Naturography: book

Showing posts with label book. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Infinite Possibilities, Part 3

My blog has moved from Blogger to my own domain.

The Naturography Blog can now be found at http://naturography.com

This blog post can now be found at http://naturography.com/infinite-possibilities-part-3/

Thank you for your interest.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Infinite Possibilities, Part 2

Monday, October 26, 2009

A Few Favorite Nature Photography Books

My blog has moved from Blogger to my own domain.

The Naturography Blog can now be found at http://naturography.com

This blog post can now be found at http://naturography.com/a-few-favorite-nature-photography-books/

Thank you for your interest.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Subject is Not The Subject

My blog has moved from Blogger to my own domain.

The Naturography Blog can now be found at http://naturography.com

This blog post can now be found at http://naturography.com/the-subject-is-not-the-subject/

Thank you for your interest.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Beyond Good and Bad Subjects

My blog has moved from Blogger to my own domain.

The Naturography Blog can now be found at http://naturography.com

This blog post can now be found at http://naturography.com/?p=321

Thank you for your interest.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Apparent Perspective and Focal Length

Many photographers think focal length affects perspective. They think wide angle lenses exaggerate perspective, and telescopic lenses flatten perspective.

Technically speaking, that's not true. All focal lengths show perspective identically.

Some of you might be thinking, "But I've seen exaggerated perspective with wide angle lenses and flattened perspective with telescopic lenses". So, what's going on?

Here's the way it's actually working:

In order for a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens to exactly fit a subject of the same size (such as a yardstick fitting exactly across the length of the frame), the wide angle lens needs to be closer to the subject than the telephoto lens. If we wanted to exactly fill the frame with a yardstick, using a 24 mm lens on a 35 mm format camera, we'd need to be about 2 feet away. To similarly fill the frame with a yardstick, using a 600 mm lens, we'd need to be a little over 49 feet away.

Now imagine there's a second yardstick, a blue one, two feet behind the first one, which we'll say is yellow. As you photograph the yellow yardstick with the 24 millimeter lens from 2 feet away, the blue yardstick will be 4 feet away – twice the distance from your lens – which means the blue yardstick will look half as large as the yellow one in your picture. By comparison, when photographed with the 600 millimeter lens, the blue yardstick is 51 feet away – about 4% farther away than the yellow yardstick 49 feet away, which means it will look 2% smaller in your picture.

Thus, while all lenses actually show perspective the same way, the way we use lenses, due to their focal lengths, gives us the appearance of different perspectives. The way wide angle lenses usually get used (comparatively closer to subjects) appears to "exaggerate" perspective; the way telephoto lenses usually get used (comparatively farther from subjects) appears to "compress" perspective.

If you used both the 24 mm lens and the 600 mm lens from 49 feet away, and then cropped the 24 mm picture down to where it covered the same area as the 600 mm picture, then compared the two shots side by side, you'd see that the perspective in the two pictures is identical.

View East of Tioga Pass, Near Yosemite National Park, California

All pictures and text are © Mike Spinak, unless otherwise noted. All pictures shown are available for purchase as fine art prints, and are available for licensed stock use. Telephone: (831) 325-6917.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Close Up Lens Considerations, Part 2

Monday, August 11, 2008

Close Up Lens Considerations, Part 1

Friday, August 8, 2008

Seeing the Light: Part 1

There's a lot more to say about seeing light, and I'm later going to seemingly contradict what I say, here. But that will have to wait.

Have a good day.

First Light, Mono Lake

All pictures and text are © Mike Spinak, unless otherwise noted. All pictures shown are available for purchase as fine art prints, and are available for licensed stock use. Telephone: (831) 325-6917.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Safely Photographing the Sun

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Get Luckier: Strategy for Success, Part 4

Get Luckier: Strategy for Success, Part 3

Get Luckier: Strategy for Success, Part 2

Get Luckier: Strategy for Success, Part 1

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Private Instruction

"If you want to learn more about nature photography – and about nature itself – Mike Spinak is your guy."

Marc Pawliger, Director, Adobe Photoshop

I offer private nature photography instruction. I teach landscape photography...

and wildlife photography...

and close up floral photography...

and natural pattern photography...

and whatever else you'd like.

