The Nature Photographer Magazine

I became very interested when reading this article about Nature Photography. This magazine only comes out once every season ( Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Nature Photography magazine isn't just for the professionals but encourage the amateurs to get involved too. Within this magazine their 5 main objectives are, how to photograph, how to use specialized equipment, understand natural history information, use field techniques, and read equipment reviews. All this magazine wants to do is to help people photograph wildlife in a way where they can enjoy what this world has to offer.

I would highly recommend looking into " Nature Photography Magazine" by, viewing this website: http://www.naturephotographermag.com/

"Preparing Images for Presentation"

During this section we will learn how to display that "perfect" image. Have you ever wondered how some photographs have really vivant colors? Or how the shadows over the mountains look so dramatic? Well, within this section we will discover how to produce those same types of photographs.

The original photograph is called a "Raw" picture because it's the very first photograph that is taken. The picture isn't enhanced but, in the original mode. When you are a professional photographer you want to make sure that you save the original "Raw" photograph just in case you need to fix it or to have prof of the original. When changing your photograph from the camera to the computer you need to convert the picture to TIFF of PSD form. You however, do not want to convert your picture to JPEG on the computer because this setting tends to lose data.

Next of all, after converting the image you might want to fix up the color composition. There are three main ways to do this:

1) Use ProPhoto RGB: Allows you to use the largest color space which, is great for fine-art-printing.

2) Using Adobe RGB: This is mainly used for high- quality commercial printing like calender making or magazine articles.

3) Adobe sRGB IEC619662.1: This is the smallest color space that is used especially for web-posting.

This section is the one that I really like because you can change your photograph to make it line up properly. Basically, if you took a photograph of the ocean and the water didn't go straight across the image than you can remove or cut some of the image to make it look straight. It's kind of like using a ruler on the computer to fix your picture. To do this on your computer you need to use the Curve mode by going to, (Images>Adjustments>Curves). If you have a Windows than hold down the Control key and click on the part of the image you want to fix. However, if you have a Macintosh hold down the Command key. Once you have the line over your image you can move it by using the arrow keys to go up and down. By going down you may darken the certain area. By going up you can lighten the certain area.

After you are done fixing up the color and contrast of your image. You need to retouch up some parts of your image by using a healing brush or a clone stamp tool. Usually, this tools are needed when there is a dirt spot on the image or if you want to hide something in the image. A healing bush uses painted pixel samples from one part of the image to transfer to another part of the image. The clone stamp tool is copies of pixels from one area of the image to transfer to another part; like the healing brush. However, the clone stamp tool is used for bigger areas like cutting out a stop sign or a rock.

For more information on "Preparing Images for Presentation" I would highly recommend reading the book, "Nature Photography" written by, Tim Fitzharris.

Photography Assignment

Here are some photographs I have taken at Rocky Mountain College on November 12, 2009.

This photograph is a reflection of trees in the puddle on the sidewalk at Rocky Mountain College in Billings,MT. The photograph was taken in the morning of a cold, snowy day. I used a Canon Rebel Xsi camera.

(AV) Aperture Value: 1/100

(TV) Shutter Speed: F8

The next picture was also taken at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT.

I used a Canon Rebel Xsi camera to take this picture of a water drop on a tree. This particular image shows details of the water drop up close.

(TV) Shutter speed: 1/60

(AV) Aperture Value: F8

The next photograph I took was again at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. This image was taken on November 12, 2009 durning the afternoon when it was snowing steadily. The camera I used was a Canon Rebel Xsi. This picture is of a blurred cherry tree with an oak tree in the background. So this picture displays the use of the color red!

