[John Bennett]

Its probably 80% background, 10% line, 10% light.

[John Bennett]

Thanks guys.

Tim if you want to make a weekend run up to fish the Grand, let me know. The Upper Credit is in the same area (about 30min away) as well. It holds Browns and Brookies. The Grand may be a stocked fishery but if you like Browns, there are wrose places. 20+ is fairly common, these days I call trophy 25+.

Yeah Corey.
Its a great filter, a bit of a pain putting it on (take a couple shots), take it off as its definately not a CP to leave on but it does some wonderful things.

This lake is anything but Blue (Algae bloom was in full swing as evedienced by the underwater Eye and Crappy pics.

Swung 180 degrees which changed the polarization and got this

This is what the sky and lake really looked like with a warming CP on

A Brown with a different look

Traditional Landscape using it

[John Bennett]

I’m toying with the idea of getting a Sage LMB for the reasons you mention Abe. Big Bass Flys, wind and wanting/needing to get it out there.

However, I don’t do alot of fishing that requires long cast and as such it’s not something Ive ever spent alot of time practising. 90% of my fly fishing is cold water and the need to lay out line, with big flies is virtually nil

So when I go for Bass and Musky on my time and I want to use Flies it can be a struggle. I won’t call the Sage Bass rods “gimmicks”, everyone I’ve talked to have raved about their ability to launch lines. I might say they are better suited to people like me. If I was a better caster, if I was inclined to spend the time practising more I’d not consider one, too limited in my mind. If your a decent caster, but just not used to bass flies, dollars to donuts its just unfamiliarity and you could do it with whatever you get and just a little practise

[John Bennett]

Tim pretty sure Randy organises one in the fall as well as the spring.
Heres the link to his site for it. Bookmark it and use it for the falls event, or next springs. The general impression I got from talkingand overhearing people is that most (if not all) plan to come back next year, so theres every reason to beleive it will be as successful.

Make a weekend of it, and the upper Grand Brown fishery is a short drive for something to on the sunday before heading home
http://www.grandriverspey.ca

[John Bennett]

I’m nowhere near as qualified as to comment as Zach or David, so take this for what it’s worth.

The industry is, as both have said, extremely competetive and I mean that on all levels. From the number of people submitting photos ( Both established Freelancers and those wanting to break in) to and inluding sadly “competition” amongst photographers. Some won’t give you the time of day ( won’t help learn the craft, won’t discuss what equipment they use, wont divulge locations etc, etc). Some get offended when they see others doing what they do, and see it as “taking food off the plate”. I gaurantee you using Matts thread there will be lots buying housing and pro sumer grade DSLRs as a result of that thread. My point is that the market is flat out satuated, just look at Phils Flickr group. Primarily thats just a few people trying to get started. Now multiply that exponentially to North America.

What kind of images get bought?
A little bit of everything. From eye popping stunners to less than stunning images of something thats needed. I have quite litteraly been asked by the AD to keep my open for the “un unusual”. It’s not aways the “best eye popping” image that gets bought, it’s the image that
a) Fits the layout or cover
b) Fits the article

Trash on a riverbank, a line up of Trucks towing boats at a Timmys (Coffe shop), etc,etc.

Theres shooting for yourself and theres shooting for images that sell.

Everyone and I mean everyone shoots the bead and butter “grip and grins” the classic scenics, the classi action shots no matter your genre.

Not an image I would say is eye popping, or would garner “kudo’s” on forums….but it sold to go with an article on top water bass fishing.

As Zach said, the vast majority of images you see in print today are submitted by the writers. It saves the magazine $$$. Why pay someone like me $50, $100, or $1,000 for an image that while it might be a little “better” (whatever that means”) when they are already paying the author for the article, and he has images that are perfectly suitable, just as good, or “better”. I get assignments but they are infrequent and come about when a) The author doesnt do his own photography b) They have a need for that bit extra

Everyone has budgets, and any ADs budget no matter what publication from a local bi-annual, to Nat Geo has limits.

Ask yourself.
What is it I’m hoping for. If you would like to see your name once, maybe twice a year, identify a publication that you think you can service and start sending images. Just realise how competitive it is. Its a numbers game and may have absolutely nothing to do with how good your photos are.

