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Sunday, May 31, 2020

Photo By Jake Pineda

Photo By Jake Pineda

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Salt River Sunset” by Jake Pineda. Location: Mesa, Arizona.

“The sun setting over the salt river in a very picturesque location of the Superstition Mountain range,” describes Pineda.

Nikon D810. Exposure: 14mm, 1/40 sec., f/10, ISO 64.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

Photo By Siu Lau

Photo By Siu Lau

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Spring” by Siu Lau. Location: New Jersey.

“A cardinal was sitting on a weeping cherry tree branch in our backyard,” says Lau. “Spring is here. We just wonder when we can go out again.”

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD at 483mm. Exposure: 1/180 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Siu Lau appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Friday, May 29, 2020

Photo By Dawn Wilson

Photo By Dawn Wilson

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Ahhh, That Feels Good” by Dawn Wilson. Location: Estes Park, Colorado.

“At the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, I realized, as I was sitting by myself in my truck photographing this elk and magpie, that social distancing was easy for a wildlife photographer,” says Wilson. “The bonus was this funny shot of what appeared to be an elk and magpie having a funny conversation. This bull elk just dropped his antlers the night before and these expressions almost made it look like he was telling the bird how good his shoulders and neck felt without that extra weight. This shot was taken just 15 minutes from my home in Estes Park.”

Nikon D4S. Exposure: 1000mm, 1/640 sec., f/14, ISO 400.

See more of Dawn Wilson’s photography at www.dawnwilsonphotography.com

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Dawn Wilson appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Thursday, May 28, 2020

Photo By Tom Thomson

Photo By Tom Thomson

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Singing his Heart Out” by Tom Thomson. Location: Radnor Lake State Park, Nashville, Tennessee.

“A Carolina wren calling for a mate,” describes Thomson. “This was taken at Radnor Lake State Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Radnor is 20 minutes from my home. It was closed last Saturday along with all other state parks.”

Camera: NIKON D850. Exposure: 600mm, 1/1000 sec., f/6.3, ISO 1800.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Tom Thomson appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Congratulations to Scott Anderson for winning the recent Close To Home Assignment with the image, “Buck Falls.”

See more of Anderson’s photography at scottmanderson.zenfolio.com.

View the winning image and a selection of submissions in the gallery below. And be sure to check out our current photography assignment here and enter your best shots!

[See image gallery at www.outdoorphotographer.com]

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how to add a smart collection in Lightroom

For some of us it comes naturally, and for others it feels like a chore, but getting your photo library organized (and keeping it that way) is incredibly freeing and is pretty much guaranteed to improve your photo experience both in the computer and out in the field.

Pro photographer and Adobe Lightroom expert Jason Bradley simplifies this seemingly complex task and breaks it down into manageable, understandable steps you can take that will make your organization process streamlined now—and into the future.

In his upcoming webinar, “Tidying Up: Lightroom Tools For Organization,” Bradley will explain how you can use Lightroom’s sophisticated organization features to take the work out of managing your photo library, whether you shoot hundreds of photos a year or thousands of photos a month.

In this two-part series, he’s covering everything from the basics of how Lightroom tracks file locations and your adjustments, to more advanced concepts like using keywords and features like Smart Collections.

Join us on Thursday, June 25 at 10 a.m. PST for this one-hour exploration of the essential concepts to solve your photo library organization frustrations for good. The cost to attend this webinar is just $20, but the knowledge you’ll gain will pay dividends for years to come.

Outdoor Photographer members get free access to the webinar, as well as the previous webinar in this series and additional past webinars on topics including image processing tricks, black-and-white conversion and more!

Learn about the benefits of an Outdoor Photographer membership, including free contest entries and full access to all of our content.

To simply register for the webinar, click here.

The post Let’s Get Your Photo Library Organized For Good appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Photo By Zeralda La Grange

Photo By Zeralda La Grange

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Where the Buffalo Roam” By Zeralda La Grange. Location: Custer State Park, South Dakota.

“While traveling through South Dakota this past summer, I was able to capture this panoramic of the buffalo grazing under cloudy skies in Custer State Park.”

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Zeralda La Grange appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Our group had landed a prime campsite just across the Colorado River from Deer Creek Fall, and we weren’t about to let a little rain dampen our spirits. The rain continued as I spread my tarp, assembled my cot and looked skyward for relief. While the sun was still buried in dark clouds, a patch of blue growing on the western horizon gave me hope. As the blue sky approached, I could see that the sun would soon be released and that we—and, more importantly, the falling rain—would be bathed sunlight. Rafting Grand Canyon provides a totally new perspective on this iconic national park, and sometimes something magic happens.

rafting Grand Canyon double rainbow photo

Double rainbow and Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park.

