I have another art show coming up Mothers Day Weekend May 11th & 12th at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo, California.

There will be over a hundred artists and craftsman selling their personal creations. I have many new fine art pieces from Hawaii, the American Southwest and Pacific Northwest.  Please stop by my booth to take a look and visit if you can.  

There will also be entertainment, food, drink, and of course wine tasting.  Admission is free and there is ample free parking and a shuttle for those who desire it.  

I've always wanted to visit the Columbia River Gorge in northern Oregon, especially to photograph the many waterfalls that abound in the area.  In particular Multnomah Falls ever since I had seen a beautiful scene captured by another photographer a few years ago.  So, when the chance came recently we went out of our way to visit this exceptionally beautiful place just an hour outside of Portland.

Enjoy the images in my first published attempt at a video blog.  You may also view them in my Oregon Gallery.

I'd like to invite you to visit me at the Art in the Pines Spring Art Festival and Sale, Saturday & Sunday May 4th & 5th located in beautiful Torrey Pines State Beach Reserve.  

There will be over 50 artist in a variety of mediums, as well as other activities including demonstrations, live music, an auction and more.  You will find me in Booth #16 across from the Guided Nature Walk area.  I hope to see you there.

Over the Easter holiday I had the chance to visit Grand Falls about 35 miles NE of Flagstaff, AZ on the Navajo Reservation. It's more commonly known by photographers as Chocolate Falls because of the color of the very muddy water flow.  It's really worth a visit, however the flow only occurs during the spring melt and sometimes during a summer monsoon (which I wouldn't recommend).  At present its flowing nicely as you can see in the attached HDR images taken with a Nikon D800, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and a 3 stop GND filter.

I had only recently become aware of this place despite having lived in northern Arizona for nearly four years.  In the past week I asked several life long residents of Arizona if they knew of this place and the vast majority had never heard of it before despite their considerable travels.  Even though its not well known, you will likely encounter a fair number of visitors (many with tripods) on any given day when the spring melt is in progress. The Thursday evening I was there there were about a half dozen others still present just before sunset.

It's about an 8.5 hour drive from San Diego.  Look for it on maps about 30 miles north east of Flagstaff.  Once arriving in Flagstaff via I40, locate well marked Leupp Rd and proceed to Indian Route 70. Continue on Route 70 for about 9 miles and look for a dirt road on your left with a sign for Grand Falls Church.  Proceed about 6 miles on this dirt road.  There will be a dirt road/trail on your left a few hundred yards before the main dirt road ends at the Little Colorado River. The turn onto this last section is extra rough. A high clearance vehicle recommended especially in this section. If necessary walk quarter mile to the falls.  There are picnic kiosks and plenty of places to park at the falls.

Update: March 12 2013 -- Alas, the Big Horn Sheep didn't make an appearence but we had a nice turn out with some great fellowship and fun.  

Update: March 2nd 2013 -- Just got back from a scouting trip to Anza-Borrego State Park. Sadly, there just aren't the wildflowers present as in past years; and it doesn't look like a couple more weeks will help. We did locate small patches here and there (see pictures below).

We ran into dozens of Big Horn Sheep and other intersting photo opportunites, so we will still be heading out March 9th anticipating a fun and rewarding class.

Please consider joining Lee Kirchhevel (trackerleephotography.com) and myself for a half day Nature Photography Workshop Saturday March 9th from 8am to Noon in Anza-Borrego State Park.

Of course, we'll be photographing more than just wildflowers. There will be opportunity for image making of other plants like local cactus, closeup/macro, panoramic landscapes, and perhaps slot canyons. Participants are welcome to join Lee and I in town for lunch afterwards where we can discuss the day's accomplishments.  Lee has a lot of experience with this area and photographing wildflowers, so I'm sure I'll be learning a lot from him myself.

