Blog Posts

OUR PHOTOS FEATURED AT FIRST THURSDAY ART GALLERY

6/7/2013

Last night we were honored to attend this wonderful event at Pacifica Senior Living that is home to 60 of our photos. It was a fun evening with many new and long time friends & family along with a table filled with delicious appetizers. Plus some awesome music was supplied by Nate Botsford. Rounding out the evening three lucky attendees left with a raffle prize of a 12x18 framed print of one of the images hanging in the hallways of this beautiful senior living home.

We are very pleased to know our images are making the lives of the residents and their loved one who visit a little brighter each day. It is very touching to know we are a part of giving these hallways a warm, home-like feel. This is one of the nicest homes that truly cares for the health, happiness and care for our seniors. If you are now or ever in the need for a home for your aging loved ones this is a place well worth looking into.

Wes and I would like to thanks Dana, Executive Director and Kristi, Community Relations Coordinator at Pacifica Senior Living, as well as Anne from Encore Senior Living for making this evening happen. We also thanks all the employee of the community who made this event enjoyable for all.

Dotty & Wes

Please visit Pacifica Senior Living website at this link: http://www.pacificaportland.com/

You can also visit the management company, Encore Senior Living website using this link: http://www.encoresl.com/

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OLD MASTERS--MEMBER ARTIST OF THE WEEK (05/05/13)

5/7/2013

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Foggy Morning On The Steens D8701

We were honored this week with being named 'Featured Artist of the Week' on the website, Fine Art America that we use to sell and market our images. This website has what is called 'Groups' for different subjects that focus on many different topics. It also makes it easier for visitors to the site to locate images centered around what you might be looking for.

This group is a fun group as it focuses not on a single subject but instead on the photographers, hence the name 'Old Masters'. It's not what it appears to be but is instead....well, I'll let their 'About the Group' explain:

"YOU MUST BE 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO JOIN THIS GROUP, which is established to promote the work of mature artists OVER SIXTY.
All others are welcome to look (and buy!), but please do not join this group if you are under 60 years of age! "

After clicking on this link scroll down a bit on the Fine Art America web page to see the featured artists: http://fineartamerica.com/groups/old-masters--photographers-and-digital-arts--5-a-day.html?tab=overview

Come take a peek at one of our latest Kudos and while there click on one of our images from this link. That will take you to our images where you can browse around. Or once in our images you can also click on the 'Gallery' tab above the image to look at specific albums.

Enjoy and I would love to hear any and all feedback. It helps us in our growth!

Thanks

Dotty & Wes

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Visitor's Map

5/1/2013

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Large Visitor Globe

A map of your visitors on your site.

The website "Revolver Map" as a very clever map to show who visited your website. It is a free tool and it looks very nice. See above who visited wesdotphotography since I installed this map.

This is a very highly customizable map, mine shows depth of the oceans as well as snow caped mountains and poles. It will also change based on the seasons of the year. It can shows flag and locations of your visitors as well.

Enjoy
Thierry

Visit http://www.revolvermaps.com/?target=setup for more detail.

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How To Do Your Own Copyright Symbol & Your Business Name

2/9/2013

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There has always been an issue with the images that we all love to share on Facebook and many other social networking internet sites being used without our permission. Sometimes even sold by others for their own profits. While I've never liked putting a big ole ugly copyright stamp on my images I've found a bit of a work around as displayed in this image.
If you would like to use this method I've given step by step instructions for you to create your own action to do this below:

