October 1, 2010

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Gavin Seim, Nature

A Photographer on the Road 30 days. What am I Doing?

by Gavin Seim – I know I’m a bit behind getting out the next Pro Photo Show. Don’t worry  though because I’m still here. We (me, my wife and two kids) have been on the road for about 30 days now, exploring and teaching. I’ve photographed from the hills on Montana to the water of the Mississippi and all over in between. It’s been amazing and I’ve been learning a lot. I plan to make it home in the next week or so and when I do getting out another PPS episode will be high priority.

So where I’ve been. From WA, through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and into Minnesota for workshops. Back westward again down into South Dakota, Wyoming and yesterday into Utah. We’re pretty much going where we feel like but heading in the general direction of home. I have a Verizon MiFi so I’ve been able to stay amazingly connected.

For this interested in what I’m photographing and studying during all this, I’ve been posting to f164, my new travelogue and deep study journal. I’m posting images I’ve made talking techniques I’m trying and just taking it easy while talking shop.

If interested you can keep up with our daily travels via @gavinseim on Twitter. You’re also welcome to find me on FB. facebook.com/gavinseim (personal page) facebook.com/seimstudios (photography page).

So I just wanted to give everyone a shutout. Hope you’ll join me on f164 as I experiment and learn more about light during these travels. There so many interesting things about our craft and I plan to do these type of travels more in the future. Catch you soon… Gav

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September 28, 2010

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f164, Fine Art, Nature, technique, travel

Moon over Shattered Pines – Black Hills SD

We spent the last three nights camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I was up with the sun yesterday lurking in the shadows of morning and waiting for the light to turn magical. I drove a remote fire lookout I had noted on the Forest Service map. When I arrived I was a disappointed to find the the view less then spectacular.

I loaded up and started back down the mountain, but stopped when I saw these broken, burned trees. The light was coming over the horizon behind me, with the moon still in the sky over the tree tops. The way they stood, broken yet proud, immediately caught my eye. I stopped and spent some minutes planning this single composition.

It’s hard to show the beauty of a scene like this is so small a space. It needs to be in a large print. Since this is not a large print I’ve added a close detail crop below to give a better feel for the intricacy in this scene.

For Photographers. How it was made…

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September 21, 2010

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f164, Fine Art, journal, Nature

Thinking a Photo Through – South Dakota

I’m sitting in our trailer at Spit Rock campground, Garretson South Dakota. As I write this, two flies on the table next to me are courting like there’s no tomorrow. I could swat them, but I’ll let it go. I figure when you’re a fly, there very likely is no tomorrow. Let the kids have their fun.

Speaking of kids, my own kept waking us up last night. It was not out best sleep by any means. I awoke before sunrise to my alarm. Looked out at the sky, decided it was bland and promptly went back to sleep. That’s what I call a good sunrise. And it’s the advantage of sleeping a hundred yards from where you plan to shoot.

I finally roused 9:30, opting to work the later light (I think it really was better) and spent my morning planning photos of the falls at this city campground in which we were the only dwellers. I Made two compositions. I probably could have done only one, but I wanted to try a second view. I’m finding the more I plan my images, the less work I have later, but more importantly, the better my results are, because I analyze the details and really plan my compositions.

Now you may be thinking. Long planning is not always possible with high pace things like weddings and portraits. And you may be right, to a point. Even there however taking a moment to think and really look at what we’re doing makes a lot of difference. So often we just start clicking away. Taking the same poor composition, or leaving the same distracting twig in the scene frame after frame after frame.

More frames of a scene do not usually equal better results. I’ve been challenging myself to think my work through. And it works. So I challenge you to do the same. Yes, in a situation like this morning I had the time to walk around for twenty minutes before I even put a camera in my hand. But I’m learning that in most situations, time, even if a only few seconds. And “really” taking a closer look at what your about to do, makes a big difference. That bride can wait ten seconds, right?

