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2013-05-11 19:55:51 (36 comments, 19 reshares, 283 +1s)

Tattered and Swift. Thunderstorms made for an exciting and dramatic three days in the Alvord Desert earlier this week. I borrowed the title for the photo from the Robert Frost poem, A Line-storm Song. 

"The line-storm clouds fly tattered and swift, The road is forlorn all day, Where a myriad snowy quartz stones lift, And the hoof-prints vanish away."

2013-05-11 13:43:03 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

If you missed last night's +That Show with Billy Wilson (TSBW) live you can watch the replay here. I share some random photography nuggets. +Howard Pinsky shows some of the excellent new tools in Lightroom 5, +Jordan Oram waxes philosophical and +Meri Amber shares her significant musical talent. Plus you have to check out Billy's freakishly large cat.

http://youtu.be/Wrne27lf3yA

2013-05-11 01:42:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Live soon with Billy Wilson! Join in to Watch and Chat: http://youtu.be/Wrne27lf3yA

2013-05-10 21:45:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

+That Show with Billy Wilson (TSBW) brings together Artists, Musicians, Photographers, Personalities, & all sorts of fun and interesting people from around the world each Friday for a hangout and is one of the largest & longest running shows on G+. This week we have some fun people joining us including Photoshop/Lightroom Educator +Howard Pinsky of IceflowStudios youtube.com/IceflowStudios, Photographers +Sean Bagshaw & +Jordan Oram along with Special Musical Guest will be +Meri Amber ! +Tibby & I are excited!

The show will be live on Friday at 10:00pm Eastern here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBillster2/live Refresh the page if you don't see it. 

You can get reminders about the show if you by saying you're "Going" on this event. 

You can watch previous episodes here: http://goo.gl/ceHtH

Embedded above is a music videofrom thi... more »

2013-05-10 21:42:22 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 28 +1s)

TSBW Variety Show #58: Photographers, & IceflowStudios' Howard Pinsky, Along with Live Music from Meri Amber ! (On Air Hangout)

On Friday at 10:00pm ET we'll be joined by Photoshop/Lightroom Educator +Howard Pinsky of IceflowStudios youtube.com/IceflowStudios, Photographers +Sean Bagshaw & +Jordan Oram along with Special Musical Guest +Meri Amber ! Let us know if you’d like us to answer anything. The show will be live here: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheBillster2/live Refresh the page if you don't see it.

For more information and to get reminders about the show visit the event page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cj0rbvavgkkaiget9adiob30icc 

2013-05-10 17:53:27 (44 comments, 51 reshares, 390 +1s)

Alvord Sunrise. Earlier this week I enjoyed a couple of days camping and photographing on the Alvord Desert in southeastern Oregon as spring thunder storms moved through. The vast and featureless expanse is good for making you feel small. Wish I could have stayed longer.

I don't include them in my images too often, but I'm having fun with sunstars lately. The new 16-35mm f/2.8 Mark II lens I got recently produces a very clean flare that I think looks much nicer than the burst you get from the older 16-35 Mark I and the 24-105 as well.

2013-05-07 05:34:09 (44 comments, 26 reshares, 329 +1s)

Quick share of another image from the Shasta Valley last week. Due to my jpeg screw up this one probably isn't printable, but it can pass on the web. Today I'm headed out to photograph in the Eastern Oregon desert for a couple days. Thundershowers in the forecast! Fingers crossed.

2013-05-06 15:19:59 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 25 +1s)

+David Cobb relates the value of getting to know a landscape well and returning frequently to photograph it. The beauty of outdoor photography is how much the landscape transforms with the season, time of day and weather conditions.

http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/the-view-by-david-cobb/

2013-05-03 22:44:26 (21 comments, 4 reshares, 135 +1s)

A couple months ago I sent my beloved '95 Eurovan Camper, the Millennium Falcon, off to live with a new family. Now it is time to introduce the MF Mark II. It is a Toyota Tacoma 4x4 double cab with an All Terrain Campers light weight pop-up camper (www.allterraincampers.com). Jack Dykinga and +Jim Davis  have been going on photo adventures into the wild hinterlands in this type of rig for years (theirs are made by Four Wheel Campers) and motivated me in this direction. The MFII has only been on a couple trips and nothing too off road yet, but it is proving to be the ideal photo adventure rig.

