JMG-Galleries - Jim M. Goldstein Photography

First Light at Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park

Jim — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:01:16 +0000

You know that feeling when you were a kid on Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza/ morning and you were up before everyone else waiting in anticipation to get/open your gift(s)? While visiting Glacier National Park earlier in the year I had that feeling every morning. Much like Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza/ morning I woke up too early on the day I took this photo of first light at Two Medicine Lake. I got in to place to photograph sunrise an hour too early and being rather groggy it took me about 30 minutes to figure out why the sun wasn’t coming up as expected.

First Light at Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park

I’d much rather wake up an hour too early than an hour too late. In this instance I took the extra hour to just enjoy my surroundings even if temporarily confused by the lack of appearance of the sun. The highlight of sunrise was seeing the first rays of light filter through the atmosphere painting the face of Sinopah Mountain a deep red and magenta. Unfortunately this moment passed much too quickly. Thinking back to how it felt to see, experience and photograph this location I’m reminded of the cold clean air, silence and intense awe that came over me as the light falling over this scene transformed the landscape. In retrospect I’m not surprised I find myself waking up extra early to photograph such scenes as I live to experience every minute of these moments.

Technorati Tags: landscape, photography, stock photo, fine art, Glacier National Park, nature, Two Medicine Lake, Sinopah Mountain

Yosemite on My Mind

Jim — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:18:29 +0000

I’m going to be returning to Yosemite National Park in the next few weeks as part of my coming Yosemite photo tour and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while, but the great thing about Yosemite is that it’s a location that offers so much to photograph. As a result it’s one of the most inviting locations for photographers… the valley is always a gracious host to those with a camera in hand. If you’re interested in joining me it’s not too late as I have a couple of spots left. Three weeks to go and I’m curious as to what surprises await. In the past I’ve been awe struck by amazing sunsets, beautiful snow covered landscapes and encounters with local wildlife.

Winter really is the best time to see Yosemite especially when one is fortunate to be there with snow on the ground.

More Yosemite Photos

Winter Elements, Yosemite National Park

Grazing Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) in a Snow Storm

Snow Covered Trees, Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Winter Abstract VII

Technorati Tags: Yosemite, landscape, wildlife, nature, photography, photo tour

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Profile & News

Jim — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:21:50 +0000

In case you missed it this past week it was reported that the Brown Pelican is being taken off the Endangered Species List.

Here in California you might not know they’re endangered, as they’re a relatively common sight flying along the coast. From what I’ve read their population is still of concern in some gulf states. While I’m happy to hear that a species has been making a comeback I’m always concerned that people hear this type of news and think the worst is over. Let’s hope this species continues to prosper under the more limited protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Brown Pelican Flies Off The Endangered List – NPR

In case you’re a Brown Pelican fan here are some additional photos I’ve taken recently of these amazing birds

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Reflection

California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in Flight

California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Landing

California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Profile

Technorati Tags: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, stock photo, photo, wildlife, photography, endangered species, Endangered Species Act

Mobius Arch with Star Trails

Jim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:01:38 +0000

One of the more pleasant experiences I’ve had in the field recently was having the luxury of sitting out under the stars at Mobius Arch for 9 hours. Over 7 hours of that time was letting the following long exposure run, while the other two were spent capturing alternate perspectives as seen in Mobius Arch & Stars I and Mobius Arch & Stars V. So what does one do to keep busy during a 7 hour exposure*? (Check all that apply)

Listen and look for swooping owls and scurrying lizards
Watch an average of 4 shooting stars an hour
Listen to the sound of silence
Check email on my iPhone & post to Twitter
All of the Above

See the answer below…

Mobius Arch with Star Trails

If you chose “All of the Above” you’re correct. It was invigorating to be in such a beautiful, dark and quiet environment. I stuck around to make sure that nothing went awry with my camera, but I also didn’t want to be my worst enemy moving my camera or in advertantly introducing light to the scene. So for 7 hours I ducked out behind a giant boulder. It was no surprise that nocturnal creatures were stirring about so between looking and listening for their presence I kept a watchful eye out for shooting stars. Seeing as it was a new moon and my headlamp was rather faint I used my iPhone as a flashlight and soon discovered I could get network coverage. While I enjoyed the serenity of the moment I couldn’t help out of boredom to check my email and update my Twitter account a couple of times. Not my proudest moment, but it happened. iPhone aside it was an incredible experience to be there in that moment to watch the Milky Way swirl above.

