Photographer Jim Goldstein just released a new e-book, “Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time“, that looks to be an outstanding guide to getting started with slow shutter and video techniques. I haven’t had a chance to read the book in its entirety but from what I’ve seen in skimming through it I’m thoroughly impressed with the quality and quantity of information presented. I’ll post a full review after I’ve spent more time with it.
In a nutshell, “Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time” is written for photographers who are looking to expand their skillset to include light painting, star trails and time lapse photography. If you’ve never experimented with night or time lapse photography, or even if you have but haven’t had much success, this book will quickly get you on the right track to making stunning images. I’m particularly interested in the chapter on time lapse photography.
The book appears to be laid out well, nicely organized, full of valuable information and beautifully designed. Something that sets this e-book apart from many I own are a multitude of interactive features. Links to useful web content and video tutorials make this so much more than your average “how-to” guide. Of course, Jim’s gorgeous photographs fill the book and are more than just eye candy – they’re fantastic examples of each technique. I’m a visual learner and it’s great to read about a technique, and then see a photo that was made using that very technique. It really helps to hammer home what it is the technique accomplishes.
At $20, “Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time” isn’t the cheapest e-book on the market but for those with an interest in learning slow shutter photography techniques, it’s well worth the small investment.
It’s been entirely too long since I updated my website. I’m finally getting around to doing just that and I kicked off the updates with an all new gallery of black and white images including a few never-before-seen photos.
I’ve long been a fan of monochrome imagery. Like many nature photographers, I was influenced early in my career by the black and white work of the master himself – Ansel Adams. As I progressed through my career I discovered other photographers whose work in shades of gray heavily influenced by own ambitions in black and white photography. William Neill, Edward Weston, Herb Ritts, Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Doisneau and Elliot Porter continue to inspire and motivate me.
However blasphemous it may be I’ve not exposed a single roll of black and white film. I’ve never developed my own film. I’ve never made analog contact prints. Every black and white image in my portfolio began life as a color digital file that was converted to monochrome in post-processing using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. Yes, every single image. Purists will snicker, and I’m okay with that.
The digital darkroom has allowed me to create art that I likely never would have created using film and filters. For that I am eternally thankful. Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, in combination with Nik Viveza 2 and Color Efex Pro 3, are the tools I use to transform color images into impactful black and white photography. Nik plug-ins allow me to be an artist, not a computer engineer.
I hope you enjoy this collection of my finest black and white imagery.
Finding yourself inspired to get started in digital black and white photography? Use coupon code BEDGE at the Nik Online Store to save 15% on your purchase of Nik Software. Check out these tutorials on my blog to start you on the right path to monochrome nirvana:
From Color to Monochrome with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2
Make Skies Pop with Nik Color Efex Pro 3 Tonal Contrast Filter
I’ve been using Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro 3 plug-ins with Lightroom for just over a year. Viveza 2 and Color Efex Pro 3 have become an indispensable part of my workflow. Every image I process is touched by these amazing tools. And now, not content to sit on their heels, Nik has just announced Color Efex Pro 4 with a whopping 55 filters including one called Detail Extractor that sounds quite promising for nature photography.
They’ve also added the History Browser that debuted in Silver Efex Pro 2 a few months ago. This alone would make upgrading to Color Efex Pro 4 well worth the investment. The History Browser allows you to use several filters on an image while retaining the ability to easily delete or manipulate any adjustment, at any time. Think of it as “layers” in Photoshop – completely non-destructive.
In Color Efex Pro 4 Nik introduces eight new filters and has updated ten of the most popular filters, including one I use on a regular basis: the Tonal Contrast filter. In fact, I just wrote two blog posts about how I use the Tonal Contrast filter to recover shadow details and another on making skies pop. I don’t have a copy of Color Efex Pro 4 yet but as soon as I do I’ll let you know more about the new and updated filters, the History Browser and all the other new goodies they’ve managed to pack in.
All in all, it looks as though Nik is about to unleash another fantastic set of tools with Color Efex Pro 4. If you’re already working with Color Efex Pro 3 you’ll be able to upgrade to CEP 4 for $99.95. If you’re a first time buyer of Color Efex Pro, version 4 will cost you $199.95. Of course, you can save 15% at the Nik Online Store by using coupon code “BEDGE” when you place your order. Nik is accepting pre-orders right now.
