Marc Silber's Blog, page 17
March 12, 2017
Viewpoint: Same Point, Two Different Views of Point Lobos
Same Point, two different Views of Point
Point Lobos, in Monterey County, California, near Carmel-by-the sea, has inspired countless photographers with its unparalleled lanscape and wildlife regardless of the time of the year or the weather.
Rainbow over Carmel River Beach, Point Lobos behind it.
Carmel Beach, with Point Lobos getting fogged in – watch the video
The story of these photos: Last week we awoke to the rainbow you see above, with its end neatly hitting the beach, at the mouth of the Carmel River. You can just barely make out Point Lobos behind it. A few days later I captured the black and white while filming my short video about why I wrote my new book Advancing Your Photography (have a look it’s got some great GoPro shots of the Carmel seascape.) In this image you can see the fog really rolling in on Point Lobos while Carmel Beach remained drenched in sun. Such is the magic of this ever changing and stunning part of the world.
Point Lobos is where Edward Weston spent years photographing — especially capturing nudes in the sand dunes, you should google to see his remarkable images. I talk about him AYP as he had a major impact on me.
And there you have the same Point, with two entirely different views.
Why all this ruckus about pre-ordering my new book?
I made this short film to explain the top three reasons why I wrote the book, would you humor me and take just two minutes to hear me out? Watch it here. We had fun making it on the beach and zooming around on my Vespa — don’t laugh that it’s not a Harley or a Ducati — it’s the perfect vehicle to get around in this beach town.
Now here’s my appeal to help me help you: By pre-ordering the book you’ll get it as soon as it comes out on Amazon and you’ll really help us in the process. Amazon rewards those books that it sees are getting a lot of traction by featuring them, which of course helps more people find these secrets too.
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March 4, 2017
Advancing Your Photography Handbook
GET YOUR ORDER BONUS NOW! We’ll also add you to our newsletter
Fill out the form below, receive our AYP Basic Photography Shoot Checklist, and a chance to win this cool bag from ThinkTank! $279 value!
And attend a Webinar with Marc — get your questions answered!
Order Now and you’ll be invited to a webinar with Marc.
Submit your questions and Marc will answer!
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Advancing Your Photography Handbook | Pre-order BONUS
GET YOUR PRE-ORDER BONUS NOW! We’ll also add you to our newsletter
Fill out the form below, receive our AYP Basic Photography Shoot Checklist, and enter to win a cool bag from ThinkTank
Pre-Order Now at only $19.95 and get a chance to win a ThinkTank StreetWalker of $229.75 value!
[contact-form-7]
The post Advancing Your Photography Handbook | Pre-order BONUS appeared first on The Marc Silber Show.
Advancing Your Photography Handbook | Pre-order
GET YOUR PRE-ORDER BONUS NOW! We’ll also add you to our newsletter
Fill out the form below, receive our AYP Basic Photography Shoot Checklist, and enter to win a cool bag from ThinkTank
Pre-Order Now and get a chance to win a ThinkTank StreetWalker of $229.75 worth of value
[contact-form-7]
The post Advancing Your Photography Handbook | Pre-order appeared first on The Marc Silber Show.
March 3, 2017
Every Photographers Must Have Handbook
Pre-order a copy today!
And enter for a chance to win a FREE Think Tank Bag.
Coming this May, Advancing Your Photography will release its first book made just for photographers. Watch the video for a sneak peek inside the first two chapters of the book!
Handbook Designed By Photographers for Photographers
This handbook–from the look of it, to the feel– is designed with photographers in mind. It’s purposefully compact. Beginners to professionals, smart phone users to mirrorless cameras– whatever type of photographer you are, you will learn how to hone your skills. The unique part about this handbook is that it is made up of thousands of hours of interviews from Marc Silber’s AYP Show; where he interviews well known, award-winning photographers. This prized advice from the experts is now in one place, for you to use with ease.
Pre-order a copy. Get FREE photography downloads!
Headed to your son’s soccer game and want action shots? Shooting a full moon? What about grabbing portraits at a family party? There is a chapter for all of it! The handbook dives into post-production editing tips in Lightroom, plus how to print and showcase your work. “The most important thing is getting your work out, in the public,” said Silber.
For a preview of what you’ll find inside the book, check out AYP show’s latest video, “Tips for Visualizing Photographs.” We give you a sneak peek inside Chapters 1 and 2. Don’t miss the chance to win a FREE Think Tank Bag ($230 value) if you pre-order today. Plus we’re giving away a bonus, free-download!
