CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-22 05:19:10 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

What do you think fellow demoted and no longer professional photographers? Should we tell Marissa Mayer where she can stick her terabyte?

I know everyone wants to have professional quality photos, but just because you have the skills to press the button doesn't make it so.

2013-05-21 19:21:50 (3 comments, 6 reshares, 70 +1s)

Mesquite Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park
Our last stop on our winter snowbird season in Southwest USA was at the Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park.
After visiting Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Utah, White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, and Imperial Sand Dunes in California, I knew I was in for a tough trek on earth that moves underfoot with each step.

Ray and I were both glad we went after we considered giving it a miss earlier in the day because it had been extremely hazy for a few days and there were no good sunsets since we got there. But I knew it was my last chance, my last real photo shoot of the season before we started to head home.

We were treated to a glorious sunset. I would have been so mad at myself if I didn’t go! The only thing I could have asked for was a dune with little or no footprints, but that was not going to happen int... more »

2013-05-21 16:51:53 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

Loved this slide show of RVs through history, some real funky ones.

2013-05-21 15:47:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

http://bit.ly/13EV6XY

Craft & Vision has a new eBook bundle "Vision is Better" that is available for only $10. It's a collection of articles, essays, and tutorials about the photographic life.

David duChemin shares his insights on the how and why of photography, visual storytelling, and life lessons learned along the way. It's packed with inspiration for your own photographic journey!

Check it out here:
http://bit.ly/13EV6XY

#learnphotography
#photographytutorial
#photographytips  

2013-05-20 15:54:19 (3 comments, 11 reshares, 50 +1s)

"Mule Ears" peak in the Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend National Park, Texas.

#nationalparksmonday
#bigbendnationallpark
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#naturemonday by +Rolf Hicker
#mountainmonday by +Michael Russell 

2013-05-17 16:59:30 (9 comments, 7 reshares, 75 +1s)

Composing with Curves
Circles are wonderful for creating symmetrical compositions. They can be found in nature from ripples in a pond or puddles of water, or in many man-made objects.

Often in architecture you can find compositions that combine multiple curves as well as some lines that add depth and variety to the image.

Lean more about composing with curves in my latest article on Digital Photography School:
http://digital-photography-school.com/composing-with-curves

#hqsppromotion
#100000photographersaroundtheworld
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#architecturephotography  

2013-05-16 16:09:52 (7 comments, 26 reshares, 118 +1s)

Composing with Curves
Curves make an image easy to look at by leading the viewer’s eye through the frame. It is almost as if the photographer takes the viewer by the hand, draws them into the landscape, and points the way. The viewer’s eyes are compelled to follow the line.

C curves, or semi-circles, are probably the easiest curves to find since almost any curve qualifies. It can be anything from the gentle curve of a seashore, lakeshore, a rounded rock, or grasses blowing in the wind.
While visiting a plantation I was immediately drawn to these live oak trees with branches that curve over the entire lawn forming a canopy overhead.

Learn more about composing with curves in my latest article on Digital Photography School:
http://digital-photography-school.com/composing-with-curves

#photographytips
#photographytutorial  

2013-05-14 15:07:54 (8 comments, 12 reshares, 47 +1s)

Devil’s Cornfield, Death Valley National Park
One thing I was not expecting to see in Death Valley was a photogenic weed patch!

Just like Devils Golf Course, where only the Devil could play golf, here at Devil’s Cornfield, only the Devil could eat this corn! It’s not corn at all — it’s arrowweed.

I made this image in the early evening just as the light began to soften, but while there was still plenty of light illuminating the mountains and making the stacks of arrowweed appear golden. I was heading to the sand dunes for sunset, so I didn’t spend much time here. I just pulled off to the side of the road for a few quick shots.

From ground level, all the arrowweed shrubs blended together, but I discovered that by standing on top of the box in the bed of the truck I could get an elevated perspective and create some separation between theshrubs.
more »

2013-05-10 16:42:25 (6 comments, 6 reshares, 52 +1s)

Artist Drive, Death Valley National Park
This is the entrance to Artist Drive at Death Valley National Park in California where there are countless multicoloured rocks that make a striking foreground.

