by successfulbob | photographers health, photography - art quote, photography education
Before you start to read this post you might want to click on the song below… Go ahead, you can do it!
TIME…
If you think about time is the ultimate currency in our lives. Twenty-four hours in a day. Some of those are, of course, survival type hours eating, sleeping, bathing and generally tending to health in one way or another. When you start to whittle away at you day like that you start to realize that time is as the Steve Miller and song says, ‘Slipping into the future…’
So lets take just a bit of time to think about how we are using it. Roy H. Williams puts it succinctly in today’s Photo Art Quote.
“What are you buying with the hours of your life?” Roy H Williams
(Roy is the author of the Monday Morning Memo which is a place I recommend you spend some of your time…)
I believe it’s a good thing to ponder ideas such as this occasionally as we as artists/photographers tend to throw ourselves into our businesses and many times creative work and family lives suffer as a result.
Can you find a way to have someone else do the menial work within your business? Things like editing, or retouching? Is there someone who would be better at selling you than you? Think about ways you can spend more time focused on your art and the creative aspects of your business and on your family and friend relationships. I think when you accomplish that you’ll get a much better return on your ‘investment’. Every time you start a task ask yourself, “Is this going to give me the best return in quality of life?”
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education, photography gear
What a difference a lens (and some extension tubes) can make!
I went back out to the trial chasing some wildflowers in Sedona, Arizona. But this time I came a bit more prepared for the subject with some extension tubes and a long lens to isolate and magnify the beauty something a wide lens just can’t do. (see images from the day before)
Having trouble finding the correct names for my desert flowers. This might be a Four O’Clock something or other. Any help from you botanical types??
Been trying to identify this flower… Has the shape of a type of Morning Glory but the
pistols extending out from the bell I think are telling me it’s something else. Any ideas for me?
OK enough with the flower naming conventions… Here’s the down low on the gear used.
Because I was on the trail I wanted to stay fairly light so I grabbed the MePhoto Backpacker Tripod. Pretty versatile and folds up to around 15 inches with it’s own shoulder case. Nice ball head with firm controls. Wasn’t sure I would like this tripod but it’s been serving me very well.
I wasn’t traveling to far so the Lumix GH4 was the camera of choice with a 35-100 f2.8 Lumix Vario lens. Extra lenses, extension tubes and other photo stuff was in the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20. Good build with enough room for a good selection of gear but still is unobtrusive on my belt.
I added some inexpensive extension tubes from Vello. When you shop for extension tubes make sure you get matched to your system so the auto-focus and exposure are automatic. If you only shoot macro images occasionally extension tubes can work great and save you the price of a dedicated macro lens.
To help control the lighting I used a 20 inch 5 in 1 reflector from FJ Westcott. This is small and light yet big enough to cover flowers fro the sun and give a nice glow to the lighting.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS – If you like like the information you receive on this web site please shop for your gear using the links from this site. I am an Amazon affiliate and it helps to support the web site. Thanks!
by successfulbob | landscape photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, photography
On the Big Park Loop Trail this morning leaving from Bell Rock Vista Parking lot. Flowers are littering the landscape! Add a bit of rain to the desert and it responds in very short order. Pleasantly surprised as this spring was very dry and the flower show was fairly quiet.
The hiking is prime as temperatures are in the high 50’s to low 60’s around sunrise. Here are a couple of images from the walk but not as wonderful as I’d like as I didn’t come equipped with the correct lenses for getting up close and personnel with the blooms… That will be rectified tomorrow!
As close as I can tell, because there are so many similar desert blooms in this family, this is a
Great Basin Mojave Sonoran Chihuahaun AKA Yellow Spring Daisy.
A Jones Penstemon flower bloom. I love how nature dropped the bloom to accent and intertwined with the Yucca…
Little surprises can pop up if you stay aware. Like this reflection of first light on Courthouse Butte in the puddle left in the wash.
Camera data. Images captured with the Lumix GX7 and Lumix 20mm f1.7. Photos are SOOC. (straight out of camera)
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | architectural photography, commercial photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography gear
Thought I’d share some of my commercial work with you… Been going at it pretty hard this week. Shooting images for the Sky Ranch Lodge (not my images yet on the web site they are still in post production) in Sedona, AZ.
One thing I like about my job is getting to know my community more intimately. I’ve been living in Sedona for over fifteen years and always knew about the Sky Ranch Lodge but never had cause to go there. Very cool property! It has a nostalgic feel, the grounds are gorgeous with multiple water features and the views are indescribable. But that’s where the photos come in handy!
This is one of two cottages at Sky Ranch Lodge.
Double queen with a garden view.
The interiors were captured with the Lumix GH4 and 7-14 f4.0 lens. Having the articulating screen is handy when I am trying to squeeze the camera as close to a wall corner as possible.
Added fill light to the rooms with Fiilex LED lights. The 302EX 3 light kit with stands and roller case worked well. This was the first time I used continuous lighting on a hotel job and it sure makes the job easier. The fact that you can dial in color temperature on the lights saves a bunch of time time in post production when you are balancing outdoor light with the incandescent lighting from the fixtures.
