Red Rock Crossing Sedona, Arizona Red Rock crossing is probably the most beautiful spots in one of the most beautiful places on Earth: Sedona, Arizona. My wonderful girlfriend grew up walking distance from this majestic place, and I can't even imagine what it would be like to call this majestic area your back yard through childhood! As a photographer, this beautiful location offers countless possibilities for amazing compositions, making it one of the most photogenic landscapes in the nation (and maybe even the world?) No exaggeration! Every time I go back to this location, I find more and more interesting ways to compose and frame the landscape. This photo was taken on my first trip to Red Rock Crossing. By using a neutral density filter (a piece of dark glass that sits in front of the lens and blocks out light) I was able to slow the shutter speed to six seconds – enough time to blur the rivers motion. Image Code: A020
Scripps Park La Jolla, San Diego There is nothing quite like a beautiful sunset. As a photographer you must be prepared, experienced and knowledgeable of the proper techniques of photography. Otherwise, you won’t be able to capture the full impact of the sunset. This was one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever experienced, and it was also one of the most successful I 've ever shot! I captured at least four “keeper” shots from this one sunset. Capturing this sunset required multiple shots, each being exposed for the sky, the foreground and the mid ground. By doing so, I was able to keep a full dynamic range between the bright colors in the sky and the darker foreground tones. Image Code: A041
Crested Butte, Colorado The title (pronounced: chill-bi-li-tah-ni-zho-nee) of this photo is in Navajo and roughly translates to “Beautiful Flower”. These delicate flowers along the mountainside in beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado are the perfect foreground for this dramatic sky. The mountain flowers of Colorado come for but a season, but add even more beauty to an already amazing landscape! To capture this shot, I had to ensure two things: 1. That my shutter speed was fast enough to freeze the flowers flowing in the breeze 2. To make sure that I exposed the image to the highest degree in the foreground without over exposing the sky. The resulting image was then completed in Lightroom by pulling back the highlights and increasing the shadow exposure. Image Code: A031