Suggested equipment to bring:

• DSLR with a User's Guide (so we can locate menu settings)
• Wide Angle Lens, Macro or close focus lens, Zoom Lens
• Extension tube for macro (optional)
• Graduated Neutral Density Filter
• Polarizer filter
• Tripod
• Easy to carry Camera Bag or Backpack
• Comfortable sturdy Shoes or Boots
• Water, Snack
• Sunscreen )for skin & lips), Hat

We'll provide more information when you register.
You can register by emailing David or Lee at:
trackerlee@cox.net
dlenhert@sbclgobal.net

I have been remiss about making timely posts to my blog.  I have dozens of reasons, but most are uninteresting.  Therefore, here is a quick update of what's been going on and some information on upcoming workshops and photo shoots.  

First, the La Jolla Cove workshop went well.  We had enthusiastic students. Not as many as we had hoped. Several had to cancel because the original date was rained out, so we moved it to the following week. This season the Pelicans were not as active as in past visits, but we had a lot of fun with our group and covered a lot of material covering everything from camera controls to wide angle landscape composition and of course Pelicans in flight and posing in their colorful annual breeding plumage.

There are some great cliffs and caves along the La Jolla coastline.  Following the class, I explored further down the coast aways during low tide and discovered some really interesting caves at Windansea Beach.  I had packed away my wide angle lens which would have been best, but not being detoured, I made the best of the 80-200mm f/2.8 I had with me.  I plan on going back with the right gear soon.

We are gearing up for our half day Anza-Borrego Nature Workshop Saturday March 9th from 8am to Noon.  Lee Kirchhevel and I will both be leading the workshop with a maximum of 12 participants, so there will be lots of attention to each person's needs.  The cost is only $50.00.  If interested, please email me at dlenhert@sbcglobal.net or Lee at trackerllee@cox.net.

I'll be in Death Valley in a couple weeks trying for some personal portfolio shots of Bad Water Basin.  Then off to northern Arizona where I'll be leading a one and two day photography workshop. Our focus will be Lower Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend followed by a visit to iconic locations around Sedona.

Then in May, I'll be at two Art Shows in San Diego; Art in the Pines at Torrey Pines followed by Bernardo Winery. After that another half day workshop at Torrey Pines.  Stay tuned for details and please consider joining us for one of our workshops.

Award winning photographer and author Lee Kirchhevel will be leading a special half-day guided photography workshop, along with myself, at La Jolla Cove Saturday, January 26 from 8:00am to noon. We'll be focusing (pun intended) on the Brown Pelicans nesting along the rocky California shoreline.

This is the best time of year to capture stunning images of these large marine birds as they will be in full display of colorful breeding plumage.  Of course, there will also be other creatures to photograph like seals, as well as the spectacular shoreline and backdrop of La Jolla cove.

The cost is just $50.00 per person and will be limited to a total of 12 participants. You'll be sure to get plenty of hands on instruction as there will be two of us teaching the workshop.  

We suggest brining a DSLR with burst mode capability and a reasonably fast telephoto lens.  There will be panoramic landscape photography opportunities as well, so be sure to bring a wide angle lens if you have one.  It likely be chilly so you'll want to bring a jacket and sturdy walking or hiking shoes.  A tripod is good to bring if you have one.  You may wish to arrive early to ensure a parking space nearby. Additional information and suggestions will be provided to participants prior to meeting at the cove.

For more information or to sign up, please contact me at dlenhert@sbcglobal.net or Lee Kirchhevel at trackerlee@cox.net.

--------------------------

Update 01/19/2013:

Hi Everyone,

We still have a few spots open for the La Jolla Cove photography workshop on Saturday January 26th.  If you’re interested, please call or email Lee Kirchhevel or David Lenhert at the one of the contact numbers below.

For those attending, here is how you can prepare.

First, plan on meeting at Children’s Pool near La Jolla Cove by 8:00am.  Parking is usually not a problem at this hour, but the earlier the better.  Be sure to park north of Jenner street to ensure longest parking times (note parking signs).  We’ll be walking a little more than 1 mile round trip.

Plan on staying until 12:00pm. You’re welcome to join us afterwards for some lunch and perhaps a tour of one or two nearby photography galleries.

Things to consider bringing with you (if you have them).

