The Lemming Muse

A great year...a fresh start...My top ten thoughts at the start of 2011

2011-01-16T18:55:00.001-06:00

If I were Catholic, I would probably be starting out this entry with "Bless me Father-It has been 5 months since my last blog ...". But that just isn't how I roll. I told you that my postings would be ...irregular. I feel pretty safe in my assertion that that deal has been kept. It's not that I don't have anything to say - quite the contrary - it's just that I don't feel that strongly about saying it in an open forum. But I have been chided much of late for my tardiness with the blog by my significant other , Ms. C. This one is for her.

As we enter into my 52nd year on this Earth, there are quite a few things on my mind that don't necessarily have a single answer. I regard myself as a reasonably intelligent, well-read, well-travelled, open-minded and level-headed guy. But some of this stuff just got by me completely, or continues to vex me. I will give you ten or so thoughts, in no particular order of importance, to ponder along with me as we make our way through the cold, dark winter.

1. Why on Earth does anyone with half of a brain regard Sarah Palin as a serious candidate for the President of the United States? Seriously? This isn't about party politics...it is about gravitas...and commitment...and basic intelligence. If I see one more right wing pundit say, with a straight face, that they believe this poseur is a qualified candidate to be the leader of the Free World, well...my television may not see another day.

2. Do we really have that much pent-up animosity and opposition to an improved health care system in our country? Or is it that we just don't like being told that we have to spend our hard earned money on it? Because if it is the latter, I can almost understand the dialogue (without the vitriol). But if it is the former - then our society as a whole has truly gone to the dogs.

3. How is it that my country, which was founded by a group of people who were fleeing their homeland in search of freedom to pursue and practice their own varied religious ideals, has become increasingly intolerant (to the point of excluding and even ostracizing) those who choose not to follow the tenants of the Christian faith?

4. At what point did journalism disappear completely into the morass that is "mass media"? When I was young, you could count on the reporting of Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley and Ron Stone to be reasonably fair and even-handed. They reported the news - they were not "making" the news. I have to laugh when I watch the different slants that are added to a basic news story to give network A better ratings than Network B is getting for reporting the same non-event. Unfortunately there are way too many people out there who cannot filter out the sensationalism, and their lives are not made better by this change in the conveyance of information in our society.

5. With serious issues like genocide in Darfur, famine in North Korea, continuing proliferation of HIV within the developing world and the increasing gap in the education system (vs. the rest of the developed world) right here at home, why is it that we are led to believe that the number 1 issue threatening our way of life is human obesity? Try following your favorite news channel for one week and see how many stories are published that deal with the ever increasing obesity problem in our culture.

6. While we are on that subject, why is it that the people who want to overturn the recently passed health care laws point right at the obese population as being "those people" who we don't want to have to pay for? The people who are championing that idea might be really surprised to find that the population they are villifying are actually more highly represented among those who actually are already paying for healthcare. We are the "fat kids" that you went to school with who made good grades, went on to college, never really got in shape, and got jobs that would allow us to pay the ever increasing rates we are faced with for healthcare in today's world. We are also , as a group, probably less likely to use that healthcare benefit because of self esteem issues (try going to a Dr. knowing full well that you are going to receive a lecture on your weight from this well meaning practitioner - before they offer to treat your real issue). As a group we are less likely to use or misuse any addictive drug - food and sloth are our drugs of choice. Sloth is a stretch, because by and large we have and keep our JOBS. Get off our backs and deal with the real ills of our society...if you have the guts!

7. Anyone who says that they need to rely solely on the support of their biological family to help them make their way through life is clearly not in touch with the realities of my life. While it may have been true to some extent in my youth, it is clearly not even close to my existence at this time. My biological family (excluding my lovely daughter) spent a grand total of 2 hours with me last year - combined. And we all survived. My "real" family these past few years, on the other hand, have been amazing! Their contributions have been life altering - and the warmth and love they bestow upon my family have been the stuff of legend. And they have all been hand picked - mostly (I got a whole slough of them when Ms. C came into my life - most of 'em are alright, even though they lack the right chromosonal mix!). My buddy Skip - one of my older "Brothers" used to tell me that you can't pick your family. This is one you got wrong, pard...and we are both better off because of it!

8. Photography is a passion for me...and it always will be. But it will not be my life. I explained that to a buddy of mine who is quitting his day job at the ripe young age of 50 to pursue his dream of being a professional photographer. He is the one who inspires me to get better. He is following his dream so that he will be able to answer the great questions of life at the end of his days. I am going to help him any way I can and root for him as he goes forward on his quest. Along the way I might find a windmill or two to tilt at...Who knows?

9. I am middle-aged. I am fat. I do not exercise very much at all. Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits. I watch a lot of television because I like to watch television. I think a lot. I read a lot. I do not talk all that much. I do not suffer foolish drivel very well at all. I am a curmudgeon.

I laugh...a lot. I smile. I joke around. Humor is my friend. I am loyal as a Labrador. I am passionate. I am bright. I can carry on a conversation if I am interested in the topic. I will research a topic to death if I think it will help a friend out. I love my daughter. I heart Ms. C. If I am your friend, I will be your friend...to the bitter end. Even though the bitter end's a million years away! (I stole that line, but it is true).

That is who I am - and I am OK with it. I am pretty sure that life would be better if we accepted those around us for their good points and bad, recognizing that...for the most part...there is more good than bad in most of us. There are alwys going to be a few that you have to cull out...and that is OK too. They had their chance.

10. I look forward to the day that our elected officials go back and read their copy of the U.S.Constitution (that they should each have) and realize that they were elected to govern on behalf of their entire constituency...Not block those who would do so. It is a tall order...but one that should be attainable.

Sometimes I think fluffy thoughts. But this is not a fluffy time. There is a lot of stuff going on...and we all have to do our part to get a little sanity back in place. Let me know what is on your mind. We can talk and scratch and sit a spell. Somewhere a long the way we might even find a few windmills to tilt at. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Friends, Family and the Dog Days of Summer

2010-08-17T18:33:00.000-05:00

I have had an incredible Summer. No major family road trip or ostentatious vacation. Just us...Ms. C, Miss E and me. And some very special friends.Nothing else was needed...nothing else required.

Miss E had a multitude of camp experiences that will be the envy of her friends when the teacher asks her to present to the theme of "How I spent my summer vacation..." She will no doubt tell stories of the splendours of life during the reign of King Arthur (as she learned in her camp that taught the Science of the Round Table). She will regale her friends with tales of her riding skills developed during her one week camp at the All Heart Horse Farm.

And she will most certainly tell her new 4th grade running buddies about how to build a water filtration unit from a coke bottle and some rocks and a certain kind of dirt as she learned in her Survivor Camp. And I am sure that she will be among many who were able to see...and smell ... the mysterious, and ultimately disappointing spectacle that was the bloom of the rare Corpse Flower (Lois to her millions of admirers!)

Ms. C got a taste of being a full-time Mom this summer. She did all the heavy lifting during our annual visit with E. She took her to, and picked her up from camp every day while I was at work. She also did a modicum of work related to her own job, and she managed to fit in quite a bit of time with Miss E to help her as she is blossoming into a young lady. I nervously watched as Ms. C pushed the boundaries to try and break through and get E's attention focused a little tighter so that she would begin to realize that everything she will do in life has consequences. It wasn't a battle royal yet...but the teen years are coming and they are going to be interesting...to say the least.

Through all of this, Ms. C was able to enjoy some true quality time with our young Miss. And that was fun to watch. I also made sure that they each got a little pampering during the month. There is nothing like sending your two favorite girls off for a Spa day while staying at a wonderful hotel in the heart of the Alamo City. They were glowing and relaxed like I had never seen them when they returned from this treat... a facial and a manicure for Ms. C ; and a mani-pedi for Miss E. They could not wait to show off Miss E's green toenail polish to dear old Dad. I was thrilled to no end!

As for me...I had a pretty interesting month with my camera. It started with my fireworks adventure chronicled in last months post. It ended with an adventure enabled by my buddy and mentor Doug Durham. Doug invited Miss E and I to his photo studio so I could work a little under the big lights. I had an idea for a concept shoot that involved Miss E and a couple of her favorite things: her stuffed bunny, Lavender, and her Nintendo DSi.

The concept...and the story...goes something like this:

There are two things in Ms. E's life that she would be adrift without...Her stuffed Bunny (who we shall call Lavender) and her Nintendo DSI. Little does she know, but one of them has secretly been untrue to her...

Ms. E is momentarily distracted by a phone call. Lavender seizes upon the opportunity to extend her own relationship with DSi...

After completing her phone call, Ms. E turns and realizes that her faithful sidekick , who she has trusted with her most intimate secrets, has actually been coveting time with the irrepressible Pinky... Miss E reaches for what is rightfully hers...

Undaunted, Lavender reaches for the only defense that she has...the only thing which will earn her the respect that she deserves...the ONLY thing that will bring Pinky back to her!

Ms. E realizes that it ain't no fun when the Bunny has the gun!

Thus endeth the concept...

Miss E and I also had the opportunity to work with a truly gifted model/actress from the UK by the name of Niccola Michelle Airey. She is a family friend of the Durhams and a truly generous soul. As a result of her largesse, I was able to work through some additional concepts involving both girls: Here they are as the world famous (almost) dancing team of Porkpie and Fedora, doing their level best to lure Fosse back from the grave for one last audition...

And I was able to create a couple of portfolio shots with Nicki alone. First, an image that I had envisioned before I ever set foot in the studio using a stunning Venetian masque that I had picked up the week before.

And then there is this one...an image that was beautiful right out of the camera. But I wouldn't leave well enough alone - nosiree - I just couldn't do that. I used it to experiment with post processing methods, and darnit, I think it came out pretty well. I will leave the final determination up to you.

I also managed to get what is probably the best portrait of my lovely daughter taken this year. If you have been following this blog, you realize that is a pretty tall order to fill. You can be the judge for yourself.

This studio session was the last major event of the summer visit with my young daugther. I set up the date so that she and I could spend some quality time together. The experiences we have had this month have been amazing and life-enriching. Our photo session was simply an extension of those good times.

Without the efforts of Ms. C, Doug, Niccola and , of course, Miss E, the Summer would not have been as special as it was. As the years go by, the time spent with friends and family becomes more precious. I never want it to end, but end it must. This was our denouement... as our Summer fades to black...

Keep the faith

Son...The Russki's don't take a dump without a plan!!!