Open an image with a portrait format as mine above is.
From the Window Tool Bar at the top of your Photoshop CS screen drop down click on Actions. This will open the Actions box. (This step will create an Action that you can have Photoshop add your copyright automatically)
Click on the 5th icon at the bottom of the Actions palette which looks like a folder with a box in the bottom left hand side. It will bring up a box called 'New Action'. I named this Copyright Portrait and then click on 'Record'. Now each step that you take will be recorded into this new action.
In your Toolbar on the left hand side of your screen right click on the Icon that is the 2nd Icon above the magnifying glass. You want to bring up the Custom Shape tool. The icon looks like a weird star with rounded corners.
In the Tool Bar at the top of the screen Click on the 3rd icon in the box next to that weird star. If you scroll your cursor over this icon it is called a Fill Pixels icon.
Still at the top of the screen click in the drop down arrow to the right of the word Shape to bring up the drop downs. From the list towards the bottom you will find the copyright symbol. Click on that to make it active.
You need to have your layers palette open. Create a new blank layer by clicking on the 2nd to the last icon on the bottom of the layer palette next to the trash can icon.
Click on the Foreground color swatch in the Toolbar on the left hand side of your screen and select a light grey for your Foreground color.
To place the 'C' copyright shape to the image press the 'Shift' button on my keyboard. While holding this key down click on the C in the actual tool bar at the top of the screen. It will look like there is nothing on the screen but while still holding the shift button down drag the cursor that you moved the 'C' to the image downward and to the right. This is how you will size the 'C'. The release both the shift and cursor.
Now click on the Layer Style icon at the bottom of the layer palette which is the 2nd icon that says fx. Click on Bevel and Emboss from the drop down list and then click on OK.
Now use the Type tool from the left hand side Toolbar making sure the color watch still is the light grey color. Placing the text bar on the bottom of your image type the word Copyright and your business name. I like to use the font Casmira.
Repeat the Layer Style as listed in #10 above.
In both the 'C' and the text layer change the layer mode at the top left hand side of the layer palette box from Normal to Hard Light. This will make the stamps transparent.
Change the 'C' copyright layer to about 30 to 35, keeping the stamp visible but not so much that person viewing the image can't get a good look. But making it hard for someone else to remove the stamp.
On the text layer I keep the opacity higher as it's on the bottom of the image and I want my business name to be more visible.
The last step is to stop the action that we are creating. To do this you click on the first icon that is simply shaped like a box at the bottom of the Actions palette.
Once completed you will want to flatten the layers and I usually run the Image Processor from the File tool named Scripts for my web images. But that will be another blog on another day. There is nothing like Photoshop automation.

Now any time you want to stamp your portrait oriented image you can run this action. You should run these same steps for a landscape oriented image naming it Copyright Landscape.

You might have to move the copyright symbol or your text layer to fit the image but you will have the layers ready for you to make your adjustments.

Hope you found this helpful!

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C A V A L I A !!

1/27/2013

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So, it's been over a year now since I had the honor to photograph the fabulous show, Cavalia. I had never done a bog but have posted many pictures on my Facebook page. If you have never seen this show and have the opportunity to do so by all means do it. You will be rewarded with one of those memories you'll never forget. They have now taken their show to Australia which has their opening at Brisbane on March 6th, 2013. Visit their website for more information and make sure you click on all the tabs to get a feel for the beauty of the horses and masterful talents of the riders.
http://www.cavalia.net/en/cavalia-show

This slideshow below while it has many of my favorite images from my shoots at the Portland Oregon show in 2011 and Seattle Washington show in 2012 is but a small amount of my images. If you would like to see even more images check out my Facebook page to view the album links listed below:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150504452337541.365322.183908382540&
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150474729397541.361340.183908382540&
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150431168882541.354250.183908382540&
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150361159562541.345858.183908382540&
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150353877492541.344967.183908382540&
I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed experiencing the show in person.

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CALIFORNIA IN APRIL OR BETTER YET GO IN FEBRUARY!

1/4/2013

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Clearing at Half Dome--Yosemite National Park

Death Valley, Yosemite & Mono Lake in One Vacation is possible! The images in this blog was from a trip we made in April
several years ago. Please see the link at the bottom of
this blog as to why I suggest you go in February.

Seeing these three beautiful places in California in our 2-week vacation was our goal. But what time of the year seemed to be most favorable to us? We settled on the first 2 weeks in April. Here are some of the things we considered during our planning:

If we went later than April, Death Valley will be very hot. So we made this our 1st destination and even with that the temperature peaked at 97° in Badwater. So going in February the weather would be awesome. But another thing to consider for going in early April is that the spring flowers can be spectacular with some luck and the right weather conditions being on your side. So many decisions to be made!

Zabriske Sunset-Death Valley National Park

To include Mono Lake into this trip we drove up Hwy 395 from Death Valley to Lee Vining which is the nearest town to Mono Lake. We had one snowstorm overnight but by mid-morning it had melted. Again in February you'll probably see more snow. By the way, the tufas at Mono Lake are way cool covered in snow. One more down side to February is missing a visit to the great ghost town of Bodie as the road will not be passable yet.

Mono After The Storm--Mono Lake, California

The road over Tioga Pass into Yosemite Valley from Lee Vining is only 77 miles does not open until mid May. This causes a detour to a pass that is open, meaning about a 6 hour drive. This was our route:

Drive North on Hwy 395 to Minden Nevada.

Take Carson Pass (Hwy 88) to Jackson California

Then take Hwy 49 South to Big Oak Flat

Hwy 120 which will then take you into Yosemite.

