BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY

BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY - Sometimes, in spite of meticulous planning, things just go wrong. So it was during my trip to Ecuador in 2009. As myself and my fellow participants in Chuck Feil's Tao of Photography Workshop in Ecuador were enroute to meet up with a tour boat that would carry us to Isla de la Plata (the Isle of Silver) to shoot exotic wildlife, our vehicle broke down. The whole idea of being part of a tour group of this type is that you can concentrate on the photo shoot knowing that everything will go according to plan with no unwelcome surprises. Still, as the Scottish bard wrote, "... The best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray.", or something like that. Or, to put it a bit more bluntly, "Sometimes SHIT HAPPENS." So it was on the day of our trip to the island. What turned out to be a flat tire was fixable. But it meant that we would miss our connection with the tour boat, meaning that our trip to the Isle of Silver was KAPUT. Then a miracle occurred. The other group that was scheduled to leave on the same boat was also running late. Under the circumstances, the tour company was more than happy to accommodate everybody. So, despite the breakdown, everything went as planned. The moral of this little story is that one should roll with the punches. Or, to put it another way, don't sweat the little things. The chance to photograph an exotic locale is a once in a lifetime experience for most people. So the last thing you want to do is to let minor glitches derail the experience. In other words, "CHILL OUT DUDE." LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

PROUD PHOTOGRAPHY - AN ONLINE COURSE AT A BARGAIN PRICE

PROUD PHOTOGRAPHY - AN ONLINE COURSE AT A BARGAIN PRICE - I came across an item the other day that I feel I should pass on to you. Before I do so though, I need to make a couple of statements. First the recommendation I'm making in this article is not based on my having actually taken the course. Second, I have received no compensation for making this recommendation. I'm recommending the Proud Photography course with a caveat. If this really is an interactive online photography course as described in the company's website, then at the price being quoted, the course is a bargain and half that again. In fact, the price for this course almost led me to dismiss it as a scam. If you're interested in taking a well rounded photography course online, go to www.proudphotography.com. Again, this is not a review of the course. It's only a recommendation based on what appears on the company's website and a cursory investigation of the claims made. But my gut feeling is that this is legit. So check it out. I think you'll be downright shocked at what you get for your money. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

