by successfulbob | architectural photography, Guest Post, Lumix G9, travel photography
China through the Eyes of Ken MacAdams – Part One
Ken is currently wending his way through China and shares news and images from his travels here on Succssful-Photographer.
The 12 + hour flight to China will tweek your psychological time clock, not matter how you cut it. We welcomed deplaning in Beijing, and getting our feet back on the ground. Flying from the USA, we’d crossed the International Date Line, so lost a day. After breezing through immigration, we stepped out into the terminal, into the face of new smells and sights. Like the reality of the time difference, once you step off the gateway, you know you’re not in Kansas.
Forbidden City gate with the modern city in the background. Smog is often present – and many people wear face masks when walking about. All Images in this post © Ken MacAdams 2018 All Rights Reserved
Personal Photography Project
This marks my 5th sojourn in China, and each visit is an enriching experience. My visits now are part of a personal photography project, in which I’m documenting the tremendous changes going on in this vast land. China has often been ‘off limits’ to foreigners, and in recent times it wasn’t until the late 1980’s that foreigners could obtain visas to travel here. My first visit was in 2000. Already changes were happening as the ‘New China’ came out from under the repression of the Cultural Revolution – an era that almost put China back into the Dark Ages.
Woman dancing to music with a banner flag in one of the many parks.We’d planned only a short sojourn in Beijing, but wanted to experience a different section of the Great Wall, and see some of the changes around the city since our first visit here. A teacher I’d met last year picked us up at the airport and shuttled us to a motel near his apartment. Foreigners must stay only at State approved hotels, as Big Brother keeps a close eye on affairs here. I’m not intimidated by it, just aware that as I travel about, my every move is documented and tracked. My wife is with me, and we’re here on 10 year multiple entry tourist visas, with a maximum stay of 60 days per visit.
Hiking on the Great Wall from one watchtower looking back down the mountainside.This view of the Wall gives you a perspective of just how much hiking you have ahead of you!!
The Great Wall
Our friend had arranged for a driver to shuttle us out to the Matianyu section of the Wall. Luck presented us with one of the sunniest days I’ve ever experienced in this area, with brilliant blue cloudless skies. This section of the Wall climbs over 3,400 ft. as it clings to the spine of the rugged mountains. A modern gondola whisked us part way up the mountainside, and then it was time to hike! We logged over 3 miles of semi-strenuous hiking during our visit, poking around watchtowers, savoring the grand vistas, and marveling at the thought of those who labored so hard to build this Wonder of the World. Originally constructed to prevent fierce raiding tribesmen from the north from plundering the city states to the south, the wall stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the east, several thousand miles inland.
Ken has always loved to travel, so when he made a common connection with the fact that either a long day pounding the streets of some foreign city, or shooting the last dance at a wedding, a good part of his physical
weariness came from lugging around his big heavy DSLR. That’s when he started looking at alternatives – and ended up selecting Panasonic Lumix Micro Four Thirds gear.
Ken is rarely without a camera, and the next great photo travel experience – whether local or abroad – is always in the back of his mind! A longtime resident of the Four Corners, and when he’s not out on the road, he enjoys some of the great outdoor opportunities found there – mountain biking, hiking, and Jeeping.
by successfulbob | inspiration, photo walkabout, wildlife photography
Creating Good Animal Photos from a Captive Environment
I practice my wildlife photography by spending time at the zoo. There are a few reasons for this, and I’ll share them here to hopefully help you in your image creation and get feedback from you on my thoughts. You can always reach me through my email [email protected]
A baboon named One at the Phoenix Zoo. I spent a bit over an hour waiting to get this portrait with eye contact in decent light. Black and white allow for concentration on his expression.
One benefit of photographing in a structured environment is that you can find animals. I know that it sounds simple at its most basic but you need the practice to become a good wildlife photographer. Exercise may be had at the zoo. Part of the training is to learn to focus quickly and in the right place. You may think this can be easy, but until you have tried it, I think you’ll be surprised how difficult it can be to acquire arresting and exciting photos.
This Mandrill was sleeping for quite a while, but I hung around until he started foraging around in his enclosure. Expression and eye contact are paramount in making this a success. (the color of his features don’t hurt either!)
