Exploring the tourist scene. I feel a new project coming on!
Tag Archives: national parks
chiaroscuro
Friday Photo Tip: Fill Flash
Eastern bluebird. ♂
Don’t be afraid to fish out the flash from your camera bag when shooting in nature. Too often a strobe is used only for lighting up people in dark situations.
Nature should look natural, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enhance it a bit. And that’s what fill flash does. If you want to get those natural colors to really pop and if you want to see a little catch light in the creature’s eye, just throw a little light in there. Makes a world of difference.
I like to expose for the scene and then dial down the flash about a stop and a half. Maybe two stops. Experiment.
Dialing down the flash keeps it from blowing out the scene; keeps it more natural looking.
Potomac River Gorge. The Book is Here!
I’m very proud to present, after many years of documentation and exploration, the Potomac River Gorge book. A real, actual, physical book to sit comfortably on your couch with while gently paging through the imagery of one of the gems of our National Park Service.
You can click on the link below to see a preview. Then click on the second link to go to the Blurb Bookstore and pick one up for yourself… or for someone you love. Or both!
Many thanks and have a happy holiday season!
Cheers.
Friday Photo Tip: Quality of Light.
So you’ve spent a few good hours exploring a new place and you think you’ve finally found that definitive scene. You take care to shoot from various angles and try a variety of lenses. You work the composition until it feels just right.
You scroll through your images on the LCD and a sense of satisfaction washes over you. Start packing it up. On to the next location, right? Not so fast!
Yes, you’re happy with the image. Yes, you’re content with your composition. But how will this scene look later in the evening? Early next morning? What is the weather forecast for the next few days?
If you think something is worth documenting then it’s worth documenting well. You’re pleased with what you photographed in the daylight? Great. Now go back there at twilight and you’ll see something quite different. That brief period of transition between darkness and light called the gloaming will enhance almost any scene. If there is a building in your shot the interior lights can add interesting color elements to the image as well.
Time is a luxury we don’t often get to enjoy, it’s true. In those cases you just have to make the best of it. But when you do have time, take advantage. Go back to the same spot. Shoot it again. You’ll find it’s well worth your effort.
Keep The Parks Open !
According to the National Parks Conservation Association, if congress and the President fail to come to an agreement by January more than 200 million dollars will be cut from an already deflated NPS budget. This will mean various closures throughout the system. It will mean layoffs and work stoppages. As many as 9,000 Rangers could be let go. Park hours will be cut and some parks will be shut completely. The Parks budget today is 15% less than it was ten years ago. Cutting it drastically further would have devastating impacts on the entire system. Not to mention on the millions who love and visit regularly these national treasures.
Please take some time and call your congressional representatives and Senators… or at least visit the NPCA website and sign their petition. You can find it here: Take Action
Potomac River Gorge. The Book.
Washington DC from A Cessna 172
It’s not a view many people get to see nowadays and it requires a great deal of paper work, patience and luck. But when it all comes together, it is still way cool to fly over Washington DC.
This is the view looking west at the National Mall and the various museums and galleries. Capitol Building, Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial are easy to make out. Supreme Court, Native American Museum are visible. And that big group of red roof buildings on the right? That’s Federal Triangle, part of the Pennsylvania Ave. National Historical Site.
Love this city!