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Category Archives: Sunset
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.
Fall Photographic Workshop in Grand Teton National Park!
A Fall Photographic Adventure in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Tetons in the Fall, 2012: September 27-30.
This will be a four day adventure focussing on iconic Teton landscape images, as well as wildlife photography. 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.Please call to discuss any details that may help you make your decision.Please call the gallery directly to inquire! 530-544-4269
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.
Bison Portrait- Simple Symbolism
Bison Portrait, Yellowstone National Park
Most of my images are produced using feeling and emotion. My strongest images “just felt right” when I took them. This image, a portrait of a lone Bison bull wandering the open grassland in Yellowstone National Park, had that feeling. I had just taught a seminar in Grand Teton National Park and chose to take a longer route home, giving myself the opportunity to spend an evening in West Yellowstone. I was glad to be in such a secluded location, I was glad to be alone with my thoughts and emotions, I was enjoying the simplicity of being away. When this Bison wandered along, solitary, powerful, just being, I felt priveledged to share that time with him. This portrait symbolizes the power it takes to be strong, self reliant, alone and in the wild. Our wild spaces, and the creatures that inhabit them, do more than just create a healthy balanced ecosystem (which is very important); they are symbols of the strength and power we have within us (or strive toward building in ourselves). We need these wild places and creatures to exist for more reasons than most people realize. I hope this image shares that strength with you.
Photo Tip: Photographing wildlife is exciting. It can bring great joy to our lives. Unfortunately, many people get caught up in the moment and don’t respect the animals they want to photograph, taking a “get the shot at all costs” approach. Animals have a hard enough time making a living without people interfering. Study their habits and the natural signals they give. If you are causing them to alter their behaviour, back off. Wait until the opportunity presents itself appropriately. Not only can the animals be harmed by our thoughtless behaviour, you might get what you deserve in the end. Be respectful, revel in the experience, be grateful that you can come back another day and do it again.
Equipment used: Nikon D300, Nikon 200-400 F4 AF VR lens, Nikon 1.4x teleconverter, Gitzo 1325 Carbon Tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head. No camouflage was used in the making of this image! 
One Evening in Yellowstone
Madison River Sunset Panorama, Yellowstone N.P.
After photographing my last sunrise in Grand Teton National Park this Fall, I quickly closed up my camper and headed for Yellowstone. I only had enough time to visit the Madison area for sunset before I started my journey home to Lake Tahoe. Fortunately, a storm rolled in and made my 1/2 day a real treat. After a torrential downpour, the sky began to clear and the last light of day created some peaceful magic.
The expansive nature of Yellowstone has me intrigued. In this scene, the meandering Madison River, complete with a glorious sunset reflection, is set off against the simplicity of Yellowstone’s grassland. The two geysers in the background remind me how unique this environment is. The storm clouds above, complete with sunset light, add a mood and power to the scene. This new image is a reminder of the tranquility I find through the power of natural experiences. I hope this image enables you to, “Bring the Fine Art of Nature Home”. I am motivated to return this coming Spring. Let me know if you might like to join me.
This image is now available for purchase through the Jon Paul Gallery !
Photo Tip: When the weather gets really bad, be patient and stay out there! Quite often, the most dramatic light exists on the edges of storms. Especially when dealing with an expansive landscape, clouds and reflection can open up the image and add depth and perspective. So, when everyone else runs for cover, put on the Gore-Tex, cover your camera with a plastic bag and wait for the magic.
Equipment: Canham 5×7 metal field camera, Canham 6×17 cm panoramic roll film back, Rodenstock 150mm Sironar-S lens, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Fuji Provia 100 transparency film.
“SHOOT WITH THE PRO” Grand Teton Seminar
Oxbow Bend, Mount Moran and the Grand
So many gallery visitors and fellow photographers have asked me to guide them in Grand Teton National Park that I altered my Fall schedule to introduce this unique offering! COME SHOOT WITH THE PRO (that’s me) in one of the most stunning locations in the world. This is not a typical seminar. I will be using my experience and knowledge to pursue stunning new gallery images. I will welcome a total of only 4 individuals to join me on this professional excursion. I will put us in the most iconic locations at the right time of day, and with a little cooperation from Mother Nature, we will compose some amazing images. While we shoot together, I will answer your questions, share tips and help ensure your photographic success. After our sunrise landscape shoots, we will pursue wildlife such as Moose, Elk and Bison. During the day, we can choose to pursue more images (weather permitting), or learn from photo critiques on your laptop in camp. Join me at a beautiful campground, or rest in one of Jackson Hole’s hotels and meet me in the morning at our sunrise location. This promises to be an amazing experience. Join me!
This seminar/tour is being offered on relatively short notice. Please contact me ASAP.
530-544-4269 gallery 530-545-2896 cell jonpaul@jonpaulgallery.com
We will meet/greet the afternoon/evening of September 28th. The morning of the 29th will be our first sunrise shoot.
We will be immersed in photography 24/7 through sunset on October 2nd. This makes a full four days of shooting, and living the photographic dream! Please call immediately for details and to reserve your spot.
Bison with Fall Color & Falling Snow
A Peaceful Maui Sunrise
Pastel Sunrise, Maui, Hawaii
What better way to start your day than with a soul full of tranquility! As I enjoyed the peace and solitude of the pre-dawn hour in reflection here on the beach in Maui, Mother Nature added just enough pastel color to spice things up. Given that the sun had not yet risen, there was an even, soft light that projects little contrast, and enables us to feel the calmness of the moment. The relatively long exposure time softened what little wave activity there was, the outgoing water blended nicely with the sand, and the puffy clouds were washed in the same colors and tones as the rest of the scene. The light reflection of of the water, mirroring the sky added to the cohesiveness. The different elements add a bit of interest, yet they are blending together in such a way that the feeling of peace is strengthened. I hope this image shares the with you the joy I felt while composing this amazing moment in time. Enjoy the view!
