A recent image I shot on Pigeon Lake. 

I haven’t been nearly as active online lately as I would like to be, but life’s been keeping me busy. Exciting new projects and exciting new experiences seem all too easy to find at the moment. But today I want to share something really exciting with you and anyone else in the photographic community. Today I want to share Photograph.

Three years ago when David duChemin launched Craft & Vision I doubt anyone could have predicted its success. Well today David is launching something new, and I’m predicting that it’s going to be just as big. Photograph, an all digital, all beautiful, quarterly publication for photographers is available now. Launched under the Craft & Vision brand, this magazine will excite and amaze you. Many of the photographs it features are out of this world; especially the landscape work in this issue. Featured portfolios showcase photographers that you’ve never heard of but probably should have. Uniquely beautiful images are complimented by Q + A’s with the photographers themselves. A variety of topics are discussed in articles about things like image selection by David duChemin and creative composition by John Paul Caponigro. Recent Craft & Vision author Kevin Clarke has an article about studio lighting which I really like. There’s much more in this issue too.

Today there are so many resources in the photography world that its hard to know where to spend your money and time. Much of the reading I already do comes in the form of Craft & Vision’s eBooks; and now Photograph has just replaced a couple of the magazines I read as well. I highly recommend you pick up the first issue of Photograph for only $8. Or if you know that you’ll love it as much as I do you can pick up a one year subscription for only $24 (That’s four issues for the price of three).

Check out the first issue of Photograph here

Check out a one year subscription to Photograph here

Check out Craft & Vision’s main website & eBook library here

Craft & Vision has delivered another great eBook on digitally refining your photos this month. The new release, “Essential Development”, covers 20 techniques for Adobe Lightroom 4. It was written by Lightroom guru and first time Craft & Vision author Seán McCormack. The eBook is over 120 pages and packed with info. Whether you are new to Lightroom or are a seasoned user there is definitely something here for you to learn.

Seán starts with a basic brief on Lightroom and what the advantage is to using it. The eBook goes in depth very quickly. Although much of the info is the same for various versions of Lightroom, this eBook is specifically aimed at Lightroom 4 users. Lots has changed since Lightroom 3.

There are a lot of interesting techniques in here, from playing with white balance to “faking” HDR”. I particularly enjoyed the extensive section on retouching and digital make up. I currently use Photoshop for these purposes but Seán’s techniques have opened my eyes even wider to the possibilities of Lightroom. He brushes adjustments like clarity combined with dodging and burning to create a really beautiful effect.

Throughout the rest of the eBook Sean talks about a lot more than just editing portraits. He talks about stuff like fixing skies and creating a tilt shift effect. Sharpening, noise reduction, and lens correction are covered in detail. Towards the end he covers presets and batch editing. Finally he touches on the limits of Lightroom and talks about taking things like panoramas and HDR images into Photoshop.

An original image of mine edited using two of the presets from the eBook package.

If you want some more help in Lightroom, you can buy the eBook packaged with 85 presets for you to use on your own images. These can help speed up your editing and help you understand how Lightroom works and what is possible. Personally, I found the presets to be fairly limited and wouldn’t use them on my own work. But I’ve never been a fan of presets; some will find them very useful. I should also note that for the next week the eBook + preset package only costs an extra dollar.

Like usual, this eBook is an excellent value- it crams a ton of information in for a very low price. Purchasing it with the presets will add a lot of value for some users; though like I said, I won’t use them. As for the eBook, like most of Craft & Vision’s releases, I highly recommend it.

Check out  Essential Development here

Check out Essential Development packaged with the presets here  (Use code DEVELOP6 to get it for only $6)

Check out the rest of Craft & Vision’s collection here (Use code DEVELOP20 to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more eBooks)

Both codes expire at 11:59PM PST on October 23rd.

For a recent project in my Commercial Photography class at Grant MacEwan University we had to photograph a small product and create a magazine ad. I love Moleskine notebooks so I decided to use one as my product. A big part of what I use my Moleskines for is taking notes while I travel and photograph, and I never go anywhere without one. I wanted to play with that in the ad. So, I decided to surround the Moleskine with other things that most travellers find in their pockets. A passport, a boarding pass, some change, and a couple of trinkets. The Eiffel tower keychain is one I picked up in Paris a few years ago, and the sand dollar is one I picked from the ocean off Vancouver Island. I didn’t have much for coins beyond Pesos and Euros so I picked the ones in the picture up from a coin exchange.

Finally, I used a AB800 with a large softbox to the left of the objects as the main light and a AB800 with a 7 inch 20 degree grid to mimic real world lighting and create texture and shadow.

