1. Elevation Outdoors Magazine Feb/Mar 2010

Image of Weston Deutschlander at Snowbird, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography on the cover of Elevation Outdoors Magazine

2. Discrete Headwear Catalog 2010/11

Image of Julian Carr at Alta, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography on the cover of the 2010/11 Discrete Headwear Catalog

3. Black Diamond 2010 Trekking Catalog

Image of Joel Welch in Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness by AdamBarkerPhotography in the 2010 Black Diamond Trekking Catalog

Image of Rachel Barker and Joel Welch in Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness by AdamBarkerPhotography in the 2010 Black Diamond Trekking Catalog

4. Outdoor Photographer Magazine Feb/Mar 2010

Image of Julian Carr at Alta, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography in Outdoor Photographer Magazine

5. Backcountry Magazine Mar. 2010

Image of Drew Tabke at Solitude, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography in Backcountry Magazine

6. Skiing Magazine Mar. 2010

Image of Rob Greener at Snowbasin, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography in Skiing Magazine

Image of Antelope Island and Great Salt Lake by AdamBarkerPhotography in Skiing Magazine

7. Mountain Sports & Living Spring 2010

Image of Big Cottonwood Creek, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography in Mountains Sports + Living Magazine

8. Outdoor Photographer Magazine Apr. 2010

Image of Weston Deutschlander in Wasatch Backcountry, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography in Outdoor Photographer Magazine

Architectural image by AdamBarkerPhotography. Shot at Deer Valley Resort with a Singh Ray 2-stop Hard Step Grad ND Filter

To use an overly used term, we, as photographers are taught to “think outside the box”. We are taught to find something different to separate ourselves from those less qualified. I have found that by employing my Singh Ray filters in less conventional situations, I am able to deliver a superior image. Sure, you could use artificial lighting in many of these situations, but filters are far less cumbersome. This post is littered with examples of both the more and less conventional uses of Singh Ray filters. Hopefully, you come away inspired to use your filters in ways you never previously imagined.

This first image (top of the post) was made at Deer Valley Resort, UT. When shooting images for a client, it’s important to understand what message they are trying to send through their imagery. I enjoy shooting architectural work, particularly architectural work in the mountain lifestyle genre. I connect well with this type of imagery because I love and live the mountain lifestyle. I understand what it is people hope for when visiting a world class resort. They hope for cold outside and warm inside. They hope for a larger than life winter wonderland. They hope for cozy, comfortable and TBD (to be discovered).

I am able to convey this feeling by enhancing the warm appearance of the lodge on a cold winter’s eve. A 2-stop hard step Grad ND was used to balance and even slightly darken the sky, giving a natural vignette that draws the eye directly to the lodge. Dusk is a fantastic time to use Grad ND filters, as the rich blue sky is deeply saturated and void of harsh contrast.

Sunrise skiing image of Todd Ligare at Alta Ski Area by AdamBarkerPhotography. Captured with a Singh Ray 3-stop Reverse ND Grad Filter.

This second image embodies two of my life’s greatest pleasures: skiing pow, and the warm, soft glow of first light. Images like this require foresight, preparation and a desire to capture something not many others can. I am a big believer in capturing nothing less than a complete image. There are countless photographers out there who could shoot a similar image, but the sky would simply be void of detail, tone and color.

With my background in scenic photography, I’m always particular about making sure the sky is given its just attention, regardless of whether it is a secondary part of the image or not. I hand held a 3-stop reverse ND Grad on this image to ensure no detail was lost. The result is a pleasing, complete image, with pink light so sweet you could drink it up, and a sky with detail to boot.

There are two key things to remember when shooting an image like this (with a hand held filter): 1) make sure to communicate with your skier as to exactly where you’d like the turn/action to take place. 2) Find the proper position for your filter, and don’t move with the skier—keep your camera steady and resist the urge to pan with the skier. This will ensure your initial filter placement doesn’t get skewed and lend an unnatural look to parts of the image.

Sunset image of Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagon TDI at Saguara National Park by AdamBarkerPhotography. Captured using a Singh Ray 4-stop Reverse ND Grad Filter.

This next image shows a classic commercial scenic image. It’s not too far off from what many of us do when heading out for a standard scenic sunset shoot: find an engaging composition, hope for great sunset light and shoot away.