Rain, sunlight and a low sun angle are the ingredients for a rainbow. Though I’d always dreamed of photographing a rainbow arcing above the Grand Canyon, I tried not to get my hopes up. But when it became apparent that a rainbow was virtually inevitable, I suspended my campsite setup, grabbed my camera, and raced to the river like Paul Revere, crying, “A rainbow is coming! A rainbow is coming!” Of course, with the rain still falling, my cries were greeted with skepticism, but I insisted, and within minutes we were all marveling at a double rainbow spanning the Grand Canyon’s red walls. Thirty minutes later, when the rain finally stopped and the rainbow faded, our lead guide told us this was the most vivid, longest-lasting rainbow he’d ever seen in his 20 years working here.

There are many ways to experience Grand Canyon, but to appreciate this natural wonder’s scale, power and diversity, nothing matches a trip rafting Grand Canyon on the Colorado River in the shadow of its towering walls. “Putting in” at Lee’s Ferry, about 15 miles downriver from Page, the Grand Canyon eases you into its majesty. Here at the beginning of Marble Canyon, the Grand Canyon’s only significant north/south trending section, the walls are measured in hundreds of feet, not thousands, and the river’s pace is a gentle float punctuated by infrequent riffles and minor rapids.

Colorado River reflection, Grand Canyon National Park.

In Marble Canyon, the Colorado River has only just begun the relentless carving that will eventually reach 6,000 feet into the surrounding plateaus downstream. As you drift along, you’ll notice the canyon walls gradually rising to expose new layers of lithified sediment, each layer representing millions of years of Earth’s history. The 250-million-year-old Kaibab limestone that was just a few hundred feet above your head at the start of the journey now towers more than a thousand feet. And, as you’ll soon discover, that’s just the beginning.

About 60 miles (as the raft floats) from Lee’s Ferry is the confluence of the Little Colorado River, where your trip takes a metaphorical and literal turn. Just downstream from the confluence, the Colorado River makes a 90-degree bend to flow west, and the Grand Canyon’s once narrowly spaced walls open to reveal vast expanses of sky. Home to some of the darkest skies in North America, every square inch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is spectacular for viewing and photographing stars, but nowhere else in the canyon is so much sky visible.

The river also picks up speed after the Little Colorado. Not only do the rapids grow in size and intensity, but also they become more frequent. And just as suddenly as the canyon walls opened, they narrow, and you find yourself careening through the inner gorge, past rocks that are nearly 2 billion years old. In this section, beneath the panoramic vistas known to all Grand Canyon South and North Rim visitors, you hardly get a chance to dry off from one rapid before the next looms.

Colorado River rapid, Marble Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park.

Continuing west, the action moderates slightly—not in intensity as much as in frequency—but the sights continue to unfurl at a relentless pace. By the time the river deposits you in Lake Mead, you’re a seasoned river veteran who has traversed a cross-section of Earth’s history dating back over 2 billion years.

Balancing all this intensity will be some of the most serene moments you’ve ever experienced. For much of the canyon’s 277 miles, the white water is separated by long stretches of glassy water. In these areas where calm prevails, utter silence is interrupted only by the sounds of wind, water and wildlife. At any point on the river, you might hear a hawk’s cry, spy a California condor perched atop an outcrop or witness a family of bighorn sheep scamper along the rocky ledges. At night, if you’re lucky, you might spot the eyes of a ringtail cat glowing by the flames of your campfire.

Deer Creek Fall, Grand Canyon National Park.

One of the things that struck me most on my first trip rafting Grand Canyon and that still awes me with each return is the character and personality of the features that comprise the canyon. Viewed from the rim, the magnificent expanse of layered rock, accented by occasional glimpses of the distant Colorado River’s meandering thread, make for spectacular photography. Up top, the red rock is king.

But from the bottom of the canyon, it’s clear that the river is most definitely in charge. You also see that the rock that appears so solid from a distance is riven with deep caves, narrow slot canyons and spring-fed waterfalls. Garnishing all this detail are soaring spires and massive buttes, and ridges cut by hanging valleys that become raging cataracts during monsoon downpours.

Blue water, Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park.

I think the Grand Canyon feature I was most unprepared for is the impossible blue of the Little Colorado River and Havasu Creek during the months before the summer monsoon muddies the water with sediment and debris. And speaking of clear water, my favorite time for the trip is spring, when the temperature is warm but not too warm, and the Colorado River runs a deep, translucent green that’s a stark contrast to the opaque brown of the monsoon months.

