Tag Archives: sunset

Revisit and Revive the Old

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Need something to do but want to be productive?  Revisit your old files and take a fresh look at them.  Perhaps you missed an interesting image or, it just wasn’t edited right. Here are three images that I shot in 2012 back in Kansas, where I grew up.  _DSC9612 This one I particularly like.  I missed originally that it was sitting in a pocket of light shining through the trees.  Once I started working on the file I also saw the subtle pink and magenta tone sitting in the low laying clouds.  _DSC9604I was stoked.  I’ve shot thousands of images from Kansas over the years and many views get a repeated look.  Different times of the year, different times of the day.  You never know where that special light will occur, or if it’s already in your images.  Revisit….

 

My website:  www.zwink.com  Techy stuff:  post production in Adobe Lightroom 5.

Aloha and Mahalo

Kauai_JDZ_043ALOHA:

Everyone should have their own special place.  Even though Patti and I have done a fair amount of traveling Kauai is ours.  It is where we go to refresh our bodies, physically and mentally.  During the year we get caught up in the rat race, the day to day reality.  Pressure to perform, meet goals and expectations slowly build up and affect who we are.  Time for a break.  You don’t need to run off to Hawaii, but we do.

MAHALO:

Being on the island helps us refocus, relax and regain clarity.  There is a feeling of the beauty that nature is sharing through the lush tropical landscape, cascading waterfalls, the myriad of hidden beaches and the power of nature as the north swell arrives increasing the waves from 1-3 feet to often over 10 feet.  Kauai has been our home away from home for over twenty year.  We always find or have a new experience.  I return to San Diego more centered ready to share my refreshed vision.  Mahalo Kauai.

Kauai_JDZ_002 Kauai_JDZ_065  Kauai_JDZ_023Kauai_JDZ_013

techy stuff:  Nikon D810 camera with a 14-24, 24-70 and a 70-200 lens with a 1.4 convertor.  Images processed in Adobe Lightroom 5.

Been there, Done that?????

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Have you?  Have you been to that place more that once where you start to shoot the same photos the same way?  STOP……. don’t go into autopilot.  You know what works, now look for something different.  Whether a different angle, different lens, different time of day or a new technique, explore it.  Dare to be different, that how you become better.  Don’t go home with the same or similar images.  STIMULATE YOUR VISION!!!

Techy stuff:  camera-Nikon D800 and Nikon D600.  Lenses Nikkor 14-24 and 70-200.  Processed in Adobe Lightroom 5.  Locaton, Macksville, Kansas, population aprox. 500.

More of my work:  http://zwink.com

Image taker or maker

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Which are you?  I am a Image Maker.  Even with my iPhone (yes I admit I have and use one) I think before I hit the shutter.  I think that is the difference.  Good Image Makers, aka photographers and videographers think and don’t just react to a scene, situation or event.  Another good qualifier is to look at a body of images and see if they make sense.  Yes, make sense, do they tell  the story or stimulate a response?  So…… even if you’re an amateur next time, look and compose before you take that picture.  Happy shooting…

Techy stuff:  All images shot at Sunset at Mission Beach, Ca. with a Nikon D3 and processed in LightRoom3.

Catching the Storm

Woods Pond 2

SINGLE IMAGE HDR:

HDR photography is not always a product of three to seven separate images.  Nor does it have to be overdone to loose the effect and value of the hdr.  The image above was taken during a visit to my home town in Kansas.  Having been there previously I knew there was the likelihood of a potential nice landscape image at sunset, not to mention a high probability of catching a fish or two.

Shortly before this image was captured on a nearby field they started burning some native brush.  This gave the perception of a gathering storm and gave texture to the sky.  As I was ready to start shooting the big fish struck.  My host Glen quickly came over to reel in the fish.  With a slight reposition to the right I was able to capture this image as the fishing rod was bent over lined up with the cloud formation from the fire.

In postproduction I brought the files into Lightroom.  I made two virtual copies and then adjust them to give three distinct images for the highlights, midtones and the shadow detail.  After merging them and adjusting them in Photomatix we had the sunset, fishing shot and a thank you print for my host.

My other work can be viewed at: www.zwink.com