adam barker
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Abolutely gorgeous shot Don. Love how you lead the viewer straight to the fisherman with the superb composition. Beautiful backlighting on the trees as well…
Thanks all for the kind words. Zach–this was all done on spec so please feel free to direct any attention you like to this thread. I’ve already been in touch with several editors, but would love to have any and all eyes on em. Thank you sir.
Thanks guys for the kind words. Definitely a battle getting through the edit. I like to do it as soon as possible so everything is still fresh in the head, but other work calls!
Zach–
At face value, it really doesn’t appear half bad. And I guess, when you think about it as you mentioned, Orvis probably could have offered much less.Keep in mind, however, that the cover usage could only be the tip of the iceberg. They have right to use the image whenever and however they please. You’re giving them unlimited rights for an unlimited period of time. I won’t claim the thousand upon thousand of dollars that X image would sell for with unlimited rights, cause companies simply won’t pay for that anymore (or at least no one in the fly fishing industry), but it’s still worth considering the rights you’re relinquishing for zero cash. Again, they’re suckering you in with cover usage and a gift certificate. The reality is that they are out essentially nothing, and can then use your image as they please.
What Orvis is doing here is far from new, as it’s a common way to gather a truckload of images to do with as they please, and essentially pay nothing out.
Read the text in the contest rules: Entrants must click to “accept” the terms of use listed below, which will include very broad permission for Orvis and its agents to post any entered photo on websites and to use it anywhere in any context, including advertising, without additional compensation. The terms of use are incorporated by reference and made part of these rules.
Be prepared to have Orvis take your image behind the tool shed and do with it as they please, whenever they please, for as long as they want. You might even be their next nation-wide print ad, thanks to a contest entry.
Photogs can do as they please, and I’m not gonna play the whiney guy here, but just be aware of what you’re relinquishing by entering this contest.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
John and Eric–
A little bit more about the shoot and this particular image.This was during a one-day shoot for Loon Outdoors that presented all sorts of challenges and triumphs. I woke up to 2″ of snow on my car, and it was raining steadily for pretty much the entire morning until 1:00 pm or so. Shooting in the rain blows, but when you have to deliver, be prepared to do so.
There was no art director, so I was pretty much given free reign to shoot as I saw fit. The client stressed the importance of wanting to show the fishing experience, and not placing much emphasis on product placement shots. 1,700 shots in a day’s work.
This particular image was made during the last 10 minutes of the day. I was drawn to the crazy contrast between the FG bushes and the intense sky. The fishermen, as in many of my more environmental fishing images, was simply an accessory to nature.
I was set up with tripod, cable release and mirror lockup as it was a slower exposure at 1/20 sec. I used a Singh Ray LB Warming polarizer to heighten the contrast in the clouds/sky, but primarily to take the sheen off the FG foliage and really let the color come through.
Lastly, I used a Singh Ray 3-stop Reverse ND Grad to hold back the highlights in the sky. No fishing for me on this day, as it was really all business and I was concerned with coming away with enough select images to satisfy the client’s needs. I did actually pick up a rod right before shooting this. I made about 3 casts to a rising fish and then turned around and saw this. Duty called, but there was definitely a moment of hesitation after a long day of shooting…
I’ve posted just a couple other images from the shoot as well. And in light of the recent pertinent conversations on this board with insight from numerous photographers, I will say that this was a well paying job from a client you wouldn’t have expected to allocate such budget for photography. I negotiated for professional compensation, and they will receive a professional product.
Hey John–
Not entirely sure I understood the question. Try me again…More stellar work Adam.
I have a question for you as well, I don’t think you’ve menioned on the Singh Ray blog. I’m slowly building my SR arsenol and am at the point where my next one will likely be the Vari ND. Can’t decide between the vanilla Vari or the Vari LB warming, in large part due to the B/G and potentially wanting to mount the B/G on it once in very blue moon. The reality is 98% of the time I’d likely just want to add the LB but……….
Any thoughts?
J
Hey Mark–
On this particular morning I was using my 3-stop Reverse ND Grad. Definitely handy when shooting into the sun and handling intense “strips” of light like the mountain peaks in the first image.Thanks everyone for the kind words. Making my way up to Sun Valley this afternoon for a shoot up there. Weather is not looking promising, which could mean great, or terrible photos. Fingers crossed…
Henry–
What an adventure, and you did a great job not just capturing the action, but telling the story. Nicely done.Lauren–
Short and sweet.1. Wherever it is, be there when the the light is good. That means early or late, sun or storm, be committed to shooting when the light is best. 95% of the images people shoot are those of convenience, which is understandable because most wouldn’t want to make the sacrifices necessary to capture exceptional images if they weren’t doing it for a living. Once photography becomes less a thing of convenience, and more a thing of commitment, you will see your images rise to the next level.