Does this mean I intend to stop capturing high pace candids at my weddings. No. We can shoot at much as we want with digital and that’s a great thing if there a real reason for it. But it’s not always the best approach. Whatever my situation, I can still pay close attention and think it through… Gav

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September 12, 2010

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f164, Fine Art, journal, Nature

Ghosts of Clepsydra Geyser – West Yellowstone

I’m on the road, headed to Minnesota for my HDR & LR workshops. It’s a month trip with my wife and kids and we’re getting to see amazing things. Many of which were in Yellowstone. I just did an episode on Photo Couch on Yellowstone, so if you listened to that, you know I was awed by what we saw there.

We discovered Clepsydra at the Paint Pot Geysers during our first drive into the park. Just in front of it out of the frame is the bubbling Spasm Geyser. It turned out to be an incredible sunset and after walking the boardwalks a bit, I knew that this was what I wanted to focus on. I set up the tripod and spent some time planning my frame in a way to being out a beautiful but ghostly feel. This is the result.

For Photographers. How it was made:
I don’t like to be boring, but I’m going to get a bit technical for those of you who want it. The rest can just enjoy the sunset. Because this scene was so stunning I did a few setups, but as I mentioned in the last Photo Couch I’m trying to take more time in composing an planning my fine art images. In the end I think we end up with better work by doing so, than just trying to shoot every angle.

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July 7, 2009

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Biz Sense, Gavin Seim, Lighting, Nature, Portrait, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow, Weddings

50+ Twitter Length Photography Tips.

by Gavin Seim. Updated 05/2012:
I enjoy quick bursts of information and chat frequently as @gavinseim on twitter.  I’ve made this list of my favorite tips that I plan to update it going forward. You can add your favorite and tips in the comments with your twitter name. I might even RT them myself.

I give credit to the speaker when I can, using names in parenthesis. Many of these are my own musings from Twitter and I’ve indicated myself with an (S). If there’s no name then I probably don’t know the source. These are not always exact quotes, but ideas I’ve re-formed to fit in under 140 characters on Twitter

Random Things:

  • Every image needs a subject. Just one. If it has less or more, than that it’s probably time to reboot. (S)
  • Presentation is as much part of a photo as the image itself. An image on a disk means little to the world. A well presented wall piece does. (S)
  • Don’t wait for the photo establishment to show you how to stand out. Because if you do, you won’t (S)
  • The line between a snapshot and a quality photograph are lost when everyone is a “photographer” but have not actually learned to be one! (S)
  • I’m not afraid to change my opinion, but I am afraid of not having one. (S)
  • Competition. A powerful tool that makes you stronger. Complaints about it are often cop outs from photographers not motivated enough to excel (S)
  • In photography rules mean conformity, and to conform is the opposite of creativity. (Whitmire)
  • Be Positive. It’s not just a blood type. (S)
  • Each time I think I’m really good, I learn that I’m not as great as I thought. Then I actually start getting really good (S)
  • Always do the best you can with what you have, but always push yourself to the next level. (S)
  • As photographers we often overlook the power of just practicing. It’s like giving ourselves our own workshop for free. (S)
  • Photography is painting with light. So if light is paint, why do we spend more time pressing buttons than mixing our paint? (S)
  • It’s not the location you take your photos in. It’s the photos you take in your location. Anything can be a good background. (S)
  • Being edgy is cool until everyone is doing it. Then it’s not edgy. It’s just boring and usually annoying. (S)
  • Every really good photograph I manage to make is a class in making the next one. (S)

Posing n more:

  • Portraits. Guys tilt the head towards the low shoulder = macho. Girls tilt head towards high shoulder = pretty (Celentano)
  • Bridal Portraits, Hold that bouquet on the hip to look thinner. Hands (and bouquets) held in front from make the bride look bigger. (Celentano)
  • Group portrait. Just before the shot have everyone lift up their shoulders and lean towards the center. (Celentano)
  • Portrait Tip: Look for triangles in your group poses. Use bodies, sitting, head position etc to form triangles. (Celentano)
  • If posture pose and light is correct it does not matter where the camera sits. The pose is still set. (Gardener)
  • Posing tip: If it bends, bend it. Play around with joints, elbows, fingers, everything.
  • Posing tip: Leave some open space between those bent elbows and the waist. Helps make your subject slim n trim. (S)
  • Don’t over pose the subjects in your groups. Their not solders, their free people. (Whitmire)

 

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