Amanda Smith has several other businesses listed on her websites. The Glenrock BIrd newspaper, Shooting Stars Photography, Amanda Smith Photography, Dignified Designs, to name a few.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Tired of mis-informed people and their negative comments about South Dakota's October 2013 blizzard related livestock deaths
Our hearts and prayers go out to our fellow neighbors and ranchers in South Dakota who are not only dealing with huge losses from last week's incredibly under-predicted blizzards, but also from the onset of negativity that under-educated and mis-informed people have been making.
From our ranch to yours, we pray continuously for your recovery. Kudos to those of you who, although may be far from understanding what it takes to be in the ranching industry, still send prayers and help to everyone that was affected by these horrendous storms in both Wyoming and South Dakota. Just like any National or International tragedy, this too, is an equal tragedy that will have a lasting effect not just on these incredibly strong and courageous Ranchers in both states, but also on everyone directly or indirectly related to the livestock industry, everywhere.
I am married to a Rancher, to his ranch and to his family of incredibly hard working folks, so I know you will believe me when I say that Ranchers are very strong willed people, and those affected by the storm will get through this. Ranchers are not one to reach out for help, as they are very used to getting through plenty of hard times with just the strength in their hard working hands and backs, and the love of their lifestyle that has been in their hearts for generations. They don't ask for hand-outs, and they don't wait around for someone else to come pick up the pieces. They simply get through it and they get it done. They've seen more beautiful times than most will ever encounter in the work world and they've seen more hard times than most of us will when it comes to working for a living, and yet they carry on. Why? because ranching is in their blood, it cannot be shaken, it cannot be replaced by anything else. It is why families have carried on the ranching traditions for generations upon generations. It is why some of the strongest men and women on this earth are 70+years old and still able to work circles around most. It is a passion that most cannot understand, but most certainly are intrigued by. It is a group of people who remind us what honesty and integrity is all about, and it is a group of people who will weather any storm, at any time, and never, ever give up. All for the sake of their family, their lifestyle, their livestock and the undeniable passion for what they do, that drives them.
So when you see a negative comment from a poorly mis-informed or mis-guided person, simply pray for that person, and follow it up with a positive comment.
These ranchers don't need to feel the pressure of having to explain why an under-predicted but record breaking blizzard wreaked havoc on the livestock that they give their blood, sweat and tears to raise, and neither do the people who are trying to help them.
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| Through Smokey's Eyes. Photo © Amanda Smith, Wyoming Photographer |
You won't hear a rancher complaining, but if you look close enough you will see it in their eyes. And when you see that kind of pain and sorrow in the eyes of a rancher, you can be sure its the kind of pain and sorrow that sits deep within their hearts, and never, ever goes away. Godspeed to every rancher affected by this horrific and devastating storm.
There are 5 resources you can check out if you can help out in any way, and you can find those resources here. If you can't help that's okay, you can still pray for the recovery of their industry, and for their broken hearts: http://beefmagazine.com/blog/5-resources-south-dakota-ranchers-hit-october-blizzard
God Bless and Godspeed!
Very sincerely,
Amanda Smith Wyoming Professional Western Photographic Artist and Photography Instructor
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God ©
( P.S. for those who like to tear every single detail apart for the sake of hearing themselves negate every little thing, and spark controversy regarding this blizzard, the attached black and white image of the cowboy is not an image affiliated with the blizzard in any way shape or form, it was taken by me in 2004 of a rancher in Arizona, who has also seen a tough time or two, and I thought it was a fitting photo for the moment.)
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Amanda Smith Wyoming on Capturing Fall in the Cowboy State
"There is something to be said about 'capturing fall in Wyoming' and Wyoming Photographer Amanda Smith, seems to be able to do just that" - pretty cool comment from published Author, Susan R. Stoltz.
