Shooting Available Light Travel Photography
My favorite lenses for indoor available light photography are fast prime focus lenses but I still use zoom lenses when traveling because you rarely have the kind of choices for camera locations and positions you have under more controlled conditions. If you care about image quality, forget the digital zoom feature found on some cameras. It simply crops and saves a small portion of the sensor’s data, then interpolates this new,...
Proper Exposure & ‘The Sunny 16’ Rule
“So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.”—T. S. Eliot If you agree that lighting is one of the key elements that differentiate a good photograph from a snapshot, then it’s necessary to understand proper exposure. Believe it or not, there was a time when cameras did not have built in light meters, let alone automatic exposure. In those days, photographers either used a hand-held exposure meter or...
Even More Hot Air – Ballooning Part 2
Today’s Post by John Larsen After the initial awe of witnessing crews assemble, inflate and launch their balloons wears off you will begin to notice smaller details, instead of their magnitude and bright colors. That’s when you will uncover interesting subjects at any ballooning event. They could be people, shadows, patterns or even a unique chase vehicle. To make these shots my favorite lens is an 18-135mm zoom as it allows me to...
A Visit to Denmark
Today’s Post by John Larsen Recently my partner and I visited family throughout my homeland, Denmark. While I’ve visited previously, our 20-day schedule was filled with numerous events in various parts of the country including two birthdays, a confirmation in perhaps the most historic Cathedral of Denmark, and a “Golden” anniversary for my Aunt and Uncle. I actually attended their wedding fifty years ago! As we prepared for this trip...
After a Trip: Keeping it Clean
My philosophy about photo gear is simple: If you take care of it and it will take care of you. That’s why whenever I return from a trip or location shoot, I clean my equipment immediately. Why? Because that way I’ll always know that the next time I pick up my equipment —even if it’s a spur of the moment event—that it’s clean and ready to go. Having just returned from a three-day photo shoot where my gear was used in several outdoor...
What’s in My Travel Backpack?
It’s been my experience that, for the professional photographer, there is little difference between personal or business travel. This, one of my best selling stock photographs, and was made on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Too many miles in too many airplane seats and too much time spent in too many airports has left me with a fondness for traveling with as few pieces of photo gear as possible. This was brought home to me many...
Wordy Wednesday #218 “Las Manos de la Hermandad”
La Capilla de la Paz (The Chapel of Peace) overlooks the southern end of Acapulco Bay and is the highest point in Acapulco. It’s dominated by a large white cross that is visible from almost anywhere in the city. The chapel itself understated fulfilling its goal of proving a peaceful environment. The church is open every day from 10 AM to 1 PM and from 4 to 6 PM, but you are welcome to explore the grounds throughout the entire day....
