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Category Archives: California
I Felt the Image, but had to Wait for Mother Nature to Paint it.
Sugar Pines in Fog, B & W Panorama
As is often the case with special photographs, I felt that an image was here, but it took several years to present itself to me. Sugar Pine trees are unique, majestic beings made even more impressive by their backdrop of Lake Tahoe. The rich brown bark and green needles are strongly set off by the azure blue waters of Lake Tahoe in the background. While that scene is wonderful, and beautiful to experience, I had felt the possibility of a more dramatic image that alluded to the age and mystery of this forest scene. As fog is rare in the mountains around Lake Tahoe, when it arrives, I put everything else on hold and venture into the shrouded world. On this particular morning, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. The vision was pulling me. Fortunately, the fog was dense enough to obscure all but the silhouettes of the Sugar Pines. I chose the panoramic format, focussing on the tops of the trees, which had more dramatic and defined silhouettes. The panorama also offered a greater sense of depth, showing trees both close to the camera, and at incrementally greater distances from the camera, disappearing mysteriously into the fog. I also chose to produce a black and white image, as Mother Nature had presented the scene largely in that manner. The little bit of color that would have been rendered would have merely “muddied” the scene. The strength of this image is in its simplicity. I had an emotional response to this composition, but had to exercise a bit of patience until Mother Nature was ready to paint the scene for me. It was well worth the wait!
Photo Tip:
Shooting in fog can be difficult. To begin with, your light meter will render the white fog as a neutral grey. I find that an exposure compensation of +1 (overexpose 1 stop from meter reading) adds the brightness I want in the scene without “blowing out” the highlights. I am conservative and don’t like to risk losing details. I can then compensate another 1/2 to 1 full stop in processing if I choose. Furthermore, we have to choose whether we want the “solid” subject matter (in this case the trees) to be strong and dark, or soft and relatively light. As I am a large format film shooter, I spot meter each area of the scene and expose for a relatively neutral outcome, which I can fine tune after the fact. If you are shooting digital, as most of my workshop participants do, you can use your histogram as a guide. In this instance, I would definitely “expose to the right” of the histogram, keeping the fog white and the trees light. Even with the white fog, however, I would try not to clip the highlights. Again, I am conservative and like to leave myself as much information in my file / film as possible so I can use my artistic judgement when fine tuning the final print.
If we make a good exposure (I find one exposure to be plenty), we can fine tune our final image with a couple of simple adjustment layers. It all comes down to an understanding of the basics of exposure and metering. Simple, simple, simple.
NOTE: Feel free to contact me for a private or group workshop. I specialize in keeping it simple, eliminating the intimidation factor of the digital world, and bringing success and joy back into outdoor photography.
Equipment:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6×17 cm roll film back, Fuji RDPIII 100 film, Rodenstock APO Sironar -S 150mm lens, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head
New Workshops / Tours Update! (dates approaching)
Field Photography Workshops / Tours
NEW- February 22-24 Yosemite Semi-Private Tour – SOLD OUT
I will only take 4 people, offering us amazing camaraderie and teamwork. The intention is to enable you to experience the type of photography experience often reserved for my close friends and fellow pros. This will be a budget friendly trip with total immersion into the photographic experience, day and night. We will share in decision making, scouting and shooting. Weather, as always, dictates our shooting choices. This is the right time of year to capture the famous “fire fall” (conditions permitting). While I will be shooting with you, my main focus is your learning experience! You come first. I get us there, get us set up and answer EVERY question. I am working for you:)
Call me for specifics and to reserve your spot 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $479
Grand Teton National Park Workshop / Tour Dates Set! (see flyer below)
Grand Tetons in the Spring, 2013:
June 20-23:
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography (baby critters will be out and about). Along with putting us in the right place at the right time to capture our dream photos, I will be teaching about composition, exposure, light, perspective and proper technique. 100% of our time will be spent in the field, where we will learn while doing. While our days are long and tiring, they are also extremely rewarding both photographically and personally. Comeraderie is a huge part of our experience. We will have a great time in a world class wilderness environment and come away better photographers for it. This will be limited to a small number of participants so everyone has all the personal attention required to get the most out of the experience. This is not a physically demanding tour, but participants should be able to walk on uneven ground. You will be expected to rise early to start the day, and be considerate to the groups time requirements in order to ensure that we can meet our “magic light” timelines! Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.
