Good to Be Gray: Winter Nature Photography

Another week of snow. Another week of sub-freezing temperatures with many inches of snow and ice on the ground.  I could have sipped my green tea and fumed over the fact that my MacBook was being repaired while I sat indoors with rare, idle time.

If the birds can tolerate the cold, so can we.  Clean the lenses, clear the memory cards, time to go out.

While it's great to have a goal for your shoot, photography is a form of art.  To capture art, it's important to take in all the elements.  If you're too focused on one mission a magical photo opportunity may be missed.

Each season brings its own charm. Winters in Michigan with its bitter cold and isolating gray is no exception.  Farmland and rolling hills are framed with icy, barren trees. Memories of time gone by ignite when I happened upon abandoned farm equipment on one of my winter shoots last year.



Of Time Gone By
Nikon 5100, 55-300mm, f/10, ISO 250, 1/400 sec

In February, there are a few wintry weeks left before the Snowy Owls head farther north. With location tips from fellow birders, knowledge of their habitat, time to create my own luck. 

Before leaving to go back home on a winter shoot, we drove one last time through the route. The Snowy Owl appeared.  Our magnificent Ghost Owl.  He was probably there all along, watching as we drove through our version of the tundra searching for him for a couple of hours. 

He was quite stoic, perched patiently atop an old telephone pole as I put my camera on the tripod.  He then scratched, moved his head 270 degrees a few times. 

Snowy Owl Watching
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150-500mm, ISO 250 f/9, 1/640 sec

He posed graciously for many snaps until we both were startled by a child coming out of nowhere shrieking, "What are you taking a picture of?" 

Yes, he flew away. While he flew, we both silently stared as his casper-like wings moved softly in silent flight.  A treasure to observe.

When I showed the young girl the many owl images in my camera, she became genuinely inquistive in the owl, about birds and photography. 

Hmmmm.  A potential convert.  It's good to be outside in winter.

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

Megashot on Facebook
Soulful Nature on Facebook
Camera Cruise with K on Facebook
Nature Photography | Wildlife Photography
Nature Photography on Facebook

Seriously, I'd Rather Be Behind the Lens

A sun starburst edges from behind a tree as the magic hour approaches.  A fluffy hooded merganser glides through a gold illuminated  pond at sunset.  We pause when the bright, rapid beat of a red-bellied woodpecker's tapping echoes through the forest.  And sometimes…it is the sound of silence as you gaze into the gentle brown eyes of a deer in the woods.

Swimming in Gold
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150-500

It's moments like these that beckon nature photographers to rise well before dawn, embrace cold, snowy conditions, all for that desired shot.  Then it's the thrill of editing and bringing the images in the camera back to life as we sip our steaming green tea.

Red Hat
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150 - 500mm

The last place we want to be?  Reconciling invoices, expenses and legal paperwork! To help expedite getting your business back-office established, here's a few key steps.

Deer eyes….
Nikon 5100, 55-300mm lens

First, I recently established my Limited Liability Corporation: Sheen's Nature Photography LLC. Since I'm not an attorney, an accountant or effective book keeper, I needed to apply the KISS method - keep it super simple!

Legal Zoom uses the KISS approach and completes the tedious legwork for you.  It took about 45 minutes online and a well-deserved payment.

They took care of everything. When I made a slight mistake, they called for clarification. As a result, I had a credit applied to the total.  They gave me email and voicemail updates every step of the way.

All that I needed was delivered to my door, earlier than planned.  There was no way I could get time savings, accuracy and legitimacy by doing this on my own.

Next, a business checking account.  Note:  financial institutions require you to have an EIN and your articles which Legal Zoom provided.   Huntington Bank was my choice as their service has always been professional with insight to assist in quick decision making.

And last, we can't forget a small business credit card to keep our business expenses organized.  The American Express Small Business Credit Card is a great way to go. Since I am a frequent traveler with Delta, the ability to earn miles is an extra perk. Those miles will fly me to photography adventures.

It's February and a 2014 resolution has been accomplished, with eleven months to spare doing what I love with my free time.

HAPPY SHOOTING!

