by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Mar 7, 2012 | Nature, Photo Workshops, Wildlife
On several occasions I have served as a judge for camera club competitions. The experiences reminded me of the benefits of belonging to such organizations. They are great places mix with others of similar photo interests and share info on equipment and techniques. There are often opportunities to participate in club sponsored field trips and attend lectures by expert photographers. You can participate in digital and print photo contests where the constructive criticism given will help you refine your photo skills. Participation in club activities both boosts your enthusiasm and creative energy. Clubs are in most communities. Check them out. Osprey Photo Website: www.ospreyphoto.com
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Feb 23, 2012 | Nature, Photo Workshops, Travel
Just one of the tips from the Creative Digital Photography class I am teaching at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens this weekend. See www.ospreyphoto.com for details.
As you move about, always be on the lookout for potential photo subjects. Take note of graphic elements such as lines, shapes, forms, and patterns, plus the direction and quality of lighting no matter whether you are photographing or just driving to the store. This is a way to constantly train our eyes to recognize future photo opportunities.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jan 27, 2012 | Nature, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops
In addition to my nature photography classes at Norfolk Botanical Gardens, http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/programs-events/calendar, programs at Johns Hopkins University http://odyssey.jhu.edu/, and weekend photo workshops at Chincoteague NWR Virginia and in Southern West Virginia, www.ospreyphoto.com, I have been teaching introductory digital editing classes based on Adobe Photoshop Elements 10. I am always searching for good books to recommend to students. While preparing for an upcoming class, I found an excellent book explaining the use of layers and masks in a way that beginners might be able to understand. The text and screen captures are useful and easy to follow. For those interested, I recommend the following book which can be purchased as a soft back or Kindle version from www.amazon.com. “Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature (2nd Edition)”
Photos from my Argentina photo tour in Dec. 2011.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jan 18, 2012 | Nature, Photo Tours, Travel, Wildlife
On recent trip to Argentina, to avoid carrying laptop, I took my IPAD2 and 1 HyperDrive Colorspace UMDA and a second HyperDrive iPad2 Hard Drive. I copied by images from my compact flash cards to each HyperDrive (750 G capacity). Therefore I had 2 copies of each image file. The data transfer rate from the compact flash cards to the HyperDrives is very rapid, saving time. In With the HyperDirves I could see small versions of my files to confirm transfer and judge the quality of the images to some degree. . With the HyperDrive made for the IPAD2, I could download select images to the IPAD2 where I could enlarge them and edit them to see their quality. I could then share the images with others or send them via e-mail. I could get my e-mail and connect with the internet with the IPAD2 in locations where there was a WIFYaccess. Therefore a laptop really wasn’t necessary. Nice alternative for handling image data on long trips.HyperDrives – great asset for long trips.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jan 7, 2012 | Nature, Photo Tours, Travel, Wildlife
Looking for a great place for photography, try Argentina & southern Chile. This past December I spent two weeks leading a small photo tour from a tropical rainforest north of Buenos Aires to the dry wind-swept Patagonian steppe and snow-capped Andean mountains. Capturing great wildlife and scenic photographs was our goal as we explored Valdés Peninsula, Los Glaciares National Park (NP), Torres del Paine NP in Chile, and the steamy jungle surrounding Iguazú Falls. Breaching whales, penguins by the thousands, sea lions sunning themselves, iridescent hummingbirds sipping the nectar from tropical flowers, flightless rhea mother leading her family across the road, and male guanacos on hind legs, spitting and fighting for the right to breed. Visit www.ospreyphoto.com for more programs.
Upcoming photo tour – Iceland in late June.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Oct 7, 2011 | Nature, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops, Travel
Whereas fast shutter speeds freeze action, slow shutter speeds can imply motion and can transform the image into one that is impressionistic. The shutter speed selected depends on the effect desired and degree of movement. You can achieve interesting effects at settings of 1/60 to several seconds or even longer. Adding a stationary object to the scene can provide a point of reference. Use the playback setting on your camera to judge the results at various shutter speeds. Experiment. A Hoodman Hood Loupe place over your camera’s LCD will block extraneous light so you can better see the image and histogram. (Check out my new schedule of workshops & tours on my web site www.ospreyphoto.com)