2010-07-13T14:32:00.003-05:00

Well, you may have noticed that I took the month of June off from the blog. Not that I am ever that prolific to begin with...it just always seemed that I had other stuff to do. I was getting ready for the annual summer visit with Ms.E. Then her pseudo big sister/cousin/very good friend that we refer to as Big E had a horrendous accident that nearly (but thankfully, only nearly) cost her her foot. Then I had a little business travel to deal with. Finally, I began making some ...plans...for an upcoming couple of shoots at the end of the summer. First up was the Fourth of July...

Ms. C pushed me to go out this year and take my annual Independence Day fireworks photos without the company of herself and Ms. E. She knows that when I have the two of them in tow, I tend to focus more on the girls than I do on my photography and, though she will never say it, both efforts end up suffering in the process. She offered to drop me off near my desired vantage point and pick me up afterwards at the same rendezvous point. I then proceeded to the location I had selected and I got my gear set up. I set myself down in my chair and enjoyed the cold sports drink that I had brought along with me while I waited for the show to start. I was the first one there...and I had about an hour to kill before the show was to start. So I just relaxed and let my thoughts drift along with the warm night breeze.

Another photgrapher came along. He introduced himself as Wayne Wendel. He told me that he had taken a photo of me that I would probably enjoy and that he wanted to send it to me. We exchanged business cards and chatted each other up about equipment, photography in general, travel and our lives in general. I didn't give the remark about the picture another thought.

Wayne is one of those people you want to meet at some point in your life. He is a retired Houston Homicide Detective who has also served our country as a member of the United States Air Force. He is pursuing his third career as a wildlife photographer, with forays into the world of travel photography and even a little portrait work here and there. You can see more of Wayne's photography at http://birdshooter.smugmug.com/ and you can read his thoughts on photography at http://shutterstuff.blogspot.com/ .

We had a great time talking as first one, then a couple of more photographers came upon us and asked us if this was "the best place" to watch the fireworks show. There are many good vantage points in our fair city to take good fireworks photographs. Saying that you picked out the "best" location would be , most likely, pretentious and untrue. However, it was the best location for what I wanted to accomplish with these photos. You see, I knew that I wanted to capture images that had the full fireworks bursts and at least part of the city skyline in the backdrop. This meant that I was going to have to be far enough away on a certain line of sight with an unobstructed view of the projected burst area. Since I knew approximately where the launch area and burst area were, this pointed me to a certain area to scout for a location that allowed public access. I had driven around the area enough to know that there was a nice greenspace along the bayou leading in toward downtown that should be a prime location for my shots that evening.

As it turned out, I was right.

I have had the pleasure of photographing fireworks at a number of pretty cool locations. The one thing about this type of photography is that it is always a crapshoot - you never know what you got until you finish shooting. You can end up with great shots of single bursts or even of a cluster of bursts. Or you can end up with mediocre shots of the same bursts...the difference often being just a second or a fraction of a second of exposure. So, to hedge my bet this year I decided that I would be doing some composite shots for final printing that would be compiled from multiple individual burst captures. To facilitate this type of multiple exposure photography, I knew that I was going to need a clean background photo capture that was properly exposed for the background elements to use as the foundation for layering the individual fireworks images. So, before the show started, I took just such a photo to use when I went back to the digital darkroom.

All of this leads us to the title of the blog. It is a line out of the film made from Tom Clancy's book "The Hunt for Red October". In the scene, a US Navy Admiral is admonishing a CIA analyst for not understanding that every step being taken by their adversary, though seemingly ad hoc, was anything but because..."the Russki's don't take a dump without a plan!"

So let's recap:

1. I scouted the "best" location for what I wanted to accomplish during this photo shoot
2. I got to the location early (BTW - this is the photo taken by Wayne Wendel. Personally, I think he has captured my best side!)

3. I got my camera set up, verified all of the settings on the camera and set up my composition based on the expected action area.

4. Right before the show started I took care of any foundation work that I would need later.

5. I relaxed, met some new people, helped out where I could and I took care to hydrate myself

6. When the show started, I took a few early pictures...did a spot check on exposure and composition and made a few minor adjustments.

7. I took images throughout the remainder of the show...without a worry in the world.

Yep...looks like a plan to me. Executed pretty well also, with the help of a lot of very nice folks. And at the end of the day, it resulted in about 20 images that will go into the archives. Here is one to prove that a little planning can go a long way.

Before you go out for your next photographic adventure...or any adventure for that matter, do yourself a favor. Take a few minutes and make out a plan. It will make life a little easier...and allow you to enjoy your adventure a little more. You might even have time to meet someone like Wayne.

Keep the faith.

HFM

Another One Bites the Dust

2010-05-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

It is the end of May again. That time when the beauty of Spring begins to wilt under the onslaught of heat and humidity that is Summer in Houston. That time when school kids begin to map out their activities for the ever shortening Summer vacation. That time whe I realize that one of those children...my daughter...has passed one more milestone on her way to adulthood.

I watched her walk toward me last week and realized that she is in the midst of another growth spurt. She is becoming a tall and skinny mixture of her mother's bone structure and my coloration and texture. I hope this recipe holds, because it is a beautiful thing to behold in her current form. I have nightmares imagining a teenage version of this creature and the effect she will have on the less developed gender of her species...and the troubles that are likely to follow as a result. Such is the folly of fatherhood...you want your child to grow into a beautiful gregarious version of yourself...until they develop hormones...and then you want to take it back!!!

She has become much more independent in the last year...and much more confident in her own skin. This is both welcome and sad. I love that she is becoming more engaged in life, rather than being a spectator all the time. I do miss the fact that this new independence and confidence is coming at the expense of her apparent "need" for my help. I guess this is not an unusual dichotomy for a father to go through. But it is the first time for both of us, so I will ask your indulgence.

When she was younger, I read to her all the time. Now she reads to herself, blissfully unaware that I steal a glance every chance I get. I love to watch her create her own view of the world through the readings of her favorite authors. I also know that her adventures, just like mine before her , will be based on the stories she derives for herself from these sources. And those adventures are just beginning...

Now, as she is nearing her ninth birthday, and matriculating from the already boring world of a 3rd grader to that unexplored cosmos that only a 4th grade girl can understand, I have one wish to offer her (using the words of one of my favorite childhood authors, Ted Geisel - the inimitable Dr. Seuss)
Oh...the places you will go, my Princess. The places you will go , indeed.

I love you, Cupcake.

Dad

So...this is what it is like to be a Pro

2010-05-20T20:19:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted a blog entry for about 4-6 weeks. It isn't that I have been hiding...I have actually been having the time of my life filling my supposed "free" time with working photography gigs. These have ranged in scope from my first time "studio" work with a family looking to get some quality family portraits to covering events for customers to shooting events that are seasonal in nature for myself. And of course, I did my annual wildflower shoot with Ms. E - nothing truly spectacular this year but I did get one or two pretty cool shots of my darling daughter.

I found myself working my day job for the average 10 or so hours a day and then coming home to spend 3-4 hours a night to get my photo editing out of the way so that I could be ready for the next outing. In one stretch of 10 days, I had 5 different gigs to shoot and process. It was a blast, but this whole period just reinforced to me that, if I ever intend to do this job professionally, then I am going to have to devote myself to it full time. To do it any other way would mean compromising on quality in one of the two jobs, and I couldn't deal with that.

So , hear are some samples from the multiple events that I shot over the last 6 weeks. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed shooting them.

1. Wildflowers with Ms. E and Friends

2. The Doggett Family Portrait

3. Houston Hip and Haute Derby Party

4. Ms. E's First Piano Recital

5. Keels and Wheels Concours d'Elegance

6. Houston Art Car Parade 2010

And last, but not least...Ms Levenia's 80th

All through the month there were photo opportunities at Lemmings Walk. We had an incredible crop of wildflowers and our garden was quite prolific. Here is an example of the bounty of nature that was displayed before the lens.

As I said...it has been a good month filled with beautiful and fun encounters with the people of Southeast Texas. You should be so lucky - so , pick up your camera and make a picture!

Keep the faith.

I love it in the country

2010-04-03T08:47:00.000-05:00

We are in wildflower country this weekend visiting family. We have come up here for multiple reasons this time...It is Andi's birthday...It is Easter...and I am going to get to take some photos in beautiful surroundings with three of my favorite models.

As I sit here this morning, I am watching some whitetail deer graze alongside the cattle in the north pasture while Andi and her girls make a breakfast of waffles and sausage for the slowly waking crowd. The light on the dew covered fields is amazing this morning, and the weather looks like it is going to be ...well, in a word ... awesome for the rest of the day.

Ms. C is resting upstairs. My beautiful daughter E is slowly waking up into the loving arms of her pseudo big sisters. I have orange juice at my side and the wonderful smell of Jimmy Dean sausage sizzling on the grill.

And you think you have it good?

I love springtime in Texas!

Keep the faith.

HFM

Not at all what I had hoped for

2010-03-11T11:50:00.001-06:00

To say that this workshop experience in Santa Fe with the DLWS group has been a disappointment would be an understatement. I had some concerns going in...there were supposed to be 32 students...and that is what occurred. I rationalized that this would be OK because there were to be 4 lead instructors, 2 assistants and 1-2 photography oriented sponsors who would be there to help out with the students. As you will see - these folks only made the group size problem worse.

As it turned out, each of the staff actually planned to be shooting right along side all of the students rather than guiding them. They had professed that they would be glad to look through your viewfinder and give you suggestions - they left out the part about as long as you bring your viewfinder to where they were! Sometimes that was difficult to achieve when they were halfway up a goat trail taking pictures of a fabulous rock formation. My car mate (who was three months post-open heart surgery...and doing awesome!) and I nearly had a heart attack trying to get to "where all the staff was going to be" for that one. We figured our health was more important than any damned picture that we might take with them and we cut our trek short at a manageable level.

Then there was the planning. Theoretically there were to be 6 shooting sessions. When we got to the opening session to get our schedule, there were only 5 sessions identified, with one TBD. The weather started to turn, so there was understandably some concern, but we were assured that this group shot in all kinds of weather. That would not be the case.

Day 1 - Opening Shoot. they take us to the plaza in downtown Santa Fe and basically say "go take pictures". Any tourist can do that at any time...but this was the opening planned shoot? The clouds had moved in and there was no sunrise to speak of. I managed to get a few interesting shots, but no thanks to this group of intrepid photographers. The afternoon had to be better , right?

