It's worth the trip

WOOHOO! I won it!!! Canadian Professional Photographic Artist of the Year 2009. It feels awesome.

I got the email letting me know I was in the running.  I scrambled to rearrange my schedule, picked my prettiest party dress, packed up the pooch, and on Tuesday morning headed off for the 7 hour drive to Regina.  Arrived in time to have a nerve calming drink with Rod and Brenda, just before the PPOC Awards Banquet ceremonies began.

It started off well with "Out of this World" winning a Judge's Choice ribbon (880+/- images, and 14+/- judges!) That alone would have been work the trip.

Next, "It's a Small World After All" and "Out of this World" made it to the Loan Collection (the best 40 images from the Image Salon).

Next (it keeps getting better...) "Out of this World" wins Best Fine Art Print (image)!

And finally, (and I'm certain it was by a narrow margin) I squeaked by 2 other amazing photographers to win the Photographic Artist of the Year!!!!

SEE my WINNING PPOC IMAGE SALON IMAGES...

READ MORE...

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News Flash!

Just got an email from the Chair of the National Image Salon that's taking place at the PPOC Convention in Regina this weekend.  I'm one of 3 finalists for Photographic Artist of the Year!

The competition is so tough at the Nationals I can't even think that I might win, but it's exciting just the same...You KNOW I'll let you know the final result, good or bad.

The Image from yesterday's post is one of them

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At Last, Good Vibrations

Today is a gorgeous spring day, at last!  The enegy of the sun is sending some warm rays our way. And what am I doing?  Yes, sitting at my computer working on some new images.  But I am outside on my beautiful deck listing to the happy birds singing away - they too are delighting in the warm sunny day. 

So here is one of my newest images, a quantum look at nature through the lens (inspired by the recent Deepak Chopra lecture I attended a while ago.)

At a sub-atomic level, everything is just enegy - nutrinos, quarks and "particles" vibrating in the void. We are all energy - vibrations.  I think this one illustrates the concept pretty well.  What do you think?

Keywords: floral_photos,photo_techniques,post_processing,quantum_photography

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A Little Self Promotion

A while ago I told you about a Greek metal band that found one if my photos on this website.  The contactd me about using it for the cover of their firsr CD release!

We made a deal and now they have relesed the CD and not only is my photo the cover, it is also all the liner notes as well!  The band is Escalation. The CD is called Shine.  See the CD and the album art here, at MetalTemple.com 

Plus the coolest thing, you know how on the liner notes bands will list a list of "important people" to thank?  I'm in there too! As a kid I would buy albums just based on the cover, and read through all the notes to get some glimmer of how to advance the creative process - maybe there was some one or some thing that helped enhance their creativity that I could also use (and I'm not talking about the mind enhancing stuff!!!)  Anyway, I was always a fan of lots of notes and great art on my music.

So it's full circle time.  Now I'm on the cover, I am the notes, and I am acknowledged there too.I could turn this into a fulltime gig - what better place for photography?  

Have a great weekend and keep dry......

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The Secret to Your Success

So...tell me your fondest desire...

You want to sell your images and make a lot of money doing what you love?  Well, listen up.  I have a link to an enlightening survey of REAL photo buyers, who tell you exactly what they want.  It's priceless information. For example, do you have a Flash intro on your photography website?  BZZZZZZZZZ. Wrong answer!

96% of photobuyers surveyed HATED this feature!    96%.

I don't know any of us that can afford to tick off 96% of our potential customers. So if your homepage says "skip intro" the into is NOT neccessary, why not get rid of it and keep your customers happy.

Us photographers are a strange bunch, quite egocentric, me included (as if you can't tell!!!). We are often used to having people fawn over our work when we show it in person, but I seriouly believe the web is different. No one has time to fawn.  They are on a mission and it's usually deadline driven.  Make it easy for them to do their jobs and they will come back over and over again.

So, please take a look at this photography marketing report.   It's free and I believe it's a nice snapshot of who many of us are trying to sell to.

So...the secret to your success? Give people what they want.

Now, what was that fond desire again?

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What do shoot on a gloomy day?

If you were looking forward to 3 whole days of glorious spring for taking wonderful outdoor or nature photos, but have been frustrated by the endless cloudy cool and wet days, how can you  still maximize your long weeked to your photographic advantage?

Here are a few things that work for me:

1) go with the flow - the wet landscape has tremendous colour tones becasue of the way the light reflects of the watery coating everything has.  Ironically, the colours are more "saturated." So shooting in the wet is link having an automatic LAB color action applied to your pics - so the simple thing to do is just get out and shoot.

2) If there's some wind, use your polarizer and a neutral density filter combined and shoot some slow shutter shots, of tall grass waving in the breeze, trees swaying in the driving gale; a little creative blur goes a long way and you really can't get this effect on a bright sunny day.

3) Water droplets macros - what's more fun than to see the world reflected back in a drop of rainwater.  Plop on your macro lens and get rocking! Water in all its drops and drips can be a mesmerizing subject. Look for non typical angles and try to stay away from the stock photo cliches, unless of course you are shooting for a stock agency!

