Read the August 2019 Dan Bailey Photo Newsletter
Published: Mon, 08/19/19
It's been a busy couple of months! With all the activities that go with enjoying summertime in Alaska, like riding bikes, flying the little yellow Cessna, dodging smoke from the recent wildfires and trying to plan trips for the fall, I've been working on a number of new projects.
The most exciting thing is my entry into doing video lessons. I've been ramping up my YouTube Channelwith a number of short video tutorials, and I just posted a brand new video this morning. This latest lesson is about the role that luck plays in our photography and how it's perceived in the context of creating great images.
I really like the idea of doing these short tutorials that give you some solid tips that you can take away and apply to your own photography. I have so much experience to share, and giving you this kind of insight in person can offer you a different perspective on the topics I feel are vital in the world of photography.
I consider them to be my "real-world" tips, which is exactly the kind of instruction I've been doing on my blog for years. However, the video format offers you a first hand look into my own style and approach, which can give you a better understanding of how to apply these techniques to your own photography.
Watch my video "LUCK VS. SKILL IN PHOTOGRAPHY" check out my lesson from last week, "How I Hold My Camera", and subscribe to my channel so that you'll be notified when I post new lessons. And, if there are any specific topics you'd like to see me cover in my YouTube videos, let me know!
I also have my Photography On The Brain monthly lesson series that I launched back in May. That's been a really exciting evolution to my instructional offerings, and an adventurous journey for me as well.
Where my YouTube videos offer concise tips, practical advice and defined topics, Photography On The Brain goes deeper into the rabbit hole. In these lessons, I explore photography and creativity on a much more intellectual, conceptual level and challenge you to think about your method in new ways. With these 10-ish minute lessons, I give you a specific concept or idea to think about for the next month and figure out how to apply them to your own image making.
We also have a dedicated Flickr Group where you can share your own image and discuss these topics even further with me and the other participants. The interaction has been great so far, and it's been fun to hear your own ideas. I love coming at photography from so many different directions, and I look forward to seeing where this journey can take us. I say us, because this is all a learning process for me, too.
Happy World Photography Day
Today is World Photography Day. This is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, science, and history of photography, and aside from a hashtag for sharing your latest, greatest work, it's a great opportunity to think about what photography means to you and how it's affected or impacted your life. From the photos we keep of loved ones passed and current favorite people, to images that communicate our own personal ideas, concern and excitement about the world, there is something truly magical about this wonderful art form.Think about it: a single image has the ability to bring forth an elated smile, a feeling of wonder or a flood of tears, and it can convey an emotion or feeling faster than just about any other kind of commutation method. A photograph lets someone else see the world through our own eyes, or it can allow us to see the past.
Then there's the motivation and inspiration that photography can inspire with regards to how people choose to live their lives as artist, travelers, journalists or curious humans. And, of course, there are the countless hours that we spend learning and practicing our craft throughout our lives in the hopes that we can better translate our own ideas into compelling imagery and the slow, but constant improvement we see as we continue to shoot.
On this day, and over the next few days, take some time to think about what photography has meant to you in your own life. What has photography given you? What do you try to say with your own imagery? What kind of imagery impacts you the most? What aspects of photography challenge you the most? What are your favorite pictures and what images (your own or someone else's) mean the most to you? As you think about this stuff, grab a notebook and write it down. Take notes or do stream-of-consicouness journaling and write whatever comes to mind.
Listen to Me on Two More Photography Podcasts
I've been doing a lot of podcast interviews lately. In addition to the two episodes mentioned at the bottom of this issue, two more podcasts with me just went live. In the PHOTO ACTIVE PODCAST Episode 48 with Jeff Carlson, we talk about topics like how many of your camera's features should you use, whether technical details really matter and how my own journey with photography led me to become a pro.In the latest FujiLove Podcast, I join one of my favorite photographers, Karen Hutton to discuss creativity and all things photography with our excellent host, Jens Krauer. You can listen to this episode at this link or on Apple Podcasts. I had so much fun talking with Jens earlier this year in Episode 41, you can find that episode here.
Creative Tip - Shooting Extreme Telephoto Landscapes
Although wide angle lenses are often touted as being the ideal choice for shooting landscapes, don’t discount your long glass for this purpose. You can achieve stunning results by using telephoto lenses for your nature scenes.
Long lenses let you isolate specific portions of your subject matter and focus on one particular aspect, shape, pattern or color scheme. This narrowed-down view can help you clean up your image and achieve much more simplicity in your compositions.
In addition, long lenses give you increased relative size of the subject in your frame and greatly compressed perspective. You can apply these characteristics with great creative advantage by portraying prominent, striking subjects against bold backdrops. You can also use the extremely shallow depth of field inherent in telephoto lenses to throw your background elements way out of focus.
Read my Extreme Telephoto Landscapes blog post for more and to see some additional image examples.
Upcoming Events
I have two upcoming event on the calendar this fall:B&H Photo Event Space - Wednesday October 23, New York City
I'm excited to finally be giving a presentation at the B&H Photo Event space! In this presentation, I'll show how you can use these advantages to expand your creative boundaries with photography and I’ll shed light on the specific gear and methods I uses in his own fast moving style of outdoor, adventure, and travel photography. I’ll also present tips on light, lenses, and composition so you can get the most from your camera, no matter what kind of gear you use.Visit this page to register- You can either attend in person or watch online.
2019 Kenmore Camera Digital Photo Expo - Sat/Sun, November 2-3, Seattle area
I'm coming back to the Kenmore Camera Expo again this fall! I've spoken at this event a couple of times in the past and so it will be great to come back. The Kenmore Expo is a really fun weekend with a lot of different speakers and some amazing deals on cameras and photo equipment.The event page is up, but with limited details right now. Check back, or just put this weekend on your calendar for the first weekend in November!
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That's all for now, . I hope you're enjoying the month of August and are spending lots of time outside with your camera. If you get any really awesome shots, feel free to share, post them in this Flickr Group or tag me on social media so I can see them.
Thanks so much for reading and for your support. I can't believe how all of this has evolved during the past few years and I look forward to expanding my teaching avenues even more as we go forward.
Have fun with your camera this week, enjoy my latest blog posts and take care.
-Dan
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