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Your Mind’s Eye
30th November 2013
It May be too Limiting
What do you visualize of when you hear someone say that they are going to visit Colorado?
Most of us already have a picture in mind even before that person finishes his/her sentence.
It doesn’t matter if they are visiting New York City or Texas, Paris or Timbuktu. And of course it doesn’t matter if we’ve never before visited that place. We’re all influenced by our mind’s eye – the previous information and images that we’ve associated with that particular place.
So I keep telling myself: don’t fixate on the “mind’s eye”. I tell the photographer in me to keep eyes wide to everything when traveling. Colorado is more than the Rockies, New York City is more than the Statue of Liberty, Texas is more than the Alamo and Paris is more than the Eiffel Tower.
Written by: Arnie Lee
eBook Giveaway
27th November 2013
FREE – any of our seven Stay Focused Guides
These books are for photographers who want to solve common shooting problems with their DSLR. They were originally available as 4-color printed books through book and online stores and sell for $22.95 each.
You can download the PDF editions now free of charge.
Each chapter shows you how to adjust the camera settings for turning a problematic “before” picture into a top notch “after” photograph.
They’re written for the following DSLRs***.
o Canon XS o Canon XSi o Canon T2i o Nikon D40 o Nikon D60 o Nikon D3000 o Nikon D5000 |
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*** If you have a different camera, I encourage you to download a copy and follow along since the techniques are very similar regardless of the make and model.
There is no obligation, but if you’re so inclined we’d like you to subscribe to our newsletter which brings you tips, techniques, reviews and lots of other “things photographic” from Stay Focused.
To get your free download, please click here.
Written by: Arnie Lee
Oops. Saved Again!
26th November 2013
Why I use filters instead of lens caps
In my photography early days, I was a faithful user of lens caps. Whenever I wasn’t shooting, I would snap the lens cap onto the lens. I considered this a safe way to care for my equipment. Of course, most of us also enclosed the entire camera inside its companion leather case. Yes, we were very protective of our precious equipment. And yes again, I spent a lot of time looking for misplaced or buying replacement lens caps.
When I acquired my first SLR at age 14, I quickly fell out of the habit of using lens caps. I may have inherited this trait from my photography mentor for whom I worked while still a student. John explained that removing a lens cap required too much time when you are trying to capture the action.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve had a mishap such as this. Actually, this is the third time that a filter has saved the front glass element of one of my lenses. This alone tells me that I should keep on buying filters for each of my lenses.
Written by: Arnie Lee
The Small Stuff
23rd November 2013
Sometimes it’s the little things that count
I love being outdoors enjoying nature. And I’m an ardent admirer of landscapes and scenery.
When I’m hiking the scented woods, the winding trails, the golden meadows or the salty seashores, my eyes are usually drawn to the big things – the rolling hills, the roaring rivers, the jagged mountains, the immense forests.
But every so often something tiny, delicate or ephemeral catches my attention. I’m not deliberately seeking out the “small stuff” but somehow they make their way to the front of my lens as I attempt to duplicate the emotive feeling that I get from seeing them.
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Maybe after looking at a few of these up close photos, you’ll have a better understanding of how transitioning from the big stuff to the little stuff can change your point of view in a hurry.
Written by: Arnie Lee
A Visit To Upper Antelope Canyon
21st November 2013
Another Amazing Feat of Nature
The story goes that hundreds of years ago herds of antelope grazed on the grounds where natural forces carved an assortment of narrow passages through the sandstone to create what native Americans call Tsé bighánílíní or the place where water runs through the rocks.
This sacred Navajo monument is commonly known as Upper Antelope Canyon. This slot canyon is a phenomenal site to experience and photograph.
Since Antelope Canyon is a Navajo Tribal Park, access is is granted only through one of five guide services that operate from nearby Page, Arizona which is also home to the Glen Canyon Dam. I chose to take an extended 2-1/2 hour photographic tour.
I’ll illustrate my visit with photos that show you the scale of the passageways and canyon walls in relation to the size of an average visitor.
The widest part of the canyon is a cathedral-like alcove near the entrance.
Here the canyon opens to about 30 feet wide and the walls are simply splendid. |
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For anyone interested, I chose the 2-1/2 hour photographic tour from Antelope Canyon Tours. The cost was $80.
Before this visit, Antelope Canyon had been on my list of “must see” places for several years. Now that I’ve experienced this enjoyable place, I am again thoroughly impressed by Mother Nature.
Written by: Arnie Lee
About this Photograph – Bison
20th November 2013
A Single Photo is Just a Split Second in Time
A few weeks ago I traveled to Yellowstone to view the wildlife and scenery before the cold and snow arrived. Unfortunately, I chose to visit at the same time that our government decided to shutdown the National Parks.