4) Go where the water lovers go - the ducks, geese etc. love this wet weather so if they congregate at this time of year anywhere near you, go there, use a telephoto to get stunning portraits of waterfowl.  if there are babies among them, don't get too close - geese are mighty protective and a tad agressive when it comes to keeping their chick safe.  But the "aw" factor will be great reward for your patience and soaked skin!

5) If it's really wet (like it is here) go for reflections. The standing water around objects - trees, shrubs, birds, can make amazing abstract photos.  Look for crazy angles, muted colours and patterns in the water.  Refelctions are very cool to shoot.  If the water is a little TOO still, take charge and toss a small pebble in there to get the desired ripples.

There you have it. 5 ways to be creative in the rain. Don't forget to submit your photos to the site to show off your talents.  

If you'd rather curl up by the fire in your cabin that's cool too, I will likely do a bit of both this long weekend. Regrdless of what activities you do to launch the summer, have fun and sieze the day. it's all good.

ciao for now.

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Rags to Riches

Hard to believe that this is SPRING - and that the unofficial launch of summer starts this weekend with the (in)famous May Long Weekend.  Oh, how many May long weekend camping trips were washed out by the torrents of rain; how many "May Long" Fridays did we all sit on the patio at Earls, with toques and mits on, shivering like jello, margueritas frozen a bit more than was drinkable, welcoming the summer despite the freakish cold.  "Weather be damned - it's IS the launch of summer, and we'll do it without heat!"  Big mistake ha ha.

So it's no surprise the weather is uncooperative yet again this year.  But I have been thinking about the rare orchid field trips and I have a quite a bit of interest.  One of the most freqently asked question about the orchid and flower photos is how I always get the "nice blue sky" in thebackground?

 

Well, I am forced to reveal one of my biggest macro photo secrets. It's not the sky.  It's a jcloth - you know, those disposable dish rags? You can get them everywhere.  They work better for photography once they have been washed a few times to make them more drapey and soft.  All I do is carry one in my bag, and use it as a background to any shot I like.  It just gets draped over the other vegetation or in some cases I will drape it over my bag if there is no other object or plants to  hang it on. I over expose by 1/2 to 1/3 stop, keep the apertures big (around 2.8 depending on the light and time of day - I really love the creamy bokeh of a shallow DOF!!!), and make my shot.  Instant "blue sky."  Give it a try next time you are doing close up photos, especially of plants - the added colour really gives the image some POP.

Now... if only I had a jcloth about 30 miles high and 100 miles wide, this could turn out to be a terrific long weekend!

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So Much Music and More

Well, if the weather doesn't get any more favourable for outdoor photography, we can take some comfort in the fact that this summer is going to be a fantastic one for music and "all star" indoor photo opps.  Dig out your telephoto lenses because I know there has never been such a heart stopping list of bands playing here this summer.

• The Tragically Hip
• Green day
• AC/DC
• Metallica
• Aerosmith and ZZ Top
• Fleetwood Mac
• Rod Stewart
• Elton John and Billy Joel
• AND
• (apparently) The Moody Blues (one of my faves, so sad but so sweet...)

 "Your Wildest Dreams"

Once upon a time
Once when you were mine
I remember skies
Reflected in your eyes
I wonder where you are
I wonder if you
Think about me
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams

Once the world was new
Our bodies felt the morning dew
That greets the brand new day
We couldn't tear ourselves away
I wonder if you care
I wonder if you still remember
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams...

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Great Free Stuff

If you like free stuff, this one is a true prize for you.  While there is a *shipload* of free stuff here on the Internet, some times it's nice to have tangible goodies, that you can hold in your hands.  Like a real magazine, not a digital file.  You can curl up in your favorite chair with the refreshment of your choice and learn a bit more about your photo skills. How great is that!

For the last 2 years I've been getting Studio Photography Magazine delivered free to my door and it's loaded with pertinent info and not just for studio photographers either.  The April issue (the most current) covers LOCATION as well as studio photography. I find out about new gear, problem solving, and ideas to boost my imagination.  On those days where you I can't seem to stir up an inspired thought, flipping through SP mag often gives me kernels of an idea that often flower into grand images!  I always seem to have a few in my bag and on those days that I have to wait for a client, or even just taking a time out for a sugar-free vanilla latte at my favorite Starbucks, I have something productive to read to keep me amused.  Did I mention it's free!?

Give it a try. It's serious stuff for serious photographers.

And that's just one of the much delayed Freebie Fridays. More to come.

Have a great weekend.

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The call of the wild

Just outside Golden, BC is a wolf sanctuary. They offer a hiking with the wolves program.  Guess where I am headed!!!

I can't imagine anything more amazing. OMG, I just can't wait to get there.  After listening to a pack of coyotes yipping in the early hours of dawn last week, I think a wolf walk would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

Despite what many people believe wolves are not a protected species in Canada.  And yet they are fully protected in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as most of the American north-west!  Here, though, they are hunted, tormented and scorned by many people who do not know the true behavour of these amazing animals.  There are so many "old wives tales" and urban myths about the wolf that it's hard to re-educate people from their old ways.

Oh, the anticipation... 

Stay tuned - wooooooooooooo !!!!!

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