Category Archives: Photography

Another Morning On The Beach

Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina

I turned the alarm off this morning and went back to sleep, but woke up 15 minutes later and knew what I had to do. šŸ˜‰

Once more it was worth the effort.

Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Morning on the beach. Carolina Beach, North Carolina

More From Bermuda

I got a bit out of sequence with my Bermuda posts and intend to finish them up this week. Here are a few more photos from our Day One tour around the “west end” of the island outside of Hamilton. It included stops at an apartment complex where we saw examples of lower-end (although still pretty nice!) housing and a higher end neighborhood. We made a stop at the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, The Reefs Resort and Club, a beautiful oceanfront resort that we could easily go back to, and the Port Royal Golf course, which hosts a PGA tournament in October.

Interesting factoid: the white roofs are symbolic of Bermuda because the houses collect rainwater from the roof system to cisterns beside or below the structure. Water is very expensive to buy, and outside the cities there is little to no infrastructure. The design of the roof has multiple benefits. Made of limestone it is heavy and not easily shifted by hurricanes. In the past the limestone was covered in a lime mortar, which had anti-bacterial properties. Today, the mortar has been replaced by paint. It’s still white, because this reflects ultra-violet light from the sun, which also helps to purify the water.

Bermudans are very water conscious. In fact, one of our guides told us he uses a bucket to collect the water that runs while he waits for his (solar heated) shower to warm up. He uses that water for other household purposes rather than waste it.

Tale Of A Print

Fishing trawler “Cape Point” in the marina at Southport, North Carolina

I don’t do much to promote my work these days, and never really have, actually. I did assignment work for a couple of magazines and I had photos with a local stock agent at one time, but both of those went away as microstock took over. Since then it has been completely hit or miss. Now, I mostly give prints away to friends and family, but once in a while I get an inquiry from an art consultant, magazine or website wanting to purchase a print or license an image. Mostly by accident, I’ve actually sold some photos that now hang in pretty interesting places.

A few weeks ago I received an email from a partner in a new restaurant (now open) out on the coast of North Carolina. It’s called Salt 64 and is located in Oak Island. Turns out the chef is the former chef at a restaurant we’re familiar with in Mooresville, NC. And he is friends with a friend who runs a frame shop and gallery there. Small world.

So Erika (the partner) found this photo of mine on my website through a search, and wanted to know about buying a print of it for the restaurant. She said that she was decorating the restaurant with local photography, that the boat “Cape Point” is owned by a cousin of the chef, and she wanted to surprise him with the photo. So I had a print made and shipped to her. She loves it and so does the chef!

I asked her to pay me in food, so Kathy & I are going to head out to the coast in a few weeks with plans to stop by Salt 64 for dinner one night! Can’t wait to see my photo hanging on the wall!

By the way, not to give away trade secrets, but when I got the request for a print, I went back and re-processed the photo to make it more print-worthy. I had done some very basic work on the original version, but decided to use some of the tools in my Lightroom toolbox to kick it up a notch or two. I often do that anyway with photos I plan to print, but this one just hadn’t hit my radar. While the old version was pretty nice, the new one is really nice, I think!

Originally processed version

Modes Of Transport: Bermuda

Here is a brief look at a few of the forms of transportation on the island of Bermuda.

Small cars are big in Bermuda. Buses only hold a dozen or so people. Even the garbage trucks are small. Much more practical cars than we have here in the states. Electric vehicles are also very popular – the island is so small that you don’t need to worry about range, and with the tiny cars they are easy to park. Just don’t bring a lot of luggage!

The guy in the wheelbarrow? No idea! He might have been injured, but more likely had overindulged on Dark & Stormys. šŸ˜‰

Why We “Process” Our Photos

After (L) and Before (R)

Often, a non-photographer will ask me if I “Photoshop” my photos. My answer is usually something like “I don’t use Photoshop, but I do process my photos.” The follow up is usually some version of “why.”

As we photographers know, cameras today give us lots of latitude for exposure adjustments, which is what I use the most, along with straightening horizons (a lot!), removing dust spots (almost as much!), cropping, contrast & saturation adjustment, and more. And while it is possible to get way beyond reality, I tend to try – as we all do – to improve upon reality just a bit.

After (L) and Before (R)

Ansel Adams is credited with the words ā€œDodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships.” A bit modest, perhaps, but that pretty much summarizes – with a bit of humor – what we do and why.

After (L) and Before (R)

Here are 4 photos I made at the summit of Haleakala that show what I mean. The ideal time to get even lighting in the crater is when the sun is directly overhead. But that unfortunately is one of the hardest conditions to photograph anything else! So I did my best to counteract the highlights and shadows in order to bring everything back to what my eye was able to perceive.

