As you may have guessed by the photo above, I’ve been up to something lately.  I am thrilled to announce the opening of The Edge Gallery at 137 N. Main St. in downtown Moab, Utah.  We’re holding an invitation only grand opening event on Saturday, March 3 and will open for our first day of business on the morning of March 4 – just in time for tourist season.  Displayed on the walls inside you’ll find some of my best selling fine art prints in sizes ranging from 12″ x 18″ to 32″ x 48″.  We’ll also offer ready to frame matted prints, greeting cards, calendars and other gift items.

The tourist season in Moab begins in March, ends in October and doesn’t let up in between.  Every month in season we’ll host special events at the gallery, in addition to participating in the local art walk.  Special events at The Edge Gallery will include free mini-workshops and slideshows by guest photographers.  I’m in the process of adding a page to my website where you’ll find basic gallery information and a regularly updated event schedule.

Melissa is assuming the role of gallery manager and if you happen to stop in, you’ll most likely find her keeping it all together.  I’ll work the gallery when time and schedules permit.  Either way, we’d love for you to stop by and say “hi” on your next visit to Moab.

Printer Selection

There are three primary manufacturers of printers capable of producing fine art photographic prints: Epson, Canon and HP.  HP printers use a dye-based ink while Epson and Canon both use a pigment-based ink.  I don’t have the time to fully discuss the pro’s and con’s of each, but you’ll find a good basic explanation of each here.  Most photographers I know, including a few who are master printmakers, use pigment-based ink printers.  The primary point I want to discuss here is selecting printer size because yes, size does matter.

I can make prints up to 13″x19″ on my Epson 2880.  This was fine for a few months but once I got the hang of things I quickly discovered that I wanted to print bigger.  How much bigger?  I’d like to be able to print 24″ wide prints.  So, I’m now saving my pennies to buy a large format printer.

My advice to you is to give serious thought to how big you may want to print one year from now, when you’ve gotten past being overwhelmed with the whole process.  Generally speaking, most professional level printers on the market today come in one of four sizes: 13″, 17″, 24″ and 44″.  There are even bigger printers but seriously, who has enough space to park a car-sized printer in their home office?  If you’re inclined to go with a 13″ printer, it’s worth noting that there isn’t a huge difference in the physical size of a 13″ and 17″ printer.  There is, however, a significant price increase.  Jumping up to a 24″ printer requires a sizable chunk of real estate in your office.  These printers usually ship with their own stand and typically weigh in at over 150 pounds!

Some additional thoughts: Consider how large you are able to print based on the camera you use.  If your primary camera is on your iPhone it’s probably a waste of money to buy a 24″ printer.  That’s an extreme example but you get the point – don’t let your ambitions overreach your abilities.  As printer size increases so does the size of the ink cartridges they require.  Larger cartridges are expensive but they contain significantly more ink, which means that your per print costs decrease with larger printers.  Larger printers require larger media (paper) and you’ll need a place to store it all.

Paper Selection

This is the fun part.  There are dozens of media types to choose from and they’re all unique.  Matte, luster, glossy, metallic, canvas – the list goes on.  And, just because you’ve got two papers that are both matte doesn’t mean they’re going to print the same.  Oh no, one may be warmer or thicker or more or less matte than the other.

How do you choose a paper?  Order a few sample packs and start making prints.  Seriously, it’s such a subjective thing that you’ve got to make prints on a bunch of different papers before you can start to develop a taste for what you prefer.  I like matte papers, so I knew going into it that I didn’t need to experiment with anything else.  But, there are so many manufacturers making matte papers that I had to order a few sample packs and make a bunch of test prints before I found a favorite – Moab Entrada Rag Bright 190.

Here’s a few manufacturers to consider whose papers are well respected: Moab Paper, Red River Paper, Canson-Infinity, Hahnemuhle and Ilford.  Epson, Canon and HP also sell their own branded papers.

The Myth of the Perfect Monitor to Print Match

Many novice printmakers are quickly frustrated when they find that their prints don’t match the image on their computer monitor.  Your first few prints are usually darker and less saturated than intended.  This is common. Very common.  Don’t lose your cool, you probably aren’t doing anything wrong.

There are several things you can do to combat this problem.  First and foremost, you should be working on a properly calibrated monitor.  If you aren’t, I probably wouldn’t even bother buying a printer.  Next, you should always soft-proof prior to printing using the appropriate ICC profile.  Wait, what?  In very simple terms, soft-proofing allows your monitor to simulate as closely as possible what your image will look like on any given paper using a profile designed for that paper.  It isn’t perfect, but it’ll get you pretty close.  Here’s a great soft-proofing tutorial on the Luminous Landscape website and another more in-depth one on the Cambridge in Color website.  Finally, until you learn how each paper prints you’ll save yourself some headaches by making a small (8″ x 10″-ish) artist proof before making your final print.  Is your artist proof too dark?  Use a curves adjustment to lighten it up.  Not saturated enough?  Add saturation to compensate for the loss when printing.

