My Photography Skills

[Marcus-SanDiego]

There were two comments in the gallery thread for the reunion that prompted me to start this thread.

Kyle (Ryan's Kyle) posted this: "I'm sure that Marc and Casey will attest that they take thousands more photos than we'll ever see or hear about."

Dane posted this: "I think Mark is very good at getting the shot he wants.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all, if he went to the Grand Canyon, 1000 miles away, to take 2 clicks. One sunset, one sunrise.....and have both be winners."

First, whenever I hear something like this, I always think of the famous Friedrich Nietzsche quote: "He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying."

When I first started taking pictures, I did take thousands of photos. Many of them were not that good. But, through the process of taking a lot of photos, I honed my skills and got better. As a rank amateur, then, there is no doubt that there are a lot of unpublished photos out there. But that's to be expected.

Fast forward to today, though, and Dane is much closer to the mark. I do not take a lot of wasted shots these days. I do a ton of pre-shot homework before I ever get on location. Additionally, once I am on location most of my time is not spent clicking the shutter. Instead, it is spent getting my composition just right. It's not unheard of me to spend an hour finding the right composition. Because my digital sensor is 24mm x 36mm, my final image sizes are sold at 20x30 inches, 30x45 inches, 40x60 inches, etc. If I don't get my composition right, and I am forced to crop, I lose valuable pixels and valuable real estate that I could have used if I had got it right in camera to begin with. So, I spend a lot of time making sure that I get it right before I ever click the shutter.

The image below was my first shot at Toroweap. I took exactly 8 of these shots. I took so many because I was timing the sunburst and the light was dynamic. I had fifteen seconds of this light. As you can see, my window was small. Eight shots would net the perfect shot. It simply gave me a little wiggle room. Fact is, I got eight wonderful shots. I merely picked the absolute best one from the bunch. I couldn't be more pleased with the final shot.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8231/8572933635_dbb0ff97f0_b.jpg

My Horseshoe Bend shot, meanwhile, was very similar to this one. I had a small window to shoot, so the preplanning had to be spot on. If you go out on location, without doing homework, you're going to get shut out. I can almost guarantee it. You will not be in the right spot and you'll have to compromise.

The light at Horseshoe Bend was even more dynamic than Toroweap because of the bend and the various shadows that I had to deal with. Because of that, I had to take several practice shots during the minute leading up to the moment when it would be money time. By the time I got my "this is the real deal" shot, I was dialed in on my exposure. I took about 30 shots of this location. The first ten were throwaways (dialing my settings in). The next 20 shots were all winning shots. Those 20 shots gave me the opportunity to pick the absolute best shot from the group.

This was the final result:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8231/8522635969_9c3e0b059b_b.jpg

As I mentioned earlier, I do not take a lot of shots on location any more. I go to my locations having done a lot of homework. I know exactly where I want to be before I ever get there. No surprises. The only thing that is not known before I get to a location is my exact composition. I may spend hours just walking around looking for the perfect spot. Once I find it, then I dial in my composition (which usually takes 30-60 minutes). That's why it's so dang critical to get to your location well before sunrise and well before sunset. You need time to get it right -- in camera.

Let me unveil a shot that I've never shown anyone before. When you see this image, you'll think that it was the simplest shot ever taken. It's simplicity writ large. But I spent a long time finding a tree that had this composition. Additionally, if I could catch this tree after a rainstorm I'd be golden. Everything came together with this one. I trespassed to take this photo. I'm on private property. To my left, there is a bull (that you cannot see). It was eyeing us the whole time. Additionally, this photo was taken just after a rain shower. The grass and tree (and me) are soaked. What's not soaked is my camera, which is being covered by clear plastic. As soon as it stops raining, I take the protection away from the camera and get to work. The sun is out in full force (just poked through the clouds to the west). But it's about 1 hour before sunset, so I am getting wonderfully soft light (which is off to the right).

This is the final result:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8685496345_00fb8f8652_b.jpg

I took just a few shots of this tree. I think it was three shots in all.

In sum, when you're starting out, expect to take a lot of shots that aren't very good. As you get better, your yield goes much higher. I just don't have to take that many shots of a particular subject these days. Pressing the shutter release cable button is the very last step in getting a great shot.

