Petersburg, AK



Traveled to Petersburg, AK today to join up with our group for Photo Adventure Alaska.  We'll head out tomorrow towards points unknown of the Inside Passage.

Tried to work a few images (breaking my own rule of not doing any color or tonal work with a laptop screen.)




Didn't want to fly for me today when the light was nice.  Watched a few birds fishing in the harbor at sunset.  Very cool but found myself without a long, fast lens.  Good thing we have another 9 days up here.




Fiat Lux!

A Few Fox



Up here in Alaska again and the weather is incredible.  Of course, incredible right now is 20 degrees.  The last time I was on the slope it was -50, so quite a difference.

Photographed the two foxes above with a Canon 7D and EF 70-200mm f/4L.  These two have been around for a few days now.

Back home very soon just in time to head to Petersburg, AK and our cruise to photograph the herring spawn and the predators it attracts.



Fiat Lux!

Ballet Studio Session

Studio fun!

We've been concentrating on wildflowers and landscape for the last few weeks but I had an opportunity today to shoot some local ballet dancers in the studio.  So I took a quick break from CS5 and set up the ProFoto D1 Air system for some fun. 




With that said, I'll be switching back to Landscape mode tonight with our live podcast on Lens Flare. 

Take a listen at 8 PM EST at the following link.


Fiat Lux!


Photo Adventure Maui - Summer 2010


9 shot stitched panorama


We're doing Maui again this summer!  26- 30 July and hosted by the Institute of Visual Arts (IVA Maui), we will explore every cool spot on the island and photograph using any and all techniques: slow shutter speed, HDR, action, extended DOF, night, and more.

HDR of Haleakala's Silver Sword


Check out the first in a slew of Photo Adventure sites.  Expect more information and content to appear on the Maui site soon.


With the success of our last two Photo Adventure Maui sessions we'll be doing two a year one in July and one in late January!


The end of killer moonset.


Great photography and learning in an incredible tropical setting!

Fiat Lux!

California Photo Festival Website/schedule Update

The California Photo Festival website is updated with new information!

There are new instructors, updated overall schedules, and specific instructor schedules.  Most of our instructors have provided us with workshop, lecture, and seminar titles and descriptions.  If you can do it with a camera, computer, or printer...we have it covered.

This is going to be a tremendous week of shooting, instruction, and good times.  Give us a call if you have any questions.  Hope to see you here!

California Photo Festival

Fiat Lux!

Slide Show Recap from the Past Week




A little slide show from the past week's course.  These images were submitted for review and critique during the course.  Thanks to all of our participants and to Rob Sheppard for giving us so much of his time, enthusiasm, and amazing knowledge.

The full size video may be seen by clicking here, Full Size Magic of Flowers

A special thanks to Jesse Siebenberg for allowing us to use his single "Heavens Sake (Scars)" in the slide show.  You can find the single on Jesse's CD "Undiscovery." Visit his website at Brotheryn Studios

Fiat Lux!

Day 4 - The Magic of Flowers





Yesterday can only be described as an epic day of shooting.  The wx (weather) and wildflowers were incredible.  The same cannot be said for the sRGB conversion for this blog!  Will spend the next few days working these and the thousand other images we captured during the Magic of Flowers.  Of course, I will probably go out shooting again tomorrow and create some more.






 
Today's post is lupine centric with the inclusion of one poppy/caterpillar. 


 


Be sure to check out the Digital Photo Experience tomorrow for my contribution to their Lightroom Week - Sharpening Saturday.




Fiat Lux!


Magic of Flowers - Afternoon Day 2

Great critters out and about.


We spent a few hours in the digital darkroom yesterday learning techniques from Rob Sheppard.  As the rain cleared we took another quick trip into the field so the class could shoot and practice some more. 

We found some of the most amazing lupine fields I have ever seen.  Pretty amazing when an entire 4 mile wide canyon smells strongly of lupine and only lupine. 



3 Shot HDR overlooking the canyon
Will continue to optimize when I have some additional time.


 

Topaz Adjust paint demo of the above image for one of the students.
Never hurts to play around a little.


In the lab this morning for Rob to provide some image review and deliver some constructive criticism. 

We will, of course, head back to the field this afternoon to shoot, shoot, shoot. 

Fiat Lux!

Back from the Bay Area and Out Shooting Wildflowers Again

Big Pano from our weekend sunset shoot

Returned late last night from a two day HDR Intensive up in Berkeley.  Met some great people, passed on some good information, and shot a few thousand images.  Should be back up there soon for a Lightroom Unlimited course.  I'll put details up here when available.





Couple of demo grungy HDRs

Rob Sheppard is in town teaching The Magic of Flowers and California is not disappointing.  We spent the morning in the lab and then shot for about three hours in the afternoon.  We'll start tomorrow at sunrise and spend the day on an epic wildflower loop. 

With moth



Without moth


I'll try and update tomorrow evening when we get back.

Fiat Lux!

Newest Light Family Member

Sorin Marie Schmitt was born at 3:27 PM, Tuesday the 23rd of March.  She tipped the scales at 8 lbs 5 oz and is 19" long.  She has deep blue eyes, dark blonde hair, is amazingly attentive and doesn't seem to cry.

Mom is doing great and both will be home tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who helped or wished us well.

Fiat Lux!

Days 4 and 5 - Random Images



Finishing up Day 5 here at Light with Jennifer Wu's Macro and Flower Field Photography.  A few random images from the last couple of days.  We'll take a week off then back at the flowers again with Rob Sheppard's The Magic of Flowers.  There are still a couple of spots left so come out and join us.

24mm tilt shift for extended DOF

 





Macro/flash work in the studio.
 



 

6 shot stitched panorama

 




 
Pollen covered critter




The old and the new


Fiat Lux!

A Few Shots from Day One in The Studio



We spent the afternoon practicing macro, lighting, and camera techniques in the lab.  We find it a good exercise and warm up to shoot, learn, and master in a controlled environment before venturing out.












This final shot is done with expanded DOF that I showed in last week's video tutorial.  I combined 7 slices in Adobe Photoshop CS4 to get the desired DOF.


Fiat Lux!