If you want something a little more (regular contributor)
1) Find ways to separate yourself. Its work, a second job, make no mistake.

Young people without mortgages, kids etc have the upper hand here. The freedom and disposable inc. to travel to great locations seemingly every other week and get the shots.

2) Take up writing. That more than anything else will help you get published.

3) Branch out, do more than “just fly fishing”.

4) Network with people in the industry (not just publishing)
That, more than writing will open doors.

Long winded way of saying what is it, you hope to accomplish. The more you hope to accomplish the more your going to have to work at it. If you’d be happy with the once a year published kind of thing start sending some images, but know your magazine, their content, style and their target audience first to increase your odds of a “fit”.

[John Bennett]

Shane it really depends on just what kind of quality your hoping for. Theres sacrifices in everything. The “toughs” look interesting but they are going to suffer the same problems as any other compact.

Next up are the “Pro-sumer” compacts. Camera’s like
Canon g10
Fuji f200
Lumix LX3

Better image quality, more feature/funtions than compacts but still not the IQ of a DSLR once you start raising ISO above 200.

The G10 under ISO 200(and from what Ive seen the F200 and LX3) are phenominal and are still good at 400. But they arent waterproof.

If your not looking for top end IQ, I would think any of the WP compacts will make you happy.

[John Bennett]

Normally I don’t give photo contest more than a passing glance and don’t enter. I’m tempted to enter a couple for no other reason, than the reason behind the contest. Dont need another reel.

I’ll think about before deciding later tonight but if I do I’m going to pass along one of the best tips I’ve ever received and that was courtesy of Zach.

Even when I’m out strictly to take picture I bring *my* net with me always. Go to any Great Lakes Trib and you *might* see 1 or 2 anglers netting fish. Most drag them up on shore, or grab them by tail. I see fish lifted for “hero” shots and dropped on the banks and on, and on.

By bringing *my* net I can ask the angler ” hey, mind if I take some shots once you land that” and ” Would you like me to net it for you?”

Then
I can instruct them how to lift the fish so I get the shot I want and all the while the fish is resting safely in my net.

And the net looks fantastic to boot. nice wood, with nice patterns and the black mesh makes them pop.

This shot of a strangers fish ended up on a cover. I netted it for him, left it in the net while I positioned the angler and once we were ready…

Love the way my net looks in photos

Even the little jewels look good in it, if not dwarfed 🙂

I don’t leave home without it, even when I not fishing

[John Bennett]

This is one of those topics thats makes my skin crawl. For the aount of time I spend in the bush I’m soooooo thankful ticks are fairly low risk here.

[John Bennett]

Matt did you add the strobe or go without for now.

I’m still on the fense about which direction I want to go, although for practical reasons I’m probably going to go with the G10 or Fuji F200 and housing. The number of places I fish where the water is clear enough to really take advantage are almost non existant, so for the most part a dslr is overkill. Although the idea of buying a used 5D or used 40D and the housing is sorely tempting. I think for most access to the salt and surf would be a deciding factor.

[John Bennett]

Thanks guys.

Corey my first trip rocketing across a lake was a blast and memorable and that was in good weather albeit cool. I really dont know how they do it in bad weather,

[John Bennett]

Thanks David.

It’s definately limited application but *in* those situations Im really impressed. Perhaps most by it’s ability to breathe life into images that would otherwise be flat (when lights not sweet).

I took delivery of their Thin LB Warming CP Wednesday. Havent had a chance to much with it other than a couple quick comparison shots against my Hoya Pro 1 dmc.

Blows the Hoya away and whats really cool is that the loss of light is sooo much less. Will keep the Hoya for times when I want to reduce the light getting to my sensor ( flowing water) but otherwise the the SR LB CP will be glued to my lens at all other times.

24-70 with the LB CP
ISO 100
F8.0

Underexposed if memory serves me right by 1 1/3rd so as to preserve the highlights.

larger res
http://jben.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p95084266.jpg

[John Bennett]

if you feel comfortable enough. As chad said youprobably want to expose for the planes, dont sweat the sky

Set your camera to M, spot or partial meter a plane’s fuselage thats A)parked on the ground and in the direction you’ll be shooting..hopefully its frontlit and B) grey or close to it

Reason being.
In that manner your exposure value is locked in (M) as opposed to any of the auto/semi auto modes.