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/30

(AV) Aperture Value: F11

On this photograph I used the use of hyperfocal setting by taking a photograph of leaves with light shinning on them to create a image with everything in focus. This photograph was taken at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. It was cold with a trace of snow flurries in the early morning. I used a Canon Rebel Xsi camera to take this photo.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/100

(AV) Aperture Value: F8

This next photograph that I took was of an oak tree that had light shinning upon it but the tree was in the right half of the image to create a "rule of thirds". This photograph was again taken at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT durning the morning of November 12, 2009. It was cold with snow flurries and not a whole lot of natural light. The camera that was used to take this photograph was a Canon Rebel Xsi.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/50

(AV) Aperture Value: F8

On this photograph I used the use of color as my main focus. Because when this photo was taken there was snow built up on the trees which made it for a great background. This photograph was taken at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. The picture is a cherry tree with snow covered on it. I used a Canon Rebel Xsi camera to take this picture. This picture was also enhanced to make the photo brighter.

(AV) Aperture Value: 1/60

(TV) Shutter Speed: F8

This photograph is of a blurred motion of a duck flapping its wings. I took this photograph at Two Moon park on November 14, 2009. This picture was taken with a Canon Rebel Xsi camera. The weather was cold and crisp in the late afternoon when this picture was taken.

(AV) Aperture Value: 1/50

(TV) Shutter Speed: F22

This next photograph I also took at Two Moon Park in Billings, MT. The picture is of a bird silhouette in a tree. I took this image on November 14, 2009 in the evening time when the sun was going down. The weather was a bite chilly but clear.

(TV) Shutter Speed:1/1600

(AV) Aperture Value: F5.6

This last picture is of a rock that shows side light due to the light bouncing off the one side. I took this photograph on November 12,2009 at rocky Mountain College. This picture was cropped through iphoto. I used a Canon Rebel Xsi camera to take this photograph.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/50

(AV) Aperture Value: F8

Pictures from Bighorn National Forest

On November 8, 2009 I went to Bighorn National Forest which is located in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming. The pictures below were taken in the early morning on a clear but cold day. The nearest town to were these pictures were taken was Lovell, Wyoming.

The picture of the mule deer was taken with a Canon Rebel Xsi camera.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/125

(AV) Aperture Value: F11

The picture of the rock was taken with a Canon Rebel Xsi camera.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/200

(AV) Aperture Value: F13

The picture of the wild horse was taken with a Canon Rebel Xsi camera.

(TV) Shutter Speed: 1/125

(AV) Aperture Value: F29

"Working at Close Range"

"TILT-SHIFT LENSES": When using these kinds of lenses you are able to have larger apertures and faster shutter speeds, which allows you to freeze motion. Tilt-shift lenses uses the depth of field approach. By, allowing the photographer to tilt the lens when its actually still in the camera body. You can use a tilt-shift lens with teleconverters and extensions and can be bought for the use of Canon and Nikon cameras. You can buy these lenses in three different sizes for the Canon camera which are; 24 mm, 45 mm, and the 90 mm lenses.

For more information on Tilt-Shift Lenses I would recommend reading the book, " Nature Photography" written by, Tim Fitzharris.

You can also read an article on theweb,

http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodid=IPS&userGroupName=mtilb_1_729.

The photograph of the tilt-shift lenses are available at,

www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-TS-...

"Nature's Mystical Mirrors"

Within this section it talks about how to view the dramatic reflection of landscapes such as mountains.

OUTFITTING: When capturing mirror like images it is important to bring with you normal gear like tripods, zoom lenses, and neoprene chestwaders. Because you will most likely be in the water to capture the photograph you will want to wear warm and water proof clothes. A big enough vest is very critical for this type of shooting because you will never know what you may come across. You should carry your camera on your tripod so you can have it as a walking stick or depth finder.

ORIENTATION: To help you find the right spot to capture a reflection landscape it is said that beaver ponds are a great place to look for reflections. Other key spots to look for reflections would be lakes, oceans, and mountainous areas. Again the best time to photograph reflection shots would be just before sunrise and after sunrise.

CRYSTAL VISIONS: Although to see a mirror like image isn't hard to find capturing the right picture is. One main key point to capturing this kind of image would be to avoid or neutralize the effects of water and wind. The best time to go would be at dawn and dusk when the winds are calmer. Also, look for areas that will have less movements from the wind. Some of these places would be, areas with rocks, logs, and plant life. Finally, the best location to take a picture of a "mirror reflection" would be in a kneeling position or low to the ground.

