When I was going through the archives last week, I stumbled across this image. I always want to keep the content here fresh, so I knew I couldn’t post it last week. It would have conflicted with the other image I posted. Unless I’m doing one of my signature 5 part stories, I always try to hold up my end of the bargain by providing you a pleasant surprise. However, I couldn’t wait a month to share this one, I just liked it too much. I remember making this image. The wind was blowing fierce that day. It was as if we were in a sandblaster. The dunes were being shaped before our eyes. I decided I would try my best to capture, in a photograph, what that shaping process was like. This is what I came away with.

If you are new here, I wanted to let you know you can always click on the image to get a lager version to use as your daily computer desktop. See you tomorrow!

iPhone Photography Field Trip

If you are in the Colorado area, or know someone who is, my iPhone Photography workshop is running on Living Social for 1 more day. Make sure you take advantage of the discount. The class is really fun, and makes a unique gift for the creative enthusiast in your life. It also makes a great date for those romantics out there. CLICK HERE to get the deal.

Capture Notes:

• Nikon D700
• Nikon 28-300 VR II
• Lexar UDMA 300x Compact Flash

Processing Notes:

Capture – 1 image
Lightroom – RAW Processing & BW Conversion
Sized for web
Hossedia.com

I’ve just scheduled our March workshops! If you are in the Denver area, or don’t mind traveling, come join us for a fun day of learning all about iPhone photography!

About The Class

Never let a bulky camera or a bunch of dials get in the way of taking a great photograph again! In this fun two hour iPhone Photography workshop you will have a great time learning how to turn your iPhone into a loyal creative companion. Whether it is a trip to Paris, a family reunion, or just a walk in the park your iPhone will have you covered. In this class you will not only learn the basic principles of great photography, you will also learn how to use five of the most powerful iPhone Photography apps on the market. Finally, what good are great photos if you can’t share them? We will show you how to quickly and easily share your newly created masterpieces with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, & Email.

Click Here to find a class that fits into your schedule.

I hope everyone has a great weekend, we will see you back here on Monday!

Fitness Challenge Update

If you are a regular here, you know I run a fitness challenge every year. We all state our goals in Nov. and try to make them happen by May. My goal this year was to do a stand up paddle board race called the Olukai. When I set the goal, I had never even stood on a paddle board, let alone race one. That was the beauty of it! It was totally uncharted waters (pun intended). I had no idea what to expect or what I would encounter. Instead of updating you about my fitness, I thought I’d share a few of the things I have experienced that I never would have had I not tried something totally new. I share these things hoping that it will encourage you to do the same. I’m learning more and more about the journey….the destination is just icing on the cake.

• Spent some quality time with a few of my photo buddies in Austin.
• Paddled a five mile stretch of Lady Bird Lake on my knees.
• Was nearly run over by the UT women’s crew team….they weren’t stopping.
• Actually went on a photo-walk with some of the nicest guys you could meet.
• I participated in a Bordeaux wine tasting with thousands of other people around the world.
• Fell in love with nookie…no, not that nookie…I’m talking fried chocolate chip cookie dough.
• Visited (by paddle board) the Stevie Ray memorial in Austin.
• Reconnected with an old college cycling teammate.
• Rode cruiser bikes with my wife for 30 miles along the California coast.
• Surfed a few waves.
• Overcame (well, overcoming) a healthy fear of white sharks. It still bothers me a bit when I’m alone in the grey waters a mile off the coast of California.
• Chatted with a Navy Seal and thanked him for his service.
• I was scolded by a surf shop operator for drinking coffee…apparently he couldn’t keep up with my questions at 10am.
• Paddled along side a family of dolphins.
• Got Plineyed(sp?)
• I’m spending a lot of time on a balance board in my living room.
• Got into land surfing (long boarding around the parks here in Colorado w/ a paddle).
• On my paddle board, I explored the kelp fields off of La Jolla and watched sea lions play.
• Fell off my board more times than I would like to admit.

When my mind is quiet, I can hear this place calling me. I wish I could articulate why. It’s just one of those magical places in the world that casts a spell on those that visit. Maybe it was the adventure I was on when I discovered it, or simply its scale? When I’m there, I feel small but part of something larger. It’s like the Earth smiles at you and reminds you that you’re a visitor, then it winks to let you know that it is happy to have you. It is one of my favorite places in the world.