1. Your DSLR Camera with a fully charged battery and freshly formatted memory cards (extras if you have them).
2. A Telephoto lens. 200-400mm focal length is desirable (35mm effective*).
3. A Wide angle lens optional for some panoramic landscape shots. Under 24mm is desirable (35mm effective*).
4. Your camera’s User Guide, so we can help you with certain settings on cameras we’re not completely familiar with.
5. A Tripod, if you have one, can be very helpful.  A monopod will work nearly as well.
6. A speedlight flash if you’d like to try some fill lighting.
7. Consider bringing a Polarizing filter and/or Graduated Neutral Density filter, if you have one.
8. Lens cloth, microfiber cloth to keep equipment clean and dry.
9. Bring a light jacket, comfortable shoes with good traction, and perhaps thin gloves in case its chilly in the morning.
10. Water, hat, and sunscreen incase it gets hot & sunny. Snacks or a sack lunch if you like.  You can also join us for lunch at a nearby restaurant. 

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.  We look forward to seeing you at La Jolla Cove.  I know you’ll come away with some great pictures and have a good time learning how to get the most out of your digital camera.

I had the pleasure of leading the Night Photography Workshop on Coronado Island for the Inland Empire Photo Club this past Saturday evening.  We had a nice sized turnout. A few were only able to stay for a short time, while other adventurous spirits braving the cold stayed late into the evening and for some pizza afterwards.  I think everyone had a good time and learned something new.  I know I did, especially regarding some confounding equipment problems which always only seem to show up in the field. For example, IS (Image Stabilization) turned on while on a tripod (causing noticeable blurring) was quite perplexing until discovered; as was, strange extraneous lights being recorded in the night sky.  The later, as it turned out, was apparently being caused by an uncoated uv or protective filter.

I've photographed the San Diego Skyline from Coronado Island many times.  Each time, I seem to come away with something unique.  Sometimes its the different skies, seasons, moonrise, action of the water, etc.  This past Saturday offered different results again.  The air was exceptionally still and clear following a storm the day before, there were the addition of Christmas lights to the scene, the water was more calm than usual allowing for great reflections from city lights.

I've included a couple of my shots from the workshop. The second shot I've shown three different ways.  First as a color shot, then black and white via Nik Silver Efex Pro plugin.  The third example is adding back just a touch of color, which I may like best of all.  Let me know what you think!

HDR: The Science, Art and Philosophy of High Dynamic Range Imaging

(Prepared for the December 6, 2012 IEPC meeting in Temecula, CA)

There is much already written about High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, especially the science of it, so I won’t go into that too much here. Essentially, the purpose of HDR imaging is to expand (or contain if you prefer) the range of light in a scene from the brightest areas to the darkest areas.  That is, to retain the details in both the very bright and very dark areas at the same time in a single image. This will approximate what our eyes are capable of seeing. Generally, if you shoot in full shade or at dawn or dusk, HDR imaging isn’t generally necessary because the camera can usually render the detail in the bright and dark areas--the scene’s range of contrast.  

Before HDR software like HDRSoft’s Photomatix or Nik’s HDR Efex Pro, (and now many others) we had to control capture through the use of graduated and split neutral density filters, or bracket our shots and then manually mask multiple layers to show all the detail in a single image.  Today we have the availability of sophisticated software tools that can do much of that for us; including Adobe Photoshop’s ever improving HDR capability.  Even camera manufactures have started implementing HDR functions within the camera and applied at time of capture.

In a nutshell, HDR software compiles all the data from bracketed images into a single image. In fact there is so much data that output devices are unable to display it all.  The HDR software then Tone Maps it so output devices like your LCD monitor can display it. In a sense, we are tone mapping when we mask multiple bracketed shots. However, HDR software is essentially capable of mapping at the pixel level.   At this point all of the data is present in memory and is available for selective manipulation through the HDR software interface. Most HDR programs have various pre-set starting points, usually shown as thumbnail images for you to select from.  I find most of these basically unsatisfactory for final use, so just consider them as settings to start from.

Unfortunately, but perhaps expectably, HDR imaging has become synonymous with a “look;” the HDR Look.  I say its unfortunate because it is a tool capable of much more than its ubiquitous illustrative look.  A lot of my photography includes some HDR workflow in it, but it’s not often obvious that it does. To be fair, sometimes I do create an image that has the look, and I think there’s a definite place for it.  However, as my skills and tastes have evolved, I’ve been moving back towards a more natural photographic result, but I still utilize bracketing and HDR tone mapping at times to provide the detail I desire in the bright and dark areas.