[Mtnman]

Excellent write up Mark. Thank you for the knowledge drop.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Yessir. Just wanted to weigh in after I saw those comments. Figured that some may want to know what goes into a shot these days.

[M3TA5IN]

Loved seeing your photos Mark. I think you inspired Katie to get the camera back out.


Sent from my fancy city machine.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Cody, glad to hear. Hopefully she doesn't sit on her talent. Would be a shame.

[330i ZHP]

can you provide the pics unprocessed? I would like to see the raw (not RAW) image. If possible. Thanks

[Marcus-SanDiego]

No. I can't. Post is part of the entire process. I don't float raw images into the public domain.

Sorry, sir.

[330i ZHP]

ok - I was curious what they looked like pre

[330i ZHP]

you have PM about full frame - damn you for commenting the other day...lol

[Marcus-SanDiego]

No worries. Ours probably look similar in RAW. If you've examined yours prior to post, there you go. Probably close to what mine look like. Nothing special.

[Stigissimo]

Stunning shots Marc. What camera do you primarily use?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Primary is Nikon D800E. Backups are Nikon D800 and D700 (which only serves as a backup to my backup).

[Stigissimo]

Funny how many of the pros use Nikon - they do make a great camera. My dad got a Canon Rebel T2i for xmas a couple years ago, and it takes stunning pictures, but still nothing like that. Again, great looking pictures. I'd love to see more!

[330i ZHP]

Stig - it is a very divided field for pros - Canon or Nikon

[Stigissimo]

I know it's like Sox or the Yankees haha. They both make quality products nobody can deny that - it's down to preference after that.

[az3579]

I am absolutely blown away by your pictures, Mark. Blown. Away.

I've seen pictures from professionals who have been at it for many years produce pictures that aren't half as good as yours.

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX HD

[danewilson77]

I am absolutely blown away by your pictures, Mark. Blown. Away.

I've seen pictures from professionals who have been at it for many years produce pictures that aren't half as good as yours.

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX HD

I keep telling him that, and he continues to remain a humble gentleman.

HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA

[ELCID86]

Really love #2. HDR?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Funny how many of the pros use Nikon - they do make a great camera. My dad got a Canon Rebel T2i for xmas a couple years ago, and it takes stunning pictures, but still nothing like that. Again, great looking pictures. I'd love to see more!

And for me it's the glass. Nikon makes excellent glass.

But, generally, it doesn't matter to me. Nikon or Canon, it's what you do with that tool once you have it.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Really love #2. HDR?

I do not do HDR images. Image two really just shows you how meticulous my post work can be. There was quite a bit of spot work done on this image. It was a very challenging shot and the highlights were not easy to control. Going in with a spot brush, turning down some of that highlighting on a micro level, allowed me to produce what some people think is a great shot.

[ELCID86]

I'm sure that was a tough shot to set up and PP. I've dabbled a bit w/ HDR and tend to like it (though I know some really do not--especially the grunge look). If done right I've seen it can produce a realistic image and capturing the highs and lows using the EV offsets. Again, nice work. I shoot a D40 now and I have my eyes on a D7100.

[brewer90]

Awesome shots! Can you share what lenses you were using and the exif data? As I start to learn more about exposure I'm really interested in seeing what was used and more importantly why you chose those settings.

[johnrando]

I know it's like Sox or the Yankees haha. They both make quality products nobody can deny that - it's down to preference after that.

I'm sure you meant Dodgers and Phillies (shout out to Keith/Devlin on the Phillies). :rofl

Great info Mark. As he said, a HUGE part of landscape photography is the preparation ahead of time understanding the light, composition, weather, etc. before you go. Then upon arrival scout out the site for the best shot/composition/time of day, etc. Then your photography skills come into play and it ends up being just a couple of shutter clicks. Many of the really great shots are not by accident. Many of the really great shots are by accident, just because someone had a camera in hand and knew how to get a good shot FAST.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Awesome shots! Can you share what lenses you were using and the exif data? As I start to learn more about exposure I'm really interested in seeing what was used and more importantly why you chose those settings.

First two shots were shot with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens. The third was taken with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens.

