Hello to You, 10-20mm!

Hello to You, 10-20mm!, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

After shooting mostly with kit lens (which is pretty good, but come on, it's a kit lens), I am finally upgrading to more serious glass and I suppose the one that is a must have for anyone shooting landscapes. This is Sigma 10-20mm HSM f/4-5.6. First thought as I opened the package - it almost doubles the weight of my Nikon D40.

Due to the busy schedule my first examples of shooting with this beauty may not come for a while, but I promise they will and I will also post my review of the lens on my blog. I can't wait to use it somewhere besides my apartment.

The End of Another Day at Point Lobos

The End of Another Day at Point Lobos, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

Every minute of every sunset at Point Lobos that I have witnessed had been simply out of this world, including today's.

Please see this one large on black.

This one is dedicated to my wife Becca who patiently and cheerfully hiked with me for the previous two hours while also carrying our 7-week old Maks.

Irritated Little Man

Irritated Little Man, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

Is he getting tired of my camera? Or do I not give him enough money?

Please Visit My ImageKind Gallery

I have spent the last few hours updating my ImageKind gallery. It is now representative of what is my favorite work, and also represents my current work. I hope you take a minute to visit it, and if you like any of my images, purchase one of the prints or even a custom frame. If there are images you have seen here or on Flickr that you like that I do not have in my ImageKind account or you need an option that ImageKind does not offer, please email me and I can arrange a print for you. Go to the gallery by following this link.

The Alignment Over Point Joe

The Alignment Over Point Joe, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

"Luck is what makes photography an entirely different medium from art forms based only on planned creative acts." -- Galen Rowell

I did not blend any images, and did not paint the clouds. The birds lined up like this against the skies by themselves, and the shutter was released at a perfect moment by a share of good luck. I had no idea about this until I found this unprocessed image from our visit to the Pebble Beach in my Lightroom collection.

Please see the large version.

The Force Is Already Strong With This Boy

The Force Is Already Strong With This Boy, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

"Clouded this boy's future is." -- Master Yoda

Our little Jedi is celebrating his 7th birthday today (in weeks, that is).

One More View of The Pacific

One More View of The Pacific, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

Point Lobos, California.

See it large on black.

The Storm Approaching Utah Lake

The Storm Approaching Utah Lake, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

Fiery Sunset at Point Lobos

Fiery Sunset at Point Lobos, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

"5-14-30: Point Lobos yesterday.
How many times the last year or so have I written this line! I never tired of that wonder spot, nor could I ever forget it, no matter where I go from here." -- Edward Weston

Taken from the Weston Beach, which is named after Edward. Please see it large on black.

The Books I Recommend

I already mentioned the first equipment purchases that helped me get started with my new Nikon D40, and I also wrote about my favorite podcasts and photo web-sites. I should also mention another excellent resource that I found, the books.

When I decided to get more serious about my photography, I was living in a college town and there were no classes that were offered nearby. However, I knew that there must be a market of photography books that talk about the equipment and software, and there sure is. I quickly ordered bunch of them, then ordered more , and finally, checked out a huge stack at a local library.

After reading or skimming through many of them (as you may imagine, there is a lot of junk out there), I found the following to be the most helpful.

The Digital Photography Book, by Scott Kelby. Though very basic and doesn't go into a lot of technical details some other books go into, this popular book teaches essential concepts and principles anyone owning DSLR should know. Scott covers both camera settings, as well as photo situations and what you should do with it. After reading several other books that are much more technical, I found myself going back to this book again and again to refresh my memory. Oh yeah, and Scott's humor also takes some getting used to.

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers, by Scott Kelby. Again, in his own unique style that appeals to us, the rookies, Scott covers the best software on the market for organizing and quickly processing your photos. He also provides updates to his books when Adobe releases upgrades for the Lightroom.

The Photoshop CS3 Book For Digital Photographers, by Scott Kelby. Again, if you want to learn Adobe Photoshop software, I have yet to find a better way to do it.

Skin: The Complete Guide to Digitally Lighting, Photographing, and Retouching Faces and Bodies, by Lee Varis. If you like shooting people, and you want to make their skin look natural and attractive (something that's almost impossible to do without additional post processing), this book will teach you many ways of doing it.

Photoshop LAB Color: The Canyon Conundrum and Other Adventures in the Most Powerful Colorspace , by Dan Margulis. If you like working with color, and you use Photoshop, this is another a-must-have book. Lab color space is powerful, and this book will change your approach to color work.

Ansel Adams, an autobiography. Of course, he's an artist who changed the course of photography entirely, but besides telling his story, Ansel discusses the why of photography and his view this kind of art. In fact, it was him who made sure that the world accepted photography as art. It'll surely make you think a lot more philosophically about what you're doing with a camera.