* Represents a combined exposure of 100’s of 30 second exposures. To me its an exposure but I realize some might appreciate the differentiation from 1 single exposure.

Technorati Tags: landscape, photography, Mobius Arch, Galen Arch, Galen’s Arch, star trail, Alabama Hills, California

An Amazing Weekend of Photography, Photographers & Wildlife

Jim — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:31:03 +0000

This weekend was the first of two Sea Otter photo tours (November ‘09 & January ‘10) I scheduled some time ago and it was a blast. Photographing wildlife is extremely rewarding, but being able to share the experience with others who are passionate or merely curious about photographing wildlife is incredibly rewarding. While I sort through construction in my office this week I wanted to point my readers to some sample photographs taken by a friend and client, Eliya, who has joined me on a couple of my Sea Otter photo tours. His photography is coming into his own and he was having a great time trying out his new Canon 7D with a rented 600mm lens. I’m quite fond of his photo of me at work exposing some sunset landscapes below, but Eliya’s wildlife photographs on his Flickr photostream are exemplary of the animal seen on the Sea Otter photo tour. More soon enjoy the photos.

Jim in Paradise

Technorati Tags: photography, photo tour, Monterey, California, Sea Otter

EXIF and Beyond Special Edition: Lucinda Dugger of the Copyright Alliance

Jim — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:24 +0000

The 31st episode, a special edition, of EXIF and Beyond has been released (duration 13:41 min.)

This special edition of EXIF and Beyond features an interview with Lucinda Dugger, Director of Outreach and Field Initiatives for the Copyright Alliance. Discussed is the on going initiative for creatives of all type to sign a letter to the President of the United States to pursue policies that respect the rights of artists.

This letter and all gathered signatures will be delivered to the White House on November 16, 2009.

In addition to sharing information about the Letter to the President initiative Lucinda discusses general information about the Copyright Alliance and other priority projects being pursued.

Links of Note:

Listen To The Podcast

EXIF and Beyond: Lucinda Dugger of the Copyright Alliance

If you enjoyed this episode please be sure to rate and comment on the EXIF and Beyond podcast on iTunes.

Technorati Tags: photography, podcast, copyright, Lucinda Dugger, Copyright Alliance, Letter to the President, EXIF and Beyond, special edition

Copyright Jim M. Goldstein, All Rights Reserved

EXIF and Beyond Special Edition: Lucinda Dugger of the Copyright Alliance

Racetrack Sunrise, Death Valley National Park

Jim — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:21:42 +0000

Death Valley National Park’s Racetrack is one of the most incredible locations for landscape photography. The iconic rocks that litter the playa with mysterious trails behind them are an endless source of wonder. Death Valley in general appears dull and lifeless during most hours of the day, but at sunrise and sunset the landscape transforms from a dull colorless environment to one overflowing with texture and vibrant hues. As you drive through the park it’s tough to imagine, but once you experience it you’ll never look at the landscape the same way.

On this trip getting the most out of the morning light was not a problem for those in attendance of my photo tour. The side and back lighting of the sun brings out the texture of the playa and the tracks behind the rocks. One merely needs to find a distinct rock with noticeable tracks to have a morning full of fun. On this morning there were a half dozen photographers on the playa including photographer and friend Gary Crabbe and Rebecca Jackrel who were some where off in the distance behind me. This trip was particular productive for everyone and I’m tempted to line up another tour of this area in February. Anyone interested?

Racetrack Sunrise, Death Valley National Park

Technorati Tags: Landscape, Photography, Racetrack, Death Valley, Death Valley National Park, Stock Photo

“Twitter Revolution” Audio & Slide Presentations

Jim — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:33:26 +0000

Below are the audio recordings and presentation slides from the Twitter Revolution discussion panel at Photo Plus Expo held on October 22nd, 2009 in New York. The following recordings are listed in order of presentation. All credit for this great session goes to Jack Hollingsworth (who just launched his new blog).

