Monthly Archives: June 2015

 

 

When I was preparing to go out to Portland to meet Jack Graham and do the Oregon Coast workshop I was really excited to shoot his beautiful region that Jack knows so well!  I’ve shot the last before but I knew Jack would know the best spots, and he did!!!!  I packed three bodies and four lenses, the 50-140, the 18-135, the 10-24, and a 200mm Nikkor to get my 300 mm lens. After the first two days I had not taken anything out of the bag but the 18-135 which remained firmly attached to my X-T1 and a few times the X-T10.  I did use the 10-24 on a few occasions, but the rest, including the much lauded 50-140 were unused!!!!  Honestly, I could have shot the entire trip with the 18-135!  Only when I needed an extreme wide lens,  (inside the lighthouse, and some ferns on the forest floor) did I pull out the 10-24.

 

It was exceptionally liberating to have  a single camera and lens and produce such a great variety of work!  Because I have my X-T1 and=X-T10 set up to produce Velvia, Provia and monochrome with a red filter I also got a variety of images, some of which let me allow my inner “Jay Maisel” to surface! Even the close-up images were made with the 18-135 without any accessories!!!!  Thanks Mike!!  What fun, hope you enjoy these;

 

 

More later!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

We’ve been in constant motion since the last post, and I wanted to show some of the last two days images before I collapse in the bed!!!!  We’ve been blessed with a  great group and well, you can see what the subject matter and light have been like!!!

 

 

 

 

The Coastal forest floor….

 

 

More later!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Our first day out on the coast has been sunny, but we got a break this morning at Ecola State Park, with some nice mist in the air hanging to the coast.  It held in the trees and gave a soft appearance to the early light spilling on the waves and sea stacks along the coast!  We have a great group of folks an they have been working hard under less tun perfect conditions!  The outlook for sunset is looking up as clouds are moving in around Cannon Beach.  WE will see, but hope springs eternal

 

Below Ed of Roanoke enjoys the breeze and the surf!

 

 

An off shore lighthouse peaks through the towering pines along the cliffs!

 

 

Hopefully, tomorrow I can show you a spectacular sunset!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

 

I got an email over the weekend from one of the attended to the Oregon Coast workshop guests asking how I prepared for a workshop, which allowed me to do an interesting inventory, and I thought it might be helpful to anyone planning photo trip so here is my answer to them and my advice to you!!!

 

Logistical Prep:  Know the area, have all your maps, guide books, and a articles not only at hand but available to study on the plane or in transit.  Whenever I am planning and packing for a workshop, I first check the weather forecast and normal climate for that region.  Will it be hot, cold, rainy, snowy, windy, all these conditions require different kinds of clothes!  I’ve found you are not comfortable you will not do your best work.  Nothing is worse than freezing to death instead of seeing the great subject and light!!!!  I’ve often said most workshops are not a fashion show, just be comfortable, and relaxed an you can do that best if you have the right kinds of outerwear.  If  you do this a lot, you will discover a really good gore tex shell will pay for itself many times over.  Same goes for silk weight long johns if it is going to be really cold.  For years marino wool socks and comfortable hiking shoes have beneath order of the day.

 

Gear Needs:  I tailor a bag for every trip with the bodies and lenses I know I will need to do the kind of work we will encounter at the location.  A good example would be if we are going photograph big mammals I would certainly want a 70-200 and a longer 400mm or 500 mm lens in addition to the normal kit.  For the upcoming Oregon Coast I will want every thing from a wide angle zoom, 10-24, to a midrange zoom, 16-55 and a longer lens like the 50-140 and a 300mmm equiv. Of course I always carry at least one spare body and a lot of extra batteries and a charger or two.

 

Physical prep:  West Coast trips in the northern part of the west coast in June tend be long days, early rising and late to bed, so I try to rest and catchup on my rest before my flight out to the location.  I also insist on a mid day nap to keep my energy up.  Workshops are intensive for instructors, you are on stage from the start until everyone has left, it really takes pacing yourself and staying up to speed on your rest and nutrition.  I buy some slimmest when i arrive on site, so I can at least get a good breakfast drink down for those early morning sunrise locations.

 

Spiritual Prep:  I am constantly on a mission to share God’s love with everyone I meet.  Sometimes it does not involve talking about my faith so much as trying my best to live it,  by example.  I believe everyone responds to being loved, and with God’s power we can share His love with everyone.  It has amazed me over the years how many people that, I do not know well at all, have said I was one of their best friends!!!  That is a God thing, they know they are loved, and it affects people, we all need to share that love more, and more widely!!!  All to His glory. of course!

 

Well that’s it,  I’m packed, geared up, rested and prayed up, ready to go and do my best to follow Him instead of lead, a plan that always works!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

The Shot?  Actually was made in Acadia, opposite coast, with a film camera and a double exposure.  The moon was shot with a 400 mm lens and then double exposed with a this morning shot of a small sail boat!