PAW

Wintery Photography

David Middleton — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:09:52 +0000

On top of Killington Peak

Tis the season for many of us to go out into the elements and photograph snowy winter scenes. I have done this for years and for many of them I was often disappointed with the images I got. They were perfectly nice and technically fine but there was something missing- they didn’t look wintery even though they were taken in winter. I finally figured out that in order for a image to look wintery there has to be snow on your subject. If you were doing a forest scene there has to be snowy trees with snowy branches for it to look properly wintery. If you were doing animals, there has to be snow on the animals or the animals have to be in a snowy scene (see above). If you were doing anything else there has to snow on whatever you are photographing- fence posts, dories, wreaths, barns, roofs, rocks in streams- it doesn’t matter, there must be an abundance of snow. Without snow on your subjects the image will often look like winter but it won’t be wintery. There’s a difference- winter is a fact, a statement and bare trees and snow covered ground are the facts of winter. Wintery is an emotion, a feeling and the more snow the more of the feeling of winter, the more wintery-ness, you get. Snow only on the ground is a winter shot. Snow on ground and on the trees is a wintery shot.

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So how do you go about capturing wintery images? The best way is to go out either during a snow storm or right afterward. It doesn’t take much time for wind to come up and knock all the snow off limbs and roofs. The other trick is to go out and photograph in the first snow storms of the season. Snow seems to stick better to things early in the season, maybe limbs and bushes and rocks are warmer then, I don’t know but going out during the first big snow storm always works for me. If you have a storm that starts out as rain and then turns to snow those are great sticky snow conditions and even a couple inches of snow will result in wintery pictures. So be brave and go out in the winter snow and take a few pictures. No one else is taking pictures in winter, they’re all down in Florida taking yet another great blue heron, osprey or alligator photo. You’ll have the place to yourself. Go Nuts!!!

Corea Dories

Brenda — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:26:39 +0000

One of my favorite harbors anywhere is Corea Maine. I was there teaching a workshop this fall when we found this nice scene of lobstermen’s dories tied up to the dock. You can never ever have too many photographs of boats or harbors…really!

Tofino Bound in 2012!

Brenda — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 06:39:46 +0000

I am so excited to announce that once again I will be heading to Tofino and the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island this May. I will be teaching a workshop with the one-of-a-kind David Middleton, who in spite of a heart attack and being whalloped in the leg by a horse, seems to want to continue teaching workshops. Go figure? If you know me, you know that I love Tofino, and would go there anytime for any reason. It is a fantastic workshop location – bears, old growth forest, tide pools, miles of sandy beaches, surfers, working harbors – more than you could ever want or hope to capture in a week. We are only taking 10, and as of now have 3 spots remaining. Please let me know asap if you are interested. Dates : May 8 – 13th 20012 – (a day longer than usual as there is so much to do.) Where: Tofino, Vancouver Island, BC Cost: $1075 – includes boat charters, trip to Mears Island, bear photography as well as instruction.

A new workshop!

David Middleton — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:46:06 +0000

I have decided to offer a new workshop in 2012- Available Light Travel Photography- through the Santa Fe Workshops in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The workshop will start Wednesday March 28 and go to Sunday, April 1. Please contact the Santa Fe Workshops for complete registration information- Offering a new workshop is a pretty big deal for me; I won’t teach a workshop unless I feel I have more than enough practical experience and insider’s knowledge to make it a completely worthwhile experience for my potential students. After dabbling with travel photography for the first 20 years of my professional career and having now finished my third travel photography based book in the last 10 years I feel ready to offer this class. It’s going to be great fun as well! Travel photography is different from general nature photography or wildlife or landscape or macro photography because a tripod usually isn’t used, faster shutter speeds and more wide open f-stops are used and stalking subjects is replaced by sitting a waiting for them to come to you. How do you tell a travel photographer from a nature photographer? A nature photographer will be snarling, holding a crumpled map in a mud covered SUV while a travel photographer is smiling, hold a glass of wine in an outdoor cafe. What I mean by available light photography is shooting even when the light is low, even very low. Many of my recent favorite pictures have been taken when the light is so low that my initial thought on the potential of the scene was “not enough light” or even ” don’t even think about it.” But with a bit of cleverness and ‘why-not’ spirit combined with an unholy trust in the great Gods of Photography I tried and tinkered and fiddled and ended up getting some really nice images that I never would’ve thought possible.