Jack Hollingsworth – How to Modernize

Rosh Sillars – How to Magnetize

Seshu – How to Mesmerize

Taylor Davidson – How to Monetize

Jim M. Goldstein – How to Mobilize

Slides for each Presentation:
(via Slideshare.net or PDF)

Speaker Twitter Pages
@PicSeshu
@tdavidson
@jimgoldstein
@photojack
@newmediaphoto

Technorati Tags: Social Media, Twitter, Photo Plus Expo, TwitterRev, Jack Hollingsworth, Rosh Sillars, Seshu Badrinath, Taylor Davidson, Jim M. Goldstein

BorrowLenses.com Lens Rental Giveaway Results

Jim — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:01:06 +0000

The winner of the BorrowLenses.com Lens Rental Giveaway is…

Kristina Jacobs

Selections were made randomly thanks to the use of the random number generator at Random.org. Extra comments or entries were excluded from the random selection.

5% Discount
If you didn’t win don’t forget to claim your 5% discount at Borrowlenses.com with the JMG-Galleries Blog discount code “JJJ5” sans quotation marks.

Additional Specials & Announcements
If you’re on Twitter be sure to follow Borrowlenses as they often announce specials and other discount codes.

Add a Comment to Show Your Support
Thanks to everyone that took part by entering the contest. I’ll be working with Borrowlenses.com in the future in the hopes of bringing you more of these giveaways. If you’d like to see more of these types of giveaways on the JMG-Galleries.com Blog be sure to add a comment here. The more interest the more likely I can repeat such a giveaway.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Technorati Tags: photography, borrowlenses.com, borrowlenses, equipment, rental

EXIF and Beyond: Tom Hogarty on Lightroom 3

Jim — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:10:23 +0000

The 30th episode of EXIF and Beyond has been released (duration 24:53 min.)

This episode of EXIF and Beyond features an interview with Tom Hogarty product manager for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, the Adobe Raw Converter plugin and the DNG file format. Discussed is the release of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta and its many new features & enhancements. This talk is the first of a two part discussion.

Unlike past episodes the second half of this two part discussion has yet to take place. You are invited to ask Tom questions about Lightroom 3 Beta via comments to this blog post. The second half of our discussion will be comprised of answering your questions. While I can’t promise every question will be discussed I’ll aim to present the best and most pertinent questions to Tom to answer. Tom has been quite gracious to take part in this Q&A format and has even asked Lightroom 3 Beta users for specific feedback in this episode. If and when you comment be sure to leave your name and hometown so I can attribute your name to the question discussed.

The deadline to submit questions to be included in the next podcast is Sunday November 8th 15th at 9pm PST

Related Sites

Adobe Labs Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta site

Noted Posts:

Direct Timelapse Video Export from Lightroom by Sean McCormack

Listen To The Podcast

Download: EXIF and Beyond: Tom Hogarty
If you enjoyed this episode please be sure to rate and comment on the EXIF and Beyond podcast on iTunes.

Technorati Tags: photography, podcast, Tom Hogarty, Lightroom, Photoshop, Lightroom 3, Adobe, photography, EXIF and Beyond

Art and Prejudice: What Is The Real Truth In Photography?

Jim — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:01:04 +0000

Featured today is a guest blog post by photographer and friend Guy Tal. Guy has long been an inspiration in both his photography and writing. Our blog post exchange today touches on a subject discussed in an essay “This Photo Is Lying to You” by Rob Haggart in Outside Magazine that resonated with both Guy and I separately. After a brief exchange via email we decided to share our views on the subject with you, our readers, in the hope of generating a healthy debate within the photography community. Enjoy! We look forward to your comments.

—

What would you think of someone claiming to be an art connoisseur berating and disparaging the validity of paintings by Van Gogh, Dali, or Monet? How about a self-described classical music buff proclaiming that symphonies by Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart are detrimental to the social value of all music? Such statements would likely be met with scorn and ridicule. And yet, a piece in a recent edition of Outside Magazine makes similarly outlandish statements against photographic artists, accusing them of damage to the practice of photography in all its genres.