I like to think that creating a piece of photographic art in the fall, comes with a feeling of calmness combined with cool "sweater wearing" evenings, a good pair of cowboy boots, a jug of lip burning coffee and a crispness to the air that only Autumn can bring. So I'll start off my post today about "capturing fall in Wyoming" with a quick side-note that you don't "have" to wear cowboy boots when shooting in the fall, and you don't "have" to carry lip burning coffee, but I do. :)
A Lazy Sunday evening drive through the hills of Boxelder Canyon in Converse County, Wyoming, provided for me quite the ambience in the setting of the September sun. There it was up ahead, a giant of a tree that I was determined to photograph in fall, even if I did burn my lips off while gulping down slurps of coffee on these winding Wyoming roads.
Wiping my mouth off on my sleeve, I pulled over to the shoulder of the road and crept my old dodge ram pick up over the cattle guard, pulling off onto the golden prairie I put the truck in park and climbed out of the cab. Stretching my tired back I grabbed my camera, twisting the strap around my wrist and quietly walked across the sage brush clumped ground to a spot where I could study what stood before me. This giant of a tree, with her branches stretching out east and west and north and south, mesmerized me in her new coat of amber colored leaves. I sat down on the cooling ground, and waited patiently for the sun to sink behind this majestic wonder. Sometimes the key to a great photograph that you've already created in your mind, is patience. Soon the rays of the autumn sun began to play across the branches of this old tree and as I brought my camera up to my eye, my breath quickening at the adrenalin that almost always races through my body when I know I am shooting from the heart, I began shooting. And there it was, that old familiar and beautiful feeling right smack dab in the middle of my chest, depressing the shutter at the insistence of the beating of my heart, I knew I captured a golden moment. A moment that completely captured what "Fall" is in my mind. Leaves painted a hue of liquid gold that only God and Mother Nature can create. Continuing to shoot, because I wanted to be sure I'd actually created the shot I came for, the sun sank behind the tree and I could no longer see the beautiful rays shining through the leaves.
I made a conscious effort not to check my LCD screen, and turning my camera off, I pulled myself up off the now cold ground, worked out the kinks in my body, steadied myself and began the walk back to my truck. Happy and satisfied that I was sure to love the photo I'd just created.
And I did.
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| © Amanda Smith Wyoming Photography http://amandasmithphotography.com/amanda-smith-wyoming-western-landscape-art-photographer/ |
I call her "Boxelder's Autumn Tree" because that's exactly what it is. There is no need for intriguing titles that may or may not move those that view this masterpiece. The title "Boxelder's Autumn Tree" says it all.
Have an incredible and very BLESSED day!
Amanda Smith
Western Photographic Artist
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
Editor and Publisher of The Glenrock Bird Central Wyoming News, an Associated Press Newspaper.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs
www.amandasmithwyoming.com
www.amandasmithphotography.com
www.amandasmithwyoming.com
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Amanda Smith Blue Moon Photography Update on August 20, 2013 Blue Moon in Wyoming
Good morning from Amanda Smith Photography, Wyoming!
I thought I would update my Blue Moon post dated August 21, 2013 regarding my photography of Wyoming's Blue Moon on August 20, 2013.
I still have some more "studying" to do on capturing a blue moon in August.. in Wyoming. As you can see, its not as sharp as I'd love it to be, and although I did add a bit of drama to the photo by tweeking the curve a bit to show that there is in fact a sort of tinge of blue to a blue moon, I still do like the photo. The moon was actually a greyish blue in the original photo, more grey than blue.
The brightness of the moon, because blue moon's are so incredibly bright, made it hard for this photographer to grasp the idea of what setting would work best. I opted to forgo trying to capture the clouds that surrounded this particular moon, and just go for the moon.
The reason I did this, was because shooting on bulb to try to capture the glow of the clouds around the moon, made it difficult to capture the detail in the moon. Even though I have been photographing professionally for over 20 years, I have never attempted to photograph a blue moon. And I am happy to say that with all the years of experience under my belt, I still have more to learn, and am looking forward to more "studying" and more photographing of the moon and the skies and the stars that overlook the great Cowboy State that is Wyoming.
