UPCOMING 2010 WORKSHOPS:
Summer Big Sur Photo Workshop - August, 17-20, 2010 (Workshop Sold Out)
Arches/Canyonlands Photo Workshop - November 3-7, 2010 (Workshop Sold Out)
Winter Big Sur Photo Workshop - Magic Light and The Pfeiffer Beach Arch - January 11-14, 2011 (space available)
Northern Arizona Photo Workshop - Grand Canyon, Upper Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Sedona - March 16-20, 2011 (space available)
Spring Big Sur Workshop - 4th Annual Wildflowers and Color - April 17-20, 2011 (space available)
Springtime in Lake Tahoe and the Mokelumne Wilderness Photo Workshop - May 14-17, 2011 (space available)
Northern California - 3rd Annual Redwoods and Mendocino Photo Workshop - May 23-26, 2011 (just added)
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New Article on my Website: First Look at Photoshop CS5 - Content Aware Fill
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Books Available for Purchase on my Website:
Refined Vision: 50 Lessons Designed to Improve Your Digital Landscape Photography (e-book and printed versions - 160 pages)
The Photographer's Guide to the Big Sur Coast (e-book version - 102 pages)
On the Edge (printed version - softcover and hardcover - 120 pages)
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This Tuesday will signal the start of my 2nd Annual Summer Big Sur Workshop, one of three that I offer along this incredible stretch of coastline during the year. Though each season offers a different lighting palette, summer may be the most unique because of the persistent push of the marine layer (coastal California's natural air conditioner).
The workshop is designed to take advantage of the soft-light that the fog provides. Vibrant sunrises and sunsets are not the goal; rather, the workshop will explore the intricacies that the overcast skies will provide. I like to maneuver my students to locations not only under the marine layer, but also along its edges and above the mist. There is really only one accessible area that allows for this incredible scene and that is Fremont Peak State Park, which is accessed from San Juan Valley Road that begins just outside of the Mission town of San Juan Bautista.
This 14-mile stretch of road climbs 2500 feet and winds through the Gabilan Mountain's chaparral-covered hillsides that affords one magnificent views of the southern Santa Clara Valley as well as the entire Monterey Bay from Santa Cruz to the north to King City to the south. The road ends at Fremont Peak State Park and the main trail leads visitors to the peak culminating at an elevation of 3,169 feet. From this vantage point, one has a view from above the fog and can watch (and photograph) the sun as it seemingly melts into the mist - an incredible sight!
As the rest of the country bakes in sizzling summer heat, this fog layer has been relentless and has in turn resulted in one of the coolest summers on record in the past 40 years for most in central-California' s beach and coastal valley towns (no complaints here). Today's image was captured at a location approximately 5 miles below the peak. Due to California's serious budget problems, this State Park has been cut back to being open only four days per week (Thursday - Sunday). At various elevations, summer wildflowers, as well as this bush lupine, will begin their late bloom providing nice color for foreground elements.
Using my new 16-35mmL Series II Canon lens along with a Singh-Ray 5-stop soft edge GND I balanced the contrasty light of the sun melting into the fog while allowing the backlit lupine bush to expose properly. An aperture of f/16 produced a nice sunstar to add some visual excitement to the colorful sky. With a slow shutter speed of 1-second, I waited for a lull in the breeze and made my exposure.
If you read my previous post you'll remember I talked of running a mental checklist through your mind before shooting. Most of you replied that this process was somewhat new to you. One of the keys I should have mentioned is to try as best you can to pre-scout an area, and that could mean simply arriving an hour or two before the pretty light arrives as I did with this scene. Then you can find your composition without feeling rushed and run the mental checklist through your mind. Imagine (there's that word again) what the scene will look like with the warm colors of sunrise/sunset or dusk/dawn light painting your canvas and then just be patient for the light to arrive. This may mean dragging yourself out of bed at a very early hour and/or missing a dinner or two, but believe me, the resulting images will be worth it. Leave the middle of the day light to the tourists, and use that time to scout or edit.
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