This image was made during an editorial shoot for Volkswagen’s Das Auto magazine in Saguaro National Park. The art director for the shoot stood there mesmerized as he watched the 4-stop Reverse ND Grad work its magic, effectively bringing the image to life on the liveview display. One thing worth mentioning is the incredible ease that liveview shooting offers us. If your camera has liveview, make a habit of using it! It’s so much easier to pinpoint filter lines, and to see in real time how the filter is balancing out your exposure/histogram.

Architectural image shot at Deer Valley Resort by AdamBarkerPhotography. Captured using a Singh Ray 2-stop soft step Grad ND Filter.

This winter I have been shooting a great deal of architectural imagery. I am a student of existing light (read: I’m terrible with flash photography). Interior lighting can certainly pose some unique challenges when shooting architectural imagery. My preferred time to shoot is at dusk or dawn, when the ambient light balances with the interior light, and you get that soft purple glow in the windows. (Please note that there are countless other ways to shoot architectural imagery, this is simply my preferred method and style).

Even if the exterior/interior light are balanced, however, there still may be hot spots in your image. On a whim, I began using my soft step Grad ND filters to balance out these lighting obstacles. The results were more than pleasing, and before long, I found myself shooting with Grad ND filters inside as much as I do outside. Soft step grads are the perfect filter for this type of imagery as there is little in the way of a defined filter line. Experiment with grad ND filters the next time you shoot interior architectural imagery—it’s much less expensive than an extensive lighting setup, and there’s no setup at all!

Fly fishing image of Andrew Swindle on the Middle Provo River, UT by AdamBarkerPhotography. Captured using a Singh Ray 3-stop Reverse ND Grad Filter.

These last two images demonstrate classic uses of a Reverse ND Grad filter. I am a sunstar fanatic, and have found that with the combination of my 3-stop reverse ND grad and my Canon 16-35mm MkII  (and a bit of help from Mother Nature), I’m able to create dynamic images rich in color and detail, with the added bonus of a sharp, succinct sunstar. The ideal time to capture images like this is right as the sun is either cresting above or dipping below the horizon line.

Scenic image of barrel cactus and sunset at Tucson Mountain Park near Saguaro National Park by AdamBarkerPhotography. Captured using a Singh Ray 4-stop Reverse ND Grad Filter.

The fly fishing image on the Middle Provo River, UT was shot at sunrise. The cactus image, shot in the Tucson Mountain Park was created at sunset. The “perfect opportunity” will last literally just seconds for this type of image, so take special care to find your composition and adjust your camera settings early, allowing yourself to take advantage of the short period of time in which the sun is just hitting that horizon line.  Take special care to stop your lens down to (at least) f16 or so to ensure a tight, defined sunstar.

Regardless of the imagery or circumstance, don’t leave your Singh Ray filters home. As was mentioned earlier in this post, the images may change, but the challenges remain the same. Take your scenic expertise to other genres of imagery and you will find yourself capable of creating magic wherever the camera takes you.

Andy Jacobsen, making sure gravity isn't taking time off the clock at Alta Ski Area during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

In the end, however, the visual and emotional rewards are extremely gratifying. It’s humbling to see what the photographers and athletes are able to produce within such a short window of time. It’s always great to see how other photographers see, and to talk shop with others in the biz. This year we were blessed with a mix of weather conditions and what seemed like consistently good (and at times exceptional) snow. The talent pool of athletes here across the Wasatch Front is staggering, and it’s always cool to see how many top level athletes call SLC home.

Photographer Mike Schirf lines things up at Snowbird during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

While I spend the majority of my time documenting the event for awards slideshows and the like, I do search for differing angles from which I can shoot some of my own imagery during the week. Check out the images in this post  for a peek at the action, and I’ll be sure to post a link to the Shootout site as soon as we have the winning images uploaded.

Carston Oliver enjoys a break in the action at Snowbird during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Julian Carr, making the best of late light and fresh pow at Alta Ski Area during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Norwegian photographer Erlend Haugen captures Cody Barnhill at Snowbird during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Carston Oliver, just before the hurt at Snowbird during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Julian Carr checks his takeoff at Alta Ski Area during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Andy Jacobsen sends it at Alta Ski Area during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Jared Allen takes a break from/for the camera at Brighton Resort during the 2010 Ski Salt Lake Shootout.

Sunset, Entlebuch, Switzerland 1997

I was hanging out at my parents house the other day when I went downstairs, down the hallway that led to my old room. On the way, I noticed my first print “exhibit” on the wall. Placed there nearly 15 years ago, this was a veritable blast from the past, and one I couldn’t help but study and ponder. Wow–talk about photography 101! I gazed at the images sheepishly, wondering what I was thinking with the blown highlights here, centered composition there and numerous other nitpicks in between. And then it hit me–I wasn’t thinking. I was simply shooting.

