SHAME

DRILL,BABY, DRILL. SPILL, BABY, SPILL. KILL, BABY, KILL? LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

EDNA LOUISE AT EASE

This was a shot of a paid model taken at a local bed and breakfast inn. The idea is that a guest at the inn is sitting partially dressed, enjoying her privacy, seemingly unaware she's being observed. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

WHO KILLED MOTHER NATURE

I RECENTLY POINTED OUT THAT THE GULF OIL SPILL WILL ROB PHOTOGRAPHERS OF A SHUTTERBUG'S PARADISE. This is in addition to all of the rest of the devastation it is wreaking upon our ecosystem. However, the oil spill is just the ip of the iceberg. When ai was Shooting in Ecuador in 2009, the members of our group were shocked at the dryness of the Pacific coastal rain forest. We didn't go to the Galapagos However, we were quite aware of the major problems caused by the exploitation that has become rampant. In the Andes, we witnessed the rapid gentrification of the village of Vilcabamba. All over the world, fragile ecosystems are being threatened. If trends are not reversed, we can kiss these photographers' paradises goodbye. Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos Fine Art Photography

GULF OF MEXICO

GULF OF MEXICO - REMEMBER: THE GULF COAST BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. IT IS NOT A SUBSIDIARY OF BP. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

WORTHLESS BUREAUCRATS

I WAS A GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRAT FOR THIRTY ONE PLUS YEARS. DURING THOSE THREE PLUS DECADES, I CONSIDERED MYSELF TO BE A SERVANT OF THE PUBLIC. I WOULD GO THE EXTRA MILE TO DELIVER SUPERIOR SERVICE. I RETIRED IN PART BECAUSE, DUE TO BUDGETARY RESTRICTIONS (NOT LACK OF SUPPORT FROM MY BOSS) I NO LONGER COULD DELIVER THE SERVICE I FELT THE PUBLIC DESERVED. SO IT PARTICULARLY DISTRESSES ME THAT GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS ALOUD THEIR COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OIL INDUSTRY TO CLOUD THEIR JUDGMENT AND PERHAPS CORRUPT THESE SO CALLED PUBLIC SERVANTS. IF WHAT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DID RISES TO CRIMINALITY, THEN THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED. THOSE WHO COMMITTED LESSER INDISCRETIONS SHOULD ASAP BE HISTORY INSOFAR AS GOVERNMENT SERVICE IS CONCERNED. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

WHEN BROWN PELICANS FLEW

WHEN BROWN PELICANS FLEW - I've just viewed a beautiful photo of a brown pelican in flight on the blog of a new online acquaintance, Barbara. So beautiful. Yet it made me so sad. I wanted to cry. It broke my heart. As I heard a surviving family member of one of the 11 victims say, " BP should be made to hurt where its heart would be - if it had a heart." Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos Fine art Photography

POINT AND SHOOT LIKE A PRO

POINT & SHOOT LIKE A PRO - FIRST - TRANSPARENCY ALERT - I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THE OLYMPUS PEN, NOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GOOD CAMERA, BUT BECAUSE i HAVEN'T TESTED IT. Years ago, I knew a gentleman who was (being kind) a rather mediocre photographer. He was not interested in learning how to shoot better photographs. This was because he believed that the secret to great photography lay with the type of camera used. In his heart, he knew that if he could just get hold of a Hasselblad or a Leica, he would morph into one of the world's greatest photographers. Stupid idea? Yeah, you betcha. But you'd be surprised at how many people I run into who believe the myth. Now, I use a Canon Rebel Xsi, not a pro camera, but also not a Holga. I like a DSLR. However, I see more & more of my peers turning to high end point & shoots Why? Well, they're smaller, they're lighter, they present a lower profile. And the quality is comparable to a DSLR. A close friend of mine, Chuck Feil, operator of the TAO OF PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS, used to carry tons of equipment, much of it hauled around by assistants. Now he walks around with a high end point & shoot. The genesis for this post came from a new T.V. commercial for the newest Olympus pen, an interchangeable lens digital camera. At the end of the commercial, Olympus reveals that the commercial was shot with an - Well, actually - with a digital Olympic Pen. That's right. The commercial was filmed with a high end - Well, it ain't an SLR. The lesson, or at least one lesson, from this is that the camera does not make a picture. The photographer does. This means that, whatever camera you decide to use, the art of photography is much more about the photographer than it is about the camera. Larry Elkins - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