Care and Feeding of Your New Printer

Just a few years ago a common problem with inkjet printers was clogged printhead nozzles.  Newer and better technology has mostly eliminated this problem although it does still happen from time to time.  One of the main reasons for this is lack of usage.  Luckily, there’s an easy fix: use your printer!  Make a couple 8″x10″ prints each month and you probably won’t have to worry about clogged nozzles.

Don’t leave your paper in the feeder tray or on the roll when not in use.  Dust may settle on the paper, which can fall off after you make a print, leaving small areas that are void of ink.  It’s best to store paper in a dust-proof environment, such as the package in which it was shipped.

While we’re on the topic of dust, keep your printer covered when not in use.  Most printers have custom fitted dust covers available at minimal cost.  Buy and use one.  Dust inside your printer can cause the same problems as dust on your paper and even bigger issues as it works it’s way into the sensitive internal mechanisms of your printer.

You’re going to burn through a lot of ink, especially in the first couple of months.  I keep three extra cartridges of each color on hand because I don’t want to get caught without it.  If you run out of just one color of ink, you’re done making prints until it is replaced.  I order all my ink through the good folks at Atlex, which is also a great place to buy your printer.  I bought my printer through B&H but my next one will most likely come from Atlex.  They seem to consistently offer the best prices and occasionally they’ll throw in extras (like a complete set of inks or a couple packages of paper) to sweeten the deal.

Sharpening for Print

Sharpening images for presentation, whether on the web or in print, may well be the cause of more gray hairs than anything else in photography.  It doesn’t need to be.  There are old pro’s who still insist on manually sharpening their images using the Unsharp Mask in Photoshop or the sharpening tools in Lightroom.  I’m not one of them.  I cheat.  I use Nik Sharpener Pro 3 for all my sharpening needs.  I couldn’t be happier with the results and it’s incredibly easy to use.  You simply open the image you wish to sharpen in the Nik Sharpener Pro 3 software and make a few selections.  The software does the rest and it does it beautifully.  I recommend that you download the free 30-day trial, try it out and when you’re ready to purchase, use coupon code “BEDGE” for a 15% discount.

When viewing your newly sharpened image on-screen it will likely appear over-sharpened.  Fear not, the printed image will look just fine.  This is true whether you use Nik Sharpener Pro 3 or some other software like PK Sharpener, or you manually sharpen the image.

Other Considerations

You may need to trim the edges of your beautiful new prints to create even borders all the way around the image.  The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a high quality rotary trimmer.  I use a Dahle trimmer and couldn’t be happier with its performance.  They aren’t cheap but they will make trimming your prints completely hassle free and the edges will be nice, crisp and professional looking.

Unless you’re fortunate enough to sell every print you make you’ll want a place to store them.  I use an underbed box with a lid to store the prints flat.  If you roll them and keep them in tubes they’ll be a pain in the neck to share or eventually frame.  The underbed box also does a nice job of keeping them dust free.

I hope you find these tips to be useful.  As I said, I’m not an expert and am still learning as I go but these tips should help you avoid some of the common headaches.  I invite anyone with additional thoughts, suggestions or tips to please leave a comment below.

Every year I squeeze in a few big trips, consisting of a couple weeks each, to locations throughout the western United States.  Looking back on all the photos from our 2011 adventures brought back some wonderful memories.  We celebrated my son Jackson’s second birthday at a campground in Death Valley, ate dinner by a campfire on the beach in Cape Kiwanda, summited a 14′er in Colorado (Jackson’s first!) and spent Thanksgiving week exploring Valley of Fire in Nevada.  No doubt, I am a lucky man.

The images I’ve chosen to share as my favorites aren’t necessarily my best.  One photo was five years in the making, another has tremendous emotional appeal, a couple I just really like and some were made in a place I’m now obsessed with and can’t wait to visit again.  If I were assembling a 2011 portfolio to present to an art buyer only a couple of these would make the cut.  The important thing is that these images mean something to me.  I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed making them.

Slot Canyon & River Rock, Nevada

I found this slot canyon by chance while wandering around Valley of Fire State Park one morning following a sunrise shoot.  I was struck by the contrast of warm, colorful sandstone walls and the cool blue river rock in the mud on the canyon floor as well as the three dimensional feeling created by the wide angle lens and striations in the rock.  It’s a short canyon but easily one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.