Why Re-Create the Wheel: Your Photography Website Made Easy

When you think of photographers, what do you see?

Typically, it's someone with their arms held close to their chest, camera pressed against half their face as they focus and snap, followed by more focusing and snapping.

They are in studios with lights, equipment, models and backdrops.  They are outdoors behind their tripod collecting images of sunsets, landscapes, colorful birds and wildlife.

It's not a vision of the 'not-so-glamorous' hours spent finding or creating websites to showcase their work. This side of the business may appear complicated and a bit prickly.  It doesn't have to be.

Prickly Porcupine by ©Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 5100, 55-300mm

There are many free or low cost options you can use to create your own website and sell your artwork. They take care of the image printing, framing, shipping and collecting payment.  They pay you a commission while providing you with access to a network of fellow artists and potential customers.

Barred Owl Beauty
Nikon 600, 70-300mm

Today I have a website that you can access 2 ways:
1) www.sheensnaturephotography.com
2) http://sheen-watkins.artistwebsites.com.

The engine is www.fineartamerica.com.  It took about 10 minutes to get started.  The investment over time has been adding images and customizing my page as I acquired this option for $30.00 per year.  In short, it was easy.

Another site that I recently joined is 500px.com/swnaturephoto.  Targeted to photographers, it's a rich inspirational community.  You can sell prints here too.  I haven't enabled this option as the pricing is different from my website and that could confuse my customers. Another site made simple.

There are other powerful blogging and website tools such as Wordpress.  I haven't had the time to do a deeper dive into the higher level customization that's required. Today, photography is not my full-time day-job.

There are many beautiful sites using this engine and third party templates such as Photocrati.

In addition to a website, there are social media, marketing and official paper-proecssing steps needed to validate the business reflecting your hard, creative work.

These too can be made simple and we'll cover those in my next blog.

Busy Bee at Work by ©Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 600, 105mm

Until then……HAPPY SHOOTING!

It's Time….

A few weeks ago, I wrote "Is it a Resolution or a Delightful Journey?"   The intent was to describe many of our experiences in making resolutions happen.   It's past mid January. It's time to assess if our 2014 Resolution has taken hold.

After that article, I received questions in my Facebook page Sheen's Nature Photography. They centered on my 'what my resolutions are for this year' and my favorite, 'did I have and complete my resolutions for 2013?'

Let's start with the latter question as my 2013 goal was broad with a few specifics.

The overarching desire was to grow as a photographer as I had started in the spring of 2012.  I also wanted to capture images of various wildlife.  One in particular, the Snowy Owl.

Tundra's Ghost, the Snowy Owl by Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 5100, 55-300mm

On a snowy, very cold wintry day, I along with some dear friends went out in the Northern Michigan elements to capture this ethereal, ghostly and magnificent owl.

We weren't lucky by chance, we made luck happen.  I live by the rule, "I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." (quote by Thomas Jefferson)  We had a plan, did our research, drove hours to our destination and worked the area.  A resolution accomplished.

The Ethereal, Ghost Owl by Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 600, 70-300mm

Growth came by reading ebooks (see list below), linking up with Facebook photography pages and reading blogs from photographers.

A local nature photography workshop offered new tips and contacts.  A vacation in Nags Head, North Carolina created an opportunity to work with a local, professional landscape photographer Dan Waters. 

Nags Head Pier at Sunrise
Nikon 600, 14 - 24mm

The outcome is the personal satisfaction of seeing my photography evolve.

What's on the horizon for 2014?

• Travels to new locations:  Smokey Mountains, Tennessee and working on Costa Rica
• Capturing images of 'life birds':  Snow Bunting and the Lapland Longspur, next weekend
• Adventures to specific locations for new subjects:  Austin, TX for bluebonnets in the spring
• Establishing relationships with local businesses?  February, more to follow
• Making the business official:  Yes in January! Thanks to Legal Zoom my official LLC paperwork is due to arrive this week.  

There are many articles, theories that indicate that it takes 21 days to make a habit. However, it doesn't matter what the articles say.  What matters is what we really want to do and if we choose to make it happen.

Happy Shooting!