GULF OIL SPILL UPDATE

GULF OIL SPILL - WHILE IT'S TOO LITTLE TOO LATE, LET'S PRAY THAT THE TOP KILL WORKS. THEN LET'S HOPE THAT SERIOUS EFFORTS ARE IMMEDIATELY UNDERTAKEN TO BEGIN CLEANING UP THE OIL SLUDGE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. lARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

ELKINSPHOTOS BISBEE OVER ONE YEAR OLD

ELKINSPHOTOS BISBEE IS OVER ONE YEAR OLD!!!!! - THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHANGES IN THIS BLOG SINCE ITS DEBUT IN APRIL 2009. aND i ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE MORE CHANGES THIS YEAR SUCH AS THE 'ABOUT THE PHOTO' POSTS WHICH WILL APPEAR ONCE TO TWICE A WEEK ( FEATURING SAMPLES OF MY WORK). I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE BLOG. REGARDS, LARRY

DISASTER IN THE GULF - There is no question that the oil spill in the Gulf is a massive ecological and economic disaster. However, this massive tragedy is like a gigantic octopus, its numerous tentacles reaching out in every direction. and one of the groups this destruction will devastate is the photographic community. I was just watching James Carville and Mary Matlin on the news. They toured the Louisiana wetlands today. Their assessment is that the wetlands are already dying. And it is also their assessment that nobody is doing anything to halt the advancement of the sludge. The ecological and economic consequences are almost unimaginable. However, and I recognize that this is a lesser concern, we in the photographic community will be among the losers. The wetlands were a photographer's paradise. Now, because of greed, ineptitude and, most likely, criminality, these exquisitely beautiful national wonders are in dire jeopardy. Shame on us. Shame on all of us. Shame on the "Drill baby, drill" crowd, Shame on the federal bureaucracy, and shame on the corrupt corporate interestS who place their greed above the good of Planet Earth. I honestly don't know how the average person can act effectively. But even the first small step begins the journey, So I publish this post. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

LEGS

This image of a model's legs was made by having the model lie on a high bench with her bottom just off the edge of the bench so that her dress sort of fell open, Her feet were held out in the air in an attractive pose. Lighting threw only a soft shadow on the wall. Post processing was accomplished by use of multiple Photoshop Elements filters (in main, artistic and textural). Larry Elkins - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

EARLY DAY DIGITAL- HIGH PRICE AND LOW RESOLUTION

Back in Prehistoric times, the late 1980's, digital photography was the new high tech wonder of the photographic universe. The only problem was that the quality was low and the price was high. But it didn't take long for quality to go up and prices to come down. In 1991, Kodak introduced the first digital S.L.R. This hi tech powerhouse managed the break the megapixel boundary. The KODAK DCS-100 packed an astounding 1.3 million pixels and was priced at a bargain basement $13,000. Virtually overnight, digital supplanted film and became the gold standard with shutterbugs worldwide. And photographers, both pro and amateur, lived happily ever after, at least in the fairy tale universe. In the real world, reaction was somewhat less enthusiastic. "What kind of idiot would pay thirteen thousand bucks for that piece of crap? This digital photography S*%T is dead on arrival.", was the phrase heard far and wide. Fast forward twenty years though, and digital is king. Film photography is on its last legs. For good or bad, the photographic universe has been turned on its head. Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos Fine Art Photography

NATURE MACRO TIME OF YEAR

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR. It's time to go out and shoot all them wriggly little bugs out there in the back yard, and the colorful flowers that's been planted around the 'hood. and them little dews that drops on the leaves and blossoms. So gets your booty butts out there an' shoot ShOot SHOOT MACRO!!! Larry Elkins ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

ZOOM TO YOUR TRAVEL DESTINATION

QUICK PHOTO TIP - When traveling, try carrying zoom lenses rather than primes. one zoom can easily replace three prime lenses. And with the majority of lenses now available, sharpness is no longer an issue. Larry Elkins - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

CACTUS FLOWER

I'm sure you've noticed the fact that I haven't featured many actual photos on this blog. In large part, that is because I never meant for this to be a photo blog. That is not going to change. However, I'm beginning a new feature that will allow me to take one photo once or twice a week and discuss aspects of the image that I feel might interest you the viewer.The above image, CACTUS FLOWER, was taken in a neighbor's yard. I used Photoshop Elements (mainly the rough pastel filter) to digitally manipulate the image. The use of artistic filters should, I've learned from painful experience, be used sparingly. In this case though, I believe the post processing is highly successful, resulting in a painterly image that works quite well. I hope you agree. Larry Elkins ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

ELKINS PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY

WHAT"S SHE THINKING? "Check out Larry Elkins' newest photo blog." http://elkinsphotography-gallery.blogspot.com