The camper has more room that the Eurovan did and the same general amenities: stove, fridge, sink, heater, beds. It also is equipped with a solar panel so the batteries can stay charged when I'm in the outback and not driving to charge during the day. Looking forward to some extended adventuresw... more »

2013-05-07 05:40:53 (21 comments, 7 reshares, 162 +1s)

New Image: Shadows Call. Allow me to share a complete rookie move. I spent the night in the Shasta Valley last night to photograph the lupine and the mountain. This morning I went out at 4:30 am. It was crisp and quiet. The lupine were thick and the mountain was glowing in the early twilight. Perfection. But when I got home I found out that I had accidentally shot everything in jpeg mode! I switched the camera to jpeg for my son's soccer game a couple weekends ago and forgot to change back. I used to make that mistake a lot but haven't done it for several years now.

Fortunately my exposures were good enough and the in-camera white balance, contrast and saturation were usable. I was able to salvage this image because it didn't require pushing the adjustments too far. Jpegs don't like it when you get aggressive with them. I often make big adjustments to color and exposure with raw... more »

2013-04-30 19:43:36 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 32 +1s)

FYI: 2013 workshop schedule is almost sold out. I apologize for all the workshop posts recently, but availability has been changing rapidly. I now have only three workshops left this year with open space: Central Oregon Landscape, Seattle by Night and Night Sky Photography. Seattle by Night only has one or two spaces left and the others are nearing capacity. If you are interested in joining us this year I thought I'd give a heads up.

http://www.outdoorexposurephoto.com/photoblog/category/photography-workshops/

2013-04-29 18:33:21 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 23 +1s)

FYI: We just had a cancellation for the Wallowa Country workshop at the end of May, so there is one space available. Contact +David Cobb if you are interested. I'm thinking it will go fast.

http://www.outdoorexposurephoto.com/photoblog/photography-workshops/1053/

2013-04-25 21:15:23 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

Outdoor Exposure Photography News, April 2013 - Nature's Best Photography Award, New Website, The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks, Big Island Photography Tour

http://conta.cc/11G5FM6

2013-04-25 00:24:46 (19 comments, 2 reshares, 63 +1s)

I'm psyched to let it be known that my spanky new website is live after a couple months of hard work (by the awesome folks at Dotcomjungle, Inc.). The site is www.outdoorexposurephoto.com. I'd be honored if you popped in to give it a test drive...kick the tires, look under the hood and let me know what you think. I think it is clean and functional with some great new features. I'll be continuing to add content and update images in the next few weeks so check back often.

As always, you can stay connected by signing up for the newsletter and/or subscribing to the blog.

2013-04-22 16:14:50 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

This week on www.PhotoCascadia.com, +Sean Bagshaw reviews a small, lightweight travel tripod that he purchased in an emergency but ended up being very happy with.

2013-04-19 18:11:21 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 76 +1s)

It's official: +Sean Bagshaw  and I will be leading a photo tour of the Big Island of Hawaii through Destination Earth the week of February 14-21, 2014. You can find out more about it on my web site and theirs.

2013-04-18 19:54:18 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

This is a request for support of a wonderful young boy who was recently diagnosed with a large brain tumor. As a rule I don't use my G+ photography page for non-photography causes, but I'm making an exception on this one. Alex is 11 years old, a skiing and biking buddy of my two sons and one of the most kind and dedicated young people I know. He has a tough crucible of brain surgeries ahead of him. The financial burden on his family will be severe. I'm reaching out to everyone I have access to. Lots of people donating anything they can will make a big difference for this family. 

Alex's folks, Dan and Aushna are wonderful parents, people and community members. For a parent, something like this is the worst thing imaginable. Thanks for any support you are able to give.

http://www.gofundme.com/2moths

2013-04-17 16:33:14 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Read the latest news from Photo Cascadia: new articles, book releases, awards, new websites and upcoming workshops! Learn. Explore. Create.

2013-04-16 16:01:58 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Here it comes...