Lesson Learned: Flash Stand On The Sand

Yesterday we went down to Point Lobos, an amazing reserve just south of Carmel, and one of my favorite places to be (Ansel Adams and Edward Weston would also say the same) and I decided to shoot some portraits of our nephews that are visiting from Utah. I had my flash on a stand just right of the camera, and I thought it was fine standing there on a sand while I was just minding my own photo business. Well, few minutes later as I was composing a shot the stand with a flash went flying down with flash head hitting the ocean wave. As I stood there thinking, "alright, so what will happen next," my thoughts were almost instantly interrupted with a good dose of electricity that started to spread itself from the camera into my hands and all over. I had no idea how to react and I had no time to think about it, so I just threw the camera away from me. Few seconds later I was able to gather it all up and get it disconnected without getting hurt even more. Fortunately for me, camera and the lens were not harmed, but the flash no longer works. Thanks goodness it's just a cheap $75 Sunpak 383 and not a $320 SB-800 I was thinking of acquiring the other day. One more benefit of keeping keeping your gear cheap.

The Lesson: do not leave a flash stand and a flash unit unattended when it's standing on a sand with possibility of falling into the ocean or it may cost you some health.

The Sea Of Fog

The Sea Of Fog, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

Please see the large version.

Having got up at 5 this morning with a desire to catch a sunrise on the beach, I was rather disappointed to find the sun hiding behind the fog in Santa Cruz. Well, at least I could rise about the fog, so to speak, and still come home with something.

... Stay tuned for story of how I got electrocuted by my external flash as it fell into the ocean later today.

My Precious Little Man

My Precious Little Man, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

I look forward to the weekend when I can go out and spend sometime outside for the first time in many weeks, but life at home isn't boring when you have a little guy like this to keep company and of course his beautiful mother that I often forget to mention.

Featured Photographer - Daniel Cheong

Our next featured photographer is Daniel Cheong who currently lives in Singapore. His work is always inspiring. He lives in a part of the world that we, the Westerners, do not often see, and Daniel has a talent for being in the right spot at the right time. His work is about light, color and shapes, and he's doing a tremendous job with finding great relationships between the three. After you read an interview, please take a minute and visit his photostream to see more of his amazing work.

-- How did your interest in photography started?
I got my first camera when I was 10 (that was back in the early 70's). I've always liked to take photos, mostly when I was on vacation.
I then switched to digital in 1998. But my approach towards photography really changed when I bought my first DSLR and joined flickr in November 2006. From just a hobby it has become almost an addiction now!

-- Why do you do it?
I take photos because I enjoy sharing it with other talented and passionate photographers that makes flickr such a great community. Taking pictures without sharing them does not make sense to me anymore.

-- What are the goals you have that relate to photography?
Mostly trying to capture the beauty of things and places, try to make them even look better by means of post-processing. I really don't mind digitally altering the photo to make it look better.

-- How would you describe your style?
I would say very classic in terms of subject/composition. I mostly take landscape and architecture shots. May be it's because I really enjoy my ultrawide angle lens. I also mostly use HDR (High Dynamic Range) processing which I think is best suitable for the kind of subjects that I photograph. I still have many fields to explore (portraits, macro, abstract).

-- How do you get the inspiration in the creative process?
My inspiration mostly comes from the photographs I see on flickr. And now, wherever I go, I always look around and try to figure out what could be a good subject to photograph.

-- How do you define a successful photograph?
The one that makes me say "I wish I was the one that took it".

-- What is the future for photography?
Very bright I think! I don't think there's a need to go for even more megapixels, specially if we share the photos online. I hope there will be improvement in increasing the dynamic range of the cameras (without having to do it by post processing).

-- What has been the craziest act you did to take a good picture?
Trespassing a private property to shoot inside an abandoned house. Not really crazy though! Waking up one hour before sunrise to take photo is also a very big commitment for me!

-- What has been your favorite location to be at with a camera?
As a big fan of cityscapes and architecture shots, Hong Kong is my favorite location. I did not have the chance to go back there with my DSLR, but will certainly do soon.

-- What’s one location you would love to shoot at?
In a country which is the total opposite (landscape, climate) from where I live now (Singapore), Iceland for instance!

-- What’s your favorite piece of equipment and why?
My current equipment:
- Sony DSLR Alpha 100
- Sigma 18-200mm lens
- Tamron 11-18mm lens

This is my first DSLR, so I cannot really compare with the competition. I am extremely happy with that equipment.
The Super Steady Shot of the Sony Alpha really works well and allows me to benefit of image stabilization without having to pay for very expensive optical stabilized lenses. My favorite lens is the Ultrawide angle (11-18mm). I think that it really gives to the viewer the impression of being immersed in the photo.