CLOUDS AS DIFFUSERS

QUICK PHOTO TIP - For a soft, low contrast light,try shooting landscapes on a cloudy day. You'll achieve a very different look to your images. Larry Elkims ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

UNCLE OLLIE

UNCLE OLLIE ADORED HIS BUSINESS PARTNER'S LITTLE GIRL. HE'D BRING HER WONDERFUL PRESENTS, CANDY AND OTHER OFFERINGS OF FRIENDSHIP. But no matter how hard he tried, Uncle Ollie continued to fail in his efforts to gain the little girl's affection. With all her heart, she despised Uncle Ollie. The little girl's parents could not figure out why she disliked Uncle Ollie. The problem was actually simple enough. It had to do with how children, particularly small children, perceive the world around them. You see, the parents quite often would take the little girl to watch Laurel & Hardy movies. While the movies delighted most members of the audience, the little girl perceived things quite differently. She saw what she perceived as Hardy cruelly abusing Laurel. And that is why the little girl, the daughter of Stan Laurel, despised Oliver Hardy. - So, what does all this have to do with photography? Well, let's say the time has come to teach your little girl (or boy) how to take pictures. You patiently explain The concept of shutter speed, 'F' stops and ISO. Unfortunately, you explain it in much the same manner in which you would explain it to an adult. The child just doesn't get it. A child does not perceive instruction in the same way as an adult. Remember SHOW & TELL. Well, that's how a child learns - show and tell. For instance, how do you teach a young child the concept of proper exposure? First, keep it as simple as possible. Then use a RELATED concept that a child can easily understand. Take little Susie into the back yard. Using the garden hose to fill a large pail with water, explain (and show) how when you turn on the water full blast, the pail fills very quickly. Then show how long it takes to fill the same pail when the water barely trickles from the hose. When the child understands this concept, use that concept as a bridge to help the child understand the more complex concept of how shutter speed and 'F' stop interrelate to achieve proper exposure. Children just perceive things differently Use show and tell; in other words, actually show (not just tell) the child how a simpler but related concept works, then use that as a stepping stone to teach the child the more complex concept. This, of course, works just as well with all kinds of instruction, not just photography. Larry Elkins ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST AND NO ONE HEARS IT

IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST AND NO ONE HEARS IT, DOES IT MAKE A SOUND? AND IF YOU TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH AND NO ONE VIEWS IT, DOES IT ACTUALLY EXIST? So you're a photographer. You go out and shoot photographs as often as you can. And you think you're getting pretty damn good at it. You look at the photos in magazines like 'Outdoor Digital Nature Photography' and you think to yourself, "Some of my photos are just as good as some of the photos in that magazine." Well, if that's the case, why haven't you shown anyone your work? "Because it's freakin' scary! Don't you get it? If I show my work to people, they're going to judge it. And they may decide they don't like it. I'd be so mortified." Yes, I do remember what it was like. Back when I was just beginning in photography, it was scary, real scary. I literally had to force myself to put my work out there in public land. And it was damned hard to accept the criticism that was aimed my way. And, over the years, there's been plenty of criticism hurled in my direction. And guess what? I've not only survived the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. I've also managed to learn a few things along the way. I know it can seem like a tremendous leap of faith. But if you're unwilling to put your work out where it can be viewed AND CRITICIZED, then you might as well hang it up. Because you'll never grow as an artist. As Frank Sinatra put it so well, "That's life. that's what all the people say. You're ridin' high in April. You're shot gown in May.....So when you find yourself lyin' flat on your face, just pick yourself up and get back in the race." So<>LARRY ELKINS PPHOTOGRAPHY - ELKINSPHOTOS

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS ROADS TO ADVENTURE

IN A RECENT POST ON THIS BLOG, I MENTIONED A FRIEND OF MINE, MARTY CORDANO, WHO HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY FOR ARIZONA HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Arizona Highways, you're missing out on a primary source of some of the finest scenic and travelogue photography of Arizona being produced. Arizona Highways was founded in in 1925 as an engineering journal published by the Arizona Highway Dept. Over the next two decades, the magazine morphed into a major periodical featuring travelogues, historical essays and Arizona related humor, and illustrated with first class photography by famed landscape photographer Ansel Adams and other top nature and travel photographers. Today's Arizona Highways, published by the Arizona Dept. of Transportation, still relies on essentially the same formula to provide a first rate Arizona oriented scenic and travel magazine to a worldwide reader base of close to a half million subscribers worldwide.In addition A/H markets a full line of related merchandise, photography classes & workshops, a travel guide and coffee table books. A/H also produces the Arizona Highways television series. For more information, consult the Arizona Highways website - www.arizonahighways.com. LARRY ELKINS, ELKINSPHOTOS

