JMG-Galleries - Jim M. Goldstein Photography

Photos that Speak to an Audience

Jim — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:01:15 +0000

One thing I really enjoy about sharing my photography is that every so often a photo finds its perfect audience who can fully appreciate a core thought that inspired its creation. Case in point is my Light Lasso photo from Death Valley National Park that was recently published in the quarterly edition of the DarkSky.org quarterly publication Nightscape with a feature on “Seeing Blue, Blue Rich White Light”.

Darksky.org's Nightscape featuring Racetrack Light Lasso, Death Valley National Park

It is increasingly hard to find night skies that are not polluted by artificial light from our roadways, homes, towns and cities. The Sierra Nevada mountains, parts of the Owens Valley, Death Valley and portions of southern Utah are but a few places I gravitate toward to enjoy the stars. You’d be surprised even on a moonless night how bright the stars in night sky can be. To be able to see the arm of the Milky Way stretch from one horizon to another is breathtaking. Unfortunately such sights are increasingly rare. It’s great to see that organizations like DarkSky.org exist and in case you’re curious they do operate based on contributions/donations. I just made mine and hope you do to lend them a hand.

Technorati Tags: Death Valley National Park, Stock Photo, Stock Photography, Fine Art, Night, Racetrack, Darksky.org

Sutro Baths Photo Walk Highlights

Jim — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:01:41 +0000

This past Saturday I led the Sutro Baths Photo Walk here in San Francisco and was joined by a group of great photographers from all over northern California. This particular photo walk was one of many held on Saturday as part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk event. The weather was typical for San Francisco summers and ideal for longer exposure photography. For those that stuck it out there were great photo opportunities to be found. The photo walk started at 6:30, ran past sunset and I believe I was one of the last people to leave at 10pm. For those that joined me thank you so much for your participation and perseverance.

Technorati Tags: San Francsico, Sutro Baths, Photo Walk, Photography

In Search of Zen

Jim — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:12:04 +0000

If nature is my religion, the world is my temple.

Zen - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Walk carefully in the most pristine of locations and you’ll hear whispers and see writing. What you hear and read will be as much a reflection of you as the world before you.

Wind Etching - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Technorati Tags: Photography, New Mexico, Landscape, Nature, Stock Photo, Fine Art

Petrified Waves of Sand

Jim — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:40:48 +0000

As though time has stopped, waves of sand stand frozen in the heart of the vast dune field of White Sands National Monument.

Petrified Waves of Sand - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Photo Details:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 15mm fisheye, f/22, 1/200 sec, ISO 200

While light was softer in the morning to bring out the detail of these sand formations I’ve grown to love this view with the harsher late morning light. The larger view of the patterns in contrasty light reveal a hidden “Z” providing a unique compositional element for the eye to follow.

Technorati Tags: photography, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, desert, stock photo, fine art

Moonlit Dunes

Jim — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:19:49 +0000

The only thing more serene than a pristine desert landscape is a desert landscape at night. Ironically the desert at night is a little less serene for its inhabitants. The cooler temperatures are preferred by the many nocturnal creatures calling the desert home. For visitors like myself there is no better time to witness the desert than under a full moon. You’d be surprised how bright the moon will light the landscape. In the photo below I actually had to notch the brightness down a bit so you’d know it was a night photo. To the naked eye (once adjusted to the dark) the landscape is bright and detailed. The only difference other than the lack of warm sunlight is the foot prints of the desert inhabitants are a little fresher. I kept wondering if I would run into a coyote or fox on my night hike, but following their fresh trails I was left to wonder where they might be in the infinite dunes of White Sands. I look forward to the next time I get to share another night hike with the creatures that call White Sands home.

Moonlit Dunes - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Photo details:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, TS-E24mm f/3.5L, f/10, 2 min 20 sec, ISO 200,

Technorati Tags: photography, landscape, nature, fine art, stock photo, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, desert

One of Photography’s Great Paradoxes

Jim — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:19:48 +0000

One of photography’s great paradoxes is that it’s the journey that matters most not the end result.

The majority of what we read in relation to photography is how to capture an amazing image. A goal we all have no doubt, but…

For every outing to a particular location to get “the” photo I find numerous other great subjects to photograph.
If I can’t squeeze in a shoot of these new subjects then I’m making note of them for future outings.
Every great photo captured leads me on a journey of experience that allows me to think of new ideas for future photos.
With out the experience of seeing new environments, lighting conditions/phenomenon, affect of various lenses, etc. I might never find new avenues for my creativity to spill into.
For every photo outing taken if i’m not having fun in the process why continue on to the next?

