New eBook – Advanced Filters for Digital Nature Photography

Note: To see all future ebook releases, please visit us over at oopoomoo.com

Samantha and I have just released our latest eBook on Advanced Filters for Digital Nature Photography.

This eBook continues where our last eBook, Essential Filters for Digital Nature Photography, left off and introduces photographers to advanced filter techniques that lead to creative imagery often impossible to replicate in software.

Learn how to use in-camera filters to create unique and desirable effects. Darwin and Samantha cover the Gold-N-Blue and Blue/Yellow polarizing filters, the 1.5 stop hard-edge grad filter for reflection photos, the Daryl Benson reverse ND grad filter, and specialty ND filters like Lee’s Big Stopper and Singh-Rays trio of Vari-ND filters.

Learn how to correct colour casts caused by filtration in post-production, see why a 1.5 stop ND grad is the solution for perfect reflection photos, discover why the Daryl Benson reverse ND grad is an essential filter for prairie and desert photography, and be creative by using ND and Vari-ND filters to ‘paint with time’. Finally, Darwin and Samantha show you the creative power of combining two or more of these filters for expressive and creative photography. The eBook costs $10, is 49 pages long and is available here.

Advertisement

Photographer of the Month – Daryl Benson

When I first got started in photography back in 1986, I recall two major influences on my development as a photographer. The first was a book called Photography of Natural Things by Freeman Patterson which was essentially the kick start to my interest in photography. At the time I was doing my master’s thesis in zoology (on the behavioural ecology of Columbian ground squirrels) and I needed to learn how to make photos so that I could give slide shows to get grants to fund my research. Freeman’s book was not only my ‘how to’ guide to learn photography, but it also ended up being so much more. I saw that photography could be used for more than simple documentation; photography could be used for personal expression – very cool!

I was hooked on photography after reading Freeman’s book, so I decided to join a camera club to learn more. In September of 1986, I  joined Images Alberta Camera Club in Edmonton, Alberta. And this is where the second major influence on my photography entered my life. At the first meeting I saw a slide show by Daryl Benson. I was blown away! Not only did Daryl show amazing images but his work was so unique, expressive and refreshing – wow! I could barely sleep that night! Daryl’s images filled my head and my dreams. And so Daryl became my mentor, whether he liked it or not!

At the time Daryl was just freshly accepted into the stock agency, Masterfile, and was well on his way to becoming a full time photographer. For the next few years, Daryl and I went on numerous trips together and I learned from watching Daryl at work. At first I tried to emulate Daryl:  I tried to make images that were like Daryl’s. Of course I failed miserably. No one can be Daryl except Daryl himself. It was a hard lesson to learn. After some time I finally learned  that each photographer must find his or her own voice and be true to that voice by shooting for him or herself and not to shoot to please others or to emulate others.

I was recently reminded of Daryl’s amazing talent as a visual artist as I watched his recent presentations at FotoExpo in Moncton, New Brunswick. Daryl is and has always been the consummate artist who is driven by ‘voices in his head ‘and ‘tugs at his lapels’ that force him to create his unique imagery that is unlike anything that anyone else creates. In my opinion, Daryl is Canada’s most creative photographic visual artist. His ‘works’ always inspires, amazes and humbles me. For those who have not seen Daryl’s website, his books or attended his inspirational presentations, I highly recommend all of them, anytime. Period. Thanks, Daryl for all you have done to help grow the photographic community in Canada and beyond.  I would also like to thank you on a personal level:  I am indebted to you for your patience, sharing and mentorship. To learn more about Daryl see this interview.

 

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

 

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

©Daryl Benson

 

The Canadian Landscape Photo Contest

Jan – March 2010 LLTL Photo Contest 

Theme – The Canadian Landscape 

For the first LLTL photo contest of 2010 the theme is The Canadian Landscape. Anyone can enter the contest but the image entered must have Canadian geographical content (natural landscapes, cityscapes, intimate landscapes, or rural landscapes from Canada). The reason for the restriction is because the winning image will be published in Outdoor Photography Canada magazine which only features images from Canada. So if you live in Canada or have visited and have an image you’d like showcased enter now! 

Judge – Roy Ramsay – Editor and Publisher of Outdoor Photography Canada magazine 

Roy Ramsay, editor and publisher of Outdoor Photography Canada magazine, will judge this competition and pick a first, second and third place image. The winning image will be published in Outdoor Photography Canada Magazine. Get your photos in front of the eyes of an editor by entering this contest! 

Deadline 

Entries will be accepted from January 20 to March 31, 2010 at midnight MST. 

Prizes 

Winning Image 

1. Publication of the winning image in Outdoor Photography Canada magazine – great exposure! 

2. A one year subscription to Outdoor Photography Canada magazine. 

OPC magazine

3. A free pass to SNAP! Mastering Digital Nature Photography from Capture to Commerce with  John Marriott, Samantha Chrysanthou, and me to be held on April 24 and 25, 2010 in Canmore, Alberta. Pass does not include airfare, accommodations or transportation to Canmore. If the winner is already registered for SNAP! no refunds or cash value will be assigned. The winner, if already registered in SNAP!, can choose to transfer their winning pass to another person. 

SNAP! Photo Seminars

4. An autographed copy of Daryl Benson’s Canada book – the best coffee table photo book on Canada ever produced (in my opinion). 

©Daryl Benson

Second Place 

The winner of second place will receive autographed copies of John Marriott’s best-selling books: The Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper and Beyond (regular edition) and Banff and Lake Louise: Images of Banff National Park. These books are outstanding and are my favorites among the plethora of books on the Canadian Rockies.

©John Marriott

©John Marriott

Third Place 

The winner of third place will receive two signed 8×12 inch prints (below) one each from Samantha Chrysanthou and Darwin. 

©Samantha Chrysanthou

©Darwin Wiggett

 

How to Enter 

This contest is free to enter. Send me a JPEG no larger than 400 pixels wide in the horizontal axis and set your colour space to sRGB. Please include a link to your website and a direct link  to a larger version of the photo if you have one. Also you need to include a short paragraph about the photo either about how you took the image, or why the image resonates with you, or what you are trying to express to the viewer. Also please include the location of where in Canada the image was shot. It does no matter when you took the image, with what media, only that you are the artist who took the photo and that the photo is from Canada. This contest is open to any one, anywhere in the world of any nationality, the only requirement is that the photo is a picture of a Canadian Landscape.

Send entries to wiggett@telusplanet.net – please only one entry per person. The photo will be displayed on this blog with appropriate credit and a link back to each artist’s website (be sure to include your website info!). No other use of the image will be made without the artist’s prior permission.  The winner will be responsible for getting a high res version of the first place winning image to Roy for publication in Outdoor Photography Canada magazine. 

This ain’t no rights grabbing photo contest, I’ll just display your photo here as outlined above.

But I do reserve the right to cancel the contest and/or prizes without prior notice (what if someone dies and can’t provide their prize or I get abducted by bald-guy loving aliens?).

Good luck!