I first started using Photomatix in 2007 and I was enamored with the look. So much so, that I, like many others, was a bit heavy handed.  I could make a photograph stand out (where it wasn’t going to on its own) by giving it the HDR Look.  I found this very satisfying, at least until it was no longer novel since so many others had started doing the same thing.  As I improved as a photographer my tastes changed.  I also became more sensitive to a significant downside of poorly administered HDR imaging.  That is the tendency of HDR applications to create halos around areas of strong contrast, over saturated electric colors, muddy whites, dull blacks, and unacceptable levels of noise.  The good news is, most of these issues can be overcome with knowledgeable and discriminating application of the software’s controls.  This is where the art and philosophy of HDR imaging really comes in.  Before I share my personal preferences, let me reiterate that I think there is a place for the HDR Look, but preferably without the unpleasant aforementioned artifacts. First off, much of photography is art and thus subjective.  As art, there is no real right or wrong.  If you like it, then by all means go for it.  However, I believe that there is a universal aesthetic that governs what we perceive as attractive.  In the same way that music can be either pleasant or just noise. 

 

Fig-1. My early first attempt and example of a bad HDR image

 

For some good examples of images successfully utilizing HDR technique, take a look at www.stuckincustoms.com.  Trey Ratcliff, in my opinion, has mastered HDR imaging.  Some of his images are subtle, while others are much more severe in result.  Who’s to say you can’t do both?  Trey’s blog is a great resource for all kinds of things photography so be sure to visit it when you have the chance.

 

I like to employ the HDR Look in situations where the photo on its own will look rather boring.  I especially like what HDR does to wood like in old barns, or its effect on rusty cars, or where things are overly busy, even ugly, like junk yards or construction sites.

 

Most of the time my preference for HDR is to expand the detail in the contrast range of my photographs.  This is especially true in landscapes and architecture. I’ve tried several HDR applications, but my preference is still for Photomatix. Perhaps because its the one I first used and am most familiar with.  For that reason I’ll use Photomatix in my examples.

 

Before you can load your 3 to 5 or even 9 or more image files into HDR software, you need to properly capture bracketed images with your DSLR camera.  It’s at this point someone wants to know if you can just take one image file and save it back out over and under exposed to put through HDR software.  You can certainly do that to get something similar to the Look, but its not really HDR because dynamic range of data just isn’t there.  You can get similar results with in Photoshop or a plugin from someone like Topaz Labs.

 

 

Although others may have some different advice, I find the suggestions below to work well and not be overly complicated. 

 

1. Shoot RAW!  There’s no point trying to expand the amount of data with anything less.
2. Select the minimum acceptable ISO to minimize noise and provide the best quality.
3. Be sure to set your camera to Aperture Priority.  Its faster and easier than Manual mode.  If you were to choose Program mode, the camera may adjust aperture between shots changing depth of field focus.
4. Use a tripod.  I know its possible for the software to align the images, but your results will be much better if you’re using a tripod.  Also, a tripod will give you the ability to use a slower shutter speed for situations like smoothing water.
5. Set the camera to fastest burst mode available.  This will keep trees and other objects influenced by wind relatively unchanged between shots.  Although its now possible to select a single image to minimize the effects of moving object ghosting, small details like moving leaves are often difficult to solve. A fast shutter speed with little lag between shots will help alleviate those situations significantly. 
6. At a minimum, select a bracketed range of at least 3 frames and 2 f-stops apart. For example, the equivalent of EV-2, EV0, EV+2.  Some cameras can’t spread the values two f-stops apart in one frame.  If your camera can only spread stops by one between frames, then set the bracket to at least five frames: EV-2, EV-1, EV0, EV+1, EV+2.  I find Photomatix works a little better with smaller jumps between frames. Although the software will except an even number of files, I prefer to always provide an odd number as this gives me an equal range of under and over exposed images.
7. If the contrast range of the scene is really great, increase the frame captures to 7, 9 or even more. If you wish to be precise, you can use the light meter in the camera to determine the distance between the brightest and darkest areas. Don’t forget to take advantage of the histogram as well.  In most cases, 3 frames two f-stops apart will deliver satisfying results.
8. When your done, don’t forget to reset your bracketing or you may ruin your next non-HDR shooting.

