As a landscape photographer I believe the activity of photography is as important as the final product. I know that I spend much more time at a given location than most casual tourists. I arrive at the location well before dawn or stay well after sunset. Most of my time is not spent in the actual act of photographing but rather looking and observing the place where I am at. I see many groups of tourists come and go during a typical photographic outing.

I believe that the visual exploration with a camera of a landscape (urban or natural) offers a deeper understanding of the land, environment, and the human/nature relationship than most people ever delve into. This exploration can offer wonderful windows into our hearts, mind and soul.

Check out Click! a project by the Smithsonian Photography Initiative about how photography changes everything.

It has been a busy fall as I continue my studies at St. Scholastica. The gallery had a tremendous turn out for our “One Special Place” exhibit, helped by the feature on Art Hounds MPR radio (thanks Julie Caruso.) Last month I completed a project in Southeast Minnesota for The Nature Conservancy a great organization that is alway a joy to work with.

This month’s newsletter includes a short article about proper histograms for printing images, and the featured workshop at the Madeline Island School of Art.

Stop by the gallery if you get the chance on your next trip up north.

Sincerely,

John Gregor

November 2011

Landscape photographers frequently have to deal with extremes in light intensities within a single image. A situation that is typically found in landscape images is when the light intensity in the sky is much greater than the light intensity in the foreground as is the case in our sample photograph below. Take a look at the histogram for this image. Looks a little like the profile of a Bactrain Camel’s back (a two hump camel.) If we try to print this image we will end up with an image that is muddy and flat looking in the foreground and washed out in the sky. In this instance we need a histogram that has data well distributed throughout; or a histogram that looks like a Dromedary Camel (a one hump camel.)

There are three approaches to this problem:

Graduated Neutral Density Filters

When making the image we could have used a “graduated split neutral density filter”. This rectangular filter fits on the front of your lens and you simply move it up or down depending upon where the horizon lies in your photo. My favorite filter is made by Tiffen, it is a .06 graduated neutral density filter (or 2 stop density.) I like Tiffen because their filters are made of glass which gives the best color quality. Resin filters tend to render off colors in the density area. You will notice that this image’s histogram is closer together or moving towards a one-hump look but the image still requires some post processing to print well.

High Dynamic Range

The next method is to make this image as a HDR (High Dynamic Range) photograph. This requires making a series of exposures of the same scene; bracketing from a proper exposure for the foreground to a proper exposure for the sky. The image was then post processed using special software (available in Photoshop or Photomatix) to combine the various exposures into one resulting image. This popular process results in an image that combines the best of all exposures and results in an image that has a one hump camel’s back histogram and a full range of data across the histogram that will result in a pleasing print with good color and tonality throughout the image. In the Photomatix software, which is my preferred method of making HDR images, there are several controls that allow the photographer to adjust contrast, saturation, intensity of the HDR blend, and special effects. This image is a pretty straightforward rendition.

Post Processing and the History Brush

My favorite technique is to post process the image in Camera Raw and Photoshop to obtain a proper one-hump histogram and an image that will print with dynamic color and tonality. The image below was exposed in camera with the post processing in mind to achieve the look and feel I envisioned when I photographed the scene. This method offers me the highest degree of control while still maintaining a natural look and feel.

I use a careful selection of post processing in Camera Raw: typically I add a little Fill Light, a small amount of Recovery and a careful selection of overall Exposure which is usually a slight movement of the Exposure slider to the left.

These adjustments result in a good starting point for the image in Photoshop. Once the image is in Photoshop I burn and dodge (lighten and darken) selective areas to bring the image into a one-hump histogram (although not a true one hump it is well within the tolerances for printing.) With this method I have the greatest control over exactly how much lightness, darkness or saturation I want to add to a given area of the photograph. My technique for burning, dodging, and saturation adjustments is with the “history brush”. If you need a tutorial on the “history brush” look for it on the next newsletter.

Click! is a website that demonstrates how photography can change everything; who we are, what we do, what we see, where we go, what we want, and what we remember. Click! is the brain child of the Smithsonian Institute. Started in 2009 this web-based media project allows students to explore and discover the profound impact photographic images have on our perception of reality. This resource will provide valuable context for students as they think about making and sequencing images about their relationship to where they live.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

http://photography.si.edu/

Short courses is a series of short overviews that deal with the basics of photographic technique, including everything from “Using Your Digital Camera” to “Digital Photography Workflow.” This website will provide valuable basic information to students who need refreshers or more in-depth information about topics covered during lectures or web based instruction. Students can choose which area they need help with and then follow a step by step instructional article on that topic area.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

http://www.shortcourses.com/

Photonet is perhaps the oldest and largest photography forum on the internet. The community forum has thousands of members which means that when you post a question you are sending it to thousands of people for their opinion. This site also contains reviews and opinions a wide variety of equipment, software and techniques. If there is a topic, technique, or equipment question it has probably been posted in the “Forum” section of this website. Users should keep in mind that the information contained in the forums can come from a wide variation of photographic experience and perspectives.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

http://photo.net/

Luminous Landscape is a website that like Photonet contains reviews on a wide variety of equipment, software, and techniques, the primary difference is that Luminous Landscape is the work of Michael Reichmann and his selected associates. Mr. Reichmann is a highly regarded professional photographer. This website will prove to be a valuable resource for specific questions relating to particular photographic situations or techniques.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/index.shtml