I really like the way the project came out; it’s my favourite so far this year so I thought I would share.

With winter right around the corner, beautiful natural light is becoming a lot harder to find. Fortunately for those who love the appearance of natural light, like myself, it can be mimicked using strobe. Today, Craft & Vision is releasing an eBook called Great Light Easy Light that details how to do just this; creating great photographs that don’t look artificially lit.

This is Kevin Clark’s first time as an author for Craft & Vision. Admittedly, I had never heard of him before, but after seeing his images and reading his eBook I am a big Kevin Clark fan. His portraits are very modern, clean, and beautiful, and the control he has over his lighting and depth of field is remarkable. If you are a portrait photographer, either amateur or professional, Kevin should definitely be on the list of photographers you watch.

Kevin first explains mixing a single strobe with ambient light. Techniques like this don’t require a lot of expensive gear, he simply recommends a small flash and medium sized softbox (I linked those to the products I use), as well as obviously some way to take the flash off camera. As the eBook progresses, Kevin talks about one various one light, two light, and even three light setups. There are a lot of tips and tricks to be picked up along the way. He includes lighting diagrams, BTS shots, and everything thing to need to apply his lighting techniques and knowledge to your work. The idea isn’t to provide you with setups to simply copy, but to show you what he does and why he does it in a variety of situations so you can create your own lighting set ups.

A photo I shot on 4×5 film using strobe to mimic natural light

 I have been using various lighting techniques for quite some time, and I have even taken a few university courses based heavily on lighting. Despite my past experience I feel I learned immensely from this eBook. There a lot of things that I will put to use in my client work and personal work alike. While it’s not a particularly long eBook, it’s packed with great info and I’m sure many people will refer to it over and over again.

In the world of lighting, and photography in general, $5 ($4 with discount code EASY4) is pretty cheap, especially for something as high quality as this eBook. Enjoy the photographs, they are gorgeous, and soak in the information. Kevin Clark has done a fantastic job here, and I definitely will be paying attention to his work in the future.

Check out Great Light Easy Light here (Use discount code EASY4 to get it for $4 before September 29th at 11:59 PST)

Check out the rest of Craft & Vision’s collection here (Use discount code EASY20 to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more eBooks before September 29th at 11:59 PST)

This month Craft & Vision is releasing an eBook that is right up my alley: one about landscape photography. Portraits of Earth: An Introduction to Landscape Photography was written by my favorite author, David duChemin. I had extremely high hopes for this eBook as it is my favorite author talking about one of my favorite subjects, and I was not disappointed in the least. As usual, Craft & Vision has delivered a fantastic release at a steal of a price. Portraits of Earth looks at landscape photography through a unique perspective, that of someone who is not just a landscape photographer and never planned on being one. Like all of David’s works, this eBook is filled with gorgeous images that will inspire you and well crafted writing that will teach you new things. If landscape photography interests you at all I highly recommend you pick this one up. As is usually the case with Craft & Vision, you really can’t go wrong for $4 (using code EARTH4).

A recent one of my own landscape photographs 

This eBook wouldn’t be complete without quite a bit of gear talk, which David gets too right away. He talks about lenses and the other high end gear he uses, but this eBook is not trying to sell you anything. These days you can take a pretty good landscape photo with your iPhone, however a serious landscape photographer needs good glass and a good tripod (Both of those are linked to the products I personally use).

After lots of talk about lenses, tripods, and filters, David moves to talking about light. Types of light are discussed, such as soft light and dramatic light. David talks about what type of light he looks for, and shows examples. He talks about using line in your images, including a rant about the so called “rule of thirds”. Specific components of landscapes are discusses, such as physical land and water. He even talks about snow, which Canadians like myself will appreciate it as we have to photograph in the snow for 6 months a year. After a few more tips and tricks David wraps it up.

My only complaint about Portraits of Earth is that the flow of words isn’t quite as good as you usually see in something published by Craft & Vision. In my advance copy a few sentences continued awkwardly across two pages that had an image or other page in between. It’s not a big deal, but I just thought I would mention it since I think the eBook is perfect in literally every other way.

If you pick up the eBook before 11:59 PST on September 9th, use the code EARTH4 to get it for $4 (afterwards it will be $5). If you buy 5 or more eBooks from the Craft & Vision collection use the code EARTH20 to get 20% off your purchase.