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This workshop is about how to wander around the next time you are in an exotic location and hand hold your way to spectacular any-kind-of-light pictures. I will of course talk about the advantages of using a tripod but I won’t mention using flashes or strobes or slaves or soft boxes or bounce light or cords or power sources or the sore muscles you will get hauling all that stuff around. No frustration in this class, no calculation anxiety and no feelings of inadequacy because you think you are not as smart as your flash (you’re not, get over it!). Expect to be outside at twilight and inside at mid-day working the shadows and dimly lit alcoves of Santa Fe. I will talk about lots of how-to technique- how to approach people, how to trust your camera, How to find good hand-held compositions, how to find a background and wait for a subject and how to link you images together to create a visual narrative or sense of story. No, it’s not the typical workshop I teach but it will be fun and different and you will find yourself taking pictures of things you have never tried before in lighting conditions you never would’ve thought possible. Now how bad can that really be?!?

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New Zealand!

David Middleton — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:21:55 +0000

For the last three weeks I have been touring New Zealand on an end of the year holiday. Just the two of us, no rushing around, no big objectives, no projects to work on, just having fun. I didn’t even take a tripod! What did I take? My old Nikon D300s (because it is the camera Claire uses and taking the same camera made it easier) and one lens- my trusty 28-300. Claire brought her 18-200 so between us we had all lens lengths covered. I actually spent more time bird watching than I did taking pictures but this was due more to the time of day we were traveling around then the lack of things to photograph. And we saw a lot of sheep- sheep, sheep, sheep. A fella only needs so many pictures of sheep. Turns out I need none! We also had a long spate of sunny skies and we all know what I think of photographing under blue skies. Two wonderful misty mornings in the forest saved me and allowed me to take some nice forest shots. So here are some of my favorites- some endemic birds including two iconic parrots (the kaka and the kea), and two old-growth forest shots. Hope you enjoy them. I’ll get back to my dull pedantic screeds soon. Take that as a warning!

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Old Friends Found at Gotts.

Brenda — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:11:12 +0000

One of the very best things about working on the book, The Lobstering Life, was meeting the wonderful characters who make a living pulling “bugs”from the sea. One of the hardest things is wondering about those guys and gals now – wondering how is Andy Gove getting along at 83, how are Mattie and Chris out on Monhegan Island now that a new season has begun for them, wondering if Dougie Dodge finally has that boat framed up out on Beals Island, wondering if Butch in Stonington has the grandkids this weekend… These people and many more all shared their lives with us, they are much more than photographs on a page, and I hope we will have more chances to see them again over the years. A few weeks ago when I was in Maine teaching I had the chance to catch up with two of my favorite Maine lobstermen, Capt Norm Closson and his Sternman Phil. I was driving down the road to Bass Harbor with David and we decided to pop into Gotts store. I do believe David really really really needed a chocolate chip cookie, and we wanted to leave a book at Gotts. So there we were, discussing Norm and Phil and how best to find them, and then low and behold there was Norm standing in the parking lot! More than a co-incidence. Here I was 3000 miles from home, on a random day, at a time not usually associated with lobstermen (as in late morning, not 5am), and there was Norm. It was so much fun to see him, hear about his season (record catches in Maine this year) and give him the Lobstering Life book. We had the pleasure of introducing him to our workshop group, as they probably wondered (or maybe not) why I was running across the parking lot to hug a seeming stranger in a tattered cap. Then, our luck held out and the next week we stopped for gas, late afternoon, again at Gotts and ran into Phil at the gas pump! He’s been working on a road crew and is as jovial as ever. So I am happy to report that they are both well and if you are in Bass Harbor – or there abouts – stop into Gotts store, have a chocolate chip cookie, they are excellent, and ask them to point out Norm and Phil in the book- or in person – you are sure to get a smile. I will try to follow up with more news about our lobstering friends this winter. I hope that they are all safe and sound, coming home with full traps on calm seas.