Sunset, Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 1997

It was a simpler time during my senior year in high school. I had taken my only photography class the year before and had learned just enough to operate my father’s old Canon FTB. It was a literal aluminum tank that hung from my neck, with a light meter that bounced up and down in an unsure motion as I panned across shadows and highlights. To this day, that photography class at Highland High School remains my only formal education on a medium that would one day define my career. Who knew? I certainly didn’t.

Fall color, Mill Creek Canyon, UT 1996

This is less of a “look at me now” post, and much more of a “look where I started” reflection. The simple truth is this: we all start at the same place. A place unfamiliar, curious and rarely comfortable. It’s an insecure place, where one is pestered by self doubt and a lack of knowledge. Conversely, however, this place also bursts with a desire to create and explore. It’s a place illuminated by the glimmer that comes from rounding every unknown bend, and returning with a new morsel of skill or knowledge…

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 1997

Times have changed a great deal since I first picked up a “real” camera. Film has been replaced to a large degree by digital sensor. Notepads with scribblings of apertures, shutter speeds and focal lengths have been replaced by high tech programs that record it all for you at the click of the shutter. Entry level cameras can do more now than the best pro cameras could ever dream of mustering 15 years ago. One factor, however, remains the same. Creativity, passion and the will to achieve can never be replaced or switched out. They are the photographic foundation that will never crumble.

Sunset, Lake Powell, UT 1996

Think about where you started. Maybe it was ten, fifteen, or even twenty five years ago. Maybe it was yesterday. Remember not what you didn’t know then. Rather, remember that all you knew was that clicking the shutter brought mystery and joy and crazy, care free satisfaction. What a cool thing…

Winter sunset over Big Cottonwood Creek, UT

You know what I’m talking about. Why do you photograph?

Whether a green amateur or a full time pro, you have to ask yourself now and again why it is that you create imagery. Is it for money? Love? Cyber back-pats? Creative survival? What is it?

As I’ve transitioned from casual amateur to serious hobbyist to full time pro over the years, I’ve thought long and hard about why I photograph. The motivating factor has changed across the years,  from a carefree occupier of time, to a burning desire to improve, to a simple desire to prove (something to someone, somewhere, anywhere) to a means of putting food on the table for my family. In the end, however, the simple answer is this: I NEED TO PHOTOGRAPH. It is every bit as much a part of me as my fingers typing this very blog post.

Within every true creative, there is a relentless desire to…create. A feeling akin to that of an athlete’s muscles aching to be used and abused, this hunger to create is innate and restless unless satiated on a frequent basis. It matters not whether there are stock requests to fulfill, commercial clients to satisfy or workshops to teach. At a certain point, you must ask yourself why you do it. If the answer isn’t one of creative necessity and passion, then when it gets bad, you won’t have enough to keep going.

I think many a pro would be lying if they said there wasn’t a glamour factor to it all.  Yes, it’s great to get compliments and adoration and words of encouragement, but that won’t sustain a photographer through the peaks and valleys. The image above was one of, if not my very first five-star shot. If you’ve followed my work, you’ve likely seen it many times before. I can remember the feeling I had when I uploaded the images of my CF card and saw it on the computer screen. I was elated. And yes, I still get that feeling every time I go out to shoot and come back with a keeper.

Ask yourself why you do it. Hopefully you discover a truth you may not have known before. And hopefully, that truth fuels your photographic fire for years and years.

Landscape photographer Adam Barker has partnered with M&M Photo Tours as a guest pro at numerous workshops for 2010 including several National Parks and a "Best of Italy" tour.

Adam Barker to Partner as Guest Pro with M&M Photo Tours

Tours Include National Parks and Italy

Salt Lake City (January 2010) – Award-winning landscape photographer and noted educator Adam Barker has partnered with M&M Photo Tours as the “guest pro” at numerous photo tours/workshops for 2010. Workshop locations include iconic National Parks such as Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Arches National Park as well a “Best of Italy” tour.

Says Barker, “There truly is no better way to progress one’s photography than by visiting internationally recognized locations with experienced professionals for a fun, immersive educational experience.”

