My tripod has worn out - it has served me well for when I purchased it as I really didn't know if I would
be using it much upon purchase - so I bought something in-between both quality and price. I'm now finding out that it's starting to really "loosen" up becoming a bit too flexible.
I'm shopping -- and looking at this model by Giottos - MTL-9371B
And of course I need a Head - it needs to pan and hold at least 20lbs - by Giottos - MH-1000
There is nothing more frustrating that getting all set up - and then making all kinds of adjustments to keep your frame square.
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This comes about because I shot the BYU Idaho Campus - Manwaring building last week the tripod let me know it just isn't handing the task anymore. Time for some new blood.
Challenges of the shoot - were keeping control of the 24mm PC-e tilt shift lens. If everything isn't
square, then it can ruin your framing and once that happens the image is un-correctable, even in post.
If the lens is not perpendicular to the subject and it is tilted or askew then all the shifing in the world isn't
going to help. Take your time and frame it up - and then shoot a frame, veryify the exposure, adjust
and then shoot for real.
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This exterior photo was taken at close to 7:30 pm - ASA was fixed at 200 f16.
I'm pround of this image because it represents a different aesthetic - that being a balance of reflective setting sun.
I couldn't help but notice the colors while standing in line for an Ice-cream at the fair last night.
I was torn abit for which one to post - as I like the proprietor behind the counter - but I also like the shot of the women in front of me.
Both shot with the IPhone - Hipstamatic app.
Ok -- I'm back at home - what a great trip - and I'm finally downloading the memory cards and at first glance off the Ipad import these photos look pretty good. But -- upon inspection compared to a developed raw file - they look like hell.
I've starred the fave's and now I sort two more times for the selections to create a photo book for everyone. There are some good pics - but only room for the really good ones.
No wind and a new area this morning about 5 miles out. It was chilly and a bit foggy at first but cleared up as we headed out.
The action was slow at first but a half hour into it Ryan brought up an 80lb 'er and get this - the skipper pulled out a harpoon to land the fish - go figure - it was a sight. An hour later - I pulled up one similar.
Yes - you jab the fish with the Harpoon and the tip of the dart comes off while attached to a rope - meanwhile the fish goes crazy as you and another guy haul the thing over the side into the boat. We were 200 feet deep with 2lbs of weight.
We pulled lines at 230 and took some pictures at the meat packer. Yesterday we netted 125lbs and today should be over a 100lb - over all we should have 460lbs of fish - at 50lbs a packed box that means 9 boxes to ship home with our checked baggage.
We leave tomorrow - and this is Rooster's last year as we know it. The house is sold but he may be back next year for day charters. He will no longer be boarding his guests.
Friday
Today's forecast was up in the air - it rained past 2am and winds were strong through the night. It was good we pulled up early, as the rain started and didn't stop.
This morning at breakfast we discussed how we were probably in for more of the same - not so. Entering the mooring the winds were calm - and our catch of herring was really pleasant as there was no wind - hmmm.
As we left the harbor and made the corner to the same area as yesterday the ocean was - like glass - no wind. It was going to be a good day.
The pin in the lower right is the harbor, and the pin in the upper left is our area of fishing for then last three days, on the map image.
The fish hit hard and if not for what is thought to be a shark - biting two lines and taking baits on the sea bottom - it would have been non stop - but it picked up again after the shark left. Halibut and cod filled the boat. We pulled lines at around 1pm to move.
The fog became thick as we motored toward port - and stopped in between to catch some Rockfish and Ron hooked into a Lin Cod - the photo with the big teeth. Rockfish are like a purple-black small mouth bass -- but bigger.. The Lin Cod look prehistoric with red teethed mouths - Very strange these sea fish.
Lines were pulled at 4pm as we hit our limit of 20 Rockfish - 20 Halibut - 42 Cod - and 2 Lin Cod.
The skipper filleted a Halibut on the back deck on the fly of the return trip and filled out the State forms of the catch in the cabin.
At the fish processing dock the report from yesterdays net was 115 pounds - so the running total is approaching 260 - not including today's catch and that should be at least 100. We may be around 500 lbs when we leave on Sunday.
Yesterdays limiting on Halibut meant some extra time for some stream fishing. This I didn't mention in yesterday's post. Although the rains are keeping the rivers high it was worth checking out the Buckskin just a few minutes drive from the house (correction Buskin).