Check out Portraits of Earth here

Check out the rest of Craft & Vision’s collection here

Today, Craft & Vision is releasing “Finding Focus“, written by Nicole S. Young. Unfortunately I am out of the country and did not have time to read the eBook, however I did skim through it before I left. I wrote this before I left and set it to publish. The eBook is a technical and in-depth look at topics such as aperture, depth of field, lens compression, and more. Nicole also talks lots about how to focus, both in camera and in software. Though the eBook is not a particularly long one, at 37 spreads, it is full of a lot of great info. As usual, you won’t get a better value for $4 in the photography industry (or many others). Nicole walks you through using focus stacking in Photoshop, something which I have never paid much attention to. I will definitely try it out in some personal work when I’m back, and I can already see some great ways to put it to use for my clients. This alone makes the eBook worth it for me, and it’s only one small part of the eBook.

I highly recommend you pick up “Finding Focus”; it is a great resource on focussing, using depth of field, lens compression, and much more.

Check out “Finding Focus” here (Use discount code FOCUS4 to get the eBook for $4 before August 19th)

Check out the rest of Craft & Vision’s Library here (Use discount code FOCUS20 to get 20% when you buy 5 or more Craft & Vision eBooks)

I’ve been busy enjoying summer lately so I haven’t been posting very much. Tonight I just thought I would post another image from my trip to Maui back in May. The photo is of the crater of the Haleakala Volcano, shortly after sunrise as I was coming back down from the summit. I edited the photo in Lightroom and it makes use of a lot of the techniques found in the Dodge + Burn eBook Craft & Vision released last month. I’m really happy with how it turned out and I already have it printed and hanging on my wall.

You can also check the picture out on 500px: http://500px.com/photo/10973397

“Dodge & Burn”, an exciting new eBook from Craft & Vision is available today. The author is Piet Van den Eynde, who you may remember from his two “Making Light” eBook’s about off camera flash, as well as the “The Power of Black & White in Adobe Lightroom”. The new eBook is excellent, but it’s a bit different than usual. Craft & Vision is breaking their normal formula and trying something different. $5 will get you the eBook, as usual, plus a lite version of a custom Photoshop pane for dodging and burning. However, for $10 ($8 with discount code below) you can get the “full” package. The package includes the eBook, the full photoshop panel, and 10 images from the book so you can follow along and do your own experimenting. One thing to note is that all of this is specific for Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6, so those with older software won’t be able to use the exercise files. The Photoshop panel is compatible with both CS5 and CS6. Those with older software will still pick up the general ideas and learn lots of tips and techniques about dodging and burning. I highly recommend the book in its $5 “Lite” version as it is an excellent source of knowledge. In reality, it isn’t very “lite” as it is a 93 page eBook. I’ll talk more about the “Full” version at the end of this review.

Initially I wasn’t too excited about Craft & Vision breaking their usual formula for this release; however they have created something excellent here. Craft & Vision has added a hole new level of knowledge and learning to this release; although it does come at a higher price.

This is not an eBook simply about using the dodge (lighten) and burn (darken) tools in photoshop. This eBook is about selectively lightening and darkening images through multiple methods across multiple pieces of software. Dodging and burning have always been important parts of photography. They have become much easier and much more  used in digital darkrooms such as Photoshop and Lightroom. You can accomplish many different things through dodging and burning, however the goal generally is to increase the dynamic range of your image; diverting attention toward or away from elements within the image. Piet starts by talking about the digital tools he uses and the order in which he uses them (following the “path of least resistance”, something I am a big fan of). Piet doesn’t limit the discussion to selective (brush) tools; using adjustments like the HSL and Tone Curve panels in Lightroom can also selectively darken and brighten areas. Piet covers some new and exciting things in Photoshop and Lightroom; the price of this eBook is worth it for me just to see things that I overlook due to how they performed in older software. After covering “global” ways to selectively darken and brighten your images, Piet moves onto Lightroom’s (and Camera Raw’s) graduated filter and adjustment brush. Throughout the eBook Piet shows you these techniques in use on his images; both before and after. If you purchase the “Full” version, then you can follow along on your own computer, which is a fantastic way to learn. If you use Nik software, or are interested in learning to use it, Piet covers programs like Viveza, Color Efex, Silver Efex, and even Snapseed. Piet ends with a some detailed Photoshop and summary of how he works through an image.

  Both of these images I recently took make use of extensive dodging and burning in Lightroom. 

