Read the Dan Bailey Photo Newsletter, Aug 2020 Issue
Published: Tue, 08/11/20
Hi ,
I hope you've been having a great summer so far... or at least a manageable one. This whole COVID thing has really messed things up for just about everyone, hasn't it? It's funny, I like to think that the definition of adventure is not knowing exactly what's going to happen, and I actually like to live with that mindset, but not so much when it applies to something like this.
As David Yeadon, who is one of my favorite travel writers once said, "I still prefer my adventures a bit further from home." I think this quote sums it up quite well. We generally want adventure when we go out into the world and seek it, but not when it happens to us in our own neighborhood. Home is supposed to be our comfort zone, not our everything, and for many of us, it is our everything right now. Even if we can go out and hike or be creative outside,
we're missing so many other vital components of what makes life, well... life.
Being Creative and Trying New Things
During all of this, I have found that creativity is the one thing that has helped keep me sane the most during the pandemic. Creativity is good for us, and it’s even more vital during uncertain times like the one we’re currently experiencing. Back in April, I produced my very first music video ever, which was set to my original rock and roll song called Dr. Fauci Say. I shot the whole thing in one
afternoon, using my X-T3 and XF35mm f/2 lens, and edited it together in Final Cut Pro X. (By the way, the X-T3 is currently $500 off right now. In my mind, this is an incredible value.)
I also keep putting out video tutorials and other fun content on my YouTube Channel, with new videos going up about once per week.
This past month, while looking for even more pandemic distractions, I decided to take on a few woodworking projects. After building three compost bins, mostly from found/recovered wood, I moved on to a bigger challenge and built a nice sturdy bench for my back yard, which I am sitting on right now in this very moment as I write this newsletter. In addition, I have been continuing to bake bread every single week, and also try out new recipes with food from the garden.
I hope you’re continuing to explore your own creativity right now, or at least finding distractions, like one of my readers who recently got a new puppy. That'll have the same effect. If you are being creative, it doesn’t even have to be with the camera. Do whatever hobby or project sparks your whimsy, simply because the process will be good for your soul, and for those around you as well. If you haven't seen my recent video about the importance of creativity in our lives, you can watch it here.
I've also been pushing myself to try new things. Since our entire summer season of mountain bike racing was canceled, I decided to dip my toe into long distance racing. During the end of June, I did the Kenai 250, a small, loosely organized Alaska biking event I’ve know about for awhile, but hadn’t ever considered before. It's essentially a self-supported mountain bike route that covers all of the main trails on the Kenai Peninsula. I've done 100-mile races before, but this was a whole new beast.
Packing light, but still going a little heavier than I could have, I rode a total of 255 miles in 46.5 hours, with one four-hour nap at the halfway mark. The course was ridiculous hard, with well over 20,000 feet of elevation gain, on some very technical singletrack terrain that passed through many miles of potential bear territory, but I rode well, pushed myself to keep moving and finished strong.
It was by far the hardest bike race I’d ever done, and I’m extremely proud of my accomplishment. I’m hoping to get a detailed write up with some photos on my blog sometime in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.
It's also the summer, or rather the year, for trying new things.
Photography on The Brain
Last year, I launched my Photography On The Brain video course. Each month, I deliver a short, concise lesson that’s designed to get you thinking about photography and creativity in new ways, and inspire you to try and apply the concepts into your own image making.
The format is similar to my YouTube lessons. I share the same kind of enthusiasm, motivation and in-depth knowledge, but where my YouTube lessons are more “tips” related, Photography On The Brain goes much deeper. In this course, I explore much more cerebral ideas and concepts that relate to how we and our brains respond to our scenes and our images, and how we can use different creative techniques to maximize our own creative potential with the camera.
Right now, the course is up to 16 lessons, and still going strong. I’m really excited about the course content and the ideas I keep coming with every month. It’s available as a monthly series, or you can get the first ten lessons as a complete bundle. Both of those options are available at a special discounted price right now. If you’d like to foster your own your creativity in some new ways and give yourself a good mental distraction, please check out the course here.
What Exactly is Alpenglow?
Many photographers know the term “Alpenglow” to be that magical reddish, pink light from the setting sun that’s visible on the high mountain peaks during those last few moments of the day. It’s the light we all live for. It’s the golden rainbow unicorn for people who like to shoot landscapes.
Originally derived from the German word Alpenglühen, to describe this special occurrence of light seen on the Alps, the term Alpenglow was brought into vogue by giants like Galen Rowell, who influenced an entire generation of outdoor photographers, myself included.The current accepted definition of Alpenglow is that it’s an optical phenomenon that occurs as a reddish glow near the horizon, most visible on higher elevations and peaks opposite of the sun “when the sun is below the horizon.”
However, I’m not so sure that’s accurate. In fact, I will be so bold as to challenge the accepted definition and state that Alpenglow is actually caused by Direct Light. Check out this post to read my own analysis on the subject. Whether you think I’m right or wrong, it’s an engaging read that is sure to occupy some space in your brain for awhile and maybe even motivate you to go shoot your own alpenglow photos.
Shooting Against The Light
When we’re first leaning photography, one of the most basic tips is to stand with your back to the sun, so that the light is shining straight on your subject. In most situations, this will generally give you good results, especially in especially pleasing light. Of course, that’s not the only approach, nor is it necessarily the best approach. When you shoot with the light off to your side, you start to accentuate your shadows, which highlights shape and texture. Sidelighting can be a very effective photography technique and it can lead to dramatic results.
What about backlighting? Shooting straight towards the sun can be a tricky proposition, but it can also yield very interesting lighting effects and compelling compositions. Read this post to see how you can get some very dramatic results by shooting against the sun.
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That’s all for now. I want to thank you for reading and for your continued support over the years, especially right now during this difficult time.
Be well, stay sane, enjoy my recent blog posts and take care.
-Dan
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