But the Grand Canyon is not all water and rock. An alert eye might spot the remains from an ill-conceived, aborted plan to dam the Colorado River. And a little close-up detective work inside the canyon reveals ancient animal and plant fossils, and much more recent evidence of Native American inhabitation, such as the granaries at Nankoweap.

Elves Chasm, Grand Canyon National Park.

One final aspect of rafting Grand Canyon that shouldn’t be overlooked is the community and closeness the experience fosters among rafters. On each trip, lifelong friendships form between rafters (myself included) who were complete strangers when we pushed off at Lee’s Ferry. Nothing bonds people, friends and strangers alike, more closely than shared meals, stories and laughter, not to mention the common experience of a perfect moment in nature. The rainbow I started with happened four years ago, but that memory, and the memory of who I was with, will last a lifetime.

The post Rafting Grand Canyon appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Our group had landed a prime campsite just across the Colorado River from Deer Creek Fall, and we weren’t about to let a little rain dampen our spirits. The rain continued as I spread my tarp, assembled my cot and looked skyward for relief. While the sun was still buried in dark clouds, a patch of blue growing on the western horizon gave me hope. As the blue sky approached, I could see that the sun would soon be released and that we—and, more importantly, the falling rain—would be bathed sunlight. Rafting Grand Canyon provides a totally new perspective on this iconic national park, and sometimes something magic happens.

rafting Grand Canyon double rainbow photo

Double rainbow and Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park.

Rain, sunlight and a low sun angle are the ingredients for a rainbow. Though I’d always dreamed of photographing a rainbow arcing above the Grand Canyon, I tried not to get my hopes up. But when it became apparent that a rainbow was virtually inevitable, I suspended my campsite setup, grabbed my camera, and raced to the river like Paul Revere, crying, “A rainbow is coming! A rainbow is coming!” Of course, with the rain still falling, my cries were greeted with skepticism, but I insisted, and within minutes we were all marveling at a double rainbow spanning the Grand Canyon’s red walls. Thirty minutes later, when the rain finally stopped and the rainbow faded, our lead guide told us this was the most vivid, longest-lasting rainbow he’d ever seen in his 20 years working here.

There are many ways to experience Grand Canyon, but to appreciate this natural wonder’s scale, power and diversity, nothing matches a trip rafting Grand Canyon on the Colorado River in the shadow of its towering walls. “Putting in” at Lee’s Ferry, about 15 miles downriver from Page, the Grand Canyon eases you into its majesty. Here at the beginning of Marble Canyon, the Grand Canyon’s only significant north/south trending section, the walls are measured in hundreds of feet, not thousands, and the river’s pace is a gentle float punctuated by infrequent riffles and minor rapids.

Colorado River reflection, Grand Canyon National Park.

In Marble Canyon, the Colorado River has only just begun the relentless carving that will eventually reach 6,000 feet into the surrounding plateaus downstream. As you drift along, you’ll notice the canyon walls gradually rising to expose new layers of lithified sediment, each layer representing millions of years of Earth’s history. The 250-million-year-old Kaibab limestone that was just a few hundred feet above your head at the start of the journey now towers more than a thousand feet. And, as you’ll soon discover, that’s just the beginning.

About 60 miles (as the raft floats) from Lee’s Ferry is the confluence of the Little Colorado River, where your trip takes a metaphorical and literal turn. Just downstream from the confluence, the Colorado River makes a 90-degree bend to flow west, and the Grand Canyon’s once narrowly spaced walls open to reveal vast expanses of sky. Home to some of the darkest skies in North America, every square inch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is spectacular for viewing and photographing stars, but nowhere else in the canyon is so much sky visible.

The river also picks up speed after the Little Colorado. Not only do the rapids grow in size and intensity, but also they become more frequent. And just as suddenly as the canyon walls opened, they narrow, and you find yourself careening through the inner gorge, past rocks that are nearly 2 billion years old. In this section, beneath the panoramic vistas known to all Grand Canyon South and North Rim visitors, you hardly get a chance to dry off from one rapid before the next looms.

Colorado River rapid, Marble Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park.

Continuing west, the action moderates slightly—not in intensity as much as in frequency—but the sights continue to unfurl at a relentless pace. By the time the river deposits you in Lake Mead, you’re a seasoned river veteran who has traversed a cross-section of Earth’s history dating back over 2 billion years.

