Virtual Antarctica Photo Workshop

Here's a cool idea for all those planning a trip to Antarctica - with side trips to South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands: A Virtual Antarctica Photo Workshop.

I’ve been to Antarctica five times and each time is truly amazing.

Here’s a link to some of the images from my most recent adventure with Abercrombie & Kent USA:

Here is how it works:
• We have a one-hour Skype session before your trip - during which I offer tips on how to get great photographs. During the sessions I review some of your travel photographs and offer suggestions.
• I need your Skype name and a link to a gallery of your best images. My Skype name is ricksammon.
• We have a one-hour Skype session after your trip, during which I review your photographs and offer composition, exposure and processing suggestions.

Cost for the virtual photo workshop is $199 payable via PayPal. Shoot me an email to arrange your Virtual Antarctica Photo Workshop.

Explore the light,
Rick

Suggest reading before you go. Click on a book to order.

What Does Your Photography Mean to You?

"What does your photography mean to you?" Did you ever think about it? Seriously?

I have and I do, and it’s the first chapter in my book, Photo Therapy Motivation and Wisdom – discovering the power of pictures.

So I'm asking you, "What does YOUR photography mean to you?" Post a comment below here on my blog so all can see. More important, in verbalizing your thoughts, you might gain some insight in the importance of your photography.

Here are some of the comments from the chapter.

- An escape.
- A way of seeing more deeply.
- My social life.
- A way I write my history.
- Love and happiness.
- A happy accident.
- I have no choice. Freedom.
- Owning art.
- Back to my roots.
- Because of it I'm living today.
- Staying fresh.
- Art heals.
- I have to see with new eyes every day or else I'm nothing.
- I see better when I make art.
- Personal evolution.
- Living Legacy.
- Saved my life
- Let me be a kid again.

Again, I look forward to your comments. I always hear something new, and inspiring.

Explore the light,
Rick

Get Inspired, Be Creative and Belong - On our Photo Workshops & Photo Tours

Looking for an educational and fun photo adventure? You’ve come to the right place. Click here for info.

Private workshops and tours are also available – from Rick and Rick & Susan.

Private on-line lessons - for photography and Photoshop – are also available, as are virtual photo workshops to Iceland and Route 66.

Evolution Of An On-Location Portrait Session

My 37th book – Evolution of an Image – will be available on amazon on October 5th. For each end-result image I take the reader through the entire photographic process, from start to finish – including my Lightroom enhancements.

This example (updated from a previous post) is not in the book. I share it in the post as a bonus. Enjoy!

While going through the images from one of my Spearfish, South Dakota workshops, I came up with the idea to share with you a few images that illustrate the "evolution of an on-location portrait session." Here goes.

Above: HDR image, which is a hand-held, in-camera Canon 5D Mark III HDR image. I had to shoot HDR due to the high contrast range. My lens: Canon 24-105mm IS, which is my favorite lens.

Here's why I like the image: nice light rays, low camera angle, cowboy looking toward the light, night light on his face, relaxed pose, relatively plain background.

I shot at ISO 4000 - yes 4000 – due to the low light. Even at that high ISO setting, I saw little noise in the images.

Above: Adobe Bridge screen shot of the three raw files and the in-camera produced HDR JPEG image.

The final setting (in opening image) in the old barn was not my first choice for posing the cowboy.

Above: This location was my first pick for our portrait session. I liked the light, but it turned out that the scene was just too cluttered, plus the light was not working for me.

For more on light and composition, see my KelbyOne classes.

By the way, the scene looks soft because there was a ton of dust in the old barn.

Above: A behind-the-scenes shot showing the students shooting. On my workshops, everyone has the opportunity to make great pictures.

The message of this post: When you are on location, keep looking - and testing - for the best light and best background, as well as the best pose.

Also think about the digital technology (in-camera HDR in this case) can help you make the picture you see in your mind's eye.

In my new book, I go into much, much greater detail for each image.

Explore the light
Rick