#hqsppromotion
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#amazinglandscapes by +Rolf Hicker
#nationalpark
#deathvalleynationalpark  

2013-05-09 20:51:19 (7 comments, 9 reshares, 59 +1s)

Artist Drive, Death Valley National Park
Hazy days made for difficult photography at Death Valley National Park when I first arrived. The air was dense and the clouds and haze obscured most of the grand views.

The haze tended to lift around sunset and I got a few good shots at Devils Golf Course and Badwater Basin, but the days were pretty much a write off except for scouting locations.

On the fourth day I was in luck! The haze finally lifted and there was just enough cloud in the sky to make a photographer happy.

Sometimes waiting for the right light can take days!

I used this opportunity to photograph some of the vivid colours along Artist Drive, a scenic one way loop road with many sharp curves and deep dips.

This image comes from my favourite section of Artist Drive known as Artist’s Palette.

I have many more photos fromA... more »

2013-05-08 15:49:57 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 48 +1s)

Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park
Because of the popularity of this section of the park, there is a strip of salt that has been pounded down by years of people treading on the surface to create what resembles ice.

2013-05-07 16:12:02 (4 comments, 5 reshares, 58 +1s)

Badwaer Basin, Death Valley National Park, California
Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park got its name from a surveyor who was mapping the area and could not get his mule to drink from the small pool of water. He said it must be bad water and the name stuck.

I have seen images from this location where the salt flats were exceptionally white. I did a little research on this and discovered that it changes every year and some years it looks muddier than others. I guess this was a muddy year because the tops of the salt formations were not white at all.

Death Valley was not created by erosion but by earthquakes. Movements in the earth’s crust dropped the valley’s lowest point, Badwater Basin, to 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere.

Unlike Devils Golf Course, not too far away, Badwater Basin floods occasionally but nevereno... more »

2013-05-06 20:39:22 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Check it out!!! In the Amazon Kindle Store I'm #1 in paid AND #1 in free for the nature and wildlife photography category. Woo hoo!!! (You have to click the "Top 100 Free" link to see the free list above the book icons).

The list gets updated hourly so I'm not sure how long I will be #1 but it sure feels good!

http://amzn.to/1076wWg

2013-05-06 19:20:00 (9 comments, 7 reshares, 72 +1s)

Balancing Rocks at Little Finland, Nevada
The drive to Little Finland in Nevada was much longer and bumpier than I expected. If it weren't for my friend's four wheel drive truck we never would have made it to the end of that bumpy road at all! It took us well over an hour to travel 15 miles and by the time we got there we had missed sunset all together, but at least we found a cool spot to bookmark for a future trip.

My husband, Ray, agile as his is, quickly scrambled up the steep rocks. I tried, but with my back already sore from the bumpy drive, I couldn’t make it even with Ray’s help, so I told him to go ahead and I would try to find another way.

There was a muddy river so I decided to walk along the path beside the river to see if it led anywhere. The rocks got less and less steep and then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw what you see in this photo off inthe... more »

2013-05-03 16:17:13 (2 comments, 9 reshares, 61 +1s)

Another one from Devils Garden, Death Valley National Park

Read the story and see more images from this location on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/05/02/devils-golf-course-death-valley-national-park/

#hqsppromotion
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#nationalpark
#deathvalleynationalpark
#amazinglandscapes by +Rolf Hicker 

2013-05-02 15:52:27 (7 comments, 12 reshares, 86 +1s)

Devils Golf Course, Death Valley National Park, California
I visited Death Valley National Park in mid-March and the temperatures exceeded 90 degrees! At 282 feet below sea level, it has the lowest elevation in North America and is the hottest and driest US National Park.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to visit this place in summer when the temperatures reach 120 degrees! No wonder it’s called Death Valley.