Books:  (available through Amazon or the artists websites)
Improve Your Wildlife Photography, Jim Harmer
Better Birds: A Photographer's Guide, Steve Dimock
How to Photography Landscapes Like a Pro, Steve Rutherford
Mastering Exposure in Digital Photography, Stephen Hockman
8 Types of Natural Light, Anne McKinnell
Creative Photography Techniques, 20 Tips for Stronger Images, Dan Bailey
Earth and Light Digital Media books by Richard Bernabe available through his site

Tomorrow Isn't Just Another Day

Another Michigan wintry weekend of unpredictable lighting conditions created havoc on 'what to photograph.'  Or did it?

Instead of being frustrated in the field, yesterday's gray, non-existent lighting made it easy to stay inside and update my website www.sheensnaturephotography.com.

Sweet, hungry Titmouse
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150-500, f/8, ISO 250 1/640 sec

What-to-do in bad lighting advice came from a nature photography workshop led by Steve Gettle.   I used the time to update watermarks on 80% of my images in the site.

Today presented wonderful lighting on the melting snow with a pale blue canopy overhead.

Unfortunately, nothing extraordinary was captured. Nothing had inspired me.

The icy path at Cranbrook Academy's campus was treacherous.  A nearby trail that I enjoy photographing had icy brown patches, no luck there.  Thankfully, the the Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center in Troy, Michigan provided some feisty bird activity on their feeders.  

Still, this was not how I envisioned the day.  The reality was I had no vision for the day and that was the problem!  I wasted precious photography time.

Baby It's Cold Outside
Nikon 7100, 150-500 f/8 ISO 250 1/100 sec

When I consider my most fruitful adventures in the field, they are the ones I had mentally pictured prior to the actual day.  Nothing time consuming other than internally composing the subjects, image, the look and the feel I wanted to capture.

Knowing the weather conditions, the timing, location of the sun and moonrise is also important.  It takes about 30 seconds to view both apps: Yahoo Weather  and The Photographer's Ephemeris.

A  basic plan and the right tools can make a difference in your creativity, productivity and emotional satisfaction.  Then any deviation from that plan is based on unplanned, awesome photographic opportunities.

And when the conditions aren't optimal?  Use this time to work on your websites, overdue edits and most important, creating a mental plan for your next journey.

Happy Shooting!

'Endeering' & Enduring Moments

What did your work day look like on the second Tuesday in December?  Do you remember who you met with and what was discussed?

When was the last time you were out in the field with your camera or just out on a hike?  Do you remember who joined you?  Did you experience a natural 'chill pill'?

A Deer Moment by Sheen's Nature Photography
Nikon 7100, 150-500 Sigma,  ISO 250, f/9, 1/160 sec

More than likely you could clearly recall the second set of questions versus the first. It is important to make sure we spend our precious free time engaged with what we hold dear.

As a nature photographer, time spent amongst nature and behind the camera is not only enjoyable but grounding.  When looking at wildlife, birds, flowers and fauna for extended periods of time, our normal daily grind fades into a different world.  This world is filled with sounds, colors and emotions that bring reality to our souls.

In most areas, even large cities, four season nature photography escapes are not that far away.  Within a few miles of my home town of Birmingham, Michigan, nature centers, metro parks and nature trails with abundance of wildlife are within driving distance.

Deer Friends by Sheen's Nature Photography

Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center in Troy has multiple hiking trails providing up close viewing of deer, over 200 species of birds, streams with fish and woodlands.

A bit further east you'll find Stony Creek Metropark.  Diverse in it's offerings, you can golf, run, bike and fish.  Additionally, this park hosts nature trails that meander through woods, fields, across streams and around lakes.  Wildlife viewing, birdwatching (they just had their first eaglet born to a Bald Eagle family this past summer) and wildflowers are just a 'wait and see' moment away.

To the west is Kensington Metro Park  which has sprawling acres of wooded, hilly terrain that surrounds Kent Lake.  Wildlife and waterfowl are anything but scarce.

Deer Conversing with Nature by Sheen's Nature Photography
All deer images captured at the Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center

To find local parks and wildlife viewing go to your favorite browser and type in Wildlife Viewing near your town.  Then after a little planning,  grab your gear and go.