We can custom tailor your instruction to suit your needs. Besides the topics above, possible topics we can cover include techniques for perfect exposure, focusing techniques, camera and lens stabilization techniques, long lens techniques, gear selection, preparation, composition, vision, stalking wildlife, inter tidal zone techniques, processing RAW picture files, and criticism, among many other possibilities.

Here's what people have to say:

"If you want to learn more about nature photography – and about nature itself – Mike Spinak is your guy. Whether you are just starting to shoot, or have lots of experience under your belt, Mike is sure to teach you something new. He is the consummate, patient, and passionate teacher and mentor. If you want to learn how to truly find and see nature, and how to master the techniques that let you capture in images what you see around you, Mike will help you understand how. His encyclopedic knowledge of photographic techniques, photo gear, and nature itself have truly opened and expanded my photographic world."

Marc Pawliger, Director, Adobe Photoshop

"In my early days of development as a photographer I can honestly say that Mike's insight had a profound influence on my work. From camera kit, lighting techniques and shooting conditions, to artistic and creative approach, Mike always offered constructive advice which helped me experiment and refine my style. Mike has a wealth of knowledge and a broad range of experience that any budding photographer would be privileged to both learn and find inspiration from."

Geraldine Dukes, Photographer, Graphic Artist

"OK. Just so you know – I really listened to your advice and remember it like yesterday. I wonder if you remember it? Well... now your advice has gone around the world - over the past two years I had hundreds of people asking me for tips and secrets. Your words are usually the first ones everyone hears. :)"

Chris Blaszczyk, Photographer

"I first met Mike in Tuolumne Meadows the summer of 2004. Mike is friendly and approachable and a patient teacher. Mike is versed in art, philosophy, literature, science, biology and nature. From the technical aspect of what happens inside the electronics of the camera to the esoterical question of what is beautiful, Mike uses a unique blend of science and art to explain photography. Conversing with Mike is intellectually stimulating. His verbal expression is as artistic and interesting as his photography. Mike showed me that great photographs are expressions based on vision and not mere happenstance."

Art Cormier, Manager, Yosemite Mountaineering Shop & Mountaineering School; Proprietor, Rok Haus Climbing Gym

A Little About Me....

I'm a photographer and a writer. I began photography in Autumn of 1998, when circumstances gave me the opportunity to take my life in new directions. I sell my photography as fine art prints and as stock. I've always loved to travel, experience nature, and express myself creatively. I've chosen photography and writing as ways to make these passions into a lifestyle and career.

My emphasis is nature photography. I use my knowledge as a naturalist to find subjects and themes people rarely see; then I use my photography to share my experiences with others. I want to show people the beauty and wonder of the natural world, and help them feel kinship with nature.

My studio is wherever I find myself with a camera and Nature's largesse. All of these pictures are taken outside, in their environment. All of the animals are wild. Everything is photographed as found.

I began teaching photography four years ago, and, in light of growing demand, I've decided to expand.

I am currently located in the Bay Area of California, but I am available for anywhere in the world. My prices are reasonable. Give me a call at the phone number at the bottom of this post, or email me at the email contact address for this blog.

Thank you for your consideration.

Mono Lake Dawn
Anna's Hummingbird in Flight
Passion Flower
Ocean Reflection, #2

All pictures and text are © Mike Spinak, unless otherwise noted. All pictures shown are available for purchase as fine art prints, and are available for licensed stock use. Telephone: (831) 325-6917.

Get Lucky: Part 3

Get Lucky: Part 2

Monday, August 4, 2008

Get Lucky: Part 1

The Key to Better Photography

Thank You

Thank you, Laurie, Gloria, Larry, Zofia, Ron, Maggie, and Chuq. Thank you for your support, your knowledge, your technical assistance, your criticism, your ideas, and your feedback. Without you, this blog probably wouldn't exist at all, and certainly would not exist in the form it is taking. I am grateful and indebted.

Finally, thank you, readers, for your interest and attention.

Mother's Love (California Sea Lion Mother and Pup Sleeping)

All pictures and text are © Mike Spinak, unless otherwise noted. All pictures shown are available for purchase as fine art prints, and are available for licensed stock use. Telephone: (831) 325-6917.