Balancing all this intensity will be some of the most serene moments you’ve ever experienced. For much of the canyon’s 277 miles, the white water is separated by long stretches of glassy water. In these areas where calm prevails, utter silence is interrupted only by the sounds of wind, water and wildlife. At any point on the river, you might hear a hawk’s cry, spy a California condor perched atop an outcrop or witness a family of bighorn sheep scamper along the rocky ledges. At night, if you’re lucky, you might spot the eyes of a ringtail cat glowing by the flames of your campfire.

Deer Creek Fall, Grand Canyon National Park.

One of the things that struck me most on my first trip rafting Grand Canyon and that still awes me with each return is the character and personality of the features that comprise the canyon. Viewed from the rim, the magnificent expanse of layered rock, accented by occasional glimpses of the distant Colorado River’s meandering thread, make for spectacular photography. Up top, the red rock is king.

But from the bottom of the canyon, it’s clear that the river is most definitely in charge. You also see that the rock that appears so solid from a distance is riven with deep caves, narrow slot canyons and spring-fed waterfalls. Garnishing all this detail are soaring spires and massive buttes, and ridges cut by hanging valleys that become raging cataracts during monsoon downpours.

Blue water, Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park.

I think the Grand Canyon feature I was most unprepared for is the impossible blue of the Little Colorado River and Havasu Creek during the months before the summer monsoon muddies the water with sediment and debris. And speaking of clear water, my favorite time for the trip is spring, when the temperature is warm but not too warm, and the Colorado River runs a deep, translucent green that’s a stark contrast to the opaque brown of the monsoon months.

But the Grand Canyon is not all water and rock. An alert eye might spot the remains from an ill-conceived, aborted plan to dam the Colorado River. And a little close-up detective work inside the canyon reveals ancient animal and plant fossils, and much more recent evidence of Native American inhabitation, such as the granaries at Nankoweap.

Elves Chasm, Grand Canyon National Park.

One final aspect of rafting Grand Canyon that shouldn’t be overlooked is the community and closeness the experience fosters among rafters. On each trip, lifelong friendships form between rafters (myself included) who were complete strangers when we pushed off at Lee’s Ferry. Nothing bonds people, friends and strangers alike, more closely than shared meals, stories and laughter, not to mention the common experience of a perfect moment in nature. The rainbow I started with happened four years ago, but that memory, and the memory of who I was with, will last a lifetime.

The post Rafting Grand Canyon appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Photo By Kim Hang Dessoliers

Photo By Kim Hang Dessoliers

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Walker Canyon Super Bloom” by Kim Hang Dessoliers. Location: Lake Elsinore, California.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Kim Hang Dessoliers appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Monday, May 25, 2020

Photo By Timothy Joyce

Photo By Timothy Joyce

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Douglas Falls” by Timothy Joyce. Location: Canaan Valley, Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Timothy Joyce appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Become A Better Photographer

I’m a firm believer that a great way to become a better photographer is to deconstruct images that have excellent composition, great light, photogenic subjects and clean backgrounds. I can remember being a teen thumbing through magazines and issues of National Geographic. I looked at tens of thousands of images on those pages yet I always paused when one connected. Images that arrested my attention had inner meaning. There was instant respect for the photographer. Every subsequent page turn that impeded me from going deeper into the magazine brought on the same reaction. Little did I know at the time I’d become a professional photographer. Perhaps it was those early days of image sleuthing that planted the seed.

I can still recall the questions that danced through my brain: what lens and camera were used to make the photo? what settings did the photographer dial in to get that look? What additional equipment went into making the photo? How was a particular subject approached? How did the photographer arrive at the final image? I wanted to know anything that shed light on the photographer’s creative processes. In essence, I was deconstructing each image down to every explicit detail so I could more deeply understand the meaning of the photo and how it was constructed. It’s these early thoughts that prompted me to compose this week’s Tip.

A Scenic

With each new issue of National Geographic that arrived, I couldn’t wait to turn every page and absorb the beautiful images. I slowly thumbed through the magazine and stared at the pages with which I found a connection. The light: What was it about its drama? The color: How come the colors were so vibrant? The reflections: How could a scene be so still that a reflection occurred? I could rhetorically go on and on adding questions about every image. The point I emphasize is as you ask yourself these rhetorical questions, find the answers if you want to become a better photographer.

Become A Better Photographer

Drama—clouds add impact to an image. Storm clouds add more. Listen to weather reports and head out when an edge of a storm is forecast at sunrise or sunset. Drama will be the result.

Chroma—All the images that drew me in had vibrant and dramatic color. Sunrise and sunset light provide the best opportunity to net saturated color. Colors that are warm provide a soothing feeling, and it just so happens that warm light coincides with rise and set.

