CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-22 01:16:10 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 58 +1s)

I received today a request by the Yosemite Conservancy to provide free images for use in a book. Yes or No ?

Yes: I support the Conservancy and in the past I have donated a large framed print for their fundraising efforts. It's a good cause and a way of giving back to the Park that has given me so much. The book is written by my friend Dayton Duncan. Since the Conservancy is a publisher all proceeds go towards their efforts for the park.

No: the Conservancy, like other conservation organizations, compensates other photographers for their work.The primary income of a "conservation photographer" comes from working for non-profits engaged in conservation, doesn't it ? Both the National Parks Conservation association and the National Parks Foundation licenses from me. The request was not made by the Conservancy itself but by a "publishing consultant" working on... more »

2013-05-21 19:19:18 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 31 +1s)

A cone called "Hershey Kiss" punctuates the immensity of the Mokuaweoweo crater floor on Mauna Loa summit, with early morning light accentuating the texture of hardened lava flows.
More about this adventure http://bit.ly/Z1Io9u

2013-05-20 20:07:59 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 64 +1s)

My image of Mokuaweoweo crater from the summit of Mauna Loa is the first I've seen which was photographed at sunrise. Read more about the journey here: http://bit.ly/Z1Io9u #mountainmonday

2013-05-19 18:51:27 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 65 +1s)

On Mauna Loa's summit's dry atmosphere, the sky shined with exceptional clarity  the brightest light source being the glow of the Halemaumau vent.  Camping there let me create a night-to-day time-lapse,  almost certainly the first one recorded there.

Read more about this adventure: http://bit.ly/Z1Io9u

2013-05-18 17:37:11 (2 comments, 5 reshares, 64 +1s)

Because Mauna Loa, largest volcano on earth  is of the shield type, I expected a flat expense at the summit. Instead I stood at the very edge of vertical cliffs six hundred feet tall, way above the spectacular caldera floor where ripples of hardened lava looked like waves in an ocean. More: http://bit.ly/Z1Io9u

2013-05-17 19:30:48 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 42 +1s)

I expected the hike to Mauna Loa to be monotonous because it is all lava, but I was surprised by the variety of colors (reds, greens, blacks) and textures (smooth and rough) in the lava landscape, all visible in this image. More: http://bit.ly/Z1Io9u

2013-05-16 05:15:20 (9 comments, 13 reshares, 173 +1s)

With new G+ design, vertical images look good, so I am going to start posting some, whereas in the past I stuck to horizonal. For details about how you can photograph a lava ocean entry, go to http://bit.ly/12KOxWJ

2013-05-14 20:39:23 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

Surf, Isaac Hale Beach. Big Island, Hawaii

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/pacific/hawaii-big-island/big-island-puna/

2013-05-13 18:51:00 (5 comments, 4 reshares, 44 +1s)

Kiholo Bay is one of the most beautiful spots on the coast of the Big Island, Hawaii, but it takes a bit of research to get there, as it is accessed through an unmarked trail. With a few hours to spare before my flight, I visited in the morning, although mid-day light might actually be better.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/pacific/hawaii-big-island/big-island-west/

2013-05-11 18:29:37 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 37 +1s)

The seldom-visited Mauna Loa Overlook in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park provides, from a distance, one of the most interesting views of the Halemaumau crater and plume (super-telephoto required !). The light there is best at sunrise.

more around and above Kilauea: http://bit.ly/ZEURv0

2013-05-10 17:59:01 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 51 +1s)

The one-mile Kīpukapuaulu trail – another rainy day favorite in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – explores a hot spot of biological diversity, with more native tree species per acre than any other forest in the park, like this Ohia which formed a natural arch.

more around and above Kilauea: http://bit.ly/ZEURv0

2013-05-09 18:23:42 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 40 +1s)

The Kilauea Iki trail is one of my favorite trails on the entire Big Island. It starts in the rain forest. You go suddenly from the ancient forest to the newly created maw of the crater floor, where just a few plants cling to life. The contrast couldn’t be more dramatic.

from: http://bit.ly/ZEURv0

2013-05-08 17:54:02 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 39 +1s)

