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Google+ Photos: New Features
#io13  +Google+ Photos  #newfeatures  

My favorite feature by far is the Search. If you label your photos you can search them. Not only does this feature show you your photos but also other photos on Google+ that match the search criteria. 

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6 Things to Love About The New Google+ Photos

There are a lot of features to discover in the new Google+!  Here are some of my favorite updates to Photos you might not have found yet.

1. Highlights view. The new photos landing page is called Highlights and it's your photo timeline -- showing you not only your best photos, but the best photos your friends have shared with you.

2. Trash view. Now when you delete photos, they go to the trash for 60 days. When you visit your trash, you can choose to restore photos (for those "oops" moments) or delete them permanently.

3. Photos search. When you do a search from the photos page, we'll search all your uploaded photos. It's pretty smart too -- we've brought all the awesomeness of Google search to your photo collection.

4. New organize mode. We have a brand new album organizer which makes it a breeze to reorder and choose a cover photo.

5. Auto enhance. When you upload photos to the new Google+, we'll touch it up for you automatically. Everything from white balance to structure to vignette to skin smoothening, we can help make your photo workflow a lot faster and even improve all those cell phone photos in Auto Backup. And there's a button in the Lightbox that lets you compare the before and after!

6. Auto awesome. Last but not least, auto awesome takes bursts of photos and turns them into something new -- a short animated gif, panorama, HDR, a photobooth-style photo, or that perfect shot where everyone is smiling at the same time. Every time one of them magically appears, it's like getting a tiny little present.

What features do you like best?

https://plus.google.com/photos/whatsnew

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Landscape Photography Contest: Vistas

https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cd32gnricbmutvunsek2nvojp7k

Got any good Landscape Vista's to share with us? Landscape photography community is running a People's Choice Contest #2.  What do  you need to do? Nothing...just submit a photos and have fun. Check out few basic rules in the details section of the contest. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography   #contest  

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Mountain Madness, Grand Tetons National Park, WY
#landscapephotography ,   #photographyworkflow  

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This photos does not do justice to the scene that I witnessed on our first morning at the Jackson Lodge in Grand Tetons National Park. The humidity from the storm the day before has all settled in the valley was just lazily drifting around. The horizon was glowing pink in predawn light and I could hear an Elk bugling in the valley below...but did not see him.

How was this photograph created?
This is a single exposure photograph...Why? Because the scene was evenly light by predawn light. The photo does however use blending to capture the colors. The bottom half of the photograph has white balance adjusted so that soft magenta light does not overwhelm the greens in the valley and the tint in the clouds and the fog does not appear to be "too magenta".

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#Photoshop: Do  you use Histograms?

....we do. Both for capturing the photograph as well as processing the photograph.

Here is a short tutorials explaining what and how we do it. To learn more about Histograms check our our eBooks Histogram EBook below:

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/ebooks/ebook-what-the-heck-is-a-histogram

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#photoshoptutorials   #Photography   #landscapephotography  

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Valley of Tears, Iceland

Here is an image from one of the most fantastic areas that we visited on Iceland. I call this place Valley of Tears because these waterfalls were created when man disturbed nature. The color of the water is stunning blue-green and there must be 10s of waterfalls in the valley.

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#waterfall #landscapephotography   #photography  

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Valley of Tears, Iceland
#photographyworkflow , #howtophotograph , #landscapephotography  

Here is an image from one of the most fantastic areas that we visited on Iceland. I call this place Valley of Tears because these waterfalls were created when man disturbed nature. The color of the water is stunning blue-green and there must be 10s of waterfalls in the valley.

How was this photograph created?
This location was challenging to compose. One had to resist the urge to capture the grand vistas and trying to capture every single waterfall in a single photograph. I used along lens to focus in the areas that I felt would give a pleasing composition and highlight the colors in the water. I used circular polarizer to cut through the glare on the surface of the water to bring out the details and colors in the water. 

For #waterfallwednesday  curated by +Eric Leslie 

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PhotoOfTheDay by +Dominique Dubied

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The awakening

An early morning in the Swiss countryside with the traditional rapeseed fields and a horseman in the background.

Spring is definitely a nice period of the year for capturing the awakening of Nature.



