Photography

Photography: Watch the Birdie and other Animals

Jeff

Most of us have enjoyed watching a variety of National Geographic productions and if you are anything like me, you probably have marveled and wondered “How did they get that shot?!” The video below is a look at what it takes to capture photographs of wild animals. Depending upon your perspective, it can be humorous or not! Also realize that many of these animals are residents of zoos and have had some awareness of people. One might thus reason that it would make the animal photography easier because of that exposure (pun intended). Well, you can watch the video and decide for yourself.

Quoted from the YouTube website:

Think taking pictures of your pet is hard? Try an armadillo or a full-grown tiger. It’s all in a day’s work for photographer Joel Sartore, who’s on a mission to create portraits of the world’s 12,000 captive species before they disappear. Sartore must wrangle the unruly, distract the curious, and clean up all the unexpected messes that come with photographing wild animals.


Joel Sartore

Photography – A Life Changing Craft

Jeff

Whenever I had the opportunity to discuss a photograph or photography with a group of students, I tried to impress upon them the power of any given picture to freeze a moment in time forever. To think of a picture taken at an event or a special place, one needs to realize that the exact juxtaposition of every element in that picture frame will never be replicated exactly that way ever again!

Clouds will be different, the lighting will be different, people in the picture will be different, the angle may be slightly different, etc. You could argue that one can come close to duplicating the photo, but would it ever be exact?

The power of photography comes from its ability to preserve memories, but it can also change lives.


Following the birth of her second child, Christine Hess was faced with a life threatening medical condition. She was placed in a medically induced coma and had subsequent surgeries. After a number of years with numerous setbacks and hurdles, her children served as her inspiration to persevere and overcome this ordeal.

Out of work and feeling a void in her life, Christine bought her first DSLR camera. As she puts it:

“It wasn’t just an escape for me; I felt something when I was out shooting. It was and still is an indescribable feeling that overcomes me.“



This is how her photographic journey began. She was determined to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. Christine enrolled in a Continuing Education Certificate Photography program and joined a camera club to further her knowledge and skills.

Because she lived in relative proximity to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, it became a favorite subject. The photograph below,taken on a day when many photographers were at Niagara Falls waiting for the sunrise, changed her life. This beautiful scenic shot was entered into a competition held by Canadian Geographic and was published as the centerfold.


Contest-winning Photograph by Christine Hess

This was all that Christine needed to propel her on her way. We salute her for her fortitude, skill and enthusiasm. I am sure that others will be inspired by her journey and her success.

Below is a brief video from the Niagara Falls Review highlighting Christine’s work and explaining her life-altering experiences.



Thank you Christine for allowing me to share your story.

I first heard about Christine via PetaPixel’s website article: From Birth to Near Death: The Story of My Journey in Photography



You can see more of the work of Christine Hess at her website and connect with her on her Facebook page!

NOTE – All photographs are used with permission of photographer Christine Hess. They are Copyrighted with All Rights Reserved.

Capture Mood and Emotions in Photography

Jeff

As the readers of JBRish know, I am not a professional photographer even though I really like photography and I appreciate the creativity of experienced professionals and more advanced amateurs.

I was reading through a number of blog posts the other day and I came across the article below:

8 Tips for Better Pet Photography

Although I am not generally interested in pet photography, I do like cats and dogs and there are some wonderful pictures included in this article. The main reason I am writing about this essay, however is because of the following picture which was part of the article.

young woman with pet dog

Doesn’t this photographer do a wonderful job in capturing the love and emotions being shared between this dog and the owner? This picture speaks to the viewer and conveys so much. The photograph is simply remarkable!

If you are interested in pet photography or if you would just like to view nice pictures of pets, I encourage you to read it:

8 Tips for Better Pet Photography



This picture is copyrighted by the original photographer with all rights reserved!

Video – What Qualifies One As a Great Photographer?

Jeff

To paraphrase Ken Van Sickle, Anyone can take a great photograph, but not everyone can be a great photographer. Noted photographer, Van Sickle, explains the qualities that would qualify one as a great photographer.

From the YouTube website:

“When photographer Ken Van Sickle was 23 and living in Paris, he could barely afford rolls of film. One night, hearing that jazz great Chet Baker was playing, he went and took only two pictures, and one was blurry. So what’s happened to photography now that everyone has the technology to take as many pictures as they like? Van Sickle offers his Brief But Spectacular take.”

