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[Editor's Note:  Alice has a knack for finding the most interesting places to photograph, here is another one.  In addition, I can tell you from personal experience that, she finds the most interesting restaurants - you'll understand when you get to the bottom of the article, I suggest you take her up on the offer!]

It’s winter in the northern hemisphere, which means the days are shorter and the weather is cooler. For those of us who also work, that means fewer daylight hours with variable weather for photography.  It also means perfect museum weather with none of the accompanied guilt that you’ve spent the entire day indoors.

Leafy sea dragon, copyright Monterey Bay Aquarium

I took a day trip down to California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, an award winning aquarium in the San Francisco Bay Area.   Almost 2 million people visit each year, a testament to how amazing this place is.  It also presents an interesting challenge to photographers.  I find that weekends are inundated with families and children running amok, and weekdays in general are easier for getting closer to the aquarium glass for photography.  I am crowd-averse, so I try to go at non-peak days and hours.

The aquarium is located right on the Monterey shoreline at Cannery Row, and actually pumps in and circulates back Monterey Bay ocean water from the Pacific, along with its nourishing plankton, 24 hours a day (2000 gallons a minute!).   This allows most of the aquarium to functionally be ecologically similar to the ocean that would normally house these extraordinary creatures. It also permits the aquarium to show exhibits that are rarely seen in any other part of the world, like the thriving California kelp forest.

Kelp Forest exhibit

Sea Pens

Among other popular exhibits are the jellyfish, seahorses, sea otters, and the Open Sea exhibit. The 1-million gallon Open Sea exhibit houses animals found in the outer bay such as sharks, giant green sea turtles, and tuna, and truly mesmerizing to behold. There are daily feedings at each of the major exhibits multiple times per day, and this is always interesting to watch. (or if you’re like me, you take advantage of that moment to photograph nearby exhibits that have been abandoned for the feeding show!)

Open Sea Exhibit, copyright Monterey Bay Aquarium

Weedy Sea Dragon

The captivating jellies

The aptly named Egg-drop jelly

Photography is encouraged at the aquarium, with the important exception of flash photography. Some animals are sensitive to flash photography and this is prohibited at the exhibits. If you did use flash, most of the time you’d end up with glare from the glass anyhow! The exhibits are generally very well lit, and as long as you can push your way past the throngs of children (nicely), you are virtually guaranteed a good shot!

Seahorse

Leopard Shark

Even if you don’t have the opportunity to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium soon, check out the aquariums, zoos, and wildlife exhibits near your home.  You’d be surprised at how much biodiversity there is in the world around you if you stopped and looked.  If you do get a chance to visit Monterey, however, make sure to stop by neighboring Carmel, filled with beautiful vistas, the famous 17-mile drive, quaint B&Bs, and culinary genius.  It’s also quite dog-friendly for you pooch lovers out there who can’t bear to leave Fido at home.  I’m happy to share my favorite restaurants with you- if you do go, enjoy the visit!  Your winter will pass by that much more quickly!

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Behind the Lens is a new series that allows you to learn a bit more about your favorite FYP Writers.  While we know your enjoy their articles, sometimes you just want to know what makes them tick!  We are pleased to provide that insight for you.

Hugh Walker is an amateur photographer who lives on the beautiful island paradise of Barbados with his wife, Cheryl and 14 year old daughter, Giselle. Photography is a family affair for the Walkers; Hugh’s wife and daughter being award winning photographers, having both won numerous medals and special prizes at the annual Barbados National Independence Festival of Creative Arts. As Hugh put it: “We have a healthy family competition going on and so far I am losing to the ladies”. However, Hugh is not to be outdone by the family, having won silver and gold medals as well and special prizes in Architectural, and Black & White photography.

Hugh has a passion for landscape photography and one of his greatest dreams is to have the opportunity to travel to exotic locations and be exposed to a wide variety of landscape scenarios. In late 2010 he took one such memorable trip to the Grand Canyon. His comment about the trip being “The temperature was about 5 degrees below zero and there is this guy from the Caribbean, with an insane smile on his face, shooting everything in sight an loving it! It was a dream come true”.

Besides landscape photography he has dabbled a bit with portrait photography. Hugh is however drawn to architecture and abstract photography. There is something about the lines of a building that intrigues him. Each building has a character that has been developed through the design elements used by the architect, and he loves to try to find it and demonstrate it in an artistic manner.

Hugh loves to create images that are dramatic in nature; his point of view is that “We see the ordinary every day in our lives and I strongly believe that the images we create should not be ordinary, but should attempt to take the viewer to another place”. Hugh embraces colour, but loves black and white. His initial exposure to photography was in the era of film and the wet dark room . “Black & white was the medium we used because we could not afford to process colour, because of the cost of the chemicals and papers. We had full control of the black and white process, from developing to printing”. Today he embraces the digital tools, especially Adobe Lightroom and the Nik suite of plugins. His favorite tool is Nick Silver Effects Pro which he finds is best at black and white conversion.

When it comes to equipment Hugh has a foot in both of the major camps. He shoots both Nikon and Canon. Some may think this is strange but he finds that both have their weakness and strengths and that being slavishly tied to one system does not fit his profile. Favorite lens are the Canon 100mm f 2.8 L macro, and 70 -200 f2.8l and the Nikon 16-85 VR . Favorite software products are Adobe Lightroom and Nik Silver Effects Pro.

Hugh’s work can be found online at his portfolio site  http://Art4life.zenfolio.com

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Everglades, copyright Tito Trelles

The Everglades have always sounded exotic and alluring to me.   In my mind, “Everglades” conjured up images of green swamps, alligators, and me speeding along in an airboat wearing a pair of those fancy earmuffs.  I was always glued to those National Geographic specials on TV, and made a mental note to visit there someday.

A few years ago, when I came upon the exquisite fine art images of the Everglades by photographer Tito Trelles in his “Almost Full Moon” and “Caretakers of Paradise” series, I was inspired, absolutely sold, and immediately started planning a trip out there.  Photography can be quite persuasive…

Tree in the Everglades, copyright Tito Trelles

Kat Villari in the "Caretakers of Paradise" series, copyright Tito Trelles

Everglades National Park in Florida protects the southern 25 percent of the Everglades.  The park is comprised of wetlands that are maintained by a slow-moving river from Lake Okeechobee. (slow as in moving 0.25 miles per day!)  Hundreds of species of birds thrive in this fragile ecosystem.  Several threatened species also call the Everglades their home, including the elusive Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the West Indian manatee.  The entrance to the National Park is only about 1.5 hours drive from Miami, so it made a great, easy day trip.

