A Photographer's Sight: The Forest or the Trees?

What does a photographer see?  What is it about a subject or moment that one photographer may stop, pause and shoot and another doesn't notice?

Sheen's Nature Photography

How many times have you used the phrase  "you can't see the forest for the trees"?  In the images above and below, I chose to not see either.  Instead, I was moved by the array of green tints and shades,  soft lines and a wash of shapes.  

How this photo was made:  I stood in a shady setting with no sunlight streaming through. When I pressed the shutter, I gently moved the camera vertically while the shutter was open.  A one second shutter speed is optimal when using this technique.  Settings:  1 second shutter speed, f/16, ISO 100

Sheen's Nature Photography

Walk into an art gallery, museum or go to a multitude of artists' websites and you'll see many perspectives of the same subjects.  Some may be an accurate representation of the image itself, others may take creative liberty and add another layer of artistry.

As in the photo below, I applied dramatic post processing adjustments in Lightroom to modify reality.  These adjustments included contrast, clarity and increased hue intensity.

Sheen's Nature Photography

By seeing through the unique eyes of other artists- painting, drawing, photography, dance -  our own eyes can learn new techniques and ideas of communicating our subjects.

Happy Shooting!

Date Night & The Morning After

Sweet Dear by Sheen's Nature Photography

No, this is not the name of a movie for mature audiences.  Friday nights represent so many things.  From the end of the work week to the beginning of the weekend, time to chill, time to party, a date with a spouse or significant other, time with your best friend and the list goes on.

As a photographer, my idea of a great Friday date night includes my hubby Dave, a long nature walk with no specific agenda and my camera.

Some of my favorite images have been as a result of the surprise photography moments that surfaced while we were chatting along the way.

The sweet deer to the right popped up in the woods as we were walking along the trail.  The fading sun provided soft illumination  through the branches while gently lighting his face.

A walk by the lake is part of the routine but the view is never the same.  One day the sky is clear blue (boring!), another day it's overcast with flat light.

This past weekend, the light breeze and white fluffy clouds celebrated summer color across our neighborhood lake, Quarton Lake.

Date Night Routine by Sheen's Nature Photography

The morning after with the same mindset offers its own creative inspiration.

Drinking coffee on the deck in the warm season while looking over the garden, there's almost always something new to capture.

The bright white flowers below glowed against a background of rich foliage prior to the sunlight reaching the garden.

I think part of the enjoyment is that I'm not looking for anything intentional.  I may not even snap the shutter once.  The times that I do, it's one or two snaps and I have a photo that came from the heart.

Morning After by Sheen's Nature Photography

Sound a bit crazy?

Part of the enjoyment and inspiration is the spontaneity as a result of using this as down time with my best friend (that would be my husband but he may feel he comes second to the camera at times).

This next weekend, grab your partner, your camera, a comfortable pair of shoes and see where the journey takes you.

Happy Shooting!

The Blue Door Leads to my Office

Where will your work take you today?

It's Monday, and for many of us it's starting the week with a cup of Joe.  After the cobwebs have cleared, it's time for the morning workout.  Then it's heading out the front door to our respective office to continue last week's unfinished work and begin new projects.  This may be a building, a warehouse, working in our cars or in our homes.

I prefer my weekend office door.  In blue, please.

The Blue Door to My Office

This weekend door opens to the great outdoors where birds sing, butterflies flutter and nature surrounds me.

In nature photography and for those you enjoy just being immersed in nature, you don't have to go very far.  It may be just a few steps and you're in your garden or going for a hike on a nearby nature trail.

A Day in the Weekend Office
Female American Redstart

As a photographer, I need and enjoy my regular job to pursue my passion for photography.

My photography office door opens on the weekend.  And while it's not the one above that I photographed this weekend, it is blue.

Happy Shooting!
~Sheen~

My website is located at www.sheenwatkins.com

Flower Power

It's spring and it will soon be summer in a couple of weeks.  Colors line highways, parks, cities and gardens.  Flower photography season is on us offering a rainbow of vibrants to pastels.

