A special family portrait gives us memories that last a lifetime. Way take chances with your photographer? Contact me if you’d like to arrange a time to shoot. I’m available weekends and some evenings, by appointment. Email me.
I love to travel. My camera let’s me take some of it home. With many vacation spots locked down or less desirable due to the pandemic, the random escape can be more valuable than ever. Mostly I’ve taken pictures in Colorado and the Carolinas. Social distancing is easier in a National Park.
Is it me? Some of these look like travel posters ..
Portrait and Portfolio (c) 2004-2023 Amberwood Media
How’s your personal brand coming along?
When building an image, whether for your dating site or your comp card or your album cover, ask yourself: “What story do I want to tell?” Lots of people can take a good picture. How many can capture the real you?
You only get to make one first impression.
Make it count.
Let’s work together. I’m based in Charlotte NC, but shooting across the region. Evenings and weekends, by appointment.
Mt Princeton area | Chalk Creek Canyon (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
My wife and I have had kids in Colorado since 2011, and we’ve always loved going to visit. All shots were captured somewhere between Limon, Boulder, Denver, Keystone (Dillon), Salida and Alamosa. I know, that makes an oddly shaped polygon! More coming soon.
Chalk Creek Falls, CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Salida CO Frantz Lake Sunrise (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Salida CO Sunset (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Blue Mesa near Gunnison CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Black Canyon (1) near Gunnison CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Black Canyon (2) near Gunnison CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Great Sand Dunes NP (1), Yes those are people | Alamosa CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Great Sand Dunes NP (2), with 800 ft. dunes | Alamosa CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
In the shadow of a global pandemic, there are many things we can’t do. Always the optimist, I ask: what’s still possible?
With my camera equipment staring me down and another gorgeous North Carolina spring pouring through my window, an idea sparked: what about using this time to capture nature next door? Everything here has been shot since the US pandemic measures began in late March, which in local terms, is week 5 of the lockdown.
Here are my ideas for building your nature portfolio in a way that’s socially-aware, in keeping with current COVID-19 guidance to stay safe and away from others:
Take inventory; when it comes to nature, what are your nearby options and preferences?
Think flowers;
Thinks leaves in sunlight;
Think birds;
Think rain (especially after it rains, if the sun emerges);
Think combinations of the above (extra credit);
Grab a long lens, I like to say 100mm or longer, for the best bokeh;
Consider a tripod, especially for isolated but highly mobile subjects like birds; personally I find tripods a burden, but the difference in sharpness is visible;
Set aside a full 60 minutes; my days are blurring together so waiting for free time may defer your creative pursuits;
Be opportunistic – the best shot may not be the one you’d planned;
Go more than once – 2-3x per week? – using takeaways from the prior shoot on the next one;
Stay in public spaces – street, curb or sidewalk – and be sure to choose subjects and views that stay within public space; legal guides for photographers say as soon as you point your camera toward somebodies yard or house, they could claim privacy issues – and nobody wants negative energy;
If you’re determined to take a picture of a beautiful dogwood or azalea in someone’s front yard, just ask them – they’ll probably say yes, especially if you offer to send them the JPG
Get your images clean in camera, fewer edits saves time and brings peace of mind
And of course, the COVID-19 overlay:
Travel alone
Honor 6-ft social distancing at all costs; there are lots of joggers and dog-walkers out there!
Mask-up, it’s the right thing to do (but the colorful biker or ski versions are more fun)
Say hello, and ask folks how they are – it goes a long way
Share some of your ideas and progress. Let me know what’s working! And watch for more images here, on Instagram and Pinterest. Be well, and stay safe.
Most of us reach for a phone or camera when the sun throws off some color.
Photographers are rarely immune.
But what makes a great sunrise or sunset shot is more than lucking out. Planning is important, and so is being prepared to move quickly.
Nature Next Door, Cary NC (c) 2006 Amberwood Media Group
Here are a few of the things I keep in mind when taking a great shot of the sun.
Planning
Don’t assume you need a wide angle lens to catch more sky; my best sun shots are almost always taken with a telephoto; it givies me some bokeh in the foreground, and a larger sun
Know where the sun is going to rise or set, and position yourself accordingly. The last few minutes of opportunity go quickly.
Sunrise is clearly harder than sunset. To make matters worse, the sun’s trajectory moves a little each day. An app like SkyView can be a trusted ally in the hunt.
