A Summer Evening To Remember

Summer Evening Thunderstorm, Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, California
Canon 1DsMKII, 16-35mmL @f/9, 1/250th, ISO 200, Singh-Ray Slim Polarizer
July 10, 2006

Images hold special meanings for all of us, some more than others. I often find that looking at a particular image will bring back a memory of how the image was created and the circumstances that surrounded making the image. Perhaps this image, more than any other, brings back vivid memories as if it just happened yesterday.

My family was vacationing at Mammoth Lakes for a week in early July of 2006. I had decided that I wanted to drive to the Patriarch Grove of the White Mountains located at 11,000 feet above Bishop, California. Warm rising air off the Owens Valley was creating a bevy of late-afternoon thunderstorms; perfect for a dark sky to position these 3500-year-old trees against. My two boys only 11 & 12 at the time, and the thought of a 2 1/2 drive each way, held little fascination for them; so off I went with nothing more than a light jacket and my camera bag.

Unfortunately, there is no direct route into the White Mountains north of Bishop along Highway 395. One must drive about 20 minutes past Bishop, then start the long steady drive up into the Whites. Once past the Schulman Grove (elevation 10,000), the paved road ends and a graded dirt road leads the remaining 14 miles to the Patriarch Grove.

Sunset for this evening was 8:14pm and a full moon would be rising in the east at 8:01. With anticipation high, I finally arrived at the end of the road into a dirt parking lot. It was about 6:30pm, and the light was starting to skim the horizon. I grabbed my gear and started up the summit trail photographing isolation images of the bark on these ancient trees. When I left the parking area, I remember seeing only white broken cumulus clouds, by the time I made it to the summit (elevation 11,400 feet) at 7pm, the sky had turned ominously dark. It was eerie how fast the sky turned dark – something I had never experienced before!

Radiant Beams, Patriarch Grove, White Mountains
Canon 1DsMKII, 24mmT/S, f/5.6, 1/400th (handheld), ISO, 200
July 10, 2006

Then, as if Thor was pissed-off at the world, loud, repeated crashes of thunder started to my east. I knew that a flash of lightning, followed after some seconds by a rumble of thunder, illustrated the fact that sound travels significantly slower than light. A rough calculation that flashed in my mind was the time between the flash of lighting to hearing the thunder is 5 seconds per mile. I also remembered that lightning can jump up to 6 miles. If the time between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder is 30 seconds or less, the thunderstorm is within six miles (ten kilometers) of you and is dangerous.

By the time I was at the summit, I was seeing multiple bursts of lightning to my east. Time between the lightning and thunder was 2-3 seconds, the storm was within a half-mile. Furthermore, it was moving in my direction and I was definitely vulnerable. I quickly retreated away from a tall Bristlecone and went down the side of a spur trail. Where I ended up was behind the tree you see leading off this story.

At the time, my concern was of safety and not of making images. I remember curling into a ball and staying low. I calculated that the storm was less than a quarter-mile away but had seemed to stall. I also remember the crackle of a nearby walkie-talkie that two frightened hikers had on. The voice on the other end was a professor from Cal Berkeley encouraging them both to get down to the parking area immediately. They were in their late teens/early 20′s and asked me what they should do. I told them that it was too dangerous to move so I was staying put. They opted to “run” the mile-long trail back to the parking area making them very exposed (fortunately they made it).

Feeling very alone and with the storm still raging, a flash of warm light suddenly caught my eye. I carefully looked up form my curled egg position to see this incredible light painting the nearby Bristlecone. I knew I had to capture it as I had never seen anything so beautiful. As for the tripod, that wasn’t going to be part of the equation; this was going to be a handheld image – fortunately I hadn’t completely lost my mind!

I rapidly went to work firing off about 8 images at various angles – all the while wondering if this would be the last image I ever made. Another bright flash of lighting seemingly within 100 yards followed immediately by a tremendous crash of thunder told me to stop. I once again curled into a ball and prayed.

Five minutes later, the crashes of thunder began to subside and the storm was drifting once again safely away from me towards the east. I finally got up and witnessed an incredible sky with a rainbow.

Rainbow and Sunset Thunderstorm Sky, Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, California
Canon 1DsMKIII, 24-70mmL @f/16, 1/6th, ISO 200, Singh-Ray Neutral Polarizer
July 10, 2006

For the next 15 minutes, the setting sun was painting the storm clouds an incredible orange color. If you are one who thinks that I “Photoshopped these colors,” then you don’t know nature. You are also not alone. The editors at Getty rejected these images out-of-hand as they thought the same. I have reprocessed these images to tone-down the color. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I probably would not have believed it either. The RAW files are incredibly saturated with the orange color, and the white shale obviously reflected the color.