Photographing flowers ranges from honing in on the tiniest detail to capturing a collection of color, shapes and movements.

All that is needed is your lens in hand, a quick study of your subject to find the single point of interest or convey an overall story.

From macros using a Nikon 105mm:

To a telephoto perspective with a Nikon 70-200mm:

To using primes - like the nifty Nikon 50mm:

And short range zooms such as the kit Nikon 24-85mm lens:

Nature provides the color, you provide the perspective using your lens of choice and tell the story.  Happy Shooting!

Sheen

Visit Sheen's Nature Photography website and sign my guestbook to receive a photography tip of the month.  They are always short, simple, fun and to the point.

Thank you!

Sunflower Field - A Photographer's Playground

It's August in Michigan.  Cherry's have been harvested, apples are expanding every day and in the near future pumpkins will be glowing orange in the fields.

Sunflower Row - Sheen's Nature Photography

This is the time of year when many farmers have dedicated acres of their farms to sunflowers.  Rows and rows of vibrant yellow faces are loaded with pollen for the bees and seeds for the birds.

"Blues Skies Shining on Me" - Sheen's Nature Photography

Bee's Breakfast - Sheen Watkins

Sunflowers with their happy, yellow petals and intricate, kaleidoscope patterns of seeds are simply a joy to photograph.

What lenses to use?

Because of their photogenic nature, portrait, macro and wide angle lenses allow the photographer to 'play' in the field. The "Sunflower Row" image was taken using my 50mm 1.8G lens on a full frame camera (Nikon 600).

The "Bee's Breakfast" macro image to the right was captured with a 105mm Macro lens.

These images were taken last weekend just north of the little quaint town of Pinckney, Michigan. I spent two hours 'playing' photographer in sunflower rows on this multi-acre sunflower farm.

There were still many petal-posers in full bloom even though I was two weeks behind the peak blooming time for this particular patch.

When in the field, it's easy to lose track of time.  But that's ok when surrounded with subjects that shout 'sunshine and happiness'.

Happy Shooting!
Sheen

Woodland Flowers: A Portrait

Woodland flowers.  The sounds of walking in the woods, branches creaking as the warm breeze creates gentle movement.  Sunbeams cast gentle shadows and backlights for flowers and foliage.

A Spring Portrait, by Sheen's Nature Photography

The white wonders gently glowed as the sun cast a soft bokeh to compliment bright white petals.  

This image was captured using a Nikon 85mm Prime lens.  My first instinct was to use my macro.  For fun, I thought I would try creating a portrait of a living, woodland bouquet instead with a portrait lens.  

My 85mm prime is becoming a fast favorite lens for nature photography.  

Happy Shooting!

Sheen

Mother Nature's Toasting Glass

One of the best things about being an outdoor nature photographer is that it's easy to stop and smell the roses.  Or in this case, stop and observe the details that wouldn't normally be seen when strolling through a garden taking in the sights.

The late afternoon light created a silver aura that reminded me of a lightly frosted champagne glass.

A Toast to Mother Nature - ©Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 600, 105mm 

 
A beautiful day and evening awaits.....

Happy Toasting & Happy Shooting!

'Rose-Colored' Lenses

The white snowy sights of winter fade away.  Snow piles melt into puddles, rooftops dribble with melting icicles and the soft, wet earth squishes underneath our feet. Overhead, blackbirds and robins begin cackling for spring mating partners.

Yes, I am ready for spring to burst on the scene.  Yesterday would not be fast enough as we just experienced another eight inch snowfall this week.  The frightful weather looks like we should be asking "how many days until Christmas" instead of "when is spring going to get here?"

As in previous winters, we plan to venture to El Dorado, Arkansas, a small, vibrant, historic oil boomtown, to visit my family.