Dates: June 20-23, 2013
Cost: $975
jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
530-544-4269
NEW Private Workshop Days available in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone!
I have added the option of private, one-on-one workshops, both before and after the official Grand Teton dates. I will offer these private sessions at the same price as my local private sessions!
Call to arrange your custom dates 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $500/day
I have added the option of private, one-on-one workshops, both before and after the official Grand Teton dates. I will offer these private sessions at the same price as my local private sessions!
Call to arrange your custom dates 530-545-2896.
Cost: only $500/day
Winter in Lake Tahoe
I have left a large number of dates open and available for private one-on-one or small group workshops / tours here in Lake Tahoe (or wherever you would like). This is a beautiful time of year to photograph Lake Tahoe, aspen groves, rivers, waterfalls, ice patterns, mist, black & white, sunrises and sunsets. The sun is low in the sky, providing soft light and long shadows. We can generally shoot a little later in the morning, and earlier in the evening. Snow and ice provide a new look to the land, and very different opportunities for familiar subjects. Composition and metering, along with managing the cold and snowy conditions, however, become unfamiliar. Join me in the field and allow me to share my experience with you. Let’s create some unique images, while I help you gain confidence in the snow covered photographic world!
Cost: $750/day only $500/day
Spring in Lake Tahoe
Dates will be announced shortly! Private workshops / tours are still available!
This is the most popular time of year to photograph Lake Tahoe! A majority of my signature Lake Tahoe images were composed at this time of year.
Often the lake is calm, providing iconic clear water images, along with beautiful sunrise and sunset reflections. Waterfalls are rushing with snow melt, rivers are full, and there are still very few visitors. We have the place to ourselves! Honestly, this is the stuff photographers dreams are made of:) Please join me, as I share the most outstanding locations to photograph in this region, along with my knowledge and understanding of the art of landscape and wildlife photography. As one of the few successful gallery photographers in the country, I have a different approach to this art. I am not attempting to create huge volumes of work to fill magazine space. Nor am I attempting to produce “digital art” from mediocre images. I will share with you the simple steps and tools necessary to capture “the fine art of nature”, eliminating the intimidation factor of the digital world. All questions are answered, as we learn by doing. Let’s look through the lens together, create amazing images, and learn to become more successful photographers in the field.
When the Magic Happens!
Steaming Tree, Light Rays & Reflections
When the magic happens, all is right in the world. This was one of those moments. After several days of rain, and a relatively cold night, the rising sun heated the dark, wet tree and created steam. A scene I have walked by numerous times was transformed into a mystical wonderland. It was thrilling to experience. As the steam filled the air, obscuring the forest beyond, and filtering the rays of sun breaking through the branches, I immersed myself in the experience. This isn’t a mere photograph. This is a translation of what I feel when Mother Nature is kind enough to let the magic happen.
I chose to shoot black and white film on my 4×5 field camera, as this image was all about mood. The tones of black, white and grey were necessary to translate the emotions of the light show, narrowing the scene down to light, dark and form. i love making these artistic choices in the field, as opposed to shooting haphazardly, and hoping to fix it in a computer later. This is the only way to translate the feelings we experience in nature with our art. For me, the art is the experience. My photography is the simple artistic representation.