-- What are your favorite techniques of processing an image?
I discovered HDR (High Dynamic Range) with flickr. First I was impressed by the surreal look of those HDR photos, due to the tone-mapping process. Now I try to create 'realistic' HDRs, either by using a very soft tone-mapping, or using another technique called Digital Blending. I also enjoy post-processing all my photos with Photoshop, mostly to improve the exposure, light, colors, and sharpness.

-- What are your favorite three images?

My Favorite Web-Sites

I'm finally getting to a point when I have even just a little bit of a free time, so I need to catch up and post the list of my favorite web-sites that I promised to post a couple weeks ago. So here it goes.

-- Flickr - first one is an obvious one. This is where I post all my photos, and participate in the most discussions related to digital photography. There are web-sites out there that are better for storing photos, but there isn't a better online photo community out there. I learn a great deal just by looking at the work of others.

-- Scott Kelby's Blog - Scott is one of my favorite photography books authors, but he also keeps a blog where he shares the news and tips that relate both to his specialty (Adobe Photoshop), as well as photography in general. Great content is posted on almost daily basis.

-- Light Diary - Craig Tanner is a very talented photographer, as well as teacher and it's great to see his best work and learn how he did it through his podcast.

-- Strobist. There is not a better place online to learn about off camera lighting.

-- LeggNet's Blog - Rich is a great photographer living in SLC.

-- Ken Rockwell's Site - a must go place if you're a Nikon owner. I don't always agree with Ken, but his articles are always a good start.

-- Digital Camera Review - best place for anyone in the market for a digital camera (any kind, any price).

-- Amazon.com - this is where I buy most of my camera gear. It's hard to beat their prices.

Featured Photographer - James Neeley

Something else I'd like to do is to introduce you all to the photographers I admire. There are several of them online whose work I closely follow and learn a lot of from, and I will have an interview with several of their favorite images posted as time goes.

Today's featured photographer is James Neeley. I first came accross James on Flickr looking at his pictures taken in Moab, Utah, a place I love to visit as well. His work fits the kind of work I like - landscapes and the beauty of the American West, and he does it with his unique style that's easily distinguishable and he is very passionate about it, as you can see from how often he posts his work. Take a moment to visit his photostream to check out his amazing art and following is his interview.

-How did your interest in photography started?
I have enjoyed photography for many years, since I was a teenager following the lead of my grandfather who was a avid amateur photographer. About 9 months ago I discovered HDR which has revolutionized photography for me, opening new possibilities to capture great images under difficult conditions.

-What are the goals you have that relate to photography?
I really look at this as a personal pursuit rather than a competition. I love to try different types of photography and master different processing techniques. I would really like to be a better portrait or people photographer.

-How would you describe your style?
Eclectic for sure. I like anything than looks beautiful, interesting, funny, stunning etc.

-How do you get the inspiration in the creative process?
I think my inspiration usually comes from nature and especially sunrise or sunset. I also love geometry and shapes whether it's in a natural composition, rocks, trees, or building and architecture.

-How do you define a successful photograph?
First, how I feel personally about it but then the feelings it stimulates in others. If I can help someone feel what I felt when I saw a beautiful scene then the photo was a success.

-What is the future for photography?
May be this only a wish but I would like to see more depth in digital cameras. RAW should be true 16 bits instead of 12. That's a 10,000 fold increase in depth! How about a single shot HDR camera? That would be a great day.

-What has been your favorite location to be at with a camera?
Any where along the Snake River or maybe Glacier National Park, or maybe Arches, or Slot canyons, or Zions, or Tetons...that question is too hard!

-What’s one location you would love to shoot at?
Italy.

-What’s your favorite piece of equipment and why?
Nikon D2x 18-200mm VR lens because of it's versatility.

-What are your favorite techniques of processing an image? Definitely HDR with Photomatix. 2nd would be LucisArt plug-in.

What are your favorite three images?
That's difficult! It changes every day but here are some I like.

My Portfolio

My Portfolio, originally uploaded by IvanoMak.

I have few of my prints displayed on the walls in our home as well as in my workplace, and people always ask me about my hobby as a photographer. Besides telling them about my web-site, I wanted to have an easy way to show them some of my other images, and I decided to try out Blurb book printing service, as I heard great reports about it. I was amazed at the quality of printing and the end result. If you're familiar with JPG Magazine, the quality of printing is similar, but actually better. So if you want to print out a portfolio of your images to show, it's a one way to do it, and for $23 you can print a book of up to 40 pages.

See what front page looks like by clicking here.

Reason For a Lack of Activity

Thank you to all those who stop by my web-site even though there has not been much activity lately. I'm in the middle of studying for a final part of the CPA exam, which I am taking next week, and as soon as I am done, I will have more time for doing, studying and sharing photography.