At first it seemed like there was nothing here but dirt, salt, sand and lots of heat. But as I started exploring the different sections of the park I realized how diverse it really is. I can’t think of another place that has dry lake beds, sand dunes, and colourful rock formations all in close proximity.

There is a flat salt bed that covers a large section of the park, created when the lake that was once here evaporated and left behind mineraldepos... more »

2013-05-01 15:22:02 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

New Lightroom Develop Preset Package by Craft & Vision
Craft & Vision just released a new Lightroom Develop Preset Package that contains 82 presets created by professional photographers.

What a great way to learn Lightroom and speed up your workflow at the same time!  You can get the package for only $16 if you use the code PRESET2 before May 5th.

Find out more here:
http://bit.ly/1306eBF

2013-04-30 17:30:45 (7 comments, 7 reshares, 71 +1s)

This Landscape is a Melting Strawberry Sundae

Sometimes it’s hard to find just the right words to describe a landscape so when a friend of mine described a place as a “melting strawberry sundae” I knew I had to see it for myself.

It was in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Ray and I planned on doing a two hour evening hike (after a day of hiking) and our friends decided to stay a little closer to the parking lot and explore nearby. We all agreed to meet back at the car after sunset.

The shots I made that evening were disappointing due to a number of factors, not the least of which was some unfriendly photographers who rudely left their bags and tripods all over the place so as not to share the spot. (But that’s okay, I had no problem returning another time when the light was better anyway, so there.)

What I did get out of that eveningwas two... more »

2013-04-24 15:20:40 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

My latest article on Digital Photography School:
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-star-trails

2013-04-23 17:18:30 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 26 +1s)

A Reason to Live and the Freedom to Fly (our first snowbird season)
Just before we left for our first snowbird season in the American southwest I was interviewed on a radio show called “Breaking Free” which is all about people who have broken free from the traditional world, from society’s expectations, and have sought out a new life on their own terms.

When I listened to some previous recordings of the show I was struck by how everyone’s story was different yet the goal was the same: to create change in order to live a better life.

My goal involved a quest to become a happier person and finding that happiness by changing my career and lifestyle. A quick recap for my new readers: I closed my software consulting business, sold my house where I lived for 15 years, sold almost all of my stuff, bought an RV and set out to live the life I always dreamed of – travelphotograp... more »

2013-04-19 17:18:03 (14 comments, 11 reshares, 91 +1s)

Going Home Tomorrow

Well, the time has come, my "rainbird" season in the southwest USA is over and we're heading back to Vancouver Island tomorrow.

I hope summer gets here soon! This grey wet stuff sucks!

I still have lots of images to share with you though, including this one from Little Finland, Nevada.

Read more photos from this location on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/04/18/little-finland-nevada/

#fridaygetaway by +Gary Crabbe
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion  

2013-04-18 16:31:09 (15 comments, 24 reshares, 92 +1s)

Little Finland, Nevada
During my stay in Moapa, Nevada, I was doing some research on the local area when I came across a map to a spot known as “Little Finland.”

My friend, Don Davis, whose RV park we were staying at, said he had heard of it but had never been there himself. It was a great adventure just waiting for us!

It took an hour to drive to the beginning of the un-maintained road and then the map showed another 15 miles to get to Little Finland. We figured we would arrive an hour before sunset.

It’s a good thing we were in Don’s four wheel drive truck or we never would have made it to the end of that bumpy road at all! It took us well over an hour to travel those 15 miles and by the time we got there we had missed sunset all together, but at least we found a cool spot to bookmark for a future trip.

After a bit of exploring to find my wayup on t... more »

2013-04-17 18:22:58 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 41 +1s)

Proposed Changes to Yosemite’s El Capitan Meadow

I know many of you have a close connection with Yosemite, so I thought you would want to know about some proposed changes to El Capitan Meadow. In most of the proposed alternatives for the park service's Merced River Draft Management plan, fencing and signs would be installed to keep visitors from trampling the meadow.