To read more about "Nature's Mystical Mirrors" I would highly recommend reading the book, "Nature Photography" written by, Tim Fitzharris.

"The Power of Perspective"

Although color and side lighting is very important you also want to consider the depth of the landscape. For example, when you are taking arial shots of a city you can really get that feeling of three dimensional views. This is the same with wildlife landscapes on land. Here are some things to consider when taking pictures of landscapes.

SIZE CUES: One way to portray depth in a landscape would be the size of land itself. Something to keep in mind before taking a picture would be, objects that are closer to use appear to be larger than they really are. So, you really have to think of where and how to place your camera so you can get the right angle for a depth view. Some other smaller cues that you should think about could be how ripples in water can produce a pattern or how clumps of clouds appear smaller near the horizon.

HIGHS AND LOWS: Because of the way we are made we often times position the objects that are at our level (5 ft-6 ft) at a lower level. You need to find a middle ground when photographing landscapes. So, if the camera is to low you will lose space between the two size cues. However, if the camera is set up to high you will lose the horizon and eye level objects. When photographing also make sure that your camera is set at a position where it is level so that you can see all size cues. To find the right camera position it will take a lot of practice but, ultimately look for the color cues, light, and depth.

OVERLAPPING: Using overlapping to capture an image is a idea. To get an overlapping effect it would be useful to place the camera at a lateral or vertical view. When an image is overlapping it tends to appear blurred or blended together. A good example would be a photograph of a rainforest with the tree line being all the same. To avoid blurriness you might want to overlap contrasting colors or line conformity. One way to get a landscape photograph is to frame colorful or unique contour outlines that extend in opposite diagonal directions.

HAZY DAYS: There are many days where the sky isn't crystal clear but you have to find someway to that photographs in those not so great days. On foggy, hazy days close objects will appear clearer than farther objects. On these days, aerial point of views is a way of capturing the landscape. Because, with aerial views you are able to get out of the mist or haze. Although fog can make a cool effect on your picture, you could wait for it to lift or change your position.

FIVE PLANES: When you are wanting to capture depth within the landscape there are five planes to look for in the landscape.

1) Foreground plane consists of landscape details like water movement.

2) Midground plane consists of well-defined images that can lead the viewer into the picture.

3) Feature plane has the center of interest like a rock formation in the desert.

4) Cloud plane is basically the collection of the clouds.

5) Sky plane is like the background in a way because, it will be whatever the color at the moment is(blue, red, orange).

When capturing these five planes try to photograph each one clearly!

"Finding Photogenic Landscapes"

In this section you will be able to scope out a place to photograph based the angles of the landscape, color, and other key components. All this means is that you will have to do some kind of research before taking the picture. Here are some key components of taking a great landscape photograph.

COLOR FIRST: This is the first key component that will indicate wether or not this landscape will produce into a great photograph. Obviously, the color red to humans is the most attractive color which means any hint of red in a landscape has potential in being a great photograph. Although red is the best color to look for, other colors such as blues and greens are the next best colors to use.

CLOUDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE: Having clouds in your landscape photograph can make for a more interesting picture. The most popular kinds of clouds to use in a picture would be the ones that are near the horizon and above the main area. Like most landscape pictures the best time to capture clouds would also be early morning or late afternoon because this is when there is the most dramatic amounts of coloring. Clouds are not only good for their dramatic coloring but, can add depth to the landscape buy, using the shadowing effect from the extracted light coming through the clouds.

NORTH/SOUTH CAMERA ANGLES: This is a very important skill to understand when photographing landscapes. When the camera angles are adjusted to either the North or South you will automatically get the sunsets and sunrises. When using sidelight you can use polarizing filters to give the background more density and more colors in the sky.

CHECK FOR OPEN HORIZONS: If you find a landscape that you think will make a great photograph see if the east and west horizons are clear of light filled landforms. This mainly has to do with mountainous regions. So if the eastern horizon is open than you should photograph at dawn. Than when the western horizon is clear that is when you want to photograph sunset. If you follow this simple "rule" you will most likely get the best chances of dramatic colors within the middle ground and backgrounds.

