You don't see pictures like this everyday!

You don't see pictures like this everyday!  I went to my very first prom yesterday.  It was called, "The event formally known as Prom".  The theme of the event was the movie, "The fifth element".  As the photographer I wasn't sure how I was going to pull it off, but it ended up being a great success.  Kudos to the event committee, and the people in character for a job well done.  Everybody had a great time!
All of the event photos can be seen at: http://www.captivatingsportsphotos.net/MobileStudioPartyBooth/The-event-formaly-known-as/
I think we need more of these type affairs to get people of the couch and away from their TVs!

www.captivatingphotos.net

How good am I today?

How good am I today?  As artists we often struggle with this. I can go through my files on Monday, and think, "Man I'm good!"  On Tuesday I can look at the same files and think, "Man I really suck!"   My Ex-wife and I owned a Cake Decorating business 100 years ago, and she had it then.  Everyone thought she was an artistic genius, but she would pick apart every flaw and beat herself to death over ever detail.  I didn't understand it then, but I do now.  Most of the photographers and Artists I know complain about it, and it seems to get worse as the years go by.  So, how good am I today?

Does anyone else struggle with this? If so, how do you rationalize your feelings?  

The picture below was my inspiration for many years, it's called "Superman".  I took it at the State Fair a few years ago, just playing around. It speaks volumes to me about what we can achieve with practice.

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Bluebird of Happiness

Bluebird of Happiness:  Here's a beautiful image of a Bluebird stopping for a drink at his favorite watering hole. We noticed that many birds frequented this faucet for a drink, so Brigitte just set her camera up nearby and let the birds come to her.  She was able to photograph several different species in a short period of time, and never had to move.  Wish it was always that easy!

Shot with 500mm  f 4 lens with 1.4x teleconverter.  400 ISO F5.6  1/640 sec
On a tripod with a Wimberly head

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Shooting Panoramas

Shooting Panoramas:  Brigitte and I shoot a lot of panoramas.  We do a lot of wall art, and panoramas fit well on long walls.  The image below is a 180 degree view of Yosemite Valley from Glacier point, and is comprised of 9 separate images.  This particular image was printed at 144" X 30", and is hanging in the Tax Collectors of of the San Joaquin County Administration building.

Tips for shooting Panoramas:

• Use a tripod
• Shoot all images vertical
• Overlap each image by 20%
• Do not use any filters
• Set camera to manual to avoid the camera's meter from changing your settings
• Turn off manual focus to avoid changes in the focal plane.
• Shoot in jpeg
• Under the tools tab of  Bridge, use photomerge
• If the images do not stitch together in one layout of photomerge, try a different layout you will have six layouts to select from.

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Vibrant!

Vibrant!  On Saturday as we were leaving Lake Lopez in Arroyo Grande, Ca, we saw large patches of this flower along the side of the road. The flowers exploded with color so bright and vibrant that I had to stop to photograph it.

This was shot handheld with my 24-105mm lens.  Since it was in full sun I used ISO 200.  F22 for depth all the way through the shot at 1/125 sec  For composition I placed the Bee in accordance with the rule of thirds.
God did the rest!

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Pre-race Prayer

Pre-Race Prayer:  Air Temperature 38 degrees, Water Temperature 56 degrees, a 1,500 meter swim, a 24.7 mile bike ride, a 6.2 mile run..................God, please give me strength............!

This photo is from the March Triathlon Series in Arroyo Grande, Ca. put on by Cal Poly.  I so admire these Tri-athletes for all that they do!