Editing your images

David Middleton — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:51:51 +0000

I am just finishing my third workshop in a row- one in Vermont and two in Acadia National Park in Maine- and I have noticed several recurring themes among my students. The big one is that nobody seems to ever throw any of their images away! Even ones that are obviously flawed or downright bad are still on their computers many months after they were taken. there is no good reason to ever keep very bad photos on your computer. Nor is there any reason to keep 20 versions of exactly the same image. If they are all the same get rid of all but two. If there are some important differences between the images decide which ones you like the best and get rid of the rest. Too many times students give me images for review and critique and then say “Oh, I gave you the bad one. I have a better one in my computer.” If you have a better one get rid of the bad one! To help you decide what to save and what to get rid of I have included below my criteria for editing my images (in other words, for getting rid of the clunkers). The first deleting pass is in the camera. The next deleting passes are done in the computer. Each pass gets increasingly more specific and more picky until I am left with just the best images from the shoot. Here is the Editing Criteria handout:

A. In camera- quicker, gross, overall considerations

1. Exposure Significant blown highlights or blocked-up blacks 2. Composition Light good? Subject the best? Background not distracting? Conditions optimum? Phrase (good) or Sentence (bad)? 3. Focus Eyes of animals, main subject, distracting blurs elsewhere

B. In computer- slower more specific considerations

1. First pass- looking again for obvious problems Exposure Highlights, Blocked up blacks Composition Light, Subject, Background, Conditions Phrase or Sentence? Focus Too much? Too little? 2. Second pass- more carefully considering choices, comparing to best pics Composition Chopped body parts, bad merges, frame filling? Focus All of eye? both eyes? Critically in focus? Expression/Gesture For portraits, movement (actual or implied) Pretty? or just Interesting Noise Manageable or deadly 3. Third pass- keep only best one or two per composition Story Does it help tell the story? Need Do I need it? Might I need it? Impression Does it work? Does it sing?

Bursts

David Middleton — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:26:59 +0000

Favorite

Most of the time when I am out taking pictures I am shooting a single frame at a time. This is because I am taking my time, waiting for just the right moment where the wind, and light and subject all conspire to give me the best that I can get. But there are times when instead of being so deliberate I am just the opposite- I shoot in short bursts of 5 or 6 images. I do this whenever I am photographing something that is moving and whenever the expression of my subject is important.

Shooting on fast motor drive for a second or two allows you to concentrate the subtle differences between each shot when you are reviewing your images and pick the best one from the series. Now, let’s be clear about what I am saying. I am not recommending to just blast away and see what you get. I am recommending that when the situation is right you take a burst of shots.

The reason this technique works is because the subtle differences of gesture and expression- how high the hand is, how far the head is turned, the separation between the arm and the leg, the openness of the eye, the curl of the lip, the cock or the head- can be the difference between a nice shot and a great shot. Just be sure to toss away the inferior images and keep only the best ones or else you are going to be swamped with shots you will never ever use.

Not so Good

On the example I have included here I saw the lobstermen heading out to his boat in the fog and saw that there was a brief window in which he would be nicely framed by the boats in the background. I took a total of 8 shots. In 6 of those shots the lobstermen’s head or arm was turned is such a way that the composition suffered. In the shot I selected, the lobsterman’s head was up and turned so I could make out his face and brim of his hat and his right arm was not merged with his right leg.

