Photos By RDD

We've Moved!

2007-03-25T00:02:00.000-04:00

I'm self hosting now. For the latest updates, articles and information, plus an archive of all the past articles and posts, visit me at http://rddeckerphotography.com/blog. See you there!

Wedding Photography: An Inside Look (Part 3)

2007-03-07T09:26:00.000-05:00

In the previous parts I've talked about the equipment and financial requirements of professional wedding photography. This time I'm going to attempt to describe the activities involved in shooting a typical wedding. For the puropose of this article, let's assume the wedding is at a hotel, with all activities taking place there.

While most weddings take place on Saturday the photographer's work has to start a day or two before. It is important to check that each piece of equipment is working properly, that batteries are charged and lenses cleaned. Then everything needs to be packed in an accessible manner.

The morning of the wedding, or the even before if the location is more distant, the photographer loads the gear and travels to the wedding location. I always, always plan on arrive 1/2 to 1 hour prior to the agreed time in case of car trouble, heavy traffic or other circumstances that might delay my arrival. Of course if I've never been to the particular venue I'll have produced directions via MapQuest of GoogleMaps the evening before. It's also helpful to use a GPS navigation system in case a detour is needed.

After arriving, hopefull early, I'll spend a little time "scouting" the location. I need to get a feel for the location and develop some ideas of where I need to be at key moments durint the day's events to capture the "must have" images. Also, if things are already set-up, this is an excellent time to make so detail photos.

At the agreed time I will meet with the bride and/or groom to shoot some "getting ready" shots. Depending on the couple's expectations my time may be nearly exclusiverly spent with the bride, or split fairly evenly. Either way there will be some hustling back and forth to insure adequate coverage of all the pre-ceremony activities.

Shortly before the ceremony I move to that location and set-up a tripod for camera 2. Camera 2 will be set-up with a long lens at the back of the room, usually on center aisle. Prior to the ceremony it will be set off to the side, then moved into place after the bride passes to walk down the aisle. I'll use a hand-held camera for mobility during the ceremony, passing by camera 2 to trip its shutter every few minutes. This provides some vareity in perspective and some insurance that usable photos from the ceremony will be made. I'll also take this time to check the lighting, make some decisions concerning aperature settings, and ISO. Now it's back to find the bride and grab some candids of the wedding party just before the ceremony begins.

As the wedding party enters I'll grab two or three shots of each, using on-camera flash. As soon as the bride reaches the alter I shut-off the strobe and reset camera 1 to shoot in the ambient. During the ceremony I'll work both sides and the center aisle, as well as using camerea 2 on the tripod. As the bride and groom start up the aisle I move camera 2 to the side, turn on the on-camera flash, make any necessary adjustments to ISO settings and blast away. (You got to move fast!).

Nearly everny bride will want some formal groupings shot following the ceremony. These may be done at the alter, or at some picturesque spot on site. Depending on the size of the wedding party and number of family members this portrait session will take between 20 minutes to an hour. For these shots I'll set-up a portable flash, sometimes two, on a light stand and bounced into an umbrella. Hurry getting everything set-up; the bride, groom and wedding party are anxious to get to the reception!

Following the formal shots I try to schedule a little "alone time" with the bride and groom. This is where the nice, soft romantic shots usually come from that has everyone oohing and ahhing. Depending on the couple, this session could be as short as 15 minutes to as long as an hour. The guests and wedding party will usually be enjoying cocktails during this time.

Ok, I've finished the formal shots, the "alone time," now I have to scoot ahead so I can catch the newlyweds as they make their entrance to the reception. I really need to get in ahead of them, determine and make any exposure adjustment that may be needed and be ready to shoot in a minute or two.

Depending on the wedding plans, they may do the first dance immediately upon entering the reception or it may come after meal time. During the meal I'll get a short period to swap batteries, recharge myself, and set-up off camera lights for the dance floor (if I haven't been able to sneak that in previously). As a general rule people don't like to be photographed while eating, so I try to avoid doing so.

