Read my July 2018 Photography Newsletter
Published: Tue, 07/10/18
Hi ,
I hope you’re having a great summer so far! I’m happy to report that I’ve spent very little time at my computer during the past month, and considerably more time on my bicycle, flying my Cessna, and enjoying the long days and extended sunshine we have up here in Alaska right now.
I'm very unhappy to report that I had my car broken into a few weeks ago and was also the target of credit card thieves who recently purchased about 50 copies of my ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER eBook with stolen card numbers. (They do this to test the stolen cards.) By the time I figured out what happened, all the charges came back as disputed, so in addition to losing what I thought were legitimate sales, I had to pay the chargeback fees on all the transaction. :( Sometimes life gives you a
painful slap, but I try to make the good stuff overshadow the rather inconvenient setbacks.
Anyway, I'll try to make this a relatively short newsletter. I know you’re probably busy enjoying summer as well, so I don’t want to take up too much of your time this month. I’ve got a few exciting things to share, so I’ll just jump right in and let you know what’s going on at Dan Bailey Photo Headquarters.
Rebecca Rusch’s Gravel Academy
I went town to Ketchum Idaho at the end of June to photograph Rebecca Rusch’s 4-day Gravel Academy Training Camp. This was an amazing experience that combined outdoor and action photography with four incredible days of bike riding.
It was such an honor to meet and ride with Rebecca, a 7-time world champion mountain biker and an amazingly cool person. This was her first Gravel Academy, so I was down there to document the camp and help her promote future events. I felt that it was very much like a photo workshop, except it was all about bikes instead of cameras.
While leading us on an amazing multi-day supported circle around the backcountry and trails near Ketchum, Rebecca teaches technical skills, and shares her expert knowledge on riding long days, nutrition, recovery, and recommended equipment.
I was also there as an ambassador for Revelate Designs, the company that pioneered modern day bike bags, so in addition to taking photos, I shared my own insight about bikepacking and bike touring with the participants. I even gave a mini-workshop about gear, bike bags and what’s
required for doing a multi-day tour. The thing about bike touring, is that it doesn’t have to be a big, involved thing with tons of gear. It’s about going somewhere on your bike and ending up in a different place than where you started.
It could mean carrying a couple of extra clothes, a tooth brush and a credit card on a 2-3 day loop away from home. It doesn't matter what kind of bike you ride, or what kind of roads or trails you take to get there, as long as you get out there.
If you’re a serious, fit cyclist and want to learn more about gravel riding and have an amazing supported biking adventure in stunning location with a world champion cyclist, I would highly recommend looking into Rebecca’s Gravel Academy for next year. Note, it may be different with regards to price and itinerary for next year's version, but I know that whatever she comes up with will be an excellent adventure and value.
Summer Creativity
I talk a lot about creativity on my blog, in my newsletters and when I give presentations. In fact, I think that creativity is one of the things that can save us all in this whacky world we’re living right now.
Recently, I got an email from one of your fellow readers. He shared a photo he shot that was a little abstract or experimental, depending how you want to look at it, and then proceeded to ask me if it “counted as creativity.”
My answer to him was this: “If you enjoyed the process of making that photo, if you learned something about your camera, yourself or your subject matter, or if you simply felt a need to express yourself by framing and capturing it in a specific way, then yes- that counts as creativity." If you simply point and shoot with no regard for what you were actually getting, then no. That’s just pointing and shooting.
Remember, creative photography doesn't have to be anything specific, it’s about experimenting and tying new things with your camera. It’s about getting lost in the process and capturing a view of the world that matches your own personal ideas about scene, whether you intend to share that view with the world, or just keep it as a record of your own moments in life.
Although I usually don't tell people “how to be creative,” I often advise that creativity shouldn’t necessarily be a “bucket list” activity that where you strive to imitate the pictures that other people have taken. I like to encourage people to explore the world and see things in their own way.
Yes, it’s inevitable that you’ll want to capture some famous and notable scenes you may come across, but try to put your own spin on the subject. Think about what it is you love about the subject or why your drawn to it, and work to create an image that matches YOUR vision, not someone else’s.
As we Northern Hemisphere people take our summer vacations and go on warm weather adventures, this is the time when many of us shoot the highest number of photos. Summer is often the payoff time for all the time spent reading books, eBooks, web articles and gear reviews. So, keep all this in mind when you’re out exploring with the camera.
One Year of X SERIES UNLIMITED
Exactly one year ago this week, I released the PDF copy of X SERIES UNLIMITED. I was pretty confident that it would end up being a good resource for the Fuji cameras, but I had no idea just how successful it would become.
The initial eBook went up for sale on my blog on July 12, 2017, and it sold like crazy. You guys trusted me and bought copies, and then told me how helpful it actually was when it came to helping you understand your X Series cameras.
Last month, Rocky Nook published the official paperback versions of X SERIES UNLIMITED. It’s already received great response and has generated a number of 5-star reviews on Amazon. If you’ve purchased the print version, I’d love it if you would considering leaving your own review of the book. (If you don’t have the print version and want to order a copy
directly from Rocky Nook, use discount code DAN BAILEY25 to save 25% on the book.)