Wildflowers and Storm Clouds in American Basin, Colorado

American Basin may be over-photographed but it’s still one of my all-time favorite alpine locations.  The summer wildflower display is obnoxious in a very good way.  We camped not ten minutes from where this image was made, in a tent on the roof of my FJ Cruiser.  The next morning we summited Handies Peak with my son, Jackson.  He was 2. And he knocked off a 14′er.  Okay, so I carried him but still, how cool is that?

Storm Clouds Over Rock Point, Colorado

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park plays second fiddle to the nearby San Juan Mountains, which means you’re less likely to find yourself in a crowd.  We visited the park for the first time in 2011 and I became enamored with the sheer beauty and ruggedness of the canyon.  On this afternoon a breaking storm created dynamic conditions for photography.  I was in the right place at the right time when a sliver of light shone through clouds on to the foreground ridge, lasting only a minute or two.  These ethereal moments in nature are what we photographers are privileged to witness while the rest of mankind seeks shelter from the storm.

Pothole and Sandstone Buttes at Sunset, Utah

Made semi-famous by Moab photographer Tom Till, this large pothole with an impressive view of a slickrock wonderland has been on my list of places to photograph since moving to the area almost six years ago.  It took a while to find it and even longer to wait for the right conditions (great light, good clouds, pothole full of water).  In 2011 everything came together and I was able to make the image that had nagged at me for years.

Haystack Rock from McPhillips Beach, Oregon

The charming little town of Pacific City is home to Cape Kiwanda State Park and McPhillips Beach, sort of a local’s beach not commonly visited by the throngs of summer tourists.  We discovered it by accident on our trip along the coast last June.  Nearly vacant, it’s a beautiful little beach with some interesting basalt (I think?) rock formations that nicely frame Haystack Rock in the distance.  I spent a couple hours photographing here before retiring to hang out with my family, running away from incoming waves and finally, dinner on the sand next to a roaring bonfire.  It couldn’t have been a more perfect end to a more perfect day.

Cottonwood Trunks and Evergreens, Wyoming

I made this image during a short break while leading a workshop in the Tetons last autumn.  Cottonwood trees have such beautifully textured trunks and their autumn leaves rival those of the stately aspen with regard to color intensity.  Here I loved how the darker evergreen trees contrasts with the autumn grasses & leaves, and the bold patterns of the cottonwood trunks.

Sunrise Sky and Rock of Gibraltar II, Nevada

I’m having an affair. There, I said it. I’m in love with Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. I can’t get enough of the place.  Luckily, my wife knows and even approves of this affair.  On our last visit we hiked out to Fire Wave for sunset.  While I was impressed with Fire Wave I was more taken by the Rock of Gibraltar and this massive expanse of wonderfully striated sandstone.  I came back for sunrise the next morning.  You can imagine my excitement when the sky exploded in color right at sunrise.  Of all the images I made in 2011 this one may well be my absolute favorite.

The Sunflower Experiment, Utah

The Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve just outside Moab is a quiet little sanctuary that seems to catch on fire all too often.  The last wildfire that ripped through was the most devastating.  Driving by one day I noticed thousands of colorful wildflowers mixed in among the charred trunks.  The next day I returned with my camera and made several images of the sunflowers.  This was my favorite as it is something entirely different from my typical photography.  It was an experiment and I was thrilled that it worked out so well.

American Basin Hiker II, Colorado

I didn’t do much adventure photography in 2011.  No idea why, but I’ve resolved to do a lot more of it in 2012.  I made this image en route to the summit of Handies Peak in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.  My son Jackson was in a backpack on my back as I photographed Melissa crossing a creek below a beautiful sky and craggy peaks.  There’s nothing I enjoy more than exploring the outdoors with my family and this image brings back wonderful memories of seeing Jackson on the summit of his first 14′er!

Storm Light at the Fiery Furnace, Utah

One stormy afternoon I took a chance and headed out to a view I’d discovered that overlooks the fins of the Fiery Furnace, Castle Valley and the distant La Sal Mountains.  One of three things would happen: I’d get struck by lightning and the whole afternoon would be screwed, the storm would rage on and sunset would be a bust, or it would be epic.  Lucky for me, it was epic.  It was cold and windy and every once in a while a passing cloud released a torrent of horizontal rain.  But right at sunset, the clouds parted and the sweetest storm light I’ve seen fell on the landscape before me.  It was an amazing day to be alive!