2. Previsualize. When you hit the pillow the night before, create a “wish list” of perfect images you’d like to shoot that next day. Your brain will be more in tune once those opportunities present themselves. Don’t forget to have a plan B.
3. Learn how to properly expose in challenging situations. This means either understanding HDR or getting well acquainted with Grad ND filters (my preferred choice).
4. Had to add one more. Learn to compose in a way that engages the viewer. You want someone to WANT to sit there and study and revel in your image. This means capturing it with engaging textures, patterns, colors, shadows, light, lines, etc.
Guess that wasn’t so short and sweet…
Some real nice stuff posted thus far. Off to Montana in about 30 min., but thought I’d post a couple before I take off.
Big Cottonwood Creek, UT
King’s Peak Wilderness Area, UT
Alpine Loop, UT
Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT
Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT
Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT
King’s Peak Wilderness Area, UT
Alta, UT
Bryce Canyon Nat’l Park, UT
Guardsman Pass, UT
Middle Provo River, UT
Park City, UT
Damn….. I gotta get out west more.
Adam, checked out your site and blog. Phenomenal work! Can you chat a little bit about how you used filters in your sunset/rise shots here? Those shots blew me away – as well as most of your landscapes in your portfolio. I just picked up a Grad ND filter, but its just a screw on, and i’m thinking to really make it work you need the square adjustable type?
Hey Eric–
Thanks for the kind words.Essentially, I shoot my environmental action/lifestyle shots the same way I shoot my scenic images–I just put a person in them doing something that many of us can relate to. For me, a complete image involves great light, engaging composition and dynamic subject matter. If you’ve already bought a grad ND filter, then you know that our camera sensors/film often cannot accurately capture the range of light presented when the light is best.
At sunset and/or sunrise, you get colorful, dramatic skies and often times a foreground in open shade. Unless you’re doing a digital blend or shooting for HDR, there is no way to capture this without a Grad ND filter. It is essentially bringing the dynamic range of contrast between highlight and shadow into and area that the camera is able to capture. It doesn’t alter color or anything else–it simply allows the camera to “see” as our eye does.
Unfortunately, the screw-on filter you purchased is kind of a fluke of a filter, cause you never have any control over where that filter line is placed. The gradient is placed smack in the middle of the filter, which blows because really, you never want your horizon line right in the middle of your composition.
I use Singh Ray 4 x 6 filters. IMO, they are the best. Yes, they are a bit spendy, but worth every penny. Most often I am hand holding the filters in front of my lens, allowing me to feather the filter (manual dodge & burn) to increase/decrease filtration over certain parts of the image, and also to adequately hide the filter line. This is a technique I’ve learned from my background in fine art scenic work, and one that simply requires practice.
Grad NDs come in different strengths and transitions. I.E. 1-stop/2-stop/3-stop etc. in either hard or soft step transitions. The hard step is well suited to even horizon lines, and has a much more abrupt transition to the max gradient. In the image below I used a 2-stop hard step filter to deepen the blue sky and render detail in the white puffy clouds.
The soft step is well suited to horizon lines that my have trees, mountain peaks, or otherwise poking above the horizon. In the image below, I used a 2-stop soft step Grad ND to deepen the blue sky and bring out the snow-covered peaks. Had I used a hard-step filter, it would have unnaturally darkened the top of the arch, in addition to the peaks and sky.
Reverse Grad ND filters are a bit different in that the densest part of the filter lies in the middle of the filter, as opposed to the top of the filter. This is perfect for shooting into the sun and sunset or sunrise (or whenever) as the brightest part of the image is where the sun is.
There are numerous other applications for both filters–basically anytime you have radical differences in light between the highlights and shadows of your image. On the image below, I used a 4-stop soft step Grad ND to account for the difference between the lit butte and the shaded riverbed.
The more you shoot with them, the better you will understand where and how you can use them. If you’re serious about it, you really should get a hold of some rectangular filters. If you don’t want to drop the cash on Singh Ray, you can try Cokin (cheap) or Lee (moderate) filters as well.
Also, you can check my blog and my blogs post on the Singh Ray blog for more instruction and examples of how I use these filters (I would link up here, but for some reason can’t figure out how on this particular site). Hope that helps!
I see you got my hint, Mr. Barker.
FWIW, I’m still saving up some cash to get 3 or 4 prints.
Yeah buddy. Great place here. You just lemme know when you’re ready to drop the hammer–we’ll make it happen.