Following the meal, and for the rest of the evening I'm running around trying to catch the bride, groom with their family and friends during those special moments. I'm on and around the dance floor capturing images of the celebration. And, of course, shooting the "must haves" such as the father/daughter dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc. Bascially I'm in motion from the moment I arrive on site until it's time for me to leave.

Following all this there is the drive home, or another night in a hotel. Then there's the hours of editing, post processing, backing up, up-loading and all the other things that have to be done to finish the job. (Maybe a "Part 4" will be upcoming!)

I hope this has provided some insight into the world of wedding photography. There really is more to it than just grabbing a few shots and cashing the check. There is a substantial investment of both time and money, a big level of responsibility that you don't blow someone's special day, and a lot of hard work involved.

Callie & Justin

2007-02-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

I met with Callie and Justin today to discuss the possibility of doing their wedding photography. What a fun and attractive couple. They still have a photographer or two to interview but I'm crossing my fingers. They just feel like a great couple to work with - fun, playful and spontaneous - just like my photography. Anyway, congratulations guys. It was a pleasure meeting you.

Congratulations Jennifer & Jessi

2007-02-11T16:31:00.000-05:00

Jennifer and Jessi, of Youngsville, North Carolina, are planning a beach wedding at the Atlantic Beach Sheraton, April 14, 2007. Their reception will follow afterwards inside the hotel. While meeting with them to discuss the photography for their wedding I snapped a couple shots of the happy couple. It's obvious that they'll make a very attractive couple and will be fun to work with. Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding Jennifer & Jessi.

Wedding Photography: An Inside Look (Part 2)

2007-01-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

In my previous post on this subject I focused on the photography gear required to properly do wedding photography. In this segment I'd like to focus on some of the requirements not directly related to photographic equipment but very important to operate legally, ethically and createively in the business.

While every location will have different requirements, to operate a business legally some kind of regisitration or licensing is likely required. In my home state, North Carolina, you need to be properly registered with the state in order to collect sales tax. Without this registration you cannot collect sales tax, nor remitt collected taxes to the state government. Conversely, if you sale tangible goods, such as prints, state law requires you collect sales taxes. Simply put you cannot conduct the business legally without meeting this requirement. Additionally, counites, towns, etc. will have licensing or permit requirements that must be met.

Another cost of doing business relates to basic liability insurance. Without professional liability insurance the photographer is taking a fairly big risk should something s/he does, or if an accident involving his/her equipment results in an injury while shooting an event. Additionally, some venues will not allow a photographer to work in their facility without proof of insurance.

Obviously in today's digital age a photographer needs a computer or computers to process the images they capture. The photographer will also need to be able to track business expenses, answer emails, create marketing materials and all the other little details involved in running a small business. Of course a computer is of little use without the correct software. A full featured photo editing software package will typically cost in the neighborhood of $1000.

The costs of doing wedding photoghraphy doesn't stop with office equipment, business licensing, insurance and software. You have to develop some kind of marketing plan, advertising materials and such. You'll almost have to have a website, probably could benefit from a blog, sample prints, brochures, business cars............... the list goes on and on. All of this takes time and money.

As you can see there are a lot of costs and requirments besides having the necessary photographic equipment to properly produce wedding photography. And I can assure you, I've only glossed over a few of the more obvious costs associated with the job. In "Part 3" I'll summarize what's involved in a typical wedding shoot from pre-even preparations to delivering the final product (Ok.. I may have to stretch this to 4 parts).

Bill and Anne Edwards, Novemeber 11, 2006

2006-11-23T18:08:00.000-05:00

Anne Kelly and Bill Edwards were joined in marraige November 11, 2006 at the lovely Aerie Bed & Breakfast, New Bern North Carolina. Anne and Bill are both such lovely people and were a pleasure to work with. The Aerie's owners and staff also were a joy to work with. I know that the couple was extremely pleased with the Inn and the hospitality of its staff. Located at 509 Pollock Street in New Bern's historic downtown area (and near its waterfront), for a nice weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, or if planning an intimate wedding, you couldn't go wrong with a stay at the Aerie.

The wedding took place in "The Carolina" room with Reverand Bonnie Compton preforming the ceremony. In attendance were members of both Bill's and Anne's families. For the reception the Aerie's staff provided a buffet that included cold-cuts on croissants, a variety of cheeses and cold vegtables, and cold boiled shrimp.