What you’ll learn from AYP Handbook:
The top tips for making outstanding photographs from many iconic photographers as well as today’s top photographers ― with many examples and step by steps to implement
How to put this advice into use and train your eye to see composition with emotional impact
Know and master the key points of operating your camera like a pro
How to capture remarkable photographs with more tips from the pros
How to process your images to professional standards
Tips for sharing your work to get it out in the world!
Easy to follow tips for nine genres of photography including photographing children, sports, events travel and many more
How to continue to advance to professional levels!
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Pre-order your copy of Advancing Your Photography: A Handbook for Taking Photographs You’ll Love.”
Plus enter for a chance to win a FREE Think Tank Camera Bag ($230 value) and bonus downloads.
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Pre-Order: http://www.silberstudios.tv/dev/blog/2017/03/advancing-your-photography-handbook-pre-order-bonus/
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October 28, 2016
Help Us, Help You: Photography Book Survey
AYP Show Host Marc Silber is in the process of finishing up a photography book just for you! But first, we need your help. Click to Take Survey!
Advancing Your Photography is in the final stages of writing a photography handbook just for you, but we want your opinion and help for some of the final touches. All you need to do is take this quick, less than 5 minute survey. There are only six questions.
_Advancing Your Photography
For the last three months, Marc Silber has been working tirelessly to bring his fans and audience a photography book like never before. He goes beyond his insider tips, sharing information every beginner to professional photographer can appreciate and use. He has a few quick questions he needs your help to answer, like : What do you think of the title? What image do you think of when you hear, “Advancing Your Photography: A Handbook for Making Photos That You’ll Love.”
Take Survey.
It’s a quick, fun way to participate in the final touches of the book! So be a “deer”, and help us!
Deer in Yosemite _Photo Credit: Marc Silber
Here is the link so you can simply share it with your friends! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/33P5NJZ
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September 22, 2016
Tips for Hiking Photographs & Video in Tetons
Don’t let all those priceless vacation pictures go to waste
We’ve all been there. After a week-long vacation with family or friends our digital camera card reads “Full.” Full of all the priceless memories you made that week. Full of all the people you cherish. So now what? If you’re like most of us, we upload the card full of photos onto our computer. Import. Album Name: Family Vacation 2016. The end. And there the pictures sit, for weeks, months, years. For no one to see. Ever. But no more! Marc has your inspiration for a fun, creative, quick way to share your memories, vacation photos, with everyone. Watch the latest episode, “Tips for Hiking Photography and Video in Tetons,” for inspiration about how you can edit together your images and video along with some kick ass music. Now in 3-5 minutes you have the whole story that you can share with family and friends.
The Hiking Trip
Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber
For the last two weeks, Advancing Your Photography Show host, Marc Silber, his wife and friends have been on a “vacation” of sorts. But don’t worry, Marc brought his camera with him, so you wouldn’t miss out on the magnificent, jaw-dropping wonders that are Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. (*Special thanks to B&H for the Sony A7II)
Day One: The group headed out on their 4-day backpacking trip through the Grand Teton National Park. If you’re not familiar with the park, watch the video. The first day started off normal enough. The weather was fine. The group hiked roughly 8 miles, to approximately 9,300 feet with serious elevation change from where they started. They pitched a tent and settled in for the night, just as the rain started to fall.
Day Two: Overnight, the rain turned into sleet, then into snow. Marc unzipped the tent in the morning to find three inches of snow on the ground. The group’s trusty trail had disappeared under the freshly fallen snow. The group’s only two choices were to stay put, or hike eight miles back from where they came. Thanks to Marc’s mountaineer training, he instructed the group to stay in the same location another day, until the snow melted and the trail became visible.
Day Three: The group headed out to continue hiking. There was major winds once they came around the mountain with snow blowing sideways! In the distance, the group witnessed an avalanche. Rocks and snow tumbling down the mountain for a solid two minutes straight. And of course, if rain, sleet, snow and an avalanche weren’t enough; the group heard a snarling bear in the woods.
Day Four: The adventures continued through the Grand Teton National Park. Marc used his Sony A7II to capture the vast mountain views, the spacious blue skies, towering trees, trickling creeks and rolling rivers. The compact size of the camera was a big plus.
Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber
Hiking Photography Tips
Marc Silber in Grand Teton National Park (September 2016)
Traveling and hiking photography is often a strenuous test of your strength and ability not only for you, but for your equipment. It’s important to keep your equipment dry, protected and shielded from the elements. If you’re backpacking, you’ll obviously be caring a backpack, which can be cumbersome. Still, make sure your camera is easily accessible, but also secure. Marc used a nylon stuff sack to keep dirt off his lens while hiking the Tetons. Marc says remember “less is more” otherwise you’ll miss the shots.