Mirror images—The wind has to be dead calm for reflections to appear in water. As the sun rises, the land heats up, which creates turbulence, which in turn produces wind. Winds tend to be calmer at sunrise before hot and cold air masses touch each other. Serendipitously, sunrise coincides with this time of day. By analyzing the look of the image, I learned that the best light, most drama and stillness occur at the time scenic photographers should be in the field—sunrise and sunset!

A Wildlife Image

I loved looking at dramatic scenic photos, but there was always something special about a photo of an animal that grabbed my emotions.

Become A Better Photographer

Impact—Animals can’t be repositioned, moved or told how or where to stand. How did the photographer get the subject perfectly placed? How did the photographer pull that off? It’s essential to learn about the behavior of the subjects you long to capture. The more you know about its behavior, the better you’ll be able to predict its next move.

Storytelling—How did the photographer produce such a strong narrative as to the behavior of the animal? To work with a single wildlife subject is difficult enough, let alone adding more to the mix and have everything fall into place. Look for subjects that are offset against a neutral backdrop so if they move, distractions that may negatively impact the entirety of the photo can’t be introduced into the composition. When you make a wildlife image, there are so many factors that must fall into place, but if you can always stay one step ahead, you stand a much better chance of getting the shot.

Environmental Portrait

Based on the theme of this week’s tip, let’s analyze the environmental portrait of the cheetahs in the Serengeti to see what was done to capture the photo.

Become A Better Photographer

The depth of field is narrow. There’s only one sharp plane of focus—the two cheetahs. To achieve the effect, I used a wide-open aperture with a medium telephoto setting of 185mm.

The light was overcast and somewhat gray, so I added a flash to spotlight the cheetahs. The augmented light allowed the cheetahs to be significantly brighter than if the gray sky illuminated them. Look closely at the eyes and you’ll notice the catchlights.

The composition was created to achieve balance where each cheetah has an out of focus kopje behind it. This provided symmetry among all the main subjects.

Behavior—I’m familiar with cheetahs and know they love to perch upon termite mounds to better scan the countryside. This allowed me to predict where they’d go and what they may do. It provided more of a story telling image.

In the other images that accommodate this week’s tip, see if you can analyze what was done and what gear was used to create the photo.

Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photo safaris to Tanzania.

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Sunday, May 24, 2020

Photo By Thomas Kolessar

Photo By Thomas Kolessar

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Dune Light” by Thomas Kolessar. Location: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Thomas Kolessar appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Saturday, May 23, 2020

Photo By Harry Lichtman

Photo By Harry Lichtman

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “The Green Room” by Harry Lichtman. Location: Olympic National Park, Washington.

“During my first visit to Olympic National Park this past year, I knew I wanted to visit the many iconic beaches and see the unique temperate rainforests,” describes Lichtman. “While the beach images are widely recognizable and found throughout social media, rainforest imagery is much tougher to come by and even more difficult to plan for. Finding cohesive compositions under the best lighting conditions was a real challenge. After much hiking in the Queets Rainforest, I found this composition that seemed to control the chaos. I walked around many trees and vines to see how the scene looked at various angles. I had never heard of the Queets Rainforest before heading out to Washington, as the Hoh rainforest seems to get all of the publicity and fanfare. The Hoh was much drier and lacked the lushness that I was looking for, so I headed to the nearby Queets to see what I would find. I was happily surprised.”

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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Friday, May 22, 2020

Photo By Jody Partin

Photo By Jody Partin

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “A Gentle Moment” by Jody Partin. Location: Oceanside, California.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

The post Photo Of The Day By Jody Partin appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.



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Thursday, May 21, 2020

Photo By Gene Putney

Photo By Gene Putney

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Shoshoni Peak” by Gene Putney. Location: Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, Colorado.

“In the month of August, just before sunrise, I arrived at the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area to initially look for moose to photograph,” says Putney. “As I waited for the light to get brighter, I saw this dramatic landscape scene develop and took advantage of photographing it as the sun broke through the clouds, highlighting Shoshoni Peak.

See more of Gene Putney’s photography at www.putneynatureimages.com.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Photo By Jeff Sullivan

Photo By Jeff Sullivan

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Water in the High Desert” by Jeff Sullivan. Location: Walker Lake, Mineral County, Nevada.

“Warm evening golden hour light paints the high desert landscape over Walker Lake,” describes Sullivan.