The afternoon was better, in some regards. They had arranged for us to go out to a movie set that had built on a ranch for the movie "The Cheyenne Social Club"/ It has been maintained and used continually as a movie set for other western movies since then. It is a great locale. The group had arranged for three western models and two horses to be brought in for this workshop shoot. Only thing is, I don't think that the models were expecting 40+ cameras coming at them! And then there was the weather. Intermittent sun shining through the clouds and snow showers that were being pushed across this open plateau by 30-40 MPH winds. The models were troopers, even though they were subjected to what can only be described as a series of paparazzi scrums. I managed to take a few photographs that I was happy with, but I tended to shy away from the mass shoots. It was not my style, and not what I was hoping for. This was brought home to me in spades when I did try and get in and get a shot or two with the models only to be pushed out of the way by a couple of the staff who had to get there shots first. At the end of this shoot, even though I had on three layers of outerwear to protect myself from the cold, I was so chilled that even a roaring fire in the fireplace could not bring back the warmth in my extremities. I opted out of the "brew with the crew" session in favor of some warm food and sleep. The second day would be better weather...surely they would take advantage of that , right?

Day 2 - Beautiful sunrise - but the sunrise shoot was scrubbed. They had a surprise for us later in the day, so they had to move the schedule of events around. The surprise turned out to be a visit to one of the galleries off of the Plaza. I believe it was more a matter of finding a way to kill an hour before we went to our afternoon shoot. The afternoon shoot was to be in the old New Mexico State Penitentiary, with models. The models were great, the location was great, and the staff tried to organize the group a little more and send the students off in groups that were slightly more manageable than the mayhem from the previous day. They actually did a fair amount of teaching in this session as well, so I have to concede that it was about the best day of the seminar. I got some decent stuff out of this shoot. By the end of the day we could see the bad weather blowing in that had been forecasted. Surprisingly though, the staff stuck to their plan of two very adventuresome outdoor shoots for the final day. After all, they were like the Postal Service - weather didn't bother them.

Day 3 - I am up at 4:30AM , getting my shower , and the phone rings. Ms. C , who arrived the evening before, had not been able to get to the phone in time. On a hunch, I looked out our windows to see that the 4-6 inches of snow that had been forecast had fallen as predicted. It was a beautiful winter wonderland outside our doors. The phone rang again and I answered - I was advised that the morning shoot had been scrubbed and that we were encouraged to trek around the property on foot ...on our own...and take pictures if we wanted. I built a fire for Ms. C instead. We had a morning session on how to print a fine art image that could have put anyone to sleep. Then we left for our afternoon shoot at the Ghost Ranch. It was an hour and a half drive to some beautiful country. When we arrive , our orientation was something along the lines of this: "There are two trails you can go down - the one to the right is a relatively flat and uninteresting trail. The one to the left is a three -four hour round trip hike up a mountain with two or three steep sections that aren't hard as long as you are a decathlete or a mountain goat. The staff is all going to be going down the trail on the left." I made my try at keeping up with the staff. A near heart attack, and the final ruination of my knees ensued. I got a few pictures, but nothing that was worth the anguish or pain. To add insult to injury, it began snowing on us while we were up on the ridge.

In fairness, I picked up a few post processing nuggets along the way that will be useful to me in my photography of the future. I spent a lot more time and energy trying to get everything "right" in the camera so that the post processing required is actually very minimal. Of the 50 or so images that I find to be "keepers" from this workshop, most require little or no post processing.

I am done with cattle call workshops. If I ever do a workshop in the future , it will have less than 10 students. I come to these thhings to learn and get some one-on-one instruction. There was very little of that this week. And I could have come to these locales ...for the most part...myself. I was hung up on the fact that we were going to get some special something by hanging around some "rock stars" from the photography world. Like so many others before me, I have learned that all that glitters is not gold.

Such is life...

Keep the faith.

Anticipation

2010-03-07T08:14:00.000-06:00

About 4 years ago I started getting somewhat serious about this photography thing. I had just completed my first workshop, and I came away with a much greater understanding of my camera and my own vision. I had created some good work, but I was still having to do a lot of things after I pressed the shutter in order to turn what I thought I had captured into what I had actually seen.

Over the next couple of years I took a few more photography centric trips on my own to see what I could learn and what I could generate. More surprises occurred, and most of them were very positive. I knew that I would want to continue my education with professionals who were going to not only open my eyes behind the shutter, but also who would show me how to take a wonderful capture from "wow" to "Oh My Gawd!" by finessing my post processing skills.

So I did what I usually do...I researched. I love the internet...you can cast out as large a net as you want to on a given topic and then slowly whittle it down until you have found the right solution to the problem you are trying to solve. About three years ago I began looking for that next workshop that I could take that was going to give me the opportunity to take my photography to the next level. I came across a group run by Moose Peterson called the Digital Landscape Workshop Series.

DLWS offers me several things that other workshop opportunities do not. First, these guys are Nikon centric - which is handy given that I own Nikon gear. They bring a ton of gear and sponsors to this workshop that match a lot of the gear in my bag. They have no less than 4 world renowned pro shooters , along with their equally capable assistants to act as instructors for the 30 or so students in the workshop. They take this show on the road six times a year to locations that, by and large, my camera and I want to travel to. And they offer extensive post processing and workflow instruction during the middle of the day when the light is not at optimum levels. On paper , this is the ideal solution for me at this stage of my photographic evolution.

When they posted that the second DLWS event this year would coincide with my 50th birthday and that it would be in one of my favorite cities in the country (Santa Fe, NM) I knew that I had to sign up. I think I got in just under the wire - before the "No Vacancy" sign was hung out. So here I am , 6 months after signing up, full of anticipation and looking forward to a tremendous opportunity to grow...

Sometimes the anticipation is the start of something really magical. That is my hope for the next 4 days. I will post updates from each day to give you an idea of what we have learned.

Keep the faith.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Big Camera!!!

2010-02-28T17:27:00.001-06:00

I had the enormous pleasure yesterday of heading down the road to welcome in the trail riders, who make the annual journey from their respective starting points (some of which are as much as 200 miles away!), to downtown H-town for the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

It appeals to the kid in me. A lot that we learned as kids shapes the way we see and react to the world as adults. For example, as a kid I was always taught to respect my "elders and betters". I got a good lesson in how that teaching can manifest itself in the behavior of well healed adults while I was out at the parade today.

I was out on the parade route with my camera gear to see if I could capture a few special moments. I had the whole rig out there...a backpack full of lenses and accessories, and my trusty Nikon D3 with the 80-200mm lens attached. It is a formidable rig - but hey...I am a formidable guy! I was down there with a couple of friends, and a couple of folks that I met who were taking photos of this event for the first time. They all had very nice camera gear, which I am sure generated photos as good or better than anything that I could generate.

It's just that these cameras were ...smaller.

I am not braggin'...I'm just sayin'.

When the riders came into sight, we all took up station where we felt we could get the images that we wanted. After taking multiple test shots from different locations I ended up in a position that just happened to be downstream of the rest of the group that I started out with. I would watch the people react to the rest of the group as they raised their cameras to take their shots. Some of the riders waved politely , some even posed for a shot while guiding their horses and buggies down the thoroughfare. But none of them really went out of their way to be photographed by the group because they knew that they needed to save their energy for the TV cameras and crowds that were waiting for them on the parade route.

Then they saw me...and my D3.

The camera and lens together weigh about 8 lbs. When you lift it and point it at someone, thoughts of an RPG launcher come to mind to most men. But to pretty ladies and inquisitive kids, riding in their first parade...well they think something entirely different! They think that they are going to end up on the cover of the local daily rag , smiling up at millions of readers who could have been at the parade - if they had taken the time. Some of these readers might be friends or loved ones who will be blissfully ignorant of the fact that one of theirs participated in this grand event...and this picture will be the link that will allow them to tell stories again and again about this experience of their lifetime.

The big camera had an amazing effect. I watched one lady strike a pose for me and hold it while her horse travelled 100 feet - until she was sure I got that shot.

I watched a child sitting in the bag of a wagon (clearly tired and bored and making sure everyone knew it!) look at the camera with a blank face for a couple of frames. I took my eye from behind the camera and gave her an understanding smile...and a wink, She returned the smile, until it warmed up the space we shared - and then I took her picture again. It made my day...I think it didn't hurt hers either.

And then there was this fella - I honestly tried to get his attention to pose him for a shot that I saw. But his gaze and attention were transfixed by something on the road ahead. Maybe it was just the realization that he had made it. They were at the end of a long road of experiences that he could share with his family and friends for the rest of his life. The big camera didn't impress him, and there was nothing better about me or anyone else that might point a camera at him today. He had all he needed...peace...and it would be up to me and capture the scene. I saw him smile from the depths of his soul...and I took this shot.

I don't think I let him down.

7 more days to Santa Fe. Keep the faith.

Photography on the Rise

2010-02-26T21:53:00.001-06:00

Well... a long cold Texas winter is starting to wane and the first big local photography opportunity is upon us. Tomorrow the many trail riders who give up their annual vacations to be a part of our history leading into the future converge on downtown Houston from their final bivouac at Memorial Park. They, and their horses and wagons will be dressed up for the big party that is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade. I usually go down there with my camera to welcome them in to town. I have a sweet location to shoot from that affords great views of the road travelled and the road ahead. It is a blast - I can't wait!

A week from now I have a date with a Moose and a Mac and a few of their friends. It will be 3-1/2 days of photography immersion and sleep deprivation in the beautiful old town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Along the way I will get to visit with an old college friend and I will get to spend the second half of the week on vacation with Ms. C. It doesn't get any better than that!

Last night Ms. C and I hosted a wine dinner for a few friends. Much wine was consummed, and in the whirlwind that was the evening I was approached by a friend whose business is celebrating their first year of life with a party for some of the hoi polloi in Houston. She asked me to provide photography services at the party. It will be another first for me, this society event. I know it will be another great learning experience...and I know it will be published. Who knows what might come of this? One of these days I might start getting paid for this stuff!

Keep the faith!

On Reaching 50

2010-02-24T19:55:00.001-06:00

I am not a black balloon kind of guy. I am usually a "glass is half full" kind of guy. I have drunk gallons of lemonade made from lemons tossed at me by LIFE. And I really do believe that...just like today...the sun will come up tomorrow.

I have been fortunate to live on this Earth for 50 years. I was born in Texas, made by Texans, and by the grace of some higher order (you take your pick)...I am a Texas Aggie.

