I don’t expect anyone to feel sorry for me.  I live in Moab.  I can be in Arches National Park in 15 minutes, Canyonlands in 45 minutes.  Indeed, life is good.  And yet, I often find myself off in LaLa Land daydreaming about places that aren’t, well…Moab.  It’s my Mom’s fault.  I inherited her wanderlust.

It leads me to wonder if all photographers have wanderlust in their hearts.  No matter how photographically awesome our hometown, are we always dreaming of life somewhere else?  Jackson, Bend, Missoula, Bishop, Taos, Bellingham…the list goes on.

In the middle of a Moab summer, with the temperature soaring, I find myself wishing we lived in Jackson or Missoula.  I’d be at the Tetons or Glacier, frolicking in wildflowers and hiking to alpine lakes.

When fall rolls around my mind wanders off to Durango, or maybe Ouray.  Yellow aspens stretch as far as the eye can see with jagged mountains towering overhead dusted in the first snow of the season.  Oh yes, I would fill memory cards daily.

If only we lived in Bishop, I’d be out photographing the Sierra’s and bouldering in the Alabama Hills.  No wait, I’d rather be in Bend.  I’d snowshoe into the Cascades every winter and photograph waterfalls in the spring.  Oh, oh, oh…Bellingham!  I could escape to the North Cascades or Mt. Rainier, where I’d backpack the Wonderland Trail and photograph The Mountain from every angle.

I lived in Phoenix for 18 years.  I moved away from the Sonoran Desert in 2002 – three years after developing a passion for photography.  How many images do you think I made of stately saguaros and rugged desert peaks during that 3 years?  Probably about a dozen.  I was too busy wandering off to the Rockies or the Cascades, or taking road trips to anywhere else.  I didn’t realize just how good I had it there in Phoenix.  The Superstitions and Picacho Peak were so close I could shoot sunset and be back home in time for dinner.  But no, I’d spend all my time at home dreaming of fabulous trips to non-Phoenix locations instead of taking advantage of all the amazing-ness that surrounded me. 

And now, I’m here in Moab.  Canyon Country.  Two national parks, a state park and over 2 million acres of wild and rugged BLM land all waiting to be explored literally right outside my door.  World class?  You bet.  I do still daydream and I do road trip elsewhere at every given opportunity.  However, I don’t take for granted that I live in Moab.  I get out regularly and when I detect that I’m getting bored, I start seeking out local places you don’t find in the tourist brochures.

What’s the moral here?  I’m really not certain.  I guess if there is one, it’s that no matter where you live, there will always be some place cooler.  And, if we keep our minds open we can always find and photograph the beauty that surrounds us.  We just need to look for it.

When it comes to finding my way around the digital darkroom I’m a little on the lazy side.  I don’t mind doing things the hard way if the hard way is the only way.  But when an easy way exists it’s a pretty sure bet I’m gonna take it, so long as the results are at least as good as those gained from doing things the hard way.  Such is the case with black and white image conversions done using Nik Silver Efex Pro.

I started using Photoshop in 2002.  In the 8 years since I’ve converted a few color images to black and white.  Some turned out well, others not so well.  Okay, they sucked.  As Photoshop, and now Lightroom, have progressed it has become easier to do conversions with the built-in tools.  Even so, the results I’m getting with Silver Efex Pro are far better.  Remember that part about how I like things to be easy?  Well, Silver Efex Pro is pretty much idiot proof once you watch the free video tutorials on the Nik website.

Enough chatter.  Here’s what I like about Silver Efex Pro:

• Film types – Waaaaaaaay back before digital capture we used this stuff called film.  Photographers were weird about film.  We all had our favorite films, in both color and black and white, and we used them religiously.  Silver Efex Pro has a library of black and white film types that includes 18 popular films.  Mouse over a film type and you see an instant preview of your image as if it were photographed on that film.  When you find one you like just click on it to select it.  Cool!
• Here’s where things get super duper interesting.  Let’s say you select a film and you mostly like the results, but you’d like more or less grain, more or less contrast, a vignette, or a brighter or darker image globally or locally.  No problem!  All of this and more can be accomplished within Silver Efex Pro, making it easy for you to quickly customize your black and white image.
• Remember using colored filters with black and white film to darken skies or brighten foliage?  No?  Me either.  But, Silver Efex Pro includes a selection of filters that digitally create a similar effect.  With film if you didn’t like the effect you didn’t find out about it until after you processed the film, which resulted in wasted time and money.  With Silver Efex Pro if you don’t like the result, just de-select the filter and you’re right back at square one.