I bracketed exposures to balance indoor and outdoor light to be stripped in in post.
I’ll share a trick I use to get a nice glow from the room lighting without blowing out the highlights. Change all the bulbs out to a 15 watt size. Saves a ton of time in post production!
Water feature and gardens at the Lodge.
Put yourself in this rocker lounge chair. (Think I’d have a glass of wine or a cold brew in my hand too)
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | architectural photography, black & white, fine art photography, landscape photography, Lumix GH3, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, panorama, people photography, photography, photography education
I compete to stretch my photography skill set in order to keep growing and to get some feedback from my peers on how my work is stacking up.
This year I received a more than pleasant surprise as my most successful ever in imaging competition at Professional Photographers of America International Photographic Competition. I will be awarded the Diamond Photographer of the Year for my Master Artist entries and The Silver Photographer of the Year for my entries in the Photographic Open case.
I also inadvertently answered another question that comes my way from fellow photographers when referencing the Lumix line of Micro 4/3rds mirrorless cameras… Is the chip big enough? Is there enough quality to use this camera for professional work? The answer is a resounding, “You betcha!”.
I entered eight images overall. Seven were captured with various Lumix cameras. Five images were accepted into the PPA’s prestigious Loan Collection. Variety was the watchword with the entries including a portrait, art images, architecture and a scenic.
Here are the images from the Master Artist case in which judges are looking for the skills involved in post production. Guide images are used to show some of the process going from RAW capture to finished product. These images earned the Platinum Photographer of the Year designation which will be awarded in Nashville at the PPA convention.
‘Horn in F’ original image captured with Lumix GH2. Textures with Lumix GH2 & Lumix GH3.
Used my ‘Step & Repeat” Photoshop action to make multiple copies of the French Horn. Images were copied, rotated and multiple texture layers in various blend modes were used to complete the art.
‘Musical instruments Museum’ original image captured with Lumix GH2. See above description for technique.
‘Nautilus’ original captured with the Lumix GX7. The blossom was isolated and
copied, resized and manipulated multiple times to create the Nautilus shape.
‘Thistle’ image captured with 5D Mark II using Helicon focus and focus stacking then worked with textures and color.
Here are the Four images submitted in the Photographic Open category. Three were accepted into PPA’s General Collection with one image admitted into the Loan Collection leading to the Platinum Photographer of of the Year Award which will be given at the PPA annual convention in February. If you a not already a PPA member it’s a great idea. If you join you can go to the convention for free in Nashville next year.
‘Rooftop View’ captured with Panasonic Lumix GH2. NIK Color FX Pro was used along with textures, blend modes and layer masks.
‘Sedona, Arizona Panorama’ Captured with Lumix GH3. Multiple images stitched together in AutoPano Pro then some NIK Color FX Pro to enhance the depth and dimension.
‘Still the One’ Captured with Lumix GH3. Converted to sepia tone with partial spot color mask for the flag.
‘Santa Fe Street Portrait’ Captured with Lumix GX7 a great street camera with a very low profile and lots of features I really enjoy. It’s my favorite “With Me” Camera. Converted to Black and white using NIK Silver Effects Pro 2.
When I first started working with the Micro 4/3rds format I was a little concerned about sensor size but as the new Panasonic cameras and pro glass were introduced I was able to put those fears aside and now I’m exclusively using the format for all my commercial and fine art work including architecture, product, portraits, fine art imagery and more. Is this the be all and end all format for every photographer and every need?? No, of course not! I’ve found it fits my working style and as long as my customers and I are pleased with the final results that’s what matters.
Questions? Give me a shout.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
PS Just in case you haven’t read my disclaimer section I am a Panasonic Lumix Luminary and I travel around the country teaching photography with them as my sponsor. If you would like me to come teach at your photography organization get in touch my contact info is at the top of the page.
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Today’s quote comes from Oscar Wilde, Irish writer and poet. “A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. Its beauty comes from the fact that the author is what he is.”
I often wonder if I am unique or the work I produce is unique. You often hear you can’t create anything new under the sun and after a while you can begin to believe it. I fight this on a regular basis. I ask myself if I am copying something I saw in the past that was ingrained in my memory? Then I realize I am standing on the shoulders of the photography and art giants that have come before me.
I find I create from many of the things I have seen. From many of the things I have studied. From many of the things I have learned. The brain will combine all of the things that it has been exposed to and hopefully will come up with something original.
Garbage in = garbage out.
I suggest you fill your head with wonderful art, great photography, beautiful architecture, great imagery of all kinds. I make sure that every city I get to that has an art museum gets a visit from me. I will stand in front of a single painting for five minutes, ten minutes and sometimes up to 45 minutes drinking in the colors, lines, composition and style. I now see impressionist influences working their way into my photography. I try to look at art just before turning in for the night so that during sleep my mind can feast upon the last images presented.
“A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. Its beauty comes from the fact that the author is what he is.” Oscar Wilde
I am looking to create unique art. I hope I also have, as Wilde says, a unique temperament to help make that happen.
How about you???
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
