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by RR Jr on December 28, 2008
I love the Holiday Season, and like many of you, spend it with family and friends enjoying good food, good times, and looking forward to a new year in anticipation of what it will bring. Certainly we are in a very tumultuous and difficult period in terms of the economy and political environment, but I am optimistic about the future, and remain motivated to continue working as hard as possible to achieve the many goals I have for myself. I encourage all of you to do the same.
As important as all of the landscape photographs I have made through the years are to me, I would gladly give them all away to keep the images that truly matter most to me, and this one I made of my son Bryce on Christmas Eve is certainly one of them. Seeing him grow and discover the world each day has taught me the value of appreciating each moment without taking any for granted. Watching him read a “letter” from Santa Claus is one I will never forget.
We are so fortunate to to have the technology to capture these moments in so many different ways and with relative ease, that there really isn’t any reason not to take advantage of it to the fullest. Take time to record these moments with your loved ones, and more importantly, learn how to manage all of this media so that is is accesible to you in the future and doesn’t get lost in the digital “shoebox” or worst yet, disappear because you didn’t have a backup! (My online backup recommendation).
Life is difficult at times, and we all struggle to get through each day it seems. Yet it’s the simple things I’m most grateful for that make the biggest difference. Whether the simple questions Bryce has asked me, yet I found so difficult to answer, or the magic of making a photograph that I know I will treasure for a lifetime. Those are the things I’ll remember most about 2008.
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2008 > December
by RR Jr on December 21, 2008
Dennings Point Sunset
We had our first major snow storm this weekend, and for me there is no better time to get out and experience winter at its best. I made the trek up to the top of Mt Beacon Saturday morning with 12″ of fresh snow on the ground, and though I didn’t take many photos, I did get a great workout. Though I normally use my Katoola micro-spikes in the winter, I opted for my MSR snowshoes because of the deep fresh snow.
There’s something about snow that I really enjoy, especially during or right after it has fallen. I think it has to do with the acoustic effect it has and how it makes nature feel more intimate, similar to the way a plush rug makes a living room feel more comfortable. This sense of intimacy and comfort is perhaps due to my sensitivity to sounds and my background as a musician and audio engineer. I just enjoy hiking in nature that much more, and as long as I’m warm (another issue altogether), I tend to become lost in the beauty of the shapes, tonalities, and textures that snow creates. Everywhere I look, what would usually be a dark, flat scene becomes much more interesting and exciting visually.
I find that I also begin to see more in black and white – that is to say in shapes, lines, and forms. This is especially true during a cloudy or overcast day, when there is less dramatic light. Of course, during sunrise or sunset, warm light can make snow change colors, and create beautiful and amazing landscapes that are wonderful to photograph.
Here are a few random tips for photographing snow:
- During bright light, be careful not to over-expose the scene and cause the loss of detail and texture in the snow. This can be done by watching your histogram and making sure no part of the image is clipped in the highlights.
- Because snow tends to make digital cameras under-expose, you might also want to add positive exposure compensation to get the snow to look white – just be careful again not to clip any highlights. The more snow there is in your composition, the more your camera will underexpose to make it look like 18% grey, or midway between white and black.
- To freeze snow in the air, try and use shutter speeds faster than 1/200 of a second. To show the movement of snow, you can experiment wit shutter speeds as low as 1/30 to 1/125 of a second – depending on how fast the snow is falling of course.
- Keep your camera batteries warm , and your camera dry since snow can sometimes freeze on the dials and controls making it very difficult to operate.
Testing the weather sealing on the Canon 1ds Mk III
Get out and enjoy all of the other wonderful Scenic Hudson Parks, which should be covered with a beautiful blanket of photogenic snow.
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2008 > December
by RR Jr on December 18, 2008
In anticipation of the Quadricentennial celebration taking place next year, I’ve designed a Limited Edition set 24″ x 20″ Posters of some of my favorite locations in the Hudson Valley. This event celebrates the 400th anniversary of both Samuel de Champlain and Henry Hudson’s voyages up the Hudson, and it will certainly be a once in a lifetime experience.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to make some of my images available in a more affordable format, and at the same time celebrate the natural beauty of the region. I’m printing the posters in my studio on Canon Premium Matte Paper, and while not as archival as my fine art prints, they look really great, and much better than using a traditional off-set printer. I decided to go this route in order to provide a higher quality poster than what is normal, and also to be able to print on demand and control the printing costs. Each poster will be limited to 50, signed and dated, and will cost $35.
I will have them in several stores in Beacon, check out the whole set here.