I frantically scrambled around while this incredible light lasted having the summit area to myself. I spotted this stately Bristlecone and took a low angle to feature it against the sunset-lit storm clouds.

Ancient Bristlecone Against Sunset-lit Thunderstorm Sky, Patriarch Grove, White Mountains, California
Canon 1DsMKII, 24-70mmL @f/16, 1/5th second, ISO 200, Singh-Ray Neutral Polarizer
July 10, 2006

I remember thinking to myself on the return trip that no one was going to believe what I witnessed, but I had the images to prove it. When I showed my wife the RAW files that evening once back at the condo she gasped and only wished she could have witnessed it herself.

I’ve never seen light like this since in all my years in nature. One incredible evening. High altitude mountain light is beyond belief when the conditions are right. I’m just glad that I stayed safe and had an evening shoot that I’ll never forget!

2013 Photo Workshops

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (HURRY – only 1 spot left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

7th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – April 14-17, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards

Remember to Enjoy the Journey!

Garrapata State Park, Big Sur Coast
Canon 5DMKIII, 24-70mmL Series II @ f/16, 1/4th second, ISO 100, Singh-Ray 2 stop hard GND, Singh-Ray LB Polarizer

I just finished working with a very enjoyable group of workshop participants at my Spring Big Sur Workshop. One of the aspects as a workshop leader is determining where the group as a whole is in regards to their photographic experience. Overall, this was a very strong group from a visual standpoint. During our two image review sessions, my co-instructor Mike Hall and I were consistently treated to a variance of personal visions and styles – some quite different from our own. In never ceases to amaze me how I can place a group of photographers on a location and see such a diversity of styles and interpretations of a scene – that’s a lot of fun for me!

Part of what I try to impart to all my workshop groups is that we are all on a personal journey when it comes to our photography. Over the years, I’ve learned that there is no finish line; as long as I keep my mind and spirit open to new ways of seeing and interpreting this incredible world of ours, my journey will never end (only the man upstairs will decide when I am done).  What I also try to impart to my groups is that no matter where they are in their own personal journey, someone (somewhere) has already experienced their learning curve (and frustrations). Granted, some aspects of photography are easier to grasp than others. Some people are more gifted on the technical side but struggle with the vision side and vice-versa.

It took me years to realize that no matter how much I learned about the technical side of my craft, I had to do it in conjunction with the visual side. One side of the photographic equation cannot survive without the other. To improve my vision, I read/study a lot of books from the art world and try to understand how other artists interpret the world. Part of my personal journey has also taught me that to improve, I have to be honest with myself and identify my weaknesses. Then, I have to work extremely hard at improving and shoring up those weak areas.

Student Inspires the Teacher

I was having this discussion with one of my workshop students on our last location shoot yesterday evening along the northern end of Point Lobos State Reserve. His name is Jerry Miller. Jerry has been photographing for much of his adult life (he is now retired) and he and his wife Linda drove cross-country from Florida to attend this workshop. I like observing my students on location and I watch how they work. I noticed Jerry oftentimes worked without a tripod (which I thought would be a disaster). That was until I saw his images come up in the image review sessions.

Quite frankly, Jerry blew the class away (instructors included) with his personal view of Big Sur. I did not come close to seeing all of Jerry’s images (wish I could have), but what I (and the class) saw was what I would term – Eliot Porter-like images. I say that affectionately because I have always been a big fan of Porter’s work, and it is a style that I struggle with constantly. Jerry’s vision (similar to Porter’s) was what is termed an intimate view – snippets of nature that others walk right past. To witness someone create images time and again with that personal style was exciting and will motivate me to try harder to develop that style of photography.

On one of our sessions, I had the students working a calla lily grove at Garrapata State Park. Many of the lilies had turned brown during a recent heat wave that had hit the coast. I encouraged the students to find a single fresh lily and work the scene. To my pleasured surprise, Jerry found a wilted lily and turned it into art! Clearly a case of student teaching the teacher (check’s in the mail Jerry)! Here is my recent attempt at Jerry Miller’s and Eliot Porter’s style.

Dual Calla Lilies, Garrapata State Park
Canon 5DMKIII, 100mmL macro @ f/8, 1/4 second, ISO 100

The bottom-line of all this is that we will never stop learning as long as we keep our minds opened and challenged. Again, there is no finish-line.

At my point in life, I am just trying to appreciate every new day that is handed me. I’ve many times asked myself the question, what if this is the last time that you are ever are out with your camera? I also try to enjoy the journey.