Photo Tip:
This is a classic example of using the Zone System in order to capture a huge exposure range in one sheet of film. I metered on the dark shadow on the tree, then underexposed 2 1/2 stops. This rendered the tree relatively black, with a touch of detail remaining in the shadows. The areas of bright light (lit grass & backlit fog) metered 7 stops brighter than the shadow. To remedy this, I used a N-2 processing time on the film (under processed 2 stops) in order to narrow the range between shadow and highlight to 5 stops. Using these tactics, I was able to create a negative that rendered detail in both shadow and highlight areas, while keeping a full range of contrast. The craft of large format film photography is a real joy to work with, and when done well, renders amazing results!
Equipment used:
Canham 5×7 metal Field Camera, 4×5 Reducing Back, Rodenstock Sironar-S 150mm lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Kodak T-Max 100 Black and White Film, Ilford ID-11 Developer.
Let Emotions Lead You to Great Images
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"Winter Aspens and Pine"
This image is the product of emotions, a true connection with the natural landscape and patience. I had passed this location numerous times over the years in search of wildlife, but never “saw an image”. One Spring morning, while hiking through, this section of trees pulled me in. I didn’t see an image that day, but I didn’t ignore what I felt. I returned to this spot every season for several years. The feeling remained, but the conditions didn’t quite fit my emotions. Fall colors, new Spring green, snow covered. They all lacked…something. I stayed true to the emotions that kept bringing me back. Finally, it happened! This particular morning had just the right even light and brightness. It was snowing lightly, the wispy dormant aspens had a delicate, wispy lightness to them. The pines in the background showed there subtle detail and subdued, yet rich color, which set off every nuance of the aspen branches. This was the moment where my emotion matched the visual moment! The art happened. I was able to “bring the fine art of nature home”.
This process of “bringing the fine art of nature home” is something I have been basing my art around for years. It is also what I base my photo tour concepts on. I don’t want to create massive volumes of pictures. I want to do justice to those moment in time that make me feel…right. And I want to share that with the world in the finest print possible. That is my passion. For this image, I felt it was imperative to choose my medium carefully. With the fine detail and subtlety in this composition, I chose to use my 8×10 inch film camera, which I have adapted to also take 4×10 inch panoramic format images. This huge format not only records amazing detail, but also forces me to take full responsibility for every aspect of the final exposure and image. Along with it’s cumbersome nature and great cost to shoot, I find that I must shoot very deliberately and consciously to make sure my exposure and composition match my emotional vision. This has helped me grow as an artist, and enables me to express the emotion I feel in the natural world through my fine art prints.
Photo Tip:
Stop thinking technically (about all the functions on the camera and all of your software), and focus on that which brought you to the outdoors to begin with. Yes, we have to understand enough about exposure, light and composition to capture an image, but we need to have a feeling about the subject to compose a piece of art! Trust yourself and the emotions that draw you to a particular image, and use the technical aspects of photography as the final part of capture. Immerse yourself in your natural surrounding, enjoy the experience and let your art go beyond a two dimensional technical capture.
Equipment:
Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera adapted to also Shoot 4×10 Panorama, Rodenstock 360 mm APO Sironar-S lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Fuji Provia RDP III 100 speed Transparency Film.
Anticipation is a key to capturing great wildlife moments
Coyote Mousing
Watching the amazing things wild animals do in their daily lives is often amusing and exciting to experience. Hey, that’s why we invest the time in the field. However, understanding their behavior, understanding what we may expect, and carefully observing the details enables us to be prepared and anticipate when that magic moment might occur. This coyote picture is a great example of success through anticipation.
I occasionally visit this meadow near where I live in lake Tahoe in search of wildlife (I anticipate their being here). When I saw this coyote slowly zigzagging through the meadow grass, I knew he was hunting for field mice, voles and ground squirrels. I quietly picked a spot slightly ahead of him, in the direction he was meandering, and set myself up in the treeline for cover. Then, I observed.
When he heard movement in the grass he froze, his ears swung to the front and his head pointed directly at the prospective meal. Importantly, I noticed that he would crouch, putting all of his weight on his hind legs, prior to bounding into the air toward his prey. Now, whenever he would stop, I would set my focus, then move his current position to the side of the frame, anticipating that he would leap into the scene. This gave me a composition that was natural for the eye to observe.
