tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45871016126637663232024-03-07T19:36:59.277-08:00Tips and TechniquesLandscape and Outdoor Photography.Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-85058464611945770162011-01-18T12:15:00.000-08:002011-01-18T13:38:12.106-08:00Don Gale 1952-2010It is with our deepest regrets that we are letting you know of the recent passing of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifj8Q4cVPb0&fmt=18">Don Gale</a>. To many of you, he was a photographer, teacher and friend. He was also a loving husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. Some of you may have only met Don in passing, at one of his presentations or trade show appearances, but to those that knew Don at all, his passing is sad news. His passions included a love of photographing nature and the outdoors and he especially enjoyed sharing that passion with his students. Early in 2010 he was diagnosed with cancer and fought it bravely to the very end. While this was never kept secret, it was something that Don did not broadcast because he approached this situation as he did all others, with a positive attitude and a love for living in the moment.<br />
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The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the "Don Gale Memorial Fund", the proceeds of which will be donated to the charities that had impacted his life and were dear to his heart. He started his love of the outdoors and photography on a trip he took to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Range through the El Monte Boys & Girls Club and it's so typical that Don would want to "pay back" to this and similar organizations that help others to see the beauty around us. Checks can be made to the "Don Gale Memorial Fund" and sent to the studio address below.<br />
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Thank you for being a part of the journey that Don loved - <br />
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Photography by Don <br />
4511 Santa Anita <br />
El Monte, CA 91731Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-38276153866001514172010-06-29T14:19:00.003-07:002010-06-29T14:19:36.109-07:00Scenic Images / Slideshow<object id="vp1S0Opp" width="432" height="240" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="movie" value="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1277846092&f=S0OppmbntGK3OLfPs0vcnQ&d=475&m=p&r=w+s&i=m&ct=&cu=&options="></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed id="vp1S0Opp" src="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1277846092&f=S0OppmbntGK3OLfPs0vcnQ&d=475&m=p&r=w+s&i=m&ct=&cu=&options=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="432" height="240"></embed></object>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-48551811591154785292010-01-18T11:23:00.001-08:002010-01-19T12:44:42.624-08:00Early Morning session in the Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>My wife and I spent New Year’ visiting my Dad in Eastern Washington state.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">We got up early one morning, before sunrise, and went for a walk in the snow.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Just took the tripod and the 18-270 zoom lens, and went looking around.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Had the white balance on the “cloudy” preset, and it was pretty close. Still had to remove some blue from the final RAW files. In my haste, forgot to take the Expo Disc<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a portrait of my Dad's neighbors, in the home that they built. Available light from the front, with a slaved strobe directly behind them. Camera on tripod, f4 at 1/4 second.<br />
</div>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-28109971135869377742010-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:002010-01-12T13:45:04.532-08:00Death Valley Flash Fill at Dusk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4580-714881.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4580-714606.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A couple weeks ago, at a photo workshop we ran at Death Valley, our group was hanging out after the sunset session. About ready to call it a day, I figured I'd try messing around with some off-camera flash, and get some shots of the guys.<br /><br />The unusual photo at the top shows my wife, Sue, an I testing out the lights for the images below.<br />We're using 2 radio controlled flash units with Lumiquest modifiers attached.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4582-715651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4582-714970.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4590-732015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4590-731720.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For all the shots shown here, the triggering was done with the Elinchrom Skyport system....a very small transmitter sits on the camera's hot shoe. And the equally small receiver hooks easily onto the bottom of each flash unit. It doesn't matter what brand of camera, or flash for this stuff. I'm not doing TTL or eTTl.....there's no communication between the camera and flash, other than the simple signal which fires the flash. For teaching, I like to use all the units on manual power, so we can accurately determine the amount of power for each shot. Full power, half power, quarter, etc....all adjustable up or down in 1/3rd stop increments. It makes the learning much faster for the students, and the repeatability accuracy is dead on. Once you find a balance desired, it never varies. With the flash and camera talking to each other, as occurs with TTL, etc, there can be big differences in flash output, from shot to shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4593-771883.