ColdSnap is the course instructor’s website. In addition to great photographs in the portfolio section the website contains a collection of articles about several topics relating to: camera technique, digital workflow, equipment, photographic vision, and places to photograph. These articles are a great resource for additional information or study.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

coldsnap.com

Picasa is a website for a free image editing software that most of the students will be using for the course. Picasa software allows students to download, edit, and sequence images. This software allows the viewer to crop, color balance, rate, and retouch images. As all students will be required to download, rate, edit, retouch, and sequence their images this website offers free software that will accomplish these tasks.

Retrieved 11/4/11 from:

http://picasa.google.com

Voicethread is a website that will allow students to post and comment on each other’s photographs. This great resource allows for free-flowing critique and review of images using a variety of tools including doodling, voice comment, and text. Reviewing and responding to a visual art-form like photography works best with a free flow of ideas and expressions. Voicethread with its easy to use tools allows for expressive response and reflection of individual images. Students can set up their own account or access the instructor’s account to review images posted for class review.

Retrieved 11/1/11 from:

http://voicethread.com/

Flickr is a website for uploading, posting, and sharing photographs. Students can create accounts where they can share photos with each other. This website has apps for photo sharing in Facebook, Twitter, email, blogs, iphone, Android and more. Students can use these services free or purchase selected apps or services on an as needed basis.  In addition the Flickr site has over 5 billion photos in archives for research and discovery.

Retrieved 11/5/11 from:

http://www.flickr.com/

Shutterbug is a website that contains a variety of resources for the student photographer including equipment reviews, techniques, photography blogs and much more. Shutterbug is a resource for those students who want more information about a particular photographic technique or equipment.

Retrieved 11/5/11 from:

http://www.shutterbug.com/

Photography.com is another basic information site similar to Shortcourses. Both sites have clear and easy to understand tutorials about photography while Photography.com is a bit more comprehensive in coverage including a section on history and some tutorials that are offered as videos.

Retrieved 11/5/11 from:

http://www.photography.com/

I am pleased to announce an all new web site. I have had a web page for over 15 years and it seems like every three or four years I have completely redesigned it. Check it out: www.coldsnap.com, in particular check out the new and expanded portfolio section.

I have written a short article about photographing the northern lights, and about the Photography Day at Living History Farms in Des Moines Iowa.

On September 24th from 3-5pm we open “One Special Place” at Waterfront Gallery. Sue, Val and I are very excited about this exhibit. We have brought together 22 of the top photographers who work around Lake Superior and asked them to submit one image of their favorite place on the lake. I have seen the images and they are great! The opening promises to be a festive affair–join us if you can. The exhibit runs Sept 24–Nov 5, 2011.

Stop by the gallery if you get the chance on your next trip up north.

Sincerely,

John Gregor

September 2011

6th Annual Photography Day Living History Farms 

Saturday, September 17th  8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

NEW: Sunday, September 18th 12:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.

Spend two days taking pictures with and learning from industry professionals in Iowa’s largest
(500 acres) outdoor classroom! Photography instructors will be on hand to help you finally get all those photography questions answered. Imagine having the perfect opportunity and the perfect place to spend some one-on-one time with some of the best photographers in Iowa. All the experts and instructors are graciously donating their time. Their reward is in helping you to become a better photographer. It’s a fun filled event you will not want to miss!

ColdSnap Photography will be presenting three topics:

The Natural Landscape

People & Place; Travel Photography

Photographing Family & Familiar People

We are located at the “Implement Dealer” just down a block on the left when you enter the grounds.

SATURDAY

• More than 20 photography instructors will be on hand.
• More than 30 seminars on Saturday are included with the price of admission.
• Canon, Nikon and Tamron will be on hand to answer questions.
• Test-drive the newest camera equipment from Canon, Nikon and Tamron.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

• Come back to practice what you learned in class on Saturday.
• Instructors will be walking the grounds to help answer any additional questions.

EVENT INFORMATION

• NEW: $20 ticket price includes all seminars and gate admission for both days.
• NEW: Ability to pre-pay online for the event and lunch to avoid long lines.
• Special Photography Day hotel room rates at the Sleep Inn & Comfort Suites.
• Check http://www.lhf.org/photographyday for additional details.