I also metered the scene and set my exposure time appropriately to freeze the impending burst of motion.
Anticipation enabled me to capture the “decisive moment” that I am sharing with you now. It also enabled me to relax and enjoy the show, as I was confident in being prepared for the shot. I was able to both shoot the action and enjoy the natural beauty that brought me to nature photography in the first place!
Photo Tip:
Study, research and plan in anticipation of the animals you are likely to see in the location you plan to visit. Prepare your gear with appropriate lens choice, tripod, and exposure settings in anticipation of what you may see in that setting. When you do find the animal(s) you hope to photograph, observe every aspect of their behavior in anticipation of that decisive moment that will make the shot you dreamed of.
Equipment used:
Nikon D300, Nikon 200-400 F4 AF VR, Nikon 1.4x teleconverter, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Fiber Tripod.
Look Beyond What You Expect To See!
Salt Polygons, Storm Clouds & Magic Light
With my time being valuable, and with experience on my side, many of my strongest landscape images are born of research, planning and multiple visits to a single location. That said, there are quite a few gems that have come from being open to whatever Mother Nature offers up. The image above is a great example of this scenario. I had waited for days while Mother Nature handed up flat grey sunrises and sunsets. On this particular morning, I was rewarded with exactly what I had hoped for. Just 20 minutes before this image was taken, I was treated to the pastel pink and orange sky I had hoped for, adding the perfect backdrop to my strong salt polygon foreground. It was quite tempting, after achieving the “goal image”, to pack up and head back to camp to rest. However, I was willing to receive multiple gifts, if Mother Nature wanted to be generous.
I was intrigued by the warm morning light on the salt polygons and the distant mountain line, contrasted against the dark clouds of the approaching storm. I put my 8×10 away, and set up my 5×7 field camera with a 6×17 cm panoramic film back. The panoramic format accentuated the long lines of the mountain range, dark sky, sandy brown salt and white salt in the foreground. I also feel that the panoramic format accentuates the feeling of vastness I was struck by, while eliminating too much empty sky or overdone foreground. The drama and mood of this image conveys the desolate beauty I experienced in this unique location. If I had closed my mind to anything other than the image I had pre-visualized, I would have missed an amazing opportunity. Remember, it is nice to compose an image we have created in our minds eye, but we don’t want to miss that hidden gem (or the experience that comes along with discovering it!).
Photo Tip:
This one is basic, but shouldn’t be overlooked. Always stay open and receptive to whatever Mother Nature may offer you. I actually find that this is often an issue for more experienced photographers. As we gain experience, we often become set in our ways, focused on “the job” of creating a perfect image, or just plain lazy. I have seen people discover magic light, learn how to plan around it, become adept at planning the ideal shot (all good things), and then forget about the experience of being in nature. Light changes, occurs in different ways and transforms a landscape. While the perfectly planned shot is great to achieve, we should stay open to something different (and perhaps better) that shows itself to us. If we go beyond what we expect, and tap into the emotion and intuition that made us want to preserve these natural moments through photography, we can maintain our love for the natural experience and create images that are truly moving.
This one is basic, but shouldn’t be overlooked. Always stay open and receptive to whatever Mother Nature may offer you. I actually find that this is often an issue for more experienced photographers. As we gain experience, we often become set in our ways, focused on “the job” of creating a perfect image, or just plain lazy. I have seen people discover magic light, learn how to plan around it, become adept at planning the ideal shot (all good things), and then forget about the experience of being in nature. Light changes, occurs in different ways and transforms a landscape. While the perfectly planned shot is great to achieve, we should stay open to something different (and perhaps better) that shows itself to us. If we go beyond what we expect, and tap into the emotion and intuition that made us want to preserve these natural moments through photography, we can maintain our love for the natural experience and create images that are truly moving.
Equipment:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6×17 cm panoramic film back, Caltar (Rodenstock) 210mm lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Fuji Provia RDPIII 100 Transparency Film.