See more of Jeff Sullivan’s work at www.jeffsullivanphotography.com.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Sweet smell of summer

“While hiking with family near Logan Pass at Glacier National Park, we were entertained by the Columbian ground squirrels chirping at us and scurrying around the wildflowers like they were late for work,” says photographer Jerry Jackson. “These high-altitude squirrels hibernate up to eight months of the year, which may explain their hurried behavior as they gather food. This particular squirrel, however, seemed to be in no rush at all. It would meticulously smell each flower head before deciding whether or not it was worthy of being eaten. It was a good reminder for us to take time to enjoy the vacation while it lasted.”

Nikon D500, AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR. Exposure: 1/1000 sec., ƒ/5.6, ISO 400.

See more of Jerry Jackson’s work at jerryjackson.22slides.com.

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Photo By Terrence Trevias

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Across The Way” by Terrence Trevias. Location: Svalbard.

“Vantage point after climbing one of the mountain peaks while landing on Prins Karls Forland in Svalbard,” describes Trevias. “The views were breathtaking and exhibited the diverse nature of the landscape as the seasons began to shift from spring to summer.”

See more of Terrence Trevias’ photography at www.restlesstravelerphotography.com.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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The Bisti Wilderness is located approximately 35 miles south of the city of Farmington along New Mexico State Road 371. It’s a part of the larger Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The entire wilderness lies within the San Juan Basin.

Image taken at Bisti Wilderness

An evening storm passes over the Egg Garden in New Mexico’s Bisti Wilderness.

The basin was formed over the last 70 million years by sedimentation, volcanism, plate tectonics and glacial erosion. Further erosion from wind, water and annual freeze/thaw cycles has sculpted a wonderland of hoodoo gardens that are especially obvious along the edges of the many washes that cross the basin. Two of these drainages are Hunter Wash and Alamo Wash, which are responsible for carving the Bisti.

If you follow either of these main drainages into the many tributaries, you’ll find a phantasmagoria of hoodoos and other strange formations that make the area a hot spot for landscape photographers.

Weather

The high deserts of New Mexico are extreme places. In the summer, temperatures at Bisti Wilderness can reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a sudden thunderstorm can build within minutes, so come prepared with plenty of water to stay hydrated, raingear and sunscreen. I’d advise against visiting the area during the months of July and August.

The winters here can be bone-chillingly cold. Temperatures hovering at or below zero aren’t uncommon in the morning. I dress in layers during the winter, which enables me to adjust to the changing conditions. The bottom line is to use common sense and be prepared.

One other thing to be aware of regardless of the season you plan to visit during is that when the clay-rich soil is wet, it becomes a quagmire, and while the road from the highway to the parking area is gravel and pretty well maintained, the places you’ll be hiking in can become very muddy and slick.

Photo Experience At Bisti Wilderness

The Bisti Wilderness provides seemingly endless opportunities for landscape photographers. The Brown Hoodoos, the Egg Garden, Bisti Arch and the Stone Wings are just a few of the more well-known and photogenic features to be found here.

As any good photographer will tell you, if you have an interesting subject, you’re halfway to a good image. So, while I do recommend seeking out the iconic spots, I also know from experience that the possibilities are endless and can be found just about anywhere in the Bisti Wilderness.

Best Times

Any time of year can be good here, with the noted exceptions. Personally, I prefer to photograph landscapes under stormy skies, so I generally plan my trips to the Bisti when I know these conditions are forecast. Of course, sunrise or sunset provide the “sweet” light, but keep in mind that a thorough exploration of this place requires at least two full days.

Contact: Bureau of Land Management, blm.gov/visit/bisti-de-na-zin-wilderness.


See more of Jim Caffrey’s work at jimcaffreyimages.com.

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Monday, May 18, 2020

The Bisti Wilderness is located approximately 35 miles south of the city of Farmington along New Mexico State Road 371. It’s a part of the larger Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The entire wilderness lies within the San Juan Basin.

Image taken at Bisti Wilderness

An evening storm passes over the Egg Garden in New Mexico’s Bisti Wilderness.

The basin was formed over the last 70 million years by sedimentation, volcanism, plate tectonics and glacial erosion. Further erosion from wind, water and annual freeze/thaw cycles has sculpted a wonderland of hoodoo gardens that are especially obvious along the edges of the many washes that cross the basin. Two of these drainages are Hunter Wash and Alamo Wash, which are responsible for carving the Bisti.

If you follow either of these main drainages into the many tributaries, you’ll find a phantasmagoria of hoodoos and other strange formations that make the area a hot spot for landscape photographers.