Beach orientation to a pending sunrise is a huge factor; with the varied coastlines of North Carolina, it pays to know your bearings. The ocean – and that amazing sunrise – aren’t always where you’d expect
Timing is everything; I’m always most successful when I research local sunrise and sunset times, adjust for hills or mountains, and position myself 30 minutes prior. The shot from Roan Mountain below was only 15 miles away from me as the crow flies when I set out with my camera, but it was 45 minutes to get there, due to routes and switchbacks. I had to plan ahead. Once at Carver’s Gap, I had less than 15 minutes to find a spot and start shooting
On the other end, there can be lots of waiting for sunset chasers; grab a latte to pass the time
On the Scene
Don’t look at the sun directly, even through your view finder! Wait until the clouds or thickened atmosphere near the horizon come to your aid
Watch for scattered clouds near the horizon, these signal opportunity
Try to find something in the foreground to frame the view; it can be a nicely shaped tree, the edge of a roof or wall, anything that can place the sun in context; this also helps remind me where I was when the shot was taken
Look for ways to diffuse the sun’s colors, like fog over water; the pond in my neighborhood rewarded me with the shot above; it was late March in Raleigh and about 32 degrees; I was VERY glad for that latte
When It’s Over
Sadly, many sunrises or sunsets don’t afford an exciting view
Be prepared to leave empty-handed
More “at bats” (chances) will lead to more success; rise early and tarry late, and keep your DSLR and telephoto nearby – you’ll up your success rate
Avoid the temptation to amp-up or add your own colors in post-production edits. Sure, we all tap the contrast and saturation a tad. But let nature cover the hues.
Do any of these shots resonate with you more than others? The shots here are my favorites over the last 15 years. I’d love your thoughts and comments. And ket me know if you have other tips or stories to share. War stories help us all connect the dots.
Meantime, recharge those batteries – and I’ll see you on the ridge, at sundown.
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Sunrise on Roan at the TN-NC line, looking east (c) 2017
Sunset in a Salida CO, with evening haze to exhance the mood (c) 2019
Almost home, Cary NC, after stopping for an evening latte (c) 2006
Salida CO Sunset (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Black Canyon near Gunnison CO (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Everyone loves photos with a blurred background. The technique, called bokeh (BO’-keh), is derived from the Japanese word for ‘blur’ or ‘haze’.
Pros use it to enhance and focus their images.
But with some planning and insight, anyone can bring more bokeh into their photography.
Here are some things to try:
Choose a telephoto, the fastest you have (e.g. f/2, f/2.8)
Let in plenty of light, by shooting with your lens open wide (e.g., f/2, f/2.8); this is easiest to control using “Manual” (M) or “Aperture Priority” (A)
Choose a background that’s more solid than not, and far away from your subject
Get reasonably close to your subject, but far enough away that you can still zoom in/out to compose your shot. If you can’t move the subject, move yourself (e.g., change shoot positions, angles)
Zoom in as much as possible (e.g., focal length > 100mm)
These adjustments will have you moving in zig-zags at first; eventually you’ll know where to be
Beware of ‘noisy’ or ‘bad’ bokeh – if your blurred background is cluttered, it can fight with your subject instead of framing it, which is definitely an issue with nature’s leaves and branches
Watch for ways to catch points of light or ‘specular’ reflections in your background, which turn into eye-catching “bokeh balls”
That’s a lot of factors. You don’t need to use them all. But the more of these techniques you know about, the more ways you’ll have to produce bokeh when you shoot.
Marcescence of Beech, aka bokeh in nature (c) 2020 AMG
What’s happening here? The above steps make your depth of field more shallow, literally, limiting what will be in focus. Ideally, for the best bokeh, this will only be your subject. This is precisely the opposite of what smartphones and wide-angle lenses do, which put as much into focus as possible.
In a pinch, you can use “Portrait” (P) mode to ask the camera or smartphone to help you de-focus around your subject in real-time. It’s a short-cut, but it’s a useful one.
My bokeh is often set in nature, so my subjects might be grass, leaves, flowers or birds. Ideal backgrounds? Often woods, fields, mountains, or open sky. Running water and beaches offer some nice options. I like to explore layers in my wooded or mountain shots, experimenting with what’s in focus. Bokeh can help me separate those layers.
In the end, it’s all about trying to isolate your subject.
Of course, in the end, good bokeh is in the eye of the beholder. Experiment with different combinations of these techniques, to see what works best for you .. and let me know where you take your bokeh!
It was a year that took us from St. Maarten to South Carolina, Florida and Houston, then back home to Raleigh again. Have a look at the best moments, all shot with my trusty D70.
Paradise Blues, St. Maarten (c) 2005 AMG
Simpson Bay sunset, in St. Maarten (c) 2005
From a boat called the Tango, off Simpson Bay (c) 2005
I’ve been shooting in North Carolina for over 20 years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned .. there’s never a shortage of photo opportunities. Here’s a sampling from some of my favorite destinations statewide .. and there are many ..
Cherry blossoms in Charlotte (c) 2020
Linville Gorge from Wiseman’s Bluff, looking north, and down (c) 2004 Amberwood Media
Snow on Hemlock Branches in Avery County NC (c) 2019 Amberwood Media
Sugar Mountain, after a dusting of snow (c) 2020 Amberwood Media
Have you been on teams that lose their way? I’ve been there. Especially when important, high stakes problems are on the line. Teams have been stuggling to solve problems since there were problems to solve.
It’s important to get input and ideas from others. But it’s not always easy.
AMBERWOOD brings The DNA of Collaboration to those who seek to solve problems in teams, to help us better navigate the complexities of the 21st century. It’s in depth, and introspective. Solving the problem of solving problems requires deep insight and reflection.
Images on this site copyright 2004-2023 Amberwood Media Group and Chris Jones, all rights reserved. Send us an email if you would like to work with us.
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