Photo Couch is the companion podcast of Gavin’s f164 project. Sort of an audio journal. Nothing fancy here. Just short musings, tips, and thoughts on photography. You can listen below, or subscribe for free and get all the latest episodes. If you want more, you can also check out Gavin’s full podcast, Pro Photo Show.
Three Pines. Kaibab National Forest, near the Grand Canyon. Spring 2011.
The night is intriguing to me as a photographer. Stars trail through the heavens, and branches rustle as winds sift through the darkness. The world turns unnoticed by most of its occupants, and yet it is not still at all.
Night photography is a challenge; I have to go against my natural preference to be relaxed comfortably in a warm house or trailer rather than standing in darkness often cold, wondering what made that cracking sound I just heard behind me. The next challenge is the technical difficulty of making the image and composition in darkness and having the patience for an ultra long exposure. This one was over 45 minutes.
At times like this one, I can set up the image and go back to said warm camper and family, as the faint light works its magic. At times, my night exposures do not come out as I expect, and some never see the pages of this journal, but as I further explore the darker side my craft, I find moments like this when the simplicity and natural beauty of the elements draw my eye and make me smile at the wonder of creation.
This image is not perfect, and I’m undecided as to whether it will make the signature collection, but I do enjoy it, and it has taught me much about light and shadow…
I’m right on the shore, the waves of the incoming tide lapping against the legs of my tripod, sometimes making me step back to keep my feet dry. The sun is just setting off to the right, casting an orange warmth on the largest of the rocks. The sky is simple, but it’s smooth, the gentle color soothing, and the lines and details on the rocks are mesmerizing in their intricacy.
California is a beautiful place. Due to its population and popularity, it always always the most east access, but if you get there and get settled it’s really breathtaking. There’s so much to see and so little time to get it done before rush hour.
We’ve been on the road about two weeks and are about halfway through our Spring trip. Heading to CA first, I taught a few workshops, and now we’re moving out of CA and headed for more landscapes and adventures. We plan to head into AZ now and visit the Grand Canyon. We’re trying to avoid campgrounds and get out in the boondocks as much as possible.
CA has been a tough State. Really beautiful, but sometimes frustrating. The State, County, and National land tends to be outrageously priced (don’t get me going), and it’s sometimes hard to find the free boondocking areas that are prevalent in many other States.
We carry a MiFi with us so we can keep the business running, research and mark locations, find the best gas prices, etc. Apps like All Stays Camp & RV, Gas Book, Right Here, and Geotag Photos Pro are invaluable.
I’ve also started experimenting with a 4×5 view camera for the resolution it can give me in larger prints. Learning what it can do is quite an experience. I’m being very conservative with frames, but in the right situation, I think it will be amazing. It sure feels good to use. As long as you’re not in a hurry.
Of course, I’m still capturing digital images. I think, in the future, both film and digital will have a place in my work at the initial capture . They both have strong advantages in various situations. It’s become a good learning experience as I study 4×5 technique.
Stay tuned for some new pieces as we move along. If you want to see more frequent updates, you can get those on my facebook page…
I’ve planned another road tip, along with a few Spring workshops I’ll be teaching. We’re hitting the road early April and heading to SF area for two workshops in Oakland. I’m really exited. Loading up the RV and spending about a month on the road. After the workshops I think we may head up towards the Grand Canyon as I hunt for stock and landscape images, then who knows. Here’s the workshop lineup for CA.
On April 16-17 I’ll be teaching my Lights and Shadows workshop. This is a fresh 2 day event that covers HDR and beyond. It’s an intimate workshop limited to about 20 people. We’ll be doing work in the field and editing back at base. More info here. There’s also a Facebook event page here.
Next on April 18th is the Lightroom Power workshop. This has something for everyone. We’ll cover basics, but also get deep into power user stuff. Another fun hands on workshop, so bring your laptops with LR and prepare to think differently about editing. More info here. There also a Facebook event page here.
I’m also working on setting up something in Fresno. Still working on the details of that. but stay tuned to this post or the Seim Effects FB page for details. Hope to see you there… Gav