2013-04-16 15:59:20 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

+Sean Bagshaw's latest article on www.PhotoCascadia.com explains the basics of Luminosity Masks and advantages of their use. For Photoshop users looking to take their image developing to the next level these are great tools to add to your skill set. Let Sean know he can answer any questions. If you use Luminosity Masks share your experience.

www.OutdoorExposurePhoto.com

2013-04-15 20:40:44 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

2013-04-15 16:20:46 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Is Photoshop Remixing the World?
Great  episode from the PBS series "Off Book"

2013-04-15 15:51:43 (12 comments, 6 reshares, 86 +1s)

The Meek and the Mighty. Trillium growing in dappled light beneath towering redwoods. Last week I lost myself in the redwoods for several hours one morning. This scene was magical but presented very challenging light. The first challenge was to capture all the raw materials necessary, in this case multiple exposures for dynamic range and multiple focal points for depth of field. The patches of light were moving rapidly, so I only had a few seconds to record everything before they were back in shadow. Luminosity Masks were an essential tool for blending the various exposures. After merging the exposures Luminosity Masks were also used to control contrast and tonal balance. I think the developing for this photograph required two or three hours of time, but I find it very rewarding to achieve a final image that represents some of my experience of being there.

www.OutdoorExposurePhoto.com

2013-04-10 13:37:51 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 97 +1s)

FYI: Our urban night photography workshops in Portland and Seattle this summer are nearing capacity and the remaining spots will probably fill soon. Other fun and informative photography workshops coming up include Central Oregon Landscapes and Image Developing, Night Sky, Oregon Coast and Washington Cascades. All are down to a few spots left.

More information here: http://outdoorexposurephoto.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=13&Itemid=66

2013-04-09 18:20:47 (9 comments, 14 reshares, 163 +1s)

Looking forward to my annual "Year in Photos" presentation for the Southern Oregon Photographic Society tonight at 7:00 pm. The presentation is open to the public and you are invited. In addition to sharing images and stories from the past year I will also do a couple of quick image developing demos.

More information on meeting time/place here: http://www.sopacameraclub.org/meetings.html

2013-04-09 13:57:56 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 21 +1s)

+Chip Phillips shares some amazing new images from arguably the most beautiful section of the Pacific coast. He also shares his camera techniques and the story behind how he captured each photograph. Great tips from a true master!

http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/new-images-southern-oregon-coast-by-chip-phillips/

2013-04-07 13:53:57 (23 comments, 16 reshares, 206 +1s)

New Image: Rich Coast. It's great to be back after an amazing visit to Costa Rica. On our last day at Manuel Antonio there was an exhilarating tropical thundershow which lasted all day and evolved into a magical sunset. I took many images, including the one I previously posted of my son standing on this log. Now that I'm home and on my calibrated monitor I'm able to develop these images properly. This was the last image I took as the color faded. It was dark enough that there was very little light and color visible to the eye, but a 30 second exposure at ISO 400 reveals the lingering colorful glow. Luminosity mask adjustments, a slight Orton effect and a couple of +Tony Kuyper's actions helped me develop the image to try to communicate how I experienced that final evening in my mind.

2013-04-04 13:17:59 (8 comments, 8 reshares, 143 +1s)

Buenos noches Costa Rica.

2013-04-02 23:21:46 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

Check out our LIF series launching here in two weeks. Enjoy the teaser! =) 

https://vimeo.com/61725938

2013-04-01 18:11:16 (17 comments, 12 reshares, 138 +1s)

Hard to beat Costa Rica. Pura vida!

2013-04-01 12:57:37 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

+Adrian Klein tells the tale of an excellent winter adventure in the Oregon Cascades in which everything goes his way, resulting in some fantastic photographs.

http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/tumalo-mountain-winter-backpacking-trip/

2013-03-28 23:53:43 (9 comments, 14 reshares, 93 +1s)

The Fortune. La Fortuna Falls, Costa Rica, from down in the canyon. Quite a spectacular waterfall, but other than the specific vegetation, very similar in feel to those we have in the Pacific Northwest. Throngs of people come here to swim which creates a photographic challenge we don't often experience in the frigid snow-melt streams in Oregon. Tour buses full of people were leaving as I arrived. I had to wait about an hour, but right before sunset I had the place to myself.