Cherity and Kennth, October 28, 2006

2006-11-08T23:37:00.000-05:00

Ever since she was a little girl Cherity had dreamed of riding off from her wedding in a horse drawn carriage. Her fiance, Kenneth Gurganous was just the man to make her dreams come true. A few days after her bridal portrait session (see Nurse Cherity and the Half-Naked Native) I received a call from Kenneth. He wondered if a) I could keep a secret and, b) would we be able to work a carriage ride into the wedding schedule. I was happy to give him a resounding yes to both questions. Making dreams come true, what a wonderful way to start a life together. Congratulations Kenneth & Cherity.

The wedding was held at the Saint Francis by the Sea Church, Indian Beach North Carolina. It is a beautiful location for a wedding. The interior of the church is simply gorgeous and the natural areas outside of it would be an excellent location for group portraits and shots of the newlyweds. Cherity, however, had other plans.

She really, really wanted wedding day photos taken at the beach. But the weather report for the weedend had been anything but promising for those plans. Luckily the sunshined for Kenneth and Cherity. Her chariot carried her to the near-by beach access where we took some lovely photos. I must apologize to the couple though. While intently working to set-up a shot I failed to notice a larger than average wave. Cherity laughed through the drowning and, with the help of her cheer, Kenneth was able to find the humor in it as well. Nothing like a loud "oh crap!" from your photographer as he runs backwards, camear clicking all the way.

The reception was also held at St. Francis by the Sea. Music was provided by T & L Karaoke Express. Catering by Macs. The wedding cake, one of the best I've ever tasted (and I've tasted a few) was made by Krissys' Dessert Creations of Cedar Point, NC. The couple's love for each other was apparent throughout the day. I know they'll enjoy many happy years together.

Wedding Photography: An Inside Look (Part One)

2006-11-02T18:51:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I wrote much about photography. While I love to show-case newlyweds and recently betrotheds, one of the goals of this blog is to talk a bit about photography. So, with that goal in mind, I thought I might write a bit about the profession of wedding photography.

Many amateur and student photographers seem to have the impression that wedding photography is easy money. The fact being that professional wedding photography is hard work and requires a significant investment. Lets explore the investment part first.

No matter how you look at it the beginning of a marriage is a significant event. As such, you cannot afford to take chances with recording it for the happy couple. What that means is, at a minimum, you need two quality camera bodies. (I carry a third camera just in case things go really, really far south).

In addition to a pair of cameras you need a complement of lenes to go with them. The "kit lens" you may have gotten when you purchased your camera isn't going to cut it either! Weddings tend to take place in venues with subdued lighting, and the reception hall will likely be darker yet. You need "fast" lenses capable of capturing crisp images in the worst of conditions.

Now some of you may be thinking that a decent flash will solve most of your low-light problems. While it's true a good flash (you'll need two actually) can bring bright light to a dark room, flash frequently isn't allowed during the ceremony. And, even if it is, most true professional photographers avoid using it during the main event out of respect for the ceremony.

Others may be of the "ambient light is better" school of thought. I hate to break this to you but wedding photography is more a matter of dealing with "ambient darkness." You're going to need a good flash and a good back-up flash at a minimum. Of course your artistic control will be pretty limited if you're stuck with on camera flash. Better add a couple of off-camera cords to your shopping list. And if you really want to get some interesting lighting during the first dance, group shots with interesting lighting, etc., you better plan on investing in a light stand, umbrella and some kind of portable light/flash fired by a radio remote.