I saw none of this while I was taking the burst. I was just trying to keep my autofocus bracket on the lobsterman and watching the background so I would stop shooting when the boat merged with the background boats. The differences were noticeable when I was looking at my images on my laptop. That was when I was glad I had several shots from which to choose.

Shoot short bursts when things are looking good and subtle differences might make a huge difference. You’ll be glad you did.

New England Fall Color update

David Middleton — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:41:59 +0000

I have been asked a lot lately about the potential for fall color this year. My answer is the same for everyone- I don’t know! In fact, no one knows for sure no matter how definitive he or she might sound. Here is what I know and can see- We had a bit of a cool spell in mid-September causing some trees to show some color early but now (almost October) it is warm and wet so the progression to full color seems to have stopped or at least slowed. Mountainsides are 95% green in central to southern Vermont but some valley bottoms are bright red (from the early turning red maples).

When will the peak color be? Got me! Traditionally the best color is between October 10th – 14th, I have no reason to think differently this year. If you are coming up during the first week of October head to northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. During the second week of October you can go where ever you wish, there should be good color everywhere. Head for the coast of New England during the third week of October and go to New Jersey and Maryland and the Smokies at the end of October.

Good Luck!

Makes you Think

David Middleton — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:09:32 +0000

This post is going to a bit out of the ordinary, even for me. I want you to watch a very short video. It is ingenious and simple and so very effective. It doesn’t take much to have a big impact in this world- just the intention to try. That, a soda bottle, some sealant and a square of tin roofing. Amazing.

Polarizer for Fall Colors

David Middleton — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:41:48 +0000

Black Brook, Vermont

Tis that time of the year again, a favorite time of year for all photographers, when the forests across the country conspire to put on a fireworks show of colors. From red and yellow vine maples of the far west to the gold and orange aspens in the Rockies to the red, yellow, orange, amber, purple and rusts of the east, October and November are a magnificent time of the year to be out taking pictures.

But don’t go out any old time and just point your camera at some color and push the shutter- there are some tricks to getting the best pictures. Here are my two favorite fall color secrets: 1. Go out in the rain or just after a rain and 2. Use a polarizing filter.

Rain is the best time to photograph leaves, any kind of leaves. All the dust has been washed off and the leaves look fresh and strong. Don’t go out in a downpour and then write me to say how I have caused you to ruin your camera- there is no reason to photograph in a downpour. But when the rain is light or misty the time is perfect. And remember, when it is lightly raining in the meadow it will hardly be raining in the forest. The trick to getting your best shot is to use a polarizing filter. Yes, I know, polarizers are for blue skies and to take the reflection off water but they also take glare off wet leaves and rocks allowing the true, rich colors to show.

Be careful about rain drops on your filter, you’ll have to check before every shot. I have a short lens hood that screws into my polarizer allowing me to adjust the polarizer just turning the hood. I have also used a baseball cap to protect the front of the lens until I am ready to take the picture.

You can go out and photograph fall colors on sunny days too- backlit leaves can be very dramatic, just don’t stay inside on a lovely rainy day. You’ll be amazed!

Real Live Cowgirl

Brenda — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:48:30 +0000

I am starting a new project showcasing “team roping”. Team roping is a rodeo sport where two riders chase down a steer and one rider ropes the head of the steer and the other ropes the hind feet. With luck this all happens in a matter of 5 or 6 seconds.

It’s a tough competitive sport full of tough competitive cowboys and a few cowgirls. I’m going to be spending the next year following a pair of team ropers who are hoping to live the dream of competitive team ropers. Come by here to follow the success, heartbreaks and struggles of Jason and Miranda.

Here are a few photos from last week when I was in Montana and caught up with them and some friends practicing their skills.

Enjoy!