Three Sisters Sunset, Utah

Assignments are few and far between these days, at least for me.  Early in 2011 I was hired by Utah State Parks to photograph Goblin Valley State Park and the surrounding area for a guidebook they were developing.  GVSP is a alien landscape, a valley filled with thousands of little hoodoos that have, in fact, stood in for Mars in several movies.  One of the most famous features, the Three Sisters, sprout from the surrounding landscape.  I was incredibly fortunate to witness a glorious sunset behind the Three Sisters during my time in the park.

Breaking Storm Over Kane Creek Canyon, Utah

Last year I decided to create a new photo tour titled Undiscovered Moab.  As the name implies, the tour will take us to locations that are rarely, if ever, photographed.  I’ve been spending a lot of time four wheeling and hiking to remote locations while scouting for the upcoming Undiscovered Moab tour (April 21-22, 2012!).  On this afternoon a storm was breaking over Kane Creek Canyon, flooding the valley with dramatic storm light below a sky filled with interesting clouds.  It was awesome to stand on the canyon rim in complete silence while watching this scene unfold before me.

Virga Above the Bonneville Desert, Utah

En route to Death Valley last March, my son informed us that he had to poop.  When a 2 year old has to poop you don’t have time to drive around looking for a bathroom.  We pulled off to the side of the interstate and Jackson did his business.  When he finished I asked Melissa if I could have a few minutes to make an image of the impending storm unleashing hell on the distant mountains.  Thanks to Jackson and Melissa I was able to make this image, my favorite from the entire trip, with semi’s flying by just a few feet away.

And there you have it, my favorite thirteen images from 2011.  If you want to see even more “Best of 2011″ images from some of my favorite photographers, check out “A Compilation of My Favorite “Best of 2011″ Image Collections“.

]]> http://blog.bretedge.com/2012/01/10/2011-my-year-in-photos/feed/ 19 http://blog.bretedge.com/2012/01/02/a-compilation-of-my-favorite-best-of-2011-image-collections/ http://blog.bretedge.com/2012/01/02/a-compilation-of-my-favorite-best-of-2011-image-collections/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:42:41 +0000 Bret Edge http://blog.bretedge.com/?p=2378 Every year photographers around the world create millions of images.  At the end of each year many of us reflect on our adventures over the previous twelve months by curating a collection of our favorite images of the year.  For active photographers this is not an easy task.  Whittling down to 10, 12 or even 40 images from a collection of thousands is a time-consuming and often emotional endeavor.  Memories of quiet mornings in the desert, nuclear sunsets, the chill of autumn rustling through aspen leaves and a kaleidoscope of summer wildflowers come flooding back – and if you’re like me, some of these moments were even more special because they were shared with your family.

It’s always a treat for me when my favorite photography blogs start filling up with “best of the year” posts chock full of incredible imagery.  It inspires me to see photographs of locations near and far, being shared by folks whose passion for creating images is clearly evident in their work.

I can think of no better way to begin the new year here on my blog than by sharing with you links to some of my favorite photographer’s “Best of 2011″ posts.  Enjoy!

Bret Edge – Yeah, me. Here you’ll find thirteen of my favorite images from 2011.

G Dan Mitchell – I’m a huge fan of Dan’s intimate landscapes and there are many incredible images in his post. “Fallen Aspen Branch, Snow” is particularly exquisite.

Younes Bounhar – Much great stuff here but Younes’ work from Morocco is a stand-out. My favorite shows a man passing through a colorful hallway.

Russ Bishop - My favorite: Barrel Cactus in Bloom (exquisite!), although there are lots of captivating images here.

QT Luong – QT’s year in review is not to be missed. His June image, of sequoia trees behind a dogwood in bloom, is breathtaking.

Mike Cavaroc – I’m a sucker for grizzly bears and Mike’s photo of #399 nursing her cubs surrounded by colorful wildflowers is as sweet as they come.

Alan Majchrowicz – Some seriously gorgeous & diverse grand landscapes here, my favorite of which is “Sunset Alpenglow Over Russell Peak”.

Olivier Du Tre – Eleven exquisite black and white images. All are stunning but I gasped when I saw the image of a lone tree in a snowy field against a black sky. Gorgeous!

Greg Russell – I am quite fond of Greg’s desert photography. Very sensitive and portrays the desert in such a magnificent way. Check out “Dried Mud, Utah” and “Into the Canyon, Utah”.

Erik Stensland – No one has a more complete collection of dynamic images from Rocky Mountain National Park than Erik. He’s also a great friend. The third photo, of a craggy peak reflecting in an icy lake, makes me want to go backpacking NOW.

Benjamin Chase – Beautiful landscape and wildlife images in Ben’s collection, with one adorable red fox in the snow in Yellowstone NP.

Rob Tilley – Lots of diversity here with two outstanding semi-abstracts, “Agave VI” and “Rainbow Eucalyptus”, vying for top honors (IMHO).