In my lifetime I have seen man land on the moon as he sought to explore the heavens. I have experienced life on 5 of the 7 continents. I have seen the dawn of the Information Age and been in on the ground floor of the Computer Era. I have known true love and I have seen the birth of my only child (aren't those the same thing?)

I have seen darker sides of life as well. Mostly from a distance, but sometimes close enough to leave a mark. I was raised by parents who, in their own way, really cared. As a result, I never created enough of a ruckus that caused them any major embarassment.

I have felt the pain of the death of a loved one...several times. Each time made me realize how special our life really is, and that we should share it to the fullest with those we really care about. As my buddy Skip tells me all the time - this Life ain't a dress rehearsal. It counts...so play it for real.

I always knew that when I got to this point in life, I would be lucky if there were just a few folks around who even cared. Ms. C decided to risk her soul (I am not always as gracious as I should be when she tries to do something nice for me) and throw a little party this coming weekend to celebrate the occasion. I was figuring maybe a dozen of the usual suspects would be coming by (hey...we got wine...and for free!)

She tells me that there will be 30-50 people coming to the party. Many of these friends will be traveling from far enough away that a night in a hotel will be required. To say I am floored at the prospect of this kind of turnout would be a grand understatement. To say that I am humbled and grateful wouldn't begin to describe the emotions I am feeling.

You think she told them about the wine???

Thanks Sploorky. I heart you very much.

A busy time of year

2010-02-15T17:08:00.001-06:00

I am heading into what will most likely be the craziest part of my year. My day job is consuming more than its usual 55 hours per week, and it seems that everything that can go wrong is going wrong. I am heading the major project delivery organization for a $1B business segment. It certainly keeps me hopping. In this job you are never quite good, fast or cheap enough... and that is just the start of the stresses you come across in the course of an average day.

Add to this mix the fact that I am going to be doing some things over the next month to take my hobby to the next level. First amongst those will be spending four days with Moose Peterson, Joe McNally and the rest of the Digital Landscape Workshop Series gang. This is my first photo workshop in about 4 years - And I took a long time pulling the trigger on this one. I am looking forward as much to the training in Photoshop processing techniques as I am in the shoots themselves. When I saw that this workshop was going to be held in Santa Fe, I just couldn't resist. Santa Fe is about my favorite town outside of Texas!!! The light there is magical on its own...I can only imagine what it is going to look like once McNally gets done with it.

In preparation for the workshop, I decided it was time to upgrade some of my tools. I started by replacing my older Sony Vaio Z Series laptop with a new Sony Vaio F Series configured for power and speed. It has a quad core i7 processor that maxes out at a shade above 3GHz processing speed. It has a 256 GB solid state drive and 8 GB of RAM, all running a Windows 7 Professional operating system. I knew this combination would be faster than my previous laptop, but I had no idea how smokin' fast it would be!!! I may have to take up gaming.

I also added a couple of software packages that augment my Photoshop tools...Nik Software's Complete Collection and Capture NX2 from Nikon. The DLWS folks will be giving some guidance in using these tools at the workshop, so it made sense to upgrade now. With this toolbox in my backpack I know that I can focus on the photography and the finishing tools will be at my disposal.

On the social front, Ms. C and I will be hosting a wine dinner and then two days later Ms. C is going to be hosting a big soiree to fete her favorite guy as a celebration of reaching a half century in age on the big blue marble. I am sure that we will laugh about that experience if we live through it!

Add to all of this excitement the fact that real photographic opportunities begin to line up around here as H-town moves into springtime. We have, in rapid succession:

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Spring Break with Ms. E
Wildflower season in Washington county
Easter
Fiesta in San Antonio
Houston Art Car Parade
Keels and Wheels (Think Concours d'Elegance on the Bayou!)
and much more...

The learning opportunities abound, and I couldn't be looking forward to it any more. Keep the faith.

Ain't nothin' but good times ahead..

Oh-fer January

2010-02-01T21:14:00.001-06:00

It has been a full month since I last posted. Not that I didn't have anything to say...I just didn't feel like I had done anything blog-worthy. And, it seemed at the time like I hadn't done anything with my camera worth sharing either. However, in a wave of sentiency, born in the boredom of a staff meeting, I realized that I had done much to advance the state of my photography this past month. And I thought that anyone reading this space (all four of you) might actually pick up a nuggett or two.

Over the last several years, January was like any other month in what we call winter around these parts. Cooler than summer, but not cold by any stretch of the imagination. Cold is snow in winter...ponds freezing over... weather forecasts where the terms "life threatening" are frequently used... and that just isn't us. This year has been different though. In December and January it has snowed here. And we had enough cold weather here for every body of water in my yard - A spa, a pool and a landscaping water feature - to freeze over. The waterfall created some very interesting ice sculpture - and when I saw it, the photographer in me saw it as an opportunity to try out a few techniques that I had been studying related to off camera flash (OCF). There I was ...running around in the front yard positioning a couple of speedlights with CTO gels positioned across the lens to make it look like sunlight was reflecting off the ice sculpture.

This is stuff that I had been studying on Strobist and reading about on Joe McNally's Blog . The picture I came back with isn't about art - it is about putting more tools in my pocket for when I am out seriously making art. If you scared to death of your speedlight and you want to see how to make it your friend, reading these two blogs regularly will stimulate the right brain like nothing I have found.

Speaking of OCF, I decided to expand my skills beyond just using the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) in automatic or through the lens (TTL) mode. I have the skills to use my camera in full manual mode, so it was time to learn how to use my fashes in full manual as well. I had an old pre-CLS Nikon flash that I knew could be used wirelessly with my newer state of the art flashes. I just hadn't figured out how. I came across an article in Strobist that finally made me realize what I had to do. To try it out and see if I had grasped everything properly, I pulled a very colorful Murano glass vase out of the cupboard and set up my old flash with my variant of the Justin clamp from the Manfrotto company and created this image:

While the location of the light source is no mystery in this image, what you don't see is every bit as important as what you do see. No light stand is visible - no flash unit is visible. Ms. C and my sister both regularly create floral designs and still lifes that they want photographed. I now have the tools and know-how to create a lighting solution that can be used with these items. And I have found a way to make my third flash useful. And it was this exercise (conducted in mid day in front of a bank of large open windows) that finally coalesced the concept of "killing the ambient light".

So much learned in so little time...and yet, I continued to read. I realized that lighting ,camera mechanics and composition would carry me pretty far. But I also realized that, in this digital age, it is post processing skills that will help any photographer create their "look". I have rudimentary skills in Photoshop. If you have read much in this blog, you probably already know that "good enough" is not what drives me. So, I am on a mission to develop some serious post processing game over the next year. I took a step this week by implementing a few techniques I learned from The Portrait Photographer's Handbook (Third Edition) by Bill Hurter. The lovely Ms. E very patiently sat for her slightly crazed father while he pulled out a single light set in a softbox for an impromptu portrait session. The session took 5 minutes. The post processing took 3 hours. I used every method I knew on these photos, and they are most certainly over processed. But the whole idea was to practice technique. Somewhere along the way, though, I found an image or two that may not make it to the portfolio - but they found their way into frames at home and in the office.

Who knows - maybe I was lazy in January. Maybe I was Oh-fer. I will leave it to you to decide. Personally I think that there is a lot more to learning photography than just clicking and hoping. You have the evidence. Make up your own mind on this one.

Keep the faith.

The Calendar Project

2009-12-30T11:20:00.001-06:00

"When are you going to do another Calendar?"
"You should do a calendar just of your balloons / fireworks / waterfalls / art cars / Ethics Follies Photos (pick any one topic)

" I liked the last Calendar you did so much that I just kept it up on the wall - but I have been off by a day all year!"

These were the nudges, subtle hints and pleas that ultimately sent me back in to my files to see if I had enough "good" stuff to create another calendar for our family, friends and selected supporters of Lemmings Walk. (I have to admit that the prospect of sending Miss Andrea forward into the darkness of 2010 with a displacement of 2 days on her calendar was almost a sport worth watching...but I digress.)

I am a pretty harsh critic of my own work. I am beginning to think that maybe I am too harsh,but that is a tale for another time. The first calendar I created was a huge success, and it contained a wonderful array of photos from my collection. However, the first execution of the creative development of the calendar left a lot to be desired, and that was an area that I was really seeking to shore up this time around. I wanted this year's calendar to be visually pleasing both from the quality of the calendar layout and from the choice of photos used.

As I started to go through the Lemmings Walk portfolio to select the photos to be used, it became clear that :

There were far more photos that deserved to be included than the 13 I would need for a single calendar.
There was a selection of landscape and portrait format photos that needed to be shared, but the creative design of the calendar layout I had chosen was not going to support both formats in a single calendar!

So, the Calendar project started to take on a life of it's own. I decided to do two calendar prototypes - one that would showcase my portrait photography,and one that would give my landscape photography a just forum. The calendar format I had chosen for the landscape photography also would give me a shot at doing a little writing of captions for the photos. This is something that I really enjoy.

I had done some research a couple of years ago to find the easiest and best ways for me to lay out a calndar and have them professionally printed on high quality stock. I decided to use the online printer MPIX.com (the consumer arm of the professional printing house Miller's Printing). They are a little pricey, but the quality you get is second to none, and they provide you with the layout software. The software is intuitive, and extremely flexible.

I decided to produce a large format (12x18) calendar for the portrait photos. This calendar has a spiral spline at the top, and each month is a single 12x18 sheet. Since the default size of the photos I shoot follows this same 2x3 format, and snce the native resolution yields a 9x14 photo (approx) there is no loss in resolution when the phot is sized for a full-edge bleed 12x18. When I saw the PDF proof file, I knew I was headed for something special. When I saw the prototype in final print form...well, it just didn't suck!!!

The landscape calendar was produced as a split format calendar consisting of (2) 8.5x11 inch sheets of 100# stock separated by a spiral spline. The top sheet has the photo in full-edge bleed format, and the sheet below the spline has the calendar and caption printing. Surprisingly,most that have received this calendar have been more effusive of this calendar than the portrait format. That isn't my personal choice, but what do I know...I just take the pictures!!!

So, here are the cover photos for all to see. The landscape photo calendar is titled "Hauntings of the Mind's Eye" and the following two photos are on the front and back covers:

The portrait calendar is titled "Spirits of the Soul". The cover photo for this calendar can be seen below.