See my "Amanda Smith Wyoming Photographer" previous post on more information on my experience with capturing this Wyoming blue moon. You can click here to go to that previous post:
http://amandasmithwyomingphotographer.blogspot.com/2013/08/photographing-wyomings-blue-moon-last.html
Have a beautiful and very Blessed day!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
Amanda Smith Photography
I thought I would update my Blue Moon post dated August 21, 2013 regarding my photography of Wyoming's Blue Moon on August 20, 2013.
I still have some more "studying" to do on capturing a blue moon in August.. in Wyoming. As you can see, its not as sharp as I'd love it to be, and although I did add a bit of drama to the photo by tweeking the curve a bit to show that there is in fact a sort of tinge of blue to a blue moon, I still do like the photo. The moon was actually a greyish blue in the original photo, more grey than blue.
The brightness of the moon, because blue moon's are so incredibly bright, made it hard for this photographer to grasp the idea of what setting would work best. I opted to forgo trying to capture the clouds that surrounded this particular moon, and just go for the moon.
The reason I did this, was because shooting on bulb to try to capture the glow of the clouds around the moon, made it difficult to capture the detail in the moon. Even though I have been photographing professionally for over 20 years, I have never attempted to photograph a blue moon. And I am happy to say that with all the years of experience under my belt, I still have more to learn, and am looking forward to more "studying" and more photographing of the moon and the skies and the stars that overlook the great Cowboy State that is Wyoming.
See my "Amanda Smith Wyoming Photographer" previous post on more information on my experience with capturing this Wyoming blue moon. You can click here to go to that previous post:
http://amandasmithwyomingphotographer.blogspot.com/2013/08/photographing-wyomings-blue-moon-last.html
Have a beautiful and very Blessed day!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
Amanda Smith Photography
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| Amanda Smith Photography, Wyoming. ©2013 August 20, 2013 Blue Moon |
Saturday, August 24, 2013
How we created "Mystical Beauty" ©
Amanda Smith Wyoming Photographer on How I created Mystical Beauty.
Once upon a misty morning, my husband and I ventured out onto the back property of our ranch in Wyoming, where a reservoir had filled up completely from the the night's previous rain shower. The coolness of the morning combined by the warmth of the night, and moisture from the much needed rain, created a mystic ambience, to an already gorgeous morning. And this photographer was ready to capture something amazing.
Grabbing my camera at o' early thirty, out we trekked. Off in the distance we could hear the soft nickering of our four horses coming down off the sage covered hill above the reservoir. It was a sight that moved both of us completely, and our creative juices began to flow. Quickly my husband took off his red t-shirt and moved towards the inquisitive and slow moving animals that once worked these very lands as cattle movers. Placing his shirt around the neck of Whip, his quarter horse, he gently walked him over to the island that sits just adjacent to the reservoir. The other three horses; Josh, Beggar and Blackie, all lumbered along behind Whip, lining up in sequence behind their faithful leader. It was as if each of them knew we were about to create a masterpiece, and in the early, beautifully diffused, sunlit light of this softly fog layered morning, we did just that.
With a quick removal of his t-shirt and a snap of the red material in the air, with no other sounds to be heard, all four horses moved into action running full speed ahead across the sand covered island. With Whip in the lead and all four horses heads held high, it was a sight to behold that absolutely took our breath away. Across the island Whip ran, farther and farther away from the other horses, who, as if knowing, slowed down their speed while watching the beauty of the chocolate and marshmallow colored majestic being that is Whip.
I knelt down while simultaneously pulling my camera up to my eye in one fluid movement, and as I looked through the lens, following the majestic movements of this incredible animal, I felt that familiar emotion in my heart. A wild beating as though someone had plunged a needle of adrenalin deep within me. SNAP! One shot... SNAP! two shots... my breathing quickened as this beautiful animal made his way towards the edge of the reservoir and SNAP! I felt it... that "Knowing I just got the shot" feeling that only a photographer who shoots from the heart, can experience.