I used to get so wrapped-up in making the image, that I oftentimes forgot to enjoy what God had allowed me to see. If I miss the picture – is it really the end of the world? I have a good friend who is slowly loosing his vision. He is not bitter (at least not outwardly). I’m drawn to his strength and personally inspired by watching how he is dealing with his situation; it is reminding me that there are no guarantees in life. He is getting to enjoy being with his family more; he is enjoying his journey.

So remember to challenge yourself, develop and grow through study and application, but more than anything, enjoy your journey. It’s a beautiful world we live in; don’t take it for granted.

2013 Photo Workshops

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (HURRY – only 1 spot left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

7th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – April 14-17, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

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Are You An Image Taker or An Image Maker?

Pt. Sur Lighthouse and Spring Flowers, Big Sur Coast, California
Canon 1DsMKIII, 16-35mmL @f/16, 30 seconds, 800 ISO

People often point out to me that when I talk about photography and capturing images, I will use the term, making an image, as opposed to taking an image. This is because as a visual artist, I do believe in I making images as opposed to taking images. In my opinion, the term taking images refers to a literal capture of the scene. Literal captures makes us nothing more than a robotic button pusher with no emotional connection to the scene – a snapshooter if you will – click – here’s an image of Big Sur!

I strongly believe that the art of landscape photography is really a three-step process: Step 1 – Finding the scene and the light; Step 2 – capturing the scene; and Step 3 – processing the image. Let’s take a closer look at all three steps as I’ll discuss my thought-process on creating images.

Finding the Scene and the Light

Galen Rowell once wrote, my first thought is always of light. I was a big fan of Rowell’s work and it has influenced immensely my style of photography. So yes, my first thought is about light – quality light – the type of light one finds around the fringes of the day or the soft light that fog, clouds, or indirect light can provide. Rarely do I think about the subject first, but if I do, then I anticipate when the best light might arrive for my scene. If I have dawn, sunrise, sunset or dusk light to play with, then that will provide my color for the scene. If I am shooting under soft light (as I was with the image above), then I will challenge myself to find some color to bring my scene to life. In the case of this image, my color was provided by these beautiful wildflowers that I found just off the side of busy Highway 1. I leave the harsh sunlight to the tourists – the snapshooters.

But finding the light is really just the starting point. I did not start out with the thought of photographing the Pt. Sur Light Station by itself, I wanted to give the viewer a sense of context. Because of the overcast skies, I sought out the colorful flowers to add some visual interest to the scene; without them, the scene would have been dull and lifeless.  The next step was to find my composition. I carefully roamed along the side of the highway until I spotted this scene. There were some obvious emotional tugs that got me to stop and look (pay attention to your emotional tugs). First was the fact that I had a foreground that was interesting and provided the color I was seeking. Second was the line created by the shore that led the eye to Pt. Sur. The eye will intuitively follow lines so I do my best to visualize my scene as shapes and lines, and try not to literally look at the scene (though this is oftentimes difficult to do). Lastly, I like how the hills also served to move the eye along a path towards the Light Station.

Capturing the Scene

We have so many choices once we find a scene and a potential composition. What is the best lens? What perspective do I want to take? Does the contrast range of the light match the dynamic range of my sensor? Do I need grads? Do I need a polarizer? Are there wind issues to deal with? What about depth-of-field?

If you are really locked-in to making your image, at this point of the creative process your mind is racing – addressing all if not more of the questions that I list above. This is where the craft-side of photography takes over. There is really no substitute here for experience. Let me tell you the answers I arrived at during this Q&A session that I had with myself before setting up to capture this image:

What is the best lens: for this scene, my 16-35mm, I wanted a wide field of view to allow for a nice sweep of the flowers and hills. The scene itself created plenty of depth from foreground to background. I think a lot about depth – adding layers of interest to my scene. Remember, we are dealing with a two-dimensional medium; thus, the more depth (layers of interest) we can add to our image, the better.

What perspective do I want to take: I often think we (myself included) don’t pay enough attention to this question. I challenge myself to get the camera off the tripod if I am not sure. Tripods can lock us up if we simply extend the legs fully. Don’t fall into this trap; it’s easy to get too lazy here.

Does the contrast range of the light match the dynamic range of my sensor: Tough question to answer if you don’t know the dynamic range of you camera’s sensor. How can you tell? Here is a blog I wrote last May: Determining Your Camera’s Real Dynamic Capture Range.