This projct was a labor of love. For my family...for my friends ... for those who cared enough to ask for a new calendar. Your interest is what makes my soul come alive. For those of you who I was able to touch with my photography this year, and for those of you whose path I will cross in the years to come , I wish you peace and prosperity in the New Year.

Thank you.

HFM

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

2009-12-24T10:33:00.000-06:00

It is Christmas Eve...and we are all in full Elf Watch mode here at Lemming's Walk. Catie and I will be making our rounds today, hoping to spread a little Christmas cheer to a few family and friends. Tomorrow we will rest a little and spend the day together as our Christmas gift to one another before we are joined by Ms. E on Saturday. To many , this season is about receiving...I think we need to also remember that Christmas is all about the giving.

As much as the big box stores would have you believe that you need to get the biggest and best gizmo out there because little Johnny has to have the same thing that all the other little hob goblins in the neighborhood will also have them (what ever happened to Keeping up with the Joneses, anyway?), Catie and I have found that the best gifts we receive...and give on an annual basis are the gifts of time...or attention...or special knowledge. And for that, we around here at Lemming's Walk are the richer this Holiday Season.

(Please note - there will be presents under the tree around here this Christmas...and Ms. E will see something from the big box stores...The Lemming is not completely daft!!!)

It has been a wonderful year, full of great surprises and opportunities to grow...I hope that you and yours have a Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!!!

Keep the faith.

HFM

A Shelf Elf for Ms. E

2009-12-15T21:03:00.000-06:00

"I need to get a Shelf Elf like my friend Sydney has." said Ms. E. "A Shelf Elf? What is that?" responded her weary father, not realizing the momentous change in his daughter's search for self awareness that was upon him.

She explained..."A Shelf Elf is always there to watch you ...and sometimes you can see them...but you can't speak to them...and every year at Christmas, they can just tell Santa whether you have been naughty or nice...and what would be a good gift for you...and stuff..." And with that, she drifted back to the task of coloring the back of the children's menu at the restaurant where we were eating dinner. She had a satisfied smile on her face, knowing that there was really nothing else that needed to be said.

I smiled.

And I took one of those pictures that every parent does with the camera that is their mind's eye - the eye that will remember everything as it was at this very special moment...forever. You see, this is that moment of sentiency where my child is making the transition from believing in Santa Clause as a singular being to believing in the concept of Christmas as a spirit to be shared amongst all mankind.

At least, that is what I think.

I think that her floating the concept of the Shelf Elf is the first step on her journey to understanding what Francis Church laid out for Virginia O'Hanlon in 1897. There really is a Santa Clause...and he lives and breathes in each and every one of us. The same can be said of Shelf Elves...we all need one...and we all have at least one.

So, fear not my darling Ms. E...you already do have a Shelf Elf...and he is me!!!

'Tis the season for thanks...

2009-11-29T19:45:00.000-06:00

I know this is a little late. It seems everyone whose blog I keep up with has made it a point to publicly note what they are thankful for. It's not that I haven't been doing this as well - I am just a little more private about my thoughts in this area. This particular Thanksgiving, I have found myself buried with personal and professional commitments to the point that I am physically and emotionally wrung out. I even had a minor emotional event on Thanksgiving morning that I think really worried Ms. C and my Mother to the point that both have kept a closer eye than normal on me this weekend. I think it was safe to say that I was tired!

So, after managing the workload of a half dozen people Monday through Thursday of this week, and then getting up early on a "holiday" Friday morning and spending a few more hours at a project worksite that I am responsible for, I came home to this simple trophy prepared for me by my lovely 8 yr old daughter:

A single impromptu act by an innocent. Or maybe a prescient act by an angel. Whichever it was, this simple gesture from my child made me stop...breathe...and let the worldly pressures that were weighing down my soul pour away. It was then that I realized that I needed to take stock and share with you a few things that I am most thankful for. So here they are.

1. I don't know about being the best Dad in the world, but I know that I am the father of the best daughter in the world...And I thank the stars above for every moment I get to share in her life.
2. I am thankful for the love and support of a truly fine woman...who one day I hope will realize how special the skills are that she shares with the world every day.
3. At a time when 1 in 10 are unemployed in this country, I am not only working, but thriving in an environment where my counsel is sought and my skills are utilized to the benefit of all.
4. I am thankful for the men and women of our Armed Forces, including my college roommate, who stand watch over our freedoms so that we don't have to.
5. I am thankful to be a part of a free society where talented professionals and rank amateurs can gather in a free exchange of ideas that builds the skills of many and broadens the minds of even more.
6. I am thankful for the love and support of friends and family who tolerate the imposition of my photography on their lives. I hope that I give to them even a fraction of the joy they give to me.
7. I am thankful for the strength of my little buddy Kirk as he kicks the butt of the big C one more time. Vaya con Dios, my friend.

Most of all, I am thankful for the opportunity to be a father and a loved one...A leader and a follower...a friend and an allie..and sometimes just to be. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Random thoughts ...

2009-11-21T11:45:00.000-06:00

There is a lot going on as we head into the always hectic Holiday Season. There are just a few thought that seem to be stuck in my consciousness. I need to get them off my mind...
                                                        * * * * *
With all of the vilification of overweight and obese persons in this great country of ours, I have to wonder how much longer it will be before those who have made it their mission to form the nations populace in their own skinny image take on the national holiday of Thanksgiving? You know, the holiday where we celebrate the bounty of the harvest by feeding our families, usually to gluttonous excess , as a means and excuse to gather them all together and enjoy their fellowship?

There will be walks to support the conversion of those afflicted by media imposed gluttony rituals. There will be telethons directed at getting you to donate money to support their efforts to just "Say no to the Bird". And I am sure that there will be some lame duck half-wit in either a state or federal legislative body who will decide that he/she needs to champion a resolution, or, God-Forbid, a binding law requiring government intervention in mandating an exercise program, or some other punitive action for attempting to overbuy the groceries for this annual family feast.They will of course point to this action as a means of validating their legislative acumen and efficacy as an elected official.

For the record...in the interest of full disclosure...I must point out that I am a P.O.S. (Person of Size). That's right - I am overweight - morbidly obese - FAT! And I am a fully functioning member of society, who, save for his weight , has no appreciable health problems. And I have only one question for those six or seven people who read this blog -

When did being FAT become a crime?

                                                        * * * * *

The 2010 calendar project is almost complete. All that is left is the self portrait that I will use on the back page of the landscape calendar. There are two calendars this year - one that is primarily focused on the people who I am able to capture in interesting moments with my camera. This calendar is titled "Spirits of the Soul". It will mostly be distributed to families and close friends who will be able to appreciate the images of the people involved.

The second calendar will get a little wider distribution. It is titled "Hauntings of the Mind's Eye", and it is dedicated more to the landscapes and events that I have taken my camera and my vision to over the last two years. I don't think that anyone who gets either of these calendars will be disappointed!!!

                                                      * * * * *

We are going to be the hosts of Thanksgiving dinner for Ms. C and her family. We will be short three out of the full house of 14 for this event. I know that Ms. C and I wish those three were here also. It is going to be one heckuva feast, and I can guarantee all who are going to come that there will not be a single critical path schedule for dish preparation presented during this dinner, and anyone who deigns to mention calorie count shall be banished from the premises. Dishes on the menu will include :

Cajun Fried Turkey
Honeybaked Ham
Cranberry - Apple Compote
Ms. C's World Famous Garlic Mashed Potatoes w/ giblet gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Pudding
Sheila Partain's Sweet Sourdough Rolls

Goode Company Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie
Apple Pie (From the House of L. Belan)
Pumpkin Pie

The after meal snack (to be served during the annual Texas A&M - t.u football game) will include ham and turkey sandwiches on Sheila Partain's Sweet Sourdough Rolls and will be served alongside my famous Turkey Bone Gumbo.

Let the skinnies eat tofu...

                                                     * * * * *

Since Thanksgiving is near and Christmas is close behind, it is inevitable that I will get asked for a "Dear Santa" list. I usually refuse to generate one because I never have felt that this was in the spirit of the season. A Christmas gift is to be given from the heart - it should never be a box checked off of a list that you take to your local mega-mart so you can feel that you have satisfied your obligations to the gods that be. Of course , that is just my opinion. I will, however tell you what items I am trying to accumulate in the next year or so in order to further fill out my photographic kit:

(2) Nikon SB-900 Speedlights
(2) Cheetah Lightstands
(1) 2'x3' or 3'x4' softbox for use with speedlights
(1) 1'x3' strip light for use with speedlights
(1) Boom kit to use with my light stands
Nik Complete Collection for Photoshop
Nik Capture NX2 Software
Nikon Camera Control Pro 2 Software

I am also planning on upgrading my computer to be able to do a few more things as I expand my skills in post processing my photo images. I am looking at a Sony Vaio with all the trimmings, including a 3.0 GHz processor with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. Now I just have to find the scratch to buy that bad boy!!!

C'mon , lottery!!!

Keep the faith.

HFM

Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just...

2009-11-10T17:57:00.000-06:00

The last month has been a whirlwind of activity for me and my camera. I thank my lucky stars that I am able to do some of the things that I do, and that I have a broad group of family and friends who support my efforts at finding an artistic voice. To all of them, I say Thank You.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Today is a special day...it is the day where the moon and stars align and smile in the knowledge that their favorite spirit...the inimitable Miss C...has begun another solar cycle. With respects to W.H. Auden, I find that part of one of his great quotes best describes what she is to me...

She is my North, my South, my East and West, My working week and Sunday rest, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song...

I won't bother you with the rest of the quote, because it is somewhat fatalistic, and not at all how I feel about my Catie. Happy Birthday, Dear...many happy returns!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I have had many requests over the last year for another Lemmings Walk calendar. I have to tell you that the reason I have skipped a year is that I just did not think I had enough material to do a calendar at the quality standard that I have set for myself. After taking a little bit of time to go through the last couple of years of material, I have to tell you that I think I may have been wrong.

My first pass through the file archives of the last two years left me with between 50-100 images that I would and could use for a top notch calendar. As I started to develop the calendar concept further, the road I was going down sort of ...forked. So, instead of one calendar, the effort sits right now at two calendars. Miss C thought that I had outdone myself. I had another dear friend stop by this past weekend and I showed her the current two concepts, and she was polite in her praise, but she correctly pointed out another thing to consider that may make this project take another turn yet.

This year's calendar is titled "Hauntings of My Mind's Eye"...And I am working toward my goal of delivery on or about December 24th.