Adds Mike Gulbraa of M&M Photo Tours, “We are excited to welcome Adam Barker to our guest pro list which includes National Geographic and Canon Explorers of Light photographers.  We welcome his skills and keen sense of creativity & artistry to our workshops and Italy tour.  We are certain that Adam’s vast skills and expertise in teaching workshops and interacting with all levels of photographers will bring both M&M and Adam new experiences and appreciation for our art, while providing excellent education and resources to the workshop/tour attendees”.

Barker will lead a total of six workshops/tours for 2010 as follows:

• Page & Monument Valley — May 6-9, 2010
• Best of Italy Tour – May 15-24, 2010
• South Rim of Grand Canyon — June 6-9, 2010
• Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Park — July 6-9, 2010
• Zion & Bryce National Parks — August 1-4, 2010
• Arches National Park — October 4-7, 2010

For workshop details and itineraries, visit M&M Photo Tours at mmphototours.com

About AdamBarkerPhotography

Raised amongst the towering peaks of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, Adam Barker has a passion for photography matched only by his zest for life. His affable nature, coupled with his workshop and seminar experience has helped many photographers to take their photographic endeavors to the next level. Obsessed with golden light and unforgettable vistas, his landscapes have sold as limited edition fine art prints to private and corporate collectors throughout the United States. His love affair with exceptional imagery has translated into stirring editorial work in skiing, fly fishing and numerous other lifestyle and adventure publications including Outdoor Photographer, Skiing, Ski, Powder, The Drake, USA Today, American Angler and many more. To find out more about Barker and view his work, visit AdamBarkerPhotography.com.

About M&M Photo Tours

Mike Gulbraa and Mike Montgomery established M&M Photo Tours to answer the call of photo enthusiasts with a knack for photographing the wonders of the world with the best instructors around. Both published and award-winning photographers themselves, the Mikes offer a wealth of travel experience in addition to their photographic foundations. Having traveled to over 150 countries on all continents and speaking several languages between them, their tour expertise is unmatched. Visit mmphototours.com for a complete list of photo tours and workshops for 2010.

Contacts:

AdamBarkerPhotography

Adam Barker

adam@adambarkerphotography.com

801-550-9141

www.AdamBarkerPhotography.com

M&M Photo Tours

Mike Gulbraa

mikeg@mmphototours.com

801-652-9316

mmphototours.com

]]> http://www.adambarkerphotography.com/blog/2010-workshops-new-partnership-with-mm-photo-tours/feed/ 0 http://www.adambarkerphotography.com/blog/vancouver-olympic-city-revealed/ http://www.adambarkerphotography.com/blog/vancouver-olympic-city-revealed/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:58:45 +0000 Adam http://www.adambarkerphotography.com/blog/?p=852 I’ve had opportunity to visit the city of Vancouver, Canada several times in the past couple of years. As far as big cities go, I think it’s one of the coolest around. It buzzes with culture and is a melting pot of people, food and lifestyle. Given the fact that Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games here in the next month or so, I thought I’d post up a couple of images from my travels there, along with some interesting tidbits about this coastal hub.

Vancouver is surrounded by water from three sides. Its climate is one of the mildest in Canada not only because it is on the south side of Canada, but more because of Pacific Ocean and the prevailing south easterly winds that keeps Vancouver mild and damp.

Vancouver is very rich with parks having close to 200 parks including well known Stanley Park of Vancouver City (pictured here).

Vancouver was rated the best in the world for quality of life in 2001. Pictured here is False Creek Bay.

Vancouver is North America's second largest Port (in tonnage & physical size - after New York) and one of the worlds major cruise ship ports.

Vancouver is Canada's 3rd largest city (Toronto is 1st and Montreal 2nd) with an area population of 2 to 2.6 million.

False Creek Bay (pictured here) is a quiet residential area along the water and it’s also home to the Olympic Village.

The Lions Gate Bridge has become of landmark of Vancouver and the North Shore. In 1986 the Guinness family, as a gift to Vancouver, purchased decorative lights that make it a distinctive nighttime landmark. In July 2009, the bridge's lighting system was updated with new LED lights to replace this existing system of 100-watt mercury vapour bulbs. The switch to LEDs is expected to reduce power consumption on the bridge by 90 per cent and save the Province about $30,000 a year in energy and maintenance costs. With the new LED bulbs, which are designed to last 12 years, it could be a decade before any work crew is called out to do a replacement.

Vancouver has the highest proportion (per capita) of Asians of any North American city. This makes for a great selection of Oriental restaurants. It has one of the largest and oldest Chinatowns in North America.

Image 1: Julian Carr skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

Earlier this week we were blessed with a bounty of blower (read: ridiculously light Utah powder) here in the Wasatch. It was the first day of shooting skiing for me this season, and it did not disappoint. There are some days where most everything goes right, and this just happened to be one of those days.