In rainy weather, one of my favorite spots in Hawaii Volcanoes NP is the short hike to the Thurston Lava Tube. The Tube itself is not great to photograph, but on the way you cross one of the lushest spot in the park, a wonderful rainforest with giant ferns towering above your head (check large image to appreciate texture).

from: http://bit.ly/ZEURv0

2013-05-08 10:51:26 (7 comments, 20 reshares, 128 +1s)

After photographing the lava ocean entry, my other main goal in this sea-to-summit trip was to hike to the top of Mauna Loa. Altitude sickness is a frequent problem for hikers going from low elevations to the summit. In order to acclimatize a bit, I spent some time around and above the Kilauea area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Shot backlit at sunrise, the otherwise ordinary-looking Steaming Bluff took an ethereal quality.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

2013-05-06 18:28:32 (9 comments, 4 reshares, 76 +1s)

As it wasn’t raining when we departed, I forgot to pack my rain cover. It started to rain heavily at the ocean entry. My 100-400 got wet and unusable for the rest of the trip. I had to send it to CPS where they diagnosed it as “submerged in water” and charged hundreds dollars for repair. I am still glad to have taken the boat tour for the different perspective, interesting images that I managed to squeeze out and experience.

Learn more about photographing lava ocean entry:  http://bit.ly/12KOxWJ

2013-05-05 18:13:58 (12 comments, 6 reshares, 85 +1s)

During my lava boat tour, the conditions were very challenging for photography. The seas were so choppy and it was so dark (because of the rain clouds, no pre-dawn glow nor sunrise, although there is always the "blue hour", as in this image) that I used mostly my 24-105. The boat was rocking so much that longer focal lengths were problematic.

Learn more about photographing lava ocean entry:  http://bit.ly/12KOxWJ

2013-05-04 22:02:02 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 89 +1s)

Although working from the land will provide the best opportunities for photographing lava, because you can use a tripod and lower shutter speeds, a boat tour can provide you a different angle not available from the land. In particular, you are able to photograph lava flowing down cliffs that are difficult to see from the land, as well as reflections in the water.

Learn more about photographing lava ocean entry:  http://bit.ly/12KOxWJ

2013-05-03 18:01:39 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 67 +1s)

Beautiful but dangerous: the plume formed when lava hits the ocean contains sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and all sorts of bad caustic stuff. The trade winds normally blow consistently towards the southwest, but as you can see here, the wind can change direction. I enjoyed the swirling pattern, but I kept a respirator handy in case it would engulf me.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

2013-05-02 19:34:02 (10 comments, 8 reshares, 82 +1s)

In between showers, the clouds parted to reveal the stars for a brief moment.  There were also only a limited amount of times when the lava flow had an interesting configuration without spots too bright to be captured in a single exposure. Most of the time, the bright light of the breakouts would even cause lens flare. I am positive that out of the whole night, this image was possible only for a few instants.

30s f2.8 ISO 3200 Nikon 14-24 on EOS 5D mk3

From: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

2013-05-01 18:29:00 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 40 +1s)

This was photographed from the Blue Sky Tank (also seen in the previous image). It holds almost a million gallons and takes a day to fill-up. When not in use for water shots, it is just a parking lot.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/california/california.hollywood.html

2013-05-01 00:37:13 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

On Friday, I attended Paris Photo LA, the new Los Angeles version of the leading photo art fair traditionally held in Paris. With 60 exhibiting galleries, many publishers, an excellent program, there was plenty of art to see. This didn't keep me away from making my own photographs, though, as I found the venue, Paramount Pictures Studio (last major studio still in Hollywood) to be very interesting as well.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/california/california.hollywood.html

2013-04-26 13:02:37 (11 comments, 23 reshares, 111 +1s)

It's prime moonbow time in Yosemite - and maybe the only opportunity this year -  but since I got decent images last year (you can see my write-up and photos at http://bit.ly/MYssxa ) this year I'm going to skip the Yosemite moonbow scene and instead head to LA for 1st LA edition of Paris Photo (hope to meet William Eggleston at book signing) then Sequoia NP foothills.