PEOPLE OF ARIZONA - IT'S TIME TO COME TO OUR SENSES

PEOPLE OF ARIZONA - IT'S TIME TO COME TO OUR SENSES - THE IMAGE ILLUSTRATING THIS ARTICLE IS ONE OF MANY I HAVE TAKEN OF U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE (GABBY) GIFFORDS. AS VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN THE U. S. AND A GREAT MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ARE AWARE, GABBY AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ATTENDING A 'MEET & GREET' OUTSIDE A SAFEWAY SUPER MARKET IN TUCSON ARIZONA YESTERDAY WERE SAVAGELY GUNNED DOWN BY A DERANGED KILLER. WHY WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN IN ARIZONA? WE NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE IGNORANT AND HATEFUL PEOPLE THAT POPULATE OUR STATE. AND NO, I DO NOT MEAN TO IMPLY THAT ALL, OR EVEN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN ARIZONA FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY. BUT WAY TOO MANY DO. I ATTENDED A MEETING THAT GABBY HELD IN SIERRA VISTA PRIOR TO PASSAGE OF HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION. I WAS APPALLED BY THE HATEFUL AND IGNORANT PEOPLE WHO FILLED THE AUDITORIUM. THERE ARE CERTAINLY TWO SIDES TO AN ISSUE. AND THESE PEOPLE HAD A RIGHT TO THEIR OPINIONS. HOWEVER, THE IDEA THAT THE WAY TO CONDUCT YOURSELF AT SUCH A MEETING WAS SIMPLY TO TRY TO YELL, BOO, HISS AND MAKE OBSCENE NOISES IN SUCH A LOUD MANNER AS TO DROWN OUT ANY INTELLIGENT VERBAL INTERCOURSE ONLY SHOWS THAT YOU ARE AN IGNORANT BUFFOON. IT DOESN'T WIN AN ARGUMENT. IT WAS APPARENT THAT THESE PEOPLE DID NOT COME TO EXPRESS AN HONEST OPINION. THEY SIMPLY CAME TO SPEW HATE AND VITRIOL. AND THE SADDEST THING OF ALL IS THAT SOME OF THE WORST OF THE LOONIE TUNES AND SPEWERS OF HATE AND IGNORANCE ARE SITTING IN THE ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE. AGAIN, MANY OF THESE LAWMAKERS, LIBERAL, CONSERVATIVE AND IN BETWEEN ARE FINE PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION. BUT FAR TOO MANY ARE SIMPLY EVIL OR MISGUIDED PURVEYORS OF HATRED , PREJUDICE AND IGNORANCE. IT IS PAST TIME THAT WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND OF OURSELVES AND OUR LEADERS THAT WE COMPORT OURSELVES AS GOOD UPSTANDING CITIZENS. WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT CAN'T WE AT LEAST STOP CALLING EACH OTHER VILE NAMES? AND PLEASE, CAN'T OUR LEGISLATORS LEGISLATE LAWS THAT ACTUALLY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA AND CEASE TRYING TO PASS UNCONSTITUTIONAL NIT WIT 'LAWS' LIKE THE ONE THAT WOULD OUTLAW THE USE OF THE WORD SOLSTICE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T APPEAR IN THE HOLY BIBLE OR BOOK OF MORMON? THESE PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM IN LEADERSHIP IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, ARE NOT RATIONAL LAWMAKERS. THEY'RE MENTALLY DERANGED INCOMPETENTS. DOES THAT SEEM A BIT HARSH? WELL, BEAR IN MIND THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO INSIST THAT INCONTROVERTIBLE SCIENTIFIC FACT (THE EXISTENCE OF WINTER & SUMMER SOLSTICES) IS A PAGAN MYTH AND HOMOSEXUAL PLOT. LET'S GET REAL FOLKS. LET'S LABEL THESE PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY ARE, MINDLESS BIGOTS. THEN, NEXT ELECTION, LET'S VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE. THAT WAY YOU AND I CAN STOP WORRYING THAT OUR STATE IS GOING TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET AND GET BACK TO TAKING PICTURES. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY

FLORAL ABSTRACTS - THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

FLORAL ABSTRACTS - THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX - I shot the image that illustrates this article in Chiang Mai Thailand during the annual Flower Festival. This image is, to me, reminiscent of thick daubs of acrylic paint applied to canvas with a palette knife. While straight shots of flowers can produce marvelous images, sometimes thinking outside the box can take your photography to new levels. Flowers, by their very nature, often result in beautiful and intriguing images of an abstract nature. The next time you're out photographing flowers, try your hand at capturing these abstract forms rather than just strait images. And remember, don't take the whole thing too seriously. Just have fun and see what happens. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

TEMPLE GUARDIANt

TEMPLE GUARDIAN - This temple guardian statue is one of two, virtually identical, that stand guard over a very old Buddhist temple located in Chiang Mai, Thailand just north of the moat, huge gate and remains of a wall that surrounded the original 700 year old city. The golden light shining from one side of the statue endows it with almost a life of its own. The time of day, the cloudless sky and a slight amount of post processing combine to produce this extraordinary effect. The statue seems miraculously to almost come alive. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