Weather

The high deserts of New Mexico are extreme places. In the summer, temperatures at Bisti Wilderness can reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a sudden thunderstorm can build within minutes, so come prepared with plenty of water to stay hydrated, raingear and sunscreen. I’d advise against visiting the area during the months of July and August.

The winters here can be bone-chillingly cold. Temperatures hovering at or below zero aren’t uncommon in the morning. I dress in layers during the winter, which enables me to adjust to the changing conditions. The bottom line is to use common sense and be prepared.

One other thing to be aware of regardless of the season you plan to visit during is that when the clay-rich soil is wet, it becomes a quagmire, and while the road from the highway to the parking area is gravel and pretty well maintained, the places you’ll be hiking in can become very muddy and slick.

Photo Experience At Bisti Wilderness

The Bisti Wilderness provides seemingly endless opportunities for landscape photographers. The Brown Hoodoos, the Egg Garden, Bisti Arch and the Stone Wings are just a few of the more well-known and photogenic features to be found here.

As any good photographer will tell you, if you have an interesting subject, you’re halfway to a good image. So, while I do recommend seeking out the iconic spots, I also know from experience that the possibilities are endless and can be found just about anywhere in the Bisti Wilderness.

Best Times

Any time of year can be good here, with the noted exceptions. Personally, I prefer to photograph landscapes under stormy skies, so I generally plan my trips to the Bisti when I know these conditions are forecast. Of course, sunrise or sunset provide the “sweet” light, but keep in mind that a thorough exploration of this place requires at least two full days.

Contact: Bureau of Land Management, blm.gov/visit/bisti-de-na-zin-wilderness.


See more of Jim Caffrey’s work at jimcaffreyimages.com.

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Congratulations to Mahendra Singh Chouhan for winning the recent Contrasting Scenics And Landscapes Assignment with the image, “Essence of Estes Park.” See more of Chouhan’s photography on Facebook and Instagram

View the winning image and a selection of submissions in the gallery below. And be sure to check out our current photography assignment here and enter your best shots!

[See image gallery at www.outdoorphotographer.com]

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Photo By Kris Walkowski

Photo By Kris Walkowski

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “The Valley Of Dreams” by Kris Walkowski. Location: Taft Point, Yosemite National Park, California.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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ƒ/8 And Be There

If you’ve been into photography for any length of time, you’re likely familiar with the expression ƒ/8 and be there. It originated back in the days of film and was coined by the famous street photographer Arthur Fellig, AKA Weegee. Simply stated, back when earlier cameras and lenses were manufactured, ƒ/8 provided the sharpest aperture at which a photo could be made, hence the ƒ/8 aspect. The “be there” part refers to the fact that potentially exciting events unfold constantly, but to capture them in a photo, one has to be there to make the image. In this week’s tip, I explore how the famous quote relates to a play on words: ƒ/8 = fate. 

Fate is defined as the development of uncontrollable events that are predetermined by a power beyond one’s control. It’s destined to happen in a given way. In simple terms, if it’s meant to be, it will be. Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, once you make a choice and act upon it, given circumstances evolve.

So, what does fate have to do with photography? I’ll provide some examples.

ƒ/8 And Be There

The Fork In The Road

When I run photo safaris to the Serengeti, we drive the roads looking for wildlife. Often, a single road leads to a fork. We look in the distance and the terrain is identical, the light is the same and both roads have ruts and bumps. Since the roads mirror each other, should we go left or right to find the best wildlife? If the road to the left is taken and we encounter fantastic wildlife situations, we revel in the right decision. If we go right and see nothing, we insist we made the wrong decision. The caveat is that regardless which road we choose, we don’t know what the other offers. Is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with?

The Early Riser

As photographers, the myriad decisions we make impact what we capture. The alarm goes off, we look outside and see heavy clouds to the east. We have a choice to either go back to bed or head into the field despite the weather. If we go out and get great images of dramatic light, we congratulate our determination. If we get skunked, we blame ourselves for wasting time, gas, effort and not getting sleep. What could have been if we did the opposite? Once again, is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with?

ƒ/8 And Be There

The Lens Dilemma

You’re in the Serengeti. In the seat next to you is your 600mm on one body and an 80-400mm on the other. Should you pick up the 600mm to get the portrait and miss the interaction or use the 80-400mm and miss the full-frame yawn with the tongue out? It’s a choice you have to make. Is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with?

Camera Settings

The sunrise near the acacia tree and sprawling plains is beautiful, as is the light. In the foreground is a regal male lion. Should you use ƒ/4 to blur the background on a tight crop of the lion or risk slow shutter camera blur if you stop down to ƒ/16 to put the background into focus for an environmental portrait? Depending on the outcome of either scenario, you may or may not get the best image. Is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with? 