A dose of Arkansas, The Natural State's sunshine, flowers, bluebirds await our return. Southern gardens any time of year are always awash with a variety of vibrant colors and textures.

But for a photographer, their spring time offers that little something extra.

Roses! 

Prissy-Pink Rose
Nikon 600, 105mm, f/9, ISO 160, 1/500

Roses of prissy-pink, scarlet and coral shout "come photograph me",  as almost any angle can offer delicious shades and tints.

It was this time of year, two years ago that I started photography.  And some of the first images were roses.

Do you need a macro lens to capture close-up details?  While I never leave home without my Nikon 105mm macro for close up work, I continue to produce colorful garden eye-candy images with my standard 24-85mm kit lens.

So how do you photograph a rose?

Mom's Coral Rose in the Secret Garden
Nikon 5100, 55mm,  f/8, 1/60sec

Come Photograph Me
Nikon 5100, 105mm, f/18, ISO 400, 1/30 sec

1. From directly above, from a forty-five degree angle looking down, straight on the side and from underneath looking up a bit.  And then any other angle you want to try.  Get close, step back.  Capture a portion of the rose, the whole flower and then broaden the range to include multiple roses.  This is a playground, enjoy
2. Using Aperture Priority mode, use multiple f/stops at each of the angles mentioned in #1.  The lower the f/stop number, the shallower the depth of field.  At an f/stop of 3.5, the tip of the petal or the center is in focus and the rest is softly muted.  At an f/stop of 16, more of the flower will be in focus, including some of the background.  Note to self:  always check for dead leaves, brown spots and other distractions before you start capturing images.  
3. The Rule of Thirds may or may not be applied.  While it is a good guide, each rose and how you capture the image will determine the final product.
4. Processing.  You've captured many roses.  The ones you know don't like, delete right away.  No reason to clutter memory.  Then take a another close look at your work.  Which ones do you want to process?  Select a few and start making your adjustments.  Lightroom 5  and other post processing software tools (including those provided with your camera) can bring your roses to life as you observed in the field or create dramatic art using your image as the base.

Spring is fast approaching.  Are you ready to see the world of roses through your lenses?  

Happy Shooting!

Social Media & Photography - Can it Make Cents?

Blue Petals
Nikon 600, 105mm lens

It's relatively easy to create awareness of your nature photography using social media. Generating an income however, requires engagement with your audience and a commitment of time.

Digital photography has made it easier for people to find their talent versus back in the days of film.  The outcome is many levels of photographers, more competition online and in the traditional retail space.

Let's face it, when you think of famous photographers, everyone is quick to say "Ansel Adams" or "Art Wolfe" and from there it can be a fairly short list.

So how do you create awareness?

Personal facebook page - use your personal page to introduce your friends to your work.  Post a couple of images at a time a few days apart for 2-3 weeks to see what generates interest (aka 'likes').  Your friends are your first real fans, and your fans 'likes' will help you decide what has broader appeal.



Duckling's Bubble Bath
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150 - 500 lens

Next, create your Facebook photography business page.  If you know the name of your business already, use it here.  It's very helpful if your business name reflects you and your type of photography.  This is the beginning of building your personal brand.  Don't underestimate the name, it's how others find your work.

When you create your page and make it public, initially fill the page with your images, interesting information about you and relevant links.  Immediately invite your friends to like your page!  This is where your audience begins.

Add one maybe two images per week to your page.  Adding many images at a time doesn't do your work justice. The attention span of the viewer is seconds, they won't look past the first few images.

Including an article, bloglink or other posting occasionally that is interesting and reflective of your brand can engage viewers. When your friends 'like' and share your postings, more people will see and 'like' your page.  Here is the link to get started: Creating Your Facebook Business Page

Cherry Blossoms, Nikon 600, 105mm

Network, network, network!  Find other Facebook photography pages and interact with other photographers. 'Like' their work (from your personal page so it will count on their 'like' counter) and if inclined from your own Photography Page too.  Photographers are not only helpful but their work can inspire you in taking yours to another level.