Upon first glance, the Everglades was an endless sea of grass capped by a moody, cloudy sky.  On closer inspection, there was actually even more grass than I originally thought, and sometimes the occasional bush.  But on foot, camera in hand, sauntering along the well-marked walking path, I began to see a whole living world in the water and between the blades of grass that I never would have discovered by airboat or by plane.

Double-crested cormorant

Fresh catch, anhinga

I spent one afternoon in Shark Valley, wandering the paved trail with my husband.  We figured it’d be a leisurely walk, but it was much longer than we had originally anticipated.  It was actually a 15 mile long path and the sun fried us to a golden crisp.  Not a good place to forget your sunblock!  Those tan lines persisted for almost two years, no joke.  Nevertheless, there was plenty to see, alligators in every direction, turtles, and birds galore.  The next time I do this trail, I am renting a bicycle!  There was the occasional tourist and their young child getting far too close to the gators (there is nothing blocking gators from crossing the path, it’s not a zoo, folks!).  I’d suggest a good zoom lens instead of risking your hand and the resulting $20K hand surgery.  It’s a much better investment, anyway.

Gator on the trail

Florida softshell turtle

These images were taken on my second trip to the Everglades with friends and gifted photographers Bryan Benoit (who so kindly lent me the Canon 100-400mm lens and clinched my decision to buy it for wildlife photography!) and Kat Villari.  We spent the afternoon wandering along the Anhinga trail and the Gumbo Limbo trail and there was no shortage of birds, alligators, as well as photographers armed with every sort of lens you can imagine.   I found the 100-400mm to be the perfect lens for the variety of wildlife we saw there, and portable enough to walk a few miles in the heat.  I did not carry a tripod, though many photographers out there did.

Double-crested cormorant

Alligator

The busiest season tends to run from December to March (also known as the dry season), when the temperatures are more tolerable and the mosquitoes are less active.   The mosquitoes in the Everglades grow to absolutely ridiculous sizes, so they are best avoided if possible!  Water levels are also lower during the dry season, making it easier to view wildlife in more central locations.  May to November heralds the wet season, where humidity can be at 90% and storms can literally drop 10-12 inches of rain at a time, which is not great for your gear unless you shoot with a waterproof camera!

Anhinga, the namesake for the trail

Purple gallinule

A few things to never forget when photographing in the Everglades:

-       hat

-       sunblock

-       bug repellent

-       plenty of water (and make sure to stop for a cool drink at Robert Is Here nearby- really great smoothies and fresh fruit!)

Endless sea of grass

There is a great deal of ongoing preservation and restoration work constantly occurring in the Everglades.  To read more about these efforts, visit the Everglades Coalition.  Hopefully we can help preserve this marvelous World Heritage Site for generations to come.  If you’ve spent some time in the Everglades, please share your thoughts and experiences with us, because I’m sure I’ll be back again to visit soon.  ’Til then, happy travels!

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I’m not a hunter, but I imagine wildlife photography is a lot like hunting.   You wear neutral-colored clothing, spend a lot of time tracking wildlife in the bush, get dirty, wait a lot, and you’d better have some decent aim or else you waste a bunch of shots.

On my most recent bear photography trip to the Katmai wilderness in Alaska, there was a lot of downtime between bear sightings. Sometimes the boat ride into bear territories was 1.5 hours long. In the meantime, however, there was no shortage of wildlife photography!  Bald eagles, osprey, sockeye salmon, and Alaskan wildflowers were common sightings and welcome diversions to the waiting.   I actually found that photographing birds was so much fun, that we spent an entire day at a bald eagle nest just watching and waiting. A particular pair of eagles kept us waiting for nearly an hour as the perched in the sun… finally when we put our cameras down to give our arms a rest, they decided to take off in their glorious flight… they probably enjoyed this game as much as we did!

American Bald Eagles, Alaska

Fireweed

The first and most important thing I learned about wildlife and nature photography is that it’s worth getting to know your subject.  This will help create the opportunity for the shot, help you find the most common locations for your subject, as well as their behavior patterns and best angles.  If all your shots are of a bear’s rear end or a bird flying off into the distance away from you, chances are you are approaching them to quickly or too closely.   Their comfort level will reflect in the images.  This is not only important for the great wildlife shots, but also important for the general well-being of the wildlife.   Often, birds have to conserve their energy to hunt and survive, and cannot waste that precious energy flying away from people who are stalking them and chasing them away from their hunting or nesting grounds.  So consider the well-being of your subjects and it’ll show in the images!

Juvenile bald eagle

Osprey, hunting

For me, I find that shooting hand held worked better than shooting with a tripod.  Before you all go tsk-tsking me, just hear me out!  If I know my subject will be staying in a small contained area, obviously the tripod is the better choice. However, in the wild, animals don’t stay in viewfinders or boxes!   When the eagles took off in flight, I found it was so much easier to track with my body rather than with a tripod, and this resulted in sharper images.  Sometimes I wanted to get down at ground level to get a different perspective of the bears, and I could maneuver my body much faster than I could my tripod.  Sometimes the bears would walk right past us and I wanted to back up to give them room and actually fit them in my 100-400mm lens; it was much easier to scoot myself backwards than awkwardly fumble with a tripod in my waders and 5 layers of clothing.  This is not to say I shot without support- often times I braced my left elbow on my left thigh while kneeling, especially when shooting from the boat.  I also had a 500mm lens with me which was literally a bear to carry around and maneuver (8.5 pounds!); I did benefit from a tripod in this situation but missed out on many shots as sometimes I could not maneuver fast enough to catch the charging bears or swooping osprey.

Taken from the boat, no tripod

Camp Dog Winston, practicing my non-tripod moments

Tripod mandatory, low-light at dawn, long exposure

I do not typically consider myself a technical photographer, but in wildlife photography, sharp, focused images are paramount- I suppose it is akin to having good aim in hunting.   For flying birds, I liked to have a shutter speed of at least 1/1600, but lighting conditions did not always comply (birds are most active in the early morning and late afternoon when the sun tends to be lower).   For the most part, I tried to aim for their eye when shooting; this generally gave me good results and more of the bird ended up being in focus in the end.  Most of you will know what I’m talking about – when you get that gorgeous, perfectly timed, sharp bird image, it makes all that waiting and planning worthwhile.  In my opinion, “getting that image” is far more difficult than spraying a shotgun full of birdshot at a group of ducks.  Photographing birds is humbling and the more I try it, the more I realize there is to learn. Any bird photographers out there willing to share your favorite websites, or a tip or two?  Maybe I’ll devote another blog to the bird photography alone!