Photo Tip: Shooting pre-dawn or post sunset can enable you to capture soft glowing light not seen at other times of day. As opposed to direct light, these special times provide an other worldly mood created by light filtering through greater amounts of atmosphere and reflecting off of the atmosphere. This is a sure way to add drama to otherwise common or familiar locations. Given the low light, a longer exposure time will be required. Remember to use a sturdy tripod along with a cable release to avoid camera shake.
Details: Canham 5×7 metal field camera with 4×5 reducing back, 150mm Rodenstock Sironar-S lens, Fuji Provia 100 speed 4×5 quickload film, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Singh-Ray 2-stop split ND filter.
Landscape Without the Land
Evening Cloud Reflections Panorama - Lake Tahoe
Late in the Fall (2010) Lake Tahoe was graced with a lot of stormy weather and dramatic skies. I happen to be a fan of softer, more pastel colored skies, as opposed to the over the top neon colors that have huge “wow-factor” (but I find hard to live with). This particular evening I visited the shore of Lake Tahoe to observe the sunset. While I enjoyed the softness of the sky, I wasn’t drawn to any particular foreground / background combination. I was, however, drawn to the reflection of the sky. The water turned my pastel “painting” into a water color. A bit of detail below the water adds a hint of perspective. This is the type of tranquility nature brings to me, and I hope to share with you. Enjoy!
(this image now available to collectors)
Photo Tip:
Remember, rules are a good starting point for composing images (they became rules for a reason), but the most important aspect of landscape photography as art is, paying attention to how the image makes you feel. The image above has no real foreground or background. I did, however, pay attention to the colors, tones and shapes in the image to make sure it had a natural flow and conveyed what I was feeling. I believe this image works because, it makes me feel the way I felt when I experienced this beautiful evening in person. Remember, it is easy to get caught up in technical minutia in this age of digital art. Try to put the technical aspects aside (or relax after you have mastered the basics) and focus on that feeling that gets you out the door to begin with!
Equipment:
Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera with 6×17 cm panoramic back, 210mm lens, Fuji Provia RDPIII transparency film, Singh Ray LB Warming Polarizer, Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head, Hasselblad/Imacon 646 virtual drum scanner.
Persistence Pays Off…Again!
Cave Rock Sun star Panorama
I had envisioned this image for a couple of years, and finally was putting the time in locally to pursue it. I wanted to compose an image that included Cave Rock, and loved the way the angle of the slope and shape of the tree line framed lake Tahoe. A panoramic image was perfect. I just needed Mother Nature to cooperate. Over the course of three weeks I visited this spot almost every morning and evening. We had a span of inclement weather, so I really focused on the sky and put in the time. Ironically, this was not exactly what I have envisioned, but perhaps better! I had set up my large format bellows camera with the panoramic film back and a three stop Split ND filter covering the sky. I was anticipating the possibility of a brilliant sunset, and clouds much brighter than the foreground. Instead of the color show, the sun exploded out from under the clouds, just bursting onto the mountain line, both creating a sun star, and back lighting the foreground foliage with amazing yellow light. I immediately removed the split filter, as the clouds were now darker than the foreground, and quickly exposed the four sheets of film that the panoramic can consume on one roll. That was it. The show was over. Just a few seconds (and three weeks). Fortunately, I put in the time, I was prepared, and I was open to the possibilities. The experience was fantastic, and the image is amazing. That’s why I keep doing this. I hope you enjoy!
Note: I have left some time available during the holiday season for private field seminars. Let me now if you want to head out and look through the lens together!
November Blog Post
Lake Sabrina Sunset
- I composed this image on my first evening of a three day trip to the eastern sierras. I had never been to Lake Sabrina (located 19 miles east of Bishop, California at about 9,200 ft elevation), but was immediately taken with the drama and beauty of the area. This beautiful little lake is surrounded by towering granite peaks that plunge strait down into this pristine little reservoir. I spent two days scouting and becoming familiar with the area. I chose this vantage point, on a small peninsula jutting into the lake, as it offered a clear panoramic vista of the mountains towering above the lake to the west in the direction of the setting sun. The previous night offered no special light, as I sat in the rain waiting for the sky to break for just one moment. On the second evening I was rewarded for my perseverence. The clouds filled the sky most of the afternoon, but I commited to this evenings shoot. After setting up early and observing the conditions, the sky opened up and allowed the sun to paint the clouds with pinks and reds. My sleeping bag always feels more comfortable after an experience like this.
- The Details: K.B. Canham 5×7 Metal Field Camera with 4×5 reducing back, Rodenstock 150mm Sironar-S lens, Singh Ray 3-stop soft gradation split neutral density filter, BTZS dark cloth, Really Right Stuff BH-55 ball head, Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber tripod, Fuji Provia 100 4×5 film.
Private Field Seminars with Jon Paul
If you would like to improve the success you have with your photography, spend some time in the field with me looking through the lens! I offer private individual and small group field seminars here in Lake Tahoe, or anywhere in the world.
Find out how the pros capture those special images. I answer all of your specific questions as we discuss: natural light, exposure, composition, perspective, travel, planning, vision and proper technique with your format of camera. All field seminars are focussed toward your specific desires. All ability levels are welcome. Come shoot with a pro and learn to take the photographs you aspire toward!
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