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4593-771604.JPG" border="0" /></a>Here's Mary and Peter Andrade standing, silhouetted, next to their cameras....just minutes before total darkness. But with a pretty long shutter speed, and a couple strategically placed flash units, we came up with a real nice portrait. Playing the part of the light stands in tonite's performance....Kathy Lucas, and Mike Meisinger...our studio manager.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4600-705483.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4600-705214.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4599-756898.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4599-756416.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />For these dusk images, the metering technique is pretty straight forward. Without using any flash, simply pick the desired aperture, and using the camera's meter, adjust for the proper shutter speed. Take a test shot, and see how the background looks. In this case, the sky.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4633-760319.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4633-759700.JPG" border="0" /></a>The image above shows a non-flash-filled Lauren Polizzi, who actually works on the other side of the camera, as a set designer on major productions.<br /><br />Once this base exposure is determined, then simply add as much flash as needed for the balance you're looking for. Simple.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4636-760703.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4636-760416.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After a couple pretty standard sessions, a second flash was added as a kick light from the back. And, for no good reason, it was covered with a red Lee gel to add some color to that source, only.<br /><br />The images at the top show the Lumiquest modifiers which were velcro attached to the small heads. This makes a huge difference in light quality. And, when used in pretty tight to the subject, it rivals studio lighting.<br /><br />Our grand finale was a group shot of the hat wearing ladies in the group.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4651-711182.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 268px; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF4651-710905.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Left to right Sue ( my wife) Kay ( Mike's wife ) Lauren ( no one's wife, yet ) and Mary ( Peter's wife)<br /><br /> Click on any of the photos above to see the full size version...Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-47965941431368708792009-12-22T10:36:00.000-08:002009-12-22T11:34:31.149-08:00Slide Show From Lone Pine and Death ValleyWe've recently been out in the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley. Here are a few images, shown using a new <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLop2VprC4g">video</a> format, that we found on the Animoto website. The images were taken on two recent visits, over Thanksgiving and again for our Lone Pine/Death Valley Workshop at the beginning of this month.Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-48540445510947711032009-12-12T17:29:00.000-08:002010-01-06T17:18:53.237-08:00Workshop at Lone Pine & Death Valley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3296_7_8_9_tonemapped-700137.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3296_7_8_9_tonemapped-799504.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Winter shooting in the deserts is always pretty cool. And, last week was no exception. The low angle of the light and mild temperatures make the experience even better.<br /><br />Well, MILD may not be exactly accurate......but, it sure beats the sweltering 100 degree plus days of summer. We has a couple early mornings that dipped into the 20's; but, the great scenery made it well worthwhile, even for the softest city slickers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3331AlabamaHills20x30Sharp-799341.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3331AlabamaHills20x30Sharp-798581.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We began our trip in the sierra nevada foothill town of Lone Pine, California. Known primarily now for being at the trailhead for the hike to Mt Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3221lubkenRdTite-788426.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3221lubkenRdTite-787779.JPG" /></a><br /><br />After getting to shoot two sunrise sessions here, our group migrated about 80 miles east into Death Valley to our base camp at Stovepipe Wells for a couple more days of great light and pristine sand dunes. And, by describing the dunes this way, I'm referring to the fact that there wasn't a single footprint to be found....except our own. Due, in fact to the heavy winds the night before, which cleaned and groomed the several mile long sand pile to perfection.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3791-792819.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3791-792208.JPG" /></a><br /><br />At these particular dunes, the best light is normally in the morning, right as the first rays of sun crosslight the ripples and abstract shapes. The same situation holds true in Lone Pine, too. Once the sun gets behind the mountains at around 4pm, it can be tough shooting in the soft light....unless there's some cooperative clouds to bounce some light around, and add some colors.<br /><br />We'll be heading back out there again, between Christmas and New Years....my third trip in less than 5 weeks. And, still.....every time there it's always new conditions for great photography.<br /><br />If you'd like to see a larger version of any of these photos, just click on the image.