Takeoff

Landing

As we were leaving the wilderness, hunters were flying into the region to scour the land for moose, heralding the beginning of moose-hunting season.  Just as the hunters were returning to camp with their trophy heads (I will leave my personal opinion of hunting out of this!), we returned to camp with cameras in-hand, excitedly downloading our daily images into our cameras and backup drives.  Wildlife photography is a lot less bloody than hunting, and instead of cleaning your kills, you just have to clean your lenses.   True, you don’t get to eat your photographs, but the images are trophies nonetheless and great for wall mounting- not to mention the peace and exhilaration that comes with being outside in nature.  Happy shooting!

Success- Alaskan brown bear with sockeye

Trip planning: There are many ways to get to the Katmai wilderness and numerous outfitters that do photography tours. If you are not experienced in the area, the best way to go is with a guide.   We used www.bearguidealaska.com and flew in from Anchorage, Alaska into King Salmon airport.  Bring clothing in layers and insect repellent.  Rain showers can come on quickly and unexpectedly, so waterproof packs or drybags are recommended for your equipment.  Also refer to my previous post for other lessons I learned on this trip.

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When I was a child, I was inspired by a photograph.  You all have seen the one, a Grizzly bear in the midst of Alaska’s Brooks Falls, mouth open, with a salmon leaping right into it.  There are many variations of that image, but even as an 8 year old, it was clear that this was definitely on the “Bucket List” (before I even knew what a Bucket List was!) I swore that someday, I would go to Alaska to go bearwatching during salmon season.   So before I ever even owned a camera, I knew I had to witness this amazing phenomenon in person.

Researching the trip took quite a bit of effort.   If you run an internet search for “Alaska bear photography,” a dozen or so companies pop up.   I did not want to go with a big group that would dictate how long I could be out in the wilderness, and I did not want a large group that would scare away bears.  It was also important to me to find a guide who was not only a bear expert, but an experienced photographer guide as well.  When searching for a wildlife photography trip, read a lot, ask questions, and find the guide that suits your needs the best.

Sockeye Season

Fresh as it gets

Katmai National Park has the world’s highest concentration of brown bears (Also called Grizzly bears in North America), at an estimated number of over 2,000.  The majority of bear viewers visit Brooks Falls, one of the only developed areas of the National Park, but few go beyond the viewing platforms there.   Rangers at the park are very careful to prohibit feeding or human confrontations with the bears, and as a result these bears are uniquely indifferent to and unafraid of humans.  This “perfect storm” of conditions allows photographers to get relatively close to the amazing animals.

Mother and Cub fishing

Mother and Cub

After much research, we were lucky enough to have veteran guide Phil Sanfilippo take us (3 people including the guide) out for our 6 day safari deep into the Katmai wilderness (3 plane flights, then a float plane, followed by a boat ride to camp).   Never once did we have to use bear spray, deploy a flare, or shoot a firearm at a bear.  They just kept fishing, eating, and doing their bear thing.   There is inherent risk in being within close proximity of these large omnivores, but you can minimize those if you respect their space and take the proper precautions set forth by your guide.

At times, bears passed within 10 feet of us and none of us broke a sweat (OK, maybe a little!)… but we just kept on shooting!  Despite my guide’s pre-trip advice, I rented a 500mm telephoto lens, but found it to be actually too much zoom (And too heavy for wading upriver for long periods).  Most of the time the bears were so close, my 100-400mm lens was more than enough.  As an added bonus – I wasn’t tripod-dependent with my 100-400mm lens (as I was with the 500mm) and was therefore more mobile (I like to sit, squat and do Kung Fu while I shoot) with the constantly moving bears.  In addition, these bears perceived us as less threatening in a kneeling/squatting posture as opposed to standing, so flexibility and some leg endurance was truly an asset in getting the best images.  This particular juvenile bear (below) sneaked up behind us while we were photographing another bear, and was less than 10 feet away when it decided to dry off with a mighty shake.

Subadult bear drying off

A few things I learned on this trip:

• Find a bear guide who treats the animals ethically and does not pressure them or chase them.  Relaxed, natural animals will show in your images and stick around longer for you to get your shot!  When you spend a long time with these animals, you learn that each bear has its own distinct personality.
• Make sure you have a good pair of waders or a guide who can provide them.   At times you will find yourself shooting in waist-deep water, and these were some of our best shots!

• Along the same lines, you must have a good drybag for your equipment.   Rain comes and goes in the Katmai, and you could be a 2 hour hike and boat ride away from camp.
• Be prepared to wait, get wet, cold, and dirty, and wait. and wait some more.  It is not a zoo, so bears come and go as they please.

• Keep your spare batteries warm so they don’t drain as quickly.  I kept mine in my fleece pocket close to my body.
• Bring lots of memory cards and your hardiest backup storage device.  Each evening was spent downloading and backing up images.  Power was via generator at camp (only accessible for a few hours each evening).

• Mosquito repellent.  I cannot stress this enough, there are all sorts of biting flies, gnats, and the like (See above picture for example!).  We learned to welcome rain because it meant a respite from the insects.
• What the images don’t show you:   The smell of dead and decaying fish, kneeling in bear excrement, the 5 layers of clothing I’m wearing, and the ear-to-ear grin on my face.

Surveying the carnage

• Brooks Falls can be very crowded during salmon season (July-Aug).   They limit the number of photographers on the platform and the amount of time you can spend there.   We avoided this location altogether, so I cannot comment on that experience.   If you have shot there, I’d love to hear about your experience and see your images!
• Bears change;  after coming out of hibernation, their coats are more scraggly and they are thinner.  Towards the end of the season (when we went), there are fewer fish, but the bears have filled out and their coats have thickened in anticipation of the winter.   The salmon runs are unpredictable but follow a general pattern from year to year.  Contact your guide for advice.