If we went earlier than April, Yosemite would still be quite frozen. Even in mid April we had two overnight lows of 15° and 19° and one snowstorm overnight which melted by early morning. This time of the year also means we escaped the summertime crowds and saw the waterfalls flowing throughout the valley. So Yosemite in February means you need to be ready for possibly a lot of snow and very cold temperatures.

But here is my MAIN reason to suggest a visit in February. You see there is this crazy, beautiful photographic event at Horsetail Falls that happens only around mid to late February. Conditions have to be just right, enough snow melt for water to be coming over the cliff, and enough of a break in the clouds at just the right time around sunset for the light to hit the falls to see what looks like lava flowing where Horsetail Falls should be. I've never seen it but it's on my bucket list of things to photograph. And as I've not seen it myself I have no images I can share. But here is a link from Yosemite Park to visit and see why it's a must see! http://www.yosemitepark.com/horsetail-fall.aspx

We had a fabulous trip in April but I would bet you would have a 'WOW' trip if you go in February. I know the next time we go I'll be aiming for a February trek!

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Action Photography--AV vs TV or even Manual & Image Stablization

1/1/2013

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Aperture Priority
ISO 800
f 5.6
1/1250
Manual Settings This is quickly becoming my favorite shooting mode as long as the lighting is even and not constantly changing. I try for an aperture of F8 to as wide open as possible depending on how close the subject is. And the shutter no slower than 750th of a second, the faster the shutter the better. Unless you are going for motion blur and panning then a 30th or 60th of a second can give some fun results. I try to keep the ISO as low as possible like 200 or maybe 400.
The secret to using manual is to keep an eye on the needle on your Canon camera viewfinder. If it is in the middle your exposure should be 'right on'. Changing either the aperture, shutter or ISO will move the needle either to the right of middle which will lighten your image or to the left of middle to darken your image.

Aperture Priority (AV) I still like this mode a bit more than using a manual setting. Sadly I must admit I very often forget to look at the needle in my viewfinder when in manual. Then especially with wildlife you'll miss a great shot because you haven't changed your settings when you've gone into a forest after being in a wide open meadow.
So with that being said I like shooting in AV priority mode with an aperture wide open like at 4 or 5.6 as long as I have plenty of light. I again try to keep the ISO as low as possible like 200 or 400 to get fast shutter speeds. With those wide open apertures you get that great background blurring and sharp subjects that you have locked your focus on.

Shutter Priority (TV) I will use TV when the light has gotten very dim and I can't trust AV to stop the action enough to keep the blurring under control. Try to steady the camera if you aren't using a tripod or monopod by leaning against something. Depending on how fast your subject moves a 500th should work if the subject isn't a real fast mover. If you are trying to shot a bird or galloping horse a 1,000th is really needed to get a sharp image if you are steady. What you will find in TV is you might be getting shots but they will be very dark. To avoid this you can either set your ISO higher or even try the automatic ISO setting. I never used this automatic ISO setting as I didn't want my camera to be shooting at one of those astronomical ISO settings. But since I've upgraded my Canon 7D with the new firmware that I blogged about earlier I was able to set the maximum ISO to an acceptable level. I still like to set my own ISO but that is always subject to change, I never thought I would like to shoot in manual mode either. So I never say never.

And always, always check your LCD often no matter what mode you shoot in to see if you are getting the results you want.

AND ONE LAST TIP: I never ever believed all those photographers who said 'Turn off the image stabilization when shooting fast moving action in the burst mode'. I really thought they were crazy. I fought this for a long time until I tried it.....the results were many more images in focus than ever before.

Remember, I'm by no means an expert at this but I keep on working at it. Some of it might be helpful in finding your photographic road.

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Like Horse Photography?

11/24/2012

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If you have visited our website or the website Fine Art America where we sell our images you will know I love to shoot horses. They are majestic and beautiful animals which I enjoy trying to capture. So if you enjoy horses click on the link below that says simply 'horses photos' and see some great photographer's wonderful shots along with mine:

horses photos

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Canon EOS 7D Digital Camera Firmware 2.0.0 Upgrade

9/3/2012

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After an initial unsuccessful attempt to upload this new firmware to my 7D I have tried it again and succeeded.
My two main reasons for wanting this upgrade was to have the ability to set a maximum ISO when I select automatic ISO.
The other item that had me intrigued was the increase in burst rate. It of course varies in what you are shooting, JPEG vs RAW. From a quick test I found I can now take 27 shots within 6 seconds before it stops shooting to process. It seems excessive but in some cases, like an eagle swooping in to snag a duck it would be awful for the camera to stop shooting just as the catch is made.