Hoofbeats drowning off into the distance of the sage prairie he ran on, Whip continued on his race towards the horizon, head high and black mane and tail whipping in the lightly misted, morning breeze. Josh, Beggar, and Blackie following lightly behind as though they too, were aware that a masterpiece had just been created.
I photographed this incredible and surreal scene with my Nikon D700 using a Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 lens set at an ISO of 200, a range of 70mm zoom, 0 exposure (I just left it alone) at f7.1 and 1/200 of a second. It was the perfect setting to capture this incredible moment. I didn't want a lot of light to come in, as I really wanted to still be able to capture the details of the scenery through the mist. So even though the morning was dimly lit and the light was diffused by the fog, I went with 1/200 of a second so that I could let less light in, and chose f7.1 to allow enough time for light to enter my lens while still maintaining a good amount of clarity (sharpness) in my image. I do think I could have gained a bit more clarity (sharpness) had I set the f stop to 11 and the timing of light entering my lens at 1/100 of a second ... F11 would have allowed an even sharper image. But I was concerned about my shutter at 1/100 of a second being open too long to cease the movement of Whip as he ran across the sand (I could be wrong, its just my experience and my humble opinion, not any unwarranted advice.)
I think the final creation turned out excellent and the only thing I would have changed was to have been much closer (about another 25 yards closer) and backed off the zoom some, which would have allowed a bit more sharpness to the image once I blew it up to 20x16. Either way it was a great shot, and studying the settings afterwards, and comparing them to what I could have done, was a great way for me to better understand a unique setting such as this dimly lit and diffused, early morning sunlight combined with a fairly dense fog.
And that my friend, is the key to becoming a better photographer. So let today's banter remind you that this is a great way for you to "study" what masterpiece you've just created, and understand exactly why it worked. Doing so will ensure you are always at the ready no matter what setting you find yourself shooting in. Consequently, as it turned out, had we waited another 15 minutes we would never have been able to create this shot the way we did. And there hasn't been a foggy morning since. And in this part of Wyoming, foggy mornings are few and far between. And therein lies the lesson that I learned this morning, always be ready because time runs out, and it runs out faster than you think. And as the old adage for me goes, a really good photographer can't recreate a really great shot, that was missed.
Happy Shooting and GOD BLESS!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God ©
www.amandasmithwyoming.com
Once upon a misty morning, my husband and I ventured out onto the back property of our ranch in Wyoming, where a reservoir had filled up completely from the the night's previous rain shower. The coolness of the morning combined by the warmth of the night, and moisture from the much needed rain, created a mystic ambience, to an already gorgeous morning. And this photographer was ready to capture something amazing.
Grabbing my camera at o' early thirty, out we trekked. Off in the distance we could hear the soft nickering of our four horses coming down off the sage covered hill above the reservoir. It was a sight that moved both of us completely, and our creative juices began to flow. Quickly my husband took off his red t-shirt and moved towards the inquisitive and slow moving animals that once worked these very lands as cattle movers. Placing his shirt around the neck of Whip, his quarter horse, he gently walked him over to the island that sits just adjacent to the reservoir. The other three horses; Josh, Beggar and Blackie, all lumbered along behind Whip, lining up in sequence behind their faithful leader. It was as if each of them knew we were about to create a masterpiece, and in the early, beautifully diffused, sunlit light of this softly fog layered morning, we did just that.
With a quick removal of his t-shirt and a snap of the red material in the air, with no other sounds to be heard, all four horses moved into action running full speed ahead across the sand covered island. With Whip in the lead and all four horses heads held high, it was a sight to behold that absolutely took our breath away. Across the island Whip ran, farther and farther away from the other horses, who, as if knowing, slowed down their speed while watching the beauty of the chocolate and marshmallow colored majestic being that is Whip.