+10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS  curated by  +Robert SKREINER #10000photographersaroundtheworld
+European Photo  curated by  +Janusz Brakoniecki +Jean-Louis LAURENCE +Manuella Betaille +Michael Muraz +Susanne Ramharter #EuropeanPhotography
+HQSP Art  curated by  +Rinus Bakker #hqsp
+HQSP Landscape  curated by  +Delcour Eric +***** #hqsplandscape
+HQSPPromotion  curated by  +Rinus Bakker +Carina Marsh +Marina Versaci +Syuzanna Avetisyan +Thierry Raemaekers +Tammy Boldt +Mukundh B #hqsppromotion
+Landscape Photography  curated by  +Margaret Tompkins +Carra Riley +paul t beard +David Heath Williams +Bill Wood +Jim Warthman #LandscapePhotography
+Landscape Photos  curated by  +Robert SKREINER
+Weather and Natural Forces  curated by  +Robert SKREINER #weatherandnaturalforces
+PixelWorld  curated by  +Alberto Carreras #pixelworld
+YisforYellow curated by  +Lucille Galleli #YisforYellow
+Zen Sunday curated by  +Charlotte Therese Björnström +Nathan Wirth +Simon Davis-Oakley #ZenSunday
+Breakfast Club curated by  +Gemma Costa #BreakfastClub
#PromotePhotography  by +Promote Photography 
#besttopphotographer  
#plusphotoextract  by +Jarek Klimek 

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Out of Box Thinking

Here is an example of what creativity can accomplish.

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* Balance - Tobias Hutzler*

Impressive balancing act.

Thanks to +Mike Nelson Pedde who  sent me a link to one of Tobias Hutzler's videos this weekend.

http://youtu.be/YrelKDutTyQ

#performingarts

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Darkness was Coming

Soon after taking this photograph, the winds picked up and the storm began to intensify.  We could hear the trees coming down in the woods all around us...and we had to run to the parking lot to get away from the crashing trees.

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#landscapephotography   #canada  #yoho

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Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park, Canada
#landscapephotography , #photographyworkflow  

When we arrived at the Emerald Lake storms clouds were gathering overhead, but we ignored the warnings because the stunning beauty of the lake was simply overwhelming!! We grabbed our camera gear and decided to answer the call of the wild and went wandering around the lake.

How was this photograph created?
This photograph used ND Filters and circular polarizer to bring out the details and colors in every part of the image. The ND Filter allowed me to use really slow shutter speed to remove all textures from the water so that a viewer attention is focused on the colors. The final image required a manual blending to bring out the details in the sky and the mountains.

As we were taking this photograph the winds picked up and the storm began to intensify. Soon we could hear the trees coming down in the woods all around us...and we had to run to the parking lot to get away from the crashing trees.

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Buck Shreck

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Stick and Fly Version II

I know that I put up this image before, but I want to say that this one is version II, for it's remake. This image (The first Version) has won many awards, both on many social networks, but also other awards in many magazines and galleries.I just thought to put this out, edited a little different than the first one. Hope you like.

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Paradise Crossing, Havasu Falls, AZ

Here is +Varina Patel crossing the Havasu Creek. We have got to go back there again. 

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#landscapephotography  

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Paradise Crossing, Havasu Falls, AZ
#landscapephotography , #photographyworkflow  

One of the places that resembles paradise is Havasu Falls. The blue-green water or the Havasu Creek provides a contrasting colors palette against the orange cliff of the canyon. It is ALMOST impossible to take a bad photograph at this place...but the access to this location is difficult as it requires you to backpack (or rent a mule or fly in via helicopter).

How was this photograph created?
Simple!!!! Point and shoot with a circular polarizer. But this photograph is less about the falls and more about the human element. I wanted to take a photo from this location when +Varina Patel was crossing the Havasu creek. I waited until her small figure in red jacket would stand out against the blue-green waters of the creek. Adding a human element puts the location and scene in perspective.

Who says women cant keep up with the men? +Varina Patel was the only photographer who crossed the creek at this point...ALL 4 of guys sat and watched. ;)) I have been on the other side few times on previous visits so I stood back and took photographs....Seem like a good excuse to me. ;))) 

#WaterfallWednesday curated by +Eric Leslie
#womenwednesday  curated by +Niki Aguirre, +Christina Lawrie, +Athena Carey, +Lee Daniels 

Enjoy & Share.
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#Photoshop: Do you use Layers & Masks?

.....WE DO!! AND HERE IS WHY_

Don't get me wrong we dont always use them...but they are used in 90% of the times when we process an image. With the use of Layers and Masks we can control ALL aspects of the image. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#Photography   #landscapephotography   #postprocessing  

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+PhotoOfTheDay by +Joe Capra

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Frame from a timelapse I shot on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland about a week ago. The sky was on fire this night! Click the photo to enlarge, it looks much better that way.

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Punchbowl Falls - Vertical Comp

The vertical comps looks awesome in Google+'s new layout. And what is brilliant is that the horizontal photos randomly get SUPERSIZED in the main stream. Now if only I can selectively super size hem on my profile. This super sizing seem to change based on size of the screen and incoming posts. 

