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"My Book is Available"Workshop at the Ranch
The idea of publishing my own book had been kicking around in my head for a while, but became more than just a thought back in December after a conversation with good friend, photographer, John Shaw. He talked to me about the idea of self-publishing and that some very prominent photographers were using Blurb.com. With John's encouragement I began investigating Blurb.com and was so impressed with their program and page layout selection that I made a very short "TEST" book shortly before the Christmas holiday. I was blown away when I received a finished book only 10 days after submission. The test book looked terrific from the first page to the last. The color, quality, sharpness, and every detail looked beautiful. I compared the premium page quality of printing to some book projects I had been involved with over the years with publishers like Simon and Schuster, Bantam, and National Geographic and found little or no difference. I sent out the January Workshop at the Ranch article asking for "Book Ideas" input. Hundreds of emails with suggestions streamed in during the next two weeks. The book ideas were almost 100% unanimous when listing the exact same items to be in the book... Big Pictures, Workshop at the Ranch style instruction but much more in-depth, my Thought Process for taking the picture, Camera Data and Equipment, pictures of Strobe Lighting and Remote Camera set-ups. Sports Coverage images, Arena Sport Strobe Lighting, Speedlights, and Lightpainting were requested subjects.
The final page of the book contains a rather lengthy list of General Equipment Information. This is a complied list of all the equipment I currently use beginning in January 2009. All my cameras, lenses, sport strobes, hardware, accessories (including a NEW item just released), laptop, file storage, software, Lightpainting flashlights and spot lights, etc, etc, etc are all listed. Where I buy all my equipment, Website addresses and phone numbers to many of the companies of some of my specialty gear I use, and who does my website design/hosting is all listed for your convenience and use.
Past Workshop at the Ranch Issues
May, 2010
April, 2010
March, 2010
February, 2009
December, 2009
November, 2009
October, 2009
September, 2009
August, 2009
July, 2009
June, 2009
May, 2009
April, 2009
March, 2009
February, 2009
January, 2009
November, 2008
October, 2008
September, 2008
August, 2008
July, 2008 |
Chapter 1 . . . Sports Coverage and Athletes . . . This first chapter features 13 picture spreads of sports coverage from the past 30 years of my career working for a variety of magazines and projects involving 
Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Golf Digest, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Horse Racing, and more. The chapter emphasis revolves around knowing your subject and how that knowledge can increase your vision to better capture great moments in sport. A wide variety of equipment is use from the 10.5mm Fisheye lens to a 600mm with 1.4x teleconverter, and from Remote Cameras to the NEW Nikon D3x. Getting people to help you, planning ahead, my favorite athlete, and much more are all included in this chapter.
Chapter 2 . . . Arena Sport Strobe Lighting . . . The second chapter contains 12 picture spreads of sports coverage using sport strobes. A wide variety of career images from assignments and projects is again featured. I showcase the three sport strobe lighting systems that I use, and include 4 images made with the NEW Nikon D3x camera. The chapter emphasis is about arena lighting, why it is important, the equipment used, and the issues involving setting up the system. 
While over all arena illumination is taught I also explain the advantages of using sport strobes creatively for event coverage. Also covered in this chapter is the idea of raising the standard of quality and how it relates to business as a professional in today's market place. The venues of arena lighting range from small sports coverage, to college events, to major world competition. Three arena sport strobe lighting systems are illustrated along with two triggering systems and Remote Camera usage.
Camera Data and Equipment . . . At the conclusion of chapter 2 there is a section called Camera Data and Equipment. Camera Data, ISO, exposure, shutter speed, aperture settings, lens, White Balance, strobes lighting, triggering systems, remote equipment, and all hardware and accessories etc, etc, etc, are listed for each picture spread in the first two chapters. Pictures of equipment, remote gear, and all three strobe systems I currently use are also included. A Camera Data and Equipment section is also found at the conclusion of Chapter 4. There you will again find all the camera data shooting information, equipment, lighting gear, hardware and accessories etc, that I used for each of the picture spreads in chapters 3 and 4. These lists of camera data and equipment are very complete, informative, and helpful for those wanting to create these kinds of pictures. It is a lot of information, but don't pass it by. 
Chapter 3 . . . Off Camera Speedlights . . . This chapter tackles both studio work and outdoor location lighting situations with Nikon Speedlights used off camera . I divided the subject content between sport, portraiture, and location imagery by choosing 13 picture spreads with a variety of subjects. These Speedlight scenarios range from the model in a studio set-up, to landscape, to wildlife, to fast paced sports action on location. 
Equipment ranges from using 1 Speedlight, to Speedlights with a soft box, to using multiple clusters of Speedlights. The theme of "If you want a picture to look interesting, only light part of it" along with "Silhouette and Reveal" run continually through the workshops and lessons of this chapter. With in-depth workshop text I walk the reader through various stages of lighting situations in a way that will allow the reader to apply the techniques to their own photography. 
Chapter 4 . . . Lightpainting . . . This chapter was requested more than any other suggestion in the Book Idea emails that I received. Many of you who wrote me actually requested an entire book devoted only to Lightpainting. I am so pleased that so many of you are working on Lightpaintings of your own and find the same enjoyment making pictures with this creative lighting technique that I do. 
This chapter is devoted to Lightpainting by featuring 12 picture spreads. The chapter ranges from a small micro lens subject, to table top sized subjects, people, places, and large scale outdoor landscapes. With something for everyone this chapter starts at the beginning of Lightpainting and takes you all the way to advanced. Some of the picture spread workshops cater to my artistic expression mind set, while others take you step-by-step through the Lightpainting process. Can a Lightpainting book be far behind? ... we shall see.