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3785-788574.JPG" /></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-40846417573321751592009-11-20T15:27:00.000-08:002009-11-20T15:46:03.346-08:00Photo Expo West / San Diego November 09Last weekend, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, just north of San Diego, was an amazing photo conference. I did several seminars on both days, and there's a video clip attached below which was shown on a big screen, as the intro to the session......<br /><p></p><p><a href="http://%3cscript%20type=%22text/javascript%22%20src=%22http://wanimoto.clearspring.com/o/46928cc51133af17/4b07259345931b09/46928cc51133af17/6755ef2c/-cpid/725a4b4e1d1a1cb3/-EMH/240/-EMW/432/widget.js%22%3E%3C/script%3E">http://<script type="text/javascript" src="http://wanimoto.clearspring.com/o/46928cc51133af17/4b07259345931b09/46928cc51133af17/6755ef2c/-cpid/725a4b4e1d1a1cb3/-EMH/240/-EMW/432/widget.js"></script></a></p>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-3506602242474903452009-10-12T11:44:00.000-07:002009-10-12T13:09:13.312-07:00Fall Color in Upstate New York<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1899letchworthWallHor-792356.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1899letchworthWallHor-791946.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1910b&w-copy-791764.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1910b&w-copy-791419.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I just got back from a great weekend in Rochester, New York.<br /><br />The Tamron Road Series had us scheduled to take a group of photographers to Letchworth State Park, for a full day's shooting in the incredible river canyon that was filled with fog and some great color change happening with the leaves.<br /><br />We met the group at Rowe's Camera store on Friday nite for a 3 hour seminar, and then took off in a bus, before sunrise to beat the crowds at the park.<br /><br />In the past, when we traveled to the New England area for the autumn color show, New Hampshire and Vermont were the favorite destinations. But, honestly, after getting a short glimpse of what the Rochester area has to offer, this will be my spot for next season. Even over the popular Columbus Day holiday weekend, the crowds were certainly smaller, and the photographic variety was on par with anything I'd seen.<br /><br /> Just click on any of these photos, to see a full size image.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1898letchworthWallColor-copy-710520.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1898letchworthWallColor-copy-710008.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One of the interesting situations that presented itself in this region was the slate bottomed river canyons, filled with almost continuous small, cascading waterfalls with foliage immediately at the creekside. Easy access and lots of trails made for a shooter's paradise, without feeling you had to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to get the perfect angle. And, if it's the big, majestic falls you're after, this is the place for you. Several monsters are nearby....not to mention the iconic Niagara Falls about 90 minutes from where we stayed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1981galenAnd-WifeRetVig-711036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1981galenAnd-WifeRetVig-710646.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Early morning fog lifted and presented a very nice sunny afternoon, with big puffy clouds everywhere. The deep canyons provide the soft, shadow-free light needed for shooting those waterfalls. And, man, they're all over the place ! According to the locals, there are lots of other excellent shooting locations, just a short drive from Letchworth.<br /><br />Other recommended areas that were impossible due to time constraints on this quick trip, are the Finger Lakes region and Watkin's Glen State Park, along with a local favorite, Stony Brook State Park.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1946waspVigVert-797662.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1946waspVigVert-797285.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />During one of the breaks, someone spotted a couple insects hiding from the rain. This was the perfect chance for me to put on the new Tamron 60mm macro lens. And, equipped with the Metz Macro flash set-up, this made for a perfect lighting system for the otherwise flat light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1940flyHeadVigCrop-797145.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1940flyHeadVigCrop-796776.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-31519649630560865602009-06-28T11:25:00.000-07:002009-06-28T12:35:53.781-07:00Expect The UnexpectedOn a recent trip to the Boston area, we took off in the rental car for a morning of shooting along the famous route of Paul Revere.....along Battle Road.<br /><br />The continuous rain almost was reason to abandon the mission.....but, knowing that these wet, cloudy conditions can provide some wonderful light, we plugged away.<br /><br />Arriving at the historical landmark, Hartwell Tavern, we were caught in a downpour....forcing us inside to protect the camera gear.<br /><br />Once inside, we discovered that the period accurate, costumed staff were also inside for a break from the musket shooting demonstrations. Good luck for us, however. I was able to get one of these guys to cooperate for a few minutes, and pose by some incredible window light. The surprisingly dark conditions outdoors had caused a tremendous drop in the light coming in thru the window. The ISO was set to 400, and the shutter speed was one second.....even though shooting wide open at 2.8 with the Tamron 90mm macro lens.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0161vig-copy-715504.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0161vig-copy-715417.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The wet conditions continued to provide me with a stream of portrait subjects. Their cooperation was partly due to the fact that it was simply too wet outside to attempt the walk back to the cars.