It’s been a very busy month with several art shows including Garrison, New Paltz, and Glastonbury, CT. But as I mentioned in a recent post, I did manage to get away to the western Adirondacks with my family for some canoe camping and photography. Here are some of my better images from the trip, and I’ll be printing some of these soon for upcoming shows. I’ll be heading up to this area again in a few weeks for the wonderful colors that make Autumn my favorite time of year.

Capturing light at its magic moment is something I discuss frequently at my workshops and is one of the most important “ingredients” in landscape photography. These two images, both from the same morning, were a revelation for me in terms of how light can transform and create an atmosphere that is both rare and unique.

More images from my recent trip to the Adirondacks soon…I’m off to the New Paltz Art and Crafts Fair for the long Labor Day weekend. Enjoy yours!

I’m off to the Adirondacks for a 5 day canoe camping trip with my family where I hope to capture some late summer images, catch up on some reading, and enjoy some of New Yorks nicest lakes.

I’m a big reader, and in the past, reading at camp has literally been a burden for me, since I have a habit of bringing more books than I can possible read (and carry). But thanks to my new Amazon Kindle, an electronic book reader weighing less than a pound, I can bring more books than I ever imagined. Able to hold several hundred e-books in its memory, I think I should be covered no matter what mood I’m in. Yes it’s expensive, but worth every penny just in terms of giving me more access to the best resource for knowledge I know of, books. Just have to make sure I stop reading before the best light disappears behind the horizon.

When I return, I’ll be starting a new series on the blog titled “Finding a Landscape Photograph”, which will cover how I go about finding an image- from selecting locations, scouting, and the actual process and techniques I use when I’m on an actual shoot. I’m sure it will be a leaning experience both for myself and for those reading. Any suggestions, please let me know…

Spent a weekend at Buck Pond campsite recently, located in the northern section of the Adirondacks, about 12 miles north of Saranac Lake. Here is the first of several images I captured during a beautiful morning sunrise, more to come soon…

Nice article today in the NY Times called “Hudson Valley Views” about several scenic hikes in the Hudson Valley, many of which I have hiked and photographed over the years. Included are Mt Beacon and Burger Hill Park, both of which are Scenic Hudson properties. They even mentioned my favorite breakfast/lunch stop in town, Homespun Foods!

These are all great family destinations, and I recommend them to anyone looking for classic Hudson Valley landscapes.

The March 2008 Print of the Month is “Cape Neddick Seascape”, featuring the very scenic lighthouse commonly know as “Nubble Lighthouse“, located in the southern corner of the coast of Maine.

I enjoy photographing lighthouses, not so much because of their architecture, but because so many are located in dramatic coastal settings, where the landscape is very much a part of the experience. Of course, lighthouse photographs are a dime a dozen, so the challenge for me is finding a different way of seeing what is already very familiar.

I knew immediately that the jagged rocks that defined the shore would play a vital part of my composition, since to me they created the drama and visual excitement I’m so often attracted to. It was a challenge just moving around them, and I made sure every step I took was carefully considered.

Using a wide angle lens that helps to emphasize foreground objects, I worked to create a composition that had the weight and feel of the environment I was in. This so called weight was the impression these rocks made on me as they were relentlessly battered by the powerful ocean, creating deep thunderous sounds and big splashes. How could I convey this in a photograph?

Rather than make the lighthouse the main focus, I decided to allow the rocks to dominate the image, and let the lighthouse play the counterpoint, just as a melody often has a supporting harmony that adds richness and depth to a song. And the pieces of ice add a slight juxtaposition, for without them this might be mistaken for summer or fall.

Much of landscape photography is about creating form out of chaos, and as Ernst Haas once said about composition, ”Simple: do not release the shutter until everything in the viewfinder feels just right.“

This is what I try to do each and every time I press the shutter myself, because it’s the feel I hope to express; the rest, whether theory, technique, or equipment, just gets in the way.

Each month, the Print of the Month is available at 15% off regular prices. Purchase here.

The best images from my latest trip to Maine are on the website in the “Latest Images” gallery. I’m quite pleased with the results, and really enjoyed the winter environment. Shooting in the field is just one part of making a final print. Once I have final selects edited and processed from a trip, the final and most rewarding stage for me is printing. I decide which images I want to include in upcoming shows and exhibitions, and begin the process of creating the final “print master” file.I will cover this process in depth in an upcoming entry, as well as in my March Lightroom workshop.

On Feb 21st, I will be presenting a Lightroom seminar to the Dutchess Regional Professional Photographers, a non-profit organization dedicated to the educational needs of professional photographers in Dutchess County, New York. I’ll be covering all of the basics of managing and processing images with Lightroom, and will answer questions fro the attendees. More information can be found at the DRPP website for those who want to attend.

In the meantime, enjoy the images, and as always, I welcome your comments and questions.