April 28, 2006

My Top Ten Tips

Morning at Cedar Falls Hocking Hills Ohio by Jim Crotty Picture Ohio, LLCThe following is the text to an email reply I recently sent to a fellow photographer, asking for advice:
I could probably write quite a bit on how to take good, eye-catching photographs, just on the technical aspects alone. But the truth is that for every one photograph that I consider to be worthy of posting and printing, there are 10 to 20 that are deleted. So I guess that’s my most important tip. To get out and shoot as much as you can. That’s where I’ve learned the best time of day and season, the right lens and filter and developing my own vision of how I’d like to capture a scene.

For a quick tip list, here are my top 10:
1) Always shoot with a tripod with a good, quality ball head. This will force you to slow down and set-up your shot as well as shoot at slower shutter speeds, allowing you more control over your lens aperture and depth of field.
2) Get up VERY early to shoot nature and landscapes. Almost all of my best nature and landscape images were taken either just before, at, and just after sunrise or around sunset. The light in the middle of the day is the worst. Too many “hot” spots and shadows.
3) Do most of your shooting in the spring and fall, followed by winter and then lastly, summer.
4) Shoot nature and landscapes on cloudy days. Even a little bit of rain helps saturate colors, especially during spring and fall.
5) Know the area you want to photograph before bringing out your camera gear. Watch and observe how light throughout the day and seasons changes the subject.
6) Use a polarizing filter for macro images, such as flowers, as well as for woodland scenes and waterfalls. Many people think a polarizer is only useful for turning the sky to dark blue, however, these filters work best on taking the glare and shine off wet rocks, foliage and flower petals, enhancing the natural color of your subject.
7) Look behind you and look down around your feet. When photographing the first thing that catches your eye, take some time to look all around and see what else there could be that would make an attractive image. Sometimes these end-up being the best shots of the day.
8) Don’t fall into the trap of becoming more concerned with having the latest and best gear, whether it be the highest megapixel digital camera or the coolest looking lens. What’s FAR more important is developing your artistic vision. I often challenge myself by going out with just one camera body and two lenses.
9) Learn from the masters. Read everything by well-respected and accomplished nature photographers such as John Shaw, David Middleton, Art Wolf, Jim Brandenburg and others. Shaw and Middleton are my favorites, primarily because they are excellent teachers as well as photographers.
10) Don’t throw away the film and sell your film camera. Even though the entire world seems to be going digital, you would be surprised at how many professional nature photographers still use film as their primary medium. Especially good ol‘ Fuji Velvia. Most of my best-selling nature and landscape images are still those that I took with Velvia, both 35mm and medium format. In fact, my favorite way of shooting outdoors is still my Mamiya RZ67 medium format with a Sekonic light meter.

And if I could add just one more tip it would be to never, never give up. If nature and landscape photography is what truly “trips your trigger,” and is your true passion, then stick to it despite negative criticism and people who want to discourage you. I’ve found that people who do that are almost always 1) jealous of your talent, and 2) envious of your courage.

There it is in a nutshell. I probably went on a bit too much. I have a tendency to do that. But now I think this would make a good post on my blog, so . . .

Keep at it and keep shooting.

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April 26, 2006

Light Anxiety

Filed under: Lessons Learned, Ohio Photographs — James Crotty @ 3:23 pm

Iselboro Road Sunrise photograph by Jim CrottyNo, I’m talking about anxiety on the light side, as in just a little bit here and there. The light anxiety I speak of is that experienced by all nature and landscape photographers. It’s when we find ourselves in perfect light conditions, the kind that only happen once or twice a year, and we scramble to capture that million dollar image.

Even though in my presentations I stress the importance of “slowing down” and “letting the scene come to you,” I still find myself overcome with anxious nervousness when I come into some prime light within an eye-catching scene.

Am I using the right lens? What about my white balance setting? Should I break-out my split neutral density filter? Oh no, the light is going, going . . . gone. #%$^!