Keep the faith.

HFM

Albuquerque International Balloon Festival 2009 - Third Times the Charm!!!

2009-11-08T12:10:00.003-06:00

I have made the trip to "the most photographed event in the world" two times before only to be thwarted by bad weather. I was hoping this time around to take the things I had learned about the venue during the previous attempts, marry them up with a dose of good weather, and end up with some images to last a lifetime.

It didn't start off well, as our flight leaving Houston was delayed by a strong early season cool front that touched off enough weather to delay our departure by over an hour. Since we had only originally planned to have two hours on the ground in Albuquerque before the first evening event - the Special Shapes Balloon Glowdeo - we knew we were in danger of missing our first of 4 possible sessions at Balloon Fiesta Park.

As luck would have it, we walked onto the field just as the balloons that were assembled had finished their inflation, and the announcer was set to begin the evening event. After such a stess filled start o the journey, it is always nice to be calmed down by a smiling face:

We were able to see plethora of special shapes, including my favorite Flying Pig:

Things slowed down enough to enjoy the evening with Felix the Cat and friends as well:

There was even a monster or two hanging out on the field with us this evening:

After the balloon glow was over, the assembled crowd was treated to the biggest fireworks show in New Mexico. We managed to catch a few decent shots before calling it a night.

The next morning, we were on the field for the Mass Ascenscion. This is the event where all of the balloons registered (In this case, more than 550) are launched from the same field , in waves until the air is filled with a sea of hot air balloons. It is a magical sight to see! Before they do that, a dozen preselected balloons are chosen to go up before the sun rises to check out the wind conditions aloft to insure that this event can proceed safely. The "Dawn Patrol" that ensues is a cross between an evening balloon glow and a mini ascenscion. It can be quite striking if you happen to be prepared with your trusty camera.

If you happen to be graced with perfect weather, as we were this morning, sometimes you can get to see an amazing sunrise:

Then the main event begins. At first the balloons begin to lift off in the gloaming of the new dawn. The true color of the event is yet to be revealed as old man Sol hides behind mighty Sandia Peak to the east. But you can still see the potential of what is to come.

Then the sun begins to show itself, a little at first,

Then a little more,

Until finally, it sets ablaze the colors that make your eyes water and your camera tremble as a smile swells across your face... This is what you have come to see...and it, like the color bursting forth from the balloons, will never be taken from your soul.

With the sun now high in the sky, you succumb to sensory overload...so many balloons, so much color - It is really hard to do it justice

You start to shut down - you are tired from 4 hours worth of adrenaline fueled hiking from one end of a 72 acre field to the other. You figure you are about done, and then you see it. A childhood fable coming to life...

Hey Diddle Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle...

If you've been here...you understand. If you haven't been here...you should come. It's definitely on any photographers bucket list. It will also give one pause for ... reflections ... on all that is good about this shared passion of ours. I hope you enjoyed my little journey. I know I did!!!

Ol' Will had it all Wrong...

2009-10-22T22:42:00.002-05:00

"First thing we do is kill all the lawyers."
Henry VI (Part 2)
William Shakespeare

Last week I had the opportunity to do some photography of a stage production called "Misbehavin' at the Menger" at the Empire Theater in San Antonio, Texas. I was curious about this production...so much so that I volunteered my services a year in advance! There were several reasons for my fascination.

You see, this is a production, going under the umbrella name of "The Ethics Follies", that has been set up as an alternative means of conveying continuous education credits for Ethics Training to legal, accounting and medical professionals seeking to earn credits toward renewing their professional certifications/licenses. I have had to attend my fair share of ethics training seminars conducted in the classic download method, and I have managed to catch up on a lot of sleep while doing so, while retaining little information that might be used to keep me out of the clutches of these legal eagles. So, the attempt at making the topic fun and enjoyable is, by itself, a noble undertaking.

If that isn't enough nobility to peak your interest, try this one on. It was brought to my attention that this group of folks donates their time to support a very deserving charity. According to Lee Cusenbary (the shows Director and creative force), the charity which benefits from The Follies is The Community Justice Program. It is a group of volunteer judges and attorneys who provide free legal services to those who can’t afford to hire attorneys. This not only helps people who need it, but it keeps the Bexar County Courts free from time consuming pro se litigants who don’t know enough to represent themselves and cost tax payers lots of money.

I was introduced to this show and its cast the old fashioned way. My significant other, Ms. C, has a sister who is deeply involved with this production (she plays one of the leads). After watching and listening to her talk about the performance from last year, I knew that I wanted to try and give them the benefit of a different point of view than what I saw in the images taken during that earlier show.

I have to admit - I had set a pretty low bar with regards to expectations of performance and production values. I figured they scored the cool theater through social connections. I also was expecting production quality that was probably only a notch or so above your basic high school musical. After all, the show was being put on by a group of lawyers and judges affiliated with the San Antonio Bar Association!!! As Lee Cusenbary correctly states: "It's hard to imagine a bunch of lawyers singing and dancing until you are there".

After seeing the show, I think that they need to stop thinking of themselves as just a bunch of lawyers and judges. They are a quality group of performers who also happen to be lawyers, judges, accountants and medical professionals. I was also told that there are some local performers who asked to participate in this years production because of the quality of the group. They made the right call!!!

Maybe in Shakespeare's time the right solution would have been to remove all of those who might hold society accountable to the rule of law. But in our time, our world is a better place because of the talents and services provided by Lee and his talented cast.

Will - ya' got it all wrong...

Keep the faith.

P.S. Thanks, Guys. I had a blast.

Fair weather dreams and broken legs...

2009-10-06T19:15:00.001-05:00

About a year ago, the beautiful Ms. C's sister sent us a link to some pictures a friend of a friend had taken at a stage show that she took part in. We talked about those photos a couple of months later and I told her that I thought that I might be able to provide a different point of view if they did it again. Flash forward about 6 months, and I get a call from the Lady M,and she inquires if I am still interested in the gig...

Am I interested??? Hold me back!!!

A couple of months later, I decide to book a trip to one of my favorite photo friendly events - the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. I neglected to check the two dates. It turns out that I am doing these two events only two days apart. My camera hasn't been this busy all year!!!

Damn , I am psyched!!!

I will post some shots from each event as they go live. It is going to be a great week.

The Cowboys Still Ride High...

2009-10-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

More years ago than I care to remember, I started a small casual social group that has come to be known as the Cowboy Cooking Club. There were three of us then, and there are three of us now...albeit a different three. Our mission , as it were, is to provide exceptionally good food and wine for small dinner gatherings that we put on at least a couple of times a year. Spouses, significant others and honored guests are invited to share in the bounty of what can be anything from a couple of hours to a full week of preparations leading up to the main event. Nobody goes away hungry. That just wouldn't be hospitable.

A few years back, one of the original Cowboys drifted off to live his life via a different set of rules. My buddy Skip and I held the fort for a couple of years on our own, and the quality didn't suffer any, but we both knew there was something missing. And the x-factor that made the whole cooking club what it is today was right in front of us the whole time!!!

Skip had been in the insurance business for the better part of the first 15 years that I had known him. When he got out of that industry, he turned over his customer base to his friend Kirk, who had a business that was positioned for the long haul. It was important to Skip that he turned his clients over to someone who would look after them like he did. Kirk was one of the few people in this life that had earned that kind of trust from Skip. And that was good enough for me. I had known Kirk for a few years by this point in time, and he and the lovely Miss Sue were frequent guests at Lemmings Walk (my humble abode). They had even managed to attend a few of the Cowboy Cooking Club dinners.

At one of these dinners 3 or four years back when we were really pressed for time in final preparations, we asked Kirk to step in and he bailed us out of a pretty tight spot with the grace and class of a true Cowboy gentleman. After the dinner, Skip and I talked it over for what must have been, oh....let's call it 15 seconds, and we decided that Kirk had to be our third Cowboy. We met him for lunch a little later that week and Skip and I told Kirk about the conclusion we had come to. The smile began in his eyes, and soon his face was lit up as it must have been the day he got his first Red Ryder. It brought tears of pride to my eyes then, just as it is doing now. You would have sworn we were giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom...

I should mention at this point that Kirk is one hell of a cook. He enjoyed cooking with the Cowboys, because we always cooked foods with big layers of flavors. He needed this. You see, a couple of years before I met Kirk, he had been diagnosed with cancer. He went through a long and torturous treatment cycle that left his throat badly scarred and his taste buds severely impaired. Skip often took Kirk back and forth to the hospital for his treatments. He was always nearby to provide relief and support when Sue and the rest of Kirk's family needed it. They are what you would call the best of friends. Through this whole period, I would hear Skip talk about Kirk's spirit and positive outlook and how that was something we should all aspire to. When the disease went in to remission, everyone was certain that Kirk's spirit had played as big a role in driving the disease away as the medicine had.

We helped Kirk celebrate 5 years in remission earlier this year. I am told that this is a big milestone for cancer survivors. The Cowboys cooked up a mean meal and lots of Leonetti flowed...you couldn't have had a better time or a better group of people to celebrate with. Life was good!!!

Until last month.

Sue told us that Kirk had been in to see his oncologist, and that there was a spot on his lung that they were troubled about. It had been there all along, but since it hadn't changed in size over all these years, the doctors had decided to take the approach of "wait until something happens". This spot, you see, after all these years, had started to grow.Kirk put his usual brave face on it, but it was not hard to see that he was worried.

He went in for the biopsy about a week later, and the procedure went badly - in the middle of the process, his lung collapsed and the doctors had to scramble to repair the damage. If that wasn't bad enough, the results from the biopsy turned out to be inconclusive, so Kirk had to go in for more tests the following week. Through all of this, Kirk and Sue soldiered on. All of his friends had made their wishes known to their respective makers - if positive thoughts were worth a buck Kirk would be a millionaire for sure -and we held our collective breath for good news. The final results came in earlier this week...the nodule does need to be dealt with, but it isn't the return of his cancer.

You could hear Sue's smile through the e-mail message she sent.

This is one of the times where the good guys really won. Kirk is one of those guys that makes us all a little better just by being around. And he will be around for a long time to come. His doctors will take care of the small stuff...his friends and family will have his back. That is what friends do...

Ride High, Cowboy...

