Category: Photography

Video – My Lightning Bag – Part 3 of 3

Published / by adminjc

Hi Everyone,

In this third of three videos, I talk about the MK Controls Lightning Bug lightning trigger I use to photograph lightning.

The below tools will help you easily capture photographs of lightning in the daytime or nighttime. And I include some useful tips on lightning photography and safety too.

You can see the video on my YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/t0BZHsU-pYw

You can see my other videos on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcd8nqgH0CiaveaIlKbE1mA

You can find the equipment I talk about here:

Check out my helpful articles too:

Have Fun,
Jeff

Tracking Fall Colors 2022

Published / by adminjc

Soon, fall colors will be here. The reds, yellows, oranges and other colors will be popping up everywhere, so grab your camera and take some great photographs of Mother Nature’s big show.

To help you get the most out of your shooting, I’ve updated my annual list of links about fall colors and where to find them. Since I live in Arizona, I’ve put together a special section for my state. But I also have an extensive listing for the rest of the country and a listing for Canada. There are also links to articles to help you take great photographs of Nature’s display of color.

As you go to these websites, you will often find many links to other sites. You could easily spend an entire day following link after link, or just go to the main pages I have listed here.

I hope you get some fantastic photographs this year. Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your images of changing colors. I’m sure everyone would love to see them. And if you have a favorite place to shoot that’s not on my list, let me know.

I process my images with ON1 Photo Raw. Check it out at https://on1.sjv.io/15Mjdz

Have Fun,
Jeff

Leaf in a log

Arizona

  • Fall Colors on the Coconino – This Coconino National Forest site explains why leaves change colors, what trees produce what colors, and hikes to see this wonder of nature.
  • Fall Colors in Arizona – Links to sites for fall colors, broken down by the month they change color.
  • Leaf-ometer – It tells how the leaves are changing around Flagstaff.
  • The Pinal Mountains near Globe offer several trails with maples, sumacs and sycamores that change color. Colors usually peak in late October. Check out the Ice House Canyon trial, Six-Shooter Canyon trail and the Pinal Mountain Range. Ice House can be hard to find, so get directions from the Ranger station in Globe.
Aspens on the Kachina Trail kachinatrail-0098
Aspens on the Kachina Trail kachinatrail

The Rest Of The Country

There’s a National Fall Color Hotline too, 1-800-354-4595. Call this number and choose the area of the country you’re interested in and get information on leaf color, scenic drives, peak times for the colors and other fall activities.

Leaves changing color
Leaves changing color

Canada

Articles

Photo – Shots In The Rain

Published / by adminjc

Hi Everyone,

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.

knot hole
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.

split log
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.

leaf on a log
51mm / 1/80 / f/5.6 / ISO 200 / Tripod used

Equipment used:

Have Fun,
Jeff

Photo – The Old Bell

Published / by adminjc

Hi Everyone,

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.

I processed this image with ON1 Photo Raw. Check it out at https://on1.sjv.io/15Mjdz

Have Fun,
Jeff

Photos – Laguna Beach Kelp

Published / by adminjc
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.

I processed these images with ON1 Photo Raw. Check it out at https://on1.sjv.io/Zdvkjz

Have Fun,
Jeff

Photo – Sunglasses at Laguna Beach, California

Published / by adminjc
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.

Check out ON1 Photo RAW at https://on1.sjv.io/Zdvkjz

Have Fun,
Jeff