 

Now that you have your 3, 5 or more RAW files, what do you do with them?  If you have the stand alone version of Photomatix (my preference) you can select the group and just drag and drop onto the program’s icon.  Without going through every step, you’ll end up with something like Fig-2.

 

Fig-2. Photomatix Pro Preprocessing Options Screen

 

Once you Preprocess the images, you’ll end up with a screen similar to Fig-3.  You can explore different settings by clicking on the Preset Thumbnails. You can also choose from two different Processes: Tone Mapping or Exposure Fusion, as well as different Methods for each.  I generally stick with the Tone Mapping Process and Details Enhancer Method.  However, different images may work better with one of the other selections.

Fig-3. Main Photomatix Processing Screen

The biggest problem most beginners have with HDR processing is over doing it and not knowing how to deal with the inherent artifacts like halos and muddy whites.  With regard to the first issue, there is a tendency for new users to want to go stronger.  The idea being if a little looks good than more ought to look even better.  I like to think of it like a lady’s makeup, where as a little can make a women look beautiful, but too much makeup can make her look clownish (or worse).  To moderate my impulse to go too strong, I like to toggle back to a copy of the neutral exposure of the original image.  

 

Fig-4. Original EV-0 Image.

 

It’s surprising to see just how far the HDR version has actually come by comparison and helps keep me from going overboard.

How I approach the second issue of tell tale HDR artifacts, I usually start with a preset I saved that often gives me a dynamic yet reasonably realistic look.  From there I make adjustments based on my image desires and on controlling artifacts.  

Here is the basic group of settings I generally start with:

Process = Tone Mapping, Method = Details Enhancer

Strength = 62

Luminosity = 6

Detail Contrast = 6

Lighting Adjustments = +2

White Point = 300% or greater

Black Point = 10% or greater

Micro Smoothing = As needed; usually 8 to 20

Fig-5. Developing the HDR Image

All other controls are left at the startup default, and I only change them if it seems really necessary.  An example would be color and temperature.  I find the Photomatix setting of 46 is plenty saturated and is on the cool side temperature wise.  I much prefer to make these adjustments in Photoshop or Lightroom.

 

I make adjustments to my preferred preset as the dictated by the image. There is no one good formula that works for all images despite what some have published.  It’s just a place to start from. Additionally, I don’t begin to try to do it all in Photomatix. Once I think I’ve gotten all I can from Photomatix I save it and then open the file in Adobe Camera Raw, make some adjustments and then complete my work in Photoshop. That part of the workflow is better left for another discussion.

 

Lets get back to dealing with those troubling artifacts I mentioned earlier. Here is where, in my opinion, some of the philosophy of aesthetics comes in.  HDR software does a brilliant job of mapping the wide range of available levels of contrast and tone.  In so doing, it tends to spread or flatten out the tonal detail in all parts of the image, which often leaves it looking rather dull or flat.  We need to restore some of the contrast, especially in the middle tones. That also often means we need to add some brightness to the now muddy whites and add some deeper tone back in the shadows but still keep as much of the detail as possible.  Perhaps you can begin to see how philosophy and artistic choices come into all of this.  

 

When it comes to muddy whites, try increasing White Point and Smooth Highlights values.  For a final touch try increasing Micro-smoothing.  To improve dull shadow tones, increase the Black Point.  Shadow Smoothness can also help.  Luminosity and Detail Contrast settings will help improve middle tone contrast.

 

Halos around areas of strong contrast, like trees and the roof lines of buildings are a dead give away of poor HDR processing.  Often the only way to deal with it, is lowering (moving the slider to the left) the overall Strength setting.  Increasing the Lighting Adjustment slider to the right will help smooth out the transition.  Increasing Micro-smoothing can also be a benefit. These same controls can also help the noisy areas, especially found in the shadows.  

 

Finally, what we can’t do in Photomatix, we will do in Photoshop or Lightroom.  If I can’t quite handle the full range of things like halos, color shift or noise, I’ll make those repairs in ACR, Photoshop or Lightroom, and with applications like Nik Software, Topaz Labs or other 3rd party software.

