I don’t encounter fog very often in Arizona, so when I do I take as many photos as I can.
This photo was taken on the road that leads up to Snowbowl, a ski area near Flagstaff. Half way up the road we drove into light fog. We quickly parked and I grabbed my gear and ran a short distance up the road when I saw this.
I thought the composition was great as it could mean different things to different people. Some may see the large trees protecting the small yellow aspen, while others may see them threatening it. I just like the way the green aspens nicely framed the yellow one.
When I processed the image, I thought of making the yellow leaves very bright, but that wouldn’t look right for an image in fog, so I left them a little muted.
I managed to take this photo, and one other, when suddenly the sun burned off the fog. I only had about fifteen minutes of fog before it was gone, but it was a great surprise.
Always be prepared to take advantage of any pleasant surprise that nature gives you.
These aspens are growing in a burn scar. While a forest fire is a tragedy, it clears out all the trees and brush from an area, so when the aspens quickly grow back, and change color, you can easily see their beautiful leaves.
The other day I was getting some firework photos ready for a stock site and had a real surprise. I noticed a bright area at the bottom left of the photo. At first, I thought it was light reflecting off of smoke, but when I zoomed in I saw that I had captured a lightning bolt during the show.
Click to enlarge
How often do you get a skyrocket exploding with lighting in the background?
I made some adjustments in ON1 Photo RAW to bring out the lightning. What do you think of the image?
What happy surprises have you found in your photos?
I’ve added more of my photos to Redbubble. They can be put onto T-shirts, mugs, phone cases and much more. Check them out at my RedBubble shop here www.redbubble.com/people/jeffcolburn/shop
Pillow
Sticker
Tote Bag
These new photos are designed to inspire you to achieve more in your life. Head on over and take a look.
If you don’t see the photograph you’re looking for, let me know. I can always add it to my shop.
While shooting on a sunny day is nice, I also love shooting in “bad” weather. I’ve photographed in rain, lightning storms, snow, wind, fog, blowing dust and sand and more. All of these weather conditions really add an interesting element to your photographs.
55mm / 1/80 / f/11 / ISO 200 / Tripod used
As long as you have the proper clothes to protect yourself, and covering for your gear, you can have a great time.
These photos were taken near Snowbowl in Flagstaff, Arizona. It had been raining before we got there, and rained off and on all day.
55mm / 1/100 / f/5.6 / ISO 200 / Tripod used
The only scary part of the day was when a large aspen tree fell. We heard it snapping branches on other trees as it fell, followed by a loud thud as it crashed onto the ground. We never did find the tree, but it was close. Nature always keeps things interesting, so stay on your toes.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 70mm / 1/60 / f/11 / ISO 100 / Tripod used
This photograph was taken at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, https://btarboretum.org. It’s a great place to photograph plants, trees, birds, flowers, old buildings and some great scenery.
I liked the patina on the bell, and the texture of the rocks. The shadows from tree branches also added a touch of mystery. I used the rule of thirds to get good composition, and to make blank space on the right. This space can be used by a business to add text to the image for a sales or marketing campaign, or in a magazine article.
If composition allows, take several photos of your subject, each with space on a different side. And shoot both horizontally and vertically. This increases the usability for any potential buyer.
Here are some sunset photos I took at Laguna Beach, California. What I like about the first photo is how it’s a little blown out on the left. It gives the appearance of the photo fading into the distance.
Do you remember the photo of sunglasses I posted a couple weeks ago? That shot was taken a little to the right of this image.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 28mm / 1/80 / f/5.6 / ISO 100 / Hand Held
The second photo uses water on the sand to reflect the colors of the sunset. This brings the colors of the sunset into more of the photo.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 27mm / 1/50 / f/5.6 / ISO 100 / Hand Held
When shooting sunsets, don’t stop after the sun goes below the horizon. Some of my best sunset shots, especially at the Grand Canyon, were done after the sun has set. The sky can really light up, especially if there are clouds. And remember to look all around to see what the light is doing both in front of you and behind you.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments about these photos, or photography in general.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 24mm / 1/400 / f/5.6 / ISO 200 / Hand Held
Hi Everyone,
Here are some more photos I took at Laguna Beach, California. These are several shots of kelp, also known as seaweed.
Seaweed washes up on shore after a storm breaks it loose, or after a sea urchin eats through the base of its stalk. You can sometimes find barnacles or other ocean life attached to the seaweed. And it often has a fluid or serpentine look to it when on the beach.
A few tips about shooting at the beach.
1 – Always keep an eye on the waves. You don’t want to get knocked over by a wave, or get salt water on your gear. After you have some experience shooting at the beach you get a feel for how far a wave will travel on the sand. Waves come is sets of two to fifteen, with five to seven being normal. And the last one or two waves in a set will be the largest. Before you start shooting, watch the waves for a while to see what they are doing.
It was nice to know that even though I had not been to the beach for 25 years, I could still tell just how far a wave would come up on the beach.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 66mm / 1/160 / f/4 / ISO 100 / Hand Held
2 – Depending on where you and the sun are, you can use a polarizing filter to cut down on glare, and to darken the sky and foliage near the shore. It also works great for shooting in tide pools.
3 – It’s easy to add a human quality to the photos by including footprints in the sand or people in the background.
4 – Watch the background. You can be so focused on what’s in front of you, that you forget about the background. There could be buildings, people and offshore oil rigs that you don’t want in your photo.
5 – Use water on the sand to reflect things, like I did in my last beach post with the bird.
6 – If you walk around the beach barefoot, and you should, when you’re done you’ll find that sand sticks to your feet like it’s glued there. To easily remove the sand, rub talcum powder or corn starch on your feet. The sand will slide right off.
If you find yourself shooting in Laguna Beach, when you’re done head a little north on Pacific Coast Highway and stop at the Crystal Cove Shake Shack for a date shake. The shakes and view are both great.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 29mm / 1/250 / f/4 / ISO 100 / Hand Held
Let me know if you have any questions or comments about these photos, or photography in general.
Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS at 70mm / 1/40 / f/5.6 / ISO 100 / Hand Held
Hi Everyone,
The circumstances around this photograph are strange.
We were at Laguna Beach, California, walking around main beach. We went around a tall rock, and my wife, Linda-Ann, spotted these sunglasses. They were sitting on the rock exactly as you see them in the photograph.
At first, I thought someone put them there as they roamed around, but there wasn’t anyone else in the area. And why would someone put two pairs of sunglasses on a rock and leave?
I’ll never know why they were there, but I liked the composition and took this photograph. And yes, I left them there as we continued exploring the beach.
It’s not all that uncommon for me to find things lying around. I’ve found money on the ground, including a $20 bill last week. The most I’ve found was $80. I love windy days that blow money around.
I’ve also found large store-bought crystals, jewelry, wallets with nothing inside but cash, tools, hiking gear, lens caps and filters, fossils and more.
It’s nice to look up, but it pays to look down.
I processed this image in ON1 Photo Raw as I no longer use Lightroom or Photoshop. I find ON1 to be faster and easier to use, and it gives sharper images. It costs less than Photoshop too.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments about this photo, or photography in general.