Tin Man Lee – Vision and Talent of a Wildlife Photographer

Jeff

Readers of JBRish know that I enjoy photography and especially bird photography. Today, however, I want to share with you the work of Tin Man Lee. NOTE – The images used in this post are all taken by Tin Man Lee or are captured via screen shot from his website with his permission. All rights are reserved.

Tin Man Lee is a very modest person. If you read his about page, you will sense his humble tone. Wildlife photography has touched his soul.

Let’s take a look at Tin Man Lee as he is accepting his award for the Grand Prize at the Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards – 2013.

Tin Man Lee Accepts his Award

If you prefer, you can watch a brief video (below) about the exhibition and the award.

 

Nature’s Best Photography Smithsonian Exhibit 2014 from Tin Man Lee on Vimeo.

The award winning picture is difficult to see in the above resources so here is that picture.

Powerful bear catching a salmon

Can’t you feel the power? And look at those claws!

I had to smile when Lee explained in one of his blog posts that he was frozen in the moment as the bear was powerful and although he was relatively sure the animal was going for the salmon, he couldn’t be certain!

As you will also notice, Lee exhibits a penchant for bears

Beautfull, golden lit picture of an intense bear

This bear is “thinking.” I can feel the bear’s intensity. The lighting is incredible!

Mother bear stands as lookout for cubs

Momma bear with two cubs. She is making sure the “coast” is clear.

Bear family bond

I don’t think a picture of any living creatures, including humans, can portray the family bond better than this one.

As you will see, Tin Man Lee is not a “one trick pony” (of course no pun intended here) as he demonstrates with his photos of birds.

An Alert Great Horned Owl

This picture not only captures the focus and concentration of this Great Horned owl, but also the ambiance of the forest. Harry Potter would be at home in these woodlands.

In an article about his firsts, Lee shows this picture as he explains how using long lenses was difficult for him as it is challenging to make sure the subject is in the frame and in focus. This shot is made all the more amazing by the subject matter and the demands of the equipment used.

Osprey carrying a fish for dinner

Osprey with fish

I have never met a person who did not smile when they saw a picture of an Atlantic Puffin. They are more than cute, they are endearing. Here is one in flight. Tin Man Lee was fascinated by Puffins even as a child.

Atlantic Puffin in flight

I could go on and on about Lee’s work. These pictures are amazing. Let me leave you with just these last two images which were taken from his website as screen shots.

Remarkably lit owl

Could the lighting be more perfect to create a mood?

A young fox carrying leaves

Endangered San Joaquin kit fox pup with a leaf. Central California.

One of the reasons, perhaps, that the work of Tin Man Lee is so engaging can be found on his website when he writes:

“TO BE HAPPY, ONLY DO IT FOR YOURSELF. I take pictures for my own self-satisfaction—to create images for my own enjoyment and viewing, so that I can remember special experiences with my “wild brothers and sisters.” I only go looking for the specific species I dream of photographing, and I only take photos of them the way I want—not to please anyone else but me. Nothing else really matters. It’s a way of finding myself.”

While he may be happy with his work, we are thrilled to experience these natural wonders along with him.

One of the best posts on the blog (IMHO) is Last Moments of a Bison Calf. I could feel the anguish described and for those who are sensitive, prepare to have a heartfelt experience.


Quotes from Tin Man Lee that struck a chord with me:

Speaking of his wildlife idol, Michio Hoshino, Tin Man Lee explains:”…you can feel the deep love he had with the animals he photographed.” Lee has learned well as we can feel his love and respect for the animals portrayed in his work.

“Wildlife photography is about capturing the natural behavior of wild animals in an artistic way that you prefer, and be able to tell a story and touch as many people as you can.”

“That’s when we need to learn our craft so that every time we see something, our vision and our technique come together to express what we feel in a way that touches others too. We need to learn the ‘language’ in photography to communicate.”

One of Lee’s secrets to becoming a better wildlife photographer – “B.I.F. – BIRDS IN FLIGHT Photography. It’s the mother of all action wildlife photography.” Lee continues to explain that before any meaningful wildlife photography can be practiced, the photographer must first learn the technology so that it becomes second nature.