About the photo: Shot with my 24-105mm lens  ISO 1600 f 7.1 at 1/300 with diffused flash to pop colors.
Handheld

See these and other sports photos at:
www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

In the Nest

In the nest:  Most people get excited to see a Great Blue Heron up close,  but how cool would it be to see them nesting and feeding their young.  Brigitte and I have found many nesting sites in the area where many species share the same tree.  Herons, Egrets, Cormorants, and other birds happily will coexist a few feet from each other.
This photo was taken by Brigitte in the Pleasanton area in April 2010.  She used a 500mm f4 lens with a 1.4X converter.
The photo was shot at ISO 400, f 13, 1/1250 sec

Watching these huge birds taking turns hunting and returning with food, and then feeding the young is truly interesting.

www.captivatingphotos.net

Casino Royale

Casino Royale. the super luxury yacht, a 163 foot, 38 Million dollar floating palace made its new home here in Stockton today.  It arrived on the low tide, so it could safely pass under the local bridges.  There were lots of dignitaries and on lookers on hand to greet the vessel and its owners.   Here is a photo I took of the ship as it entered the downtown Marina.  I used a polorizing filter to reduce the glare.  I under exposed to preserve the detail in the highlights.  Shot for composition at ISO 500  F 22 at 1/80 sec -1/3 EV

Here is a clip from the Stockton Record on the yacht: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120321/A_MEDIA03/120329969

www.captivatingphotos.net

Lighting and Flash Class

Lighting and Flash Class:
Learn how to avoid bad flash situations like the photo shown below.

Here is the info on the Lighting Workshop.
Location: Lodi Police Station, Community Room 215 W. Elm St, Lodi Ca, 95240
Date: Saturday April 28, 2012
Time: 12pm to 4pm
We are meeting for a “Casual get to know you lunch” from 11am to 12pm Bring your own lunch, brown bag, fast food….whatever you like. Some of theTopics: White Balance Comprehensive coverage of metering light, and why you will never trust your camera again What your flash can do: when & how, and how much to use it Flash and light modifiers Hands on practice

Class is Free for Stockton Camera Club members, and $10.00 for non-members The room holds up to 60 people, but please RSVP if you plan to attend. We will do a 50/50 drawing, so bring a few bucks

Modesto Marathon

Modesto Marathon:  I don't talk much about Captivating sports photos, but this aspect of our business is quite busy.  This weekend we covered the Modesto Marathon photographing 3,000 runners in every kind of lighting condition and weather.  The race started in the dark with clear skies, and finished alternating between hail and sunshine.  We took over 9,000 photos that all had to be edited, keyworded, and uploaded.  We used 4 photographers, one runner, one print technician, and 3 people keywording.  Each of these events offers its own unique challenges, and is very taxing.  Anyone wanna try it out?

The shot below was organized, composed, and shot in under one minute.

Shot at 2000 ISO,  f 5.6 at 1/125

www.captivatingphotos.net
www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

Look out world

Look out world:  I can Bolg about this all day....Here are some fresh fabulous photos of our new grandchildren
Brett and Audrey, now one week old.  I just love the quality of the photos that Brigitte made.
Heck with photographing Birds, maybe Brigitte should take up shooting infants.  Looking Great Grandma....

www.captivatingphotos.net

Gorgeous Females

Gorgeous Females:  Here are some of the contestants from the Big Hair contest at the Girl's Night out event in Elk Grove.  They are all winners!  We shot this event on 3/16/2012
Photo by Bill using constant florescent lighting, shot in manual mode with custom white balance at 2000 ISO
f 7.1 at 1/80sec

www.captivatingphotos.net
www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

I have a hot date with 900 women tonight

I have a hot date with 900 women tonight:  Every year we photograph a crazy event called, "A Girl's Night Out" put on by the City of Elk Grove.  It is 900 girls of all ages just having a great time.  There are vendors, big hair contests, fashions shows, food, and lots of fun....... We provide a fun photobooth, and photo coverage of the event.

www.captivatingphotos.net
www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

Kudos

Kudos:  I'd like to take a minute to recognize one of our main Co-workers and Sports Photographers, Trey Steinhart.  As some of you know Captivatingsportsphotos is heavily involved in photographing Running and cycling events all over California.  Last year we covered over 30 events, and in 2012 we will cover just short of 50 events.  This is not easy work by any means:  Long hours, travel, heavy shooting, extreme weather, and challenging situations....It is not for everyone.  Great photographers have tried their hand at it, and not been successful.  Sometimes it boils down to attitude and endurance.
Trey has survived the first year, and is raring to go in year two.