Living History Farms

11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale, Iowa (515-278-5286)

Sponsored by Christian Photo

6721 Douglas Avenue, Urbandale (515-270-8030)

Aurora Borealis is named after the Roman Goddess of Dawn (Aurora) and the Greek term for northern wind (Boreas.) The aurora borealis is caused by the ionization of nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere, this ionization occurs as a result of solar flares or solar storms that pass through the earth’s atmosphere. The conditions for the aurora borealis are most prominent near the fall and spring equinoxes. Some researchers believe we are entering a period of increased activity for the aurora.

The aurora borealis is only visible at night typically from 10pm to 2am. Best displays are seen away from the lights of a town or city, and ideally when the moon is not out. For more information about the aurora go to the

Geophysical Institute, or the NOAAweb site. These web sites have lots of information about the northern lights in addition to  forecast features which attempt to forecast when the displays are at their best. Keep in mind that any forecast is like trying to forecast weather–or more accurately even more challenging because scientists know less about the phenomenon than they do about weather conditions.

Camera Technique: Photographically speaking you will need a good camera with a semi-wide or wide angle lens, a sturdy tripod, and a cable release. Ideally your lens is f4 or faster. The intensity of the display will determine your exposure. In order to capture or “freeze” the shapes of the light-glow you will want to use as fast a shutter speed as possible. Set the ISO on your camera to 800 or faster, noise is an issue. Set the aperture of your lens at it’s most open setting; ie f4 or f2.8. Set your shutter speed to the “BULB” setting. Your exposures may range anywhere from 10 seconds up to several minutes depending upon the intensity of the display. Make a test exposure and check your histogram then adjust your exposure accordingly.

Focus–trying to focus at night is the tricky part. Here are some tips: get to your location early enough to focus on the horizon or other feature in the foreground, remember to turn the auto focus off once you have focused. Use a flash light to shine on a prominent object and focus on that object. If your camera is equipped with Live- View you can pick an object and zoom into that object. Finally you can shoot a test image and then preview it and zoom in to check your focus adjusting as necessary.

Vantage Point: where you go to photograph the northern lights will take a little planning. Optimally you need a clear view of the north horizon, and preferably one that is well away from city light shine. The less light shine the better the display will appear. A tree or some other prominent feature in the foreground helps to place the lights in a context with the landscape. Viewing over a lake or other open water will add reflections and interest to the image.

Post processing: shoot in camera RAW. You will have more lee-way to process the image and fine-tune the exposure and noise effects. If you are not familiar with how to post process your images consider taking a print-making workshop.

The Digital Dilemma

Good Camera Techniques:
Shoot, download, save, back-up, reformat.
Your camera’s disc is not a long term storage device!
They can and will fail at any time.
Always reformat the camera disc after you have removed it from the camera and downloaded images.
Good Storage Techniques:
Your computer’s hard-drive is the best and most stable storage device.
All digital media can and will fail with time, even your computer’s hard-drive, therefore it is imperative that you have a back-up plan.
Back-up your digital files frequently on a separate hard-drive. I recommend external hard-drives like the “Free Agent Desk” drive by Seagate-1Terrabyte drive is about $170. Store off-site if possible.
The Industry buzz word for “archiving” digital media is “Migration” what that means is that no digital device or storage media can be trusted for long-term storage. You must continuously up-grade your storage media and devices to keep abreast of technological change, in short KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.

Digital Media
CD discs-Short term storage, approximately 3-7 years.
DVD discs– Short term storage, approximately 3-7 years.
Sata II Hard-drives (Standard hard-drive found in most computers today.) A great for medium term storage-approximately 7 year average lifespan.  Storage on hard-drives requires redundancy and back-up of file storage. RAID systems or Drobo type device for large volume users.

Printing your digital image files:
The only current way to insure that your images will be around for generations after you have made them is to convert the images into prints. You must be careful about this process as different print processes differ widely in their longevity.
Photographic Prints and Ink Jet Prints
Photographic prints: average lifespan of photographic prints ranges from 22 years to approximately 45 years. They can be quick and easy to obtain because your local photo service provider does the work. 4×6 sized prints are relatively inexpensive.
Ink-Jet Prints: average lifespan can range from 6 months to over 250 years depending upon the printer, ink, and paper used. It is important to know what the life expectancy is for the particular combination of printer, ink, and paper is that you use (see Wilhelm Institute resource listing below.)  DO NOT skimp on cost of materials, most after-market inks and papers designed for the home user fade in a very short period of time.
Pigment inks last longest, dye based inks fade quickly.

Online Resources:
Library of Congress:  Website on Digital Preservation:
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/
Wilhelm Institute: Website with comprehensive list on longevity of print materials:
http://www.wilhelm-research.com/
Drobo data storage systems:
http://www.drobo.com/Products/Index.html                    Seagate External Hard-drives:
http://www.seagate.com