Oh, and that image of sunflowers at the top of this post? Big thanks to Viveza 2, Color Efex Pro 3 and Sharpener Pro 3 for allowing me to quickly and easily process the image to my liking. Stay tuned, folks. I’ll have more about Color Efex Pro 4 soon.
I’m excited to announce the availability of my first e-Book, The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park. I developed this e-Book in partnership with NatureScapes, the best spot on the web for nature photographers from around the world to learn from one another, share and critique images, and more.
In The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park I share nineteen of my favorite locations to create dynamic images of this stunning desert landscape. You’ll learn where to find each location, when is the best time for photography, what lenses and equipment you’ll need and other tips to help make your next visit to Arches the most productive trip yet. Full-color photographs illustrate each location, giving you an idea of what to expect before you arrive at Arches. A park map is also included and can be viewed on-screen or printed for easy reference in the field.
In addition to advice for photographers, The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park includes a wealth of general information about the park’s natural history, rules and regulations, entrance fees and other items to assist in trip planning.
Whether you’re a serious photographer or a point and shooter on vacation, The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park will be a valuable addition to your photo book library.
The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park is available now in the NatureScapes online store for $19.95. I’m working on another e-book now. It’s still too early to share any details but I promise to give y’all a sneak peek first!
While we’re on the topic, here are some of my favorite recent photography e-books you may find useful:
Creative Digital Printing: Crafting the Fine Art Digital Print by Guy Tal
Creative Landscape Photography by Guy Tal
Creative Processing Techniques by Guy Tal
The Essential Guide to Photographing Waterfalls by Kari Post
Photoshop Techniques by John Shaw
Blink and we’ll be in full autumn swing. Summer is just about over and fall is right around the corner. Personally, I can’t wait. Fall is my favorite time of the year. Trees are prettier, the weather is outstanding and the photography is, well, oh my goodness good! To celebrate the best season ever I’m offering the above photo, titled “Raindrops on Fallen Aspen Leaf”, as the September Matted Photo of the Month. For $30 (shipping included) you’ll receive a 5″ x 7″ hand made print on Moab Entrada Bright 190 archival paper in a ready-to-frame, elegant white 8″ x 10″ mat. Each print arrives with a certificate of authenticity attached to the back of the mounting board. Better hurry though, because I’m only offering 20 matted prints at this price. To order a print, please email me and I’ll send you an invoice. Your print will ship promptly upon payment.
I made “Raindrops on Fallen Aspen Leaf” during the autumn of 2010 in the La Sal Mountains south of Moab, Utah. My wife, son and I were wandering around one of the dozens of beautiful stands of aspen trees following an afternoon thunderstorm when I noticed this single yellow leaf, glistening with raindrops, on a bed of darker leaves. I hadn’t gone out with the intention of making photographs. It was to be a family outing, so I left my Canon 5D Mark II at home. However, I don’t go anywhere without my Canon S95. I whipped out that wonderful little camera, set it to macro mode and went about making images of this lovely little scene. Of the dozen or so compositions this one immediately stood out as the best. I hope you enjoy it.
My friend Guy Tal has just released his fourth e-book, “Creative Digital Printing: Crafting the Fine Art Digital Print“. Whether you’re new to digital printing or have been at it for years, you’ll learn something from this e-book. I just began doing my own printing at home using an Epson 2880 printer last year and though I’m now comfortable with the process, I know I’ve got lots of room to grow. I’ve only just begun to dig into “Creative Digital Printing: Crafting the Fine Art Digital Print” and have already learned a few things that will allow me to make better prints. I’m eager to learn more as I get deeper into the book.
If you’d like to learn more about Guy’s other fantastic e-books, I’ve provided links below. Notice that each of Guy’s e-books contains the word “Creative” in the title. Guy is a photographic artist and is very keen on encouraging photographers to think of their work as art. As nature photographers we aren’t documentarians – we’re artists. Each one of Guy’s e-books focuses on the art and creativity of photography and not so much on the technical aspects of the craft. There are plenty of other “how-to” books that do an excellent job of this. Guy’s e-books are a refreshing change of pace.
Creative Landscape Photography
Creative Processing Techniques
As a side note, I bought an iPad 2 last month and have been using it to download and read e-books. I love it! I no longer have to print out the pages for easier reference. I use the GoodReader iPad app for this. Works flawlessly.