Well that's it for Part One, a look at equipment. I'll do a Part Two sometime in the future and provide a look at the labor involved before, during and after the event. Until then, here's a list of minimum equipment requirements to keep in mind:

2 Quality SLR Camera Bodies
2 or more rechargeable batteries per body
1 Wide angle zoom or prime, f2.8 or faster
1 Mild telephoto zoom or prime, 2.8 or faster
1 Telephoto (300ish)zoom or prime. 4.0 or faster
Slower back-up lens for each of the above
Good quality tripod with ball-head
remote release (wired or wireless)
2 Quality Speed Lights capable of TTL with your cameras
3 changes of rechargeable batteries per flash
2 Off-Camera Cords
1 or 2 Flash Brackets
1 or 2 Modifiers for your flashes (I use Stofens)
1 Light Stand
1 Light Stand Adapter/umbrella holder
1 38" or Larger Umbrella
1 Manual flash or portable studio flash
Radio Remote flash controller (such as Pocket Wizard)
6 or 8 Large capacity Memory cards.
Misc. lens cleaning devices
Waistbelt system for carrying extra lenses and memory cards
Bag(s) for transporting all the above

Congrats Jennifer and Patrick

2006-10-24T20:21:00.000-04:00

My niece Jennifer is planning to wed Patrick June 23, 2007. During a recent visit to Indiana I had the pleasure of doing an imprompteau engagement session. (Wanna guess who'll be photographing the wedding?)

The photographs were shot at Muncie Indiana after Jenny got off of work. The park bench and graffiti shots were taken at Westside Park, along the White river. The shot against the yellow brick wall was taken in downtown Muncie, at the location of a former resturant on Walnut Plaza.

All the photos were taken with a Canon 20D camera, Sigma EX 15-30mm lens, and Sigma 500 DG Super flash. The flash was connected via an off-camera cord and hand-held to provide a bit more directional lighting.

Friday the 13th Wedding

2006-10-24T19:52:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Lindsey and Preston Mann. Friday the 13th has always been my lucky day and having the honor of sharing this ceremony only further proves it. The bride, groom and entire family were simply great to work with and to meet

Alon Morris, http://myspace.com/alonblog, was on hand to create a sketch of the wedding ceremony. This was a special treat that I hadn't seen done at a wedding before. From the looks of the preliminary drawing the results should be simply outstanding.

I'd also like to thank Lacy Gadwill of Ever After Photography, for refering Lindsey and Preston to me. If you're looking for a Charlotte North Carolina photographer be sure to contact Lacy.

Nurse Cherity and the Half Naked Native

2006-10-08T10:57:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Cherity capturing a series of bridal portraits for her. While shooting on Atlantic Beach a "native" beach walker noticed that the bride was without a groom. He walked up, asked if she need a "stand-in hunk" and I snapped a couple of shots. As you can tell by the photo, Cherity had a good laugh. A good sense of humor and willingness to have a little fun is something I always appreciate. The beach walker, Cherity, her friends and I all enjoyed this gentleman's antics. Shot with a Canon 20D, handheld, Sigma DG Super Flash.

Prior to the encouter with the "half-naked native, " we spent some time shooting in and around Fort Macon. There are a number of interesting nooks, crannies, rooms and corridors that make interesting settings for photos. For this shot I used a Vivitar 285 on a light stand and bounced into a 30" umbella to enhance the natural light entering the room from the left.

From Fort Macon we moved west to a Public Water Access park a mile or two down the road. Here we took a number of shots; Cherity on a swing-set, with the ocean in the background, with the fishing pier in the backgound, both before and at sunset. Cherity was a joy to work with and I'm looking forward to shooting her wedding at the end of October.

For this tightly cropped beach shot I shot in AV mode (aperature priority) using a Sigma 500 DG Super flash mounted on a camera bracket.

Sharon and Matt

2006-10-03T18:48:00.000-04:00

Congratulations Sharon and Matt! The Turner/Davis wedding was held on Atlantic Beach September 28, 2006. The wedding was hosted by Visions Concierge & Event Planning/Nautical Nuptials. Music for the wedding and reception was provied by Art Dearing, Twin Spin DJ Service; (www.twinspindj.com).

I met with Sharon at the Hampton in, Morehead City NorthCarolina, a few hours prior to the wedding. While at the hotel I snapped a few preparation shots of the bride and her nieces. I also had the opportunity to introduce myself to Matt. From there I drove over to the Utopia complex at Atlantic Beach to grab some pre-event shots and set-up to photograph the ceremony.