You'll find that there are sites whose mission is to share others work.  This may be in a given category, theme of the day, or hosting regular contests. (see a small list below).  These sites may share your work, the link to your page.  From there, their fans can 'like' your work and your page. 

If 'Likes' created revenue, that would be great.  But they don't.  'Likes' can validate what images have broader appeal and get your work more visiblity as their friends see what they 'liked'. 

Have I generated sales as a result of social media? Yes, which leads to my final tip for this blog. 

Create your website (see Why Re-create the Wheel? Your Photography Website Made Easy). After creating your site, embed your link on your Facebook page.  Announce that you have a website to your photography page audience and your friends a few times a year.

As you progress, you'll find other social media and photography sharing sites to use as well.

It takes time to get traction, but you have to take the first steps!

HAPPY SHOOTING! 
Sheen

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Nature Photography on Facebook

Hidden Gems….Polish them with Edits

It's a winter wonderland.  It's a beautiful sunrise.  Spring color rises from the abyss of winter.  Fall foliage or spring flowers radiate colors that would make Monet smile.

A Lovely Fall Day, simple RAW edits
Nikon 600, 14-24mm lens

There are times when you get home after a photography shoot that you load your files and what you thought was going to be great, wasn't.

It happens to everyone.

Sly Eyes, RAW Edits with Sepia effect
Nikon 5100, 55-300mm

Sure, our first reaction may be to ditch and delete.  We've done it many times.

Enter the world of creative edits!

A raining day?  Pull out some old images.

Not able to get out and go shoot due to your work schedule?  Take a break and review some prior images you haven't looked at in months.

Sitting on the couch watching football on a team you don't really care about?  Find those 'almost had what you were looking for.'

Lightroom and other image processing software offer many creative editing tools that can turn what you were going to ditch into interesting and quite usable works of art.

Recently we visited the The Outer Banks.  I had been picturing, non pun intended, in my mind wide-angel images of piers I wanted to capture with my new Nikon 14-24mm Landscape lens.

As a bird and flower photographer, most of my work has been with either the Sigma 150-500 or Nikon 105mm macro and a few other lenses.  Landscape photography presents a new horizon of learning (see my recent blog The Checklist….It's Not About What I'm Packing).  So when I returned from my first shoot on the pier, I was disappointed.  The weather was colorless and flat.  Winds whipped at 25 miles per hour.  My limited perspectives captured didn't leave a lot to work with.

Or did it?

A photographer in The Outer Banks, Dan Waters, that I had the pleasure of working with while there shared many professional tips and tricks.  One of which is www.niksoftware.com that has a series of modules to assist in various types of targeted editing.

A Light Hits the Gloom on the Gray
Nikon 600, 14-24mm

The pier image mentioned earlier evolved in depth and emotional perspective with a few simple edits using Lightroom and  Nik Software Silver Efex Pro.


Here's to Happy Shooting!  If you can't get out today or tomorrow - then, Happy Editing!

Sheen

Mother Nature Meets the "Yard-tist"

The Linden Park Nature Trail  between Lincoln and Maple roads, one of several in-town trails in  Birmingham, Michigan, has two very special artists.  The first artist of course is Mother Nature.

A Gift of Color from Mother Nature on Lincoln Trail, Birmingham, Michigan
Nikon 600, 24-85mm, f/16,  ISO 80, 1/6 sec 

This year, Mother Nature's artwork has gifted us with a fall that glows and burns from sunrise to sunset.  Even in moonlight, leaves continue to faintly illuminate our evening dog walks with auras of autumn.

Autumn, Courtesy of Mother Nature
Nikon 600, f/16, ISO 80, 1/13 sec

The Linden Park Nature Trail which runs along the Rouge River Watershed serves as a local four season favorite for runners, walkers and their four-legged kids and families.