Gary Crabbe – Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big wimp when lightning crashes in the backcountry and Gary’s “Lightning Bolt Striking the Sierra Buttes” image is both beautiful and terrifying.

Petr Hlavacek – Petr is a New Zealand based photographer whose work continues to move NZ higher on my list of “must visit” locations. His photo of the Copland River is straight out of a fairy tale.

Rick Louie – Another diverse collection of landscapes & cityscapes, with my favorite being a killer black and white image of a lonely road below a dramatic sky.

Robin Black – Robin’s photography of the Sierras is nothing if not inspiring. Her photo of Bishop Creek cascading before colorful aspens is my pick among a wonderful collection of lovely photos.

Paul Conrad – Great slideshow and the photos aren’t named, but watch for a killer bald eagle in flight and a mystical black and white of some old wooden pilings in the water.

William Neill – So many original and stunning images it’s virtually impossible to pick a favorite but “Buckeye, Foothills of the Sierra” and “Morning Mist and Pines” took my breath away.

Richard Wong – Lots of diversity in subject matter here, with some landscapes and photojournalistic imagery.  Richard’s killer photo of patterns in an agave plant is exceptional.

Ron Niebrugge – Killer photos, mostly from Alaska, and Ron opens with a ridiculous photo of Denali NP in autumn.

Jackson Frishman – Well traveled river guide whose top photos show spectacular locations you’ve likely never seen. Jackson’s photo of a Western Red Cedar is so serene.

Steve Sieren – A lovely collection of images, mostly from California’s mountains and deserts, with the BEST photo you’ll EVER see of a rattlesnake.  Never seen one I’d called “pretty” but this one is most certainly that.

Brian Rueb – Brian shares some great work from Iceland, the Pacific Northwest and more but my favorite is a mind-bending abstract of reflections in the Merced River.

Jerry Monkman – Seems most of my friends are on the west coast, but Jerry lives in New Hampshire and his photos of the New England area really make me want to visit.  In this lovely collection, my favorite is “Ferns & Tree Trunks”.

Dan Baumbach – Dan was a large format photographer for a very long time and his images are contemplative and quiet. The very first image in his list, of ghostly trees in snow, is true art.

Richard Bernabe – Eleven images, and every one of them will take your breath away. Patagonia is #1 on my list of international travel destinations so it isn’t surprising that Richard’s photo of peaks in Torre del Paines NP is my fave.

Photo Cascadia – Another inspiring slideshow loaded with many beautiful images. At 2:13 look for a stunner of what looks like the Palouse. Yowza!

Looking for an even larger collection of “Best of 2011″ blog posts?  Be sure to check out Jim Goldstein’s blog in a few days for a huge collection of links to amazing photographs.

Guy Tal’s Photography e-Books > Endeavor to learn some new printing or creative photography techniques in the new year with Guy’s reasonably priced, beautifully illustrated e-books that are chock full of useful information.

Jim Goldstein’s Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time, an e-Book > Another wonderful e-book, this one focused on long exposure photography techniques such as star trails, light painting, time-lapse photography and more.

The Essential Guide to Photographing Arches National Park > My e-book, sold through the NatureScapes online store, provides you with all you need to know to photograph 19 of my favorite locations in Arches National Park.

William Neill’s e-Book Collection > One of my favorite past times is exploring the work of photographers whose images inspire me.  It’s also a great way to nurture your creative spirit.  Bill’s e-Books provide cover to cover inspiration, and I’m especially in love with Impressions of Light. 

Nik Software Lightroom & Photoshop Plug-Ins > Everybody knows I love the Nik Software Complete Collection.  Every image I process is touched by Viveza 2 and most continue on to Color Efex Pro 3.  All black and white images are created with Silver Efex Pro 2.  Nik’s plug-ins are easy to use, incredibly powerful and provide outstanding results.  Use coupon code “BEDGE” to receive a 15% discount on your purchase at the Nik Online Store.

Acratech Ultimate Ballhead > There is no finer ballhead for outdoor photographers.  The Acratech Ultimate Ballhead is built like a tank, yet weighs less than a pound.  They withstand years of abuse and never freeze, fail or let you down when you need it the most.

Canon Powershot S100 > I’ve been using the Canon S95 for almost two years and I love it.  The S100 builds on the S95’s feature set with some nice additions: higher resolution, better noise control, built-in GPS, a wider and longer lens (24-120mm!) and faster frame rate. Professional quality photos from a point and shoot? Yep! 