My photograph of a hiker on the trail to Swiftcurrent Pass in Glacier National Park was used in an article about backpacking in the national parks in the June 2011 issue of Backpacker magazine. This image was made last year during a 3 day, 2 night trip on the Highline Trail to the Granite Park Chalet. The Chalet sits in a high alpine meadow surrounded by alpine lakes, towering peaks and prime grizzly bear habitat. In fact, while we were there a couple out for a sunset hike were chased by a sow and her two curious cubs. Luckily, the bears were just having a little fun – not looking for a meal.
The afternoon after the great bear chase my friend Levi and I hiked up to Swiftcurrent Pass. The trail beyond the pass was closed as a result of numerous bear sightings and encounters. We’d hoped to hike a little further but we took the closure to heart and stopped at the “Caution: Do Not Cross” tape that was stretched across the trail. Hiking in country alive with grizzly bears adds a whole other layer to the experience. Your senses heighten and, unlike in the city, you become acutely aware that you are no longer at the top of the food chain. That isn’t to say that all grizzly bears want to eat you but knowing that you’re on their turf and playing by their rules ups the ante a bit. It’s a wild and glorious experience that I thoroughly enjoy each time I set foot into mountains populated by the great griz.
Starting this month I’ll be offering a “matted print of the month” at a significant discount to the full retail price. Basically, here’s how it works. I’ll announce the print on my blog at the beginning of each month. During that month, you’ll be able to purchase a 5″x7″ fine art print matted to 8″x10″ for $25 or an 8″x12″ fine art print matted to 12″x16″ for $35, plus shipping of $5. Each matted print comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. The prints are matted in a museum white mat and arrive in a clear archival bag, ready to be framed. They have been sized for easy framing using off the shelf, inexpensive pre-made frames or, of course, they may also be custom framed. Purchasing a print is easy: Just email me at bret@bretedge.com or send me a note using this contact form with the size you’d like to purchase and your preferred method of payment (check or credit card). I’ll respond promptly to your email with additional details.
This month’s image is “Tukuhnikavatz Arch and La Sal Mountains, Utah”. This unusual arch is perched at the top of a sandstone ridge in the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Area south of Moab. Accessing it requires the negotiation of a tough 4 wheel drive road followed by an off-trail hike/scramble. Not often visited and even less frequently photographed, it’s a beautiful and quiet location to enjoy a sunset with a spectacular view of the La Sal Mountains across the valley.
I try really hard not to use my blog to toot my own horn too often but when an Arthur Frommer features you in one of their magazines you’ve just gotta brag a little bit, right? The June 2011 issue of Budget Travel magazine has a really nice little blurb about my photo workshop company, Moab Photo Workshops, in their article “The New Joys of Summer”. You can read what they had to say in that badly scanned page above with the obnoxious red box and arrow on it. Unless you’ve got superhuman vision just click on the photo to make it big enough to read. Seeing this in Budget Travel pretty much made my whole week. Add to that the fact that Jackson (my 2 year old son) hasn’t had a potty accident all week and this may well be the best week ever!
Speaking of photo workshops and tooting horns, I might as well go ahead and tell you that I’ve still got a few open slots in each of my 2011 workshops, in case you’re interested. You can learn all about this year’s photo workshops here. Coming up next is a one-day Nature Photography Boot Camp right here in beautiful Moab, Utah on July 2, 2011.
Thanks for indulging me, folks. Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging…
I don’t usually post on the weekends but I wanted to get this information out as quickly as possible.
Mineral Bottom Road to Re-open March 29, 2011
As many of you know, Mineral Bottom Road was badly damaged last year in a torrential thunderstorm. It has been closed for several months and under repair for the last few weeks. Work is progressing quicker than expected and Mineral Bottom Road will re-open on March 29, 2011. Go ahead and start planning those White Rim trips!
Canyonlands National Park Temporarily Requires New Day Use Permits
From March 1 to May 31, 2011, day use permits are required for users of the Shafer Trail, and sections of the White Rim and Potash Road that are within Canyonlands NP. Until now these areas have been open to day use without a permit requirement. The permits are free and can be obtained at the Arches NP or Canyonlands: Island in the Sky NP Visitor Centers, the Moab Information Center (Center & Main St. in Moab) and the NPS headquarters located at 2282 S. West Resource Blvd. Learn more about the day use permits at the Canyonlands National Park website.
