I photographed Pileated Woodpeckers at a couple of nest sites in June. Both were in deep woods, with no possibility for sunlit images, with skylight overhead filtered through the leaves of Bigleaf Maple. The crow-sized birds chisel out a new nest each spring, 15-70 feet up (Peterson), and—in Northwest second-growth city parks—often in Alder snags. […]
Bird Photography Month
For serious enthusiasts, bird photography is an all year endeavor. Always there’s something to photograph. Opportunities change with the seasons, local weather, bird plumage and migration. In the north, though, a particular month stands out. It’s a month when bird photography crescendos, when activity peaks, when opportunities are so numerous you simply can’t do them […]
Photo Tip: Reflected Light in Outdoor Photography ___ 2013/05
Bounce light into shadows to add fill or extend the photographic day I’m not much of a fan of outdoor flash photography. I find it cumbersome to carry a multiple flash system, and I’m generally unhappy with results from a single strobe. If flash looks necessary for a backlit bird, I’ll seek a different angle, […]
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 […]
WordPress based website launched
Yesterday I launched the new-look garyluhm.net website using WordPress instead of the hand-coding I’ve done in the past. It’s the first upgrade since 2005, and a major step up. Most of the old pages have been re-directed. I hope this doesn’t cause any confusion. The WordPress draft site began just a month ago. Overall, it’s […]
Photo Tip: Foreground Elements _____ 2013/03
In the field, I often stalk through a potential photo op with the viewfinder glued to my eye, seeking just the right composition or perspective. If I plan well, I’m scouting before the light gets good—in the afternoon for a sunset shot, or the day before for the sunrise. What I’m scouting for is foreground. […]
Lightroom 4 Spot Removal Tool Tutorial ____ 2013/02
I had an excellent photo op last spring: a flicker nest only fifteen feet above the ground, with a clear view, and just two miles from home. Because I was wary of disturbing the skittish birds, I photographed just a few times, in good light only, for periods no longer than an hour. Each visit […]
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 […]
2012 Favorite Images Critique ____ 2012/12
At the start of 2012 I added three new cameras: Canon 5D Mark III, Canon G1 X w/housing, GoPro Hero2. I also added a new lens, a Rokinon 24mm f/1.4. The 5D III’s improved autofocus gave me more bird photography keepers; the G1 X, a magazine cover shot (Sea Kayaker, Dec. 2012). The GoPro—a POV […]
Gopro Hero2 and WiFi Remote Review, Sea Kayaker, December, 2012
I review the GoPro Hero2 camera and WiFi Combo Kit (Backpack plus Remote) in the December, 2012 issue of Sea Kayaker magazine. The GoPro Hero2 is a tiny, waterproof videocam, the market leader in POV cameras. The wrist-mount WiFi Remote adds flexibility of use and efficiency, using a screen that’s identical to the Hero2 LCD. […]