ƒ/8 And Be There

Fill Flash

I love to use fill flash to augment the light, especially when a wildlife subject is back or side lit. But, should I take the time to set up the flash to add light to the shadow areas? Should I risk ghosting if the subject moves at the flash synch speed of 1/250 sec. or miss the frozen action if the animal lunges or makes a sudden quick move? Once again, is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with? 

Focus Point

Another situation where it comes into play is at the wintering grounds of snow geese. Two are in my viewfinder and I want to zero in on one for the flight shot. I decide to place my focus point on the one on the left, but the one on the right launches itself in dramatic fashion. The same scenario may occur if you place the focus point on the one on the right. We don’t know what the other offers. Is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with?

ƒ/8 And Be There

Subject Choice

Two herds of elephants appear along the Mara River and the light is gorgeous on both and each group contains a two-month-old baby. Should I aim my lens on the group on the left or right? I have to decide. Sometimes it will be right and sometimes it will be wrong. Is it fate, luck or simply a decision you have to live with?

The point I wish to share is to adhere to the “ƒ/8 and be there” guideline, but the choice you make is F+ 8 = FATE; or is it luck, an educated decision, guided by instinct or based on experience? Lions to the left of me, cheetahs to the right—here I am, stuck in the middle to make a decision. If you make the right choice, bravo, but if it doesn’t pan out, it wasn’t meant to be. If it’s meant to be, it will be—live with your decision.

Food for thought penned many years ago yet still holds true:

  1. Each player must accept the cards life deals them. But once they’re in hand, the player alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.
  2. How a person masters their fate is more important than what their fate is.

Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography safaris to Tanzania.

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Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

Photo By Ron Edman

Carrizo Plain National Monument is a large grassland plain located on the southeastern edge of San Luis Obispo County in California. The prominent features of the plain are Soda Lake, an alkali lake that, depending on rainfall, can vary greatly in size, and Painted Rock, which is a large rock alcove adorned by pictographs created by local Native American peoples over thousands of years. Mountains rimming the plain have been created by the activity of the San Andreas Fault, which runs through the park. When the conditions are right, for a brief period of time during the spring, the plain is transformed into an almost endless carpet of a variety of wildflowers. At this time, small wetlands form on the plain and are known as vernal pools. These harsh alkali pools are home to rare plants and animals, including the longhorn fairy shrimp, an endangered species.

My camera club, NANPA Nature Photography Group of the Central Coast of CA, held a meetup in early April of 2019 to photograph wildflowers at the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Our area had seen above-average and well-timed rainfall, resulting in a tremendous display of wildflowers in several locations around the central coast but especially at the Carrizo Plain. I had been to the area only a couple of times in the past and didn’t know it well, so this was a perfect opportunity to visit it with others who knew it better.

When we reached Carrizo Plain, we were fortunate enough to see a small group of pronghorn, which were reintroduced to the area in the 1980s. Next, we were confronted with a spectacular display of wildflowers covering large patches of the plain and surrounding hillsides. Varieties seen included tidy tips, fiddleneck, purple haze, creamcups, owl’s clover and San Joaquin blazing star. It was late morning when we stopped along one of the many dirt roads that crisscrossed the plain. Not too far off the road, we came upon several vernal pools encircled by wildflowers. The yellow of the goldfields and purple of the phacelia were predominant colors in this wildflower carpet. These colors were complemented well by the blue, partly cloudy sky.

Being careful not to disturb the fragile environment, I positioned myself so that the reflection of the clouds in the pool was to my liking. Although I had a polarizing filter on my lens, I rotated my filter to ensure that the reflection of the clouds was still visible. Shooting handheld, I tried several different positions and framing, but I liked this composition the best.

See more of Ron Edman’s photography at ronedmanphoto.com.

Fujifilm X-T2, FUJINON XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR at 19mm, polarizing filter. Exposure: 1/160 sec., ƒ/11, ISO 200.

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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Photo By Valerie Millett

Photo By Valerie Millett

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Mirror Stillness” by Valerie Millett. Location: Oak Creek, Arizona.

“Red rock sandstone walls behind of pool of still water in Oak Creek, Arizona, creates an abstract,” describes Millett.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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Saturday, May 16, 2020

Photo By Linn Smith

Photo By Linn Smith

Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Skydiver” by Linn Smith. Location: Florida.

Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including AssignmentsGalleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, FacebookTwitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.

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