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[View with PicLens]

She Matters

Brenda — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:17:17 +0000

Now that my kids have been back to school for a few weeks life is developing a rhythm. Get the kids out the door, make a latte, procrastinate reading emails- then finally settle down to some work. By late afternoon I am eager to see my kids and curious about their day. Today in a quiet moment I had time to wonder about a little girl named Tatu I met this summer in Tanzania,. I wonder if she’s attending school and wonder if anyone is there to greet her as I greet my children at the end of the day.

As some of you know I was in Tanzania this summer taking photos for a nonprofit called New Course (www.anewcourse.org). I was lucky enough to be able to travel to several remote villages in the Usambara Mountains where New Course is launching a new program. My job was to tell the story of life in the villages in images. In the process of doing so and while trying to get acclimated to working in a very foreign environment I noticed Tatu.

Tatu is probably about six years old, shy but naturally curious – and once I started to notice her she seemed to be everywhere – peeking out from a doorway, or around the laundry hanging out to dry. Once she captured my attention, my heart followed quickly behind, and I found myself seeking her out, looking for her as I wandered the red dirt road of her village, hoping not to be disappointed, hoping she wouldn’t tire of our game and wander off. She didn’t – becoming increasingly less shy she skipped and hid and ran, but always reappeared just as I feared that this time she wouldn’t. In a laughing group of kids she would be in the back – questioning me with liquid brown eyes, ever alert and always engaging. Tatu seemed as curious about me as I was about her.

The village where Tatu lives in Tanzania is called Kazita. It is several days walk on a dirt road to the nearest town and it is miles, days, and centuries away from the modern world. The villagers of Kazita are primarily subsistence farmers – scraping a living from the hard land. There is no running water, no electricity, no plumbing, no cable tv, no doctor or dentist. What there is, is a landscape of incredible beauty, lush forests, diverse plant and animal life. What there is, is worth saving.

For the girls and women of Kazita, like rural women in developing countries worldwide, most hours of the day, every single day, are spent collecting water and firewood, farming, and preparing food – ensuring the survival of their families. Nevertheless, with life as hard as it is, there is joy and laughter and the same desire for the things in life that we desire for ourselves, and our children. What is lacking is the opportunity for girls like Tatu to live life to their full potential.

So, that is what I was doing in Tanzania this summer. Using my camera to take photographs, to share stories, so that maybe there will be a face for you to attach to the news coming to you from so far away. Maybe this September, like me, you put your own kids on the bus to school, and you know what it is like to desperately want the very best for a child and to hope and dream their dreams along with them.

Tatu doesn’t have parents to send her off to school on the bus. She doesn’t have a mother waiting for her at the end of the day, or a father waving her down the road. She has a grandmother doing the very best she can to keep food on the table for her grandkids while mourning the loss of her own daughter. Tatu doesn’t have a lunch box, new back to school clothes, or a Hello Kitty backpack. If she has a book to read at the end of the day she reads by the dim light of a small kerosene lantern.

The village of Kazita does have a school, and I’m working with New Course to see that girls like Tatu can stay in school, so they can get an education, postpone marriage and childbirth, and increase their choices in life. I am working with New Course so that girls like Tatu will remain healthy enough to raise their own children to adulthood; so that families will have a choice as too how many, if and when to have children, and be better able to provide for those they do have.

Because what Tatu has, like all little girls everywhere, is a dream for her life. I know I can’t simply make that dream come true, but I can share her story and let her know that her dream matters. And that is what I was doing so far off the beaten path this summer in the Eastern Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, letting a six year old girl named Tatu know, that to me, she matters.