Trey is creative, fearless, energetic, and shoots until there's nothing left to shoot.  You can always tell when Trey is nearby ....You'll hear, "Whooo hooo!" as every runner that passes.  I also want to thank his wife Becky for letting him do this.
Below is a shot taken by Trey at a 8 hour endurance Mountain Bike race in Lake Tahoe.  Trey had the presence of mind to try this shot as a Black and White, and I think it really enhanced the image.

Thank you Trey...We love and appreciate you!

See more at:  www.captivatingsportsphotos.net and www.captivatingphotos.net

Canon CPS is awesome!

In January I joined the Canon Professional Services program, and it was one of the best investments I have ever made.  They offer 3 levels of membership: Silver, Gold, and Platinum, I felt the Gold Level was best for me.
The cost to join at the Gold level is $100.00 per year, and for that $100 this is what I got:
30% off all repairs
Expedited 3 day repairs,  but most of mine have been quicker.
Free expedited return shipping
Service loans
Free Evaluation loans, (You can test any cameras or lenses free for two weeks)
2  free camera cleaning and inspections per year,  and this is done automatically with each repair.
24/7 Tech support
Special services at Events and Trade shows

Since signing up in January I have had both Cameras cleaned, inspected, and repaired.  I have had 3 lenses cleaned, inspected, and repaired.  I got to use a Canon EOS 1D mark 4, a 50mm f 1.2 lens, and a 8-15mm fisheye lens for free for two weeks.  All transactions were hassle free.

Here's their website: http://www.cps.usa.canon.com/

www.captivatingphotos.net
www.captivatingsportsphotos.net

Spring is coming

The rain this week is a great thing, it turns the surrounding hills a beautiful shade of green.  We love driving and exploring all of the back roads surrounding Mt Diablo, Pleasanton, Livermore, Tracy, Diablo Canyon, and the Altimont pass. We start in the morning, and just explore.....wherever the day takes us.   If we get some great photos along the way, that's a bonus.   The barn and landscape below looks like a great spot to film a California Happy Cow commercial.

This photo was taken Feb 26th 2011 on the Tracy side of Mt Diablo. 400 ISO  f.9 @1/250

If you know of any awesome areas to go shoot, I'd love to hear about it.

www.captivatingphotos.net

Respecting Nature

Respecting Nature:  The image shown below was taken by Brigitte in Rocky Mountain National Park, Co. Brigitte knew where the den was, and set up nearby well before sunrise.  Brigitte sat behind a blind for 4 to 5 hours inching ever closer to the Coyote Family.  She was able to move in to a distance of about 50 feet, but would not move any closer as she did not want to distress the Coyotes.  Because Brigitte respected the natural comfort zone of the Coyotes the Mother made no attempt to protect the pups, or show any aggression towards Brigitte.  Instead the Coyotes played, napped, and explored waiting for Dad to return with breakfast.
Sadly as midday approached a tourist barged right past Brigitte towards the den, in an attempt to get a photo with his cell phone. His mindless action caused the coyotes to flee into the distant bush.
Respecting nature and wildlife is critical.  Senseless acts distress the wildlife, cause damage to their habitat, put the animals at risk, and just ruin it for everyone.

Have you had any similar situations you would like to share?

www.captivatingphotos.net

Crash Points

Crash Points:  Crash point is the converging point that elements, shapes, angles, and lines lead to.  This image is composed so that all lines draw your eye to the same point.  Furthermore, that same point also falls on the upper left intersection of the rule of thirds.  In this example it can also be referred to as the termination point. It gives a feeling of balance and harmony and keeps the image from being boring.

If you have a good example of this, please share it with us.

www.captivatingphotos.net

Panning Tips

Panning Tips:  Panning to shoot a moving object is not a task to take lightly, and even with the right equipment it takes practice.  Please know that the right equipment greatly improves your possibility of a sharp image.
1. A gimble type Tripod head, (Sample below) is the best for panning it allows for fluid movement in any direction. Brigitte uses the Wimberly head shown below.
2. Using a singe focus point is critical.  Place the Focus point directly on the eye.  If the eye is not sharp the subject is not sharp.
3. Using AI Servo or Continuous Focus in Critical.  In any other mode the focus is too slow.
4. Adequate shutter speed to freeze the action is crucial to a sharp image in this setting.  Use at least 1/500 sec.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice!
This image was shot at Sunset @ 800 ISO 1/1000 sec at F 8.0  Using a Canon 100-400mm L Series lens at 275mm focal length.

www.captivatingphotos.net

Priceless Artwork

It's Brigitte's Birthday!!!!!!  