2013-04-26 12:01:35 (28 comments, 88 reshares, 292 +1s)

For lava photography, the time around sunrise and sunset, extending to twilight is by far the best for photography.  During that time, brightness differences between lava and land or sea are small enough that both can be properly exposed in a single exposure: there is enough ambient light that you can see details in the landscape, but it is dark enough for the lava to glow. For photographing the cascades of lava pouring into the ocean, such as this image, you will want a telephoto lens, since you won’t be able to get  close.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

2013-04-24 19:39:38 (10 comments, 7 reshares, 81 +1s)

The sight of glowing lava cascading into the ocean to form new land, as clouds of steam rise from the dynamic meeting, is one of the most mesmerizing I have ever witnessed. This winter, I traveled to the one place where this can be observed readily, the Big Island of Hawaii.

While the sight is most dramatic at night time, I was surprised at how difficult it was to photograph then. Because of the extreme difference of brightness between the flowing lava, the illuminated steam, and the land and sea, multiple exposures are needed. Those exposures are not easy to blend: since the steam is constantly shifting, you are not dealing with a static scene.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

2013-04-23 18:51:04 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 79 +1s)

This time in the Mojave National Preserve I spent my brief time to photograph the Joshua trees in bloom (see yesterday's post), so here is an image of the Kelso Dunes from a previous trip. Those tallest sand dunes in California are one of my favorites location in the Preserve. They are much more peaceful (and have less footprints) than the Death Valley dunes.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/california/california.mojave.html

2013-04-23 00:24:39 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 71 +1s)

I returned a few days ago from a trip to the California Mojave Desert, where I was looking for a Joshua tree bloom said to be a once-in-a-generation event. I visited three of the main Joshua tree sites: Joshua Tree National Park (of course !), the Cima Dome area of Mojave National Preserve, and Lee Flat in Death Valley National Park. Only Cima Dome was great. In fact, even in normal conditions, the Joshua trees there are way larger and more dense than in Joshua Tree National Park, where the bloom was past peak. Curiously, at Lee Flat, there didn't appear to be any bloom at all.

 For this image, I found a nice specimen surrounded by adjacent trees (to give a sense of perspective), and lowered the camera to avoid the bottom of the foreground tree merging with the background trees, and also having all its branches profiled against the sky.

from:... more »

2013-04-11 22:36:46 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 50 +1s)

Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America, but here instead of emphasizing its vastness, I took advantage of the fog to isolate the Fishing Cone (in the West Thumb Geyser basin) and create some mystery. Did it work, or is it too dark ?

#thirstythursdaypics curated by +Giuseppe Basile and +Mark Esguerra

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.yellowstone.html

2013-04-10 20:26:35 (8 comments, 6 reshares, 60 +1s)

backcountry photo tour into the Maze of Canyonlands NP, Oct 2013

Imagine camping surrounded by a landscape of vividly colored hoodoos, lit by a crescent moon as the Milky Way appears, bright in a sky free of light pollution. This is your view as you enjoy a hearty dinner, cooked by our guides cowboy-style, as we sit nearly a hundred miles away from the closest paved road

During the day, we hike into maze-like canyons, rewarded for our efforts with some of the largest and most significant panels of rock art in America, twisted slots, and grandiose views that only few get to see. This is an awesome tour for the adventurous photographer in good shape, with endless possibilities for exploration into one of the most remote areas in the whole American West, the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. We even have a great aerial photo opportunity when we take a scenic light in late... more »

2013-04-09 22:14:30 (5 comments, 6 reshares, 118 +1s)

The Morning Glory pool in Yellowstone may look like an easy subject, but a few things are worth noting if you'd like to make a photograph like that. Unlike other landscapes, is best photographed in the middle of a warm, sunny day, as a lot of light is necessary to reveal the colors under the water, and on a cold day, the abundance of steam would hide the pool. Since the boardwalk is very close to the pool, a super-wide angle is necessary.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.yellowstone.html

2013-04-08 19:09:29 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 62 +1s)

Yellowstone National Park preserves so many extraordinary geysers and hot springs - more than the rest of the world combined - that it can be hard to know where to start. My two favorites are the Great Fountain Geyser and the Grand Prismatic Spring: http://bit.ly/aDpGxO

Hint: To bring out the texture in the thermal steam, try to use backlight.