While capturing images of our vibrant fall hues of reds, golds, oranges and browns, I saw her on the trail.  By 'her', I am referring to our trails's secret artist.

My husband has named her the "Yard-tist" as she brings touches from her own yard to create artwork using Mother Nature's tools.

She swiftly, secretively and creatively places flowers, rocks, stems, twigs in unusual patterns along the trail using natures tools as frames.  The artwork is earthy and primitive.  Creations range from the complex using many tools, to the simple using a single flower against a rock.

Along the Path, Linden Park Trail
Creation by the Yard-tist, Image by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

On this particular day, when I saw our Yard-tist at work I think she saw me too as she paused briefly.  She was delightful to watch.  As people approached her, in some instances she moved away from her work, other times she darted off the trail almost as if not wanting to be seen.

Some of her work is right beside the trail.  Other creations peek at you from behind thickets and tree stumps.

Simple Display Along the Trail Woods, A Flower and a Rock
Creation by the Yard-tist,  Image by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

When she had left, I shifted my focus from taking images along the river to that of her work to share with others who have not had the fortune to visit Linden Park Nature Trail.  

Here's a Bit of Yellow by the Rouge River on Linden Park Trail
Creation by the Yard-tist, Image by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

Passersby stopped to chat.   Many either inquired if I knew her.  Others shared their own enjoyment of her special touches along the trail for almost five years.

A Shock of Color in the Woods
Creation by the Yard-tist, Image by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

Whoever our Yard-tist is, we appreciate her care and creativity in making our nature trail even more special.

Happy Shooting!

Greener Grasses....

In nature photography the grass is greener right where you are and on the other side of the fence.  Planning our next photography adventure whether it's a destination location or a local favorite spot always gives us something to look forward to.

Sunset Surprise
Nikon 5100,  55-300mm, ISO 200, f/10, 1/500 sec

Cities like San Francisco with Golden Gate Park on the west side and Sonoma Valley in the heart of the wine country are gorgeous hot spots - whether you are a photographer or a tourist.

Interestingly, a couple of my favorite early images as a photographer happened nearby these locations where I was just savoring the moment of being away on vacation.  

This sunset image was taken from the north side of a beach parking lot northwest of Golden Gate Park as we were watching the ocean.  

I had read Jim Harmer's Improve Your Photography: How Budding Photographers Can Get Pro Results on the airplane the day before. A focal point just like he described in the fourth chapter popped in front of me as I strolled up the incline. Nature's bare branches framed the rosy sunset and sapphire blue ocean.

The Love Button
Nikon 5100, 18-55mm, ISO 200, f/5.3, 1/250 sec

On the backend of our trip, we were in Sonoma Valley for a couple of days. Loaded with beautiful landscapes, wonderful birds, hills of many colors and many wines, it was a street side garden near a park that all but smiled to passersby.

We were birding in Larson Park viewing western tanagers, phoebes and scrub jays to name a few.

This garden yellow flower shouted happiness from across the street that needed to be captured and shared.

Recently, on a local natural beauty road near Springdale Golf Course in Birmingham, MI, I had every intention of capturing multiple perspectives of periwinkle-blue chicory flowers.

Soft, early morning sun with no breeze, tripod set low to the ground, several minutes were filled with many snaps shooting images of one of my favorite flowers.

Bleu Backlit Beauty
Nikon 600, 105mm, ISO 250, f/9, 1/400 sec

But then I stood up to stretch - a must in photography.  Across the road the dew sparkled like diamonds on a long, green, multi-acre lawn.  The next 20 minutes were spent horizontal in wet grass completely mesmerized by nature's liquid crystals.

The Greenest Grasses Reside Within Us
Nikon 600, 105mm, ISO 250, f/8 1/800 sec

Afterwards the clothes were a bit soggy, but the images were worth every chill bump.

Enjoy your next destination and don't forget to stop, stretch and find that your greener grass exists right where you are standing.  Happy Shooting!