Hi and welcome to this edition of Workshop at the Ranch. 2008 is here and we are headed into the sixth year of Workshop at the Ranch and On The Road articles. Many of you email me asking the question …….. How can I make better pictures? At first glance this question seems difficult to answer without writing a book to completely convey what might be necessary, but perhaps this suggestion will help. “Shoot from where they ain’t” … pardon my cowboy grammar. That is to say, find a location to photograph from where other photographers are absent. It amazes me when photographers cluster in a group only to capture the same image as their colleagues. Part of the adventure of photography is rediscovering an old scene or subject in a new and fresh way. It can be a challenge to produce a different picture but it is well worth the extra effort to search out a new location to photograph a familiar subject from. Here are a few images that where photographed from different locations that my colleagues did not make use of.

Hi and welcome to this edition of Workshop at the Ranch. 2008 is here and we are headed into the sixth year of Workshop at the Ranch and On The Road articles. Many of you email me asking the question …….. How can I make better pictures? At first glance this question seems difficult to answer without writing a book to completely convey what might be necessary, but perhaps this suggestion will help. “Shoot from where they ain’t” … pardon my cowboy grammar. That is to say, find a location to photograph from where other photographers are absent. It amazes me when photographers cluster in a group only to capture the same image as their colleagues. Part of the adventure of photography is rediscovering an old scene or subject in a new and fresh way. It can be a challenge to produce a different picture but it is well worth the extra effort to search out a new location to photograph a familiar subject from. Here are a few images that where photographed from different locations that my colleagues did not make use of.

Image #1      Golden Girl … This picture of Mary Lou Retton receiving her 1984 Olympic Gold medal looks very typical and simple enough for anyone to photograph, but, there were no other photographers anywhere near me. My location is from a ticketed front row seat that I had acquired before the games began. The photographers area was directly opposite my seated location across the arena and was extremely backlit. My front row seat gave me an unobstructed view with the benefits of TV lighting. This image is not so spectacular as far as the skill required to capture it but is a “one of a kind” image because of my one of a kind location. A one of a kind picture especially of a key moment in time has great value. Nikon F3 camera, Kodak Tungsten Film at ISO640, 1/500 at f2, Nikon 300mm f2 Lens.

Image #2      The Stretch … This is the start of the 2007 Kentucky Derby. There are several remote cameras placed on the start gate by other photographers, but I had never scene a remote camera located on the ground outside the last gate. I think the image we are all familiar with is from above the start gate looking down the main straight away of Churchill Downs as the horses race out, but this view is certainly different and a “one of a kind image.” My point is this, an image doesn’t always need to be the most popular view. Sometimes “different” is what an editor is looking for. Personally, I like the view from above the start gate the best, but this ground level perspective was different and the magazine used it as a double page spread opener. Nikon D2Xs, ISO250, Aperture Priority EV-0.3 (1/4000 at f4), Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye Lens manually pre focused about 5 feet in front of gate #19, WB 10,000K, Pocket Wizard Multi Max Transceivers, N90 M3-Pre Release Trigger cable, OverXposed Ground Plate with Gitzo Ball Head, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Image #3      Track Shadow … Location, location, location is a familiar phase in real estate. The same phrase should apply to the photographer and their quest for fresh new pictures. My photo location is in the catwalk high above the indoor track. I made the request to the Athletic Department of the school to photograph the track meet from the catwalks well in advance of the competition day and was granted special permission. The photographer must push themselves to look for pictures that are different, unique and bold if they truly want to produce something special. This unusual photo location allowed me to produce several very interesting and different images that made use of the shadows created by one Elinchrom sport strobe. Nikon D2X, ISO250, 1/250 sync at f5.6, Nikon 70-200mm G VR Zoom Lens, One Elinchrom 600RX Sport Strobe with Dyna-Lite Long Throw Reflector, Pocket Wizard Multi Max Transceivers, Lexar 4G Flash Card.

Image #4      Angel Wings … Sometimes I can be so restricted when I photograph from a location where no other photographers are working that I sacrifice the event itself, or in the case of the actual ballet. But often times it is worth it. Everyone photographs what is happening on stage so my goal was to photograph all that was happening off stage in the wings. I did not make very many pictures, but the pictures I did make were very different and candid. This image of winged Angels on toe preparing for their entrance in the Nutcracker Ballet is one of my career favorites. Nikon D3, ISO6400, 1/30 at f4, Nikon 14-24mm Lens, WB Auto A3, Picture Control Vivid, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Image #5      Jay Cutler … The young Denver Broncos quarter back had just come off of his biggest win of the season against Kansas City and not one photographer followed him off the field. It is true that Brandon Marshall, Denver’s star wide receiver had achieved a pass reception record that game and I did make pictures of him running off the field a minute earlier, but Cutler was all alone as he casually trotted off Invesco Field at Mile High. No other photographer was around. I made two images of Jay and then let him run by me on his way to the locker room. Nikon D3, Auto ISO, 1/13 at f8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, WB 3300K, Picture Control Vivid, Two Remote SB800 Speedlights rubber banded together tandem so I could hand hold them as a single cluster, each with a warming gel and a power output of -1.7, SU800 Commander to trigger the remote SB800s, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Making better pictures is not always my goal. Making different pictures may be what is more important and making different pictures involves some thought, the willingness to plan ahead, and perhaps even some sacrifice of event coverage itself. This can be well worth it for the photographer who is looking to bring something new to their editor and their personal portfolio. Find some new locations to photograph familiar subjects from. If you see your colleagues bunched together in a photo position, look around and find somewhere else to photograph from. It will be quieter and easier to work without the distractions of others vying for position. You’ll be glad you did.

See you next time here at Workshop at the Ranch. Adios, Dave