Following the ceremony we captured group shots of the happy couple with their family members, then escaped for a little while for Bride & Groom only shots. Following the fun and romance session Sharon and Matt joined their guests on the balcony of Utopia 2 for the reception. The bride and groom were a pleasure to work with. Both were very open to experimenting with different ideas in order to capture a few unique images. Thank you Matt and Sharon for allowing me to share your day.

Linzie and Kevin

2006-09-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

Linzie Derrick and Kevin Knots married of Labor Day weekend. I had the pleasure of covering their rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and wedding over the weekend. Linzie has a sparkling personality and uncanny ability to become camera aware just before the shutter snaps.

The wedding was held at the Sheraton Hotel, New Bern, North Carolina. It was a beautiful affair. Tropical Storm Earnesto had threatened the area, but moved through on Thursday clearing the way for a lovely outdoors wedding.
A great time was had by all. Congratulations Kevin & Linzie.

Playing Catch up.

2006-08-23T09:03:00.000-04:00

The last time I tried to update my blog it wouldn't let me upload photos. I got so aggrivated by fighting with it that I gave up! I even kind of filed the blog in the back of my mind and didn't think about trying to update it for the longest time. Well this morning I thought about it and decided it was time.

It's wedding season now, and I've been shooting my share. I thought I'd share a few marketing pieces I've been working on using photos from recent weddings. This will give me a chance ot share some new photography with you, and perhaps even generate a little feedback about the work.

The first image is a postcard featuring a "getting ready" shot from a Durham North Carolina wedding at the RTP Hilton. The Bride, groom and both families were absolutely wonderful. So often receptions end-up being quiet, boring affairs. But not this one. Not only did nearly every guest dance, most could dance really, really well. Congratulations Jennifer and Jarod. Wedding planning by Carlee Cash

The next two pieces are from an Atlantic Beach North Carolina wedding. Following the ceremony and usual group shots the bride and groom walked down to water's edge for some shots with the ocean in the background. After fininshing the shots we turned and started to walk back towards the parking area with me in the lead. From behind me I heard, "Scott! Don't do something like that without warning me!" When I turned to see what the commotion was I discovered that the groom had picked-up his bride. I snapped a few shots of the romance that followed.

Scott works for a NASCAR race team, as did several of the wedding guests. Their reception, at the Sandbar in Beaufort, NC, was ceratinly anything but boring. You can check-ou their slideshow at: http://rddeckerphotography.com/wedgalleries.html. Wedding by Visions Concerige/Nuptials by the Sea, Atlantic Beach NC. Reception was held at the Tiki Bar, The Sandbar at Taylor Creek Marina, Beaufort NC.

The next sample is from a wedding in Selma North Carolina. Jason and Letanja were married in a country church with their reception held in thier lovely wooded yard next to their home. The ceremony was actually a reaffirmation of their vows from a prior civil ceremony in the winter. They were certainly two of the nicest people you could ever meet. Sharing their special day was both a pleasure and an honor.

I hope you enjoyed this excercise in catching up. Since the system seems to be allowing me to post photos again, I'll try to update the blog more often.

It's GOYA Friday!

2006-03-08T19:51:00.000-05:00

As is often the case, I shot GOYA Friday on Wednesday. Just happens to be the day I usually have open. For this weeks edition I drove over to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Even though the temperature was in the low sixities, and the wind was blowing strong, a few brave souls were out enjoying the sunshine, visiting the beach-side bars and taking life easy.

I especially found the young man with the hat and glasses interesting. Using a frisbee he'd dug a, (shall I say it?), "fox hole" for three young ladies to be able to get out of the wind and still be able to enjoy the sun. When I asked him if I could take a couple of shots he was busy digging a shelter for himself.

There were a few folks sitting along the boardwalk engrossed in reading. Using the rear of one building and the side of another they escaped the wind and were able to catch a few rays and keep the pages of their books under control. Not a bad way to spend a day.

I noticed a couple of girls pull into the parking lot and walk to the playground area. One climbed the jungle-jim set and posed while the other took a picture. I figured what the heck? As long as she's posing I might as well grab a shot as well.