<br /><br />So, with the tripod already set up, I asked if a couple of the semi-bored folks would act as models. It always drives me nuts to have wonderful light, a great backdrop, but nothing as a main foreground subject.<br /><br /> <br />Enter the unsuspecting tourists.<br /><br />Our next volunteer was an attractive teenage girl, from the bay area, with her family on a 3 week vacation. After securing permission from her parents, I quickly shot off a barrage of long-exposure images....trying to maintain sharpness at this wide open and extremely long shutter speed always provides a challenge. And, the unstable 200 year old wooden floor didn't help.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0210finalProfileRetVig-788785.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0210finalProfileRetVig-788436.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The weather briefly cleared up, and we headed outdoors to see what was shootable.....The wooden frames of the antique windows were pretty interesting, so I asked Jeff Allen, the Tamron tech rep, to go inside and stick his head out the window for an available light portrait. As I suspected, it looked pretty good....but, as I was taking his images, I noticed movement at the window to my left. A young boy was mimicking Jeff, and had posed in the opening....this looked like a carefully planned commercial session. Perfect setting. Great subject. Classic light. All I had to do was frame it up and shoot. Jeff had served as a test subject for the REAL shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0119-715354.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0119-715246.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0121windowBoyRet-759633.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0121windowBoyRet-759291.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After seeing this little guy in the window, I quickly went inside to talk with his folks, and try and get a few more images before they took off.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0158-758274.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF0158-758185.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I kept the same 90 mm lens on the camera and asked him to pose in the window light. But, a one second exposure of an active kid is tough. Propping his head on his hands seemed the only way to keep him still enough for a sharp image.<br /><br />Overall, this was a very productive couple hours.....and, our main objective was to shoot macro photos of the Dogwoods in the rain...with water drops.<br /><br />Being prepared for anything that comes at you always pays off.Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-41181910127570043482009-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:002009-06-23T15:35:31.572-07:00Macro Techniques...Portrait and FlowersOn a recent trip to Boston, I ran into some pretty nice light and some photogenic folks who volunteered as portrait subjects
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<br />Check out this video.......
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<br /><center> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/scripts/pokkariPlayer.js?ver=2008010901"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://blip.tv/syndication/write_player?skin=js&posts_id=2290165&source=3&autoplay=true&file_type=flv&player_width=&player_height="></script> <div id="blip_movie_content_2290165"> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/DonGale-DonGalesOutdoorPhotographyWorkshop290.mov" onclick="play_blip_movie_2290165(); return false;"><img alt="Video thumbnail. Click to play" src="http://blip.tv/file/get/DonGale-DonGalesOutdoorPhotographyWorkshop290.mov.jpg" title="Click to play" border="0" /></a>
<br /> <a rel="enclosure" href="http://blip.tv/file/get/DonGale-DonGalesOutdoorPhotographyWorkshop290.mov" onclick="play_blip_movie_2290165(); return false;">Click To Play</a> </div> </</center>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-29780743845727569882009-05-10T19:04:00.000-07:002009-05-19T12:54:36.893-07:00Upcoming Seminars at So Cal REI locationsIf you live in Southern California, I'll be conducting a series of In-Store Clinics over the next few months. They are all offered at no charge and being held during the evening from 6:30 to 8:30.<br /><br />Stop in and say hi.<br /><br />Click on the image below to enlarge to a readable size.....<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/REI-Poster-4x6-706271.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: pointer" border="0" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/REI-Poster-4x6-705963.jpg" /></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-9599513197463029782009-05-10T17:06:00.000-07:002009-05-10T19:00:04.889-07:00Fire Dancers at Luau on Kauai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3915-758192.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3915-758081.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3903-757996.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3903-757890.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had a chance to put a new Nikon D-700 thru it's paces last week during a Workshop in Hawaii.<br /><br />I'd heard about the greatly improved low light capabilities of this new generation of sensors.....but, had never experienced the benefits first hand.<br /><br />Well, the real test came during the fire-dance portion of the luau. The only onstage light was from the torches....and, man were they moving fast. This guy was spinning them like a drum major at half-time.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3895-744477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3895-744380.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This combination of low light and high-speed subject movement was the ultimate test. I've been to many events before, shooting a live performance, and simply would have to stop shooting during a situation like this. Even if on-camera flash was permitted, it would ruin the ambiance.