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6×17 cm panoramic film back, Caltar (Rodenstock) 210mm lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo Carbon Tripod, Fuji Provia RDPIII 100 Transparency Film.
Making Our Artistic Choices at Capture, Not as an Afterthought
Joshua Trees & The High Sierras
After a few days creating images in Death Valley National Park, my friend (and fellow photographer) Christian Fleury, and I ventured out of the park and into the desert for one final photographic opportunity. I was enamored with the starkness of the desert and wanted to share the feeling of vastness. I knew black and white film was a natural choice for the mood I was trying to convey, and the amazing cloud display begged for a this classic look. I chose my 6x17cm film format for the wide view that accentuated the expanse of the desert. The widely spread Joshua trees growing in the sand redefined the traditional vision of “forest”. The wispy clouds danced overhead, celebrating the openness of this wild place. The mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains in the distance pulled the scene together. I truly felt the mood of this location, and reveled in the artistic process of choosing how to visually interpret, compose and capture this image. If I had taken a modern approach of shooting hundreds of frames in color, weeding through them on the computer, and finally deciding “how the image should look”, I would have lost the mood and message I wanted to convey. As an artist in nature, I enjoy taking the responsibility of choosing my final vision while in the field. It is very gratifying to have that vision come to fruition through that initial emotion, successful choices, and an individual capture. That is the art I enjoy. Enjoy the View!
Photo Tip:
Slow down and trust your feelings. In a fast digital world, it is easy to get caught up in the whole mindset of not wanting to miss anything. Note that this is a human nature & societal problem, not a digital problem. The issue becomes a lack of focus on what is moving us and drawing us to the subject we want to photograph. In a familiar location near home, try the old method of giving yourself just one sheet of film (or one last spot on the memory card:) ). Observe what you are drawn to and take the time to conceive of the expected light, choose the composition carefully, clean up those edges, refine the focal length, pick the optimal camera position, carefully select the exposure, use solid technique with your tripod, cable release, etc. Make this one exposure important relative to what it makes you feel, and what it might communicate to a viewer. Enjoy the process, and take control of your art. Don’t go home with hundreds, or even thousands of images wondering if you may hove gotten anything. This practice will build your confidence in your skills, refine your artistic eye, and enable you to create a higher percentage of “successful images” in the future.
Equipment used:
Canham 5×7 metal field camera, Canham 6x17cm roll film back, Caltar II-n (Rodenstock) 90mm lens, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Acros 100 black and white film, Singh Ray LB Warming Polarizer, Red Filter.
Lily Pads & Fall Reflection Panorama
Lily Pads & Fall Reflection Panorama
I composed this image on Lily Lake, at the south end of the Lake Tahoe Basin. I love this area for it’s signature Sierra beauty, along with the peace and quiet that can be experience here. Early this fall morning the wind stood still, enabling me to enjoy the crystal clear reflections and mist rising from the water. The old cabins and row boat added to the ambiance of this Walden like scene. I chose to create this image before the sun rose high enough to illuminate the far cliffs, keeping the moodiness of the scene. I didn’t want the electric pop of direct light here. I was mesmerized by the tranquility, and the shaded light enabled me to hold the richness I wanted in the colors. Finally, I chose the panoramic format to accentuate the mist on the far side of the lake, and give an expansive view of the most detail filled portion of the scene I was observing. This image is now available as a limited edition directly through Jon Paul Gallery.
(Note: This is one of the locations available to my private field seminar participants! Contact me through Jon Paul Gallery for information on my seminar offerings.)
Photo Tip:
I love shooting in low ambient light pre-sunrise, after sunset, or in overcast conditions. Colors are very rich, and otherwise impossible exposures are tamed by the even light. However, these conditions produce a blue cast that our film or digital sensors record. Occasionally, this can be a cool effect, but most often it just looks unnatural. This can be solved in several ways: we can use a warming filter over our lens, we can set the white balance in our digital camera before shooting, we can correct the color temperature in our Raw converter or, within PhotoShop, we can open a curves adjustment layer and use the grey dropper. Shaded light is fantastic for scenes that can become too contrasty in direct light. Just be aware of the color cast and know how to correct it if you would like to. Happy shooting!