F-Stop Gear Backpacks for Adventure Photographers > I’ve gone through every brand of photo backpack you can imagine (Lowepro, Tamrac, Clik Elite) and even some non-photo specific packs (Osprey, Macpac) and none work as well as the F-Stop packs.  Easy access to photo gear, modular designs that allow you to carry as much, or as little, photo gear as needed, well built and most importantly, comfortable to carry during long days on and off the trail.  My go-to pack is the bomber Tilopa BC.

Fine Art Photographic Prints by Bret Edge Photography > Okay, I admit it – I’m shamelessly hawking my own prints.  But really, what a better way to lift your spirits than by getting lost in a photo of some gorgeous location while outside it’s cold and dreary?  To top it off, they’re 25% off through Jan. 15th.

Singh-Ray Filters > In this digital age many photographers are getting away from using filters in the field.  Maybe I’m old fashioned but I still regularly use a Singh-Ray polarizer and graduated neutral density filters.  I’m also learning to enjoy using their Vari-ND filter to dial in 2 to 9 stops of neutral density for longer exposures, even when it’s bright outside.

A Road Trip > Nothing makes me happier than to hit the road with my family, my camera and our camping gear.  It really doesn’t matter where we go because I know we’ll be together outside,  in some stunning location, hiking and exploring our hearts out.  Even just planning a trip, poring over maps and guidebooks, is enough to put a smile on my face.

Now that you’ve got some ideas to get the imagination flowing, why not take a moment to leave your own ideas in the comments section?

At long last, I have finalized the dates and details of my photography workshops and tours for the first half of 2012.  I’m a little late this year and for that I apologize.  Time got away from me and before I knew it the end of the year was almost here.  So, what do I have planned?  Read on to learn more.

Undiscovered Moab: A Photo Tour
April 21 & 22, 2012
Moab, Utah

Most photographers associate Moab with the famous scenes found within Arches and Canyonlands National Parks – Delicate Arch, Mesa Arch and Balanced Rock. While these oft-photographed icons are certainly worthy of the attention, the Moab area is home to dozens of virtually unknown locations just waiting to be discovered by intrepid photographers. Join me on an Undiscovered Moab Photo Tour and we’ll spend two full days exploring some of the most stunning scenery you’ve never seen.

Each day will start before sunrise and won’t end until after sunset. We’ll access several spectacular locations via rough but scenic four wheel drive roads and we’ll likely put a few more miles on your hiking boots. Weather and conditions will dictate which locations we’re able to visit but could include remote sandstone towers, vast canyon views, beautifully sculpted wind caves, graceful sand dunes and beautiful but rarely visited arches. We may even hike 9 miles (round trip, in and out of a creek) to a twin waterfall hidden in a slot canyon!

Undiscovered Moab: A Photo Tour is limited to 3 participants.  Interest is high and this tour will sell out quickly.  Please visit the Moab Photo Workshops website to learn more or to register for this exciting event.

Nature Photography Boot Camp
May 5, 2012 & June 2, 2012 (Additional dates to be added throughout the year)
Moab, Utah (I may add a date in Grand Teton NP in August, too)

In this intensive, one-day workshop we’ll visit at least three stunning locations around Moab to photograph Canyon Country in the warm light of sunrise and sunset. In the field we’ll focus on creating dynamic compositions, using camera settings to maximize creativity and using available light to craft your images. We’ll also spend some time talking about gear for outdoor photography and experimenting with polarizing and graduated neutral density filters. These workshops are very casual and participants are encouraged to ask questions and share their experiences with one another.

After the morning shoot we’ll break for a late breakfast/early lunch at a local diner. There we’ll review a few of my prints and I’ll discuss what went into making each image from a creative and technical standpoint. Each participant will then share a few of their own images for an interactive critique session. These images can be part of a digital portfolio on an iPad/laptop or hard copy prints. I am often told that this is a favorite part of the workshop. It’s also one of the most beneficial as I feel strongly that having your work critiqued and critiquing the work of others is a hugely important part of the creative process.

My Nature Photography Boot Camp workshops were featured as one of the “16 Best Summer Attractions for Families” in the June 2011 issue of Budget Travel magazine.  The response was phenomenal and last year every workshop filled quickly, with several people on cancellation waiting lists.  Please visit the Moab Photo Workshops website to learn more or to register for one of the fun and informative Boot Camp workshops.

There you have it, folks. I hope you find something that interests you.  As always, please don’t hesitate to call (602.571.4170) or email me with questions about any of these workshops.  See you in 2012!

Build Quality

In a word, phenomenal.  Too many point and shoots feel cheap and fragile in hand.  Not the X10.  It’s heavy, but not in a bad way.  The metal body feels rock solid and whatever material is used to provide the leather-like texture provides a nice, non-slip grip.  The manual zoom lens is as smooth as silk and I love that zooming involves turning a ring around the lens instead of using your thumb on some teeny-tiny lever on the top or back of the camera.  The dials for mode and exposure compensation turn easily but lock firmly in place.  No complaints at all about build quality.