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3874-744307.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3874-744214.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So, I threw on the new 70-200mm Tamron 2.8.....cranked the ISO up all the way to 6400 and started shooting.....wide open.<br /><br />The results are astonishing. The noise levels are very acceptable. And, the shutter speeds at f/2.8 fluctuated between 1/250th and a 500th.<br /><br />I still haven't figured out which camera body I'm going to settle on after discovering that Fuji is out of the DSLR game. Hopefully, Nikon won't be rushing me to return this loaner body. I'm getting used to these great new features. Not to mention the Live-View, which I'll go into detail about on the next post.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3835-755094.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3835-754993.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3827-754921.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_3827-754818.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-37947965783100726342009-03-18T08:07:00.000-07:002009-05-11T07:01:19.930-07:00Workshop at Big Sur and Point Lobos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9444backlitWaveNoShrp1-706236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9444backlitWaveNoShrp1-706212.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>We've got a day off between workshops, and are spending it at the beachside community of Cayucos, just a few miles south of our next stop, Cambria.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you ever get the chance to stop in here, make sure to allow enough time for a meal at my favorite place....Schooner's Wharf. It's a classic, rustic, funky- style seafood house. Located right on the beach, at the base of the Cayucos Pier. The view at sunset is amazing.....and their Calamari Steaks are the best I've found, anywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last few days were spent shooting along the Big Sur area of the California coast. Without doubt, this is some of the most rugged and photogenic areas of the entire west coast.</div><div><br /></div><div>The shot above was taken just minutes before sunset at Pfeiffer Beach. The low angle of the sun backlights the huge waves. And, there's an enormous rock that acts as the perfect lens shade, to prevent blur. This was shot with Tamron's 200-500 zoom at 1/640th of a second to freeze the action.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of our day trips was a jaunt up the coast to Point Lobos. This is a State Park, set aside to preserve this unique collection of unreal cliffs, beaches, coves, trees and wildlife.</div><div><br /></div><div>The 2 images below were taken at the south end of the park.....near Bird Island.</div><div>The overcast, and heavy clouds provided perfect light for this type of shooting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9485birdIslandCoveFromJPG-783952.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9485birdIslandCoveFromJPG-783850.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9496seaLionDiag10x15ShrpFA-784127.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9496seaLionDiag10x15ShrpFA-784026.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Please click on these small images to see the full size version, with the proper colors.<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-15858143421527064612009-03-04T13:28:00.000-08:002009-05-11T06:37:23.926-07:00Fresh Snow In Yosemite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1906jwrtSnoPeakB&WShrp-751967.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1906jwrtSnoPeakB&WShrp-751616.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Looking out the window and seeing fresh snow isn't always a good thing. However, if you're in Yosemite Valley and have a camera handy, it's pure magic.<br /><br />And, on a recent excursion to this classic location, our workshop group found ourselves surrounded with snow-covered subject matter....trees, rivers, peaks, and granite cliffs. It was breathtaking.<br /><br />We had been in the valley for a couple days already. And, even without the fresh snow, it's pretty much a no-brainer, as far as picking out suitable subjects for making large prints. But, waking up to this freshly painted canvas was an experience that's hard to describe.<br /><br />I've included a few of my favorite images from this trip. Even though this place has been photographed millions of times, it always feels like I'm discovering something new, through the lens.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1950jwrtTunnelDrama9x14Shrp-746540.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1950jwrtTunnelDrama9x14Shrp-746183.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This late afternoon image was taken from what's referred to as "Tunnel View"....certainly one of the top couple vantage points. And, standing around waiting for good light paid off in this case. Just seconds before the sun dropped behind the hills, we got a final shot of warm light and a good batch of clouds in the distance. Even though Half Dome was obscured, it didn't seem to matter, with all the other great things happening in the scene.<br /><br />Shot at f/11 at 1/2 second. The white balance was manually shifted to 9,500 degrees to eliminate all the excess blue in the light.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1965jwrtMercedIceFlow9x14Shrp-747098.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF1965jwrtMercedIceFlow9x14Shrp-746703.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There's a bridge over the Merced River, near the stables. An often overlooked place to shoot.....but, absolutely perfect on this freezing morning.