Try Something New
When I first started my photography endeavor, I reached out to a local group that was providing professional pet portraits in order to help get the pets adopted. They seemed eager to have volunteers come in and help and I was told that they would get in touch with me when my services were needed. I never heard back from them. Of course I never followed up either as I was still trying to figure out where I wanted to devote my time.
A couple of months ago Forsyth Humane Society moved into a new building only minutes from my house. I decided it was time to at least volunteer if not also provide my photography services, if needed, for a good cause. The staff was very friendly and quickly reached out for help with some photos. As a photographer I was happy to help. As an urban and rural landscape photographer, I was a little worried about being able to provide a quality product.
Amelia
Some people think that a photographer is a photographer. However, most photographers tend to choose a type of photography based on their passion and focus on learning the skills necessary to produce high quality images in that field. That's not to say that a photographer can't be good at two different types of photography, say landscape and portraits or commercial and architecture, but merely that the more time spent in one field usually produces better results then spreading yourself over multiple fields. And with me, I had spent maybe all of 5 minutes photographing my dogs before being asked to contribute.
Marigold
My first visit to photograph the animals did not go that well. I went by myself and came away with only one image I was happy with. Lesson learned. Having someone that you can work with to the get the pets into the right area or look the right way or even hold still is pretty helpful. The second visit resulted in a number of photos that I was happy with since I had the help of my wife to coax the dogs into position. While I was happy with the shots I still have a long way to go to get the quality pet shots I think I can take. But most importantly I learned some new things about what it takes to get a good pet portrait; camera settings, processing and patience - a lot of patience. Also, while landscape is still my number one passion, portraits might be moving up the list! So go out and try something new. You never know, you might like it.
Rose
If you live in Forsyth County, NC or nearby please stop by the Forsyth Humane Society at 4881 Country Club Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 if interested in adopting a pet!
First Snow of 2017
With the first snowfall of 2017, I was finally able to take some photographs that I had envisioned for some time. The forecast was for 6-8 inches of snow with clearing skies around 12:00 pm. By the time I was able to leave the house the clouds had all but disappeared and left behind a brilliant blue winter sky. While I do love photographing landscapes with clouds most of the time I knew that snow covered landscapes also look wonderful with blue skies. The park was closed but they noted on their website that you could park outside the gates and hike in. The entrance is right off of Highway 52, about 20 minutes North of Winston-Salem, so getting there was not a problem even with 8-10 inches of snow. When I arrived at the gate I saw that the road leading up to the top had been plowed. This wasn't as great as I thought as I soon found out that 1) It was only plowed to the visitor center and, 2) all it did was remove the snow and leave the ice behind on the road. It seemed that the hike to the visitor center was more dangerous than the hike to the top of the park.
The total distance to the top was 2.6 miles uphill. Only about 0.5 miles had been plowed. Once I got to the section of the road that had not been plowed I found that someone had made the trip before me. While I really only wanted to be the only one up there, this was a blessing in disguise as it made the hike that much easier by following the footsteps in the snow. (I would later find out that the foot prints belonged to another local photographer who had made the hike and photographed the top before the clouds had cleared - and before anyone else had arrived).
Footsteps in the snow
The top was peaceful and exactly what I had envisioned, a winter wonderland with blue skies. To my surprise the bathrooms were open with the heat running. This turned out to be fantastic as it allowed me to warm up in between photographing. In the end I was happy that I was able to capture the photograph I envisioned.
Columbia River Gorge Workshop Recap
The Columbia River Gorge showcases large waterfalls, lush green forests and beautiful wildflowers. The river marks the boundries of two states with Washington to the north and Oregon to the south. All along the river photographic opportunities abound. Many of the waterfalls are only a short hike from the road making them very accessible.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge
20160422_JMS_ColumbiaRiver_0677_482Shepperd's Dell, Oregon
Shepperd's Dell, Oregon
Lush green forests surround the waterfalls providing a serene surrounding.