PHOTOGRAPHING EXOTIC LOCALES THE EASY WAY

PHOTOGRAPHING EXOTIC LOCALES THE EASY WAY - TAKE A WORKSHOP - The photograph illustrating this article was taken by yours truly in northern Thailand where I was privileged to participate in a ten day photography workshop. Pictured are Chuck Feil, the workshop facilitator and workshop participant Curt Stetter aboard an Asian elephant bound for a remote hill tribe village. When traveling to a remote locale, there are distinct advantages to a photography workshop as opposed to either traveling on your own or as part of a tour group. Attempting to find your way around alone in a strange land can be quite frustrating and, in some instances, dangerous. Traveling with a tour group has advantages. However, with a group that is not focused on photography, your options for capturing the locale on film (or sensor) are still quite limited. With a good photo workshop, you're accessing the talent and expertize of a trained professional who is also familiar with the locale you're visiting. Workshops offer you an environment in which you can work with the confidence that comes from knowing that the nuts and bolts involved in putting together a photo excursion to say the African Congo have been attended to. You can then focus on the job of capturing great images. You'll also be learning from an experienced professional and bonding with other workshop participants. And yes, a two week long workshop in India is going to be relatively expensive. But it will also reward you with an experience you'll never forget, perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience what it's like to photo document s far away land and its native culture. So dive into the deep end of the pool. Research what's available and choose a workshop that suits your needs, then go for it. I promise, you won't be disappointed. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

CHRISTMAS GREETING

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

MAKING MACRO MAGIC - QUICK TIP

MAKING MACRO MAGIC - QUICK TIP - When shooting a macro of say a flower or an insect, try keeping the background simple so as not to distract the viewer's attention from the actual subject. As an example, the shot here, which was taken on a sunny day, was shot with an exposure that renders the flower beautifully yet drops the shadowed background to pretty much a dead black. However, in most cases, while you may not be able to totally get rid of a background, you can minimize it. First, try to rid the background of any particularly distracting elements such as twigs or branches. then use a shallow depth of field to throw the background out of focus. This will help to draw the viewer's attention to the primary subject. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

WALL MURAL - ECUADOR

WALL MURAL - ECUADOR - I took this photo of a wall mural in a fishing village on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. I found several of these brightly painted murals, most of them depicting fish or sea birds. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

APERTURE PRIORITY VERSUS SHUTTER PRIORITY

APERTURE PRIORITY VERSUS SHUTTER PRIORITY - In photography, the balance of two factors achieves correct exposure. Those two factors are aperture size and shutter speed. Aperture size, simply put, refers to the size of the hole that allows light to pass through the camera lens to the sensor or film plane. Shutter speed, on the other hand, simply refers to the length of time the hole remains open. These two factors are reciprocal. This means that the wider the aperture (the larger the hole), the less time the shutter must remain open to achieve proper exposure. Conversely, the longer the shutter remains open, the smaller the aperture (the hole) will need to be to achieve proper exposure. So now that we understand these terms, what are aperture priority mode and shutter priority mode? In aperture priority, you get to choose the aperture size while the camera chooses the proper shutter speed to achieve correct exposure. With shutter priority, you choose the shutter speed while the camera chooses the appropriate aperture size. In other words, unlike auto, where the camera retains complete control or manual metering, where you control both the aperture size and shutter speed, priority modes allow you to control either the aperture size or shutter speed while the camera controls the other factor. Since aperture size controls depth of field, you will usually choose aperture priority when you want to control the depth of focus in an image. You would choose shutter priority when your prime concern is to control camera shake or when you want to be able to stop action or to introduce motion blur. You set the priority, and the camera sets the balance in order to achieve proper exposure of the image. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