Features

One of the main features that attracted me to the X10 is the incredible frame rate – 7 FPS at full resolution.  My S95 captures a whopping 1 FPS.  For some, this may not be a huge deal but the X10 and it’s 7 FPS would certainly make it easier to go light when peak-bagging, canyoneering or mountain biking while still capturing action images that could be sold as stock.

The X10’s lens runs from 28mm on the wide end to 112mm telephoto with an impressive f/2.0 – f/2.8 aperture range.  This would make it a good choice for photographing action in low-light, such as inside a slot canyon.  Inside the store, which wasn’t exactly low light but it wasn’t really bright either, the X10 focused remarkably fast.

A real viewfinder!  Ok, so you only see about 85% of the scene through the optical viewfinder, and when zoomed out the lens consumes the bottom right corner, but I still prefer to hold a camera up to my eye when I make a photograph.  For one, it’s easier to stabilize than when you’re holding it in front of you while staring at the LCD, especially if it happens to be windy outside.  Secondly, the LCD on the X10 isn’t all that great to look at.  It’s bright and it works, but it’s half the resolution of many newer LCD’s, making it difficult to use when checking an image for critical sharpness at 100% zoom.

While most advanced point and shoot cameras allow you to make exposure compensation adjustments, it usually requires fumbling around in an on-screen menu or trying to find some tiny button.  The X10 has a nice, big knurled knob on top for this purpose and it adjusts +/- 2 stops, in 1/3 stop increments.  Genius, if you ask me.

The on-board flash is located in a good position and my grip didn’t seem to interfere with its operation.  This is one of my gripes with the S95.  When holding the camera in a normal, comfortable grip, my index finger is over the flash.  When it tries to pop up, it can’t because my finger is in the way and I have to turn the camera off and back on again to re-boot it.  The X10’s flash is quite powerful for it’s diminutive size and it seems to do a good job of intelligently selecting the correct power.  However, for those who prefer more manual control over flash exposure, you’re limited to +/- 2/3 stop.  I find that I often have to reduce fill flash on the S95 to -2 stops to avoid blowing out the foreground.  Perhaps the X10’s flash is more intelligent and +/- 2/3 stop is plenty, but it seems a little too restrictive to me.

A couple miscellaneous items worth mentioning: fast start-up, no discernible shutter lag and the Function button.  To turn on the X10 you twist the ring surrounding the lens.  Start up was nearly instantaneous, meaning you’d be less likely to miss an opportunity while waiting for your camera to fire up.  I could discern no shutter lag at all.  The X10 has a customizable “Function” button on top that can be assigned to perform any number of tasks.  My S95 also has one and I love being able to dedicate that button to a commonly used function.

In Conclusion

I haven’t decided whether the X10 is for me.  I love the feature set, the way it feels in my hands, the optical viewfinder and, from what I’ve seen, image quality appears to be quite impressive.  So what’s my hesitation?  It’s not exactly pocketable.  The S95 (and it’s replacement, the Canon S100) are small enough to fit easily into a jean or jacket pocket and if a camera is easy to carry, you’re more likely to do so.  The X10 is quite a bit bigger.  Yes, it handles better because of the size but that’s not a benefit if you don’t have the camera with you.  I need a camera I can easily fit in the pocket of my motorcycle jacket and I’m not sure the X10 will work.  But, if you don’t need a pocketable camera, or you’ve just got really big pockets, the X10 might be just the camera for you.

I got word a couple days ago from my contact at Nik Software that they’ve just released the Creative Efex Collection, a limited edition bundle of three of their most popular products – Color Efex Pro 4, HDR Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro 2.  The package is offered at $299.95 and there’s a couple interesting twists: it’s not available to the general public directly from the Nik website and only 400 of them are being offered for sale.  No idea why they’ve chosen to go this route but I wanted to be sure I shared the link to the Creative Efex Collection page on the Nik Software website so any of my readers who are interested will be able to pick it up.  And yes, you can save 15% by using coupon code BEDGE at checkout, which lowers the price for the whole collection to about $255.  That’ll save you about $250 compared to purchasing each software product individually.