In the semi modes (Av or Tv) either your f/stop is fixed (camera adjust SS on the fly) or your SS is fixed (camera adjust f/stop on the fly). While planes are fairly big (dependant on distance to it) unless your fairly practised at tracking flying subjects theres a good chance (probable) your center focus area will “slip” off target as you swing the lens about.

This can cause your cameras metering (and hence your exposure values) to be heavily swayed by the sky as it adjust your exposure value. So one split second your frame is 60% grey plane and 40% bright sky and the next its 30% (or less) plane and the balance bright sky.

The inverse of what you want.
In short your skies nicely exposed, but the plane depending on just how bright that sky is, is underexposed.

To test this.
Set your camera to Av (or TV) and partial metering.
Point it at a car, take your pic, it will be pretty much wht you want. Then swing the lens uptowards the sky. Watch what happens to your SS (if your in av). The light hasnt changed at all, but your SS due to the bright sky has just been gutted. That car if its in the frame will be underexposed.

[John Bennett]

grrrr.

As an aside did you notice how in pic 6 the net looks like a funky green Grouper 🙂

[John Bennett]

Paul take your right hand and cup your left shoulder. Part 1 would be the size of your palm to the first knuckles on your fingers. It’s mainly “just” the brown with a smidgeon of river bottom shadowed and a bluish ring representing the water…Maybe I can snap a pic of it.

Being a banker and all sleeves are out of the question 🙂 Need to able to cover with Tees

[John Bennett]

I know it Aaron, wish I had relatives in Buffalo I could visit once every now and then 🙂 Take the us price and add another 30 to 40%

Like anything theres a learning curve. When to use them, when not to,

[John Bennett]

I am going to find a similar shot this weekend and “hose it down”… every which way…

Sometimes not a bad idea. It gives you an indication what you like/dislike for the next go around. Thats a good way to gain experience and how I learn alot. Especially these days that I’m trying to do more landscape photograhy.

Grad NDs are very useful when you have scenes with more range than the sensor can handle. They allow you to expose the foreground without “blowing” the sky at their simplest, or worded another way…hold back the sky. Not sure how they would work facing against a strong sun like that. There are limits to everything.

[John Bennett]

Mike I’m not sure which aspect your trying to improve on. In the 1st shot your underexposed a hair relative to the 2nd. You can see the effects in the deeper blue sky and in the shadows created by the backlight.

Stopping down, changing ISO etc only change the route travelled to a “proper” exposure, not the end result. Increasing exposure to remove shadows/inrease detail would blow the sky and decreasing exposure while it would save the sky, would deepen the shadows more.

Possible alternatives 1st photo.
1) recompose to remove the sun. At that time of day its just going to overpower the frame. I myself probably would have shot it as a horizontal and from another 20 or 30 feet upstream, so it was more sidelight, coming in from my left shoulder. You likely could have maintained much of the angle you were trying to achieve and mountains as the back drop leading off in the distance.

2) You could have tried some filters (Graduated ND) but with that much sun staring you in the face I dont know how many stops it would have taken and in any event the sky would be unaturally dark.

3) HDR but Im not sure how it would go, largely as I really dont shoot HDRs. They for the most part don’t do it for me, I suspect not well

2nd photo
Similiar t the first, but no sun overpowering the frame and fewer shadows in elements.

1) I might have moved closer to subject and used some fill flash and mayb even underexpose the sky by a 1/3rd

2) Grad NDs probably would have allowed you to expose the foreground and hold back the sky and shift comp a bit to the right (but no higher) to bring more of the mountains in if you’d wanted

Do you have a CP on?
Hard to tell, but there seems to be a fair amount of gare coming of the water. A CP would have redced your exposure by 2 stops or so…End results the same but it allows you to use a slower shutter speed, or wider aperture..

[John Bennett]

Theres the guy you should listen to Tim 🙂

You should post more Richard.

/edit
And thank Darwin for his G/B CP post on NPN, it helped me make the leap and decide to strat learning how to use filters.

[John Bennett]

Photography doesn’t really keep bankers hours, or even fishing hours.