<br /><br />I was drawn to the mix of colors...warm and cool. The warmer reflections are a result of the early sunlight hitting a huge granite wall in the distance. And, the nice cool tones in the foreground, are a result of the high elevation shade, which was loaded with a ton of UV.<br /><br />The image at the top was converted to B&W with NIK Silver Efex Pro software. This amazing plug-in allows me to replicate the tonal characteristics of my favorite B&W films, and to top it off, the grain structure and size can also be modified !Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-6377091567672494962009-01-18T07:15:00.000-08:002009-01-19T06:56:55.811-08:00Eastern Sierra Environmental Portrait<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9671robbieGuitar-copy-779536.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9671robbieGuitar-copy-778538.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The photo above is the final result from a location portrait session in the Owens Valley, last month. Specifically, it was an impromptu shoot....in the Alabama Hills, located at the base of Mt Whitney. <div><br /></div><div>Using only low power, on-camera type flash units, it's amazing what can be done using good technique, and all the latest hi-tech goodies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Click on the photo to see a larger version. The video below explains how we did it. It's worth watching, for no other purpose than to see a musician awake, and coherent at this hour.</div><div> </div><div><em><strong>To view some of our other instructional videos....click on the link to the right...there's about 20 different techniques explained<br /></strong></em><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aFViw8SpKZk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aFViw8SpKZk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-67660086850405417602008-12-24T05:27:00.000-08:002008-12-24T06:54:19.110-08:00Photo Workshop in Lone Pine and Death ValleyWe just returned from our twice-annual trek to these desert gems. And, once again the shooting opportunities were everywhere.<br /><br />Our workshop began in the sierra foothill town of Lone Pine. This small community, near the trailhead for the hike to Mt Whitney, is situated right on interstate 395, the main highway which connects the LA area to Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Yosemite and many other High Sierra destinations.<br /><br />One of the mornings we were greeted by a totally overcast sky, and the resulting soft light. Not the conditions we had hoped for, but, Mother Nature's detour allowed us to concentrate on alternate subject matter, and proved to be very productive, shooting-wise.<br /><br />Located between the main highway and the iconic, sierra peaks to the west, is a second, and even older mountain range dubbed The Alabama Hills. Much more brown and earthtone in color than the sierra's mid-grey granite, these hills have long been popular with the movie studios and commercial TV crews.<br /><br />So, with the aforementioned flat light, we spent a couple hours exploring these rugged structures....up close. It's interesting how much fun it is to start shooting in a location with absolutely no pre-conceived idea as to what kind of shots you'll get. I was looking strictly at shapes, patterns, light and textures as we moved around in this rocky wonderland. The overall feeling is very similar to the geologic conditions at Joshua Tree Nat'l Park.<br /><br />Here's a shot of a scene which certainly looked more dramatic after being converted from color to Black and White. ( click on any of these images to see a larger version )<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9764two-rocksB&WNIK-718304.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9764two-rocksB&WNIK-718144.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9764two-rocks-718058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9764two-rocks-717866.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our group moved about 70 miles due east into Death Valley after a couple days in the sierra foothills. Big change in scenery....sand dunes, almost no vegetation, and some of the amazing patterns on the desert floor, created by fast drying mud after the previous nite's rainfall<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9952roadsideMudCrack-742505.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9952roadsideMudCrack-742317.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9952roadsideMudCrackB&WSEPstructure-742737.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF9952roadsideMudCrackB&WSEPstructure-742593.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This unique abstract image was taken roadside, at one of our late afternoon shooting sessions. In fact, as I pulled the car off the main road to analyze our position for a sunset shot of the side-lit hills, Mike noticed this peeling and curling mud flats. Crunching beneath our tires, and being destroyed as I drove over a good part of it. But, there was still plenty left to shoot! And, the timing was perfect. We were able to catch some dramatic cross-light, just as the sun went behind the Panamint Hills. This shot looks great both in color, and after the B&W conversion with my new, favorite software....Nik Silver Efex Pro. It's super easy to use, and gives you quick and varied options relating to tone, contrast, grain and film simulations.Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-11558574259105472762008-11-30T18:02:00.000-08:002008-11-30T18:44:45.382-08:00Tips for Cooking the Thanksgiving TurkeyApologies in advance, if you're expecting our usual photo tips. My wife and I spent the weekend at an RV park in nearby Newport Beach....can you imagine, camping in this exclusive neighborhood? It was a nice break from the usual longer trips. Only an hour from home, and we were set in our travel trailer for a great 4 days.