Most importantly, this trip made me regress into that wide-eyed 8 year old kid again.  There were lots of “wows!”, “Did you see that?”, and “That’s awesome!” intermingled with the sounds of our shutters going as fast as they could.  I found the fountain of youth, if only for a week, by living out this childhood fantasy.  Simply reliving that childhood glee made everything worth it.  There is no better source of inspiration than a dream come true.

Jumping for fish

If you are looking more Alaskan inspiration or ideas, I recommend Wild Things Photography which showcases some of the amazing work of Alaskan photographer John Hyde.  Alaska is filled with areas of pristine wilderness, breathtaking landscapes, and awe-inspiring wildlife.

Has an image ever made you dream of travel and exploration?  Stop making excuses and go.  And bring something back to inspire the rest of us to go too.    Happy travels!

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Used with permission By Francis Flinch (CC-BY-3.0)

My first introduction to what would become “the cloud,” happened eight years ago, when a small start up company called Delicious (formerly del.icio.us) made its debut. This new service allowed us to store our bookmarks in a whole new way via tagging and descriptive text.  It didn’t take long before various mutations of the ‘cloud based’ bookmarking craze began to crop up vying for our business. A few notable companies stepped up to the plate, and some made their mark, however, I was never able to find one application that could truly “do it all.”

Like every other new application that pops up with a lifespan similar to that of a snail trying to cross any given street in Manhattan, I was leery to give up my current work-flow, however, being the geek, I decided to give it a try, and have never looked back.  Recently surpassing the two million user mark, and reviewed by the likes of The Wall Street Journal, TIME, and Lifehacker,  Springpad oozes features and tools that invoke flashbacks of ripping open presents on Christmas morning, all the while remaining robust, intuitive, and professional.

I had the honor to sit down with co-founder and CEO Jeff Janer, who along with Jeff Chow (Product Development ), and Jason Horman (Chief Architect ), launched Springpad in 2009, and discuss some of the features of Springpad, as well as what is in store for future releases.

The first stop on the “question express” was regarding Springpad’s “free” service, and how long before we were presented with a new choice to upgrade to a premium subscription, which would allow us to take advantage of increased space or “member only” features? To my delight and surprise, Mr. Janer’s answer was plain and simple, “We have no plans to charge users for this service.” Although we discussed how this was possible, it is beyond the scope of this article.

The tables turned briefly as I was asked how I use Springpad, which I was more than happy to answer.

From a photographer’s viewpoint, I use Springpad as a “scouting” tool. I am constantly on the prowl for a new location to shoot, and whether I come across it by accident or intentionally, the chance that I will have my high end gear along for the ride is slim to none.   A perfect example of how I used Springpad to record a location happened just last week.  One evening as I made my way home from work, I encountered a major traffic jam. It looked as though it would be a good hour until things were cleaned up, so I decided to try an unfamiliar back road. As I rounded one of the windy turns, there it was; A small, almost hidden cemetery, with headstones dating back to the seventeenth century!  This was definitely a spot that needed revisiting, but I wasn’t sure when I would be able to swing back, or the exact location.

Springpad to the rescue!

Using my iPhone, I opened up the free Springpad app, and navigated to my notebook called “photo scouting.”

Notebooks make up the core functionality of Springpad, and are extremely powerful as you will soon learn.  With my “photo scouting” notebook open I chose “search nearby.”  This is especially helpful if I am completely unfamiliar with the area, as it will generate a map using nearby places as a reference.

If I want to further detail the directions, I will try to record a street name, or in this particular case, the name of the church.  Next I chose the “add a photo,” function from the drop down menu and began taking snapshots of the cemetery from different angles.  The native camera launches within the application, so there is no need to take the photos, save them, and add them later, although that is an option.

With the photos automatically saved to my notebook, the next step is to add a voice message using the “record audio” function, also launched from within the application, describing the shots along with anything that may stand out (ie this headstone would make a great HDR, etc.)

The remainder of my work-flow includes tagging, typing additional notes, or choosing an additional function.  The entire process took under 10 minutes, which included the photography, and I barely scratched the surface of what this app is capable of accomplishing. For a deeper look into Springpad and all the features available, check out the main blog as well as their YouTube channel.

Mr. Janer shared some other ways that photographers are using Springpad. For instance, photographing your gear for insurance purposes in the event of theft or damage. You can also use the built in barcode scanner ​to grab the details of the model and brand of equipment you are using!  Speaking of bar codes, anything you scan into Springpad becomes a bargain hunter’ dream come true. Springpad integrates an alert system that will let you know if the brand of equipment scanned happens to go on sale. This goes for anything you scan into Springpad; it’s like having your very own personal assistant keeping an eye out for a price drop or a special offer specific to anything you save.

As if Springpad hasn’t already made it a breeze to save stuff you want to remember and organize them into notebooks, another exciting feature, which was announced the day after my conversation with Jeff Janer, is the ability to customize each notebook. Imagine having twenty or more notebooks, each one with its own look and feel, including custom sidebars, “add menus,” and backgrounds!  FYP readers will be especially excited to know about the ability to upload your own photograph to be used as wallpaper for your Springpad desktop, and it carries over to your mobile device be it a smart phone or tablet. Talk about complete personalization!

Lastly, staying on the topic of personalization, Springpad is rolling out what Mr. Janer termed “True Collaboration,” which will allow you to share out entire notebooks. Think Google circles on steroids. My first thought of how this might be used is the ability for wedding photographers to share photos with newlyweds. The photos can even be arranged on a “cork-board” style wall, allowing anyone with “share permissions” to drag and arrange the photos, make notes, add their own photos, etc.

The most impressive part of Springpad for me is the endless features and options, while remaining uncluttered, and intuitive.  As my title implies, Springpad is your virtual Swiss army knife.  As it continues to grow and new features are added, I cannot imagine needing anything else to keep my creative life in check.  Be sure to visit the Springpad on Twitter and Facebook, as well as their blog and YouTube channel for in depth ways to use this amazing tool.

Now if you will excuse me, it appears I am being pulled over by the local police for writing and driving!  This may take a while, so in the meantime, head over to Springpad and check out this amazing software for yourself.

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Landing at Princess Juliana Airport - St. Maarten

Photography. Aviation. Two hobbies – nay, passions that go together like Châteauneuf du pap and Saint Marcellin. Aviation brings to us fascinating subject matter, the adventure of visiting new places, and gadgets galore for those of us who appreciate technology. There are, however, unique challenges that aviation brings to the shutterbug, especially when the person looking through the viewfinder is also the pilot in command.

