Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Fitting quote for the week as we wrap up a week here in the United States commemorating the life of Martin Luther King Jr.:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Break in the Storm, White Sands National Monument - New Mexico

If you ever show up to a location you’ve had your heart set on to photograph only to find that the weather isn’t up to your expectation this photo is a reminder to clear your mind of preconceived ideas and start fresh. Mother Nature always has a way of revealing a facet of her beauty, you just have to be open minded enough to see it.

Technorati Tags: landscape, nature, photography, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument

2011 was a fun year to be behind the camera. I was very lucky to witness some breathtaking moments and round out some projects that made their way into my eBook. As was the case in 2010 it is impossible to rank my best photos like I had been in years past (best photos of 2010, best photos of 2009, best photos of 2008 and best photos of 2007).  So in no particular order here are my 10 favorite photos taken in 2011. Enjoy and feel free to let me know if you have a favorite!

Portrait of Blake
Technically this is my 11th selection, consider it an honorable mention. I had to include a picture of Blake with a big smile for reasons you’ll later understand as you scroll down.

Portrait of Blake

Ecliptic Star Trails – Nature and Landscape Photography by Jim M. Goldstein
I took several star trail photos in Death Valley National Park this year, but this is one that really stood out for me. Being able to photograph the curvature of the stars as they approach both poles was a real highlight of my October Death Valley Photo Tour. I’m looking forward to sharing the incredible night skies here with those in my February Death Valley Photo Tour. I still have room if you want to join me..

Ecliptic Star Trails

Road to the Sun View, Glacier National Park
Being atop the northern Rocky mountain range always yields dramatic views. Wafting clouds through a glacially carved valley made this view extra special from the Road to the Sun in Glacier National Park.

Road to the Sun View, Glacier National Park

Lunar Rainbow (Moonbow) at Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park
Water levels were at record levels during my visit to Yosemite in June. As a result the waterfalls were flowing at a greater capacity than I’ve ever seen before. This made photographing moonbows a lot easier. In this instance I was being drenched from the mist, but it was so worth it. In April and June I return to hunt for Yosemite moonbows during two phototours.

Lunar Rainbow (Moonbow) at Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

Racetrack Star Trails
The Racetrack in Death Valley is dramatic enough, but adding star trails takes it to a new level. This was a 4 hour exposure resulting in nearly 60 degrees of rotation in the sky.

Racetrack Star Trails

Trying Moments
Remember that smiling photo of Blake at the beginning of the post. I didn’t want you to think he’s unhappy all the time. He’s a super happy kid. That being said even happy kids have their unhappy moments. I thought this moment was very telling of how challenging it is to be a parent sometimes.

Trying Moments

Stormy Sunrise, Glacier National Park
This fiery sunrise developed as quickly as it vanished. This fleeting moment was magical, but fear not I also took a time-lapse of it (see below).

Stormy Sunrise, Glacier National Park

With a bonus time-lapse:

Sunrise at Wild Goose Island Lookout from Jim Goldstein on Vimeo.

Rendezvous – Racetrack, Death Valley National Park
The mystery of the moving rocks on the Racetrack always fascinate people. Seeing two rocks paths on the verge of intersecting was particularly cool as it left me wondering how long it would be before they meet.

Rendezvous - Racetrack, Death Valley National Park

360° View of Star Trails Above the Racetrack
Ever wonder what the entire visible night sky would look like as a star trail photo? So did I so I made this photo with a Canon 8-15m lens that Borrowlenses.com (the best online lens rental store) made available to me for my trip. At the top of the circle is the eastern mountains that skirt the Racetrack playa. At the bottom of the screen are the western mountains that skirt the Racetrack playa. The small version of this image doesn’t do it justice so be sure to click the image to see a slightly larger version.

360 Degree View of Star Trails Above the Racetrack, Death Valley National Park

Under the Rainbow, Maui
In mid-December we took a family vacation to Maui. This was one of the more magical moments. I couldn’t believe how gigantic this rainbow was.

Under the Rainbow, Maui

Milky Way Over Death Valley (180° Panoramic)
This is a 70 megapixel 180° panoramic photo of the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon above the Racetrack Playa. There is nothing more humbling than seeing an infinite number of stars in the sky. Again this has to be seen large so you may want to check in on my Google+ stream to see it.

Milky Way Over Death Valley (180° Panoramic)

Technorati Tags: best photos, best of 2011, photography, pictures, fine art, stock photo, White Sands National Monument, Glacier National Park, Death Valley, landscape, nature

It seems like only yesterday, but it back in October I had the privilege of taking some great folks out to the Racetrack in Death Valley National Park. We had a blast even considering temperatures were unseasonably low, dipping well below freezing. The trip was timed to take advantage of the new moon in order to get in some great night photography. Those who joined me took full advantage of the dark skies to take some amazing star trail, Milky Way and light painting photos. Below you’ll find 3 photos from each participant.

If Death Valley is on your list of locations to visit and photograph join me on my next Death Valley Photo Tour (February 18-21, 2012). Space is still available.