Shoot to remember: Mix shots of landscapes, natural shots, small details, recording events with people
Let yourself become more intune with your surroundings
Shoot variety of stills and videos
Use editing software to piece together motion and stills to create compact memory of trip that you can share
Don’t pack your camera away, keep equipment close by and easily accessible
Post-Editing Tip
Grand Teton National Park _Photo Credit: Marc Silber
Google has a software called Nik Collection. In it, there is a black and white conversion tool called Silver Efex Pro. It has all sorts of different templates for black and white conversions. Unlike Photoshop and Lightroom, the software is made specifically for conversion to black and white. The technology is very robust and you can dial it in to some of your favorite B/W films, as Marc did with Panatomic -X.
Once again, special thanks to B&H for lending Marc the Sony A7II.
Be sure to check out Advancing Your Photography Show’s Youtube Channel.
Watch. Like. Subscribe.
Now go out and capture your own images of life! _Marc Silber
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August 13, 2016
Photograph the Perseid Meteor Shower
You don’t need a telescope or binoculars, just your eyes and your camera !
1. What is the Perseids?
The Perseids is an annual meteor shower that occurs from July 17 to August 24. These meteors, or “shooting stars,” are about the size of a grain of sand and cause the air around them to heat and illuminate as they fall. They will appear anywhere from faint streaks to bright fireballs and can be seen across the sky, but are most prominent in the northern hemisphere. At times, about 50 to 60 meteors can be seen per hour – that’s about one every minute! On August 12, the meteor shower peaked when Earth passed through the densest, dustiest area of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. At this point, about 200 meteors per hour lit up the night sky per hour!
Shooting stars fall over a wind farm (2015). All the red lights are on top of wind turbines. Photo Credit: mLu.fotos
“Perseids” comes from “Perseides” in Greek mythology, or the son of Perseus. Perseus, like a father, is the constellation that these meteors seem to fall from, like sons. The meteors are also sometimes called St. Lawrence’s “fiery tears.” This is because the meteor shower peaks around August 10, the date of St. Lawrence’s martydom of being burnt alive on a gridiron in 258 AD.
Timelapse photo of the Perseids above Black Rock Desert, Nevada (2015). Photo Credit: Trevor Brexon
2. How can I photograph the Perseids Meteor Shower ?
Supplies: Camera (including battery and power source), tripod, and memory card (64GB could get you through a night).
Location: Go to a dark rural or suburban area where you have a good view of the sky. Beyond lots of sky, a great photo could include other natural and human elements of the landscape. Remember, your eyes take about 30 minutes to adjust to the dark. If it’s a clear night, set up your camera and tripod quickly so you don’t miss any good shots. If it’s cloudy, try again the next night.
Annually, the Perseids Meteor Shower peak around August 12-13, which coincides with a new moon. This means optimal viewing conditions of clear, dark skies. This year, though, the waxing gibbous moon will cause some light pollution and potentially make it more difficult to capture crisp images of the meteor shower.
A fireball falls through a faint glow cloud of debris at Mt. Helmos in Klitoria, Greece (August 2016). Photo Credit: Christos Doudoulakis.
Focus: Position the camera slightly away from the radiant point of the meteor shower, either northwest to northeast. This is so that the meteors don’t seem to fall right at the camera and you can catch longer light streaks from the side.
You want to obtain an accurate infinity focus. If you arrive at your location before sunset, pre-focus your lens and then tape the focus ring so it won’t move. If you arrive after dark, focus on the moon or something bright.
Use your widest angle lens, at least f/2.8 and preferably f/1.4, and the highest ISO that can provide the best results for your context, usually ISO 2000. Lower lens aperture means more light enters the camera and you can capture twice as many meteors.
Exposure: Aim for 15-20 seconds exposure. You can put your camera in continuous drive mode, which means you hold the button down and photos are taken until you release. Lock the button down using a cable release.
The longer you wait, the more meteors you’ll catch!
Be sure to check out “How to Capture Auroras on Your Own Camera” and “Scientific Approach to Photography with Binh Dahn”!
For more information on this subject, see PetaPixel’s on “Everything You Need to Know (and Bring) to Photograph a Meteor Shower”.
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August 4, 2016
Photography Tips: The Key to Capturing Emotion
This week’s featured photographer is all about capturing the feeling of his subjects and events. He’s captured the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, and Joe Montana. Michael Zagaris a.k.a “Z-Man,” has rubbed elbows and captured images of some of the most famous performers, musicians and athletes we’ve ever seen. What his secret? Spoiler Alert: He says he doesn’t actually have one. Z-Man uses something we all have, instinct. Z-Man says the key to capturing emotion is to pay attention.