<div><br /></div><div>I've always wanted to attempt cooking a full size bird over charcoal.</div><div> </div><div>Well, here you go. It actually worked.....and we used some micro sized barbeques. </div><div><br /></div><div>Made by Cobb, these babies use only 8 briquets, and there's an internal water reservoir, which provides a continuous supply of moisture, and makes burning or drying out the meat all but impossible. </div><div><br /></div><div>Two hours later the meal was ready! </div><div><br /></div><div>Celebrity voice impersonated...obviously.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w7_6BvAM98M&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w7_6BvAM98M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-80670354134992317052008-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:002008-11-15T15:59:15.345-08:00Photographing Yosemite With Tamron<a href="http://%3cobject%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3e%3cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http//www.youtube.com/v/UfXAxbpPYfM&hl=en&fs=1%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowFullScreen%22%20value=%22true%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowscriptaccess%22%20value=%22always%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cembed%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/UfXAxbpPYfM&hl=en&fs=1%22%20type=%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20allowscriptaccess=%22always%22%20allowfullscreen=%22true%22%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E">http://<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UfXAxbpPYfM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UfXAxbpPYfM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-54701458403361582012008-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:002008-11-15T15:28:36.110-08:00Photographing California Coast For Tamron<a href="http://%3cobject%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3e%3cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http//www.youtube.com/v/GE9DypZIxZI&hl=en&fs=1%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowFullScreen%22%20value=%22true%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowscriptaccess%22%20value=%22always%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cembed%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/GE9DypZIxZI&hl=en&fs=1%22%20type=%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20allowscriptaccess=%22always%22%20allowfullscreen=%22true%22%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E">http://<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GE9DypZIxZI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GE9DypZIxZI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-10359045287332710782008-11-15T15:05:00.000-08:002008-11-15T15:29:22.970-08:00Costa Rica With Tamron Lenses<a href="http://%3cobject%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3e%3cparam%20name=%22movie%22%20value=%22http//www.youtube.com/v/sWLVLfq6ceM&hl=en&fs=1%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowFullScreen%22%20value=%22true%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam%20name=%22allowscriptaccess%22%20value=%22always%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cembed%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/v/sWLVLfq6ceM&hl=en&fs=1%22%20type=%22application/x-shockwave-flash%22%20allowscriptaccess=%22always%22%20allowfullscreen=%22true%22%20width=%22425%22%20height=%22344%22%3E%3C/embed%3E%3C/object%3E">http://<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sWLVLfq6ceM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sWLVLfq6ceM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></a>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-13197080136045438432008-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:002008-11-23T10:48:10.243-08:00It's The Little Things<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSCF0782_acorn-790350.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSCF0782_acorn-789501.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Sometimes, as we're walking around, looking for something to photograph, you can literally stumble over, and miss some of the best subject matter.<br /><br /><br />I do it all the time.....searching for some dramatic, grand scene, or a hillside of vibrant color. It's easy to miss some great shots.<br /><br /><br />A couple days ago in New Hampshire, our workshop group was driving around, on a return trip to what had become one of our favorite shooting locations. A remote hilltop, recommended to us by Howard Bean, an 85 year old, life-long resident of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wolfeboro</span>.<br /><br /><br />We all jumped out of the cars, happy to return to this wonderfully diverse shooting spot.<br /><br /><br />Everyone hustled off to the exact place they had in mind for the special image that might have been missed on the previous trip. The lighting and time of day were different, so the possibilities for variety were excellent. And, as often happens, the students will ask me for lens recommendations and some other technical info.<br /><br /><br />"Wide angle" I answered, without hesitation. This place has some of the most amazing trees and color I'd seen anywhere. Great foreground, mid-ground and backgrounds.....it screamed for the wide shot.<br /><br /><br />As my wife, Sue, and I stood at the rear of the van, unloading our gear, she asked to try the macro lens I'd been raving about. I couldn't imagine what she had in mind, but dug it out of the vest pocket, and set her up with my 90mm close-up special.<br /><br /><br />I ran around grabbing all the shots I could, before the sun poked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thru</span>, and ruined the soft light....yet, I noticed, 45 minutes later, that she was still in the same area that she started out. Kneeling on the wet ground, tripod legs splayed out, with the lens inches from the ground.