In fact, the argument made in the article dismisses the philosophy and life works of giants from Alfred Stieglitz to Ansel Adams, not to mention countless contemporary photographers, as “lies” and “fakery”.

There’s a lot in the article that I disagree with, but one statement in particular is bothersome to me:

“No matter how forthright one is about alterations, fake photos cause collateral damage. They devalue the work of photographers with the skill and patience to capture awing images in real time.”

No they don’t. Do fiction writers devalue the work of investigative reporters? Do fantasy movies diminish the accomplishment of documentary filmmakers? Does science fiction cause damage to science? Further, is the implication that those who create art in the medium of photography are somehow less skilled or patient than their editorial counterparts? How insulting.

It is worth mentioning that the same issue of Outside features black-and -white images, images showing motion blur and lens distortion, and any number of other creative techniques making them what Ansel Adams would call “departures from reality.” And, of course, glamorized photographs featured in paid advertisements seem altogether exempt from criticism.

In a previous essay Idealizing the Landscape, I wrote: “Honesty is not a quality of images but rather of people; and comes into play in how the work is presented.” One would do well to avoid assigning moral values to inanimate creations. Images don’t lie. They can’t. For the same reason, images don’t tell the truth either. The only way to assess the documentary veracity of an image is by the trustworthiness of the people behind it: the photographer and the publication. When an image is misrepresented, the photographer is lying – not the image.

While one could plausibly make the argument for honesty in reportage, Haggart goes beyond the editorial and openly criticizes an art photographer (Ed Freeman) who fully acknowledges his methods and had never tried to pass his work as anything other than creative interpretations (and I may add – stunningly beautiful work of great skill and patience.) This is where the noble pursuit of “truth” ends for me, and prejudice rears its ugly head.

Photographic tools and images are every bit as versatile as paintbrushes and writing instruments. Just like one would not expect all written words to be indisputable truth, they can’t and should not expect every product of a camera to represent reality. In fact, as Mr. Haggart himself admits: “truth in photography has always been fuzzy (…) the camera always lies.”

The article states that “There’s a growing hunger for the truth.” Indeed. But what is the truth? Is it the misguided belief that all photographs represent reality? Is it not far better for consumers of imagery to become educated and to realize that the camera, like the pen or the chisel or the word processor, is an expressive medium and their trust in photograph may in fact be misinformed? Like it or not: that is the truth.

Rather than promote the Orwellian persecution of those whose photography ventures into creative expression, let this be the dawn of a new age of enlightenment. Consumers of photographic images must realize that while some are meant to represent true events, others are intended as works of visual art and symbolic metaphors. Failure to acknowledge the difference is simply embracing ignorance rather than trying to remedy it.

For us in the know – whether photographers, editors, curators, reporters or artists – the goal should not be to impose draconian limitations on personal expression (need we mention dark periods in human history where this was the case?) Instead, it is our duty to educate and inform.

Nobody expects to find accounts of actual events when reading fantasy novels, nor literal representations of real subjects in abstract art. People can be taught to distinguish between the documentary, the fictional, and the symbolic. Rather than assume our audience is ignorant or uncaring, we should earn their trust and faithfully represent our work for what it is – editorial or otherwise. Our mission should be to help deepen understanding, broaden horizons, and foster appreciation for a variety of expressive media. To assume that all people expect the same thing from photographs and can’t be bothered to learn the difference between reportage and creative expression is an insult to our audience.

—

If you enjoyed this be sure to read my writing on Guy’s blog:
Photography’s Eternal Identity Struggle

Technorati Tags: Photography, Philosophy, Digital Editing, Photo, Manipulation, Art, Photoshop

Happy Halloween from the Photo Assistants III

Jim — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:45:05 +0000

Happy Halloween from my photo assistants! This Halloween the dogs were in great form doing as good a job in front of the camera as they normally do behind the camera. Photographed below is Moe as Captain Hook, Curly as Tinkerbell and Zoe as Peter Pan. From my family to yours, stay forever young and have a safe Halloween. (see the videos after the jump)

Happy Halloween from the Photo Assistants III

Trying to Wrangle the Dogs

“The Snoring” – Post-Photoshoot

Technorati Tags: Halloween, dog, costume, canine, K9, holiday, Neverland, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell