LENS CAPTURE

Vol. 2 No. 27


While Worldwide Photo Walk Officials sought out the problems encountered with the contest deadline, I thought I would share some of my captures.  Since I lead the walk, I am not eligible to compete.  I will be selecting a local winner who will go on to compete against other photo walk winners worldwide for some great prizes.


So here are a few of my shots...

Vol. 2 No. 16

I wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the great images made by the 2010 Spring Walk Participants.  These brave souls, who ventured out in to the pouring rain last Sunday, took advantage of the opportunity to capture some wonderful subjects.  The following images were posted to the LensCapture Flickr Group.

© Diacritical


© Tinccat4


© DMLitvin


© Jadam113


© Katyp2


© Etccdb


© Sputnick002


© Tkacle

Vol. 2 No. 12

If you have been following the Lenscapture Blog, you have seen some of the images I have posted from my latest trips to the Southwest of the United States. These recent adventures have taken me to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Verde Canyon, Zion National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park and the amazing Bryce Canyon.

Sharing these adventures with others is one of the main reasons for starting this blog more than a year ago. Another way to share and preserve these memories is to create a photo book. The great thing about a photo book is how it can be used. You can use it to create a portfolio of your work, to remember and re-live a fantastic vacation, to share an event such as a wedding or sweet 16, or to just decorate your coffee table.

Vol. 2 No. 10

The last set of images left to share from my adventure, where captured in a small state park in southern Utah called Kodachrome Basin.  Approximately 5,800 feet above sea level, this spectacular array of sand pipes and colorful rock formations was freshly blanketed with snow.

Vol. 2 No. 1

[Editor's Note: I thank everyone for their support over the past year. Your kind emails and comments, and your participation in the various Lens Capture Photo Walks have made it a very rewarding experience. Now begins our second chapter. Thanks again.]

So, you are now the proud owner of a new camera. Now what?

You probably didn't even wait for the battery to fully charge before snapping off a few pictures. Soon after, reality set in. Your expectations began to fade. The fantastic imagery you imagined didn't materialize on the LCD screen. First attempts yielded poorly exposed, possibly out-of-focus drab photos. And maybe even the thought "this camera takes lousy pictures" crossed your mind. I counsel you to not rush back to the retailer to trade it up to a more expensive model that takes better images. The problem is not the camera but "you!" [Boy, that's wasn't too reassuring - was it?]

It's okay, step back from the ledge, all is not lost. The camera is designed to record great images. You, on the other hand, need to be trained. The camera is incapable of taking great photos without your interaction. You just need to learn the tricks - I mean, techniques towards better photography. And you can learn, don't doubt yourself. While it's not rocket science, it will take some commitment on your part.  But, the payoff will be well worth it.

The three (3) "P's" have been my mantra along this winding road of photography - practice, patience, perseverance.

• Practice - learn your camera, its features and settings, and what they actually do.

• Patience: your photos will go from blah, everyday, seen it before, no big deal boring images - to hey there, check this out, that imagine pops! It will happen. But, you must be willing to endure. Gotta start somewhere.

• Perseverance - take lots, and lots and lots of photos. And then, keep taking more and more and more. Do yourself and the rest of us (that includes family and friends) a favor by only sharing the very best of what you capture. Do you honestly believe the world's leading photographers snap a "keeper" every time? No way - it doesn't happen. Every "at bat" doesn't yield a homerun. But the more opportunities, the better your chances are at hitting one.

A few other words of wisdom that I hope will make your journey easier to navigate. Carry your camera whenever possible. Your cannot get a great shot if the camera is back home, and you're not. As world-famous commercial photographer, Chase Jarvis points out in his best-selling book, The Best Camera Is The One That's With You: iPhone Photography (Voices That Matter)," you do not need an expensive camera to be creative. But you do need a camera to share your vision with others. High-end digital SLR, point-and-shoot, or a camera-phone will do, only if it is with you to capture the moment.

Look at photographs made by others. What works, what doesn't. Every day, I check out some of the new uploads on flickr®. What was their subject? Do I like the photograph? How did they bring focus to it? How did they simply the shot so as not to distract me from their subject?  Or, why don't I like the shot? This is an important step in training yourself to recognize good composition.

Participate in a photo walk. Keep checking back here at Lens Capture for information on upcoming photo walks. I plan on holding at least one every couple of months. It's great to get together with others that enjoy photography. Sharing idea and your individual point-of-view, help to inspire others. I always get creatively stimulated through the interaction that occurs during these photo walks.

Attend a workshop. Don't stop learning. Workshops are a great place to broaden your knowledge and learn the techniques to making better photographs. If you're in the New York Metropolitan Area, check out B & H Superstore's Event Space for a listing of upcoming free workshops.

Photography should be an educational requirement in high schools and colleges because it makes you see and appreciate the world differently. When you start composing a photograph, you become more aware of your surroundings and the elements that begin to define your subject.

Don't believe me, start using that new camera.