There are no Photos or Artwork more precious that this...
Happy Birthday Brigitte we love you and we miss you !

Artist is Abigail age 8

So let's talk Turkey

So let's talk Turkey!  What exactly did God have in mind when he designed this critter??  Or let's take a different view....During the evolutionary process and the survival of the fittest, is this the best they could do???
If they were not meant to be hunted then why are they slow moving with such bright colors?  If you had to see their face at dinner would it still be appetizing?  What the heck is that thing on its beak for?  With the teste looking things on its neck is it a male or female???  If you were a Turkey would this be considered good lookin'?

Everything about it is just wrong!

Your thoughts?

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Freakin Nasty

Freakin Nasty:  Here's a lovely shot...A Great Blue Heron catching and preparing to eat a yummy Vole. While getting a tour from a local biologist, Jim Estep, we came upon a cool scene.  We found an Alfalfa field being flooded causing all of the rodents to flee, and when the rodent flee it becomes a feeding frenzy.  This field was filled with egrets, heron, and many types of hawks, and it was intense.  The truly cool part was not to see which bird caught the prey, but more so which bird ended up with it at the end.  Many of the birds were opportunists  just waiting to steal someone else's catch.
Of course Brigitte was ready for action with her 500mm f4 lens with 1.4x converter
This photo shot at 400 ISO 1/1600sec at f 6.3 shot from a car window hand held.

www.captivatingphotos.net

Magical Moment

Magical Moment:  This image is one of my favorite images of the local area.  It is a view of the downtown Stockton Marina after sunset.  When I took this shot I was there for about two hours as the sky changed from light blue, to orange, to orange and purple, then finally to the azure blue seen here.  Finding the best composition and choosing the best lens was another test.

Here's what I ended up with as far as setting go:  Lens Canon 24-105mm at 24mm  ISO 500 @ f 7.1
.4 sec   -67 EV   On a tripod with a shutter release

Any feedback?

www.captivatingphotos.net

Hostile Female

Hostile Female!  Even in nature, there's no escape!  AWWWWWWWWWWWWH!    You can see the stunned look on the male's face.....

Hope it put a smile on your face!  Have a great day!

Photo by Brigitte

www.captivatingphotos.net

Converging worlds

Converging worlds:  This image is an elevated view of the Bow River, in Banff, Alberta, Canada.  Perhaps one of the most spectacular views I have ever seen let alone photographed.  When I look at this image it is not hard for me to envision dinosaurs walking this landscape. In a funny story that happened during this shoot:  I had hiked from this spot down the the river.  When I got down to the bottom the skies opened up, and the rain poured down washing out all of the trails.  The trails were made of a clay type dirt, so they became super slick.
I knew if i didn't get out of the valley soon I could easily be trapped.  I took me nearly two hours of the hardest, dirtiest, and most exhausting climbing I had ever experienced.  I was also scared to death that another downpour could easily wash me back down the mountain.  We often forget just how little control we have in situations like this.

I have shown this image a few times and it did not score as well as I like, what do you think of it??

See more at www.captivatingphotos.net

Beautiful Chick in a bath!

Beautiful Chick in a bath!
Brigitte and I set out one morning to explore a new birding hotspot we'd heard about along the Stanislaus River.  We arrived just after sunrise ready for a big day.  Looking around there was little in the way of birding opportunities, so we waited it in the warm car. As I dosed, Brigitte spotted a Meadowlark bathing and drinking at a pothole in the parking lot. Brigitte had me re-position the car, so she could shoot from the window using the car as a blind.  Funny - Most of us would not even notice the bird at the pothole, nor spend any time shooting it.  I guess that's why I admire her...she consistently surprises me with shots like this.

What do you think,  would you have noticed this opportunity?

See more at www.captivatingphotos.net