From left to right: Rebecca R. Jackrel, Glenn Maslen, Maurice Moore, David Sharp, Tom Keenan, Russell Brown and Jim M. Goldstein

Russell Brown

Tom Keenan

Glenn Maslen

Maurice Moore

David Sharp

Click to Enlarge

Rebecca R. Jackrel (Co-Lead)

Click to Enlarge

Technorati Tags: photography, photo tour, Death Valley, National Park

Update: See the results – Best Photos of 2011 by JMG-Galleries Blog Readers

As has become a tradition on the JMG-Galleries blog I’d like to invite you to take part in the 5th annual best photos of the year blog project. This is by far my most popular blog project. Year over year this project has continued to see a 30% increase in participation with last years participation hitting 162 participants (see Best Photos of 2010, Best Photos of 2009, Best Photos of 2008 and Best Photos of 2007). As happened last year people have been curious to know if I’d be running this project again. The answer clearly is YES! I love this project and I love that so many people get excited about it. So with out any further delay here is how you take part.

How to Participate (Read Carefully)

1. Review & select your top photos from 2011.
   Note: Photo edit carefully narrowing down your results to your best 10 or 5 photos. Reference Pro Tips: Photo Editing with Gary Crabbe for pointers.
2. Create a blog post on your web site or a Flickr/500px set containing your top photos from 2011.
3. Complete the form below by Saturday JANUARY 7th at 11:59PM PST to take part. The following Tuesday I’ll post a link to all submitted sites and photos.

Spread the Word!
Feel free to spread the word of this project on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, photo forums you frequent and/or your blogs. All who are interested in taking part are invited.

Thanks again for taking part and spreading word of this years Best Photos of 2011 blog project.

Today I’m releasing my first eBook in PDF format titled:
Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time
Slow Shutter & Video Techniques for High Impact Photography

Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time is a practical guide to 7 slow shutter and video techniques for photographers of all skill levels. Step-by-step technique overviews, tips, gear info, informative videos and inspirational resources will help you improve your photography both technically and creatively. Topics that will put you on the fast track to creating high impact images include long exposures, light painting, star trails, cinemagraphs, time-lapse photography and more.

Get inspired and learn great photography techniques that will have you eagerly waiting to head out with your camera on your next photo shoot. To reinforce the highlighted techniques on your next photo shoot, Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time also includes a Field Checklist enabling you to reference the great information within the eBook on the go.

Download your copy of the PDF eBook at InspiredExposure.com

Discount Codes
Photographing the 4th Dimension – Time is now available for PDF download for $20, or pay just $15 if you use the coupon code IEPT5.
This code expires Saturday December 10, 2011 at 11:59pm (PST).

Become an Affiliate and earn 35% on each sale

Today Adobe has opened a pop-up store called “Photoshop & You” here in San Francisco near Union Square. The store is open from Saturday, July 23 through Saturday, August 6 and is going to be a hub of some amazing events:
Photoshop & You Schedule of Activities

I was able to check out the “Photoshop & You” store at the VIP opening last night and it’s really cool. See photos below.

The pop-up store is home to some very cool image installations including a large display of Bert Monroy’s “Time Square” famous for being the largest Photoshop file containing 750000 layers! (Pano of it with Robert Scoble saying “Hi”) In addition the store will be a central hub for educational events and social activities. The back room is dedicated to Russell Brown’s Extreme Imaging Lab where there is laser etching, t-shirt screening and large format printing.

You can check out the Photoshop & You pop-up store at…
Location: 550 Sutter Street, San Francisco CA 94102

Extreme Imaging Lab

Technorati Tags: Photoshop, Adobe, activities, San Francisco, California

Nothing says White Sands National Monument in New Mexico like the iconic Soaptree Yucca plants that litter the dunescape.  The photo below was taken just after sunset in the blue hour under a rising full moon. Surprisingly it is quite a challenge to find a nicely isolated Soaptree Yucca plant in the dunes. While searching for the right yucca, in the right orientation and at the right time I discovered many cool features of the desert including amazing dunes, yardangs (eroded dune formations), textures,  more textures, and rediscovered it all again at night and then resumed my search the following day.   Fortunately Yucca plants are but one of numerous subject in White Sands. If you’re interested in exploring White Sands I’ll be returning there in mid-October to make use of the full moon once again in my White Sands Phototour. Personally I can’t wait.

Iconic White Sands National Monument Landscape with Soaptree Yucca plants (Yucca elata)

Technorati Tags: photography, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, Soaptree Yucca, plant, Yucca elata, stock photo, stock picture, fine art

I had the good fortune of working with nature photography icon William Neill to develop an iPad version of his book William Neill’s Yosemite Volume One. I can tell you it was a real treat being able to work with William as I’ve long been a fan of his photography and writing in Outdoor Photography. Even better was being able to review his work in close detail as I worked on his app and now you can too. Unlike the PDF of his eBook this version allows you to zoom into see his photographs in crystal clear detail.

If you haven’t already be sure to buy a copy of William’s latest released and let him know how you like it.

If you’re curious to hear what others think of his iPad version of his eBook check out the following review:

A Brave New World of eBooks – Guy Tal

Technorati Tags: photography, ipad, app, William Neill, Yosemite