Do I need grads: That is going to be based on your camera’s dynamic capture range vs. the scene’s contrast range. For example, if you determine that your camera sensor’s dynamic capture range is 7 stops of light, and you meter your scene from the darkest shadows that you wish to retain detail to the brightest highlights that you wish to retain detail and it is 8 or more stops of light, then you have three options: expose for the highlights and let the shadows turn opaque, grad the scene, or bracket exposures and blend in post using layers and masks or an HDR software. Knowledge is power  – I strongly advise that you determine your camera sensor’s dynamic range with your tests (using the method provided in the link above), not some test you read on the internet!

Do I need a polarizer: Simple answer for this one – yes. For most landscape scenes (except shooting straight at the sun or night scenes) a polarizer is invaluable – You cannot replicate the affects of a polarizer in post-production.

Are there any wind issues to deal with: Crucial question because we are generally using long shutters at the ends of the day. For this image, there was not even a breeze. If you look at my shutter speed, you’ll find I needed 30 seconds to enable an aperture of f/16 (needed to carry depth-of-field and to create the starburst from the Lighthouse) at 800 ISO. If there would have been any wind issues, I probably would not have been able to make this image!

What about depth-of-field: Another critical question and one that works together with shutter and ISO. It’s imperative to know how high an ISO you can get away with for your camera (again, tests will give you the correct answer). Then it is playing the exposure game. You need two more stops of depth, then you have to either raise the ISO or lower the shutter or a combination of the two. Again, knowledge is power!

Processing the Image

The old Ansel Adams line that the capture is the score and the processing is the performance still rings true today in the digital era. Again, our we trying to produce a literal scene or an artistic scene? Pros can argue this one to death. My line of thinking is that it is my image and I control the complete process. I do draw the line personally at adding elements to the scene that were not there. I also won’t move elements within a scene. I will clone out an annoying branch or clone a line that will lead my viewer’s eye out of a scene but other than that, I leave the scene alone as captured. I will also dodge and burn within the scene to help guide the viewer’s eye. Yet, if I paid careful attention to the capture process, my post-processing should not require much work beyond basic luminosity and color adjustments (and sharpening).

I know pros who will drop in a completely different sky or add a moon (I did it once and will never do it again). At this point, are we photographers or digital specialists? My pleasure comes from finding an interesting scene with quality light and capturing that. If it moves me enough to put a camera to my eye, chance are it will move someone else. My processing is limited to getting the most out of my RAW file.

So as you can tell, I really do see myself as more of an image maker rather than an image taker. How about you?

If you would like to learn more about becoming an image maker, please consider taking one of my workshops listed below, or contact me about taking a private lesson.

2013 Photo Workshops

6th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – May 6-9, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT – WAITING LIST ONLY)

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (HURRY – only 1 spot left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards

The Most Bittersweet Image I Ever Captured

Alpenglow Light on El Capitan, Valley View, Yosemite National Park, October 21, 2004
Canon 1DMKII, 16-35mmL @f/22, 2.5 seconds, 200 ISO, Singh-Ray slim polarizer
Click Image for Larger View

Recently I was sorting through some older files and came across this image of a fall evening in Yosemite Valley. It instantly reminded me of the old Rod Stewart line, “Every picture tells a story don’t it?” And boy, does this image ever tell a story!

Due to an early-season snow storm, I had decided to drive to the Sierra town of Strawberry (Highway 108) to close down our family cabin and prepare it for the upcoming winter. Wherever I go, I always take a camera bag and tripod along for the ride. After completing my task, I began my 3-hour trek back home and stopped in the town of Columbia (just west of Sonora) for a late lunch. A radio was playing in the background and I heard an updated weather report that the storm would be breaking. Hmm, only a 90-minute drive to Yosemite, I thought to myself. A quick phone call to my wife and off I went to shoot a clearing storm sunset!

I arrived in the Valley approximately 45 minutes prior to sunset and as I rounded the El Capitan Bridge, I noticed a bevy of news vans. I instantly knew some climber(s) were in trouble on the famed El Capitan face. Strange for me to not have listened to the news that day (I’m a self-confirmed news junkie) but I had been listening to music for the entire journey. I immediately pulled my car over near some bystanders and inquired about what was happening. “Some climbers are stranded on the face of El Cap,” came the short reply. “How many,” I asked? “Seven, three pairs and a solo!” Looking up I could not spot them. Feeling stunned, I decided to proceed about a mile down the road to take up my position at Valley View; after all, I did come to photograph.