Foreground-again

David Middleton — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:41:52 +0000

I’m back on one of my favorite topics- foreground. But this time I’m not going to write so much about the value of foreground ( adds drama, impact, balance to your photography) but more on getting close and really emphasizing the foreground. This is one of the most common mistakes that I notice in landscape photography- yes there is foreground but the photographer is not close again. Let me show you some examples-

The Scene

Here is the scene- Boothbay Harbor, Maine, late afternoon. I’m on a bridge with colorful kayaks on a float below me. Yes the kayaks are foreground and they add some nice color to the shot but the foreground is not compelling, there is no impact. Solution? Get closer!

on the float

Much better! There is a feeling of being right there on the float. I call these types of pictures participatory images because it looks and feels like the viewer could participate in the scene. To get this look you have to use a wide angle lens (18mm – 24mm is best), a very small f-stop (f16 or f22) and you have to tilt your camera down toward the foreground. When you point your camera down you will notice that the foreground is drawn in toward the camera and the background rises in the viewfinder. The effect is that the image appears to start right at the feet of the photographer and go for miles.

Impact!

Now this is impact! See how you get the feeling of almost sitting on the kayaks? The trick is to take the extra effort and move in really close. It’s not always the case but often, the closer you get to the foreground the better the photograph is going to be.

So next time you are photographing a scene that includes foreground take your normal shot and then stop and move in even closer. I think you will find that your pictures will improve.

Back to School

Brenda — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:58:10 +0000

My kids have to go back to school this week, and no matter what I say about it publicly, like mothers everywhere, I am celebrating. Celebrating because I have lived through another cruel season of torture known as the last two weeks of summer. The season when my kids get bored and whiny and pick at each other constantly and leave some kind of sticky film on every surface whether it is vertical or horizontal. I could be waxing sentimental about the bittersweet nature of sending my kids back out into the world and the pang I get seeing them walk down the road to the bus, when in reality I am thinking, “ Jesus, so glad I didn’t kill the little monsters.” Ok, it’s not nice to call your offspring monsters. It is too harsh for any grandmother’s eyes, but for another mom or dad who has had- it- up- to- here, “little monsters” is the nicest term I could think of. The other thing I am thinking is, “ you’d damn well better run and catch that bus because I am soooo not driving you to school just because you needed to straighten your hair and your annoying sister was in the bathroom and your little brother is creepy and I didn’t wake you up on time and where are my shoes and I just don’t understand anything!” What I do understand all too well is the particular insanity of having children you love more than your life, but that you want to throttle daily. I understand what it is like to live in a house of people for whom you are a life support system, a nudge, a failed disciplinarian and a constant embarrassment. I understand what it is like not to be able to accomplish the simplest of tasks because someone was making a sandwich but dropped the strawberry jam and the jar shattered and now the dog is eating it, or someone “copied me”, or someone needs a ride somewhere and why can’t we go right now and you are so unfair!!! God knows why I even try to string two sentences together; as for sorting through the 1200 images I took in Tanzania? It’s as hopeless as matching up the single socks left in the bottom of the laundry basket. The school bus waits at the end of the road, a yellow beacon of sanity, letting me know that at last I might be able to cross off one or two things from the list of goals that I threw in the garbage mid July. The sound of the air brakes gives me chills as consider the possibility that I might be able to read and absorb the written word again, I might find my creative juices flowing again, I might even have the energy to exercise if only those kids of mine would just run down the road and squeeze those backpack laden butts onto the bus already so that from 7:54am until 3:16 pm the day is mine to seize or squander as I see fit. “Oh crap! Wait! Wait! Come back….wait!!!!!” “What mom? We have to go!” “You forgot to kiss me goodbye! I love you. Wait, do you have your lunch?” “Yes mom, we have to go, the bus is here!” “Do you have your soccer cleats? Wait, give me a hug, and please stop shoving your sister!” “She shoved me first! Ouch! You always blame me! You are so unfair!” “For God’s sake, just knock it off will you, please? And hey, have a great day at school, hurry up and don’t miss the bus!” “ Yeah mom, we know mom…we have to go…. goodbye mom!” “…bye… .…wait… ..I love you…….”

Story and Advice- No Charge

David Middleton — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 01:41:14 +0000

Ok, ok, ok- one funny heart attack story but that’s it!