TEMPLE DRAGON - NORTHERN THAILAND

TEMPLE DRAGON - NORTHERN THAILAND - I took this photograph of a dragon sculture earlier this year in Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand. It has a timeless quality to it. It could have been made this morning. It could have been made five hundred years ago. That is if the appropriate technology had been available. In shooting exotic subjects such as this, it can be tempting to include Aunt Esther in the composition. That's fine if your primary purpose is to produce a portrait of Aunt Esther. However, if your goal is to produce an exotic and timeless travel image, then (Sorry Aunt Esther) avoid modern elements, especially of the Aunty type. Or, instead of an intriguing and exotic travel portfolio, you'll wind up with vacation snapshots. Now, if, howevewr, vacation snapshots are what you're after, then by all means, shoot Aunt Esther to your heart's delight. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS - We've all heard this statement at some time or another. But what does it really mean? Well, quite simply, it means that a photograph can, even without a word being said, deliver a most powerful message. Take the photo above which I took at an American Cancer Society Relay For Life here in Bisbee. As a fine art photograph it is quite simply, rather mediocre. The power of the photograph comes from the message it relates concerning the indomitability of the human spirit. These are cancer survivors, one aided by a walker, who are walking the initial lap of the Relay. So many photographs fit into the category of pictures worth a thousand words. Some, like the raising of the flag on on Iwo Jima or Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon, are famous. Countless others are not. For me, one stands out. An unlikely shot to run on the front page of most every newspaper in the country, the photo was of a nature most newspapers would normally not see fit to print. The image was a full frontal nude photograph of a nine year old girl. However, newspapers all over the world did give the photo front page treatment. The photographer, Nick Ut, was subsequently awarded a Pulitzer prize for the image. If you're old enough to remember, as I am, the stark horror of this photograph is most likely forever etched in your mind. The little girl, who's name was Kim Phuc, was struck by napalm. At the time the photo was taken, Kim was racing down a dirt road, naked, having already ripped off her burning clothes. Now though, the napalm was beginning to gnaw away at her flesh, next would be muscle, right to the bone. Kim's face is contorted by pain and fear. This is a child looking Hell directly in its face. There was nothing prurient about the photograph. The obsenity it conveyed was of a different nature. It was the obsenity of innocents caught up in the horror of war. But it was an obsenity the world needed to see. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

CHUCK FEIL'S TAO OF PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS

CHUCK FEIL'S TAO OF PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS - I just finished viewing the multi media show produced during Bisbee based photographer Chuck Feil's most recent photo workshop 'CHUCK FEIL & THE WONDERLAND OF ROCKS'. As usual, it looks like Chuck hit a home run. Having taken several of Chuck's workshops, I can attest to the fact that they're both highly instructive and loads of fun. Chuck has announced two workshops so far for 2011. The first, a photo excursion to Organ Pipe National Monument will, like the most recent workshop, be a camping based experience, which means the fee for the workshop will be highly attractive. This workshop is scheduled for late March 2011. The second workshop, ECUADOR EXPERIENCE 3 will constist of a 10 day photo adventure in Ecuador. Having participated in the first of Chuck's Ecuador workshops, I can assure you that this is one you don't want to miss. This workshop is scheduled for early May 2011. (For more information, just Google PANTERRA GALLERY. AND TELL CHUCK I SENT YOU. By the way, I have received no compensation in return for this article. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

HAPPT THANKSGIVING

MY LAPTOP'S GOT THE FLU. NOW WHAT THE #%*% DO I DO?

MY LAPTOP'S GOT THE FLU. NOW WHAT THE #%$% DO I DO? - ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, MY LAPTOP SUDDENLY WENT ROGUE ON ME. A MAJOR VIRUS HAD INFECTED THE SYSTEM. THERE WAS TROUBLE RIGHT HERE IN RIVER CITY. IN WHAT SEEMED LIKE GIANT HEADLINES, THE SCREEN READ - REGISTRY CORRUPTED. I STILL HAVE ENOUGH GREY MATTER BETWEEN MY EARS TO DEDUCE WHAT THAT MEANT. DEAD IN THE WATER - UP A CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE - TOTALLY SCREWED. SHORT OF GRABBING A HUGE JACK HAMMER, SMASHING THE OFFENDING LAPTOP TO SMITHEREENS THEN BUYING A NEW COMPUTER (THANK GOD FOR ONLINE BACK-UP), JUST WHAT THE @!#$%&%#@$!^^^$@@$%!&$%#@!@#