Today we fished the same area and limited out on Halibut but there weren't any whoopers - 34 Cod were in the count also - it was a good day although the weather forced us to pull lines as a storm was kicking up the rollers. And, when the skipper says to pull the lines - you pull lines as if you don't make the point - you don't get home - theres your sign!!
See the pics - it's a mixture of a bunch of happenings and I can't force the order when I post so they are all over the place. Some of yesterday's stream and I just couldn't resist the ones of my Irish Lord from today - it has a really big mouth !!
As an update - yesterday's haul netted 123lbs of cleaned packaged fish, the day before 15lbs - and hopefully today's is somewhere above 100lbs. The packager is charging $1.50 a pound net.
In the last two days we burned through 70 gallons of gas - the first pics are of the fuel dock as we refueled this morning - well, Roger refueled and we met him and Bill there to board.
It was a good day - a bit chilly and rainy but a good day.
We also saw some whales - Puffins - and Sea Otters - so cool!!
The day started the same as yesterday - with no idea what the conditions were on the water - just a weather report and heresy.
Breakfast at 7am and to the dock at 730 - same drill but a bit easier as I knew what to expect.
The low pressure was moving on but on the back side was still creating some crazy wind and waves, evident as we left the harbor. The captains original plan was scrapped when we started hitting 10 foot rollers. Turning to the North we made a 5 mile run for some coved areas and anchored by about 930.
It was an unknown for Roger - and as it turned, out adversity brought success, as we pulled in 400 lbs of fish in a little over 4 hours with Ryan hitting it big with an approximate 80 lb Halibut. In the mix was some Cod also - a prized catch per the crew. Cod had no limit and we limited out on Halibut.
And for the Blue ribbon winner in the crowd - here's your photos :)
In bed at 2200 and this mornings 0330 wake up meant a quick night and an early shuttle to the Anchorage airport for, que the circus music, one more time for the try to land on Kodiak Island. The gale force winds subsided and were now at about 10mph with 1500ft visibility - so the chances we were to land were much better - and we did land, just fine.
The owner of bed and breakfast charter, Roger Bower (correction Bowers) also the skipper of the Rooster picked us up. We off loaded our bags received a tour of the accommodations, sized up our rain gear and we were off to buy licenses and then to the boat mooring. His boat is a Starcraft type 30ft longed deck stainless (correction Aluminum) hulled, pushed by twin 300 Suzuki engines. The engines are brand new as the inboard diesel threw a glow plug last year and toasted the motor when he was 15 miles out, (correction - 5 miles out).
I'm new to salt water fishing but I'm seasoned to charter fishing where I cut my teeth with the pioneer of Great Lakes sport fishing as a First Mate with "Whiety" Erwin L Vermulen on the Sportsman in the late eighties. He birthed the sports fishing we know of today on the shores of Western Michigan.
The Alaska fishing has some of the same species and uses the same techniques but the stakes are amplified because of the natural conditions. Waves, currents, and tides can be unforgiving - let alone the corrosion of sea water.
The port is akin to what you see on the TV program deadliest catch and not much different from a Lake Michigan port - yet this is all commercial type vessels and filled with equipment of the dull gray sheen of stainless steel. There is very few fiberglass boats in the yards.
We motored out just past the docks and caught some herring for our cut bait - it was as simple as finding the school and dropping a three tiered jig - and we caught 3 at a time.
Temps were cool in the 50s and winds were very breezy.
Motoring out to sea the boat was impressive - able to handle the 10 foot rollers and the white caps - I was ready to call it a day soon after but the skipper pressed on and after about an hour of searching for non existent protected seas we settled into an anchored position and started jigging for Halibut. One pound weighted 5/0 cut baited hooks attached to Penn 310 reels with 5-8' rods geared us.
We dropped our first lines at 10am and pulled our last at 1630. Of that we landed 5 10-15 pound Halibut and numerous other non-game fish, all of which I've never see before.
As we came in we off loaded the fish to the vacuum packer and kept two for dinner - deep fried - and they were similar to the favored Lake Perch/Walleye in taste.
Lessons learned - it's all about the gear as the Sea is uncomforting. It's cold, wet, and you are wearing rubber rain pants and boots and neoprene gloves to stay somewhat warm and dry.
Yesterday the pilot of the 737 cargo approached twice, the island of Kodiak and almost did a touch and go but pulled up at the last seconds.
The wind with the low visibility was no good. We stayed the night in Anchorage at a dive motel and we try again in about an hour.
This is the load out for the Alaska trip this next week.
A fishing trip - not a photographic trip - but I just couldn't leave the good gear behind. D3s of course - 85mm f1.4 - 50mm f1.4 - and Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4.0, and that's it.