Cockpit Buttons

Firstly, aircraft cockpits of all but the largest jet airliners tend to be rather cramped quarters. They are very functional spaces, designed to hold two or more people, the equipment and publications that are necessary to the profession, and little else. Camera bags full of equipment are bulky, even an SLR with a few lenses may be in one’s way during the course of carrying out aviation-related duties, if not in danger of being crushed by heavy metal seats moving on tracks.

Business Jet Cabin

Luckily, there are many alternatives to that big Nikon/Canon on the market today; anything from small SLRs with zoom lenses to camera phones are quite capable of capturing compelling images – all with their unique advantages and limitations. The cockpit of the business jet that I fly is comfortable enough for trans-oceanic flight, but doesn’t leave much safe room for delicate equipment.  Therefore, unless I know I’m going somewhere that I know I’m going to really want the big guns, I get by with my iPhone 3GS.

On Your 6 (tail) -Waiting to Takeoff at Princess Juliana Airport - St. Maarten

Subject Matter

Airplanes are beautifully designed pieces of flying artwork, natural subject matter. If you don’t believe me, ask the several people I see every work week photographing my aircraft, from outside the airport boundary fence, as I prepare for takeoff. People are always interested in things they find dangerous or a bit mysterious, and when coupled with their beauty, the aircraft themselves are fabulous subject matter. The trick is to find an interesting angle or some other circumstance or even a gimmick - to bring added interest to your composition.

Rear of Business Jet

Bombardier Challenger at Sunset

Nose of SR71 Spy Aircraft

Out the Window / Air to Ground: I can’t count the number of times I’ve flown over the Rocky Mountains, awestruck by their beauty, frantically taking shot after shot of their rocky crags and impossibly white snowfields, only to be disappointed by the results.  The difference being, of course, the fact that I was whizzing by at 500 miles per hour, their size and shape made apparent by my speed.  On the screen, they look incredibly flat. However, if you catch them at the right time of day, some shadows can definitely help.  I’m not above artificially changing the depth of field using a tilt-shift app either.  HDR (high dynamic range) is another technique that is very useful. It allows me to include the relatively dark cockpit in photos of the very bright outside, giving us a view that approaches the incredible dynamic range of our eyes.

Landing at Princess Juliana Airport - St. Maarten

Colorado Rocky Mountains

Toronto Highway

Air to Air: Or, the “money shot”.  The fact is, unless you’ve made prior arrangements with another aircraft, getting a good shot of one from the air is very difficult.  Much effort and expense goes into keeping aircraft far apart from each other – for obvious reasons.  Luckily for us, advances in technology and reliability have allowed a standard called Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) to be implemented over the last several years.  Now, instead of 2,000 foot separating two jetliners at opposing headings, RVSM brings aircraft a scant 1,000 feet apart!  Not to worry though, the requirements for this kind of separation are quite stringent.  Below is an Emirates Airlines A-380, the double decker behemoth I’m sure you’ve heard of over the past few years.  I took this next one over France – he was 1,000 feet above me, and we passed each other at a dizzying combined speed of roughly 1,000 mph.

Airbus A380 Flyby

Places you go

Airport terminal buildings, especially those of the larger cities, often present an opportunity to capture some fantastic architecture.  Moreover, they are great places for capturing candid images of our fellow travelers.

Tampa Airport

Chicago Midway and Tampa's Airport

Growing up, most of my talent seemed to lay in drawing.  Drawing airplanes, specifically: mostly vast WWII dogfights or vast sci-fi spaceship dogfights.  Living in the Space Coast of FL, near a regional airport, an air force base, and KSC, there was plenty to inspire me in my dual interests of aerospace and art.  I was first exposed to the nuts and bolts of photography in a ninth grade photography class: I learned to develop B&W, make prints, and learned the basic rules of composition.  This love of photography follows me through my career as I’m sure yours follows you.

Looking through iPhoto, 99.9% of my photos are of my two mischievous and adorable boys, but let’s face it: photographing one’s kids is a subject that’s been done before.  As a professional pilot, my experience as a photo enthusiast may be a bit different from yours.  I’m privileged to work in an environment that’s always changing – literally.  Weather changes, scenery changes, changes in the sorts of people around me.  I’ve been places that very few people have been (i.e., 51,000 feet from the surface of the earth), and have had views of the planet that are somewhat rare.  I’ve buzzed across the USA so many times that to me, it’s as if I’m driving around the neighborhood.  Put me anywhere over the United States at 45,000 feet, let me look around a bit, and I’ll bet I can tell you where I am. But I digress…

This is your captain speaking, always have your camera ready wherever you are and have a great day regardless of your final destination.

Departure from Princess Juliana Airport, St. Maarten at Takeoff

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"Birds" by phonzik

A week and a half ago, I had the chance to visit Southern Spain, and I stayed in a small but gorgeous village called Cutár. The area was extremely mountainous, and the weather was almost always sunny, making some really beautiful sunrises and sunsets. It was the perfect chance to experiment in landscape photography, and it inspired me to make this months article all about landscape photography.

"On New Year's Eve" by cerique

Landscape photography is one of the easier genres to experiment in – all you need is your camera and a creative eye (and sometimes a filter or two). Being an easier genre, there are many gorgeous and amazing landscape photographs out there that are generic, and it is increasingly harder to be original and unique.

Below are some images that I have found over the years that have caught my eye.

Examples

"Chords progression" by autumn-ethereal

It is not often that you see a black and white landscape photograph that actually works, which is why this one caught my eye. The fogginess gives the image a surreal and dream-like atmosphere that makes it really stand out as it does not reveal the whole landscape, and only subtly hints towards the surrounding context. Although this is usually bad, in this photograph it works very well and just adds to the fantastical atmosphere. In this photograph, it is the shadows and the different textures that really make it stand out; there is a gorgeous juxtaposition between the smoothness of the snow-covered mountain, the soft lines of the shadows, and the harsh shapes of the mountain itself. The choice to convert this photograph to monochrome was a good one as it emphasises these differences amazingly.

"Steptoe Sunset" by parkflavour

“Steptoe Sunset” is another enthralling landscape photograph that caught my eye and stole my heart. It is a gorgeous myriad of colours and shadows and lines that meld together to create a beautiful image. The tree in the far left corner also adds a lot to the image, as it helps put the gigantic size of the whole landscape into context, and makes it seem more than a surreal dream. The variety of colour in one landscape is absolutely amazing, and I think it really was captured at the perfect moment, with the perfect shadows and the perfect light.