John Sexton wrote a thoughtful post on Facebook about this issue, which I recommend reading.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200950372552657&set=a.1254754460087.149833.1566335996&type=1

El Capitan Meadow has long been a favorite spot for photographers in Yosemite. Ansel Adams made his Oak Tree, Snowstorm photograph from there. Galen Rowell captured one of his most famous images, Clearing Storm Over El Capitan, from this meadow. John posted one of his wonderfulp... more »

2013-04-17 17:33:54 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 51 +1s)

Only a few more days and I'll be back home in BC and this is what I'm looking forward to -- going boating and seeing some of my old friends like Cappuccino, K21.

#wildlifewednesday by +Mike Spinak
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek 

2013-04-16 15:17:26 (2 comments, 4 reshares, 20 +1s)

Want to take more compelling images? Now you can!

http://annemckinnell.com/compellingphotograph/

My new Photography eBook / eCourse contains 8 weekly lessons & assignments to help you learn techniques of good image design.

You can choose the eBook to learn on your own, or get feedback on your assignments with the eCourse. There is even an option for personal coaching.

Get all the details here:
http://annemckinnell.com/compellingphotograph/

#learnphotography
#beginnerphotography
#photographyebooks
#photographycourse  

2013-04-16 00:40:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

An emotional account from a photographer who was on the finish line...

2013-04-11 16:27:19 (11 comments, 26 reshares, 121 +1s)

Perseverance and Patience Will Payoff

In my latest post on Digital Photography School I tell how this image of "Fire Wave" in the Valley of Fire, Nevada, and 2 other of my favourite images were made:
http://digital-photography-school.com/perseverance-and-patience-will-payoff

#hqsppromotion
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#amazinglandscapes by +Rolf Hicker 

2013-04-10 16:49:45 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 18 +1s)

Craft & Vision has a new free eBook out today! Check out "More Great Ways to Make Stronger Photographs"
http://buff.ly/ZAR7QB

2013-04-09 16:19:07 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 83 +1s)

Sunset in The Valley of Fire, Nevada
Ever since I bought my tripod I’ve been in love. ♥

My husband thinks I’m in love with Canon but really it’s a toss up between Canon and Gitzo. Or maybe it’s Really Right Stuff that has my heart.

At first I wasn’t sure about spending so much money on it. I think it was around $1,000 by the time I bought the legs, the ball head, the clamp and the L bracket. But it is sooooo worth it.

The thing weighs practically nothing!

Even though I knew how much it meant to me, I don’t think I quite understood how deep the feeling was … until I broke the +Really Right Stuff ballhead

It was so sad the way the lever just kept turning and turning without tightening up to hold my camera steady.

And wouldn’t you know it, that evening was the best of all the sunsets I saw in Nevada’s stunningValley of Fire.
more »

2013-04-05 16:07:09 (7 comments, 19 reshares, 109 +1s)

The Valley of Fire, Nevada
The park is a photographer’s paradise full of stunning rock formations in all the colours of the rainbow. Red, orange, pink, yellow and even blue and purple!! The photo below is the view you will see from your car on the park’s scenic drive.

#fridaygetaway by +Gary Crabbe
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion
#valleyoffire
#nevada  

2013-04-04 20:32:20 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Bacteriography: Photographs Grown in Bacteria
During his masters of fine art research, Zachary Copfer invented a method to grow photographs in bacteria. The process has been dubbed Bacteriography. He has also come up with a way to then preserve these petri dishes of bacteria so they will be safe for display and will stand the test of time.

Bizarre!! Check out his kickstarter project:

2013-04-03 17:05:07 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Wait a second ... first the people who put on the contest say submissions have to be 100% original work and then they say the winning entry was "manipulated enough" to qualify as original???? I would be pissed if someone manipulated my image "enough" for it be considered their own.

2013-04-03 16:32:04 (7 comments, 19 reshares, 82 +1s)

Rock Formations in the Valley of Fire, Nevada
The east entrance to the Valley of Fire has more rock arches than I’ve ever seen. They are not as big as those you find in Arches National Park, but there are hundreds of small arches.

