do"... we understand.

So stop reading this blog post. Now! Go out and shoot. Understand. :-)

Happy weekend,
Rick

A Mid-Day Shooting Suggestion: IR

About two years ago, I had my Canon SD800 converted to an IR-only camera. I jumped on a plane and did some shooting in Mono Lake, CA.

Sure, I also took my color digital SLR cameras (Canon 1Ds Mark III and 1D Mark II). I got up early and stayed out late to catch the beautiful light and colors of early morning and late afternoon with those cameras.

During the midday hours, when the light was too harsh for color landscape shots, I shot with my IR-only camera. Here's one of my favorite shots, taken at South Tufa.

The top shot is the original. The bottom shot is the same shot enhanced with Topaz Adjust - my favorite plug-in this week (as you might have guessed).

One of the cool things about IR cameras is that you can shoot all day without worrying about "bad" lighting – because you are recording IR light. Another cool thing is that you can create some beautiful landscapes pictures effortlessly - pictures with a dark sky and white clouds.

If you have an old camera hanging around, compact or SLR, consider converting it to an IR-only camera. Good fun for sure.

I found it interesting that after shooing IR for about a week, I started to "see" in IR.... picturing how a scene would look when photographed with my IR camera.

You can get a discount on your IR conversion from Lifepixel by using this code upon checkout: RickSammon.

You can order Topaz Adjust (and receive other discounts on certian plug-ins) on the Pluginexperience.

See the light - the IR light :-)
Rick

Wait.

Hey, I don't think I ever posted a photo tip with only a one-word header, but I thought it was appropriate in for this tip: wait.

When you are out shooting in a city (or town or village), sometimes it's advantageous to simply pick a cool location and wait for the subject to walk (or ride) into into the frame. That's what I did for this photograph of a Kuna woman in Kuna Yala, Panama in 2004; and for this photograph of a man and his mule in Trinidad, Cuba in 2001.

Pick a position and wait. That tips applies for photographing butterflies, too :-)

See the light,
Rick

Here's the Before IR/Mirror Shot. Borrrrrrring!

Several folks really liked the IR image I posted yesterday (below). Here's a color shot of the same scene (minus the magical mirror effect). Borrrrrrrrrring.

If you need a creative boost, why not covert an old digital SLR or compact camera to IR? Lifepixel offers several options. You can get a discount by using this code upon checkout: RickSammon.

To create the magical mirror effect, click here.

Play with the light,
Rick

Reality Leaves a Lot to the Imagination

Reality Leaves a Lot to the Imagination - John Lennon

So just imagine what you can do in the digital darkroom!

Explor the Light,
Rick

Never Give Up. Okay? Promise?

I receive emails from time to time from folks who are discouraged - mostly by rejection for one thing or another.

Hey! I have been there... and still get the rejection blues from time to time.

The following homily is for all those who have been rejected - or may be in the future.

10 years ago, I had this "great" idea for a series of 3-D children's books. I pitched it to National Geographic. They said, "no thank you."

I never give up. Two weeks later I signed a contract with the Nature Company for six books. Those six 3-D books led to two more 3-D books and another children's book.

Out of all my books, the 3-D children's books were my best sellers - because the audience for children's books is much greater than for how-to digital photography books.

The books are out of print, sorry.

So when you get rejected, never give up. Okay. Promise.

See the light,
Rick

Kinda Busy

Someone asked earlier today how I do all I do. Well, I work hard in my over-packed office.

Only kidding - not about working hard, but about the office. Had a new carpet installed today (by the guys on the right). Had to move everything into my office. What a mess - but at least I still have internet and phones!

Be neat,
Rick

Combine Plug-ins for Some Real Photo Fun

Wanna have some real post-processing photo fun? Try combining several plug-ins.

I created the top image here using, in order of enhancements: Photomatix (from HDR soft), Topaz (from Topaz labs) and finally Photo Frame 4 Professional (ononesoftware.com).

The straight-out-of-the-camera shot is on the bottom.

What fun!

You can learn more about plug-ins, and get some discounts on select plug-in at the Plugin Experience.

See the light,
Rick
P.S. When making HDR images, remove chromatic aberrations as a first step.

Shootin' In the City Has Its Ups and Downs :-)

Ya know, shootin' in the city has its ups and downs. Meaning... that you should always look up and always look down (as well as back) for photo ops.

For the picture on the left, I looked up, and noticed this colorful balcony. For the picture on the right, I looked down, into the interior of the car.

These are simple tips, but they come in handy when shootin' in a city... and even in a forest.

See the light,
Rick

Good Question, Simple Answer

This questing came in via email this AM. Good question! I answer it at the bottom of this post.

The photo here (taken with my 15m lens on my Canon 5D Mark II and created with Photomatix and Topaz Adjust) has noting to do with the question... but it illustrates my answer.

• • •

Hi Rick,

I'm a fan and follower of your work and hoping to get into one of your seminars or workshops one day. I see all that you do, and I wonder how it's possible.

I realize the inspirational advice is a common response to that question, such as "Work hard, be motivated, have fun, and take risks...." But what I'm wondering is how you are able to get all this done: write books, take pictures, do videos, do podcasts, write articles, teach, maintain a website, travel, submit photos to magazines and websites, etc.

Seriously, could you shed a little light on how you are able to accomplish so much? I mean, you published 3 books in 2008!!! I love this kind of lifestyle you live. What's a typical day/week for you.

NY Times tech writer David Pogue wrote a piece answering the same kind of question for his readers who wanted to know the same thing I'm asking you.

Would you mind sharing a few logistics? I'd like to see what it takes to do what you do. Thank you, Rick

Jerry Shankin
Commerce, Michigan

• • •

ANSWER: Jerry, that's easy! I love what I do: taking and making pictures.What could be more fun? Well, maybe being a rock star :-)

Also, time moves at a different pace for me. Seriously. I am very aware of time and time management - and what is important and what is not.

I'll add to your list: I walk for one hour a day and take a nap after lunch. Hey, maybe those are the keys!

Shooting in the City: Make Pictures

One I first saw this ’57 Chevy, it was parked on a different street in harsh sunlight on a street in Old Havana, Cuba. To make this picture, I simply asked the owner to drive his car onto a different street, to a spot I had picked out before I asked him to move. I asked him to pop the hood and truck. I snapped off a shot, making one of my favorite city photographs. After I made the picture, I enhanced the image with Topaz Adjust, one of my favorite plug-ins.

Check out Topaz and some of my other favorite plug-ins at the Plugin Experience.

See the light,
Rick