I had one these moments just this last Sunday morning out in Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. I was there to serve as a judge in the “Shoot the Hills” photo competition, sponsored and organized by the Friends of Hocking Hills organization. There were over 100 photographers who paticipated in the event. The images they captured during the 24-hour shoot time were very impressive. It was fun viewing unique photo discoveries from photographers with a wide range of experience and ability. One of the junior participants delivered an image of a rather large timber rattlesnake. I think I’m going to be a bit more careful hiking in Hocking Hills!

On the Saturday of the competition I presented a PowerPoint presentation, titled “Let the Light Find You” where my advice included the usual “slow down and take your time” approach to photography. And then the very next morning I find myself jumping all around a scene, firing off frame after frame. Just goes to show that it can be hard following your own advice.

A line of thunderstorms flowed through Hocking Hills late Saturday evening and early Sunday morning. Before sunrise the sky cleared. I awoke early to capture what I expected to be some good waterfall images based on the good soaking that took place overnight. It is also in early morning when I capture the best of my nature and landscape photographs. That is when the light is best, followed by the light of late afternoon and early evening.

I was on my way to Cedar Falls when suddenly I decided to take a look down one of the nearby picturesque rural routes that criss-cross the rolling hills of this part of Ohio. It was Iselboro Road. I had photographed some autumn scenes with horses along this route a year or two ago, and I knew there was a nice valley that tended to be a good gathering spot for mist and fog.

It was a good guess. Right before me was a perfect rural setting with a light that can only be described as ethereal. The S-curve of the road provided a natural composition, leading the viewer’s eye to a destination of streaming sunlight through fog-shrouded trees. The wetness on the road combined with the rising sun so as to highlight this path. The scene provided a message of journey, from darkness to light. (more…)

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April 13, 2006

Happy Easter

Filed under: Digital, Ohio Photographs, Stock Photography — James Crotty @ 1:32 pm

Easter Basket

April 7, 2006

Updates on OhioPhoto.org

Filed under: Commercial Photography, Dayton, Digital, Ohio Photographs, Stock Photography — James Crotty @ 12:54 pm

I just added many new images to the Main Gallery page over at OhioPhoto.org. So many that I had to add a page 2. I’ve also redesigned and added new samples to the page on Commercial and Freelance Photography. Please stop by for a look.

A special message to my fellow nature photographers, in and around Ohio - don’t miss out on the 5th Annual Nature Photography Weekend Compeition, “Shoot the Hills,” set for the weekend of April 21-23, 2006 in Hockings Hills State Park. Yours truly will be serving as one of the five judges for the competition, which is probably the largest nature photography competition held in Ohio. A special thank you goes out to Jerry and Barbara Jividen of Jividen’s Naturally Wild Photo Adventures for putting so much hard work into organizing this great event and honoring me with the invitation to serve as a judge at this year’s competition.    

Trillium at Germantown MetroPark by Jim Crotty

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April 6, 2006

One Marine

Filed under: Lessons Learned, Uncategorized — James Crotty @ 10:20 am

Just one link here, and a powerful one it is.

Video tribute to Bobby Warns, USMC
This video says it all. Just watch it. Please, regardless of your politics or whether or not you support the War in Iraq.
God bless Bobby Warns and our United States Marines.
On Eagle’s Wings.
USMC Emblem

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April 5, 2006

Travel Photography on the Yucatan

Filed under: Lessons Learned, Photojournalism, Stock Photography, Uncategorized — James Crotty @ 3:35 pm

Mayan Gift ShopThe newest images added to ohiophoto.org can be found on a new page titled “Jim Crotty Travel Photography.” On display are a series of photographs captured last month in and around the Playa del Carmen area of Mexico, including the Mayan ruins and village of Coba’ and the island of Cozumel.

If there’s one word to describe this region of Mexico and the Mayan culture it would be colorful. Bold, bright and reflective of the sky and sea, the colors come at you from every direction. There’s a unique light to the Yucatan Peninsula that enhances the colors of the melding of two distinct cultures, Spanish and Mayan. Throw-in the gaudiness of the number one industry of the region - tourism - and you have a never-ending kaleidoscope for the eyes and camera.