My weekly National Parks photo spot for #nationalparksmonday   #landscapephotography #naturemonday

2013-04-05 17:23:45 (5 comments, 9 reshares, 81 +1s)

Taroko National Park is Taiwan's most visited natural attraction. In its centerpiece, the Taroko Gorge, blue-green Liwu River has carved a narrow canyon into marble walls: http://bit.ly/Yw7Sd6

2013-04-04 20:22:46 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 104 +1s)

Sunrise at the gate of Inle Lake, Myanmar. Inle Lake, nested among high hills,  is home to the Intha people, who have developed a unique way of living. Their villages are built in the middle of the lake, complete with floating gardens of extraordinary fertility.

Beautiful Inle Lake is one of the five sites we will visit during a photo tour in Myanmar in January 2014: http://bit.ly/XarWQv

#travelthursday curated by +Laura Mitchum
#thirstythursdaypics curated by +Giuseppe Basile and +Mark Esguerra 

2013-04-03 19:45:38 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 103 +1s)

Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park provides great views and reflections of Mt Moran. The area is very popular in the fall as many aspen grow there, but it is beautiful in other seasons as well. In early November, snow had blanketed the mountains, but the water was not yet frozen.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.grand-teton.html

2013-04-03 19:44:31 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 60 +1s)

During an entire week in Grand Teton National Park in winter, I saw the Grand Tetons only for one morning. With the mountain out of sight, I found myself trying to photograph more minimal and intimate landscapes. This was taken on the short section of the Teton Park road open in winter.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/photos/?keyword=grand-teton-winter

2013-04-02 05:34:47 (30 comments, 100 reshares, 276 +1s)

The Grand Tetons rise abruptly rising seven thousand feet above the valley of Jackson Hole. The body of water which yields the best reflections of the impressive range is a modest pond, called the Schwabacher Landing: http://bit.ly/I63Y4H

My weekly National Parks photo spot for #nationalparksmonday   #landscapephotography #naturemonday

2013-03-31 04:22:02 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Some Getty Images contributors have been receiving this:

""Many of you noticed $0 royalty transactions on your first Connect statement (January 2013) where we should have shown the micro-royalties (fractions of a cent). This was a processing error where some royalties earned under $0.00500 which were inadvertently rounded to $0. Going forward you can expect to see the royalty amount (out to five decimal points) for each image earned, even if it is under one penny. All fractional-cent royalties are then summed on the statement and rounded up or down to the nearest cent for payment."

So now it has come to royalties of fractions of a penny ?

2013-03-31 02:09:20 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 60 +1s)

I was one of the last visitors at the Wen Wu temple overlooking Sun Moon Lake. The place, quite crowded just an hour ago, had become deserted. I photographed the temple gate from outside. Because there was no more traffic I could place the tripod right in the middle of the road (no adjusting the framing by zooming with the 24 TS lens !).  By careful framing, I was able to give almost the same visual weight to the gate and to the temple behind, creating a two-axis symmetry.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/asia/taiwan/sun-moon-lake/

#saturdaylightnight curated by +Dirk Heindoerfer 

2013-03-30 07:43:44 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

I admire Eggleston and understand his significance (I own 6 of his books), but it always irks me to read often repeated statements such as:

"In the late 70s, Eggleston had the first solo exhibition of color photographs at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City... . He pioneered the dye transfer method for achieving a rich saturation of color in his prints" (http://bit.ly/14uRJI1).

Eliot Porter had an exhibit at the MOMA in 1943: "Birds in Color: Flashlight Photographs by Eliot Porter". He began experimenting with dye transfer when Eggleston (born 1939) was a toddler. My survey of Porter's work through his books is here: http://bit.ly/TLay4n

Looks like for the contemporary art establishment, Porter doesn't count because he photographed nature ?

2013-03-28 18:36:45 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 57 +1s)

The highlight of a visit to Yangoon, Myamnar is the Shwedagon Paya, possibly the most beautiful Buddhist pagoda in the world. It is a complex construction of ample proportions, topped by a great golden dome which rises 100m above its base and which has accumulated more than 50 tons of gold.