A Final Note:

If you found these images as captivating as I have, the good news is there is much, much more on Lee’s website. I urge you to click here or on the blog tab at the top of his website. If you encounter a post in Chinese and that is not your language, scroll down and you will see many posts in English and I guarantee you will find at least one of them very inspirational. I intend to read nearly all of them.

Thanks to Tin Man Lee for giving permission to JBRish to publish his work and to share it with others via our website.

There’s cold and There’s COLD!

Jeff

It is hard to believe that anyone who has browsed the Internet over the last three days has not seen this picture, shown below courtesy of a screen shot from the website of Michael Davies.

Apparently they tried an experiment of taking a number of thermoses filled with hot tea and tossing them in the air in an area near the Arctic Circle where temperatures are thirty degrees below zero; now that is cold!

This is what happens to the hot tea when it is swirled in an arc at such cold temperatures.

Hot tea freezing in mid-air at 30 degrees below zero

You can read the rest of the story and more details on the Gizmodo page where I saw this picture for the umpteenth time… well maybe not quite that many times!

I hope you had a good holiday!

Be back soon with more quotes and interesting information.

Thanks to phtographer Michael Davis for providing the world with this beautiful and outstanding photograph:

See his portfolio here or his Flickr page here.

Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards – 2015

Jeff

Photography – Comedy Wildlife Awards

Did you know there was a wildlife comedy award for photographers? I’ve heard of a number of National Geographic photography contests and awards, but wildlife comedy?

Well, here are some of the submissions:


THE WINNER – This little “fella” has a full mouth with pouches stuffed nearly to capacity. Perhaps they ordered out for dinner and s/he is running home with the delivery


Hamster with stuffed pouch

These two aren’t monkeying around. They are obviously getting ready for Dancing with the Stars!

 

Laughing Seal

I guess you’d be laughing too if people stopped to take pictures of you just chillin’!

 

Two Monkeys Readying to Dance

You can see more of the top submissions at the link below.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Christmas or Not, Photographs Preserve Memories

Jeff

Photographs have the power to transport the viewerback to times gone by. All of the shoe boxes, cigar boxes or drawers full of photographs contain a lifetime or many lifetimes of memories. Flipping through a photo album or passing old pictures around enables us to re-live memories we declare personally precious.

Below is a video that reminds us of the ability of photographs (or videos for that matter) to help us recall our past.

Professional Bird Photography Tips

Jeff

One of my favorite photographers to follow is Scott Bourne. If you don’t know of him, just do a search on the Internet. Scott’s name will show up many times because even as a very talented and gifted professional, he gives freely of his knowledge to help others advance their skills.

Blue Heron
Picture by Jeff Ross, Scott Bourne’s pictures would be much, much better!

One of Scott Bourne’s favorite subjects is birds. I enjoy photographing birds as well, but I am a rank amateur. I do my best, but as indicated in the referenced articles below, capturing the best bird pictures is hard!

Scott provides twenty tips for capturing your best shots in the articles:

10 Down & Dirty Quick Bird Photography Tips

How To Photograph Birds | 20 Tips & Some Resources

Here are three of the tips just as a sample…

“Start Big. Practice with larger birds such as pelicans, gulls and herons. Also practice at local zoos. Captive birds will give you a chance to study behavior, hone your skills and become familiar with bird photography (and your gear) and guarantee enough keepers that you won’t be frustrated.

Track the Sun. I’m not much for photography religions but if I were – this would be the one I would practice. Photograph birds with your back to the sun. Especially when you are just starting out. Birds look best when front lit. Sidelight may be the landscape photographer’s friend, but it’s the avian photographer’s enemy. Keep the sun at your back, or in other words, point your shadow at the birds. Believe it. Practice it. Live by it. You’ll get better shots.

Shoot Shutter Priority. When shooting birds in flight, use shutter priority. A fast shutter speed is essential to capturing birds in flight. Unless you want to blur the subject for creative reasons, a shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second should be your minimum preferred shutter speed. Also use the lowest ISO you can and still get a fast shutter speed.”

Notice Scott’s advice about side light which may be good for landscape, but not for birds!

You can also find Scott Bourne on the photofocus website which I believe he founded.

Of course, one of the best ways to improve any photographic skill is to get out there and practice. Take pictures and examine them. Which are good, which are best, which are worst? Find out why and you are well on your way to doing your best work.