Just because the animals are captive does not mean that they will pose for you. Things such as eye contact and behavior can make or break an image. One of the items on which you are practicing is to see how an animal moves. How to stop that movement (or accentuate it for something more artistic).
This Orangutan was walking away, and I mentally willed her to look at me over her shoulder. I will often ask mentally for my wildlife to change position and it’s pretty cool how often it works.
If I can suggest one thing that you will learn that you can take with you into nature is patience. Even though you are in a target rich area, you still need to spend time, and lots of it, to get images with eye contact. If you run from enclosure to enclosure thinking you will get more varied photos you will be correct. But I suggest that the pictures will be less than stellar than if you spend more time with fewer animals.
More from the Phoenix Zoo in the next couple of days. Including the gear I use for making my images.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | bird photography, Lumix G9, travel photography, wildlife photography
Festival of the Cranes
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge – Part Three
I enjoy spending time with wildlife.
Watching. Waiting. Learning.
To get the best wildlife images it is important to study the behavior patterns of your prey. Especially in avian photography. Learning when a bird is about to make a move leads to obtaining more than a portrait. Portraits are cool, but my favorite images are highlighting behavior. A mating dance. A flight. A landing. Feeding or grooming all lend more to the captured image in my opinion.
These images are from the Festival of the Cranes in Socorro, New Mexico just a bit south of Albuquerque. I shared pictures from the event, but the previous ones were of Snow Geese. These are the stars of the show, Sandhill Cranes.
Let me know what you think!
In for a landing during first light at the first pond – Bosque del Apache NWR
Sandhill Crane in flight (with a couple of snow geese interlopers in the background)
In the warm glow of sunrise here’s the classic capture of three Sandhills with the three wing positions
More Sandhills in the next day or so. For more from the Bosque NWR see these posts with the Snow Geese.
Bosque Part One
Bosque Part Two
The previous posts have the information on the camera gear and links to find it.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | bird photography, Lumix G9, LumixGH5, photography, photography gear, travel photography, wildlife photography
Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Snow Geese Part Two
With twenty-thousand plus snow geese winging their way around the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge it was a fantastic couple of days of sights and sounds. Sometimes it was quite overwhelming. On several occasions I had to put the cameras down to just experience nature in its pure form.
I’ve found there is a layer of distance that appears much larger than the six to eight physical inches when I put my face behind a camera — a certain detachment. This distance enables other photographers and me to do things like cover disasters, wars or record infant demises through organizations such as **Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. This is an important feature, but it can occasionally interfere with the enjoyment of the moment that is unfolding in front of us.
More Snow Geese photos to share…
A solitary Sandhill Crane glides in over a pond of snow geese
Snow geese in flight
Take off!
Kinda reminds me of that famous movie from Alfred Hitchcock!
To make successful wildlife photographs, I would suggest that you spend a fair amount of time studying their behavior long before you pick up your camera to try and capture images. I’m a big fan of bird behavior vs. a straight portrait, although portraits have their place. Being able to predict when a bird will fly, open its wings or display for another will make your photographs come to life. Having a lens with a long reach works to help you fill the frame without disturbing the natural behavior. See my gear below which gives me an 800mm equivalent which is handholdable for capture.
Images were made with Panasonic cameras. Most often the LUMIX G Leica DG Vario-Elmar Professional Lens, 100-400MM, F4.0-6.3 ASPH mounted on the Lumix G9 and the Lumix GH5 for a second body. I had the chance to try out the Leica DG Vario-Elamarit 50-200mm 2.8-40 lens I am working toward getting this lens.
Next up the Sandhill Cranes!!
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
** If you want to give back to your community think about photographing for NILMDTS. It is a very rewarding, if difficult mission.
by successfulbob | photography software
It’s Deal Time with Luminar Software
If you haven’t given Skylum’s Luminar a chance as yet it might be time. It sells for $69 (or if you use coupon code COATES $59) It works as a stand-alone program or as a plug-in on MAC and PCs. This software can be a great time-saver and/or artistic tool. Lot of goods stuff including… Ah, I don’t need to ‘splain it to you. Check out the link it’s all there and worth a look!
Click here or the image above
Happy Thanksgiving!
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – This Black Friday deal comes with other goodies too!
weariness came from lugging around his big heavy DSLR. That’s when he started looking at alternatives – and ended up selecting Panasonic Lumix Micro Four Thirds gear.