I debated on wether to just take M's D80 - but I wanted video, and to be frank - I didn't want to leave myself disappointed by not bringing the D3s.
Lens selection was a tough call as I almost took the 80-200, but I figured that I will really want wide more than zoom - and space is limited as all this is in a carry on. Speaking of which, all I have is the iPad, and off loading images is going to be either a trick or impossible as I don't have a compatible CF reader. Later this morning I will go looking for a USB reader.
I was asked to photograph the blue ribbon opening of the Univeristy of Utah Neuropsyciatric addition
or just known as UNI.
FFKR Architects - was the Architect.
The addition adds 80+ beds to a very much strapped need in the community.
Bright 11am Sun - with an impersonal crowd - so I shot into it, and framed what I could.
Of all - I beleive the shot below is the best of the set - blown out sun - framed lettering in the upper left
and the women trying to look small with the head down while hoping to not be captured in the frame adds
a bit of tension.
It's tough -- it's tough to be living in this age of incredible information, electronics, and automation.
And, it's tough when you have a crazy cool wish list - Mac Book Air's, Yaesu HT's, and camera companies
released a new Carrot every few months.
I already have the D3s - soon to be replaced by Nikon's D4, an announcement which should be out any day, yet I'm in the market for something a bit different. Something smaller, as just today a colleague called the D3s Godzilla -- in a twisted way, I liked it.
So - what drives the need for smaller gear - portability - just that simple. July I hauled 20lbs of gear
to Michigan only to be trumped by a missing battery - and I was crushed. A useless exercise.
My options are this - a high end point and shoot - Canon S95, Nikon Cool Pics (insert model number here)
or a Panasonic LX5 - well - as good as these are, they just arn't good enough. I want image quality and
performance very close to what I'm shooting now, and even that's just about impossible I may come close.
Micro 4/3's caught my attention - the Pen PL1, then the newer PL2 - oh wait -- what about the P-2 and then
last month's P-3... all good stuff as even outlined by Chase Jarvis' grip in this video.
Panasonic's DMC-GF2 was my choice - with the 20mm f1.7 - But, to make the decisions even more muddied - Rumors developed about Sony's Nex-7. A 24mp, APS-C, built in EVF with some external controls - Money.
It was announced yesterday - and I'm smitten.
The Mac Book Air can wait.
I'm not one for a cropped photo - at least when I'm doing it - others, who wish the image to fit the content, I'm more comfortable with.
This image on the other hand screams for a crop - as the content is meant to be interpreted in the square frame.
I converted to B/W with the help of tutorials of George Jardine - of photoshop fame. His blog and commentary is most definately worth a look. And - look up his podcasts where he rountables with Jay Maisel.
This was a tough event - and one of which to learn from.
Fast paced action I am not used too, and this was fast. So fast I shot .jpg - whoa... I have never -- ever -- shot .jpg - and from the results - I'm still not a fan. Why .jgp and not .NEF Nikon's RAW (Nikon Electronic Format) -- well... I needed the buffer. Even with the D3s - the buffer fills up after a few seconds of 9 frames per second. Don't let the Nikon Rep. fancy talk fool you.. it will choke and choke hard.
So --
The Tour of Utah -- fast bikes - 1 p.m. sun - and I've never done this before. That pretty much sums it up.
I shot 3D focus track for a while -- and then I switched to AF Auto Area -- as the 3D wasn't keeping up - and it held it's own...What I should have done is switch back to NEF after switching to AF Auto - but I didn't.
At first I shot the 80-200 AF-s f2.8 -- at around 5.6 from the opposite corner. Then at the second lap I crossed the street and at the corner Apex - I shot the Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4 at again f5.6.
This was almost a waste as the AF just couldn't react to the closing distance of the racers. The third lap I switched off the AF and picked a point and did my best -- once again.. not good enough. The 4th lap - I crossed the street to my original position with the 80-200mm and filled the frame with Auto AF. After a while everything ended up up looking the same, so I walked up the street to change the scenery.
All in all -- a day of shooting is a blast - what would I have done differently -- I would have rented a 400mm f4 and been a bit farther back - and once again, just filled the frame.
Filling the frame is the most compelling view point - I feel.
Of the 370 photos -- this is what made the cut - and the cut was brutal.
Comments - both good and bad are always welcome.
If you are posting on Flickr or 500px or anywhere else for that matter there may come a time when someone will want to purchase/license one of your creative works.