7am and I am in the cardiac operating room in Corvallis, Oregon, lying on my back, the cardiac surgeon standing at my side looking at various monitors. I think he may be trying to get a clear picture on ESPN but I can’t be sure. His nurse is at my feet removing my socks and any remaining dignity I might have come in with.

The Doctor leans over me and says, ”Hello, Mr. Middleton, my name is Dr. Plavof but you may call me Victor if you like. How do you feel?”

“Hello, Doctor. I have felt better. You don’t sound like you’re from these parts. Wait, don’t tell me- Slovakia?”

(Ok, it wasn’t a great guess but I was having a heart attack so give me a break.)

“No, I was born and raised in Russia. Now be sure to lie still for a moment.”

“Ok. Your English is not bad.”

“I’m still learning… English, that is.”

The nurse comes up to my head and leans in saying, “What would you like to be called?”

A bit confused with her question but not willing to miss an opportunity, I say, “Your Honor.”

“Ok,” she says chortling, “Your honor, you’ll be feeling better soon.”

Speed ahead a few hours to my room in the cardiac repair and tire change ward. My nurse, Peter, comes in to check on me and we continue a running conversation.

“I thought you said you were a photographer?” Peter says to me a confused look on his face.

“I am a photographer, at least I was when I came in here this morning.”

“Huh, everyone on the floor thinks you are a judge!”

“A judge!?! Do I look like a judge? Do you see any bearing? Do I look like I have wisdom and good judgement?”

“Not in that robe and gown, you don’t. But that’s why I am asking. They all say you are a judge!”

“Oh, wait a minute. I might have said something in the OR but I can’t be held responsible.”

“I understand, you were having a heart attack. But don’t say a thing to anyone. You are getting all your meals first and all the Techs come here first too. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Huh, I should probably tell Dr. Plavof. I don’t want him thinking I am something I’m not”

“Yes you do, your Honor. Unless, that is, you don’t mind waiting longer and eating last!”

“Your Honor it is!”

So next time you are on an operating table and a nurse asks you what you would like to be called say ‘your honor’ and hope for someone in the room to be less than fluent in English. No bearing necessary, no judgement required, confirmation optional. But meals first, now that’s something!

So I’ve been thinking…

David Middleton — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:36:31 +0000

Roger, ladder, shadow

So I’ve been thinking, which usually means that I have been thinking odd thoughts. I’ve been thinking about the role collaborators have played in my career and how I have greatly benefited from them. Over the last 25 plus years I have collaborated on major projects with John Shaw, Wayne Lynch, Bill Fortney, Bruce Morrison, Rod Barbee, Jeff Wendorff, Scott Rouse, Scott Graber and Brenda Berry.

Everyone of these people has greatly enhanced the project I was working on and has greatly furthered my career. A good collaborator encourages, cajoles, critiques, questions and, if needed, berates to get the absolute best out of you. And in my case, they also keep me in chocolate, running shoes and crosswords. Of course occasionally, they also give me a heart attack but, really, its a small price to pay for a great project.

So you are thinking, what has this got to do with me? Remember, a collaborator is just a fancy name for a photo buddy. Not just a friend but someone who thinks the way you do and appreciates the things you do. The difference between a collaborator and a photo buddy is that there is a common purpose involved, in other words, a project. And the difference between having a project or a purpose to your photography and just going out and shooting random images is the difference between fine chocolate and a rich mud.

So go out and either find a photo buddy or acknowledge your photo buddy and then think of something you both can work on. A calendar? A book of seasons? Working portraits? Colors of your area? Hidden places? A photographer’s guide? It doesn’t matter what you choose, just choose something. As soon as you do you will realize the benefits of working closely with another photographer and then you will soon also realize the joys of working together. Oh, and your photography will great improve.

So, tell me, why are you photographing all by yourself?