My Attempt

"Mountainous" by Ameena Rojee

This was my favourite from all the photographs I took while in Spain – I love the lines and different layers of opacity. I also love the lack of colour and the close focus on the three mountains. On the other hand, I do feel that this image is a bit boring and also that it could have been better quality.

"Flare" by Ameena Rojee

Although this photograph is better quality than the other, I feel that it is not as good because it is more generic and typical of a landscape photograph – there is nothing different or unique about it. regardless, my favourite part of it is the disappearing mountains in the background as this really catches my eye.

"Mountains" by Ameena Rojee

This is an older photograph from 2008, also taken in Spain. It is a lot better than the other two photographs and is one of the best I have ever taken.  As with “Steptoe Sunset”, there are a variety of unusual colours  in one landscape that really catch my eye, and is the reason I took the photograph in the first place. I also find it interesting that the first two photographs were taken while I was actively looking for interesting landscapes to photograph, and this one was taken when I was not. It suggests to me that perhaps there is such a thing as “looking too hard” as I did not really get any great landscape images from the holiday, unfortunately.

Conclusively, having said that landscape photography is an easier genre, I have not had an easy time getting quality photographs in my recent holiday. Sometimes it is about having the right equipment and the right skills, but sometimes it is also about being in the right place at the right time, and seeing the right things, and those are the points when the magic happens.

"Pannonian Sea" by jup3nep

Thanks for reading!

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"Winter Landscapes" by Mathadogg

Continuing on from last month’s post, here are five more tips to survive photography problems in the winter season:

6) Time of Day

To avoid overexposed, washed out photos due to all that reflecting white snow, take your photographs either very early in the morning, or very close to dusk. Dawn is probably your best route because the snow will be untouched and undisturbed for your photograph. The lighting on both occasions will have truer colors and softer light, and will also effect the outcome of the sky’s hue. Sky in the early morning or dusk often appears more red, due to the sun being close to the horizon.

If you’re looking cool blue skies, being closer to midday is your best bet, but avoid high noon at all costs (if you absolutely have to do so, always take your photos with the sun at your back).

7) Exposure

If snow is on the ground and the sun is high, chances are that it’s far too bright outside to take a proper winter landscape, and your photograph will appear overexposed (especially on low-end model cameras). Many cameras have features to help avoid this, but it’s important in these cases to have a camera that can adjust aperture and F-stop settings, as well as adjust the ISO value for your shots. Using the lowest ISO available will help minimize overexposure, as well as using a small aperture and F-stop if the scenery is bright.

In these cases, using a stable tripod is also very important, so make sure you’re on firm ground.

"Korea Winter Landscape" by kwang-chual

8) Light and Dark Objects

It’s good to know how to juggle the focus on light and dark objects when taking any picture, but the addition of bright snow can make this even more important. If there’s an object you want to focus on that is darker than your surrounding area (such as a person standing in snow), and it’s not possible to avoid the harsh qualities of midday lighting, zoom and focus on that object or person as desired, then press your shutter button down gently halfway so the camera adjusts to the lighting accordingly (even the most basic model cameras have this function). Frame the shot without moving your finger, and then take the picture when you’re ready.

Keep in mind that focusing on darker objects will make the snow and background appear brighter, so one of the best ways to capture such an object or person in action during winter settings is through close-up and macro shots, eliminating much of the background in your framing.

9) Color and Atmosphere

More than most other landscapes, snowy landscapes will directly reflect the color of the atmosphere, therefore coloring your entire photograph. That’s why it’s very important to pay attention to what’s going on in the sky when you take your photographs–overcast days will often promote truer color in your subjects, but may also result gray or fairly colorless landscapes if your focus is the snow. Keeping close to dawn or dusk when the sun is on the horizon will create warmer colors, most likely strong pink and red hues, which will then reflect in the snow in your photograph.

During the day, if clouds are parted, thin or not present, the sky will be a cool blue, which will also reflect on your snow. Depending on how close you are to noon, the blues will become brighter or darker and will effect the mood of your photograph accordingly.

Photography by Bigalexandru

10) Play!

Don’t forget to play with your angles, lenses, filters, macros and action shots! Just because winter landscapes are usually quiet and serene doesn’t mean they have to be. If you want to be different, try strong angles, or focusing on objects with color, or performing macro on oft-neglected objects, such as the parts of a snowman or snowflakes in someone’s hair. In my eyes, the most important aspect about photography is to have fun, and if the winter landscapes or photos you’re trying to capture aren’t working to your expectations, go bold for something different.

]]> http://www.fuelyourphotography.com/ten-tips-for-shooting-winter-landscapes-part-2/feed/ 1 http://www.fuelyourphotography.com/the-5-ws-of-location-model-photography/ http://www.fuelyourphotography.com/the-5-ws-of-location-model-photography/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:58 +0000 Jeremy Greenidge http://www.fuelyourphotography.com/?p=2396

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This post contains artistic nudity that some may consider, NSFW

Model photography is an art, traveling and model photography is a whole different kettle of fish. Not being on your home ground may make you feel uneasy but with some careful planning you can overcome any obstacles real or perceived.

The Movement – a New York dance group shot in Federal Circle, New York City!

The Five W’s

Who, what, when, where, why and how? Answer these questions and you are well on the way to having a successful shoot. Planning is the most important part of any shoot. The old adage applies if you fail to plan you plan to fail, it really is true! I’ve seen many a shoot be bungled because simple obstacles have fouled up a shoot.

Model:  Irene shot in a room at the Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Who?

Who are you going to shoot? Choosing the appropriate models is key. You have a couple of choices, of course if you are working with an agency they will source and supply models for you to shoot. However,  if you are working on your own you have to source your own models with the resources on the Internet you can utilize a site such as Model Mayhem to source models. You have a couple of choices here also, you can either shoot Time For CD (TFCD) a common arrangement between photographers and models where you supply the model with copies of the images for their use as compensation for their services. Alternatively, you can pay the models for their services. In my experience if you are going to do a TFCD arrangement you should opt to source more than one model for a shoot as at times some models are not punctual or don’t show up.