Read the story about how I discovered this place and see many more photos  on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/04/02/the-valley-of-fire-nevada/

#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#valleyoffire
#nevada  

2013-04-02 16:18:30 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 64 +1s)

Rock Formations in the Valley of Fire, Nevada
A few months ago I received an email from one of my readers, Don Davis. He said he lives in Nevada near a beautiful spot called the Valley of Fire and also happens to own a small RV park. He offered my husband and I a free RV spot in exchange for some photography advice and help with his website.

After looking at some images from the Valley of Fire I decided this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and so we made plans to visit in March.

The RV park, Palm Creek Gardens, is about 45 minutes from the park in Moapa. Don and his wife Marsha have a few acres of property beside a hot spring, dozens of fruit trees, a yard with a huge barbecue pit for the campers, a whole bunch of dogs and horses, and about a dozen RV spaces. It’s a beautiful spot that I highly recommend to anyone who is planning an RV trip to the Valley ofFir... more »

2013-03-29 14:34:04 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 16 +1s)

Happy Easter everyone!

Want to improve your photography this weekend? I have a 40% off sale on my eBook "8 Ways to Accelerate Your Photography". Use the discount code easter40 in the shopping cart and get the book for only $5.99.

http://annemckinnell.com/accelerate-your-photography/

2013-03-28 23:05:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Here are some stunning images made for all the right reasons.

2013-03-28 14:19:33 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 57 +1s)

The Fountains of Bellagio, Las Vegas
One of the must-do things in Las Vegas is watching the Fountains of Bellagio in a show of water, music and light.

Because it’s so crowded down there (and I’m sooo not used to crowds anymore) I decided to go with my tripod and only one lens.

Whenever I go with one lens I almost always choose my 24-105L because it’s so versatile. In the case of the fountain it would have been nice to have my wide angle, but these are the sacrifices we make!

As the water danced across the pool in intricate designs and patterns I was photographing at as wide an angle as I could: 24mm. I wasn’t staying in one of the fancy hotels with a view of the fountain either, so I had to make due with the street level view.

I tried to get as far back as I could, without stepping onto the street behind me, so I could include some otherfeature... more »

2013-03-27 14:59:40 (3 comments, 8 reshares, 40 +1s)

Reflections of Paris
No, I didn't go to Paris, but I found a cool reflection of the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas!

Full story today on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/03/27/reflections-of-paris/

#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#reflectionphotography
#lasvegas  

2013-03-26 16:22:32 (6 comments, 11 reshares, 65 +1s)

10 Tips for Improving Your Flower Photos
Is your photography ready for spring?

Check out my latest article on Digital Photography School for 10 tips to improve your flower photos:
http://digital-photography-school.com/10-tips-for-improving-your-flower-photos

#flowerphotography  

2013-03-25 22:00:05 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

The Nik Collection by Google: photography first, for professionals and more

Here on the Google+ Photos team, we're busy building tools for all kinds of photographers. Today, and for all the professionals out there, we're bundling the complete set of Nik plug-ins as the Nik Collection by Google. We're especially excited about three things:

1) It's more affordable. The entire set of plug-ins for Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture only costs $149 (versus the previous $499).

2) It's really powerful. The Nik Collection by Google gives you tools for everything from noise reduction and HDR imaging to creative effects and image sharpening (and lots more).

3) It's free to try. You can visit niksoftware.com for a 15-day free trial of the Collection.

If you've already purchased one or more Nik plug-ins in the past, then don't... more »

2013-03-25 15:47:51 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 46 +1s)

New York New York, Las Vegas
We usually avoid cities in our travels since my husband and I both prefer the wilderness and less crowded spaces. We are always trying to get away from the people!

But on our way between the sand dunes in California and the Valley of Fire in Nevada, we decided to stop in Las Vegas since the RV club we belong to has a resort there.