Theres a cliche that goes…..there’s a reason why nature photogrpahers always look tired 🙂 It’s 5am, I’m into my 2nd cup of coffee, waiting for 6am before heading out.

What Zach said set a little light bulb off, something I should have thought of. We don’t get Eagles in my neck of the woods ad the ones we do are transients. That said, I’m sure like a lot of game and Birds of Prey their comfort zones with humans are pretty small..Meaning the threshold at which point they’ll flush is probably fairly large.

If thats an active nest andd you really want some shots. Consider doing exactly what Zach said. Go there before the suns up (if morning light will be better) or late afternoon and camp out. Chances are you might still flush it on the approach..Sit down, smell the roses and wait for it to come back. Don’t stress it though, if its an active nest it needs to be on the nest. In fact in some States I beleive there’s a law about stayin 500 feet from Eagle nest.

Another thing you can try is camping out on it’s flight path, birds are creatures of habit and positioning yourself somewhere along it’s flight path to and from the nest where a) the lights better and b) there are few trees interferring can pay dividends as well.

Thats exactly how we shoot Osprey up here. While Osprey are tolerant and you can get fairly close, i’s stll about camping out either at a nest or along their flight path to and from the narby river/lake, that puts the monring/afternoon sun at your back.

and waiting. Mightwant to cosider a blind, or camo tarp for Eagles.

Thank for the comment Zach but I’m still learning myself.

[John Bennett]

The bane of nature photography. Light management and yes I call it management is both crucial, hard work and sometims outright luck 🙂

Unlike virtually any other type of photography, controlling or manageing what light your dealing with on any given day is not entirely up to you.

Studio? Position and set your strobes. Working with people? See above
Ditto fishing, position yourself or subject where you want. Dont like results? Do a retake.

Nature?
Sometimes you just have to make the best and accept that light is usually not going to be in your favor unless your managing it.

What can you do in that situation?
Exposure
Given the situation if you want to expose the subject, you would have had to have been in M and overexpose probalby by 2+ stops, not only to overcome the backlighting but also to expose the Eagle as they are are dark birds. If you dont overexpose a bit (relative to te scene, they just apear dark, blackish with little detail)

What your left with then is whats referred to as a high key shot where litterally everything *but* your subject is blown to hell an back. The only way t expose backlit subjects, especially against the sky is expose for the subject and blow the sky

Always try to ask yourself…do I want to expose for the “scene” in which case your subject is part of the greater image and may be a little under/over exposed, which is in essance whats occured in your shot..Or do you want to expose for the subject, in which case your almost always blowing highlights, or clipping shadows.

When walking about and you have backlight, or strong sidelight (and dont want strong shadows) fill flash.

But shadows caused by sidelight can be nice to

However at that distance you’d be pushing the edge, even with a powerful flash and Better Beamer (doubles your output)

best option to increase your odds.
Have places you go in the early morning and places that you go in late afternoon to avoid (as much as possible) shooting into the sun.

I only check this spot in the mornings

Access is from he east, by late afternoon the light all wrong no matter how sweet it might be. So when I have time in the late afternoons I go to places that favor approaches from the west.

Have a Marsh nearby an the best shooting area is morning/afternoon?
Dont fight the one that doesnt help you.

This field has a loop trail

It’s no coincidence in the mornings I take the Eastern fork that puts the fields to the west. That way when I spot WTs, I can leave the trail and the suns at my back, at worst sidelight.

This is a great little swamp but it has little more than a 2 hour shooting window. Morning light needs to clear the top of the trees lining it so 9 or 10am. Doesnt matter whats there, they will be in deep shadows until the sun gets high enough.By noon lights harsh and by 3pm your shooting into it. Its often my 3rd stop when scouting/shooting

map out your goto places and hit them when the shooting lanes, game trails, etc, etc favor you. Take the swamp. If I go there before the suns high enough I migt just spook something special..

And when a great moment falls in your lap, don’t beat yourself to death if the light isnt friendly, you take what nature gives you and just try to do the best you can.

Another photogrpaher?
beh, Moose Peterson would have had trouble exposing that. all you need some experience. You cant control either the sun or the wildlife, what you can control is how you manage the sun, to swing the odds a bit more in your favor

[Author]

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