Those are the technical bullet points.  From a less technical, more emotional standpoint, what I really like about Silver Efex Pro are the results.  As I’ve mentioned, I’ve never been all that good at conversions.  It was an area of the digital darkroom where I was certainly deficient and that’s a bummer because I thoroughly enjoy good black and white photography.  With Nik Silver Efex Pro, I can now enjoy my own good black and white photographs.

What don’t I like about Silver Efex Pro?  Honestly, I haven’t found anything I don’t like.  It’s intuitive, it works and the results speak for themselves.  It’s just a solid piece of software that does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

UPDATE: I had to call Nik regarding a minor issue I had with the software download at purchase.  I expected the typical tech customer service nightmare.  What I got was a friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful person on the end of the line who resolved the issue within minutes.  Say what?  Yeah, good customer service from a tech company!

Wanna see some black and white images created with Silver Efex Pro?  Okay…see below.

I have no affiliation with Nik Software.  I’m just a happy customer.  There are lots of us, too.  If you’re one of ‘em, or even if you aren’t, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts about Silver Efex Pro.

Hasselblad recently unveiled their spankin’ new, 40 megapixel medium format digital camera that retails for, are you ready for this - $19,995.  Yes, you read that right.  The Hasselblad H4D-40 costs $20,000.  Oh, but it does come with a viewfinder and an 80mm lens. 

I suspect that I’m a lot like the everyman.  I don’t have an extra $20,000 lying around.  But reading the press release did get me thinking.  No, it got me daydreaming.  What would I do if I had an extra $20,000 to blow on whatever the hell I wanted?

I would gather up my lowly Canon 5D MKII and all my lenses.  I would buy some extra memory cards, pack up my laptop and all my hiking gear and hop the first plane to Patagonia.  I would spend weeks trekking in Torres del Paine, making ridiculous photos of ridiculous mountains in ridiculous weather.  When I got tired of that, I’d head over to the Himalaya for a few weeks on the trans-Himalaya trail.  I’d eat Top Ramen and choke down yak butter tea so I could stretch that $20,000 as far as humanly possible.  I think I’d spend some time in Iceland.  And New Zealand.  And Alaska.  Maybe the Canadian Rockies.  I’d make thousands of stunning photos of far away places so that, when the $20,000 ran out, I could return home and write a book about the experience filled with all my photos.  And then I’d sell that book to make more money to travel to even more far away places.  And the cycle would repeat itself.

Now, I’m a married guy and a new Dad so we all know that even if I did have that kind of spare change sitting around I wouldn’t wander off to the far reaches of the world.  I love my wife and son way too much to be without them for such a long time.  But it was fun to escape reality for a few minutes and enjoy all those far off places visited in my daydream.

Now I ask: If you had an extra $20,000 dollars, what would you do?  Buy a new medium format digital camera?  Travel the world?  Donate it to me so I could take my family along on the adventure?   What photographic dreams would you make a reality?  Be imaginative, have fun and enjoy the trip!

Candlestick Tower in Fog

I recently re-read a blog post written by my good friend Guy Tal, titled “Visualization (aka Postprevisualization)”. Guy is a nature photographer and writer based in the tiny town of Torrey, Utah.  Actually, it really isn’t accurate to call Guy a “nature photographer and writer”.  He is both of those things.  But his talent for both is on a level so far above that which most of us will ever reach simply calling him a “photographer and writer” may well be the understatement of the decade.  He is also one of the most humble, passionate, compassionate, articulate, giving and just downright genuine people you’ll ever meet.  I kind of hope he never reads this because if he does, he probably won’t be all that happy with me for gushing about him for all to read.  Sorry, Guy!  I’m in kind of a reflective mood so I’ll blame this entire post on that.