First shot:

Camera Nikon D800E
Exposure 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 14 mm
ISO Speed 160

Second shot:

Camera Nikon D800
Exposure 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 14 mm
ISO Speed 125

Third shot:

Camera Nikon D800E
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 50

[Marcus-SanDiego]

As to why I use the settings I use: because that's what the conditions warrant. To reduce noise, I shoot at low ISOs. Often, because of that, I tend to shoot at slower shutter speeds. My apertures tend to be anywhere from f/10-f/13 -- so I minimize defraction. I've found the sweet spots with my lenses tend to be between f/10 and f/13. Anything smaller than f/13 (high f stop number) and I begin to compromise sharpness.

[johnrando]

As to why I use the settings I use: because that's what the conditions warrant. To reduce noise, I shoot at low ISOs. Often, because of that, I tend to shoot at slower shutter speeds. My apertures tend to be anywhere from f/10-f/13 -- so I minimize defraction. I've found the sweet spots with my lenses tend to be between f/10 and f/13. Anything smaller than f/13 (high f stop number) and I begin to compromise sharpness.

That's some good info there, thanks.

[DasMechaniKer]

Marc, you're a very talented man. Those photos are incredible and it's very nice to get a glimpse into what goes into a shot like that.

Can you explain your pre-shot homework?? I'm guessing sun location and such? What time of year to be there?? This is just something that I never do BUT I hardly do landscapes either.

For me all the time is spent trying to get the subject to cooperate. Many shots are out of focus due to a fast movement of a bird or Ryan hitting a bump while I'm taking a rolling shot of a car, even a wildflower blowing in the wind is hard to get sometimes. These kind of things usually mean I need to take a lot of shots to be sure I get one or two very crisp ones in the composition I was looking for.

I have never had much experience with landscape photography, looking to get into it though. Seems like patience is a virtue!!

[brewer90]

As to why I use the settings I use: because that's what the conditions warrant. To reduce noise, I shoot at low ISOs. Often, because of that, I tend to shoot at slower shutter speeds. My apertures tend to be anywhere from f/10-f/13 -- so I minimize defraction. I've found the sweet spots with my lenses tend to be between f/10 and f/13. Anything smaller than f/13 (high f stop number) and I begin to compromise sharpness.

Thanks for the insight.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Marc, you're a very talented man. Those photos are incredible and it's very nice to get a glimpse into what goes into a shot like that.

Can you explain your pre-shot homework?? I'm guessing sun location and such? What time of year to be there?? This is just something that I never do BUT I hardly do landscapes either.

Sure. I can give you an example using the shot of Toroweap (photo one).

I believe I became acquainted with that shot through the work of Peter Lik. He shot that location. I personally think his shots from that location are overprocessed and ridiculous on some levels, but I loved the location.

So, the first thing I try to do is figure out where the location is. Off to Google I go. Eventually I figure it out. Good. Location secured. Now how do I get there? Look at an online map. OK. I see where it is. I see how to get there. Anything I need to know about this place that may not be obvious? Toroweap presents several challenges, so I had to do a little more work. It's located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The North Rim is closed during the winter. Hmmm. Any other ways to access the North Rim? Yes. There is a dirt road off highway 389 in Northern Arizona. It's about 7 miles west of Fredonia. There are two other dirt roads that lead to Toroweap as well. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. The dirt road near Fredonia is 61 miles long. The last 3-5 miles are primitive and difficult to navigate. One in four cars gets a flat tire; some cars get multiple flat tires. Lovely. My research says that a 4-wheel drive vehicle is necessary for this trip. Cool. I will get one. Additionally, there are 10 primitive campsites at Toroweap. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Since you cannot reserve them (with the exception of one campsite, which will host more than 6 people), you're taking a chance that you'll find a spot when you get there. I simply put that information into my databank. I make sure that I have my camping gear in order and purchase things that I need for the trip.

