RATTLESNAKE - UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

RATTLESNAKE - UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL - This photo I took less than a year ago of a live rattlesnake is, if I say so myself, impressive. Why is this so? Well, for one thing, the shallow depth of field and lack of compression of the photo's subject (Ol' Sneaky Snake) indicate that the photo was shot up close and personal. And that indicates that a good deal of danger was involved. Not really. The snake was under containment and the shot was made through glass. There. I fessed up. So is the image less impressive because I didn't put my life in danger? Well, I suspect that that is a matter of individual opinion. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

PHOTO TIP - IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS - When you're photographing still lifes, don't necessarily try to capture the entire object in the photograph. Instead, hone in on the details. For instance, with this saddle, it was the detailing (pun not intended) of the leather that attracted me to the subject. So, instead of photographing the entire saddle, I took the approach of creating a more abstract image, one in which the viewer's mind is allowed to engage the textural quality of the saddle's detailing in a manner that I believe would be more difficult if the entire object, in this case the saddle, was included in the image. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

CHIANG MAI FLOWER FESTIVAL PARADE PARTICIPANT

ANNUAL CHIANG MAI FLOWER FESTIVAL PARADE - The annual Chiang Mai Flower Festival is held during the first week in February. One of the highlights of the festival is the Floral Parade. The parade features dozens of huge floats decorated with flowers, fruit and seeds. It also features marchers and dancers, including hill tribe villagers, dressed in traditional costumes. The flower festival, and in particular the parade, is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Northern Thailand. Having witnessed this wonderful festival in February 2010, I can attest to the fact that this event is a must see. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

REFLECTION IN THE MOAT AT CHIANG MAI THAILAND

I took this photograph during the February 2010 photo shoot I participated in in the ancient Lanna Kingdom capital Chaing Mai in northern Thailand. This image is of a reflection of buildings located across the highway in the newer portion of the city in the ancient moat that surrounds the original 700 year old portion of the city. These remarkable reflections provide a great photo opportunity for both local and visiting photographers. LARRY ELKINS - LKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

FOCUS THE VIEWER'S ATTENTION ON THE SUBJECT

PHOTO-TIP - FOCUS THE VIEWER'S ATTENTION ON THE SUBJECT - The photograph I'm using to illustrate this article is certainly not one of my favorites. However, for all of its shortcomings, it, in many ways, is an ideal example of how to isolate and emphasize the main subject of the photo. There are several means you can use to emphasize the subject. One method is to keep the background simple. Notice how the unobtrusive background of this photo allows the blossoming plant to stand out. It's also often useful to fill your frame with the subject. This image fills the frame with the subject and, at the same time, does so while providing a strong diagonal that further draws in the viewer's attention. Bear in mind though, that rules are made to be broken. Sometimes a distant object can be utilized effectively as the photo's main subject. Sand and sky with a man riding a camel across the distant horizon can emphasize the rider even though the camel and rider fill only a very small area of the image. Shallow depth of field is a tool often used to isolate the subject. Again, this image provides a subject in focus and a soft, out of focus, background. This image also effectively uses color to cause the subject to stand out from the background. There is one last point I want to make. Placing your subject in compliance with the rule of thirds, is usually an effective means of presentation. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

SMOKIN' HOT

SMOKIN' HOT - I took this photograph at a Kiwanis Club barbecue in Naco Sonora Mexico. This was sort of a throwaway shot. I was surprised when I reviewed this shot by just how well I liked this PHOTO. By chance, everything had come together to create a rather intriguing image. LARRY ELKINS - ELKINSPHOTOS FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

MY REBEL'S BETTER THAN YOUR REBEL

REBEL DSLR - EVOLUTION OF A REVOLUTIONARY CAMERA - It's August 2003. Canon announces the introduction of a camera destined to revolutionize digital photography. DRUM ROLL PLEASE! The sky opened and the Canon Digital Rebel (EOS 3ooD) descended to earth. This was the first digital SLR (with a kit zoom lens no less) to hit the market at under $1,000 ($999 to be exact). And this camera packed a hefty 6.3 megapixels. Suddenly, entry level digital photographers with limited financial resources could play ball with the big boys. This was the camera that would take entry level digital photography deep into the 21st Century - or 2005, whichever came first. That's when Canon introduced the Rebel XT, an 8 megapixel wonder that reduced the original Rebel DSLR to a second rate has been. The XT was a Rebel on steroids. Then in August 2006,The California Governator of entry level digital photography stepped forward. The Rebel XT was relegated to the junk heap and the 1o megapixel Rebel XTi (EOS 400D) took center stage. In the Spring of 2009 though, the heavens again opened up and the amazing Canon Rebel XSi (EOS 450D) made its appearance on the world stage. At 12.2 megapixels, this camera had it all. This baby was destined to reign supreme for a long time. Hell would probably freeze over before anything better came along. Then, in March of 2009, Hell froze over, and Canon introduced the Rebel T1i (EOS 500D), with 15.1 mega pixels and video capability. This was the ultimate, a camera for the ages. It just didn't get any better than this. At least not until earlier this year when Canon introduced the new 18 mega pixel Rebel T2i (EOS 550D). Larry Elkins - ELKINSPHOTOS Fine Art Photography