Do you have a place like that?

This is how we walk the dog here in Colorado! The Great Sand Dunes are incredible, and if you are ever visiting here make sure you schedule them up. Last year I shot an entire series there using a single camera and lens. I shared the lesson I learned here.

It is that time of year again, the pro cycling season is underway. To celebrate, I thought I would share a common scene you will find if you ever decide to make your way to the Tour de France. The mountain passes are lined with thousands of RVs. Or as my European friends call them, ‘camping cars’. Fans will flock from all around Europe in these camping cars to cheer on their favorite riders. They arrive days in advance to get a good spot. It is a big party that lasts for days, and if you’re a cyclist, they will cheer for you as your ride by. You don’t know how many times a German, Belgian, or French family saved me by offering me food and water while I was out on a long ride. They just love their cyclists….even if you are a slow rider touring the countryside.

Capture Notes:

• Nikon D700
• Nikkor 45mm PCE
• Lexar UDMA 300x Compact Flash

Processing Notes:

Capture – 1 image
RAW Development – Lightroom 3
Sized for web
Hossedia.com

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was pretty busy so this will be a quick post. Sorry about that. If you are a regular here you know I have a soft spot for Americana and a great place to explore the forgotten west is Nevada.

The Frontier

I’ll be instagr.am (ing) live from The Frontier this weekend in San Diego. You can follow the adventure in real-time here.

Live From San Diego

If you would like to join us on The Frontier, click here to learn how!

Fitness Challenge Update

It has been a couple of weeks from the last check in, so let me catch you up on what I’ve been up to. Diet wise, I have black-listed the tortilla on Chipotle burritos. That is 300 calories I can do without. I have been eating a lot of salads and some good home cooked vegetarian meals. Workout wise I have been doing the normal. A couple nice days have let me get out on the bike a bit. A few 50+ miles rides, mixed in with some intensity on the spin bike have been doing me right. I continue to dial in my strength training via waterman’s workouts and yoga. All in all, things are going well…however I still have a long road ahead of me before the Olukai. This weekend I will be able to get 4 solid days on the open ocean and I hope to complete my first 10 mile stand up paddle. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I absolutely love making movies. I just wish they didn’t take so darn long to produce. The shooting alone takes a great deal of time. Then the editing, writing and recording the music, and finally piecing it all together. This movie was in the works for 6 months. I’m sure I could have finished it faster if I focused on it, but I still like to bring you some levity during the week.

Thankfully I don’t have any ‘high power studio execs’ financing my movies, no way would they have let me produce an experimental, lo-fi, super high contrast movie backed by a space-rodeo-symphony soundtrack. I love the freedom of only having to answer to my creative self. However, I wouldn’t mind the box office rewards that come along with blockbuster movies. Until I’m approached by Hollywood to direct the next Transformers, I’m going to maintain my ‘indie filmmaker’ status. We will cross the one billion dollar bridge when we come to it!

About the movie – I’m a bit like Edward Burns in the fact I make my movies on a shoestring budget. I probably differ from him in the fact that I have to…for me, there is no other budget. He made Newlyweds for $9000 in 12 days…yep, you read that right!

• I shot it over the course of 9 days in San Francisco.
• I used Lightroom to compile the time lapse sequences. I could have used TimeLapse Assembler for a small donation.
• iMovie (Free w/ a MAC) to edit it.
• I recorded the music on Garage Band (Free w/ a MAC)
• I shot it with a used and rather inexpensive Nikon D5100 and Nikon 16-85 VR lens

Want proof that you can make a great movie for under $10k? Get Edward Burns’ ‘Newlyweds’ here.

I shot this image last summer when a buddy of mine Rick Louie and I were up exploring the Rocky Mountains. We had hiked up to about 12,000 feet, shot the sunset, and were heading home when we decided to stop and make a few more images. I was well into the exposure when this car started by. At first I was frustrated by its appearance, but upon further review, it turned out to be my favorite image of the night. You just never know what’s going to happen.

Check back tomorrow for my newest movie, ‘Contrast’. This one is a bit experimental.