After roaming around for a bit, I decided for a low perspective with a bit more than half the frame given to the foreground rocks and meandering Merced River. Sunset actually came and went without much fanfare. Most of the approximately dozen photographers packed and left. I knew that the best light could still arrive so I gave myself another 20 minutes. Suddenly a laser-like light burst through the towering pines to my left and began to paint El Capitan with the much anticipated alpenglow light seen in this frame. It even caught the underside of the clouds as well. With the low water levels of fall, the reflection showed up beautifully in the Merced River and I was able to capture this scene with no grads (too tough of scene to grad anyway).

Ironically, for a brief moment, I was so caught up in making this image that I completely forgot about the tragedy unfolding on the face of El Cap. The loud rumble of the Yosemite Search-and-Rescue helicopter brought me back in to reality. With El Cap clearly emerging from the mist and the day’s light waning, the helicopter’s passengers were checking on the stranded climbers and attempting to drop supplies. Unfortunately, that would not be soon enough to save two of the stranded climbers as they would lose their lives that night from extreme exposure.

I thought to myself the next morning as I sat in my office editing this image and listening to the news reports on the radio, “how can something so beautiful be concealing something so tragic?” I have a copy of this image hanging in our bedroom. I awake to this scene every morning and not a day goes by that I don’t think of two people who met their demise while I was reveling in this beauty. Mother Nature can give and Mother Nature can take away.

I’ve read reports from YOSAR (Yosemite Search and Rescue) that this storm was predicted and not uncommon for this early in the year (Yosemite Valley spans from 4,000 – 4,200 feet), though it did resemble more of a January blizzard than a typical fall storm. Turns out that these climbers could already have died by the time I made this image. According to the official YOSAR report: Two were Japanese National climbers who were bivouacked at Camp VI, a small ledge 600 feet below the top of the Nose Route. at 1pm, it was observed that the Japanese climbers had abandoned their bivouac and were ascending in the full fury of the storm. This seemed to indicate that the climbers were absolutely desperate.

NOTE: To read a detailed article about the rescue and to see an image of the rescue helicopter flying near this alpenglow, please click here.

2013 Photo Workshops

6th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – May 6-9, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT – WAITING LIST ONLY)

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (HURRY – only 1 spot left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards</p

Bouncing Between the Worlds of Sports and Landscape Photography

San Jose Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle fires a shot towards Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen while being tripped.
Canon 1DX, 28-300mmL @ f/7.1, 1/250th sync, 200 ISO, (8) Speedotron packs and quad heads, triggered remotely with Flash Wizard Transceivers, Lexar 1000X 64 GB UDMA Digital Media

If you follow my blog on a semi-regular basis, you probably know me as a landscape photographer and instructor. I also shoot stock photography for Getty images. What you may not know about me is that I got my start in professional photography some 38 years ago as a newspaper photographer. It’s been a long trek from where I started to who I am today, but even though much of my time is poured into my landscape photography, I also keep my hand in the sports world as co-team photographer for the NHL San Jose Sharks (22 years and counting). I also shoot a handful of games and events for the NBA.

When March and April roll around, my wife Beri jokes that she will see me in May. Sadly, that joke turned into reality this spring as I bounced back-and-forth between my two photographic genres. I’m happy to say I have come out the other end as of last night as the Sharks ended their regular home season. Yes, there still are playoffs to cover, but they won’t be anywhere near the pace of what I have been going. Let me preface all this by saying I am the luckiest guy with a camera alive (IMO). I get to make a living by photographing exactly what it is I like, but to keep both going (each could be a career in and of itself) can get daunting at times.

I’ll turn the calendar back to early March and take you on a bit of an adventure if you are interested. It all began with the NHL lockout ending in mid-January and a shortened 48 game season (played over 99 days) announced by the League. What this meant for me was that when the Sharks played at home, I was literally at the HP Pavilion covering games every other night – sometimes on back-to-back nights. I also had a couple of photo workshops to juggle (one in Maui and one in Northern Arizona – now I really know you are feeling sorry for me), along with staying on top of editing stock for Getty Images. Needless to say, it was 99 days with only a few days to call my own. I also oversee (7) photographers in a youth action sports division of my business, but fortunately my wife Beri (who is also a high school teacher) jumped in and helped me out on that front.

Kahakuloa Head Sunset, Maui
Canon 5DMKIII, Nikon 14-24mm @f/16, 1.5 seconds, 100 ISO, Fotodiox Circular Polarizer

As the old saying goes, “Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I can pretty much agree with that statement, I never really feel like I am working, but there is the time to put into all this, and there are schedules to adhere to and a business to stay on top of.