I know that many of you first saw the eBook on FUJILOVE and the FujiX-Forum, and you may not have ever seen my blog before. However, you gave me a chance and allowed me to share with you my insight and expertise about the Fuji cameras. Huge thank you to everyone who purchased the book, and I hope that X SERIES UNLIMITED has helped you push the boundaries of your technique and your creative photography.
Behind the Shot - Fast Action Road Biking
I shared this “Behind this Scenes” post on my blog a few months ago, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it. In the article, I describe the exact technique, approach and gear I used to shoot one of my favorite road biking shots. Even if you don’t generally shoot fast action, learning to capture breaking
scenes in tricky light can make you a more proficient photographer, and it can expand your own options for shooting more dramatic photos in the moment.
Check out the post here and see if it sparks some creative ideas of your own.
Upcoming Event at Pictureline - Salt Lake City, August 9-10, 2018
I’m coming down to do a presentation at Pictureline in Salt Lake on the evening of Aug 9, and then I’ll be hanging around at the store on Aug 10 to answer questions, sign books, and chat about photography, or whatever else you want to talk with me about. You can resister for the Thursday evening
presentation here. If you can’t make that, be sure and stop by the store the next day to say hi. It’s been awhile since I’ve visited Salt Lake. If you live in the area, I hope to see you there!
2018 FUJIFILM Great Smoky Mountains Nature and Travel Summit - Oct 30 - Nov 4.
This fall, I’ll be joining Jack Graham and Bill Fortney for our third Fujifilm X-Photographers Nature & Travel Photography Summit. Join us in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee for an intensive three and a half day workshop and learn how to get the most from your Fujifilm camera. Whether you’re an experienced X Series user, or if you’re new to the system, this is an amazing
opportunity to learn and try out new gear. We’ll even have X Series and GFX gear available for you to demo.
Gear Corner
The Fujifilm X-T100 is now shipping. It’s the brand new entry-level X Series camera that offers the creative mojo and style of the Fuji cameras in a budget friendly model. In my mind, the X-T100 is the beginning X Series camera they should have made all along. I think it’s a better camera in many ways than the
X-A series and it certainly makes for a better backup camera than the X-A5.
If the X-T20 is the little brother/sister camera to the X-T2, then the X-T100 is the little brother/sister to the X-T20. It has many of the same features you’ll find on the higher end models, but with a really friendly price.
Other Fujifilm Savings
Right now, the Fujifilm X-H1 is on sale for $250 off, and there are a number of X-T2 deals that give you up to $500 savings when you get the X-T2 and any
number of add-ons, like the 18-55 lens, the vertical battery grip or a SanDisk 64GB Extreme PROSD card.
Canon and Nikon Savings
Canon also has a number of lens deals that give you up to $300 savings on either the EF 24-120mm f/2.8 and the EF 70-200mm f/2.8, and up to $150 savings on many other lenses. Nikon is currently offering rebates of up to $200 on some of
their notable lenses, like the AF-S 200-500mm, AF-S 14-24mm and AF-S 16-35mm.
Dell 27” Monitor Savings
Right now, Dell’s Ultra HD 27” 4K monitor is $100 off, which makes the final price only $389. This is an awesome price for a great, 4K screen. It’s only $359 at Amazon. If 27” is a bit too big, the 24” version is only $349. Both of these models
are top sellers and very popular with uses, because they offer decent size, great color reproduction and a reasonable price.
I’ve used Dell 24” screens and I think they’re fantastic. In fact, I’m writing this newsletter on my 24” Dell monitor right now.
Remember, even if you’re not purchasing these specific items, anytime you shop at B&H Photo or through Amazon and you use my links, you’re helping me out. It’s another way you can show your support, and it doesn’t add anything to your price.
Consider bookmarking these links for future use, or take a look at my dedicated Dan Bailey Photo Amazon Storefront to see some of my recommended camera and outdoor gear and read my specific comments about each item. It's an easy URL to remember:
www.amazon.com/shop/danbaileyphoto
Thanks so much!
Around the Web
A few months ago, I met up with Federico Alegría, a young photographer who came to Alaska to document Alaska bush pilots. I even took him for a ride in my Cessna 120. His photo essay was just published, you can read it here. You can even see a couple photos of me with my little yellow bird.
Art Wolfe is one of the most noted and respected outdoor and travel photographers of our generation. Here’s an inspiring 30-minute video interview with Art on PhotographyTV.
I love this gorgeous sunrise photo of the Peaks District by UK Photographer Nigel Danson. I’m sure you will too. Be warned, though. You might get lost in his feed, he’s got a great eye!
If you’re a Luminar user, you’ll want to check out Nicole S. Young’s new self-published book, Luminar Step by Step. It’s a 244 page masterclass on how to use Luminar to process RAW photos. It also features detailed steps on how to use layers, masks, and some of the special effects filters that are include in Luminar 2018. If you haven’t upgraded
A few weeks ago, I was a guest on the Latitude Photography Podcast. We talked about a variety of subjects, including photography, Fujifilm cameras, my new book, bike touring, Alaska, bush flying and more. The episode just went live this week and you can listen here!
(Here's a portrait I shot of my mechanic last week, captured with the Fuji XF50mm f/2 lens)
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Ok, that’s all for now. Thanks so much for reading and for your support. I hope you’re enjoying your own summer adventures and are getting some great pictures lately!
Take care, keep in touch and happy shooting.
Best regards,
Dan
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