Travel photography can be full of spontaneous shooting opportunities. What I wanted to capture on this trip were the small details and moments that go unnoticed by the typical tourist. The scenes and objects that tell the true story of the local culture versus the typical vacation photos that get filed away in dusty photo albums.

The key to good travel photography is to travel light and shoot often. On this trip I took one camera body - a Canon 5D digital - and two lenses, a 28-70mm and a 70-200mm. I also packed my Canon Speedlite 550ex - fill light is very important when shooting in bright sun and shadows - as well as my Epson P-2000 - a portable, digital storage driveMayan Boy near Coba Mexico with a fantastic 3.8 inch display screen. All of this fit easily into the bottom portion of my smaller LowePro backpack with plenty room left over for sunglasses, wallet, iPod and book. I shot in high-res JPEG mode and was able to include 300+ images on one, 2 gig flashcard.

The highlight of the trip was photographing and learning about a Mayan village located near the Mayan ruins of Coba’. This is a fascinating culture with quite an interesting history, soon to become even more popular with Mel Gibson’s upcoming release of Apocalypto.

The Mayan people live a simple and harmonious life with their natural environment, yet they were able to observe and record astronomical events and the annual progression of the sun with skill that was unmatched anywhere in the world during their rule of most of what today is the Yucatan Peninsula and most of Central America.

What was really fun for me was sharing my photographs as I would shoot them by way of the LCD screen on the back of my Canon 5D. The Mayan children loved seeing themselves and their friends, posing and playing for the camera.

This is a wonderful area to visit, as soon as you get awayGift Stand and Dog on beach on Cozumel Mexico from the wild party scene over at Cancun (God I hope the whole spring break thing dies before our daughters go to college). I was amazed at how quickly the people there were able to rebuild after last year’s devastating hurricane. The only evidence remaining are all the leafless trees over on Cozumel.

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April 4, 2006

Bada Bing ! It’s All in the Light . . .

Filed under: Commercial Photography, Lessons Learned, Uncategorized — James Crotty @ 4:09 pm

Sopranos I watch very little television. It’s not because there’s nothing worth watching. The fact is there’s TOO much to watch, so I’ve been tuning out over the last several years. Sensory overload.

The Sopranos was one of the few exceptions despite the fact that I missed that last two or three seasons. The show got to be a bit too dark for me, so I took a self-imposed Sopranos hiatus.

Well, I can safely say that the break is over. I’m hooked again with the start of the new season. Why? The writing, directing and acting are some of the best to be viewed, whether on television or in the theater. Also, I find myself wanting to know where Tony’s life journey takes him. His visions while in a coma were interesting, to say the least.

I also see the stories and characters so reflective of real life. The Sopranos lays it out on the table for everyone to see. It’s as if we have an hour to step outside of ourselves and examine our ugly insides like a cadaver that’s been cut-up for examination.

Although not nearly as violent or bloody, the vast majority of families and business organizations are no different when it comes to people being conniving, manipulating, greedy little you-know-whats. There’s also the cafeful placement of those human qualities we find ourselves wanting - courage, commitment, love, most often displayed by the main character himself (but usually in very ugly situations).

But there’s a visual impact displayed by the show that holds my attention. Another reason why I find The Sopranos so captivating is the photography. The light in each and every scene is carefully calculated and captured to enhance the impact of the actors and the script. In fact, in the “Behind the Scenes” page of The Sopranos website you can find a fascinating visual essay by Alik Sakharov, ASC, the Director of Photography for the show.

He offers a great quote: “We create the mood not by lighting the character, but lighting the environment.” Sakharov is also an avid believer in minimalism, the ‘less is more’ theory to visual communication.

This is the perfect way to approach still photography, whether commercial, portrait, editorial or nature/landscape.

The most effective imagery is that which draws the viewer in without the viewer even realizing it.

Now with that said, can we all agree that Paulie Walnuts has got to go ?!?!

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