Last night marked the end of my “99 days.” I’m supposed to be taking today off, but here I sit writing this blog (I actually enjoy writing and find it relaxing – I hate feeling bored). When thinking of new topics for blogs, I often just draw on what it is I am doing at the time. During the second intermission last night, Nhat Meyer (an awesome staff photographer for the San Jose Mercury News), asked if I was still taking landscape images through all this. As I nodded “yes,” with a wry smile, the idea for this blog was hatched.

I thought a bit about the differences between landscape and sports photography and surmised that it really comes down to mindset. Let me explain.

Preparation is a key component to any shoot – be it a wedding, commercial, landscape, sport, etc., I don’t think we can argue that point. But once I am on the shoot, my thought process pays attention to two parts: the craft (camera setting, exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, filters, etc.), and the creative (composition, light, the arrangement of elements, perspective, etc.). What is identical to both genres is what I call “staying in the moment.” In other words, don’t simply put the camera to your eye and go brain dead. Keep concentrating on what you are doing and constantly challenge yourself with the question, “how can I make this image better?” With landscape photography, I try to anticipate and stay patient; with sports photography, I try to anticipate and react. It’s hard to unwind after a game (my adrenaline is flowing) and a bit easier to feel relaxed after a landscape shoot (especially if I know I got some keepers).

San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture (39) celebrates with teammate Marc-Edouard Vlasic after scoring the game-winning goal against the Dallas Stars at HP Pavilion in San Jose.
Canon 1DX, 28-300mmL @ f/7.1, 1/250th sync, 200 ISO, (8) Speedotron packs and quad heads, triggered remotely with Flash Wizard Transceivers, Lexar 1000X 64 GB UDMA Digital Media

This past week sort of summed up my schedule: two days of shooting stock images of spring scenes around San Benito and Monterey Counties, 4 days of shooting games, 1 day shooting the Sharks team photo (perhaps my easiest shoot of the year but also my most stressful), along with editing, keeping up with social media, answering emails, scheduling photographers, managing receipts/reports for my bookkeeper, being dad, and being a husband – Phew! I need a glass of wine!

Lone Oak and Lupine, Carmel Valley, California
Canon 5DMKIII, 70-200mmL @f/8, 1/50th, 200 ISO, Singh-Ray LB Polarizer

As we all know, good landscape scenes – especially spring scenes – don’t last forever. Here in central California, we have had a very dry spring. There were areas in Monterey County with awesome lupine displays but I had to shoot now before the grasses turned golden brown. I do find the process of landscape photography relaxing, especially when I am alone just driving and looking for potential scenes to shoot. I was fortunate in the fact that the light was cooperating with me in Carmel Valley thanks to our summer fog making an early appearance and keeping the light soft, but I also had to manage the wind that went with the fog (no free lunch).

I’ve also learned over the years to keep my landscape gear and sports gear separate. I shoot RAW for landscape and love my Canon 5DMKIII. I shoot Large JPEGS for my sports work (as we are transmitting live via Getty) and have different settings on my Canon 1DX and MKIV cameras.

Fortunately I have been shooting both genres for such a long time that I am able to “switch hats,” so-to-speak, rather easily. But now things are slowing down. Depending on how far the Sharks get in the playoffs, I may only have a handful of games left this season. As for my landscape work, the best of the spring scenes have come and gone where I live (inland) and are now limited to the coast, though I will make a trip or two the high Sierra. I also have a Spring workshop in a couple weeks in Big Sur to look forward to.

For now – I’m going to celebrate the end of my “99 day” odyssey by watching my sons play some season-ending high school golf tournaments and a couple of evenings out with Beri. Now where did I put that bottle of Chardonnay

2013 Photo Workshops

6th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – May 6-9, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT – WAITING LIST ONLY)

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (HURRY – only 2 spots left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards</p

Define and Deal With Limiting Factors For Better Landscape Images

Canon 5DMKIII, 70-200mmL @ f/11, 1/3 second shutter, 500 ISO, Hyperfocal focus achieved using Promote Control (Click on Image for a Lager View).

A lot of factors contribute to the success or failure of a landscape image. First, one must spot a potential scene and work the composition. This is the right-brain stuff – your creative side at work. Then, there must be precise attention paid to the craft side (what I term the left-brain stuff) – issues like proper shutter, aperture, hyperfocal point, etc.

When it comes to dealing with the craft side of the equation, I first ask myself, “what are my limiting factors?” In rare instances there are none; but as we all know, most of the time we have issues to deal with.

About 10 days ago, I was driving my boys to their high school golf tournament at Laguna Seca (located between Salinas and Monterey, California). While driving along Highway 68, I spotted this scene of a meadow awash with thick hearty lupine. “Put that one on your ‘must-get’ list,” I thought to myself! Four days later I returned but a persistent wind hampered my efforts to capture an image I was excited about. I knew the grasses in the area would not stay green much longer, especially with a warm-spell that has gripped our part of the world.