FOREGROUND DETAILS: To capture the best landscapes you really want to capture the details in the foregrounds. For example, on the Oregon Coasts the sand dunes and sea stacks are the details within that particular foreground. The sand dune can set up a scene for the photograph like having the sand dunes lead up to the ocean or something like that.

MAGIC MOMENTS BESIDE STILL POOLS: Bodies of water like rivers, lakes, and tide pools are excellent landscape scenes. Water allows you to have shadows and different depths of views. Basically, you can get a mirror like reflection of that subject which adds to be a dramatic scene. The best way to get a mirror like reflection is when the water is calm and still.

For more information on "Finding Photogenic Landscapes" I would read pages(143-153) in the book, "Nature Photography" , written by, Tim Fitzharris.

"Wildlife Portraits"

This section of " Wildlife Portraits" talks about what you should be looking for to get the great shots of wildlife. I will talk about what to depict when you are trying to capture a photograph of an animal like a black bear. Here are some things to consider when photographing portraits of wildlife.

TELEPHOTO ADVANTAGES: Using a telephoto lens is a great advantage when you are in Africa for example, and you want to capture an elephant in motion. Telephoto lens allows you to feel like you are close to your image when in reality you are not. Beside telephoto lenses are safer for both you and the animal. Another nice aspect to having a telephoto lens would be, it allows for a change in the depth of the floor ground without a lot of movement. Finally, since you are farther away from your subject it will allow for the subject to come closer to you for a better picture because, you aren't so threatening.

BUILD A THREE-LAYER PICTURE SPACE: One of the most important skills to have when photographing portraits of wildlife would be, to divide your photo into three different sections. The first section is the foreground which usually consists of wildflowers, limbs of trees, grass, and stumps. Midground would be the next section which consists of the subject itself. The last section is the sky.

SIZING UP THE SUBJECT: When you see professional pictures they are usually capturing something that is bright or extra big,long, or shiny. What I mean is you don't want your image to be dull and boring, you need something dramatic that captures the viewers attention. Now that you have a subject in mind ;how much of that subject do you want in the frame? Some things to keep in mind would be, to watch and observe the behavior of the animal. One final key to think about when photographing portrait animals is to make sure you have focus on their eyes. The eyes can tell you everything wether it is a human being or an animal.

FACIAL FEATURES IN FOCUS: like in "sizing up the subject" you want to make sure to eyes are in focus. However, you also need to make sure the animals face is in focus too. For the best dramatic look you want the animal or subject to be looking into the light and have the ears pointed straight forward. Adding these key factors will produce a more professional look.

LIGHTING: Different kinds of lighting will obviously produce different effects but in reality when photographing outdoors the early morning or late afternoons are the best sources of light.

For more information on " Wildlife Portraits" I would highly recommend reading the book," Nature Photography" written by, Tim Fitzharris.

"John B. Hyde"

This is a man who has been covering the southeast side of Alaska for about 20 years. Mostly capturing images of the wildlife, landscape, and nature that Alaska has to offer. John loves capturing the openness of this wonderful state. He has spent many years even before he was a professional photographer studying the animals. Because, he did get his degree in wildlife and science. Since he is a professional photographer you would think that he knows what the "perfect picture" is but, John often refers to the " perfect picture" as that picture you took that wants you to take another picture. You just get that determination in you to take more pictures. Currently, John B. Hyde is living in Alaska where he has his own business called, " Wild Things Photography" which is based in Juneau, Alaska.

If you want to learn more about John B. Hyde here are some internet sites that you can go to;

http://www.asmpal.ska.org/members/HydeJ/Hyde.html.

http://www.alaska-bear-viewing.net/john%20hyde.JPG.

http://www.wildthingsphotography.com/#mi=1&pt=0&pi=32&p=-1&at=0.

http://www.imaginginfo.com/print/studio-Photography/Hyde-and-Seek/3$2429.

Here is the website for John B. Hyde's photograph;

www.bibi.org/box/2005/setembro/John_Hyde.jpg.