 

Fig-6. Final Image after ACR and Photoshop CS5 adjustments

 

 

Fig-4. Original EV-0 Image for comparison to Final Image in Fig-6

 

My personal philosophy and goal regarding HDR, is to produce a final result that other photographers familiar with HDR suspect, but aren’t sure if, I’ve used actually used HDR software.  In those instances I’m content that I’ve accomplished what I had intended to.

A final word on HDR imaging...

If your goal is to produce images that have increased dynamic range but desire to keep the final result quite realistic, there are other methods worth considering.  For example, layer masking bracketed shots or double processing RAW files using Smart Objects with Layer Masking.   These methods, however, are best discussed in another article.

Stop by my show booth next Saturday & Sunday October 20 & 21 at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo, CA.

For the first week of October 2012...  

I'm pleased to announce that my Monument Valley at dawn photo was selected as the primary shot for Shutterbug's October "Picture This" assignment.  http://www.shutterbug.com/content/deep-depth-field

It's also received quite a bit attention in Capture My Arizona. 

I had the opportunity to meet up with Gary McCarthy and John Moore for some photography on Harbor Island for the full moon rising over the San Diego Skyline.  Here's a shot below.

Currently, the Photo Arts Group "Out of the Dark" exhibition is on display at the Vista Chamber of Commerce at 127 Main Street in Vista, CA where I have one piece on display.  This follows a month long showing at the Innerspace Gallery.

Following the Kauai Landscape workshop beginning the end of this month, I'll be displaying my fine art photography at the 35th Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Fair Saturday and Sunday October 20th & 21st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I hope you can come out and visit with me.

http://www.capturemyarizona.com/photos/692817

When it comes to photographer’s rights, there is actually quite a bit shutterbugs need to know.  For example, when it comes to providing images to stock photography sites, it's important to provide model and property release documents if there’s a recognizable person or product in the photo.  

I recently submitted a young couple repelling down the side of a cliff in the Valley of Fire State Park just north of Las Vegas, Nevada.  I thought I had my stock submission covered since I had gotten a model release from the both of them, but the image was sent back; not for any reason to do with the people in the picture but rather because the logo on their tennis shoes, which were just barely discernible.  Keep in mind I had to zoom into the image 200% to actually see and then edit out the logo.  In another stock submission, I had some images rejected because I had not provided a model release.  I hadn’t thought I needed one because their faces were not recognizable, either by the angle of view, or the fact that they were darkly silhouetted against a sunset background.  Nevertheless, they were rejected, no doubt out of concern of potential law suites.  This has understandably become the standard operating procedure for stock agencies to protect themselves.  

In some cases a model or property release is not required for publication, or stock use, if is restricted to “editorial” usage.  This, among other things, is what allows photographers, journalist, and others, to print pictures of people, product logos, etc. without permission if it is news worthy or of general interest to the public.  It can also often be used for educational purposes.  A key test as to if something is editorial or commercial is whether or not it is intended to induce profit (receive commercial value) from its usage.

There is significant case law dealing with privacy, intellectual property, fair use, and copyright leaving little gray area to contend with, though situations still frequently go through litigation, often due to ignorance or just plain greed. In this day of Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, et al, all photographers (especially pros) need to know about the laws that affect them.  A good source for this is book written by Leonard D. Duboff called “The Law (In Plain English) For Photographers.” 

Another, less defined, area of concern for photographers has come about as a result of terrorism.  At least this is often the excuse given when law enforcement officers try to  prevent pictures from being taken of public buildings, bridges, government offices, etc.  Keep in mind it IS perfectly legal to take pictures of people and property in public areas, from public areas. Of course, without release forms such images can only be used for non-commercial purposes.  Nevertheless, law enforcement officers often, even using force, will try to prevent people from taking pictures or video of such areas, and especially when it involves their public activities, even when it has nothing to do with terrorism. In some cases, this can get way out of hand as was reported in PopPhoto.ocm March 21,2011 by Dan Bracaglia where a woman “was allegedly beat up and arrested by police after they realized she was photographing an arrest with her camera-phone.”  The woman in question filed a law against the city of New York for $24 million.  

