Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Matterhorn Cloud Cap & Reflection - Switzerland

 

Late morning in the Swiss Alps on this day last October was truly beauty defined. Yellow Larch trees (thank you Cynth Barnes) and an amazing turquoise Grindjesee Lake proved to be this color photographers dream subject. A little secret I can let you in on… I view photos from this location anytime I want to take a break from my hectic schedule and unwind. I lucked out witnessing this view when the lake was incredibly still. The only time the lake was disturbed was when a fish would snap at an insect on the waters surface. Calm and serene… definitely a moment cherished. On that note I hope each and everyone of you reading my blog have a great weekend and you too find your moment of serenity and beauty to photograph.

Technorati Tags: Switzerland, Matterhorn, travel, stock photo, photography, mountain, landscape, photo, fall color, Grindjesee Lake, beauty, serenity

As a follow up to Why Social Media Matters to Photographers I wanted to share some key information about Social Media connectivity I’ve learned during my time as a web marketing professional.  In fact I’d like to delicately introduce you to the “birds and bees” of Social Media connectivity.

When a content publisher loves his work he gently places…

Yeah well I can see that analogy isn’t going to work. So after your blushed cheeks clear keep reading and hold on to your hat. Read more…

Most people think of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc.) as only a channel of chatter amplifying noise of millions of people or just a “fun” activity for those with too much idle time. Social Media in fact provides a means to reach a pinpoint audience in ways never before possible. As a photographer who has been sharing his work online since web browsers could first display images I’ve seen the Internet evolve both in good and bad ways. Social Media represents one of the most positive points of the Internets on going evolution.

You say you have a a web site or share your photography on forums and that’s just fine by you? Let me share with you why Social Media platforms, particularly Twitter, are something to be embraced by photographers rather than discounted as pure distraction. Think you can handle the truth!? Read more…

I hope everyone here in the U.S. had a great 3-day weekend. No rest for the wicked. Rather than venture out I decided to catch up on photos and churned through another 300 new images from Switzerland. While I photographed a variety of subjects I can’t help but get a chuckle out of my cow portraits. These photos were a pet project of mine, while I was capturing a variety of landscape, nature and travel photos.

Taking A Closer Look - A curious cow wearing a large bell in Grindelwald, Switzerland

The interaction between man and domesticated animals seemed to be quite different in Switzerland than what I’m accustomed to seeing here in the U.S. Tough to say if that is truly the case. It could just be the difference of green pastures versus muddy fields. The cows were generally curious and friendly. Some were rather shy, but can you blame them. Most wanted to take a bite of my lens if not take a lick. The sound of the shutter was enough to make them look twice and/or take a step back.

Cow Encounter - A wide perspective of a curious cow in Grindelwald, Switzerland

What pitfalls were there in taking photos of cows in Switzerland you ask? Electric fences. I was lucky I never got zapped. I was often leaning over or under the electric fences with only an inch or so to spare. That’s just the price you have to pay to photograph cows with a fisheye lens. Numerous photos and zero electrical shocks… that spells success in my book.

If you’re curious be sure to check out more of my Switzerland Travel Photos.

Technorati Tags: Photography, Stock, Photo, Switzerland, Travel, Cow, portrait

Going through an older set of images I came across this photo of Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite National Park. This was taken from the tunnel lookout off Highway 41 as you enter Yosemite valley just as a hint of sun made its way through the clouds of a disintegrating storm. Usually I’m never short of words when it comes to photographs, but I can’t really say why I like this. Perhaps its the lighting and muted contrast… or maybe I should focus less on words and more on enjoying the photo for what it is and what feelings & memories it evokes.

I suppose there in lies the core of my post today… with all the rushing around we do sometimes its nice to stop thinking and just look at a photo. This back to basics thought comes to mind because I’ve been rushing around like a madman as of late trying to catch up on a variety of projects. While I hope others enjoy this photo as much as I do… I’m going to be a little selfish today posting this photo strictly for me.

Have a photo that you’ve posted for selfish enjoyment… that you like for yourself? Point me to it in the comments below. I’m sure I’m not the only one that could use another image to enjoy as an escape from my daily rush.

Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite

Technorati Tags: Yosemite, National Park, stock photo, landscape, photography, Bridalveil Fall, waterfall

While visiting Switzerland last Fall I was happy to have arrived in Interlaken during peak Fall color. The forests of Switzerland combined with the majestic snow covered mountains were a sight to see. Fortunately for me and perhaps you, my camera was never far from reach. Thanks to nature’s wide variety of Fall color even the most common activities, such as a train crossing a bridge, was transformed into something special. Many of my photos are slowly making their way to my web site so if you’re interested in seeing more be sure to check out my other Switzerland stock photos.

FYI photos from Switzerland aren’t the only new photos on my site. Be sure to check out my latest new stock and fine art photography from time to time and let me know if anything catches your eye.

Golden Pass Train to Interlaken, Switzerland

Photographed above is the famous Golden Pass Panoramic train crossing a bridge before diving back into a dense forest on its way to Interlaken, Switzerland.

Technorati Tags: photography, travel, stock photo, Switzerland, Europe, train, autumn, fall color, Golden Pass Panoramic, GoldenPass, Interlaken

You’ve reached the peak of a small mountain. On your left is an eagle hovering in the wind with golden light illuminating its face, eyes and feathers. On your right is an amazing sunset with a scattering of clouds glowing red and orange yielding an amazing landscape photo opportunity. Do you photograph the eagle or the landscape?

Hit the rewind button…

You’re hiking on a trail you’ve never been on to reach the peak of a small mountain in the hope of taking a great landscape photo. Unfortunately you don’t know how much longer the trail is and the light is approaching the magic hour. To your left is a small trail leading off the main path to a lake you can see. You could make it to this location in 15 minutes giving you ample time to set up your tripod and camera to catch great light on the landscape. Which path do you take for the sake of ensuring you get a photo at sunset?

You get the idea by now. Photography from the time you wake up to the time you fall asleep is like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. To capture a solid photo or make a sound business decision you have to make a series of well informed decisions based on experience and knowledge. Luck is for the unlucky. Great photos and great business decisions come from planning, scouting, studying your subject material/competitors/industry and being prepared. In essence you always have to be prepared to weigh the pros and cons of every decision in route to capture a photo and this is also true for making photo business decisions as well. What is the opportunity cost? Read more…

One of the many things I love about wildlife photography is finding an animal to photograph that is so interesting it’s hard to take your eye off of them. One of such creature that I photographed during my recent trip to Costa Rica was the Vine Snake (Oxybelis fulgidus). The intensity of green color in this snakes scales is like nothing I’ve seen before. Not necessarily evident in this photo is that the shape of its head is nearly identical to the most common leaf shape in Costa Rica making it well camouflaged. This camouflage helps it hide from predators and hunt other animals. This is certainly one of the more amazing animals I’ve seen let alone photographed.

Vine Snake (Oxybelis fulgidus), Costa Rica

Technorati Tags: photography, stock photo, Vine Snake, Oxybelis fulgidus, reptile, wildlife