Lightroom Quicky: Camera Profiles

Jeff Wendorff — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:29:32 +0000

I don’t want this to sound like I am lazy or anything, but I am always trying to find ways to save time in my photography workflow. Time is money as they say and that is certainly something I need more of! One thing that I’ve done to save that time is change my default camera profile in Adobe Lightroom.

I found that when I was importing my images I was making the same small tweaks to the image mostly adding a touch of black, maybe clarity, maybe saturation…you get the idea. I was always just giving them a bit more pop. I’ve used the camera profiles in the past, usually when I really needed help to fix an image I’d mangled in camera. When Looking at he profiles supplied by Adobe, I discovered that I really prerferred the “Camera Standard” setting vs the “Adobe Standard” setting. If you shoot with other brand cameras the name might be different, I think that “Camera Faithful” is what the Canon setting says. At any rate, I’ve now changed the default setting so Lightroom and ACR in Photoshop apply my preferred setting to all images on import.

This small change really adds up when you are editing hundreds of images. And since I shoot in RAW, if I don’t like it I can always change it back.

I made this short video to show you how it works, not that I am lazy or anything, but it sure was easier than typing!

This gallery has all of the images from the video. The only change was to the camera profile and a bit of a crop. They are labeled with the setting that I used for each.

[View with PicLens]

Favorite New Image

David Middleton — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:23:06 +0000

I have been traveling to Maine a lot lately getting images for my new “Memories of the Maine Coast” book. Summer is a tough time to photograph along the coast because the light is pretty dreadful between 9am and 4pm. This means I am up very early and very late and then do very little for most of the day. I guy can eat only so much ice cream!

Portland Head Lighthouse

Portland Head Lighthouse is said to be the most photographed place on the coast and I can’t disagree. I have been there on some days when there are several bus loads of people swarming the place. I have also had terrible luck photographing there in the past. All my previous times I have been skunked by very mediocre light but finally, on this last trip I got a nice enough sunset and some good wave action and finally got a pretty nice shot. I won’t be the best shot I’ll ever get of Portland Head but for now it is my best. Hope you like it.

Fall Acadia Workshop

David Middleton — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:42:04 +0000

Lobster buoys and net

I wanted to let you all know that there are still a few spots left on my Fall Acadia Workshop (October 19-23) on the wild and wonderful coast of Maine. I am doing this workshop with my great friend and enthusiastic teaching partner, Brenda Berry. Those of you who know Brenda will be relieved that she is there to soften the blow of my hideous personality and those who don’t know Brenda will be just plain thankful.
Acadia National park is the best place for photographers on the east coast and October is the best time of the year to be in the park. While some may think the dates are late to catch the peak color, because of the ameliorating effect of the Gulf of Maine peak color is delayed along the coast. these dates should be just about perfect. And while the colors of the New England forest will be wonderful the colors of the harbors and the colorfulness of the lobstermen will be just as great. The book on lobstering and lobstermen that Brenda and I just completed came out in June and we are excited to share our favorite places and characters with you. Remember, Brenda and I will not be taking pictures during the workshop, all our attention will be focused on you (whether you like it or not!) so not only will you get some magnificent images you will also learn a great deal and grow as a photographer. Does it get better than that?

If you have any questions about this workshop I will be glad to answer them for you. If you send me dark chocolate I will be glad to declare you an accomplished and truly gifted photographer. If you sign up for this workshop and send me dark chocolate I will extoll your virtues to all who breath and give you a free book that Brenda and I will sign (as soon as I get the chocolate off my fingers). If you insist on just signing up and not giving me dark chocolate I can’t be held responsible for anything that might happen. It hasn’t been pretty in the past.

Its a great workshop at a great location at the best time of the year with at least one great instructor. That’s not so bad, is it? So sign up, you can regret it later.

To put your name on the list for this workshop (despite what you have just read) contact Santa Fe Workshops 505. 983. 1400. They’ll understand your hesitation.

[Show as slideshow]