Although this was an extreme case, such incidences are not uncommon and have been unfortunately on the increase, largely due to ignorance of federal and state laws and the lack of established local law enforcement policies.  Fortunately, there are some law enforcement agencies which have recently set forth clear guidelines to their officers on these matters.  An excellent example of this is the recent General Order put out by the DC Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier, entitled: “Video Recording, Photographing, and Audio Recording of Metropolitan Police Department Members by the Public.”  I encourage you to read the entire online document which plainly states that “photography, including videotaping, of places, buildings, structures and events are common and lawful activities in Washington, D.C.” and that “a bystander has the right under the First Amendment to observe and record members in the public discharge of their duties.”  It is a very well thought out and written set of guidelines which goes into considerable detail. Apparently, this action was largely taken as part of a settlement which grew out of an incident where DC police had ordered someone to stop taking pictures of them. 

Additional articles on this can be seen here and here.

It's up to all of us as photographers, journalists and citizens to know and exercise our rights, in order that we not loose them.

Once again, I've been so busy that I've neglected keeping this blog up with fresh content, so I thought I'd better address something while sitting in front of my computer this weekend.  

There are so many things I could write about, but since my Nikon D800 finally arrived a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd share some of my impressions.  There's already a lot of content flying around on the web on this game changing camera so, I'll just hit the highlights of my initial observations.

There are some things I will miss about my D700 which I sold (in large part to help pay for the D800). That would primarily be its incredible low-light capability and fast burst rate.  

A few days after I got the D800, I headed off to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for a little workout.  When I photograph animals I nearly always put the camera on CF (Continuous Fast) burst rate mode to record an optimum frame of the creature's expression or behavior.  The D800's burst rate is noticeably slower.  It seems to me that its CF speed is about that of the D700's CL (Continuous Low) speed.  I guess that's the tradeoff one must endure for writing image files more than 3 times larger.  Which brings me to my next reality check; the files are huge! Not just in pixels, but even more so in disk size.  My 8GB San Disk Extreme III card was only able to record 101 images. Transferring a card full of RAW images to my computer, which once took only seconds, now takes several minutes.

As soon as I returned home from the park, I ordered both a 32GB SD and CF San Disk Extreme Pro cards. The D800 has slots for both. The reason for the Extreme Pro version is the ultra fast 95 to 100 mb/sec write speed capability, which should help during those shutter burst situations.

Obviously, the reason I bought the D800 was so I could print much larger.  What I hadn't given much thought to at the time, however, was that the images are so much bigger, I feel (for the first time really) that I can now crop my images. This has allowed me to produce different final images from just one RAW capture and has opened up all kinds of various creative possibilities.  For example, in the attached image of Izu, the lion, while editing close on his face I realized a much better picture was produced by cropping in tightly, eliminating the distracting background.  The cropped shot was still larger than the output from my D700. 

There are of course some other observations I have regarding the D800, but I'll save that for another time.

Join me, David Lenhert, for a photographic journey to one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the garden isle of Kauai, Hawaii!  This intimate hands-on guided workshop (limited to only 6 participants) will provide plenty of personal instruction and opportunity to capture the best of Kauai’s extraordinary scenery.

Although we will be based out of Princeville on the north shore of Kauai, strategically located near the famed Na Pali coast, several beach parks, Hanalei Bay & taro fields, we will have opportunity to explore the forests and waterfalls of inland Kauai, as well as, the west side of the island where we will capture colorful images of the back side of the Na’Pali cliffs and peer into Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific).

For early risers, we will meet Monday and Tuesday before sunrise to capture the first sweet light of the day.  As it frequently rains on the north shore of Kauai, there may be opportunity to capture rainbows as well.  During the day, we will develop our images in Adobe Photoshop, capture & practice HDR processing, and create panoramic scenes. You will have time to explore the island on your own before reconvening in the late afternoon for sessions on photographing sunsets, low-light and night photography.

We will meet together Sunday afternoon in Princeville for orientation followed by an evening shoot on nearby Anini Beach. Emphasis will be placed on being on-location each dawn and sunset. Will have a full moon the first evening, so we may be able to capture some creative night shots as well.