Feel it “viscerally
[relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect”] in your soul and read where you are and who you are and how you fit in, in relation to your subject. Sometimes it means almost being invisible,” said Zagaris.
Madonna performing on stage. _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
Bruce Springsteen _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
“Remain engaged. Always be open. Try to see and feel everything and capture it. Shoot what really moves you and shoot what you feel.”
Z-Man also talks about engaging with his subjects and knowing when to be invisible. From his black and white images, to the bright lights of the stage, Z-Man captures the moments and emotion so well, it leaves us feeling as if we were at the concert or ball game too.
Joe Montana and Coach Walsh _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris print
Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
In the video “Photography Tips: The Keys to Capturing Emotion,” Z-Man says photography is like dancing, you learn to flow with your subjects and environment.
“You become what you shoot,” said Zagaris.
Z-Man considers himself more of a photojournalist. He wants to capture reality or things that appear to be real, and give his audience a behind-the-scenes experience, or as he calls it, “a visual diary.”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
Eric Clapton _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
Z-Man became a sports photographer in the 1970s, he is the current team photographer for the San Francisco 49ers.
Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
Whether it’s famous rockstars or professional athletes, Z-Man uses his camera lens to bridge the gap between him and his subject.
“There’s just you and me,” Zagaris will say to his subjects. “I want you to act or be either who you are, or who you think you are, or who you’d like to be.”
You won’t hear Z-Man taking about F-Stops or exposure, for him, it’s all about what you feel. “Remain engaged. Always be open. Try to see and feel everything and capture it. Shoot what really moves you and shoot what you feel.”
The Who at Winterland. March 30, 1976 _Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris
Z-Man’s Composition Tips:
Visualize your image: Make sure your final image is the image you intended to see from the beginning.
It’s all about the flow. Photography is like a dance with your subjects.
Pay Attention: Subjects, back drop, lens, angles, the environment as a whole.
Research shoot (Z-Man studies fashion magazines)
Have a visual in mind of what you want photo to look like
Embrace your surroundings
Immediately asses environment and subject
Ask client what they want, how they feel
Let them know this photoshoot is just about the two of you.
“There’s just you and me,” Zagaris will say to his subjects. “I want you to act or be either who you are, or who you think you are, or who you’d like to be.”
Want more? Watch more at: Marc Silber’s Advancing Your Photography Show.
Go out and capture your own images of life!
Follow us on Instagram: @MichaelZagaris @Marc Silber
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July 28, 2016
Outdoor Photoshoot with Huntington Witherill
Photographer Huntington Witherill shares how he visualizes a photo and tells us why he doesn’t always take his camera with him.
Grab your sunscreen and flip flops. Marc Silber’s Advancing Your Photography Show heads to the beach in this week’s episode, “Landscape Photography shoot and tips with Huntington Witherill.” We tag along to pick Huntington’s brain as he visualizes, creates and captures a popular stone structure known as a Cairn, on Carmel River Beach. Huntington walks and talks us through his visualization, which starts by scouting out the area. He actually leaves his camera behind and tests out different angles with his own two eyes first. Once he’s found a visually pleasing location, Huntington grabs his tripod, camera and sets up shop. Throughout the video, Huntington circles the Cairn to test out different perspectives. Huntington settles on a wide angle lens for the photograph, Aperture Priority setting, and he tests out two different Neutral Density filters. Patience is part of this photo walk, as Huntington waits for a wave to roll by at just the perfect moment. He admits, if we weren’t filming, he’d be snapping a lot more photographs and moving much quicker. But for our sake, he slows down and takes specific shots so he can share them with us. (Thanks Huntington!) Huntington says an important thing to do while visualizing is to keep in mind the post-processing tools you have available to alter the photo. Huntington calls those, “PhotoShop Opportunities.”
“As far as I’m concerned, photographs are not real. They are stylized interpretations of reality.” -Huntington Witherill
Immediately after the photo walk, Huntington headed to his studio to edit the photographs in post-production. Shown below are the originally captured RAW images, followed by his final edited images.
Photoshoot at Carmel River Beach_Photo Credit: Huntington Witherill
How Huntington Got the Shot
Physically scout the location before setting up his camera. Huntington says once he finds a location that is visually pleasing to his eyes, that’s where he sets up his camera.
Begin visualizing the shot immediately
Immediately snap a photo of the image
Test out Neutral Density filter (to slow or stop motion)
Work quickly, snap multiple exposures. In nature, your surroundings are always changing
Move the camera and repeat above steps
Edit images in post-production
And, remember, there are no “rules.”
Go out and capture your own images of life!
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