The end result matters. It always does, but the path to that result matters most. Fueling creativity, building experience and having fun is what makes great photos even if upon first try you come back empty handed.

Egg Factory – Bisti Badlands, New Mexico
Neither the composition or conditions I had hoped for in my visit to the Egg Factory in the Bisti Badlands of New Mexico. My longer than planned search for this formation enabled me to find other great subjects and photo ideas for my next visit. Video of my experience here found in my write up Mother Nature Seldom Works on Your Schedule.

Jay thanks for getting lost, your write up pushed me over the edge to publish this thought.

Technorati Tags: photography, philosophy, Bisti Badlands, New Mexico, desert, stock photo

Tempests & Epiphanies

Jim — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:27:51 +0000

One thing that never fails in life is that at some point some new development happens that puts a part of your past in perspective; sometimes these moments are tempests and other times they’re calmer epiphanies.

Sierra Tempest

On a professional and personal level this happens with out fail. I’ve shared more than a few professional moments such as these (a few of examples including Why Social media Matters to Photographers, Watermarks: Evolution of a Watermark and A Happy Ending to My Drive Crash) and a couple personal moments as well (Wondering Where I’ve Been? and Tribute to Curly).

Having a little time on your hands (whether at 3am lulling a newborn to sleep or perhaps out in wilderness under a star filled sky) you’re bound to have some epiphanies. As I refocus on my photography after the arrival of my son I’ve quickly come to realize and appreciate…

It’s far more meaningful to let what you create define who you are versus what you own.

This thought came to mind not just because I’ve been appreciating the arrival of my son, but because I’ve found myself wondering to myself for months why I never got into photography sooner. In my college years it was far too easy to get caught up in owning things (that now have no meaning or value) versus the enjoyment and value I receive from the art I create. Perhaps this is just a natural progression one goes through, but in hindsight I sure wish I embraced creating sooner.

This thought always resurfaces and seems to intensify as I review the early work of other artists. Rather than letting regret hold me back, I always leverage the inspiration I find in such work in the hope that I might one day stand on the shoulders of giants.

Technorati Tags: Photography, nature, abstract, stock photo, fine art

White Sands New Mexico Classic Landscape View

Jim — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:05:26 +0000

One of the more iconic aspects of New Mexico, almost no matter where you are in the state, are the amazing clouds that take shape. This photo best exemplifies how these beautiful clouds can enhance the already amazing landscape of White Sands National Monument.

Soaptree Yucca plant (Yucca elata) and New Mexico Clouds

Photo Details:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, f/13, 1/125 sec, ISO 200, Gitzo tripod

Unlike my previous post Yucca Shadow – White Sands National Monument this photo takes on a more classic view of the iconic Soaptree Yucca (Yucca elata) plants that dot the landscape. Late afternoon light provided side lighting to enhance the texture of the beautiful White Sand and add depth to the clouds. Unfortunately these clouds didn’t hang around long, but they were mesmerizing while they lasted.

Technorati Tags: Landscape, Photography, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, Nature, stock photo, fine art, Soaptree Yucca, Yucca elata

Something’s Been Eating Away At My Free Time

Jim — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:01:37 +0000

I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s been something eating away at my free time…
Photo Details:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 85mm f/1.2, 1/80 sec, f/8 and ISO 1600 under natural light

The past couple of weeks I’ve been taking it upon myself to ramp up on baby portraits. I’ve been doing this with my iPhone quite regularly and with my Canon 1Ds Mark III. My wife who normally is not the most patient when it comes to photography has been eager for me to take “professional” baby photos, but still can’t handle photo setups that take more than a few minutes. As you can imagine it’s an interesting experience getting baby photos. Baby’s seldom cooperate, my wife goes out of her skin during the shoot and we’re still sleep deprived with our son waking us up often during the night. It all makes for a great photo adventure and hopefully the photos captured will provide years of enjoyment.

Technorati Tags: photography, portrait, portraiture, baby, newborn

Wondering Where I’ve Been?

Jim — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:27:50 +0000

Wondering why there hasn’t been a blog post here in sometime?

There are multiple reasons some good and some bad. First the good…

As you might have been able to tell from the photo above a new member of the family has finally arrived!

Blake, my first child, was born on June 8, 2010 (6/8/10 cool ay?). As of this post he’s now 12 days old. My wife went into labor the evening of the 7th and I’ve been up ever since. Ok well maybe it’s not that bad, but at times its seemed like it. Most importantly I am very relieved to report that Blake and his mom are in excellent health. We’ve been having tons of fun with him and soon enough I’ll be sharing some videos that were made for sheer goofy fun.