Image 2: Jen Hudak skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

Anyone that has ever attempted to shoot fast and unpredictable action knows well the challenges of coming away with a sharp image. It’s hard enough to frame it up exactly as you’d like, let alone focus. Any athlete that has ever shot with me knows my typical response when I see something I like on my camera LCD display–”that will be killer if it’s sharp”. IF IT’S SHARP….

Nowadays, the auto focus systems on pro (and even some prosumer) cameras are so advanced that it’s tough to screw things up. That said, it still happens, and it always seems to happen to the shot or frame that you wanted the most. There are a few things we can do as photographers to nail the shot every time. When shooting skiing, there are essentially two techniques I use to focus. I will use a focus tracking method where I’m utilizing the auto focus in my camera throughout the image sequence and at other times I may pre-focus on a specific spot where I’ve directed the athlete to go. Both techniques work well in certain situations–some better than others.

Image 3: Carlo Travarelli skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

Focus Tracking

Focus tracking works well when:

a) the athlete is moving towards or away from you at a rapid pace

b) you’re not sure where the climactic action will occur OR there are a number of images throughout the action sequence that you may want as keepers

c) there could be confusion between you and the athlete as to where exactly it is you’d like them to turn, air, etc.

d) generally speaking, the athlete will not remain parallel to the focal plane throughout the sequence

*Note: As a Canon shooter, I focus with my AF-On button instead of my shutter button. This allows the camera to continue micro-adjusting focus as the shutter clicks away.

*Note #2: It is best to manually select a focus zone in your camera. Place that focus zone over the part of the athlete you’d like in focus (most often the face). I typically start “tracking” focus about two seconds or so before I start clicking the shutter.

Image 4: Julian Carr skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

Pre Focus

Pre focus works well when:

a) you have a specific, mutually understood spot (between you and the athlete) where the climactic action will occur

b) the athlete is maintaining approximate equal distance from the focal plane throughout the action sequence

c) you’re shooting at infinity focus–in particular, this pertains to long lens, big line shots where the athlete is a great distance away OR wide angle shots where you’re shooting at infinity

d) there may be anything present (obstacles, weird lighting, atmospheric conditions) that would confuse your auto focus (there are ways to tweak your AF system so it doesn’t get thrown off as easily with things like this)

* Note that pre-focusing requires precise explanation and understanding on the part of the photographer and athlete as to where the action should occur. Generally speaking, the longer you have worked with an athlete, the better you will understand each other, and the more confident you will feel that the athlete can nail the spot on which you’ve pre-focused. Additionally, it’s wise to use larger apertures when possible, thus giving yourself and the athlete a margin for error across the focal plane if for some reason they are a bit closer or further away than the spot you mentioned.

Image 5: Julian Carr skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

So. Contest time. I’ve included images throughout this post from shooting at Alta Ski Area on New Year’s Eve Day. I have a super cool Clik Elite medium lens pouch (great for wide angle zooms or moderate primes) and t-shirt for the first person that can correctly state which focusing technique was used on each image in this post. The contest will end on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Good luck!

Image 6: Julian Carr skis fresh Utah powder at Alta Ski Area

Edit: Here’s the link for the DVD Pre-order: http://masterphotodvd.com/site/catalog/dvds/mastering-the-art-of-landscape-filters

1. Feature story in Jan/Feb issue of Outdoor Photographer on Shooting Black & White photography in winter

Winter Black & White Photography article by photographer Adam Barker in Outdoor Photographer magazine

Winter Black & White Photography article by photographer Adam Barker in Outdoor Photographer magazine

Winter Black & White Photography article by photographer Adam Barker in Outdoor Photographer magazine

2. Table of Contents in Jan/Feb issue of American Angler

Image of anglers Matt Warner and Nick Granato by photographer Adam Barker in American Angler magazine

3. Gallery image in Winter issue of Mountain Sport + Living

Image of skier Rob Greener by photographer Adam Barker in Mountain Sports + Living Magazine

4. Ad, Singh Ray Filters

Singh Ray Filters ad featuring image and text by photographer Adam Barker

5. Publisher’s Page, Flyfish Journal (premier issue)

Image of angler Bryan Gregson by photographer Adam Barker in the Flyfish Journal

6. Elevation Outdoors

Image of skier Daryn Edmunds by photographer Adam Barker in Elevation Outdoors magazine.