We didn’t want to get anywhere near downtown with our big truck though so we drove in and parked in the big lot at the Stratosphere and took the bus in from there to photograph some night lights.

Our first stop was the hotel New York New York.

I really wanted to get an image of the traffic in motion in front of the Statue of Liberty and it looked like there would be a good perspective from the pedestrian overpass.

Unfortunately there was a grid like fence above the railing on theo... more »

2013-03-22 16:07:38 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 54 +1s)

Lone Dune Buggy at Imperial Sand Dunes in California

Lone dune buggy sitting on the top of a dune ready for the last ride of the evening.

Read the story and see more photos on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/03/21/sunset-at-imperial-sand-dunes/

#fridaygetaway by +Gary Crabbe
#10000photographersaroundtheworld
#hqsppromotion
#imperialsanddunes  

2013-03-22 15:44:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

One of my favourite places for boating is going to become a national monument!

2013-03-21 15:42:09 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 63 +1s)

Sunset at Imperial Sand Dunes, California
So far the images I have shared from Imperial Sand Dunes in California have been wildly disparate.

On one hand I had the untouched sand dunes sculpted by the wind. On the other the raging dune buggies, ATVs and motorcycles.

I decided to make an attempt at combining the two concepts and I got a chance at sunset one evening when the “duners” were just coming home.

I really like how the peacefulness of the evening sky contrasts with the excitement of being on the top of a dune ready to race down.

See more photos on the blog:
http://annemckinnell.com/2013/03/21/sunset-at-imperial-sand-dunes/

2013-03-20 20:20:34 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

Another action shot from Imperial Sand Dunes in California

2013-03-20 16:05:27 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 12 +1s)

Did you know that in addition to seeing some inspiring photography, learning from other photographers and building relationships there is another big bonus to using Google +? It's search engine results. Find out more in guest post on PhotoMint today.

2013-03-19 17:36:07 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 30 +1s)

Action Shots at Imperial Sand Dunes
Before I visited Imperial Sand Dunes in California I always thought of dunes as being peaceful places where only the footprints of the people before you can be seen. That was the case on one side of the dunes where I made the images I posted last week.

But on the other side of the dunes it was a different story. I guess my notions of dunes being peaceful was due to visiting dunes that were protected from ATV’s, dune buggies and motorcycles!

When we first arrived at the campground in Glamis there were only a few other RVs and we set up a little ways away from everyone else.

But it wasn’t long before the weekend crowd started to arrive and unload their toys.

Soon the place was roaring and it was anything but peaceful! I took the opportunity to practice making some action shots as the buggies raced by only a fewfee... more »

2013-03-18 15:09:00 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

2013-03-16 20:47:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Do you want to be an outdoor adventure photographer?
I just finished reading “Behind the Action — Creating Adventure Imagery Step By Step,” the latest eBook by Dan Bailey, in which he invites you to go behind the scenes with him and learn how to make outdoor adventure photographs.

Check out my full review of the eBook on my blog. Plus, I have an exclusive bonus offer for you!

http://annemckinnell.com/2013/03/16/do-you-want-to-become-an-outdoor-adventure-photographer/

#photography
#photographyebooks
#learnphotography  

2013-03-14 17:10:55 (11 comments, 8 reshares, 80 +1s)

Five Things I Learned by Photographing in the Afternoon
When I am photographing I usually go out in the afternoon to do some scouting in preparation for the evening twilight shoots that I love.

It’s when the last light is on the tips of the mountains and the sky begins to turn pale pink that I am in my zone.

I have written before about how most of the time my last shot is my best shot. But sometimes that isn’t the case.

Recently I visited Imperial Sand Dunes in California and, as usual, I went out in the afternoon looking for the perfect dune: the one with no footprints and great lines.

After climbing many dunes and doing some exploring, careful not to walk on any of the dunes that were potential subjects, I made this image one and a half hours before sunset.

This was the one.

After collapsing in the sand for awhile, my legsach... more »