After (L) and Before (R)

No Thanks, I’ll Watch

Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui

There are a number of professions I have always been thankful to not have experienced. Anything requiring a safety harness or hard hat would fall into that category. Climbing trees with a machete hanging from my belt would double my resolve!

Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui

One day at our hotel we received notice that a crew would be trimming the palm trees the next day. As it turned out, they started working right outside our room as we were enjoying our morning coffee. It was interesting to watch, but I wasn’t about to consider a return to the work force.

Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui
Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui
Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui
Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui
Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui
Tree trimmers trimming the palm trees at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea, Maui

Doing My Homework

Big waves along the north coast of Maui from the Ho’okipa Lookout near Paia, Hawaii

One of the fascinating things about digital photography is that it is possible to take way too many photographs, edit them down to a reasonable number and still have multiples of the number of photographs we would have had in the film days. That holds true for our traveling, and especially true for our trip to Maui.

Early morning light on the beach near the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

According to my Lightroom catalog I took 4,654 photos with my Fuji camera, 160 with my Olympus point & shoot – exclusively out of the airplane window, plus about 78 with my phone. I typically use the phone only for food, wine, airplane window shots, etc. But they back up into Lightroom and get stored there. I have mostly gotten away from other storage methods like Gooble.

Out of those nearly 4,900 photos I processed 749 “picks.” Why such a difference? Because out of those 4,900 photos, many of them were “burst shots” of action, like crashing waves, elusive whales, or dancers at a luau. I generally chose the “best” one out of each burst, and while some of the others might be photo-worthy, there isn’t a lot of point in saving multiple photos with slightly different splashes, poses or expressions.

Early morning light on the beach near the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

Out of those 749 processed photos, I have posted a gallery of about half of them – on my Adobe Portfolio page. And those 330 or so photos are still the equivalent of 10 rolls of 36-exposure film, probably about the amount I would have carried back in the Dark Ages!

Early morning light on the beach near the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

So if you are really desperate for entertainment, feel free to check out my gallery. The page also contains links to photos from our other travels from the last several years!

Early morning light on the beach near the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

The House Of The Sun

Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii. In the distance are Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right) on the Big Island of Hawaii

A visit to Maui would not really be complete without a trek to the highest point, the dormant volcano known as Haleakalā, or “the house of the sun.”

Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

In Hawaiian folklore, the crater at the summit of Haleakalā was home to the grandmother of the demigod Maui. According to the legend, Mauiā€™s grandmother helped him capture the sun and force it to slow its journey across the sky in order to lengthen the day.

Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

The tourist literature would have you believe that the “proper” time to visit Haleakalā is at sunrise. But with sunrise around 6:30am, a 2-hour drive to the top with a need to get there early to ensure a parking spot, a 2 or 3am departure time would have been necessary. And with a partner who doesn’t do windy roads or mornings (especially windy roads in the morning!) the sunset option was the better choice! šŸ™‚

View of the Visitor Center parking area from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
View of the Haleakala Visitor Center from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Views of the Haleakala Crater from the Pā Kaā€˜oao Trail. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii. In the distance are Mauna Kea (left) and Mauna Loa (right) on the Big Island of Hawaii

We did a tour with a professional driver, which for a first-timer or anyone a little nervous about the winding roads is probably the way to go. If I have a chance to go back, however, I would opt to drive myself, getting there earlier then staying well past sunset to see the stars come out. But that’s me, and for most people that would mean missing dinner! As it was, I was the last person on the bus. Although I was not late (I always promise a driver that I will always be last but that I will not be late! šŸ˜‰ ) all of the other passengers were anxiously waiting for me, and I had barely gotten to my seat when the bus started to move. Sheesh! Of course, I was the only 1 of the 2 or 3 passengers out of 16 that had a real camera, and the only one with a tripod!

Sunset from Haleakala Visitor Center, Haleakala National Park, Maui
Sunset from Haleakala Visitor Center, Haleakala National Park, Maui
Sunset from Haleakala Visitor Center, Haleakala National Park, Maui. The near mountains are the West Maui mountains, in the distance is the island of Molokaā€˜i

The one thing that might be better about sunrise, is that depending on your vantage point you could compose the rising sun with the crater in the foreground. But since the crater is in shadow in all but the middle of the day when the sun is overhead, it would still be a chancy shot. As it was, I had to rely on a bit of processing magic to balance the highlights and shadows of the photographs I made.