Guy’s post is a bit of a warranted rant on the misuse of the term “previsualization” to describe the act of  ”anticipating a finished image before making the exposure”.  (Thanks, Ansel!)  In reality this is visualization, not previsualization.  I recommend that you read Guy’s post to understand the difference.  While you’re there, pour yourself a nice cup of coffee and surf through his entire blog/journal.  You’ll find it to be an amazing literary adventure.

For two years I had an image in mind that I wanted so badly to make but it required a combination of elements that don’t exactly coincide on a daily basis.  Candlestick Tower in Canyonlands NP is a prominent sandstone tower that soars several hundred feet above the desert floor.  The image that haunted me was that of Candlestick Tower looming large above a sea of low lying clouds.  Perhaps now you can see why one can not just show up at any given time and make this image.

So, I kept it there in my tiny little mind consuming memory that likely should have been used for something else.  My wife constantly reminds me that I am forgetful.  I think it’s because I have so many future images stored in memory that other, less important things, are automatically purged.  I cycle through these images occasionally, usually at night when I’m struck with a bout of insomnia.

On Dec. 31, 2009 I awoke early and looked out the window and saw…nothing.  A beautiful, white nothing.  Thick fog encircled the building to the south and I could barely make out its outline.  I had a gut feeling that today was the day.

I quickly dressed, grabbed my camera gear, kissed my wife and son good-bye and headed out the door.  I drove through fog in the darkness as I ascended to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands.  Once on top of the mesa the fog slowly dissipated until finally, stars shone brightly above.  Oh yes, today was in fact the day I had been waiting for.

I made it to the small, unmarked pull-out from which my favorite view of Candlestick Tower is accessed.  The temperature was 4 degrees.  I had been here before and I knew the image I wanted to create would require a long lens.  I swapped my 16-35mm lens for the 100-400mm monster, threw on my down coat, fleece hat and…gloves, where are my gloves?  Ah yes, they are at home sitting on the printer, right where I left them.  Undeterred, I opened a package of chemical hand warmers and started walking through crunchy snow to the edge of a cliff where I would set up my tripod and wait in the waning darkness.

As the sun began to rise I watched wisps of fog slip over the canyon rim, encircling me, and then disappear back into the canyon.  The handwarmers kept my fingers toasty in my pockets until the time came to trip the shutter.  Sunlight diffused through thin clouds warmed Candlestick Tower and it cast a long shadow onto the surrounding clouds.  Click.  Click, click, click.  I made several images in no more than a couple of minutes.  Some with a neutral density filter attached for a long-ish shutter speed that would smooth the slow moving fog and some without.  I knew before even seeing my images that at long last my vision had been realized, and I smiled.

I packed up my camera gear and stood in place for 15 minutes, watching the clouds ebb and flow.  Despite the cold it was a very relaxing and fulfilling moment.  I heard a car door shut and looked back to see another photographer exit his car.  It was time for me to go.

I walked back to my truck, climbed inside and started the engine.  Warm air issued from the heater.  I took a swig of tea, put the truck in drive and headed home with one less image nagging in the back of my memory.

I know I’m not the only one who has been thrilled to fulfill a creative vision through photography.  Let’s hear your story.  Be sure to post a link to the image that dogged you for weeks, months or years.

These days in the digital age pretty much every image is rendered in color. Software like Photoshop or Lightroom have some nice tools to convert those color files to B&W and there are always other options like Nik Silver Effects which gives you an amazing amount of control over conversions. You load the images from your camera to the computer, open a file, press the magic conversion button and Shazaam! You’ve got a great B&W image suitable for printing, right? Not so fast…….

• Zone 1-(black with no detail) The shadows at the base of the posts sticking out of the wall.
• Zone2-(shadows with detail) This is best observed in the deep shadows inside the bell tower.
• Zone 3-(dark grey) The shadowed part of the wall of the bell tower and the sky in the upper right corner of the image.
• Zone 4-(18% or middle grey) The shadowed part of the cross.
• Zone 5-(1 stop brighter than 18% grey. Same reflectance value as Caucasian flesh tone) This would be the sunlit wall and some of the darker undersides of the clouds.
• Zone 6-(lighter grey) The lighter parts of the clouds.
• Zone 7-(white with no detail) The sunlit edge of the cross.