Dodging and burning is as important as it has ever been, only now it doesn’t require that you are a darkroom expert.  No matter what you shoot, you could be improving your images through everything from global sliders to selective brushing with a Wacom Tablet (which I use, and highly recommend).  Picking up either version of this eBook is a great first step towards making stronger, more attractive images. Personally, I would just buy the “Lite” version and read the eBook, however I been taught lots of the years about dodging and burning. If this is new to you, or if you feel you have a lot to learn, I would go with the “Full” version. Working through the exercise files is a fantastic way to learn, and the Photoshop panel (which comes with a corresponding actions set) is a great way for you to jump into dodging and burning. The panel comes with a 13 page PDF explaining how to use it. I also would recommend the “Full” package to those always looking to optimize their workflows. Panels and action sets can be invaluable, and for the next week it will only cost you $3 more to get them with your eBook (using the discount code below).

Click here for the Lite version of “Dodge & Burn” ($5)

Click here for the Full version of “Dodge & Burn” ($8 with discount code DODGE8 before midnight July 22nd, PST).

Check out the rest of Craft & Vision’s library here (20% off 5 or more eBooks with discount code DODGE20 before midnight July 22nd, PST).

A sunset off of Prince Edward Island, shot from the deck of the ms Maasdam

I didn’t post on my blog last week as I was busy celebrating Canada Day and spending sometime away from the internet. Over the week I was out on the water quite a bit for some recreation and relaxation. It got me thinking about the photos I have taken on the water over the last several years. Many have been photos taken from my own boat on Canadian lakes. Some have been taken off of rented/hired boats in places from Boston, MA to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. However, a large number of the photos I have taken on the water have been taken off of cruise ships. Ships provide a beautiful vantage point of some of the worlds most beautiful places. They also allow you to see several destinations in a week, and they are one of my favourite ways to travel.

The big advantage to photographing off a ship is the unique view points. On most ships there are several outdoor decks ranging from 5 to 13 stories high, providing lots of options and potential view points. A few of my favorite landscape photos have been taken from ships; short of renting an aircraft I could not have got these pictures any other way.

Now ships are becoming a photographic destination in themselves. I sailed on the Freedom of the Seas back when it was the largest cruise ship at sea. The ship itself provided some very cool spots for photos. I also tend to take photos of the entertainment on ships, albeit discretely as this is frowned upon.

There are downsides to cruise ship photography. First, generally you can’t use any image of the ship, the ships interior, or performers for any commercial purpose. At least not legally if you do not have permission. Second, ships generally travel at night. This means you miss dawn and dusk in your destinations, which are two of the best times for taking pictures. You will get some beautiful sunsets off of the ship, but generally your only foreground will be the water. Plus, long exposures are a no go (you’re on a moving ship).

Cruising is a great way to travel and see several destinations in one trip. For amateur photographers, especially those traveling with families, I highly recommend it. However for those seeking more than a few great photos, I do not. Cruising doesn’t allow you to spend the kind of time need to truly learn about and capture a destination. I love my photos from cruising, however now if I was traveling for strictly photographic purposes I would stay in hotels and spend more time in each place. However, if I was traveling for both recreation and photos, the buffet combined with the unique vantage points on cruise ships is really hard to beat.

 The Freedom of the Seas moored in Haiti above. The main “street” inside the ship below. 

I shot this photo in the fall of 2010, but I didn’t do a large print of it until last week. Seeing the print reminded me how much I love the photo and I wanted to share it.

I went to San Francisco during Fleet Week, which I highly recommend for anyone who likes air shows. Fighter jets swoop low over the city, as do helicopters and other aircraft. It’s incredibly loud, fast paced, and exciting. I captured many different shots of the aircraft from many different vantage points over the course of a weekend. The high frame rate  of my 7D (the camera can take 8 pictures per second) was very helpful; it’s pretty tough to time your shots with the speed these aircraft are going. At the end of my time in San Francisco, as is often the case, I had one aircraft shot that stood out above the rest. That’s the shot you see above.

I realized early on that a high vantage point is needed to do photos like this, especially when you are in a city. Shooting from the street just doesn’t work as aircraft frequently fly behind buildings and out of view. Obviously gaining access to a roof is a problem, especially in an unfamiliar city. So, I ended up going onto the Golden Gate Bridge. Aside from having a phenomenal wide open view, standing on the Golden Gate also put the city underneath/behind the planes, which really helps make this shot. I used a 70-200 to get enough zoom, as well as to compress the elements in the scene.

Obviously in the end some luck was involved as well; the position of these planes just happened to be perfect in relation to where I had positioned myself. Plus, spending an afternoon in the sun standing on the Golden Gate Bridge was a nice perk.

I create too many beautiful images every year for me to print and display them all, but I have a feeling that I will keep this one on my wall for a very long time.

Until next time,

Nick Larson

Warships double parked on Fleet Week and a Black Hawk helicopter