So, here is the link for the firmware: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/eos_slr_camera_systems/eos_digital_slr_cameras/eos_7d#DriversAndSoftware

From this web page select your Operating System and Operating Version from the drop downs.
This will open more selections below these boxes where you will want to click on EOS 7D Firmware Version 2.0.0
After clicking on the 'I Agree-Begin Download' to the usual Disclaimer the download begins to load to your computer.
After the quick download you will have the folders open on your computer which will have a .PDF with instructions and a .FIR file.
Don't try to open the .FIR (my first mistake when trying to do this upgrade). Put a formatted Compact Flash card in your computer. Then simply drag/copy this .FIR file to the card. I used a 4gig.
Wait for the file to be completely loaded onto the card. With a full charged battery in your 7D put the card into the camera.
From your Menu screen navigate to the last tool that looks like a wrench. The last item on that screen is the current Firmware version.
Click on that and it will say 'Current Version is _ _ _ _ _ . Update. Click on the OK button.
It will walk you through the next steps....sorry I didn't write them down but like any camera/computer it will hold your hand and walk you gently through the next 2 or 3 steps. The last step the camera will tell you to not touch anything while it loads. It will show you a percentage screen and it does not take too long.
VOILA, you will now be upgraded. Scroll through your new options on the menu screens & have fun. I am waiting for the next upgrade which will make it a full sensor. LOL

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How I did it. Tips to photographing extreme lights and darks.

9/1/2012

2 Comments

I have talked with many people just starting out and wondering how to set up their camera to get images they can be proud of and are what they had envisioned in their mind. I've been taking digital photos for over ten years and am still learning.

Here is my advice:

Read as many magazines, books and articles online in regards to what you are going to be shooting. Whether you are going to try shooting birds in flight, portraits of people or waterfalls do a search on the web or get your hands on some books or magazines that can give you that information for camera settings or post editing with whatever photo editing program you have.
Go to photographic online forums and see what others are posting. I've used websites like www.fredmiranda.com/forum/ and http://photography-on-the.net/forum/. There are many out there. When you see an image you really like post a comment. Ask how they set their camera or what post-processing methods they used. Most photographers are very happy to talk about their photography and love to help others. When I say 'most' keep in mind there will always be some people that are not as friendly. Please don't let these types make you feel you will never learn enough to be an awesome photographer. Remember they were newbies at one time too and didn't have all the answers either. It's only easy if you know how to do it.
For each shooting situation there are many different ways to set your camera and no steadfast rules for those settings. Another tip...shoot like a maniac, check what you've just taken and adjust your ISO, shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation. Then check your images again. Remember the lighting might be changing from minute to minute so check your images often. At the shoot that I took this photo of the beautiful Alejandro I took over 700 images. Maybe 20% were OK, 10% were good and maybe 1% were WOW.

With that being said here is what I did to get this shot.

This was early evening at an indoor arena with East and West open areas. There was not any spot lights and I did not use a flash, just the light from the low sun. I was shooting with a Canon 7D and Canon 28-135mm lens using shutter priority at 160th second. I kept changing from ISO 400 to 800 and either spot metering or partial metering. Also I kept changing the exposure compensation to allow more light in but making sure I kept a shutter speed fast enough to stop the action.

Now go out there and shoot. It's the best way to learn and it's so danged much fun...especially when you get the results you were hoping for.

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Author

Name:
Wes & Dotty Weber

Occupation:
Photographers at Heart

Favorite Camera:
Canon 5DMarkIII and Canon 7DMarkII

Favorite Subjects:
Absolutely everything.

Favorite Vacation Spot:
Everywhere we’ve been has it’s own special beauty and some places like Yellowstone National Park and the Desert Southwest can be unlike anywhere else. But to name a favorite is hard as we’ve not seen everything, yet.

Personal Motto:
"Everywhere you look is a great image if you look closely”

OUR PHOTOS FEATURED AT FIRST THURSDAY ART GALLERY

OLD MASTERS--MEMBER ARTIST OF THE WEEK (05/05/13)

Visitor's Map

How To Do Your Own Copyright Symbol & Your Business Name

C A V A L I A !!

CALIFORNIA IN APRIL OR BETTER YET GO IN FEBRUARY!

Action Photography--AV vs TV or even Manual & Image Stablization

Like Horse Photography?

Canon EOS 7D Digital Camera Firmware 2.0.0 Upgrade

How I did it. Tips to photographing extreme lights and darks.

Our Flickr Photos

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