Shoot Color and Develop Your Eye for Black and White

It is a given that shooting RAW files and converting to grayscale is the way to have your black and white photography come out the best. There are lots of tutorials, lessons, and software to help with that. I'm currently pretty excited about the results I'm seeing from Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro. I have heard and read plenty about it but only recently gave it a try. I'll be buying it.

But my post is about developing your eye. When I'm shooting, color is all around me. I see the color but have a hard time "picturing" the grayscale image sometimes. If I set the camera to capture grayscale jpeg's I get to see the image in black and white and it helps me develop my eye but I don't get all the RAW data I want later during post processing. 

So, my solution is to set the camera to capture RAW and JPEGs. Then I set the JPEGs to be captured in grayscale. The best of both worlds! I can edit the RAW later but develop my eye in the field. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

About Nature Photography Guides

New Web site just launched: http://naturephotographyguides.com

Find a companion photographer to Guide you or become one yourself...

Are you tired of photography workshops? You probably don't need them anymore and they are expensive. You are an accomplished nature photographer already (or on your way!). Wouldn't it be great to know a local Guide that would take you to great shooting locations when you visit a new area of the world? Someone that shoots like you do. Someone that shoots the same camera brand that you do. Someone you have come to know via email, chat and phone calls before the shoot. Someone that can really help you get the shots you want to get in the time that you have to get them.
All of that, is what Nature Photography Guides is all about. Started by photographers that don't want to pay for instruction when it isn't needed but need guidance in new exciting locations. Guides, companions, fixers, local talent, fellow photographers, drivers ... whatever you want to call them, that's what we have here. Here's how it works.

Safe Updating on Mac OS

Before running any software updates...wait a fews days to a week. If there are any problems with the updates you will hear from me if you are one of my clients.

Then when you are sure there are no problems follow the directions below. Updates do best on a “quiet system” ... no applications running, nothing printing etc.

1. Restart
2. Run Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility - select the disk on the left, Click Repair Permissions
3. If there are issues, call Steve, if not continue
4. Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility - select the disk on the left, Click Verify
5. If there are issues, call Steve, if not continue
6. Do the software update or installation or whatever

Anthem Triathlon, Broomfield, CO Photos are posted

Photos of the bikers at today's ( 7/31/2010) Anthem  Triathlon in Broomfield, CO are posted at EventPictures.com

Use http://teachtech.eventpictures.com for a more direct link. Many bib numbers were obscured so participants may want to search for "unknown" as well as their number and partial numbers.

The Anthem Triathlon is a production of Redline Races. 

Photos are all © Steve Gandy Photography.

Nikon settings for tracking a bird in flight...

I'm certainly not the final expert on this subject. Bird photography is not really my "focus" at all. But I always try to follow a bird in flight when I can just for the skill enhancement, eye/hand coordination, and practice on resetting my controls quickly. These images are current on my Nikon D3, might be slightly different on other models.

First, you want the Focus Mode (front of camera near lens) set to Continuous not single or manual. This allows the camera to keep following the subject once the system has "locked onto" the subject. You want Auto on the lens switch as well.

Then you want the Auto Focus Settings (rear of camera near the Multi-Selector) set to Auto Area. This will let the camera use the entire central portion of the frame and all the focus points to try and acquire (and keep) the the subject...which is hard to do! This makes it easier.

Note the picture shows Single point selected not the Auto Area.

Finally, the Release Mode, should be on CL or CH (Continuous Low or Continuous High) (on top left of the camera) to allow for quick exposures. The CH can be as high as 11 frames a second.

Then fire away. If you lose focus try again. Practice makes perfect. Well, "perfect" probably isn't a great word for this but it will make you faster and better.

Great Blue Heron