These are some of my notes from the preplanning stage:

Campground -- 36° 12' 52.45"N 113° 03' 21.13"W
Overlook -- 36°12'53.00"N, 113° 3'25.00"W

From Fredonia travel west on U.S. 389 for nine miles to the unpaved road marked Route 1 (or Mt. Trumbull Loop). Stay on this road until you reach Mt. Trumbull. When you reach Mt. Trumbull, turn onto Toroweap Road and head to the campground.
--------

Now that I have figured out the route, and figured out what kind of car I will need, and determined that I will be camping there, I move on to weather and seasonal factors. First, I want some clouds in my shots. As a result, I know that I will be monitoring the weather ahead of my trip. When I make the trip, I will have about 48-hours advance notice. Ask Dane and Keith about my weather tracking for this trip; they were privy to it. I monitored the weather for a month. I needed no rain -- but I needed clouds. Rain would screw my entire trip up because I may not be able to make it down the dirt road, which, in some places, is full of clay that gets near frictionless when it's wet. I needed cool to warm weather; I did not want sub 20 degrees. I wanted spring, so that I could catch the sun at the right angle (more to the south). Earlier in the spring (or late winter) the better. I'm looking for a particular shot, so I need these conditions. Anyhow, getting everything to fall into place is a major challenge. The week before I ended up in this area, there was a snow storm and it was 10-20 degrees. The weather is dynamic in this part of the country. So, watching the weather is critical. As I said before, I was prepared to go beginning in March. I started watching the weather in mid to late February. I ended up in Toroweap on March 15 (in the evening) -- one week before spring officially kicked off.

In addition to understanding the location and weather, I also gathered as much information as possible about the location. I gathered PDF files from the National Park Service. I found writeups about the place. I wanted to understand everything about the location before I got there. I also wanted to understand the topography of the place, so I looked at topo maps. Basically, I became an expert on this place. There are two restrooms at this location? Where are they? I wanted to know. No surprises when I get there. That's my goal.

As for my shots, I had two that were must haves. I wanted a sunrise shot looking toward the north and east and I wanted a sunset shot looking south and west. I looked at thousands of photos of this place. I wanted to see what other photographers were doing. I wanted to see what they were doing that I would have changed. I wanted to see how I could make their images better. In other words, I figured out what I liked about their shots and figured out how to make them better. It's not unusual for me to look at more than 1000 images before I go to a location.

So, I know the geography. I know which car I need to take. I know how to dress. I know what kind of tent I need. I know when I will be going (generally). I know what kind of sky I want. I know when it's too dangerous to go. I know what lenses I'll be using. I know which lenses I can absolutely leave at home. I know which backpack to bring. I know how many memory cards to bring. I know the wind conditions. I'm ready to go.

When I get there, my assistant builds the campsite. He stays behind and will not participate in my first sunset shot. I take off with my tripod and gear and head to the main overlook. Once there, I take in the scenery and envision what the area will look like hours from then. What might the light look like as it bends through the canyon. Where is the most ideal place to be when these conditions occur? Once I have figured that out I start walking to several candidate locations. I compose a few shots at the first location and decide that I'm not where I want to be. I do that a couple of times until I find the right place. Once I have settled in to my specific area, I start fine tuning. Ten feet to the left. Five feet to the front. Two steps back. And so on and so forth. Once I have got my location dialed in, it's time to compose the shot. I used the 14-24mm f/2.8 for shot one, so I messed around with focal lengths. I wanted a grand landscape shot, so I immediately went to 14mm. This lens, meanwhile, is highly susceptible to lens flare when you're shooting toward the sun, so I knew -- absolutely knew -- that I would be waiting to get the winning shot when the sun was setting deep to the west. I chose the location for shot one because I would have that mountain on the right to block out most of the light that would give me trouble with the Bubble (which is what I call the lens because of the round glass that's on the front of it). I also chose this location because I knew that once I got the sun where I wanted it, I would have direct sunlight on the east side of the canyon (across the river). It's the way I envisioned it in mind, so it's the look I was going for. This location, then, was the perfect spot.

As the sun descended, the light was shaping up wonderfully. The clouds were nice and interesting. I composed the shot until I was spot on with it. Then I waited for the sun to make its way west. When it hit the ridge line on the right, I waited for it to start "melting" into the horizon line. When it did, I did a little squinting to replicate my f stop. I could also get a feel for the light rays and their length. At that point, I started shooting. I knew that any one of the shots I was taking could be the winner. But I was also looking for some long sun rays, which dictated that I shoot several images. In all, I probably had two minutes from beginning to end. When the sun dipped below the horizon I threw the lens cap on, turned off the camera, pulled the cable shutter release off the camera, and packed up. Then I walked back to the campsite, which is about a mile away.

