Close up

Close up image of a pencil tip. I can not emphasize the importance of lighting. It makes no difference what camera brand you use. Lighting is the language of photography. Learn all you can about it. Learn to read it, see it and understand it. Without it you have no image. This macro was made better because it was lit properly. The subject is lit well with shape and dimension and it stands out from the background for separation. Learn and practice your lighting skills as often as you can and your photography will improve tremendously.

Macro Photography

I started doing some macro photography. I am using a Raynox 250 video lens on a nikkor 28-105 mm lens. When shooting macros it is very important to light your subject properly. The raynox lets me be far enough away from my subject ( 6 in. ) to get light on it. The images above of some Irish coins ( 20 pence, 50 pence, one shilling )were lit with one sb-800 speedlight from camera right.

Nuthatch

Welcome to the new year. I hope your holiday season was joyous and safe. I took these images of a nuthatch at Goat Island over the holiday break. Isolate your subject for the best results when shooting birds. In these I used a long lens at 200mm to compress the backgrounds and add blur. This separates my subject from the background and makes the nuthatch stand out.

Today in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle , Wendy and I decided we'd had enough and took a relaxing ride to Goat Island. We stopped at the parking area by the three sister's island and fed the birds. We had all kinds of varieties come down and feed right from her hand. I was hoping a cardinal would come in close but no such luck. It was fun to watch them and we had a great time.

Birding... for the fun of it.

Birds make interesting and beautiful subjects. I shot this cardinal yesterday. Such a magnificent bird. This male decided to come closer and check me out. Maybe looking for some food or just checking to see if I was a threat. Either way he was close enough to capture these wonderful images of him. By intentionally blurring out the background it gives my subject good separation and adds dimension to my image. Click on image to enlarge.

Happy Holidays

Season's Greetings from The Portrait Gallery. Photoshop isn't just for photos anymore. I made this card entirely from scratch in photoshop. Adobe tools allow you to use your imagination with no limits. It is such a fascinating program to use. The Portrait Gallery will be closed December 24th til Jan. 02, 2009 for the holidays and maintenance shut down. If you are planning ordering prints and need them for Christmas you better get your orders in soon. The dead line is December 22. Please have a happy and safe holiday season. Thank you for all your business. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years.

Congratulations to...

Steven McGinnis and Cynthia Sweney announcing their engagement and plan a June 2009 wedding. They came in for portraits and had a great time. A fun couple and definitely in love. We will be looking forward to shooting their wedding.