List of planned locations:

Anini Beach

Ke’e Beach

Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Valley Taro Fields

Haena Beach

Waimea Canyon

Na’Pali Coast State Park

Opaekaa Falls

Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve

Queens Bath (if there’s time & depending on tidal activity. Requires short moderate hike)

Wailua Falls (if there’s time)

We can suggest flights and assist you in finding affordable accommodations and car rentals on the island. We can also help you prepare your equipment list.

For more information, please contact David or Karen Lenhert at 760-884-4899.

Tristan Jud just posted the interview he did of me on his Blog "RAW."

http://raw.tristanjud.com/2012/06/interview-with-david-lenhert/

Be sure to "Like It" on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1220605905

This first week in June is, and has been, pretty busy for me. The Introduction to the Landscape & Nature Photography class I co-taught with Lee Kirchhevel went very well.  There continues to be a lot of interest by those who wish to advance from taking just snapshots to something they are proud of hanging on their walls at home. It's very satisfying for me to share what I've learned with other's so they too can create engaging imagery for themselves.

Earlier this week I was interviewed by Tristan Jud of RAW, an online photography magazine/blog site in Australia. Once Its published, I'll be sure to post a link.

This evening (June 6) I'll be giving a presentation on landscape fine art photography to the South County Photo Club in Aliso Viejo.

Tomorrow evening I'll be attending the Artist Reception in the East Grandstand at the San Diego County Fair where I have three photographs being judged this year.  I'll followup on the results as soon as I know something.

Finally, this Saturday June 9th from 5:30 to 8:00 pm, I'll be attending the Artist Reception at the Escondido Municipal Gallery on Grand Ave.  The Photo Arts Group's theme this month is "Out of the Dark".  Please join me there if you can for conversation, appetizers and beverages--all free!

Update: The results for the San Diego County Fair Photography competition are in…  My image “Genesis” displaying the glowing Kilauea caldera under the southern Milky Way received a 4th place in the the Night Photography category.  The quality of this year’s entries are the best I’ve seen.  It seems each year the bar get raised a bit higher. I’m not sure what I’ll need to do next year to get a ribbon. 

It's been a very busy few weeks.  The Bernardo Winery Spring Art & Craft Show was a big success.  I met lots of people excited about photography and had a financially successful show as well.  The week before I was in southern Utah and a visit to the Wave in Coyote Buttes North.  Although the hike was a little more demanding than I had originally thought it would be, it was a great experience.  One I'm sure I'll repeat again sometime.  My only wish would have been to have some cloudy skies. Even though we got an early start, we still arrived with clear skies and harsh sunlight. Some areas provided shadow which produced the best images.  Visitation to this area of the Paria Canyon wilderness is restricted by the BLM to only 10 online lottery winners and 10 day-before walk-in lottery applicants.  I had won my permit online back in February.  On my designated day, there were 83 lottery applications for the 10 walk-in spots.  What's next?  I'm teaching a Landscape & Nature Photography Class at the Escondido Municipal Gallery on June 2nd.  You can sign up here:  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/250095  if you're interested.  

I'll be showing and selling my latest prints this Mother's Day weekend at the Bernardo Winery's 35th Annual Arts & Crafts Fair in Rancho Bernardo, CA.  If you're looking for something to do or perhaps find a nice gift for Mom, please stop by.  I'll be in my usual location in the shade on the grass. In addition to traditional matted photographic prints, I have several in frames, on canvas, on metal, and acrylic face mounts. In addition to other photographers, there will be painters, sculptors, glass blowers and a variety of other artists and craftsman.  Some tasty food booths will be there as well.  Stop by for a visit or just a quick hello!

There is still room!  Contact me as soon as possible to attend.

If you are in the area, please be sure to drop by the Escondido Municipal Art Gallery on Grand and Juniper in Escondido, CA and look at the Photo Arts Group new showing called “A Place of One’s Own.”

And don’t forget to keep Mother’s Day Weekend (Saturday May 12 through Sunday May 13) for the 35th Annual Spring Arts & Crafts Fair at the Bernardo Winery.  I’ll be there along with over a hundred other artists. Bring mom out for some wine tasting, local foods, art and fun!