After I got home, I edited the shot and sat on it for a few days. I then fine tuned it and submitted it to my gallery director. After hearing his input, I edited again (making very small adjustments). Then I submitted it.

All of that went into this shot.

The end.

[DasMechaniKer]

Man....that's some serious work. I'm sure that it's all worth it for you so you don't waste your time travelling and not getting the quality shots you are looking for. Kudos to what you do Marc. I appreciate the play by play as to how you do what you do. I'm also very happy for you that it's bearing fruit.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Definitely. It's 18 hours of driving (round trip). I don't want to get it wrong. You just hope that all of the homework results in an excellent finished product.

[Johnmadd]

Really enjoyed the details Mark. Great read.

[DasMechaniKer]

Definitely. It's 18 hours of driving (round trip). I don't want to get it wrong. You just hope that all of the homework results in an excellent finished product.

Well if you come to the NC mountains for some shots you just let us know and Ryan and I will help you with all that homework.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Much appreciated, Kyle.

[Oli77]

Thanks for revealing those details Mark, never thought there was that much behind the art.

Ever thought of camping up in Tuolumne meadows?

[C Withers Media]

While I like Mark's approach, I tend to be much more of a cowboy. Show up somewhere, deal with shit, and knock down the shot.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

And if anyone believes what Casey just wrote (I've shot with him in Kauai and other locations), then you deserve it if you try to be a cowboy and do what he claims to do.

Casey does a ton of homework before he shows up to a location.

[C Withers Media]

Shhhhhh!

[C Withers Media]

All joking aside, Mark is one of the most technically proficient photographers I have ever been associated with. The shots are undeniable, and his talent level and work ethic are unmatched.

[3ZHPGUY]

Great information Mark, thanks for sharing. Love the dedication and planing and admire your ability to achieve that perfection. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Thanks, guys. Just doing my thing.

[UdubBadger]

While I like Mark's approach, I tend to be much more of a cowboy. Show up somewhere, deal with shit, and knock down the shot.

Yeah that "philosophy" was what I was taught by my mentor when I was doing my internship back in school. Guy killed it on the spot and just told me to know my shit and show up, make some magic and roll out.

[UdubBadger]

great write up mark. glad people outside of the industry get to see what it really takes to succeed... its an incredibly undervalued business (at least most of it) for high end results.

[ryankokesh]

Just read this thing on "momtographers" that really spoke to the undervaluing you mentioned. I can definitely relate in the UX game. The running joke is when a client tells you to make something "pop" more, or to make it "more like Apple".

Those are some ridiculous (in a good way) shots, and great explanations, Mark. Hope someday I can afford to purchase some of them! (Very timely, too, as my current pastime is watching how-to photography videos on YouTube so I can play with the big boys someday.)

[C Withers Media]

Yeah that "philosophy" was what I was taught by my mentor when I was doing my internship back in school. Guy killed it on the spot and just told me to know my shit and show up, make some magic and roll out.

:caseyshrug

[UdubBadger]

:caseyshrug

:fistpump

[danewilson77]

:caseyshrug


:fistpump

:hashbrowns

[johnrando]

:caseyshrug


:fistpump


:hashbrowns

:pimp

[ryankokesh]

:caseyshrug


:fistpump


:hashbrowns


:pimp

:starbucks

[UdubBadger]

^ I don't think you get it...

[ryankokesh]

http://i.imgur.com/S3acHuj.jpg

[johnrando]

lol. That's not a symbol of "positivity" in a photography thread. It's an old inside joke that Seth would have to explain.

[ryankokesh]

Oooohhhh... I didn't realize we were only doing positive stuff... I just posted the biggest smilie I could find and went on my way :)

[UdubBadger]

:facepalm

[danewilson77]

Yeah. Ryan ruined it.

[ryankokesh]

Yeah. Ryan ruined it.

Yeah, that happens with a frequency I'd rather not admit to.

[UdubBadger]

I'll talk to Patty... smooth things over for ya.

[ryankokesh]

:hawaiian thanks