....I am sure +Google+ Photos team is working on it. ;))

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#landscapephotography   #oregon   #columbiarivergorgewaterfalls   #waterfall  

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Streaking @ Punchbowl Falls, Oregon
#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

It took me almost 7 years to take this photograph. When I went to this location the first time it was in the middle of the afternoon and there was a massive log that blocked the view of the waterfalls. On my second visit I left my water shoes in the car....I mean why take shoes when there is a log blocking the view of the falls. Right? After this I had to wait one more year before I was able to go back and take a shot. ;))

How was this photograph created?
I use the vertical composition to create depth in this image. To get this photo I had to wade to into the fast moving spring flow wearing my neoprene water shoes. I waited until the bubbles in the water were close to my camera before releasing the shutter speed to capture the white streaking. I decided to bracket the exposure to get the right size streaks in the foreground and get enough details in the water at the same time. The blending was done using our iHDR workflow. 

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Chris Day

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This was a real grab shot. I'd been doing some long exposure shots of this windmill and was just packing away when this couple walked over the brow of the hill and into shot. I quickly unscrewed my ND filter and recomposed but forgot I had it on bulb mode so had to flip the power off to cancel the shot, set to AV and try again. I just got this shot before they got too close to the Mill. Phew!

#Albumtheme: Majestic Mountains

What do you think about the new Google+ Album sharing layout?

This week's #Albumtheme  is majestic mountains....then produce some of the most fantastic light and weather patterns for landscape photography. I have arranged my album so that first 25 images showcase the beauty of the mountains. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography   #Nature   #photography   #gallery   #explore  

#NewLook: How Do I?
Love the new look but how do I...

1) Get the Landscape Oriented Photos to go across the entire screen? UPDATE:  You cant. The system selects random photos to super size this changes based on the incoming posts, screen size and some other random variables.
2) How does Google determine what are the HIGHLIGHTS from my album? Do you like this feature?
3) Upload & Share & The Same Time? UPDATE: This seem to a bug.
4) Does it take a long time to upload photos to albums with lots of images? Does anyone find Photo Upload interface buggy and bit confusing?
5) I loved to read the post when columns were larger.  Is there a way to view single post by itself with larger columns? - UPDATE: Click on the Post Date

Suggestions
BY +Victor Bezrukov: Turn off Auto-Enhance & Auto Awesome under settings photos if you dont them to alter your photos. It is on for new photos by default.

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+Google+ Photos +Brian Matiash +Vincent Mo 

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TWiP Hangout: On Air

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Frederick Van Johnson is hanging out with 3 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

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Path of the Sun, Glacier National Park, MT
#landscapephotography  

Vertical Image also look awesome in the new layout. 

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Path of the Sun, Glacier National Park, MT

We have been to Glacier National Park many times, but we have never quite witnessed a light display like this. What would top this? Perhaps an shot of Aurora Borealis.

And that is exactly what we will attempt to do in next 8 days in Iceland. We will attempt to blog from Iceland, but in case we don't get to it just make sure that you guys keep the photography community busy.

And if we get a spectacular shot, I will stay up all night and process to make +Patrick Di Fruscia jealous...just a bit.
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#googleio2013 : Google+ Updates

Just watched +Vic Gundotra at Google IO talk about new features of Google+. They include:

Stream: modern design, multiple devices, more to explore
Hangouts: conversations that last, with the people you love
Photos: your darkroom is now a Google data center

Meh - on the last one (being a photographer), but am really looking forward to the others. The new layout looks awesome. Details in Google+ Blog below. 

Which of these are you looking forward to?

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Details below:

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Everyone wants to be a Photographer!

....CAN YOU BLAME HER FOR TRYING? ;))

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Geology and Weather, Yellowstone National Park, WY

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Take a close look and you will see intricate bacterial mats superimposed with breathtaking reflections from the sky to create this fantastic image. I love the combination of Geology and Weather...they produces some of the most unique photos in my portfolio. I have an entire gallery on my website dedicated to this: 

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/gallery/geology-and-weather

How was this image created?
This is a manually blended image using our iHDR workflow. I could have easily captured this image with a GND filter, but I had loaned my GND filter to one of the participants on our workshop. We have composition was selected to include the reflections and use the leading lines to draw the viewers into the image. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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Short and Simple: Converting Photos to B/W
By: +Varina Patel 

...With +Nik Photography SilverEFex Pro. 

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How do you convert images to black and white?

 I usually use Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. Here's a quick overview of my workflow for an image from Clifton Gorge in Ohio.

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Lisa Donchak

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There were two, two things on my mind

One day late last summer, I got home from work and just got that feeling ... the one where you know that there's something epic happening by the ocean, and it's probably a good place to be.

I threw my gear in the car and dashed down to the part of the ocean I could get to the fastest ... it wasn't the closest ocean, but that's what happens when you live in San Francisco and there's a lot of traffic.

This gnarled tree ended up making for a lovely subject - I took pictures of him from several angles as we watched the sun set together.