I knelt down while simultaneously pulling my camera up to my eye in one fluid movement, and as I looked through the lens, following the majestic movements of this incredible animal, I felt that familiar emotion in my heart. A wild beating as though someone had plunged a needle of adrenalin deep within me. SNAP! One shot... SNAP! two shots... my breathing quickened as this beautiful animal made his way towards the edge of the reservoir and SNAP! I felt it... that "Knowing I just got the shot" feeling that only a photographer who shoots from the heart, can experience.
Hoofbeats drowning off into the distance of the sage prairie he ran on, Whip continued on his race towards the horizon, head high and black mane and tail whipping in the lightly misted, morning breeze. Josh, Beggar, and Blackie following lightly behind as though they too, were aware that a masterpiece had just been created.
 |
| Mystical Beauty © 2013 by Amanda Smith, Professional Photographer, Wyoming All rights reserved. |
I photographed this incredible and surreal scene with my Nikon D700 using a Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 lens set at an ISO of 200, a range of 70mm zoom, 0 exposure (I just left it alone) at f7.1 and 1/200 of a second. It was the perfect setting to capture this incredible moment. I didn't want a lot of light to come in, as I really wanted to still be able to capture the details of the scenery through the mist. So even though the morning was dimly lit and the light was diffused by the fog, I went with 1/200 of a second so that I could let less light in, and chose f7.1 to allow enough time for light to enter my lens while still maintaining a good amount of clarity (sharpness) in my image. I do think I could have gained a bit more clarity (sharpness) had I set the f stop to 11 and the timing of light entering my lens at 1/100 of a second ... F11 would have allowed an even sharper image. But I was concerned about my shutter at 1/100 of a second being open too long to cease the movement of Whip as he ran across the sand (I could be wrong, its just my experience and my humble opinion, not any unwarranted advice.)
I think the final creation turned out excellent and the only thing I would have changed was to have been much closer (about another 25 yards closer) and backed off the zoom some, which would have allowed a bit more sharpness to the image once I blew it up to 20x16. Either way it was a great shot, and studying the settings afterwards, and comparing them to what I could have done, was a great way for me to better understand a unique setting such as this dimly lit and diffused, early morning sunlight combined with a fairly dense fog.
And that my friend, is the key to becoming a better photographer. So let today's banter remind you that this is a great way for you to "study" what masterpiece you've just created, and understand exactly why it worked. Doing so will ensure you are always at the ready no matter what setting you find yourself shooting in. Consequently, as it turned out, had we waited another 15 minutes we would never have been able to create this shot the way we did. And there hasn't been a foggy morning since. And in this part of Wyoming, foggy mornings are few and far between. And therein lies the lesson that I learned this morning, always be ready because time runs out, and it runs out faster than you think. And as the old adage for me goes, a really good photographer can't recreate a really great shot, that was missed.
Happy Shooting and GOD BLESS!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God ©
www.amandasmithwyoming.com
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Photographing on bulb setting by Amanda Smith
This is an article written by Amanda Smith, professional photographer in Wyoming. The article is about photographing night skies in Wyoming, using your bulb setting, or using a longer exposure on your camera.
Here is a fabulous image of a Thunder Boomer over Wyoming that I captured just after dusk a week or so ago during a thunderstorm. We discussed "discussing" this in my previous post, yesterday. So here we go!
The beauty of this image, is that the skies were fairly clear, except for one lone and very large thunder boomer in the distant Wyoming sky.
I originally set out to capture the stars, which were in abundance already, even at dusk. When I saw this boomer in the distance, and the lightning show that was happening within it, I quickly went from shooting stars, to shooting clouds.
I set my Nikon camera setting to a 20 second exposure, set my 70-200mm zoom lens f2.8 and an ISO of 200, and loaded her up onto a steady and sturdy tripod. Making sure that there wasn't even a hint of wind, I was ready to shoot. (You don't want windy situations when taking long exposure shots, the clouds move enough that the long exposure will capture the movement, and the wind will actually cause some shake in the camera.)