Thus, I parlayed a “date-night” into a pre-meal shoot – let me explain. My wife had made reservations at a restaurant in Carmel Valley. “Hmm, 20 minutes from this location,” I thought to myself. I could return, grab a few quick frames, and proceed to dinner. It’s a good thing that I have an understanding wife. My quick return lasted an hour as I had to wait for the sun to set behind a nearby hill to allow my composition to be bathed by soft indirect light. Our reservation was for 8:00pm and it wasn’t until 7:20pm before I could start shooting!

I set my camera (on my Gitzo tripod) and worked this scene until I settled on this composition (which allowed for the thickest of the lupine to be in the foreground), the clock was ticking and it was now 7:30pm. Next, I switched my thinking into craft mode. “What were my limiting factors,” I asked myself? There was still a bit of a light breeze so shutter speed was an issue. Then, because I was compressing the scene with my 70-200mmL lens (90mm for this image), I had to calculate a hyperfocal point on which to set my focus.

To my dismay, as I began to deal with issue number one, I realized that the fastest shutter I could achieve at f/16 would be 1/6th seconds at ISO 800 (the highest ISO I would use), also there was the fact that the light was steadily dropping. My other issue would be where to set the hyperfocal point that I had calculated using my Focal app on my iPhone. I determined that if I was to focus 60 feet into the scene, I could carry my focus from the foreground lupine to the oak. My issue was in correctly determining how far 60 feet was in the dimming light.

After shooting some sequences where I bracketed my focus point, I realized that it was now 5 minutes past posted sunset. Fortunately, the lupine were perfectly still. Shutter speed was no longer a “limiting factor.” I decided to drop my aperture to f/11 and would back myself up by using my Promote Control (see link below) to shoot a sequence of 26 frames and blend using Helicon Focus software (also see link below).

After loading the images this morning I did indeed follow the blending method. Then, I went back through my sequence of frames, and much to my surprise, found a single frame with perfect hyperfocal focus – an unexpected bonus! I recalculated my hyperfocal and saw that for this image, the hyperfocal focus point was 70 feet (allowing for acceptable focus from 37 feet to 535 feet – a perfect range for this scene. True, I could have used the focus scale on my lens, but it is not precisely marked for 70 feet so it would have been somewhat of a guess, and as fast as the light was fading, I did not have that luxury.

Working with new technology, such as the Promote Control, is changing the way I go about solving my “limiting factors” in the field. BTW, I returned to my car at 7:50pm and made it to the restaurant in 20 minutes (only 10 minutes late). Thank goodness I have a patient and understanding wife!

UPDATE: While waiting for the light to work for me on the first scene, I was able to turn and capture this scene using Promote Control and (6) frames of bracketed focus:

Canon 5DMKIII, 70-200mmL @ f/11, 1/8th second, ISO 640, (6) frames of bracketed focus using Promote Control and blended using Helicon Focus Pro.

2013 Photo Workshops

6th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – May 6-9, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT – WAITING LIST ONLY)

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (4 spots left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus  click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards

Macro Focus Stacking – An Affordable Solution!

Nature’s Art – Nautilus Shells
5DMKIII, 100mmL macro, f/8, (17) frames, bracketed focus using Promote Control, 100 ISO, blended using Helicon Focus Pro software

I was recently contacted by a company out of Houston, Texas inquiring if I would be interested in trying a new product that allows a multitude of overrides for my camera – starting with the ability to do HDR bracketing at various stop-intervals up to 45 frames! Being somewhat of gadget/software freak, I immediately replied “yes!”

This past week the unit arrive along with all the needed cords, cables and attachments. As with any new piece of technology, I went to the company’s website Promote Systems and downloaded the latest firmware update. To my surprise, there were actually more features added to this unit including the ability to automatically bracket focus the lens for advanced focus stacking! Immediately I had thought of some applications for macro focus – something that is nearly impossible to do by manually focusing the lens.

Before I discuss how I used this amazing product to created macro focus-stacked images, let me mention some of the other techniques that Promote Control will control:

* High Dynamic Range (bracketing up to 45 exposures)

* Bulb HDR

* Bulb Ramping (allows for time-lapse photography where light levels transition (from sunset to night)

* Manual Shutter Hold

* Hyperfocal Calculator

* Time Lapse

I need to preface that I am just getting used to working with Promote Control and will be writing more as I have the chance to explore and test all its features.

