The last few weeks I’ve been busy with the Bellevue Arts Fair & our family vacation to Whistler, BC. I am also going back up to Alaska on the 16th for two weeks, but before I go I wanted to post a few new pictures and stories. This image is from Daniel Stainer, my photography workshop client who came out last month to spend a week with me in Olympic National Park. We had some great days together. Rainy afternoons spent in the Hoh & Sol Duc Rainforests, followed by interesting sunsets at Second Beach. Here is what Dan had to say about working with me,
“If you’re looking for someone to just drop you off at some iconic location for a few hours of casual shooting, then Jon’s probably not your guy. If you have a strong desire to push your photographic skills to greater depths while getting inside the head of a seasoned landscape pro, then Jon is exactly the right person! From proper use of graduated neutral density filters and creative scene extraction techniques to aligning shooting opportunities based on a thoughtful interpretation of weather trends, Jon’s proven insight and deep explanations will help you master and fine tune your own photographic vision and approach, no matter what your current skill level.
While Jon is always sensitive to the physical capabilities of his participants, don’t expect to be sitting around for too long or hanging around some scenic overlook off the side of the highway, because Jon will have you hiking to that magical location at the perfect time of the day in search of epic light and unique dramatic landscapes. As Jon likes to humorously say, “you’ll have time to eat and sleep later.” Probably the two biggest lessons Jon taught me, were that the best shots require a tremendous amount of patience and often involve multiple visits; the second lesson is that you should not rule out shooting because of inclement weather, because things can always change for the better on the fly-which we learned firsthand when socked in gray and rainy skies made way for a brief sun break. Aside from Jon’s superb hands-on teaching style, Jon is a great guy with an excellent sense of humor and laid back demeanor. If you’re serious about your photography, then I cannot recommend Jon’s workshops highly enough. You’ll be a better photographer because of them!” - Daniel Stainer, July 2009
Thanks so much for your kind words, Dan. I had a great time, too. I also want to share some of the video that I shot during our trip with my visitors. For those of you that do not know, my new Canon 5D mkII has the ability to shoot 1080p video. I’ve been dabbling with it this year. Here is some of my footage.
Wow, you rock Jon. That’s excellent! The video footage turned out wonderfully and you did a great job editing. It certainly tells a nice story about your workshops. Would be a nice addition to your workshops section too. BTW, I think you Testimonials section is broken (does not link).
And my picture does not look too shabby either. Of course, you’ve got me thinking. Should I go with the Second Beach shot you have posted, or the one that’s currently up in my “New Additions” gallery? I value your judgment and would certainly love your opinion. And lastly (regarding opinions, did you get a chance to view some of the other PNW shots)? Not a lot of them, but would love to know what you think. After all, you are partly responsible for shaping my thinking on these shots.
Thanks again for the post and video. It really turned out better than I expected (well, you never truly know how you’re going to come off).
So next week, I’m off to Outer Banks for a week of family time and coastal pictures (with guaranteed better weather). In September I am going to try capturing the Milky Way from Cherry Springs State Park (one of the only designated Dark Sky parks in the US next to Utah), and only four hours from my house. And in mid October, I’m off to Babcock State Park for the iconic Fall shot of Glade Creek Grist Mill (I think Peter Lik did a Panoramic from this location). Not as glamorous as Alaska, but fine by my standards.
Cool stuff Jon!