Lightning was striking within this huge cloud about five to ten seconds, its was surreal to say the least, so in knowing this was happening every five to ten seconds, and there was no wind (so not much of a chance of much cloud movement) I set my exposure to 20 seconds. BAM! two lighting shows later, I had a beautiful shot of the stillness of this majestic and powerful cloud. To my delight, above and around the clouds, in the deep blue dusk colored sky, were a plethora of stars, that at such an early time, and only a 20 second exposure, looked pretty close to "still" for this photograph.
It has won National attention already, happily touting my name Amanda Smith as the photographer, and it went viral when I posted it on my facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs
I couldn't be happier with a night sky image, as I am with this one, and I encourage each of you to "keep your eye on the skies" and right around dusk, get ready to take some breathtaking shots.
Play around a bit with you exposure length of time, especially if there is any wind at all. Stay as close to f2.8 as you can (depending on the fastness of your lens) and use a tripod. Use a zoom lens no less than up to 200mm if you really want something fantastic, a shorter distance lens just might not give you the pizazz you are looking for in most cases like this scenario.
Have fun shooting and please feel free to email me if you have any questions on your next photo venture! Be sure and check out my website for new photos uploaded weekly at: www.amandasmithphotography.com
and if you haven't already, and if you feel so inclined, please feel free to visit my Facebook page and give me a LIKE. :) https://www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs.
Happy shooting!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
Professional Photography Instructor
info@amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God.
Here is a fabulous image of a Thunder Boomer over Wyoming that I captured just after dusk a week or so ago during a thunderstorm. We discussed "discussing" this in my previous post, yesterday. So here we go!
The beauty of this image, is that the skies were fairly clear, except for one lone and very large thunder boomer in the distant Wyoming sky.
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| Thunder Boomer and Stars over a Wyoming Sky. Photographer Amanda Smith of Wyoming © |
I originally set out to capture the stars, which were in abundance already, even at dusk. When I saw this boomer in the distance, and the lightning show that was happening within it, I quickly went from shooting stars, to shooting clouds.
I set my Nikon camera setting to a 20 second exposure, set my 70-200mm zoom lens f2.8 and an ISO of 200, and loaded her up onto a steady and sturdy tripod. Making sure that there wasn't even a hint of wind, I was ready to shoot. (You don't want windy situations when taking long exposure shots, the clouds move enough that the long exposure will capture the movement, and the wind will actually cause some shake in the camera.)
Lightning was striking within this huge cloud about five to ten seconds, its was surreal to say the least, so in knowing this was happening every five to ten seconds, and there was no wind (so not much of a chance of much cloud movement) I set my exposure to 20 seconds. BAM! two lighting shows later, I had a beautiful shot of the stillness of this majestic and powerful cloud. To my delight, above and around the clouds, in the deep blue dusk colored sky, were a plethora of stars, that at such an early time, and only a 20 second exposure, looked pretty close to "still" for this photograph.
It has won National attention already, happily touting my name Amanda Smith as the photographer, and it went viral when I posted it on my facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs
I couldn't be happier with a night sky image, as I am with this one, and I encourage each of you to "keep your eye on the skies" and right around dusk, get ready to take some breathtaking shots.
Play around a bit with you exposure length of time, especially if there is any wind at all. Stay as close to f2.8 as you can (depending on the fastness of your lens) and use a tripod. Use a zoom lens no less than up to 200mm if you really want something fantastic, a shorter distance lens just might not give you the pizazz you are looking for in most cases like this scenario.
Have fun shooting and please feel free to email me if you have any questions on your next photo venture! Be sure and check out my website for new photos uploaded weekly at: www.amandasmithphotography.com
and if you haven't already, and if you feel so inclined, please feel free to visit my Facebook page and give me a LIKE. :) https://www.facebook.com/AmandaSmithPhotographs.