What I can discuss is my impressions for using this product for focus-stacking. For those of you new to this technique, focus-stacking is a method of bracketing various focus points throughout a scene and allowing a software such as Helicon Focus to blend into one sharp seamless image.

For the image leading off this article, I simply entered the focus-stacking mode by cycling through the Mode button. Once there, I attached the unit to my camera via a USB cable and set a range of focus (Small, Medium, or Large – I recommend small for macro). For the above image, I chose Medium (in the future, I will use Small, which allows smaller focus increments). I focused on the foreground shells, then by pressing the top ” – ” button, the unit automatically focused through to the far shell, while in the process determining the number of frames needed for the stacking to work. For this image, it took 17 frames. In the Small mode, it would have needed 53 frames. Next, I simply pressed the Start button and allowed Promote Control to do its thing. NOTE – make sure to either turn off image review or set for a maximum of 2 seconds. I had mine set to 4 seconds and the unit stayed fixed on the first focus. Once I discovered my mistake, I turned off image review and the unit worked flawlessly!

Now the game was on! My next thought was to shoot down on a Nautilus Shell. The form of the shell itself has fascinated naturalists, mathematicians and physicists for years. The spirally coiled, chambered shell is perfectly proportioned mathematically.

With this extreme macro, had I focused on the tip of the shell, this would have been the result, even at f/16 (note, this is a RAW file with no processing):

Canon 5DMKIII, 100mmL macro, f/16, 10 seconds, 100 ISO

For my focus stacking, I set my aperture to f/8 (in turn reducing my shutter speed from 10 seconds to 2.5 seconds). Similar to the first image, I focused on the tip of the shell, then allowed the Promote Control unit to determine the number of frames needed to adequately carry focus throughout the shell.

Canon 5DMKIII, 100mmL macro @ f/8, (26) bracketed focus frames using Promote Control, ISO 100, images blended using Helicon Focus Pro software

For my last test, I decided to cut a rose from my wife’s garden. Here I used just the 100mmL macro at f/7.1. Here is the first frame of the sequence (this is a RAW images with no processing):

Canon 5DMKIII, 100mmL @ f7.1, 1.5 seconds, ISO 100

The resulting image did indeed combine 32 frames into a singular sharp image (from foreground petal to background petal), but I felt the image would be better served with a gradual drop-off of focus, this is easy to accomplish in Helicon Focus by simply deselecting layers you do not want sharp. I ended up deselecting the final (9) frames to achieve this look:

Canon 5DMKIII, 100mmL macro @ f/7.1, 1.5 seconds, (23) frames of bracketed focus using Promote Control blended using Helicon Focus Pro software, processed as RAW file in Adobe Camera RAW and finished in PSCS6 using Nik DFine, CEP-4, Viveza 2 and Nik Sharpener Pro 3 software

2013 Photo Workshops

6th Annual Springtime in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – Wildflowers, Misty Fog and Headland Color – May 6-9, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT – WAITING LIST ONLY)

4th Annual Kauai Workshop – Garden Isle and Tropical Paradise – June 21-25, 2013 (4 spots left)

1st Annual Grand Canyon Monsoon and Lightning Photo Workshop – August 19 – 23, 2013 (co-taught with Gary Hart) (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – September 28 – October 2, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

2nd Annual Fall Color in Grand Teton National Park – October 2 – October 6, 2013 (WORKSHOP SOLD OUT :: WAITING LIST ONLY)

5th Annual Arches/Canyonlands National Parks – Full Moon Over Red Rock, Arches and Canyons – October 15-19, 2013 (3 spots left)

3rd Annual Bryce/Zion National Parks – Hoodoos and Fall Color – November 4-8, 2013 (Hurry 1 spot left)

2014 Photo Workshops

5th Annual Magic Light, Moonlight, and Pfeiffer Arch Workshop – Winter in Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula – January 15-18, 2014

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Upper Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014 (8 spots remaining)

6th Annual Northern Arizona Workshop – Grand Canyon (full moon), Page (Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon) and Sedona – March 14-18, 2014

Software Discounts

Photomatix Pro 4.2 type in code at checkout: donsmithphotography 15% discount

Nik Software type in code at checkout: DSMITH 15% discount

Topaz Software type in code at checkout: SMITHPHOTO 10% discount

Helicon Focus  click on link to receive 15% discount

Hardware Discounts

Think Tank Photo (Receive a free gift for any order over $50 when you order using this link!)

NOTE: Use Promo Code WS-643

Promote Control

Purchase Prints and Cards

Click on this link to purchase prints and cards from a growing library of my favorite landscape images:

Purchase Fine Art Prints and Cards