AIBF - A Target-Rich Photography Destination

2009-09-30T11:04:00.000-05:00

If you really want to expand your photography skills, I can think of no better practice ground than the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. This years event will be held October 3-11, and will showcase over 700 extraordinarily colorful balloons of all shapes and sizes launching from a single location. You get to tackle all manner of photographic challenges - low light to high dynamic range lighting situations, confusing and jumbled composition challenges, grandiose vistas with intriguing minute details, etc. There are as many solutions for all of these issues as there are people who take them on. You really ought to give it a try.

This will be my third visit (so far) to this event. I have yet to have what I will call a "successful" trip, largely because balloon festivals are at the mercy of Mother Nature herself. If it is rainy (and yes, it rains in the high desert at this time of year!) - the balloons don't fly. If there is too much wind - pretty much anything over 8-10 mph - the balloons don't fly. In my two previous trips to ABQ for this event, the balloons have managed to launch only two times - out of 6 possible launch sessions!

The main event, held on the weekend mornings and on at least one morning mid-week, is the Mass Ascension. During this session the sky will be filled with all of the registered balloons as they take off in waves from the 72 acre launch field in North Central Albuquerque. I have only witnessed a weather marred version of this, where approximately 300 balloons (out of the 700 that registered) were able to launch. Even this "smaller" version was a sight to behold.

One of the most spectacular events at this festival is the evening Balloon Glow. During this event, all of the balloons on the field are tethered in place and they ignite their burners in unison to provide the assembled festival goers with a view that is reminiscient of a field of luminarias at Christmas. I have yet to see a Balloon Glow at this event , due to weather issues during my previous visits. That string will end this year for sure - I just know it.

So - what do you need to take with you for a trip like this? Layered clothing, for starters. It can be pretty cool-ish at 5 AM in the high desert in October. And it is likely that the temperature will have changed by 20 degrees by the time you leave the festival grounds. And you will be on the move, so make sure that you have some well broken in and comfortable shoes. As far as camera gear goes, my kit looks something like this:

1-2 DSLR(s)
17-35 F2.8 Wide Angle Lens
24-60 F2.8 Normal Zoom Lens
80-200 F2.8 Zoom Telephoto Lens
Monopod (For Morning Sessions)
Tripod (For Evening Sessions)
Circular Polarizer
ND Grad Filter
Cable Release

I will probably pack a few other sundries for cleaning the lenses and what not - it does get dusty out there. The thing to remember is that you will be mobile for three to four hours on the festival grounds - and will have to keep everything with you that you bring because you will be surrounded by thousands of your new closest and dearest friends. So take what you need, but travel smart and travel light and the time will fly by. But Oh, what a time you will have!!!

Even with the weather woes I have experienced, the sheer scale of this event is enough to set your senses reeling. I am traveling with a fellow photographer instead of Ms. C this time because, for some reason, she doesn't find the same allure in sitting on the sidelines, potentially in the rain and cold, without a camera...go figure. I will be there on the final weekend...with an ear to ear grin -

Have a nice day!!!

A little help From/For my Friends...

2009-09-15T20:17:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I decided that I would try to employ some of the lighting techniques using different light sources in order to generate decent headshots of a willing model. I have read about and studied the techniques used by such stalwart pros as Joe McNally, David Hobby and David Black...but I never have seriously tried to translate the books into real life. I also decided to take advantage of some wonderful natural light in a favorite studio setting of mine to create a nice image of my friend Robyn.

The thing you need to understand about most of the models that I will be working with in the near term is this: They are all strong women with a certain presence and gravitas that is not wasted on the young. They are mature...with beautiful countenances that speak of character built through real experience. As it is with such goddesses (my own partner in life, Ms. C, also falls into this category), there are nuances that they choose to address with a little makeup...and a few touches here and there that can take the makeup to a whole 'nuther level - while keeping it real. The image you see at the left here is pretty much straight out of the camera. I have used Adobe Camera Raw to convert the raw image from my Nikon D3 into the starting point you see here. You can see that there are a few issues (no doubt created by poor posing set up by the photographer) that, if addressed properly, will turn this good photograph into a really nice image suitable for framing.

I opened the image using Photoshop CS3 and did a little cleanup, levels and curves adjustments in order to get to a "clean" starting point for my final editing steps. The next procedure that I employed is one that I picked up from a professional who goes by the screen name "Evil4blue" on Texasphotoforum.com . It is intended as a portraiture skin finishing technique that will give your model as much of a skin glow as you want her to have. The procedure is as follows:

1) Open image

2) Create 2 new layers (name them Hi and Low or whatever you want)
3) Now click the original layer and do a luminosity selection (alt + ctrl + '~').
4) Copy this selection into the Hi layer
5) Repeat 3, then inverse selection
6) Copy this into the Low layer
7) Now, do a Gaussian blur on the Hi with a radius of about 20 (really depends on the photo)
8) Repeat 7 on the Low layer with half the radius
9) Merge the 2 layers, then go to the filters and add a little Gaussian grain to the blurred/merged layer
10) Copy the background over the newly created layer and use some masking to let the adjusting layer show through

The image above at the right is the "after" shot with all of the editing in place. There are many products out there that offer portraiture help to the photographer. However, this method required no new software, no new learning curves, and most importantly - didn't cost a dime. And who doesn't need help like this during times like ours?

I still wasn't satisfied though. The high contrast image just screamed out for another treatment. I used the black and white converter built in to CS3 to take advantage of what I had - and the resulting image seen below...well, my client and a few others seem to be really happy with it. I see things I could still improve on...but that was the point! This was a learning exercise - And one that I thought might be worth sharing.

This beautiful lady rocks!!! And I thank the gods that she has been my friend for over 15 years.

Keep the faith.

The Lemming Muses on Labor Day...

2009-09-07T20:24:00.001-05:00

It was to be a glorious end to the summer. At the last minute, my best friend had changed his plans from a mid-week visit to visiting for the long weekend. My Mom and Dennis had decided that this would be the weekend that they would make their journey to visit us and pick up those last belongings that hadn't fit into the moving van last November. And it was, in the vernacular of the household, an "Emily weekend"...and a long one at that.

What more could anyone want? What more, indeed...

_____________________________________

Mom confirmed her plans to be traveling to Houston two weeks earlier when I called for my weekly check-in. During this trip she would visit a long time friend whose husband is in the final rounds of a fight with pancreatic cancer. Then she was set to see some older extended-family members who are in the sunsets of their good lives. Then she would come see us for two days before heading back to Colorado. She would make the return leg via Dallas, where she would spend the night with my brother and his family. She made it clear that she wanted to spend the night, "or two if you don't throw us out", with us so she could see the renovations to the house (which I am very proud of!) and so that she could see and spend time with us (especially her granddaughter). I have a relatively small house, and no guest room as yet, but we went out and bought a top flight inflatable queen sized mattress that was elevated (to make it easy on them) so that they would have a comfortable bed for their visit.

When I got home Friday evening, I was advised that my mother would not be spending two evenings with us. We weren't even going to be having the pleasure of their company for a full 24 hours. They would have to leave the house the next morning so that she could get back for a routine medical exam that she had forgotten about. They did all the appropriate oooohing and ahhhing about the house renovation and she made sure that she said how proud she was of me. We spent a grand total of about 6 waking hours together. After approximately 18 hours in Houston, my mother had secured her belongings and hit the road for her next stop.

Oh...I know what you are thinking...he is such a whiner...he should be happy that he still has his mother...he is all upset about the money. Maybe you are right...but a lot went in to preparing for the visit. And it hurts that we got two days less than ... Well...it hurts - a lot. It probably shouldn't matter, but Mom and Dennis are nearing the December of their lives, and making 1500 mile road trips to see the family take a lot out of them. I have the sense that they will not pass this way again...and that is something that is hard for me to handle right now. I just wanted to spend a little more time with her at home...my home...just long enough for me to make her a meal and laugh a little. But that wasn't to be.

_________________________________

We were all expecting Skip in the middle of the week after the holiday weekend. Holiday weekends being what they are, it turned out that none of the usual suspects were available. All of our mutual friends were otherwise entangled with other friends and family. Some took the opportunity to travel without kids; others were just unavailable. In the end it was just Catie, Emily and I. A stellar grouping nonetheless - but not what he had hoped for. His visit with his ailing mother, lost in the last vicious clutches of Alzheimers had taken a lot of the wind out of his sails. And the realization that his siblings were on the verge of losing the family homestead because they had failed to step up to the responsibility that their mother had placed in their hands had just beat him down. He needed a friend that evening. He needed all his friends that evening...and it wasn't to be. I let you down , pard. It won't happen again.

_____________________________________

Ms. E was here for the weekend. She did get to see her Grandma for a little bit. And she did get to see Uncle Skip...who she dearly loves. Through all of the hubbub, we managed to keep the visit fairly inactive because she had a bum ankle for this visit. This is one of those things that happens to 8 year old kids when they play. We meant to get out to a movie, but when time got away from us, we resorted to building up the nascent Blu-Ray collection. The movie she chose was "Marley and Me". This is a wonderful story about a man and his Labrador retriever and the relationship they forge as they face life together. However it ends with the dog dying. I thought I was ready for this...but it turns out I wasn't.

I lost my Lab, Falstaff, 30.5 months ago when he lost his bout with pancreatic cancer. I had gotten him to be a companion for my soon-to-be wife, for those periods of time that my job took me away from home. This woman would become Emily's mother. Falstaff was with me through the alpha and the omega of that union (admittedly, a short passage in our lives), and then on through the first 6 years of Emily's life. His death has had the largest impact of any of the critical life-altering experiences that have shaped my existence. Watching a fellow human being at a similar point in his life going through the same experience brought the pain back in a flood.

My daughter, being the sensitive type, understood. She got up to leave the room so that I could have my moment of remembrance. A hug and a kiss as I took her home was all that we said on the matter. I wish she and Falstaff could have grown up together. They would have been great friends.

You have to be there

2009-09-03T17:32:00.002-05:00

The photographic forums that I participate in are chock full of people asking questions about camera technique, gadgetry, lighting techniques, etc. Invariably , the discussion will lead to an example photo that illustrates the point of discussion, and suddenly you start seeing the lights turn on that the tools should never be the point in photography. Photography is literally “painting with light”. If you are not following the light, or shaping the light, or using the light to paint a particular scene in a specific locale…then there will be no image for you to discuss, share or improve upon. In other words…you have to be “there”. You have to put yourself in position to pursue a particular scene that has captured your imagination.