If you'd like to photograph this magical site at sunset, join me for a photo tour in Myanmar in January 2014: http://bit.ly/XarWQv

#travelthursday curated by +Laura Mitchum 

2013-03-27 21:03:17 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 55 +1s)

I haven't visited any of the five new national monuments designated on Monday, but as I was traveling through the Southwest last fall, I got word about Chimney Rock National Monument through a Sierra Club newsletter during one of the few times I got online during the two weeks. I made a quick stop there while traveling between Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde. Since they didn't have time to have a proper sign made, they deployed a cloth banner looking like an entrance sign.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/america/colorado/chimney-rock-national-monument/

2013-03-26 22:53:19 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 68 +1s)

The other large Bristlecone pine grove in Great Basin National Park is near Mt Washington. It is more spectacular than the Wheeler cirque grove because more open terrain and larger density of trees (both emphasized through the use of a telephoto lens) but more difficult to access (4WD road + off-trail hiking required).

#treetuesday (+Shannon S. Myers & +Christina Lawrie )
 
from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.great-basin.html

2013-03-25 20:00:09 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 74 +1s)

High above the desert, the South Snake Range forms a vegetated island protected by Great Basin National Park. In the rocky Wheeler cirque,
groves of Bristlecone pine trees - the oldest living things on earth, grow beneath an unlikely active glacier: http://bit.ly/Yu8W3h

My weekly National Parks photo spot for #nationalparksmonday   #landscapephotography #naturemonday

2013-03-24 18:53:29 (9 comments, 10 reshares, 107 +1s)

I've posted my third gallery of images of Taiwan, in which I explore scenery and temples around beautiful Sun Moon Lake: http://bit.ly/11qq1rB

2013-03-23 20:28:08 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 72 +1s)

Old houses and lanterns on Chinseng Lane at night. Lukang, Taiwan

#saturdaylightnight

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/asia/taiwan/lukang/

2013-03-22 17:30:03 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 59 +1s)

The Lost Palm Oasis is possibly the best of the relatively few day hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, leading in 7mi RT to a group of over 100 native California fan palm trees nested in a canyon. It's a good choice for a cloudy day, as you won't be baking in the sun, and the oasis will be easier to photograph in soft light.

If you've missed some of my other posts of this week, be sure to check them, as together they are my choice for top 5 photo spots in Joshua Tree National Park.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.joshua-tree.html

2013-03-21 18:14:21 (8 comments, 14 reshares, 146 +1s)

Barker Dam reservoir is an unexpected spot in the otherwise desert-covered Joshua Tree National Park. The reservoir is surrounded by interesting rock formations. For good reflections you need calm air, and the water to be in the shade, both conditions present at sunrise.

#thirstythursdaypics curated by +Giuseppe Basile +Mark Esguerra 

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.joshua-tree.html

2013-03-20 20:01:40 (0 comments, 7 reshares, 94 +1s)

The most spectacular overlook with panoramic views in Joshua Tree National Parks is at Keys Views, which is relatively quiet because a bit out of the way of the main park road.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.joshua-tree.html

2013-03-19 18:44:46 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 106 +1s)

Besides the namesake yuccas, Joshua Tree National Park is known for the granite boulders dotting the high Mojave Desert. You don't have to go far to find interesting ones: those are located right in the back of the Jumbo Rocks campground and best photographed at sunset as the low light help reveal the texture of the rocks and the warm color contrasts with the sky.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.joshua-tree.html

2013-03-18 19:40:12 (13 comments, 7 reshares, 142 +1s)

Joshua Tree National Park lies at the convergence of two deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado. Right at the transition zone, the The Cholla Cactus garden features the densest patch of the strange Cholla Cactus that I have seen so far: http://bit.ly/ItFeAe

My weekly National Parks photo spot for #nationalparksmonday   #landscapephotography #naturemonday 

2013-03-17 17:19:40 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Wordpress hacked

The blog page looks OK in RSS, on "view page source", downloading from wget, and from the admin page everything looks fine, but there appears to be a hidden redirect to a page saying "Hacked" that you will see if you click the link below.

Any pointers on how to fix/secure ?