COULD I DO? THE ANSWER CAME QUICKLY. FIND SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT COMPUTERS, THEN COUGH UP THE BUCKS NECESSARY TO INTICE HIM TO GET THE @#$%&%## THING WORKING AGAIN. SO, HIE HO, HIE HO, IT'S OFF TO THE COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP I GO. THEN I WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT. I WAIT, IT SEEMS, MUCH LONGER THAN IT TOOK NATURE TO CARVE OUT THE GRAND CANYON. NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLES I'VE SEEN. WHEN THE REPAIRMAN CALLED AND SAID THE COMPUTER WAS READY, I ACTUALLY DANCED A JIG. AFTER SIGNING A CONTRACT IN BLOOD (THAT CLAUSE ABOUT DELIVERING UP MY SOUL ONE MINUTE TILL MIDNIGHT NEXT ALL HALLOWS EVE SORTA BOTHERED ME A BIT.), I RECEIVED A BILL FOR MORE THAN I PAID FOR MY HOUSE ABOUT 35 YEARS AGO. i GOTTA ADMIT, MY COMPUTER RAN FASTER THAN EVER. ONLY THING WAS, ALL MY PHOTOGRAPHS FROM 2009 FORWARD WERE MISSING. SO NOW I'M HAVING TO RETRIEVE MY FILES FROM ONLINE BACK-UP . MORAL OF THE STORY. ALWAYS, ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR FILES. BECAUSE SOMEHOW, SOMETIME, DIGITAL DOOGETY DOGGLEPIPER VIRUS IS GOING TO COME YOUR WAY AND GOBBLE UP YOUR PRECIOUS PHOTOGRAPHS AND LEAVE YOUR PIDDLY ASS HIGH AND DRY. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

A RATHER STICKY SITUATION

A RATHER STICKY SITUATION - SOMEONE WITH A STRANGE SENSE OF HUMOR HAD PLACED THIS DOLL'S HEAD IN A PATCH OF CACTUS. I just happened to come across it while taking a walk. Luckily I had my camera with me. This illustrates why it's wise to always keep your camera at the ready. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS PHOTOGRAPHY

IT DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW

IT DEPENDS ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW - This Buddhist monk seems more than willing to get down on his knees in order to obtain just the right point of view to capture images of tourists visiting the Buddhist temple located on Doi Suthep, a mountain outside Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city. I was recently asked by a fellow photographer for some input on how to obtain interesting points of view, so here goes. If every time you shoot a subject, you shoot straightforward at eye level, your photography can become quite boring very quickly. Here are some suggestions though for adding a bit of oomph to your photographs. Look up. Pointing your lens upward from a low vantage point pretty much automatically adds interest. If you're photographing a person, this is a method for making the subject appear taller. Shooting up from a slightly low angle will render the subject as simply tall and imposing. Think for instance an intimidating Gunfighter.Get a bit lower and shoot at a more pronounced upward angle and you have Paul Bunyan. Photograph a person from above with the camera lens pointed just slightly down and you will render the subject shorter than in real life. Turn Harlem Globetrotter Jesse into Pygmy Pete. Or shoot from the fifth floor balcony of the hotel and capture a bird's eye view of the swimming pool. Another neat trick that works under certain conditions with a person, or with a statue, is to shoot just the lower portion of the figure. I photographed the feet and lower legs of a golden statue at one of the Buddhist temples in Northern Thailand. Although the statue was about life size, the photos gives the impression that the figure was of monumental height. Which way you turn your camera can have a significant effect on the look and feel of your image. Try shooting the subject holding the camera first in portrait mode, then in landscape mode. Then be daring. Turn the camera topsy turvy, and see what you get. Another great idea is to use extreme telephoto and extreme wide angle settings. Shoot close up using a n extreme wide angle lens to distort your subject. Literally get inside or almost inside your subject. The point is to force yourself, and the viewer, to see the world in a new and different way. So go out and take a different view of your surroundings and discover a whole new perspective in regard to the art of photography LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

PSYCHO-GOURMET: ROAD FOODIES

PSYCHO-GOURMET: ROAD FOODIES

BISBEE INVITATIONAL PHOTO SHOW

BISBEE INVITATIONAL PHOTO SHOW UPDATE - On the evening of November 6th, 2010, BizzArt Gallery will host the first annual Bisbee Invitational Photo show (B.I.P.S.). Entrants will be judged in two divisions, Arizona Division - open to photographers residing in Arizona and the Cochise County Division - open to photographers residing in Cochise County. Longtime photographers Larry Elkins and Ann Widmann are co-chairing the show. Terry Etherton, owner of the Etherton Gallery, will act as juror for the competition. An artists' reception will be held at BizzArt Gallery, 41 Brewery Gulch, 5PM - 8PM Saturday, November 6th. - LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY