While I am primarily a landscape photographer, I do accept commercial assignments on a limited basis in other disciplines of photography, mostly in sports and the outdoors in general. Shooting something different is always a great way to expand your camera skills, and there is always something new and valuable to learn, from composition to post processing. It also gives me another opportunity to expand my stock portfolio.

I was recently asked to photograph the 2008 Liberty World Outrigger Canoe race, one of the largest sporting events in New York Harbor and one of the premier outrigger canoe races in the world. Hundreds of international paddlers come from all over the world to participate in this exciting race, including many from Hawaii, the capital of outrigger canoe racing. The images are used for media and promotional purposes, and the racers can also purchase prints from me for their own personal use.

It was a demanding 15 mile course which started at the Brooklyn Bridge, rounded the tip of Manhattan, went up the Hudson River to about 42nd st, came back down to the Statue of Liberty, around the back of Governors Island, and returned to the starting point at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. There was a dedicated “media” boat, which I shared with a videographer from Hawaii who was filming a documentary on the race.

I used two cameras, one for wide angle shots, and another for tighter shots of the racers and their canoes. Because I was in a moving boat, I chose to use my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens with a 1.4 extender, and shot wide open most of the time to minimize camera shake and get the sharpest images possible. As the boat traffic increased throughout the morning, the water became rougher and made shooting that much more difficult. I really had to pick my shots carefully, and hope a wave didn’t rock the boat at the same time I pressed the shutter (which happened more often than I expected).

All in all, it was a great experience, and I was able to use the New York City Waterfalls as nice backdrops to the canoes. I will also be photographing the Mayors Cup kayak race in October, which also takes place in the same general area, so I’ll share those here as well.  Hope you enjoy the images!

In a previous post, I mentioned I was working on a special photography project. I’m happy to announce that I’ve received another commission by Scenic Hudson to create compelling landscape photographs of all 28 parks they own in the Hudson Valley region. The images will be used for promotional purposes on their website and print materials. I will also maintain the right to display and sell the images on my website, and in galleries and at art shows.

Though this project will be quite a challenge, and at times seems intimidating, it is also a privilege that I’m very excited about. In fact, before I was even approached about this project, I had already had a personal goal of photographing many of these same parks. So when I was asked if I was interested, it was an easy answer. I am already very familiar with many of the locations, having hiked them many times both for photographing and just plain recreation with my family.

I will be concentrating on roughly half of the parks during the summer, with the remainder to be completed toward the end of the year. I thought it would be a good idea to use the weblog as sort of a “behind the scenes” look at my progress, so you’ll get to see many of the images I shoot, and how I go about deciding which are the final keepers. I’ll be using my Canon 1Ds Mark III 21 megapixel camera exclusively for this project, and I’ll write a field report on my impressions using this new camera soon. So far though, all I can say is it is the best camera I have ever used both in terms of image quality and performance.

Shaupeneak Ridge

For those of you who live in the region, I urge you to get out this summer and visit some of these parks. In an area that is under tremendous pressure for development, it is really special to have land set aside for conservation and recreation. Maybe we’ll run into each other on the trails…you’ll know it’s me because I’ll be smiling as I always am when I’m out in nature doing what I love best.

PS - My previous project for Scenic Hudson which involved creating six 360° virtual panorams has been completed and should be on their website soon. Here is a sample from Poets Walk Park. - enjoy!

Wet leaves

“The camera for an artist is just another tool. It is no more mechanical than a violin if you analyze it. Beyond the rudiments, it is up to the artist to create art, not the camera”. -Brett Weston

The Shawangunks have been a part of my outdoor experience for many years, beginning over 15 years ago when I first started mountain biking on the wonderful carriage trails of Minnewaska State Park and the Mohonk Preserve. Both are now one of my favorite landscape locations, and I was recently asked by the Mohonk Preserve if I would be willing to donate a print for their 2008 Benefit Auction. “Storm Clouds Over Mohonk” was the image they specifically suggested, and I was more than happy to donate a 19×32 matted and framed original. It is continually one of my best sellers at art shows, and always elicits positive comments from locals who know the area well. I don’t think I could have made this image without my own familiarity of the nature and character of the “Gunks” as it is often called.

The auction finally took place this past Saturday June 21, and the print was auctioned off for $1,200. This is much more than I expected, and I’m very happy that it will help to protect and preserve a wonderful location that inspires me each time I visit. The opportunity to have a positive effect with my photography is both humbling and tremendously satisfying, especially when the results go beyond any monetary value. If you’ve never visited the Shawangunks, I highly recommend a visit where you can enjoy wonderful hiking, biking, wildlife, and beautiful scenery just 90 minutes north of NYC - a real treasure.

Esopus Meadows Sunrise

I’ve been spending some time at Esopus Meadows lately working on a major project for Scenic Hudson. While this image does not really fit within the guidelines of the assignment, I could not ignore the wonderful contrast between color, texture, and detail that I constantly search for in a scene.

I’ll talk more about this special project in the next post…

Shaupeneak Ridge, Hudson Valley

This image was made by combining several exposures (5 total) into an HDR image. It was the only way I was able to capture the extreme dynamic range found between the bright sky and relatively dark foreground. I was literally running around this field trying to find an interesting composition before the amazing sky disappeared.

I will be talking more about HDR imaging in an upcoming article, and will be including it in a future workshop covering advanced techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop.

What I love most about the Hudson is the endless possibilities for interpretation. Regardless of how often I return to a favorite spot, there is always something new to learn, see, and understand.