My means of being there usually involves a road trip. Not just any road trip mind you, but a road trip specifically designed as a photographic expedition. My family supports me in this pursuit, because we have come to realize that the circadian rhythms necessary for serious landscape photography do not mix well with the needs of my two favorite traveling companions. I can cover a lot of ground by myself in a week’s time – a lot more than when I am escorting the girls. On my last photo road trip I covered 2500 miles and seven separate destinations in a week. You might be thinking that this was nuts, but my camera and I saw:

A thunderstorm over the VLA near Socorro, NM

A moonrise in White Sands, NM

A sunset through the remnants of a hurricane from a mountaintop observatory near Cloudcroft, NM

I shared a lunar eclipse with a whitetail doe at the McDonnell Observatory visitors center outside of Fort Davis , TX.

I live for the opportunity to see these beautiful places through my mind’s eye. And for the chance to share the stories through my pictures. As a friend of mine once told me, these are the things that make our life worth living. Carpe Diem.

I made the decision earlier this week to saddle up for the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival next month. I am taking along a friend who is wanting to try out some new equipment and who wants a “target rich environment” for his emerging photographic skills. There isn’t a better event for that purpose. If you are looking for a similar opportunity, come on out.

We will be there.

Why listen to me?

2009-08-31T17:31:00.005-05:00

Before I get to deeply into this blog, I might as well tell you a little about myself and where I sit in the universe of photographers. You can then use that to evaluate whether or not you think there is any value in anything I might write on the subject. I think this is only fair.

Let's start with who I am not. I am not a professional photographer by training or experience. I do not hold a degree in photography. I have never been a photojournalist. I do have a profound respect and appreciation for the guys who developed their passion through these time honored channels, and I hold them in the highest regard. Many of these guys are excellent teachers, writers and mentors to folks like you and I...the masses who bought their first camera to take pictures of kids, pets or other forms of flora and fauna in order to fuel other passions in their life.

Who I am is a little more simple.

I am a degreed engineering professional whose day job provides me with the resources I need to passionately pursue this hobby of photography. My engineering studies required several courses in physics and optics, so the concept of lighting and angles comes easy to me. My affiliation with an ecclectic group of artists, architects, musicians and other proponents of right-brain exercise has given me the opportunity to develop my composition skills - what I will refer to as my mind's eye.

The one thing that most engineers will tell you is that they have an aptitude for tools...and so it is with me. My camera is a tool. It so happens to be a Nikon, but brand warfare bores me. There are many brands of cameras available to all of us, and a good photographer can make an excellent picture with any of them. I also have some skill at deciphering the language used by accomplished photographers and breaking it down into layman ready concepts.

I dabbled in film photography when I was in college. Then, as I started developing my own career, I put this (and many other hobbies I pursued) on hold due to the lack of time and energy to do it well. The advent of digital photography has re-energized my interest in this field. The instant feedback and the ability to reverse engineer my mistakes and correct them on the fly has certainly made learning the technical aspects of photography a lot less painful. And the willingness of some of the true giants of the industry to step forward and give details on the how-to for some of their finest shots has greatly accelerated our chances to be successful when we step forward to document those special moments in our own life. It is this kind of "pay-it-forward" spirit that I hope to perpetuate.

I may never have the opportunity to shoot an image of a prima ballerina for the American Ballet Theater - but if I can translate some of the techniques that Joe McNally, for example, uses into something that is easy for you and I to understand - Well, pardner...we might just be meant for each other!

Just so you know that I didn't pull that example out of the hat, here is an actual example of my daughters first dance recital, which I fully profess to have butchered (I had my Nikon D70 for all of 1 week!). And this was the best of the lot!:

And here is an example taken a year later after gleaning some very important "lessons" from professionals who were all to willing to share their technique. Because of that largesse, I think I can safely say that I hit this one out of the park.

I have had a friend ask me why I wanted to give away the "secrets"? These aren't secrets - if you had the time you could learn camera technique from a book... or by trial and error. But you shouldn't have to roll the dice when you have the opportunity to capture a moment in time...and a professional photographer is nowhere to be found! That is what I have to offer. If it is worth it to you, come along for the ride. We might see (and make) some pretty pictures along the way.

Keep the faith.

HFM

Happy 50th, My Brother...

2009-08-30T20:17:00.004-05:00

I sometimes go places to practice my photography: sometimes I travel to further my photography practice. And sometimes I travel for a higher purpose, and my photography just follows. This weekend was an opportunity of the latter persuasion. You see, this weekend was a celebration...of the highest order. My buddy Les passed the mid-century milestone on August 28th.

He is my oldest friend - that is, I have been friends with him for more than 35 years. We first met in Jr. High School. Our friendship survived High School, College and our entire adult lives (so far) without any major falling out. Given that my record of maintaining personal relationships has been less than ...stellar...I have to attribute this accomplishment to Les' undying loyalty to his family - and the fact that he and his family decided long ago to pseudo-adopt me as their 8th child (an honor and a privilege that I cherish to this day!).

Growing up, he was convinced he would die young...so he lived every day to its fullest and siezed the day like nobody I have ever known. I personally have survived more than a couple of potential Darwinian episodes that began with Les yelling "Hey H...watch this!!!" He didn't die young - He enters into the middle years of his life going stronger than ever. I am sure he will outlive us all.

At times like this, photography is secondary. I brought the camera and a lens for shooting in low light conditions. I left the flash in the bag because I didn't want to be a distraction - we were here to clebrate my friend and his life. They indulged me so that I could get a few shots to remember the occasion. This photo was shot with a Nikon D3 w/ the 85mm F1.4 lens. You cannot pick a better combo for low ambient light photography.

I have always been told by my Mom that if I made it through life with one true friend, that I would have lived a blessed life. We were there for each other during some of the brightest and darkest moments of our lives...and we always will be. That is what friends do. And he is my oldest and dearest...Friend.

Happy Birthday, my brother. Many happy returns.

HFM

How I Do Star Trail Photography

2009-08-28T22:47:00.005-05:00

From the very first time I saw a star trail image, I knew that the challenge was for me. You have to be able to visualize your composition in pitch dark, do a lot of little simple things right without forgetting any of the steps, and hope that your camera performs the way you expect it to. I say hope, because once you push the shutter button, you are committed - you can't change on the fly like you can in many other forms of photography.

This style of photography can be beautiful, and extremely rewarding if you just do a little preparation ahead of your shoot. The following information represents the things that I do when I pursue star trails. It isn't a panacea, and it may not work for everyone. But if you choose to follow this methodology, I am pretty confident you will come back with something that will work for you.

Seriously, let me offer a couple of other things to think about for the next time you decide to give this a try:

1. Start by setting your camera up before you leave for the field - I do the following gross checklist before I get in to where I am going to be setting up - And I usually do it earlier in the evening, when I am more alert

a. Set the ISO to your camera's base level
b. Select the lens you are going to use.
c. Set your lens to manual focus
d. Set your shooting mode to manual, set shutter speed to bulb , Set your aperature to wide open - 1 stop.
e. Attach your remote shutter release/intervalometer to your camera. Set up your intervalometer for the exposure you plan on running your test exposure to.
f. Format your memory card
g. mount your camera on your tripod
h. If you are going to use a spirit level, mount it to your camera or tripod
i. Put a small flashlight in your pocket
You are ready to go to the field

2. Upon arriving at your shooting location

a. Walk around for a few minutes with all lights turned off. Allow your eyes to acclimate to the darkness. Determine what you believe you want your composition to be and where you will need to set up in order to achieve the desired comp. Think in three dimensions!!! (e.g. The composition above worked for me because I was able to get the spin of the stars around the tip of the windmill - to achieve that , I needed to lower the tripod in order to obscure Polaris from the shot)
b. Set up your tripod. Set your focus to infinity on your lens - not all the way past infinity to the stops on the lens, but to the infinity mark, or wherever you think you have the clearest focus through the viewfinder (Use the small flashlight in your pocket now - it will be a big help!!!)
c. Take a test shot - On a moonless night, like last night, I start with a 3-5 minute exposure at F4. After the exposure is complete, review it on your LCD screen and determine if you are getting a light-enough image. If you feel like you need to adjust, do so and run another test to make sure you are in the ball park. Once you get an exposure you feel like you can work with, you are ready to run your series.
d. NOTE: From this point forward, life is easier if you are using an intervalometer, where you can program an exposure time and a number of images to be taken and then let the camera do it's thing. If you are doing this with just a remote shutter release and a stopwatch, then you have to stay awake - which is tough if you aren't a "night person". You want the exposure time for all of your images to be approximately the same length so that post processing and stacking of your images can be facilitated in a more consistent and easy manner.

Why multiple images? Most of our digital cameras begin introducing considerable amount of noise anytime you are looking at exposure times in excess of 1 minute. They also tend to lose the black color in the night sky after an extended period of exposure. My best results in this type of photography have come back with exposure times for individual images in the 3-5 minute range. So I tend to try and make that my base - I make all adjustments for local conditions off of that.At the end of the night's shooting, before you put your camera away, and before you turn it off, put the lens cap back on and take one last exposure at the exact same settings that the rest of the shots were taken at. This can be used to cancel out noise IF you have a major noise issue with your final stack. Do a search on "dark frame subtraction" and "potography" and you will find all kinds of references to how to use this exposure in your final processing.OK...now you have your exposures. The onlything left is your post processing to get your final image. My workflow looks something like this:1. Import raw files into Adobe Bridge. Do a bulk process on these files using Image Processor to create JPG files to be used in Image Stacker.2. Use Image Stacker Software (Image Stacker Software) to create the star trail stack. Use the "Brighten" blend mode.

3. Bring the finished stack into Photoshop for final touch-up and processing

4. Voila' OK...I admit it...After taking that long to type this up, it is pretty involved...but it isn't hard. You can do it. The next time you want to give it a try, drop me a line...If I can, I will be glad to tag along. Maybe we can put a small group together and give it a go. It is always more fun to have someone to talk to while the camera is doing it's thing.

Keep the faith.

HFM

Welcome to My World

2009-08-28T22:12:00.000-05:00

This is my first attempt at a blog. It is intended to be a forum to share thoughts and to share the output of what has become a tremendous fascination with me - photography. The images you will see here come directly from my mind's eye. They are intended to invoke emotion. Sometimes they will be just pretty pictures - sometimes they might pass for high art. This one is a pretty picture (I think)

I have been frustrated all my life by the inability to find a medium that I could transfer my vision and still have someone refer to it as art. I may still be in search of that medium...You decide...and let me know about it.

HFM