2013-03-28 17:07:21 (5 comments, 4 reshares, 84 +1s)

Arenal Volcano Emerging. This volcano in Costa Rica erupted pretty much continuously from 1968 until 2010 but has been quiet the last few years. Even when not erupting it has an imposing presence. It is often completely shrouded in cloud, so we were fortunate to have good views of it.

2013-03-27 02:20:03 (13 comments, 5 reshares, 123 +1s)

La Fortuna Falls near the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. For this image I blended two exposures and made adjustments for tonality and contrast utilizing luminosity masks, a slight soft blur and Tony Kuyper's actions for cloud sharpening and make-it-glow localized to the sky. I also used Tony's size for web action to size it for this post. While traveling I'm working from an uncalibrated laptop monitor so I'm never sure about color and brightness. I hope it comes through as intended.

2013-03-26 12:39:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

+David Cobb shares an excellent winter photo opportunity - bird photography in the Klamath Basin. Even if you aren't a wildlife photographer with a 500mm lens I highly recommend it!

http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/photographing-the-klamath-basin-by-david-cobb-2/

2013-03-20 15:26:27 (25 comments, 10 reshares, 159 +1s)

POTD: Unearthed. Digging back into the "to develop" archive I found this image from Death Valley. I remember at the time I took this that, in addition to the nice light, I liked the strong but simple foreground element and the visual play between the smooth sand and the textured layer emerging from it.
5DMKII, 24mm focal length, polarizer, 1/20 second @ f/16, ISO 160.

For those interested in learning my techniques, Photoshop video tutorials are available at www.OutdoorExposurePhoto.com.

2013-03-19 16:03:43 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

FYI Extraordinary Vision Magazine is a new, content rich, beautifully produced photography magazine for the iPad...and it is free!? It is published by +Angelo Ioanides, a very fine bloke. The current issue features articles by +Rick Sammon, +Moose Peterson, +Klaus Herrmann and many more, as well as a cover shot, images and an interview with yours truly.  I'm not sure how they do it for free, but check it out while it is! :-)

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/id563485634

2013-03-19 13:54:44 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 19 +1s)

Previsualization: Possibly the most important thing +Zack Schnepf does in photography. Find out why on the www.photocascadia.com blog. 

2013-03-15 18:22:52 (10 comments, 4 reshares, 107 +1s)

New Image: Unknown Coast. I'm inspired to do more black and white work due to my friend Darcie Sternenberg. I took this from a remote point along the Boardman Scenic Coast last week. It was very late twilight when I took this and hiked back to the car in the dark. The colors weren't working for me, but the tonal qualities are dramatic so it was just asking for a grayscale treatment.
65mm focal length, 30 seconds at f/9, ISO 640, polarizer.

Check out Darcie's work. You'll be amazed! http://www.darciesternenberg.com/

Information on my latest video tutorials, The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks can be found at www.OutdoorExposurePhoto.com.

2013-03-14 22:18:37 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

FYI - Just 4 spots left in the South-Central Oregon Coast workshop with +David Cobb  in September.

I have some other fun workshops on the schedule this year as well: Central Oregon with +Zack Schnepf, Portland by Night and Seattle by Night and Stevens Pass with David Cobb, and Night Sky Photography in Bend at the Cascade Center of Photography with  +Christian Heeb. If you are interested, more information can be found at the link below. Workshops generally fill up several weeks or months in advance so don't miss out :-)

2013-03-14 16:32:49 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 9 +1s)

UK Photographer, Alex Hare, has an excellent review of The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks videos and a helpful explanation of luminosity masks on his blog. His photography work is also a pleasure to see.

You can get The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks here: http://www.outdoorexposurephoto.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=15&Itemid=59

2013-03-07 14:56:30 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

+Kevin McNeal's new article on www.PhotoCascadia.com covers advances in noise reduction capabilities in the latest version of Camera Raw (and also Lightroom). Really helpful info Kevin. Thanks!

http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/how-to-remove-noise-in-camera-raw-7-0/