I'm not sure if the Marine was returning from deployment, or if his detachment took a wrong turn on thier way to the port to head out. Regardless, he came out of a coffee shop on the boardwalk and walked hurriedly back to the rest of his group.
And finally this little feathered fellow was intent on exploring the contents of an unoccupied blanket.

The folks who owned the stuff had walked down to the water's edge and left it unattended. He would walk around it, looking intently. Stop and look around to see if anyone was near. Move in a little closer and repeat. Finally he pecked at one of the drinks and knocked the cup over. It was quite entertaining.

That's it for now. Comments always welcome. If you own a camera, don't forget to GOYA yourself. And be sure to checkout the "official" GOYA site: UsedFilm.com.

Scott and Hanna

2006-03-08T19:27:00.000-05:00

I spent a little time with Hanna and Scott Sunday morning. They're planning a July wedding, on
the beach at sunset. (Now that's gonna be absolutely beautiful!) The couple wanted to meet with me to discuss doing a Bridal Portrait session for them and possibly wedding photography. While we were there I offered to shoot a few engagement type shots for them to use for samples. The wind was howling, chill in the air, poor Hanna was shivering in almost no time. We went inside Paddy's Resturant, next to the Swansboro Bicentenial Park, to grab coffee and hot chocolate to shake off the cold. While sitting across the table from Scott and Hanna I "sniped" a few candid shots. Ambient light, low iso, slow shutter speed, but kind of interesting I think. Motion blur and camera shake can sometimes make a photo, just as blur and soft focus can break a photo. In this case I think it gives it an editoral feel. If you're curious about the results from the actual shoot check out Engagement Photo Gallery

Linzie & Kevin (+ GOYA Friday)

2006-03-03T21:33:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Linzie and Kevin of Indian Trial NC.
They will be wed in New Bern, September 02, 2006. I had the pleasure of meeting them today and took the opportunity to capture a few engagement style photos. Sunsetting over the Nuese...... Sailing Yachts, Power Yachts and a couple in love...... a recipe for romance!

Sky Witch in the Studio: Day Late GOYA

2006-02-25T23:46:00.000-05:00

Sky Witch, "the new face of old metal," is back in the studio working on a new album. The German underground music scene can't seem to get enough of last year's EP release. The new material is bound to only feed the fire.

So what do they sound like? Whadda mean "the new face of old metal... like they play all 80's covers? The play original material with a sound reminisent of 80's "Hair" bands. Regardless of your favorite, Def Leppard..... Guns N Roses...... Motely Crue......, you'll likely hear riffs and solos that satisifies your thirst for
rockin' metal. Slippery wet leads, crunchy rifs, thumping bass lines.... they've got it all in there. But why not just check them out for yourself at the Sky Witch website.

So what about the photos? I spent the day hangin' with the band at the studio. Tried to capture a feel for the recording experience...... put in some suggestions on arrangements.... even laid down a keyboard track on one of the new pieces. I'm sure I added to the challenge of laying down a clean track by popping my strobe off in their faces while they played. Yet no one complained and the musical results are simply awesome!

So here it is, GOYOA Friday + one day. Hope y'all enjoy it.

Rock -n- Roll Patrons: A Study in Black & White

2006-02-24T18:21:00.000-05:00

These are from a shoot at Kings Barcade in Raleigh North Carolina last month. You can find more, including shots of the bands at KingsJan06.

GOYA Friday: Fun with texture

2006-02-17T17:45:00.000-05:00

This is a bit of a change..... I actually shot GOYA Friday on Friday! Will wonders never cease. I decided to have a little fun with items around the house/property that might have interesting textures. Basically two subjects were shot: 1) Some old sheetmetal siding on an outbuilding that as been painted with silver paint, and suffered from some rust. (Technical data: Canon 20D, 50mm 1.8 lens, various ISO and F-stop settings & shutter speeds.) Hope you enjoy.

Cedar Point Tideland Trail "GOYA"

2006-02-09T19:55:00.000-05:00

For this week's "GOYA" I decided to try and capture some images of the Great White Egrets that hang out along the Cedar Point Tideland Trail, near Cape Cartert. The trail is part of the Croatan National Forest and is "novice friendly." Both the "Long" and "Short" trails are gravel covered and wide enough to accomodate most wheelchairs. Bridges span the wet areas.