The next time you've had a "Worked Hard for the Money" day or week, don't let a "Baby It's Cold Outside" mindset stop you.  Reality, enduring memories and mother nature await.  HAPPY SHOOTING!

Is it a Resolution or a Delightful Journey?

We've all done it.   The same year-after-year resolution on December 31 that somehow gets lost by January 15. Or the new resolution that never happens.  We commit to do something, for the moment, with good intentions.  It may be losing weight, changing our diet, exercise, finances, starting a new hobby. But why can't we make it stick?

Therapy: Watching the Female Cardinal in the Southern Winter Sunshine

First, I'm a nature photographer and not a psychologist.  Like everyone, I have a need for some type of therapy.  My therapy just happens to be in the fields, flowers and hanging out with the birds with cameras and lenses in tow.

Here's a few questions to consider.

What is the motivation behind the resolution?  Is it positive?  Does the thought of taking action bring a smile to your face or the dreadful sigh?

One of the most common resolutions I hear is "I am going to exercise so I can lose weight." Chances are, this one will not be sustained even though you know its needed.  Where's the positive?  Where's the fun?  Where's the traction?

Turn this around a bit.  What would encourage you to do an activity and stay with it?  What happens when this resolution is achieved?  Is it a one-shot deal or is it a lifestyle/hobby that you incorporate into who you are?  Can it be shared with a spouse, significant other, or friends?

For years, I wanted a camera but never purchased one.  I had resolved for years to get one and take pictures.  In retrospect, I didn't have a plan or motivation to take action on my resolution.

Create the Plan, Enjoy the Journey

My husband encouraged me by surprising me with a Nikon for Christmas two years ago.  I didn't take it out of the box and really use it until a few months later.  

It was a trip to the south with a personal commitment to learn the camera and how to capture images of what I really enjoyed, birding and nature.  I previewed my first images and the passion began.

It's not about 'having' to go out with the camera.  It's about making sure I take the time doing what I enjoy.  Nature photography is typically part of my weekend and if I'm lucky, sometimes part of my week. And yes, I have photography resolutions for 2014, and that's for another blog.

So 2014 is here.  What do you want to do this year that you haven't accomplished yet? What's the positive motivation behind it?  Remember, if you can't answer that question, it probably won't happen.  Then tell someone, involve a friend/partner and take action. Your next 'passion' may be waiting!
Happy Shooting!

If You Could Wrap an Image of From Your Past & Put It Under the Tree, What Would it Be?

The throes of the holidays are upon us.  Schedules remain filled with tying up loose ends at work.  There's limited time to take care of planning meals, parties, shopping, wrapping gifts and heading off to visit family.

Slow down the madness for a just a moment.  Savor the ability to reflect.

Holiday Reflection by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

More than likely we can immediately recall the time we received a gift from the heart, someone's personal talent shared. The gift of that sweater 'we had to have' from our favorite store?  It may be one of our favorites, or, it may not even be remembered.

Sweet Face by ©Sheen's Nature Photography

Case in point?  Your favorite teacher.  They had the talent for encouraging you to think differently about something.  To this day when someone asks you "Who was your most influential teacher?", their name and memory erupts before even thinking about it.  Their ability to inspire was a gift.

Another may be a relative, a family friend, who spent their time with you, doing what you wanted to do instead of taking care of their own to-do list.  They were sharing a piece of themselves, their natural gift of story-telling, listening, teaching a hobby.

As photographers and those who enjoy photography, we share our images via websites, Facebook and other social media. This global reach provides many with views of the world that the majority will never see. Folks who may be housebound have brief escapes into beautiful places local and far away.

Many photographers offer the gift of knowledge and encouragement of our craft with our kids, neighbors' kids or local youth centers.

Your images of sports, nature, people are personal.

Because you take it personally, you may inspire others to reach within themselves to find their own talent and interests.   Your innate passion, time and talent can't be bought, but it can be shared.

And it can be one of the best gifts of their life time…and yours.

Happy Shooting and Happy Holidays!

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