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Two recent book reviews caught my eye as good reading. The first Photo Trekking: A Traveling Photographer’s Guide to Capturing Moments Around the World, gives a glimpse inside the life of a travel photographer and describes the preparation and planning involved in various types of shoots, as well as the personal vision necessary to present the subject matter to others.

The second, U.S. Highway 89: The Scenic Route to Seven National Parks by Ann Torrence is reviewed in Jim Goldstein's Blog. One of the most, if not the most, scenic highways in the United States, Hwy 89 stretches from Nogales, Arizona to Piegan, Montana intersecting Saguaro, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Ann Torrence also presents an amazing variety of wildlife, nature, and landscape photography she has collected with traveling over 15,000 miles through this route.

2010 Calendars and Cards

Though a couple of months into the new year, two 2010 calendars are for sale.
New Orleans, The Crescent City

Northeast Florida

I also have a selection of postcards from Northeast Florida and New Orleans.

View/Purchase 2010 Calendars and Cards

Website Update

As I have been working lately on better search engine optimization (SEO), my website traffic has increased substantially, several photos have been published on mainstream photography sites, others have won awards, and I have received hundreds of very flattering comments. Thank you for all your support. I have a couple of updates on my website that I would like to announce.

First, I am in the process of transferring my stock photography to Photoshelter, where digital rights and licenses may be purchased. I currently offer Rights-Managed licenses for my stock photos. My stock photography may be viewed at ExploringLight-Stock-Photo-Video.com. I have also added prints and stock tab to my site for easy access. My stock collection is partially uploaded now and the transition should be complete by late Spring.

Second, I am now offering Limited Edition Prints of select photos that have been chosen for their content, technical qualities, and artistry. All prints use the latest printing technology with high quality archival inks and paper. Limited edition prints are restricted to runs of 25 or 50, depending on the photograph. Each print will be personally reviewed by me for its quality, signed and numbered by me. I am currently working on matting options for these prints. See more about Limited Edition prints here.

Zabriskie Point Sunrise, Limited Edition Print

Wormsloe Plantation

I took a trip this weekend to visit a friend in Savannah and couldn't resist stopping at Wormsloe Plantation on the way home. A gorgeous passageway line with oak trees, it is an iconic destination in Savannah.


Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

BIg Splash at Washington Oaks

After keeping a close eye on the weather lately, I noticed this Saturday was going to be prime conditions for a sunrise shoot out at Washington Oaks, so I went out with a colleague of mine for the early morning session. Another local photographer, Dana Michele, was out as well and was kind enough to snap a couple photos of me as we were wrapping things up. In order to get my best shots, I have to brave the elements and get up close on the rocks. There was a strong west wind that morning and an unexpected wave nearly took me down. Dana happened to press her shutter just before it hit me.

And so did I!!!


Fortunately, I took a photo just before the wave crashed, and it turned out to be one of my favorites. I'm still sorting through the images and will post some more soon. Here is the shot that got me soaking wet:

Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Click photo to enlarge

Luckily my gear survived.

Go Saints!

Can I get a WHO DAT?!!

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Haiti: Out of the Ruins - Photo Essays

Haiti: Out of the Ruins

Photographer James Nachtwey captures the devastation caused by the earthquake and the spirit of a proud people determined to recover.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Singh-Ray Blog II

Exploring Light photography was featured in last Friday's Singh-Ray blog. Click the link below to read the article, and check out some of their outstanding products as well.

Link here

The iPad and Photography

Image Source: apple.com
As a loyal Apple user for over 20 years, I was excited at the prospect of a netbook type device as was unveiled today, the "iPad." At the same time, I was curious as to the niche it would fill, as I already own a MacBook and iPhone. Specifically, would the iPad offer any benefits to a photographer? I HATE lugging around my laptop while out of town on shoots, and the iPad would offer a nice alternative in this regard- small, lightweight, and unobtrusive. It would have to fit certain requirements to fill this void:

Internet: the iPad comes standard with WiFi access, and optional 3G upgrade

Storage: the 16-64GB available memory is scant, especially for extended shoots with RAW files which could easily surpass this limit in a few days

Memory Cards: the iPad will allegedly offer dongles that allow some cards to be read. What about CF cards that are pretty standard for Pro bodies?

Image editing: I can already accomplish large capacity photo storage and viewing with my Colorspace UDMA, which fits in my pocket (500GB). To lure me to a larger device with less storage, there would have to be a compatibility with editing software such as Photoshop or Lightroom to allow me to edit photos, as I would if I traveled with a laptop. Doesn't look like this is possible, at least to the degree that I require.

A large screen and network access needs VOIP/video chat capabilities. Period. This model doesn't appear to have a front facing camera.

Based on my early research, I think I'll pass. As is usual with Apple, subsequent versions of a product will offer more functionality, especially with a device that claims to be revolutionary, and competing with netbooks that already offer many of these options (but run on Windows, yuck).

The e-reading, larger screen real estate for browsing, and fast processor do make this an attractive product. Other pluses include Bluetooth keyboard linking, and the usual ease of navigating with finger gestures. Though for now I will sit back and wait... I wouldn't be surprised if version 2 is released within a year. Just don't put one in my hands to try out... my inclinations could change.

Death Valley Dunes

A nice little gem I discovered in some yet unprocessed Death Valley photos. I took several shots of the Mesquite Dunes at sunset. This one is uniqe in its golden light and shadows giving a glow to the bush. It was shot with a (borrowed) mammoth 400mm lens.

Click to Enlarge