Model releases are an important protection for photographers and should be executed prior to any shoot. A special model release should be executed for anyone under the age of majority. Model releases should generally, allow photographers to use the photos at their discretion, allow photographers to edit photographs and be non-rescindable. Model releases should also clearly state the compensation for the models services and have the signature of the model affixed along with their printed name and address.

Models:  Dennys and Paris – Holiday Inn, Saddlebrook, NJ USA

What?

You should have a concept of your shoot beforehand; this helps you to formulate the shoot in your mind so that you make sure to have all the necessary supplies to have a successful shoot. It is important to know what you are shooting so you have a suitable location. When you have your concept in mind you then shoot with a purpose instead of just randomly. Take your props along, ask models to bring shoot appropriate clothing.  Shooting a model just because they are attractive is a common fault as may gain you a reputation of being a Guy with a Camera (GWC).

Models:  Carla, Alexis, Mark and Paul – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA

When?

Shooting times are more important for outdoor shots than indoor shots, if you are using artificial lighting you are free to shoot at any time. If you are using natural lighting you must conform to Mother Nature. Use popular weather sites to find out what climate is like what time sunrise and sunset are so that you don’t  travel to a location to find unsuitable conditions. Choose suitable times that are conductive to models being able to make the shoot in addition to yourself if you have to travel to a location. If you are flying in to shoot be aware of possible travel delays you can check the reliability of any flight at FlightZoo.  Travel arrangements are important and you should have contingencies when flying, if you are driving you have more control of your own destiny, carefully check Google maps for commuting times between all locations. I highly recommend a GPS also, I program all my locations into mine before I leave home!

Member of The Movement dance group in Federal Circle, NYC USA

Where?

When you have a concept of the outcome of your shoot you can then select an appropriate location. Indoor shoots can be done in a studio or an adapted studio, outdoor shoots are best done outside instead of trying to simulate the effect. If you are shooting with an agency they will source a studio for indoor  shots or the location for outdoor shots. If you are shooting with your own personal concept this responsibility now becomes yours. In my own experience I’ve found that a hotel room makes an amazing studio and there are no travel problems in getting there as it is already your hotel room. Residence Inns or similar properties are great because you have your own bedroom and also a separate living room which makes a perfect studio, including a kitchen if you want to simulate shots in a home. If you don’t have this facility in your location, make sure you source a hotel room with 2 queen beds because when it comes to time to shoot you can literally flip one bed onto the other so that you have more space in your room to shoot. The curtain at the back of the room makes a perfect backdrop but more importantly it makes perfect place to hang your own background on with the application of a few clips or even hairpins. Contacting the hotel directly can also be very fruitful, I’ve done this for various hotels and properties such as the Hotel Diva in San Francisco gave me carte blanche for the entire property, they excel at rolling out the red carpet to accommodate virtually any guest request. For  lighting you should carry a couple flash heads, I carry 3 Nikon Speedlights and a SU-800 Remote Commander and they are sufficient to overcome any lighting situation (although I use Nikon primarily, I believe the best choice of equipment is the one that works for you, I also own Canons and Olympus and use them all). You can utilize these on backdrops or even using the armoire with a couple of translucent reflectors wedged between the ceiling and the top of the armoire at 90 degree angles with a remote activated flash placed on the inside to form your very own softbox. However, if you are shooting outdoors in a location that you are unfamiliar with be sure to do your research online, I’ve personally used Opacity, choose unusual sites, nothing ruins a shot like having a tourist like image as your background. Do you legwork on the internet before you even leave home for the shoot.

Models: Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA

Why?

Why are you shooting? Answer this question and it will help to make sure you have asked the model to  bring the correct clothing for the shoot (if this is not the responsibility of the Agency/Stylist) in addition to seeing if a Make Up Artist (MUA) is required. MUAs can also be source using online resources such as Model Mayhem.  Possible scenes you may shoot are: fashion, haute couture, swimwear, lifestyle to name a few. Swimwear models need to have a suitable body for other models you may be able to use a model that does not have an overused gym membership. For all models the face is important, source a model that is conductive to your purpose.

How!

Shooting persons is has it idiosyncrasies.  If you are shooting on location not only do you have to be a master of shooting the type of location but you must also be a master humorist and psychologist.  To get  the most captivating images you MUST engage the model, they must have not only the concept of your image but they must also get feedback from you as you are the only one that can see the viewfinder unless you are shooting tethered and displaying the images live on a PC.  You should look all around your viewfinder for spoilers in addition to making sure that the model has the ideal post and expression.  I’ve found that instead of telling models “smile” you should have a repertoire of humorous jokes to tell (avoid politics, religion and off color jokes).  You must do all this while having control of your camera so it is important to know your camera well.  Model photography is like a fine dance, you must have a symbiotic relationship with the model to evoke the best results.  It is like a fine dance and you will often have to mimic the pose you want to achieve while operating the camera.  Making that connection and giving feedback will improve your images tremendously.  Practice with a friend or a family member.

Models:  Alice and Chris – Foul Bay Beach, Barbados West Indies

Wrap up!

With all the above elements addressed the next most important thing is production of final photographs.  Models are always excited to see the final product and you should give them a date that you can   reasonable process the images in. Under no circumstances should you provide the RAW images to the model and only provide them to the agency if expressly requested. Providing RAW images to models shows that you have no pride in your work. You should edit the photographs and provide only those images that you truly feel show the quality of your work. Don’t feel overwhelmed, you’ll realize that the process of model photography provides a few more issues than any other type of photography, inanimate objects do not have egos/feeling so you need to be a capable photographer in addition to a psychologist. I’ll leave you with the 3 most important words in model photography: plan, plan, plan!

 

PHOTO CREDITS

Photos listed from top down.

3 “Model:  Edric Hunter’s Point, Queens, NY, USA”

6 “Model:  Carla – Blue Trees Resort, Orlando, FL USA”

8 “Model: Manfred train depot near Saddlebrook, NJ USA”

9 “Models:  Wilber, Donna and Jorge – The Diva Studio, West Palm Beach, FL USA”

11 “Model:  Alexis – The Radisson San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico”

13 “Model: Wilber – Train depot near the Davie Blvd Tri-Rail stop in Fort Lauderdale, FL USA”

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Vacation time again and you are traveling with friends or family, the dilemma is how do you balance being serious about photography and vacationing with your loved ones.  Here are a few pointers to having an enjoyable hassle free trip.