Equipment used:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera, Canham 6x17cm panoramic roll film back, Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar-s lens, Fuji RDPIII Provia 100 transparency film, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head.
Monterey, California in Black and White
Monterey Dusk
Using a large format film camera, like the 8×10 I used for this image, really slows my artistic process down and enables me to simplify my compositions and focus on the mood of the image. I took this picture about 10 minutes after sunset, as the light softened and the atmosphere became blue. The low light required an 8 minute exposure, which caused the waves to “dissapear” into an ethereal mist. The strong rock formations anchored the image, giving it strength and power. I chose black and white for both the classic, almost vintage look, as well as to simplify the final print. I believe this image evokes a mood of relaxation and mystery that can only be found on the coast.
Photo Tip: Be there when the natural conditions enable you to take the shot. This sounds simple enough, but many people I know have become lazy, and aren’t willing to do the work necessary to get the shot right to begin with. If you would like to take a long exposure and create a misty look with moving water, don’t expect your 8 stop ND filter to make things right in the middle of the day. Shoot before sunrise, after sunset or on a cloudy day. Part of the joy in photographing nature is earning the image by experiencing nature when the light is right. Get out there, enjoy the experience and be proud that you earned the shot in the best natural light possible.
Equipment Used: Canham 8×10 Metal Field Camera, Rodenstock 240mm Sironar-S lens, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Fuji 8×10 Film.
Light “Selection”, Reflection and Beaver Pond
Beaver Pond, Spring Reflections
Many of you will remember my facebook posts from the scouting I did of this lovely beaver pond here in South Lake Tahoe. Along with a reasonable iphone image I shared, I posted a sweet portrait of my professional assistant, Toby (6), capturing his own rendition of the beaver pond and its inhabitants with a little digital camera. He always gets a great response, and ads huge joy to my excursions. Well, I returned the following morning to capture this beautiful moment.
I was drawn to this scene for its sheer tranquility. Seemingly every shade of green in the spectrum (very welcome after a never ending winter!), along with the beaver hut, all reflecting in the still waters of the calm morning. I loved the composition and the feeling, but I still had one very important decision to make; in which light should I expose my film? I was hoping to capture the scene with everything in shade and a glowing reflection of the mountains and trees above the background lit with warm morning light. Well, the light didn’t enter the scene evenly, so that wasn’t an option. Fortunately, I arrived early enough to be set up and created this exposure with ambient light softly illuminating the scene before me. After everything was lit by the sun, I felt the image lost its soft relaxing quality. Overall, this image conveys the mood I was after. From the green color, to the stillness of the leaves, the depth of its layers and the mirrored reflection, the natural perfection of the moment takes me to a place of serenity. This wasn’t exactly what I had pre-visualized, but stayed open to what Mother Nature had to offer, and let my feelings influence the final image. I love it!
Photo Tip: Light is the name of the game in photography. I prefer to use only one exposure, so I pay special attention to each phase of morning and evening light as they relate to my subject. This is important for proper exposure, but also for setting the mood of the image and how it conveys my feelings of the natural experience. For sunrise images like this one I like to arrive well before sunrise in order to experience the transition from night into a new day, and to give myself the opportunity to compose images with each phase of changing morning light. While there are many possibilities as the light changes, I like to be conscious of my feelings as the light transitions. My goal is always to share that moment in time, in that place, that makes me feel a special way. If done well, that moment in time can become eternal, and make the lives of its viewers that little bit better each time they view the image.
Details: KB Kanhan 5×7 metal field camera, 2 1/4 x 6 3/4 panoramic back, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Rodenstock 150mm APO Sironar S lens, Fuji RDPIII Provia transparency film, no filters.
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