William C Bean Photography

This image has a good tonal range. Too much contrast would expand the tonal range causing the detail in Zone 2 and Zone 6 to be lost. Too little contrast would cause the tonal range to be compressed losing Zone 1 and Zone 7 and causing the image to have a flat muddy look.

So there you have it. In the old days of film the saying was “Expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights.” If you are careful about setting your black and white points in post processing, the tonal range of the rest of the image will follow.

But Bill, you say, what about the prints? Well, that’s another story for another time. I’m just about ready for a new printer and will probably be converting my trusty old Epson 1280 to a Black only printer so if any of you have experience with just such a conversion, shoot me an e-mail. I could use some help.

About Bill:

Bill Bean lives in Parker, CO where he spends almost every free moment in the outdoors adding to his extensive stock list.  He remembers when black and white images were made on black and white film, not converted from a color digital file on the computer.  See more of Bill’s work on his website where you can also read more of his entertaining and educational essays.

Today’s blog post is short and sweet.  It comes to you after having paid $50 to have the positively filthy sensor of my 5D MKII cleaned by Pictureline.  I’m not complaining as they do a fantastic job and I always receive the camera back with nary a speck of dust to be seen anywhere on the sensor.  That lasts for a few days and then the dust bunnies start appearing.  Oh well, such is life with a digital SLR.

However, there is one quick tip that can help you keep your sensor free of dust a little bit longer.  When you change lenses, always turn off your camera before initiating the lens swap.  When your camera is on the sensor is magnetized.  Now, I am no physics or engineering guru but as I understand it, a magnetized sensor means you are far more likely to attract dust than a non-magnetized, i.e. OFF, sensor.  Here are the steps I take to change lenses in the field.

1. Try like hell to compose the image without changing to a different lens.
2. Realize that I have to change lenses.
3. Curse.
4. Dig out the lens I’m switching to, place it front element down in my pack (WITH the front lens cap on!), and loosen the rear lens cap.
5. Turn off the camera.
6. Holding my camera, turn it upside down so that the front of the camera is facing the ground so gravity works for rather than against me.
7. Remove the lens and quickly place it in my pack while continuing to hold camera face down.
8. Remove rear lens cap from lens I’m switching to and attach lens to the camera all the while moving as fast as I possibly can to minimize exposure to the elements of the sensitive internal camera components.  During this entire maneuver my camera is always face down.
9. Once lens is in place I compose and make the image.
10. Zoom in to 100% and curse at all the dust specks showing up in the sky.
11. Leave lens on until I absolutely, positively have to change it again.

That’s it.  11 steps to less sensor dust.

I’m often asked on workshops how I clean my sensor.  The answer depends on how dirty it is.  If it isn’t bad I use the Dust-Aid wands to remove all but the really tenancious stuff.  When the sensor gets too bad for me to deal with I drop it off at Pictureline in Salt Lake, pay ‘em $50 and pick it up in a couple hours all shiny and clean.

So, turn off your cameras and keep ‘em turned face down when you change lenses to minimize dust collection on your sensor.  Or, if you’re really rich and have a strong back, buy several of the same camera body and attach a different lens to each one.  Then, you’ll never have to change lenses again.

How do you minimize sensor dust?  Leave a comment and help your fellow digital photographers maintain their sanity.

My interest in landscape photography evolved as a natural extension of my love for the outdoors.  I hike and backpack to gain access to high alpine lakes surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and deep desert canyons carved by raging rivers.  Why not use the time in between sunrise and sunset to expand your photographic horizons by shooting adventure images?