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Vol. 1 No. 45


Had a great time at our Sunset Meet in Brooklyn Bridge Park as we welcomed a few new faces in the group.  The weather cooperated with a very dramatic sky.  The photo below is a 7-capture high dynamic range (HDR) image. I bracketed the captures about 15 minutes before sunset.



The sharing of ideas and various technique flowed throughout the group.  Images resulting from Doug Palmer's creative tip on zooming during long exposures are already appearing on the Flickr LensCapture Group. I also enjoyed Katy's imaginative lighting of the Manhattan Bridge.

As twilight took hold, the lights of the city began to burn brightly providing a magnificent compostion begging to be memoralized.  And we all took up the challenge. Slow shutter speeds, small apertures, low ISO and long exposure in-camera noise reduction went into the making of the image below.



I was asked numerous times during the Sunset Meet for the spot of the next photo walk.  I'll be revealing the location for October's gathering later next week.  As it stands now, it will probably be an early morning start on Sunday, October 25th.  Just putting together the final details.

Remember, if you attended the meet, please share an image or two up in the Flickr LensCapture Group.


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Vol. 1 No. 38

And, I haven't posted in almost 3 weeks. In that time I worked the day job, shoot a couple of assignments, lead a photo walk to the High Line (more on that later), and bought a new workstation. There in lies my problem, I purchased a new computer. For two weeks I struggled through MS Vista, software and driver installs and re-installs, configurations and customizations - all fraught with an intermittent stream of blue screens. After running the manufacturer's diagnostic application, which scanned for more than a day, I finally surrender and returned the system to the store.

Spec-wise, the workstation was a powerhouse but a lemon. The replacement system, I can happily say, rockets through image uploads and photo editing. A Dell Studio XPS with an Intel Core i7 processor (translation - dual quad core) with a nice cache, plenty of RAM (8GB DDR3), and tons of storage (1.5TB). After several hours of re-installing applications and devices, and a few days to burn-in, I am back to posting.

So, the outing to the High Line was a successful adventure. On this very hot and humid day, I was joined by a dozen fellow photo enthusiasts. Some were alumni from the Worldwide Photo Walk, as well as a few new faces. The skill levels were as varied as the different points of view each participant brought along. I love these walks because they inspire me to constantly look at my environment from many different angles. As a native New Yorker, regardless of the scale and diversity this city offers, you fall into a routine. By that, I mean you start to look at things from the same aspect. Your approach gets stale, and your photographic prospects quickly diminish. There are several wonderful images made my fellow photo walkers that day, and you can see them by visiting the Flickr Lenscapture Group.

Here are a few photographs I made that day.

Vol. 1 No. 35

As promised, I have organized a photo walk for August 16, 2009 to the High Line in Manhattan.



The plan is to meet on Sunday, August 16 at 9:00 am EDT at Ganesvoort Street and Washington Street in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. From there we will climb the stairs to the elevated High Line park (click here for more information on the High Line). We will leisurely stroll the High Line up to the end of the Phase One section at West 20th Street. Once there, we then turn around and head back south along the High Line so you can capture those images you missed on you northbound trek. When we get back to our starting point, we will return to street level and head across West Street to the Hudson River Park.

Once in the park, we will begin heading south exploring the piers and garden areas until we reach the dog run at Leroy Street. Along the way, we will have time to grab a snack and something to drink. The total walk, start to finish is less than 2 miles and, with our relaxed pace, should conclude around noon.

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Vol. 1. No. 34

The deadline for Worldwide Photo Walk participants to submit competition images is July 25, 2009 at 11:59 PM EDT. So, what are you waiting for? Just log into your respective Walk page and upload your two (2) images before it's too late. Judging by the images already uploaded to the LensCapture Flickr Group by our Walk members, I'm puzzled you haven't all submitted contest photos to our WorldWide Photo Walk site. Beginners to advanced amateurs to working pros - you all have a chance to compete and win. Don't talk yourself out of the running. Hurry hurry, time's running out.




Scott Kelby posted a great FAQ, in classic Kelby-style, that might answer some of your photo contest questions. It should be read by all involved.

I will be announcing the details of the upcoming LensCapture August Photo Walk on Sunday right here on the blog. I appreciate all the emails inquiring about this event. Thanks.


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Vol. 1 No. 33

This past Saturday, I ventured down to the South Street Seaport with the camera in tow. I like the Seaport because it's usually pretty easy to come upon an interesting subject or two.

Since it was windy day, with gusts up to 40 mph, I knew the gulls would be active along the East River. So I strolled out onto the promenade deck at Pier 17 where I was quickly greeted by this Ring-billed Gull. He was approximately 20" tall with a wingspan that looked to be a little more than 4 feet.

Just short of wearing a sign that could have read, "I pose for food," he turned out to be a very willing subject. I really like how the late winter afternoon Sun provided a nice catchlight in his eye. This lighting also allowed me to set my ISO real low at 100 to capture a load of detail. Since these gulls are scavengers and their heads are constantly moving, you need to shoot with a pretty fast shutter speed to freeze the subject.

I invite you to join me up on the LensCapture Flickr Group to view some more images from the day. Feel free to add your images to the group to share with our community.

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