I’ve been a GoPro fan since they introduced their fish-eye lens—and particularly since the Hero2 intro—when I thought the quality was good enough to actually buy one. The wide-angle, distorted view of the GoPro perfectly captures the essence of the POV (point-of-view) video action cam. The Hero3 Black Edition—in many ways 2x better than the […]
Photo Tip: Microsoft ICE for panoramas ____ 2013/09
For Windows users—Vista, XP, Windows 7 or 8—Microsoft ICE (Image Composite Editor), version 1.4.4, generates single or multi-row panoramas with a speed and accuracy that leaves Photoshop eating dust. It’s a free, no-frills, stand-alone application. I downloaded it last month after having some difficulty with Elements 10’s Photomerge Panorama. Re-loading Elements 10, as well as […]
More Deep Trouble
In July, Sea Kayaker Magazine published a second volume to Deep Trouble, which was a treasure trove of sea kayaking accidents and lessons learned by authors Matt Broze, George Gronseth and Sea Kayaker editor Chris Cunningham, still timely today. Sixteen years later, More Deep Trouble is now available at Sea Kayaker Magazine or at Amazon. […]
Photo Tip: Road Less Traveled ____ 2013/04
A good route to success in outdoor photography is finding a niche that you love. Find your passion; focus like a laser. Be a big fish in a small pond. My particular niche is sea kayaking. As a vehicle, the sea kayak transports a photographer to unique photo ops, sometimes just a stone’s throw out […]
Backpacking Photography Gear 2013/01
I’ve written thrice about backpacking (Ultralight Backpacking and Photography, Backpacking and Photography Re-visit, Light-Weight Backpacking and Photography), all pointed at ultra-lightening the backpack gear. The goal is to safely reduce pack weight to ease the burden of carrying a dSLR, lenses and tripod. And it works. Ultralight backpacking is a photographer’s godsend. Ultralighting gets us […]
Photography Field Preparation: Columbia Gorge ____ 2012/11
Last week we photographed at Eagle Creek in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, a shutterbug bucket-list location that shows phenomenally well in the fall. The Columbia Gorge is slot canyons Northwest, a mesmerizing, choreographed symphony in black, yellow and green. As with any photo shoot, photographing here requires preparation. Study the area, look at photos on-line, and […]
Ultralight Backpacking and Photography ____ 2012/01
Making room for camera gear: More backpacking ideas for pack, footwear, stove, water, food, misc. This month (December) was about planning for next year, and part of the 2012 plan is quicker and lighter backpack trips. I won’t compromise on photography, so the Canon 5D II, an adequate tripod and a trim list of accessories […]
Photo Tip: Look Thrice; Shoot Once ____ 2011/10
Photographing Wildflowers I reviewed some wildflower scenics from my August, 2011, Olympic National Park shoots and was once again reminded of the old carpenter maxim “measure twice, cut once”. The low cost of shooting digital removes the cost barrier to shooting, shooting, shooting. Why not make dozens of shots? Surely some will succeed. I get […]
Expedition Critique
“Old wisdom says, ‘Find out what you did wrong and never do it again.‘ New wisdom says, ‘Find out what you did right, so you can be sure to do it again.‘ The old way suggests moving ahead while looking back over your shoulder. The new way suggests moving forward by finding safe footholds and […]
Expedition Trip Photography Plan, Part II—the Photo Plan ___ 2011/04
Some photographers travel to shoots without researching the site. The idea is to have “no preconceptions”, I suppose, or to look at scenes as they unfold with “fresh eyes”. I like the idea of “no preconceptions”, but I think the more you know about a place the better prepared you are, and the better you […]