Observatory and scientific instruments near the summit of Haleakala. Haleakala National Park, Hawaii. Our guide told us that the stucture on the left is part of the ‘Star Wars’ missile defense system. The map says it is the ‘Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Observatory’

So our visit to Haleakalā was just one of the many things that made our Maui adventure a memorable one. I didn’t actually take too many photographs, but the ones I did take I am pretty happy with!

Sunset from Haleakala Visitor Center, Haleakala National Park, Maui.

The Peak Design Tripod – A Mini Review

Folded view

I think we would all agree that there is no “perfect” tripod, any more than there is a perfect camera bag, or a single do-everything lens. Kathy likes to remind me that there is no such thing as a too-large diamond šŸ˜‰ and the same might generally hold true for tripods. But sometimes a tripod can be a little too large, particularly for travel.

A few years ago I sold my older and smaller Gitzo tripod, which was pretty good for travel, ending up with just a Big A$$ RRS tripod and ball head as my only camera support. And that is great for a large majority of our travel, as lately most of our travel has been by car, and it is no big deal to make room for a B.A. tripod. But while the B.A. will kinda fit in a large suitcase, it is really overkill and takes up a lot of space. And yes, I could check it separately with our other luggage, but that means another bag, etc. Enter the interest in a travel-specific tripod.

I had read about the Peak Design tripod, but when it came out I dismissed it because I thought it was pretty pricey, I already had a really good tripod and had not come across a situation where I really wanted something smaller. But when I started thinking about our Hawaii trip I wondered about buying something more suitable for packing. I mentioned this to Kathy, and being the wiser of the two of us, she asked me if it was possible to rent one. Well, duh-huh! So I checked out Lensrentals and sure enough, they have them to rent, for a (large-ish) fraction of what one would cost to buy. But the cost was still less than buying a cheap tripod that I probably would not be happy with.

OK, so much for the long-winded intro.

Folded view 2

I rented the carbon fiber model, which sells for $600. It’s a little lighter than the aluminum model, and I’m sold on the advantages of carbon fiber in a tripod. It folds up into a neat little package that takes up about the same space as a re-useable water bottle. And it comes in a nice cloth carrying case with a detachable shoulder strap.

My biggest concern was whether it would be stiff enough. I tested it at home and was impressed by how solid it felt, even though the lower legs are pretty skinny. The only time I had trouble with movement in the field was a few times when I extended the center column. But I hung my backpack on the hook and it settled right down.

My second concern was whether the tripod would be tall enough to prevent me from having to do contortions to see the viewfinder. I’m proudly old school and tend to keep the screen folded closed and compose through the viewfinder. But it was tall enough that even extended the minimum amount (when closed, the head is nested on top of the legs, so you have to raise the center column slightly in order to be able to adjust the head) I was easily able to use the viewfinder. No problemo!

The leg locks are really cool – they are grouped together on each leg so you can pretty much open them with one movement. On my rental model they were a little stiff, but they can be adjusted with the included tool, which I would probably do if I owned one. The legs generally extend easily, although on my model one of the sections was a little stiff, as though it had been bent.

Nice leg lock system

The camera mount – it’s not exactly a ball head although it functions like one – takes a little getting used to but is very user friendly and holds the camera securely. I used an L-bracket instead of the included camera plate, and was pleased with that combination. I don’t think I would like to use the stock plate with the camera “flopped over” for vertical shots. There is an option to replace the standard head with another head, but that would make the tripod longer and kind of defeats the purpose of the design.

Closeup of head

I’ve been using Peak Design straps for several years and have been very happy with them. I don’t yet own one of their backpacks, but am seriously considering one. I thought the early versions were kind of ugly, but the newer ones look pretty nice. This tripod is elegantly designed, well made and I can imagine it being an “only” tripod for many people. Unless you are shooting with big glass, in high winds or in rushing streams, it would probably suit most uses. I especially like it with the X-T4, even with the 55-200 lens.

Will I buy one? Possibly. I was quite impressed and can see me using one again. If I had one I could take it just about anywhere without worrying about making space. Would I replace my B.A. unit? Probably not, but if I owned a Peak Design tripod and got used to using it, you never know.

Extended view

I didn’t take my own pictures of the tripod – these are all borrowed from B&H. Hopefully no one will mind.

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Magic Wings Butterfly House, Durham, North Carolina

Going with the green theme on a Friday!

Golden Rock Plantation Inn in Nevis, West Indies
Little Glade Mill Pond Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway MP 230
Romney Manor, home of Caribelle Batik on the island of St Kitts
Key West, Florida
Romney Manor on St Kitts, home of Caribelle Batik
Jungle Gardens in Avery Island, Louisiana
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Limberlost Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Morris Childers’ 1938 Chevy
John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum, Waterloo, Iowa
Green Giant Statue, Blue Earth, Minnesota