While the trail makes for easy access, Egrets, Blue Herons and other shore birds are quite spooky. Attempting to approach them closely is an excecise in patience. This is particularly true considering that moving quitely on a gravel covered path is next to impossible. One technique is to walk in as quitely as possible, moving slowly, stopping frequently, and find where the birds are working. Then sit on a bridge in that area and wait. The birds will usually return after about 15 to 30 minutes as long as you sit still and stay quiet. Then while shooting you can use the bridge railings to help steady your camera. There are also a number of benches situated along the trail. They're usually placed in "birdy" areas. Another option is to choose a bench, take a seat and wait to see what appears.

I don't wear any kind of camo for this kind of shooting. I do, however, wear "earth tones" such as tan, khaki, green, etc. Avoid bright colors because, if my understanding is correct, a lot (maybe most/all) birds are not color blind. My typical outfit would be a pair of cargo style pants, long sleeve shirt, photo vest, hiking or athletic shoes, a cap/hat. In the warmer months be sure to add insect repellant to your wardrobe.

A "long" lens is a must for these shots. I used my Canon 20D digital SLR camera, with a Sigma 70 - 300mm, f 4/5.6 zoom lens for the bird shots shown here. Frankly a longer lens would be even better. I used the exposure control function to underexpose 1/3 to 1 stop, trying to avoid blowing out the highligts on these white birds. Honestly I needed to underexpose even more. ISO was set to 100, time of day 11:00 AM to around 1:00 PM. Not the best time of day for outside photographs
due to the harsh, high sun. For the shot of the trail and salt marsh I used a Tokina 19 - 40mm, f 3.5 zoom lens.

So how close to the birds did I get? For the second and third shot shown here I was within about 25 or 30 feet of the bird. I was probably about 100 to 200 feet away for the "flight" shot. Hope you enjoyed the series.

GOYA Febuary 03, 2006

2006-02-02T19:35:00.000-05:00

GOYA: Get Off Your A........ well you get the picture.

GOYA Fridays were the brain child of talented Atlanta Photographer, Zack Arias. Specializing in music photography be sure to checkout Zack's galleries at his website - usedfilm.com. You can find his blog with his GOYA's and other interesting shots and thoughts at killthefill.com

A number of photographers that hang out in a certain photography forum have been participating. The basic idea is to get out once a week and shoot something you wouldn't normally shoot. (As you'll see below, this is definately not something I'd usually attempt!) The goal being to create something you'd be proud to see hanging in your local coffee shop, bearing your name. In my "entry" for last week I suggested that "it depends on the coffee shop." (See the Ashes to Ashes, Rust to Rust post for last weeks photos). Well, I suspect it would take a very unusual coffee house to hang these... but hey! There could be one out there.

For this week's GOYA, I'd headed over to Beaufort North Carolina's waterfront in hopes of grabbing some "street photography" of tourists. Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the "season" and the weather wasn't particularly "looky-lou" friendly. Driving around this historic seaport I passed the "Old Burial Grounds," a popular tourist "haunt" (pun intended) believe it or not. Being aware that someone had actually produced a coffee table book of photos taken in the grounds, I decided to give it a shot. For those not familiar with Beaufort's "Old Burying Grounds," in it rests remains of soilders/sailors from the American Revolution, the "War of Northern Agression," (hey, I have to live here) and World War II. There are also graves of civilians, seamen, and vicitims of shipwrecks along our coast. It is a very historical and unusual place. (Oh, and if you happen across this Nick - this is for you, buddy).

Ashes to Ashes, Rust To Rust

2006-02-02T19:05:00.000-05:00

I'd started out on the Nusiok Trail near it's trailhead on Millcreek Road. I had expected to shoot photos of birds, plants or landscapes, but instead stumbled upon this abandoned junk heap. I found it a bit unsettling to realize that most of the cars and trucks here had been built, used and junked in during my lifetime. Perhaps more startling was the revelation of how quickly nature reclaims her own.......... Ashes to ashes, rust to rust.