PACKING

With airlines getting more onerous about luggage and charges it is important to plan your trip to have the least possible hassle.  Keeping in mind that luggage restrictions are now severe for carry-on and checked luggage it is important to balance your packing to make the most of your allowance.  The way to do this is to pack tripods and AA batteries in your checked baggage but pack the more valuable items in a backpack or roll-aboard that you keep with you on your journey.  As you’ll find out later the tripod is an important dual function piece of equipment.  Camera Bags are as important as your camera, they protect your valuable equipment, I primarily use LowePro Gear and have the Compugear All Weather bags because I can fit my computer and two camera bodies 3 lenses and 3 flash heads all in a comfortable bag and still protect them all from the elements, there is also a tripod carrier and many other places where you can attach gear.  There are other interesting manufacturers out there including GuraGear whose bags are lightweight yet functional.  Honorable mention also goes to the Tamrac Velocity Sling Packs. If you have so much equipment that you need to check it be sure to look at a hard case like a Pelican case, Pelican makes the most popular hard cases.

Be sure to check your airlines luggage allowance for both checked and carry-on baggage before you begin to pack.  Some airlines allow a carry on and a camera bag, some are now more restrictive, recently airlines have been dabbling with the introduction of charges for carry-on luggage even.   Here is a recently updated chart outlining luggage charges.

DEALING WITH THE TSA

The Taking Stuff Away enforcers (TSA) have an important duty to do to ensure your safety.  They screen so many thousands of people daily that they appreciate proper organization regardless of the complexity of your equipment.  I suggest that you have a properly compartmentalized camera bag from which items can easily be removed and replaced otherwise you will have to repack your carry-on in the security area so that you can close it and proceed to your gate.  Also it is important that if you carry a multi-tool, which I often do, that you pack this in checked baggage and not your carry-on.  Nothing of this nature is permitted on any aircraft post 9/11.  Make sure your batteries are charged so your camera can be powered up and they can look through your lens as they sometimes do.  Keep your cool while they handle your equipment remember you are not permitted to touch anything during the examination.

FINDING PLACES AND TIME FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Vacation with friends or family is always looked forward to but as photographers we consider an important part of vacation is being able to use our cameras to record parts of your trip whether for snapshots or for artistic photography.

First and foremost make it clear to your travel partners that you’d like to indulge yourself in photography; it should not be a surprise to them on arrival.

The Internet is a great resource for finding shooting locations even before you leave home.  Some of these locations can be enjoyed with your travel partner like Point Reyes Lighthouse, Point Reyes, CA .

On a recent shoot I found Kings Park Psychiatric Centre using Opacity a site specializing in Urban Ruins.   Before traveling to any city or country extensive research on the Internet will save wasted down time.  A good tip is to see if there is a local camera club, they often allow guest from out of town to join them on an arranged shoot. My local club, The Barbados Photographic Society, also on Facebook under the same name, does and I have shot with other clubs when I’ve traveled.

If you have a dual purpose location, where there are activities that you both enjoy,  don’t keep your travel companion(s)  waiting, go your own way and arrange a rendezvous point  to meet up later.

If not and your travel companion(s) wants to go shopping encourage them do that while you shoot.  Also for early morning shooting let your travel companion(s) sleep in, unless they are early morning jogger(s),  while you shoot sunrises.  If they sleep in on return you can join them for  breakfast and prepare for the remainder of the day.

If you have a rental car on your trip keep your camera with you at all times if not the whole kit,  just your SLR and a telephoto lens like an 18-200mm in a  very portable bag, if not take a good point and shoot,  Modern point and shoots are of sufficient quality good enough to capture exhibition images in some instances, even though they don’t have the flexibility of an SLR. Do not leave your valuable equipment in your car, not only is it susceptible to theft but camera equipment, especially the glue used in lenses, are easily damaged by heat and your lenses may be rendered permanently out of focus.  If you have a GPS program all your locations photographically and otherwise into your device before you even leave home.

TRAVEL SAFETY

The down side of traveling and photography is that people often prey or you for your expensive equipment.  It is important that you be cautious and aware of your surroundings when you shoot and keep your wits about you especially in an urban or remote situation.  This is where the secondary use of the tripod comes in handy.  I hand carry mine with the ball head being most distant from my hand and it makes a very effective club-like deterrent.  Anyone intending to accost you for your equipment will think thrice before attempting  to do so when you are armed with a tripod.  This works well for urban situations.

In some countries the wisest move is not to display your equipment at all remove it only when you want to shoot or use one of the new shoot through camera bags, Cloak Bags make a viable option.  Your dress and jewelry are also important: dress down as much as possible, wear old jeans and an older T-shirt sneakers, little to no jewelry and a simple watch.  In colder climates get a slim line backpack (the modern type with strings for straps, put a hotel hand towel in the bottom and put it UNDER your jacket or coat.  Be aware that in some countries the modus operandi is to cut the bottom out of your bag and take the contents from the bottom while you are distracted.  The most important advice is to be aware, do not display any flashy jewelry or be loud and boisterous in public because accents give you away as a non native.

Wallets should always be slimmed down to only what is needed and then carried in the front pocket instead of the back, when possible place your hand in the pocket also.  Have an emergency stash of cash in the small inside pocket of your jeans.

TAKING MEMORABLE PHOTOGRAPHS

As with any trip there are the snapshots and then there are the photographs.  You want to pay attention to your composition and lighting and produce the most technically correct photographs possible.  Once you have your snapshots out of the way lets really get creative and use your knowledge to create exhibition quality works of art.  Lets completely ignore the programmed side of your camera dial and use the creative side, these being Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual.

These allow you to exercise ultimate creative control of your camera and therefore you can put your own touch on your photographs.  Personally, 90% of the time I shoot on aperture priority, the other 10% between Shutter Priority and Manual.

Additionally, I use a single focus point so I make the choice of focus rather than the camera. I also more often than not use spot metering and then I recompose my shot after choosing my focus point and exposure.

Avoid taking postcard shots, you will want to select scenes that make the location memorable to you, don’t dwell on the traditional areas highlighted to visitors and make them the sole subject of your photograph.  Get out and get your very own spin on the location you are visiting.

Your photograph is hardly unique if it is on a twenty-five cent postcard.  Each photograph you capture should contain the WOW factor; laymen should be in awe and other photographers should be suitably impressed at your capture.

Happy shooting!