20160422_JMS_ColumbiaRiver_0893_465Wildflowers at Columbia Hills State Park, Washington
Columbia Hills State Park, Washington
If you time it just right, the fields of wildflowers are some of the best I have seen. For more of my images from this workshop click here. If interested in other workshops by Jennifer King Photography just click here to check out all the wonderful destinations listed for 2016.
South Carolina Beaches and Plantation Workshop Recap
20160409_JMS_Charleston_0903Dixie Plantation, South Carolina
Within an hours drive from Charleston, South Carolina, are some of the most photographed areas in the South. From beautiful beaches, flowering gardens to magestic plantations, this area provides many wonderful many photographic possibilities. The workshop included some of the more popular spots along with discovering some new ones.
Old Sheldon Church Ruins.
Botany Bay, Edisto Island
No trip to the area would be complete without a stop at Botany Bay on Edisto Island to photograph the trees on the beach. One of the smaller trees had sucumbed to the ocean, making it even more important to photograph the trees before they disappear entirely.
20160408_JMS_Charleston_0593Morning light at Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, South Carolina
Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC
Capturing the essence of the south is easy in the Charleston, SC area. For more of my images from this workshop click here. If interested in other workshops by Jennifer King Photography just click here to check out all the wonderful destinations listed for 2016.
Removing Flare From Your Photographs
20160216_JMS_ArchesCanyon_0243_367_371Mesa Arch at sunrise, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Have you ever taken a photograph directly into the sun only to get home and notice some weird alien looking globs on your photo? Well, what you have just experienced is called flare. Flare is a common phenomonon that happens when icluding a bright point of light, like the sun, in your photograph. Newer lenses are becoming more and more resistant to flare but I am not aware of any that can stop it completely. Some people like to leave it in the photograph and that is OK. Usually, however, I prefer to remove it from my photographs. Here is a simple technique I use to remove flare from my photographs. There are other ways to do this but I find this way is easy and produces excellent results with out having to resort to extensive photoshop techniques. Of course you could just photograph a scene with out a bright light source in it but what fun would that be!
20160216_JMS_ArchesCanyon_0243_Blog1
Origianl RAW photo with flare highlighted that I wish to remove
In the image above you can see the colored "Skittles" showing up in my original photo. They are bright and colorful and really distract the viewer from the beautiful scene. To remove them we need to take one more photo with the same exposure and then use a little photoshop magic to clean things up.
20160216_JMS_ArchesCanyon_0244
Origianl RAW file with finger covering the sun. Notice the absence of flare.
This is the second photo using the same exposure (using any mode other than Manual on your camera may require some adjustment to the exposure) as the original. The only difference is that I have used my finger to cover the sun. See any flare? Nope. Pretty cool, huh? The trick is to look at the original file and note where the flare is and try your hardest to place your finger where no flare occurs. Otherwise you will not be able to blend in the original scene (you would blend in your hand or finger which is not what you want to do). I think it goes without saying that it is easier done while using a tripod but with a strong hand it can be done without, but I don't recommend it.
Both photos layered in photoshop with a mask on the one with the finger covering the sun. Notice the small white dots where I have brushed in the areas where the flare occurred
Next you need to bring both photos into photoshop as layers in one document. Place the photo with your finger in it above the photo that you want to remove the flare from. Next highlight both layers and click on EDIT - AUTO-ALIGN LAYERS to align the layers. I am sure you used a tripod but even tripods move a little from frame to frame. Next add a black layer mask to the photo with the finger in it hidding the photo altogether. Then set your foreground color to white and select a soft brush about the size of the flare in the oginal picture with an opacity of 100%. Carefully paint on the layer mask where the flare is located and, presto, watch the flare disappear. Save your image in the format you like and you now have an image without flare.
I understand that some people that do not use photoshop often may have a little trouble with some of the instructions such as creating a layer mask or selecting foreground color or using brushes. If you do, please do not hesitate to email me with questions and I will be happy to assist you in creating the technique as described above.
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