Category Archives: Who To Follow

Sesuit Harbor

Who to Follow – Scott Kelby

If you work in Photoshop at all, chances are that you already know who Scott Kelby is. I think of him first as the president of NAPP, the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, but lately he has been blowing me away with his photos of NFL football games. The reason I thought to highlight him this week was from seeing his photos of the NFC championship game this past Sunday. On Facebook, he posted the results from 4 simultaneous photos of Falcon’s Cornerback Asante Samuel as he came out of the tunnel. They all look really cool, but what I like even more is that he explains, with photos, how he set it all up. He’s always teaching and if you have an itch to learn photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, or any other Adobe Creative Suite product, Scott should be on your list to follow. His main website/blog is scottkelby.com and if you are truly serious about Photoshop, visit NAPP today.

 

Sesuit Harbor, East Dennis, MA

When the weather didn’t cooperate for an ocean side sunrise, I headed back towards the bay to photograph the Sesuit Harbor.  I stayed around the boats for a while, getting in close and capturing different crews as they headed out for the day and then the sun started to break through the clouds.  I walked a few hundred feet north and found this beautiful site before me. I took 10 to 15 photos of the scene and a few more of an old dune fence before heading back to the family.  It was another fine start to the day!

Sesuit Harbor

 

Tomorrow: Setting the mood for the weekend.

 

Nubble Lighthouse – York, ME

Before I get into any photography related information, I wanted to share a new site related to the Newtown tragedy.  It’s the Sandy Hook Promise website and I am proud to have taken their pledge earlier today. You can too by clicking the link above.  I also updated the Newtown the Beautiful page that you can always get to by clicking the ribbon that’s at the bottom of the right hand column. I added some new links as well.

 

Who To Follow – Zach Frailey aka…The Uprooted Photographer

I first found out who Zack was back when I was learning about HDR photography. I had been following a few photographers already on the subject and one of them, Trey Ratcliff, had just launched a new, member based website, HDR Spotting.  I really wanted to become one of those members, but team Trey had an ingenious caveat to joining.  You needed a unique code to get in, and that code was only given to current members in good standing.  I’m not sure how many codes were given to Zack, but when I googled around, looking for a way to get my own code, I came across an offer he had.  It basically said, like his Facebook page, The Uprooted Photographer, and he would give you the code.  So I did, but unfortunately, I was too late.  Someone else received his last code before me.  Oh well, search continued on, but I didn’t drop his page and still haven’t today.

Zack Frailey might not be the biggest name right now, but if he’s not in the Major Leagues of photography, he’s certainly in the minors about to be called up.  I’m envious of Zack in many ways because, at least from what I can tell, he lives photography most of the time.  I always enjoy seeing his images and reading what he has to write.  Both his blog and the Facebook page are updated frequently with insightful information.  I think I would be more that way myself if I didn’t have my 9to5 every day, but that’s the price to pay for having two work loves. So yes, I am envious, but not jealous. I’ll just have to keep following Zack to  satisfy that need for knowledge.

You can get his info and links to all his social media outlets at The Uprooted Photographer.  Definately worth the follow.

 

Nubble Lighthouse – York, ME

After I left Gloucester(see previous post here), I continued up the eastern coastline till I reached York, Me.  I was about an hour early for meeting my friends, so I headed right for the place I was looking forward to the most; Nubble Lighthouse.

It’s really a remarkable view right from the parking lot, but of course I didn’t stay there.  No, I climbed down onto the lower rocks so I could capture a dramatic view of the lighthouse as the waves came crashing in.  They weren’t very large waves, but they would splash wildly as they careened onto the rocks.  I studied them for a short time to see where I could set up without getting soaked and then moved in when I felt comfortable.

It was starting to get dark out, and the cool fall air was starting to really howl as I snapped a few sets of photos.  I remember feeling very excited to be there, but also tired from the long trip I’d been on so far that day.  A few seconds after I took the set for the image below, a larger wave came in and soaked me and my equipment when it crashed. I quickly moved to a higher spot, but getting wet on a cold windy night like that was enough for me to pack it in.  My friends would be showing up a few minutes later anyway.  I did managed to get some personal shots of all of us when they showed up, but I don’t look to happy in any of them. That couldn’t be further from the truth however.  I had a great day of photography and was about to hang out with some friends I don’t get to see very often.  I just needed to warm up!

Nubble Light - York, ME

 

Come back tomorrow as I wrap up my trip with another of the lighthouse and find out why playing the game Risk almost cost me my morning photos!

Moonlake

Starting with this post, I am going to be sharing some of my favorite photographers to follow.  I’m not sure how often yet.  Maybe once a week or some other scheduled duration or maybe just whenever I feel like it.   Time will tell.

 

Who To Follow – Gavin Seim

I first started following Gavin Seim (http://seimstudios.com/) about two years ago during a phase I went through listening to any photography related podcast I could find. His Pro Photo Show podcast is the only one I still listen to regularly.  Why this one?  The energy and passion he brings.  He is clearly someone who thinks about things from many angles and is willing to try new ideas. You may have to rewind a few times because he moves at a pace faster than the rest of us, but it’s worth a listen if you are looking to get good photography advice from a pro.

 

Moonlake

I came up with the idea to show this image when I was writing about HDR last night.  This is not an HDR.  In fact, it wouldn’t even be a digital image if it wasn’t for a scanner.  This was taken on Black & White 35mm film and developed in a darkroom in my parents’ master bathroom.  The reason this image came to mind, was that it followed the same concept as the image of the river.  It began with a vision and finished with editing.  It’s hard to tell, I know, but this is actually an ordinary lake.  The black along the top is the result of severely underexposing the photo, and therefor, the evergreens on the other side.  The sun setting just above them and out of the frame provided a perfect moon-like effect that I envisioned before snapping the shutter.   The first time I made a print from the negative I was disappointed.  The beach was way too dark.  Today, that would easily be fixed in Adobe Lightroom© with a quick stroke or two of the adjustment brush.  But in the darkroom it was handled by arcing a piece of cardboard along the water line for one length of time, then with the cardboard removed, exposed for another length of time under the enlarger.  Getting those lengths of time correct took a lot of trial and error as well as enlarging paper, but using that technique allowed me to get the image I pictured in my mind when I took it.  Just like the HDR technique I used helped me get the desired result in the Mad River image.

Blog750_8_moonlake1

 

Come back tomorrow for one from Cape Cod!