The scene went something like this: As I passed through the north gate at Gardiner, MT at 7:30am on October 1st, the park ranger informed me that Yellowstone would be closing at 8:00am, just about 30 minutes from now. Having just entered the park, I was temporarily elated to think I’d have the entire place to myself.
After I lost sight of the pair of bisons, I hopped back in the car and continued driving southward. Little did I know that most of the viewing areas and parking in Yellowstone would be barricaded with orange cones including the Norris Geyser Basin due to the government shutdown. There went my hiking plans.
Was I disappointed? Yes, but not depressed. Having stopped at this and several other roadside areas in the park was still exciting and exhilarating both emotionally and visually.
The single photograph “Bison at the Fumaroles” is but a split second during my visit to Yellowstone. Along with the other photos, these five split seconds actually add up to much more than the fifteen actual minutes that I spent near Nymph Lake.
I don’t think I can put a number on the amount of enjoyment this stop off brought me during this visit to one of my favorite places.
Written by: Arnie Lee
PhotoPlus Expo – Redsnap
19th November 2013
High Speed Photography and More
As I was walking the aisles of the PhotoPlus Expo, an impressive photo caught my attention. It was a stop action of a glass bottle as it was shattering into hundreds of small pieces.
I was at the booth of a company named Triggertrap and they were showing off its Redsnap trigger. This device is unique in that you can use one of several sensors to trigger your camera or flash.
The good news is that this looks like a promising product.
The bad news is that the Redsnap is not yet available. Triggertap has been raising money to build and distribute the Redsnap through a Kickstarter campaign. The goal was to raise £50,000 but they surprisingly raised £290,000.
I learned that the electronics and enclosures for the Redsnap are now being finalized. Small production batches will be available for Kickstarter contributors beginning in December and January and full production is scheduled to begin about May of next year.
Retail prices have yet to be determined. For more information go to the Triggertrap site.
It looks like an interesting accessory. I hope to review one when they become available.
Written by: Arnie Lee
About these Photographs – Tetons
18th November 2013
“Easy” Scenery
Sometimes it seems like you have to really work hard to capture the photograph that’s been bouncing around your head for a long, long time.
Then, there are other times when you hardly have to work at all.
For my two selected scenes below, I think that anyone with a camera couldn’t miss capturing great photographs of these two gorgeous places.
Both were taken in the Grand Teton National Park area this past October. The first was taken at the Jackson Lake Overlook and the second at Oxbow Bend.
It’s not always necessary to hike five miles uphill in 100-degree heat to capture that iconic gallery wrap. There are plenty of places that lend themselves to “easy” scenery. And easy doesn’t have to mean a “me too” photograph, a little patience and variation can help you set your photos apart.
Written by: Arnie Lee
About this Photograph – Horseshoe Bend
15th November 2013
The Rest of The Story
I’ve been wanting to visit the iconic Horseshoe Bend for many years and I finally had my chance a few weeks ago.
As its name suggests, the Colorado River makes an abrupt 270 turn in the shape of a horseshoe. It’s located downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell near the city of Page, AZ. Drive 5 miles south on US89 from Page and you’ll see a gravel parking lot. From there a half mile hike on a moderately sloped dirt trail brings you to the overlook.
I arrived late in the day and found quite a few onlookers and photographers awaiting the sunset.
So there you have it. By itself, this Horseshoe Bend photograph certainly doesn’t tell the story behind it. To inject a slight bit of humor here, let me say that I’m not afraid of heights, only of falling from them. I wasn’t going to leave the overlook until I had my shot. A little dirt on my clothes is the price that I had to pay to get it.
Written by: Arnie Lee
PhotoPlus Expo – Hufa Holder
14th November 2013
Stop Lens Cap Loss
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of lens caps. In the field, I don’t want to remove the cap, put it in a pocket for safe keeping and then be get prepared to shoot. Nor do I want to dig it out of my pocket and put it back onto the lens.
Instead I’ve made it a habit of buying a good quality UV filter for each of my lenses. The filter is to protects the lens front surface from dirt, grime and scratches. I feel a lot more comfortable cleaning the surface of the filter repeatedly rather than the surface of the lens itself. To be fair, this is my preferred way of shooting and I know that not everyone subscribes to this way of working.
There are actually two models: the Hufa and the Hufa S. The Hufa attaches to wide camera straps that are often found on camera bags. The “S” model shown here is for the narrower camera straps. Each model is available in three different colors: black, red and white. They are affordably priced at $10 each.
If you’re interested in buying one, please visit Hufa Holder.
Written by: Arnie Lee
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