The words “adventure photography” conjure up images of daring climbers clinging precariously to granite cliffs and river rafters navigating huge rapids.  But such high adrenaline pursuits aren’t the only outdoor sports that make for dynamic adventure photos.  Day hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and even car camping can offer opportunities for interesting photography all day long.  With a little practice and a little knowledge you’ll soon be making photos on par with those in Backpacker, Outside and the now deceased Adventure magazine (RIP).  Here are some tips to get you started:

Spouses Make Great Models

Spouses work for free, they’re usually with us while out exploring, they don’t complain a whole lot and they won’t give you flak about signing a model release.  Just remember: even if you’re married to a professional model your better half will need a little direction during the shoot.  Be patient with them and explain exactly what you need them to do for you, i.e. turn left 1/4 turn and gaze lovingly at that big mountain.  Okay, maybe just gaze at that big mountain.

Adventure Couture

Since we’re on the topic of models, let’s talk about what they should wear.  A photo of a hiker wearing jeans and a cotton flannel shirt isn’t going to make it into Backpacker magazine no matter how dramatic the scenery.  Your model should wear clothing and gear appropriate for the activity and environment.  Additionally, your model should know how to properly use any gear in the photo.  I once received an image request from an outdoor magazine for a “hiker fording a waist deep creek using trekking poles and wearing a pack with the hipbelt and sternum strap unfastened.”  Why?  Because it’s the proper technique when fording a creek.

Here’s the part your model spouse will really like - they’ll probably get some new outdoor clothing out of the gig.  Choose colors that will contrast with the environment.  For example, a hiker in the mountains wearing a bright red top will stand out dramatically from a background of green trees.  That same red top won’t contrast as strongly against the red rock of Canyon Country.  Maybe a green or blue top would work better.  Think camoflauge, in reverse.

Get Low.  Get High.

Just as in landscape photography, you can use unusual camera angles to create dynamic images.  Lay down on your belly or climb up above your subject.  Shoot from in front, behind and to the side of your subject.  One angle may work better than another.  The more you experiment the more creative your images are likely to be.

Go Wide.  Go Long.

Altering your perspective isn’t the only path to creative adventure photography.  Get down low with a wide angle lens and shoot close to your subject’s feet.  Use a telephoto lens to compress the distance between a hiker perched on a rock outcrop and the snow capped mountain behind them.  There is no “right” technique.  Each situation calls for a different approach.  As you experiment in the field you will discover what works and what doesn’t.  Chances are you’re shooting digitally.  Carry lots of memory and don’t forget that it doesn’t cost you a penny to push the shutter button.

It isn’t always easy to convey motion in a still image.  Using a slow-ish shutter speed and panning the camera with your moving subject works great for trail running, kayaking and mountain biking.  Your subject remains reasonably sharp while the background blurs into streaks that imply fast movement.  Or, set your camera to motor drive and fire off several images in a row and you might just capture your subject in transition with both feet (or both tires!) off the ground.  A human hovering in mid-air is pretty much a dead giveaway that they’re not standing still.

Show The Whole Story

The adventure begins long before you step foot on the trail.  Photos of friends setting up a tent, chilling around a campfire and performing seemingly mundane tasks like cramming gear into every available inch of the SUV are all part of the story.  Find a fun way to depict the action.  If your spouse or friends are willing to look a little silly, use a wide angle lens and photograph a tight composition of their puffy cheeks filled with air while blowing up an air mattress.

Location is a big part of your story.  Show it off in your photos.  Include a prominent, well known peak in the background with your subject hiking in the foreground or show a hiker standing in awe on the rim of the Grand Canyon.  Found a killer campsite near an alpine lake?  Scout out a composition that shows your tent surrounded by wildflowers next to that jewel colored lake and your friends who bailed on the trip will cry tears of regret.

While this primer is by no means everything you need to know about adventure photography it does give you a few things to consider on your next adventure.  Don’t waste mid-day.  Get out there and burn through some memory!

Adventure Photographers Who Inspire Me

Jimmy Chin

Michael Clark

Kennan Harvey

Galen Rowell

Tyler Stableford

Corey Rich

Adventure Photography Resources & Training

Rocky Mountain School of Photography Adventure Photography Course

Adventure Photography: Capturing the World of Outdoor Sports

Don’t let the adventure stop here.  Ask a question, leave a comment or tell us how you coaxed your spouse into being your adventure model.  Got some cool adventure photos online somewhere?  Feel free to link to ‘em.