GET THE SHOT

QUICK PHOTO TIP - YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL YOUR SETTINGS ARE RIGHT. So, what do you do? Well, if you hesitate, you'll be left with nothing. So, get the shot and trust that things will go right. Worst case scenario, you'll wind up with nothing usable. But hesitation guarantees failure. Boldness does not guarantee success. What it does do is it gives you a shot at success. And that's better than nothing. Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

ELKINSPHOTOS-BISBEE - WITH THE EMPHASIS ON BISBEE

I WAS JUST COMMUNICATING ONLINE WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER IN PHOENIX WHO COMMENTED THAT BISBEE IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE SHOOTING LOCATIONS. My thoughts exactly. So you shuterbugs out there. Maybe you oughta head this way and shoot up old Bisbee town, with a camera that is. You know, there's a reason this blog is titled Elkinsphotos-BISBEE. Contact the Bisbee Visitors' Center or the Bisbee Chamber of Commerce for info and then book yourself a photo excursion to Cochise County with a multi day stop in Bisbee. Hey! It's a lot less expensive than Paris or Amsterdam. LARRY ELKINS ELKINSPHOTOS

OH DEER

OH DEER - A photo of a deer grazing in someone's yard that I had the pleasure of viewing earlier today reminded me of an occurrence I witnessed a couple of years ago at a slideshow presented by photographer Marty Cordano who has shot extensively for Arizona Highways Magazine. Near the end of his show, an incredible shot appeared on the screen. A large buck with an impressive set of antlers stood in high grass in profile but with its head turned toward the camera. Behind the deer, an impressive sunset completed the exquisite image. As Marty's audience oohed and ahed, Marty switched slides. The audience members gasped in shock. Marty could be seen carrying the deer, a Game & Fish Dept. decoy, from the scene. The photographer whose photo I reviewed earlier today didn't have the option of controlling the photo's background. What this shutterbug did have was an ability to get the shot and then, if necessary, make lemonade out of lemons. The image of the grazing deer was impressive. Most of us are not in the position to say' "Hey, could you move that building a bit to the left?". Yes, we can often manipulate the image digitally to alter distractive or anachronistic elements. Still, to a large degree, we are a slave to reality. So what? As the old country song goes, "I never promised you a rose garden". So, think about opening up a lemonade stand. Larry Elkins - elkinsphotos.com

A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT

CHECK OUT MY NEW DAILY PHOTO BLOG AT http://elkinsphotos-gallery.aminus3.com.

NOT ALL SD CARDS ARE THE SAME

Recently, a young man called to ask if I could help him with a problem. His camera, which he'd had for some time, took SD memory cards. When he purchased a couple of new memory cards, he discovered that they would not work in his camera. It didn't take me long to realize that he had purchased SD-HC cards. His older camera was not compatible with SD-HC. So here's how it works. There's SD. There's SD -HC. AND NOW THERE'S SD-XC. EACH OF THESE CARDS HAS A HIGHER MEMORY CAPACITY - BUT THERE'S A CATCH. An SD-XC compatible camera will accept all three cards. A camera compatible with SD-HC will accept only SD or SD-HC. Older cameras that are only compatible with SD, will not take SD-HC or SD-XC. So the young man was stuck with having to contend with using SD with its maximum memory of two gigabytes. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

MACRO - ALMOST - ON A SHOESTRING PART 3

THIS IS THE LAST INSTALLMENT OF A 3 PART ARTICLE - CLOSE UP PHOTO TIPS - #1: Use a low ISO digital setting or a fine grain film. Shoot so that your intended image is at the center of a larger image area, then crop post camera. The effect will simulate use of a macro lens. #2: Consider using a tripod for greater stability. #3: Focus on the most important area of the subject, the area you want the viewer to focus on. (example - focus on the bee's head, not its behind - unless you're attempting to photograph the stinger) Allow the less important areas of the subject to drop out of focus. #4: Shooting flowers? Use a spray bottle to spray a mixture of 50% clear corn syrup and 50% water onto the subject to simulate early morning dew. #5: Compose your shots carefully and remember - usually simple is best.. #6: Read what your camera manual says about close up photography. #7: I could go on and on. However, I would recommend that you search the internet for further tips and ideas. Meanwhile, stay tuned and I'll try in the next few weeks to include some more close up photo tips on this site as they come to mind. Larry Elkins -ELKINSPHOTOS