I’ve not yet downloaded Color Efex Pro 4 but I use Color Efex Pro 3, HDR Efex Pro and especially Silver Efex Pro 2 on a regular basis.  For the uninitiated, Color Efex Pro 4 contains a ton of filters for easy, creative adjustments of your images.  I use the Tonal Contrast filter on damn near every image I process.  I’m also a big fan of the Brilliance/Warmth, Foliage and Remove Color Cast filters.  HDR Efex Pro, not surprisingly, is an HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging package that allows you to easily create realistic (or not) composites of multiple exposures for increased dynamic range.  It’s easy to use and works very well.  Finally, Silver Efex Pro 2 is simply the best way to convert color images to monochrome.  SEP 2 is incredibly powerful and ridiculously easy to use.  Every image in my black and white portfolio was created using Silver Efex Pro 2.

Some key points: Nik is only offering for sale 400 units.  When they’re gone, they’re gone.  There are no electronic downloads of the Creative Efex Collection so you’ll receive your software the good ol’ fashioned way – on discs in a box through the mail.  Last, but not least, it’s only available to residents of the U.S. and Canada.  No idea why but I suspect it has to do with shipping costs.

There you have it, the inside track on the latest offering by Nik Software.  Click here to order the Creative Efex Collection.  Enjoy!

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.

Not too long ago my friend and fellow photographer/dad/outdoor dude Greg Russell wrote a touching blog post titled “Little Mentors“.  I encourage you to read his post but if you don’t have time, the general idea is that we as adults stand to learn much from spending time in nature with children.  They needn’t be your own kids but I strongly encourage you not to randomly adopt one on the trail. Kinda creepy.  At any rate, Greg’s post inspired me to write one of my own about a recent family adventure.

We spent Thanksgiving week camping, hiking and exploring in Nevada’s gorgeous Valley of Fire State Park.  It had been a while since we’d gotten out as a family for more than a few hours.  Work and other obligations have a way of invading our lives, conspiring to prevent us from spending time with those we love.  The weather was perfect and we shared the park with only a handful of other visitors.  My son, Jackson, whom we have affectionately dubbed the Adventure Tyke, is now 2 1/2 years old.  He has boundless energy and I wish it was contagious.  From the moment he wakes to the moment his blue eyes close he’s on the go, charging ahead at 110 MPH.

On our first full day in the park we hiked the 1.5 mile loop at White Dome.  The trail passes an old movie set, climbs and descends sand dunes and passes through a short but scenic slot canyon – a highlight of the trip.  Hiking a mile and a half in as scenic a place as Valley of Fire shouldn’t take more than an hour, even with multiple stops to make photographs.  Being that Jackson is never short on energy we decided to let him start the hike under his own power.  Two and a half hours later, we were back at the trailhead with one exhausted little hiker.  He surprised us by hiking the entire loop on his own!

Of course, everything we passed was of great interest to him.  He would stop and play in the sand, pick up rocks and make me carry them, point out prickly cactus and, in the slot canyon, he announced that there was a tiger just around the corner.  Yes, a tiger. Must’ve been the rare Mojave tiger that lives only in colorful slot canyons and toddler’s imaginations.  We did see a bighorn sheep scampering over a giant mound of slickrock, which Jackson thoroughly enjoyed.

As one who came into photography in the late 90’s from a ten year “career” in endurance sports, where the entire point is to move from point A to point B as fast as possible, it goes without saying that in the last twelve years I’ve gotten slower.  Becoming a photographer caused me to slow down and look at the world differently.  I learned to appreciate the small things – a play of light, tangled branches among colorful leaves or subtle reflections in a gentle creek – all things I would have rushed past several years ago.  Becoming a Dad has slowed me down even more.  When you’re 2 1/2 and outdoors exploring nature, everything is new and interesting and deserving of a few moments of your time.  At times it can be agonizing, like when you’re running late for sunset and you’ve got to stop to thoroughly inspect the 1,000th lizard of the day.  More often than not, it’s a blast.  It brings me mountains of joy to see my son interacting with and enjoying nature.  He wears a perpetual smile when he’s outside.  As a result, I do too.

We’ve all heard the phrase “kids are sponges”.  They’re also mirrors.  Everything we do and say, they do and say.  Jackson loves nothing more than to peer through the viewfinder of my camera and to press the shutter button, usually in rapid fire succession so it sounds like a machine gun going off.  He loves it so much we bought him his own camera, which you can see in the photo above swinging from his backpack.  He points that camera at anything and everything, and I’ll be darned if some of his photos aren’t pretty freakin’ good.  I’ll never force him into anything but if his interest in photography (and motorcycling!) persevere I’ll be the proudest Dad on the planet.  In the meantime, I plan on enjoying every last second in the great outdoors with my little Adventure Tyke.

If you’re a new (or not so new) Mom or Dad who wants to adventure outdoors with your kids, but you’re not quite sure how to start, my wife runs an awesome site called Adventure Tykes filled with tips and ideas to help motivate, inspire and teach you how to get started. Check it out!