<br /><br /><br />Curious, I asked her to play back, on her LCD screen, some of the images, so I could see what was going on. I couldn't believe the shots she was getting! Beautifully composed, technically perfect, photographic art! From someone who really doesn't spend much time shooting.<br />She never ceases to amaze me. Being basically an artist; she's simply using the camera as another tool.<br /><br /><br />The photo of the acorn, shown above, is one from that series. Shot at f/45 for 8 seconds at 100 ISO. White balance on SHADE....using the built-in self timer to avoid camera movement.<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"> Be sure to look in the Archives section for even more Lessons</span></strong>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-58640749922821337642008-10-16T15:09:00.000-07:002008-11-23T10:50:40.414-08:00Fall Color Photos From Wolfeboro, New Hampshire<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/CountryRoadPano-748652.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/CountryRoadPano-748420.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This panoramic image is the result of stitching 11 vertical images together. The technique employed basic, textbook stitching fundamentals. Camera leveled on a tripod. Aperture and shutter speed locked in at the same settings for all 11 individual shots. White balance also not changed.....no polarizer, and the focus set to approximately 15 feet and set to manual, to avoid any shift in focus.<br /><br />The image below is also stitched. But, in this case, I shot the individual shots horizontally, because I was using a long telephoto lens, and shooting thru telephone wires. The wires were running horizontally, immediately above and below the scene.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/PanoramaSteepleWolfeboro-767916.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/PanoramaSteepleWolfeboro-767739.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div></div><div><br />The shooting conditions have been perfect for our workshop here on the shores of Lake Winnipisaukee.<br /><br />Nearly peak color in the leaves, and a mix of clear and cloudy skies, along with virtually wind-free weather has provided the ultimate in photography potential for our group.<br /><br />Here's a sampling of what I got over the last few days. Most of these were shot with Tamron's newest zoom .....their 18-270mm Vibration Controlled lens.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3265lobsterPondWideTiteA-729030.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3265lobsterPondWideTiteA-728525.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3268lobsterPondWide3a-730160.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3268lobsterPondWide3a-729624.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3251lobsterShackPond-787402.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3251lobsterShackPond-786867.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3157shoreColorMixA-788451.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3157shoreColorMixA-787576.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3091barnReflectionVertRed-751750.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3091barnReflectionVertRed-751230.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3102CottonMtnForest-752666.JPG"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photographybydon.com/blog/uploaded_images/_DSF3102CottonMtnForest-752004.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Be sure to look in the Archives section for even more Lessons</span></div>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-17852409580803644512008-10-14T02:57:00.000-07:002008-10-18T14:54:30.427-07:00Fall Color is AmazingWe've arrived at our lakeside cabin in New Hampshire, and the fall color is just at peak.<br /><br />If you've got the flexibility to make a spontaneous trip here, nows the time.<br /><br />We're in the Lakes Region, and at Lake Winnipasaukee.<br /><br />Photos to follow soon. Today, we'll head for the southern Maine coast,<br />and get some lighthouse photos.......Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-55279131517204236062008-10-10T20:03:00.000-07:002008-10-10T20:15:51.471-07:00New England Fall ColorMy wife and I will be boarding a plane shortly.......we're taking a red-eye from Long Beach to Boston.<br /><br />Once we recover, the shooting will begin. All reports, so far, indicate we should be in for some great leaf peeping, as the locals call it.<br /><br />Our workshop group will be staying in a lakeside cabin with wi-fi, so, we'll be able to post some images along the way.<br /><br />After the workshop ends on Thursday, the 2 of us will head to Cape Cod for the first time for, hopefully, a romantic weekend.<br /><br />Editors note: no photos will be posted from the Cape.Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4587101612663766323.post-75368777849647986052008-10-09T16:26:00.000-07:002008-10-09T17:48:52.416-07:00Outdoor Portrait in Austin, TexasEarlier this year we spent a weekend in Austin, doing a workshop for Tamron and Bogen, which was hosted by Precision Camera. Austin is a real cool town....great mix of old and new. And, of course all the great music and food!<br /><br />The video posted below shows some of the techniques needed for doing a portrait outdoors using a couple soft boxes on stands....both powered by 4 AA batteries. They are actually on-camera flash units which have been adapted with brackets and transcievers, to work as remote, studio quality light sources. Very simple stuff....<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mgL_vV2XtB0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mgL_vV2XtB0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Don Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07919692534773016550noreply@blogger.com