If you’re looking for good news on this Monday look no further. If you’re curious as to why this time turned out to be so trying click for more. The bad news…

As you might recall not too long ago our youngest dog Zoe was diagnosed with cancer as noted in my blog post Ruff Week Month. 1 day after returning from the hospital with Blake, Zoe took a turn for the worse and her cancer again caused an internal bleed. Our morning walk was cut short with her collapsing on the sidewalk, I took her to the emergency pet hospital as soon as possible where she was nurtured back to health with fluids and rest. I was very happy to be able to take her home that same evening, but later that night she continued her downward spiral with internal bleeding starting up again. I quickly took her to the emergency vet yet again and after 5 hours of tearfully agonizing in an exam room I made the difficult and painful decision to put her down. With no means of stopping the bleeding and a focus on keeping her final moments pain free it seemed to be the logical decision, but emotionally it was the most painful moment of my adult life. I’ve never felt such sorrow and guilt in my life. It’s still tough to think about. I spent several hours balling my eyes out after Zoe’s passing and even still it strikes a raw nerve.

Zoe was an incredible dog (smart, loyal, fun and tons of personality) and it pains me to no end that her life was cut short at the age of 6. My wife and I had hoped to enjoy simple moments of taking her for a walk with our new son. Unfortunately while we’ve been settling in with Blake we’ve been experiencing intermittent and unexpected bouts of grief. It would seem its the little things that often trigger such feelings… mail being delivered without any barking, a silent moment when you return home through the front door, a morning lick that no longer occurs to get you out of bed or even a late night check to make sure you’re ok in your office when you’re blogging/processing photos.

My wife and I have always considered our dogs to be our children so we rarely cut corners in their care. For many this may seem insane, but if you’ve ever owned a pet that you were close to you’ll understand. When Zoe was first taken to the emergency vet in May I didn’t blink an eye at the quote for her surgery. A few thousand dollars was money well spent in my eyes in the hope that she might live a full life into her teens. While she only lived a month or so after being diagnosed with cancer moments like the one in the video above (taken 1 week before her passing) exemplify why I’d have paid even more. Such moments of joy in life are fleeting and I’m incredibly happy I got to share this and many other great moments with an incredible ~~dog~~ friend and family member.

Technorati Tags: baby, dog, announcement, joy , grief

Gulf Oil Spill – Something You Can Do

Jim — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:46:06 +0000

The Gulf Coast oil spill has really grabbed my attention as of late. While disturbing on multiple levels (particularly seeing the horrific wildlife photos via Boston.com’s The Big Picture) I grow increasingly concerned that people will start to filter it out and lose their empathy for the devastation that is happening and will continue to happen for years to come.

Last Friday on Twitter I recommended that others follow the sharp witted spoof PR site of @BPGlobalPR who has been very creatively raising awareness to the horrors of this oil spill. The person behind the account, Leroy Stick, has been selling T-Shirts and donating money to @HealthyGulf the twitter account for the Gulf Restoration Network.

If you haven’t already I recommend reading this article about Leroy Stick and his efforts – Leroy Stick – The Man Behind @BPGlobalPR

Also recommended…. sign the following petition:
BP’s Oil Drilling DisasterTell Obama to Federalize the Clean Up

Why? Think criminal activity not politics. Director James Cameron put it best…

“The government really needs to have its own independent ability to go down there and image the site, survey the site and do its own investigation,” he said.

“Because if you’re not monitoring it independently, you’re asking the perpetrator to give you the video of the crime scene,” Cameron added.
- Director James Cameron says BP turned down help offer via Reuters

Know of other organizations or actions others can do to help in any way or form with the Gulf Oil Spill? Share links and information by adding a comment.

With that being said here are two biting statements made via the bigcaption.com that speak volumes to our own culpability (more after the jump) as we continue to accept oil as the central pillar of our countries energy policy.

Technorati Tags: photography, environment, oil drilling, platform, Santa Barbara, oil spill, oil rig, oil platform, stock photo

Join Me on a Photowalk July 24th in San Francisco

Jim — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:23:54 +0000

It’s that time of year again. July 24th I’m going to be leading a photowalk here in San Francisco as part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk mega-event. Last years photowalk through North Beach was a lot of fun with lots of great photos taken, but this year I’m going to be sharing a favorite spot of mine… Sutro Baths and Lands End. We’ll be meeting in front of Louis’, a small restaurant, and then exploring the Sutro Bath ruins, walking on the Lands End trail for great views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge and returning to the ruins for sunset dusk shooting.

If you’re in town on July 24th join me by signing up. Space is filling up fast. At last check the photowalk was half full after 1 day.

View more photos from Sutro Baths

Technorati Tags: photography, san francisco, california, sutro baths, ruins, urban, landscape, stock photo