Happy shooting!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer, Wyoming
Professional Photography Instructor
info@amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Photographing Wyoming's Blue Moon on August 20, 2013 by Amanda Smith Photography, Wyoming.
Photographing Wyoming's Blue Moon, last night, August 20, 2013.
By Photographer Amanda Smith, Editor of The Glenrock Bird newspaper, Owner of Amanda Smith Photography (formerly Shooting Stars Photography.)
I have to say that photographing this "Blue Moon" was a little more difficult than I thought it would be, last night.
This was not your ordinary bulb setting or long exposure situation. Those ways simply won't work with the moon.
I started out by setting my Nikon D700 on my tripod, and attached an f2.8 200 zoom. I then set my camera up on a tripod at around 10pm when the blue moon was extremely bright, realizing quickly that it was too bright to photograph on a bulb setting, a well known way to shoot night skies.
I initially set my camera at f8 with the lowest ISO setting my Nikon camera would allow and set the timing of my light at 1/80 of a second. This actually allowed too much light in because of the brightness of the blue moon, although the exposure was for correct exposure for the clouds, this exceptionally bright moon was completely blown out. In other words, the clouds and sky looked amazing, but the moon was completely blown out, there was no sharpness to the moon, at all.
I changed my settings to f22 for a sharper image, hoping to capture the unique markings of the moon, and set my timing of light to 1/160 of a second, and the moon looked great and the clouds, though a bit darker, were certainly still illuminated well enough (by the blue moon) for an excellent and very clear shot.
Photographing the moon can be difficult, and sometimes people forget that exposure is perfection. If you want to see the "man in the moon" you've got to get your exposure dead on, and never settle for a moon so bright, that you can't see the green cheese. ;)
Have an awesome and very blessed day, folks! We'll see you tomorrow!
God Bless!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer and Western Photographic Artist, Wyoming
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God (©)
P.s.
While we are talking about night shots, check out this little morsel I created lat week using a bulb setting. More on this shot below, tomorrow!
By Photographer Amanda Smith, Editor of The Glenrock Bird newspaper, Owner of Amanda Smith Photography (formerly Shooting Stars Photography.)
I have to say that photographing this "Blue Moon" was a little more difficult than I thought it would be, last night.
This was not your ordinary bulb setting or long exposure situation. Those ways simply won't work with the moon.
I started out by setting my Nikon D700 on my tripod, and attached an f2.8 200 zoom. I then set my camera up on a tripod at around 10pm when the blue moon was extremely bright, realizing quickly that it was too bright to photograph on a bulb setting, a well known way to shoot night skies.
I initially set my camera at f8 with the lowest ISO setting my Nikon camera would allow and set the timing of my light at 1/80 of a second. This actually allowed too much light in because of the brightness of the blue moon, although the exposure was for correct exposure for the clouds, this exceptionally bright moon was completely blown out. In other words, the clouds and sky looked amazing, but the moon was completely blown out, there was no sharpness to the moon, at all.
I changed my settings to f22 for a sharper image, hoping to capture the unique markings of the moon, and set my timing of light to 1/160 of a second, and the moon looked great and the clouds, though a bit darker, were certainly still illuminated well enough (by the blue moon) for an excellent and very clear shot.
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| Amanda Smith Photography Wyoming. Blue Moon on August 20, 2013 |
Photographing the moon can be difficult, and sometimes people forget that exposure is perfection. If you want to see the "man in the moon" you've got to get your exposure dead on, and never settle for a moon so bright, that you can't see the green cheese. ;)
Have an awesome and very blessed day, folks! We'll see you tomorrow!
God Bless!
Amanda Smith
Professional Photographer and Western Photographic Artist, Wyoming
www.amandasmithphotography.com
Shooting for Christ, Focusing on God (©)
P.s.
While we are talking about night shots, check out this little morsel I created lat week using a bulb setting. More on this shot below, tomorrow!
 |
| Thunder Boomer and Stars over that big Wyoming Sky! ©Amanda Smith, Professional Photographer, Wyoming. |
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