I am by no means an expert here - but the following may help with this inquiry.
Three pieces of information, listed below will be invaluable to the experience.
Advertising Photography Lou Lesko
Best Business Practices for Photographers John Harrington
Foto Quote Cradoc
This is one possible experience.
Email: Hello this is "Name", from "Agency" and we would like to discuss the possibility to license your photo. Please contact me at ....
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This is really cool, heady, and big stroke to the Ego, contact the Agency as soon as possible as agencies motivations are time sensitive, and this may mean a sale for you - remember they are coming to you - so get back to them.
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Eventually there will be a conversation about price - the tricky part.
1 - Listen to the offer - just listen and don't say a word. Let the offer come to you.
Do not volunteer anything which may benefit who you are talking too - just keep listening.
(You will probably hear something about "budgets are tight - we don't have a lot for this one - I hope you understand - we always value Photographers...." See this video - VendorClientVideo
2 - Make sure you understand the requested use and time needed for the image. Is it Billboard, Magazine or web, etc.
3 - Hide the fact that you are excited to get this call, tell them you will need to run some numbers for the use request and offer to get back to them. You will be providing them an estimate for work.
Now -- you have some decisions to make - They contacted you because for some reason the image is "speaking" to them to solve their problem. This may be an all or nothing negotiation - or they may have 10 other options right behind you they will entertain, if they don't get their price. Keep this in mind.
Pricing is tricy - as some pricing is regional, and sometimes that is hard to determine.
I'm also going to offer this - The pricing dance is different for someone who never purchases photos - take for instance a future bride and groom. They probably have never purchased photo services before so there would be a learning curve for them to understand the industry. But - if you are dealing with an agency, or a Creative Director, well -- they should know or have an idea of what is reasonable. At times you may be able to follow their lead and they may even hold your hand - and the negotiation could be very smooth.
4 - Go read and use the three references above - oh my gosh - I can't emphasise this enough. The two books will describe in detail, specific situations and examples, and the software will allow you to estimate a price for the use.
Lou Lesko, in addition to his book, also produces BlinkBid software which will create invoicing and estimates.
We, I'm assuming, all want to please those who want services from us - but - as in retail, some come in your shop to look, and some buy - and some leave. Your price may be just that - too much, and they may just walk away, or you may walk away.
Here's another thought - what happens if I don't close this deal - my work will not be seen and I will loose that opportunity of exposure. Well, that's something to keep in mind. These are all difficult decisions - and I would assume become easier to decide when there are 20 jobs in the que. If you are small - then - you have fewer options to lose this exposure of your work.
Challenges - never a dull moment when a job presents itself and you really don't know what Condition is.
Task - Condition - Standard.
Task - Photograph an Architectural Model
Condition - Unknown
Standard - Photographs of Commercial Quality
I packed the usual gear - all my lenses with the exception of the 80-200mm, flashes, stands, and of course
the tripod - but - I also included my black backdrop cotton muslin.
With the help of the modeling staff holding the muslin, I set up the tripod, sized up the scene with the
85mm AF f1.4 D and pretended I was a Giant.
Lighting was about perfect as the modeling shop was in a coverted garage - and with the garage door open, daylight flooded from the side.
Post was minimal - as with everything - I warmed it up a bit, brought up the blacks to add clarity, and
some sharpening.
Done.
When I shoot I never really try to visualize the post processed image - yet I'm trying to change that and get better at shooting for color.
I do recognize that I "got the shot" -- or that something is going to look really good and for the most part that the "got the shot" is all about pure composition and back at the "Lab" the hyper critical judgement appears.
Exposure is good for about 2-stops, anything else and I'm really reaching and the NEF file just falls apart - but focus - if it's not in focus, or if it's not to my standard -- well, then it's DTM - Dead To Me.
And sometimes that is a realy bummer.
The Bokeh on this is really busy in the lower left of the frame - the circles of confusion are, well... very confusing and distracting - but - it's all I got, and I'm hoping that I'm being a bit too critical - and I'm letting the color be the subject to some extent.
This is rendered with X-equals "Kodak Kodachrome 25 Curve" LRoom preset - it punches the colors and adds almost a halo gradient between the separation - of which I really like. Once again -- and I've said it before,
X-Equals and the work being done by MWGray at Life in Digital Film the creator of these presets is stunning.
I don't add vignets or anything artifical to add drama when I post process -- I will add a graduated filter to control exposure usually no more then 1/2 a stop. And here's my cookbook - If I can notice that it looks fake - then that is bad.