#TreeTuesday #mytowntuesday   #HDR   #seascapes  +Google Local San Francisco  #traveltuesday   #lyricallyinspired  

Edited to: Louie Austen - One Night in Rio

#Photography: Is it time to go quit your day job?
#photographydiscussion  

...If you have asked yourself this question you are not alone.  So here is an article to help you determine if you are really ready to take that leap of faith.

 http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/q-and-a/is-it-time-to-quit-your-day-job

After reading the article what do you think? Are you ready to quite your day job?

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#PhotoOftheDay by +Mikko Lagerstedt

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How to include Moon in your Photos
By: +Varina Patel via +Induro 

....THE EASY WAY.

That means No HDRs, No blending, No fancy processing...just point and shoot. We did use our brand new Induro Tripod for this shot. Often times we will hang weight at the bottom to keep the tripod steady over long shutter speed. Here is an article on Induro Blog that gives the details. 

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Do you ever clean you tripod?

....IF SO HOW?

The first time ignored cleaning my tripod...it cost me a carbon fiber tripod. The sand got so bad that the tripod twist lock would not open for me to clean them. 

Here is a short tutorial from +Varina Patel that explains how we clean our tripods. It helps if you have a tripod that come apart easily. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#photography   #photographyworkflow  

Spring Greens, Cuyahoga National Park, OH

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Every so often between soccer games, marshal arts classes, running schedule, blog posts, ebooks, travel schedule we will get a chance to shoot local area. This was the case couple of years ago when I took this photograph. It was one of the best spring seasons and the light was just perfect. 

How was this image created?
This photo used principles of hyper focal distance to get as close to the flowers as possible. I composed the shot so that the lower 2/3rd of the frame was filled with flowers. We specifically selected the day after it had rained to visit this location and used our circular polarizer to get deep rich colors. Even with an overcast days the image required targeted adjustment to ensure proper exposure throughout the image. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographytips   #photography  

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Congratulations to +Varina Patel

...for being features in book with other fantastic photographers. 

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Today was a perfect example of how the How We See It books can have an affect on someone.  I was a a Family ArtsFest today at a local school, and two of the students were selling a self-published book that they co-wrote with the mother about a mermaid and a pearl necklace and how the necklace did not make her beautiful, as she was already beautiful herself.  I bought the book not knowing the story, but wanted to help these two beautiful young ladies raising money for the school.  After I took it home I was touched by the story and how much it had in common with the messages the Ladies and I try to convey in the How We See It books (HWSI), as does our charity the NOW Love Your Body Foundation.  Because I had to go back to the school before the end of the event to pick up my son who was volunteering there, I decided to take with me a spare copy of the Second How We See It book, and give it to these incredible young ladies. They were surprised and so happy to hear about the HWSI books and our mission. Their dad was with them, and was touched by the HWSI book and my gesture.  He said that his older daughter was very creative and artistic, so this book would be well loved by her.  

The third book was just published on May 8th, and is available on Blurb.com  and Blurb Books has graciously created a special 15% discount code valid on the new HWSI book only.  That code is WESEE3 and valid through May 31st.  Also, stay tuned for a limited edition Charity Print sale featuring some of the incredible images in the third book.  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Alan Owens

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~Eye Of The Storm~

Can't wait to go back and shoot these falls this summer with my new wide angle lens and see what new compositions I can come up with :)

Happy Mothers Day
#happymothersday  

Here is a blog post by +Varina Patel that remind us all the contant challenges faced by Landscape Photography moms....and some of them don't have anything to do with photography.

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Photography Q&A 

Here is a new layout of our Q & A page which contains answers to some of the frequently asked questions. We have added a short descriptions to each of the questions. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #Photography  

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PhotoOfTheDay by +Christopher Prins

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The Coming Storm, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

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I love storm light and on our first trip to Rocky Mountain National Park we got our share of the storms. On this particular occasion  we hiked up to the the falls and we could see the storm forming just few miles away. By the time we got down to our car the storm was almost upon us. 

How was this image created?
You must have guessed it as this image required manual blending due to extreme nature of the light. The clouds were light up directly by the sunlight while the storm clouds and foreground was completely in shade. I used our iHDR manual Blending workflow to keep the image looking natural and used the river as the leading line. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOftheDay by +Michael Ryan

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Another image from my shoot at Bodega Head in Bodega Bay, California this past Sunday.
Nikon D800 / Nikkor 16-35 / Lee .9 ND / Lee .6 Soft GND

#plusphotoextract #landscapephotography #10000photographersaroundtheworld   #hqsplandscape   #1212Scenery #sonoma #sonomacoast

Photographing Flowers in Wilderness
BY: +Varina Patel 

How do you photography flowers in the great outdoors. Often times you face challenge of harsh light, wind, unusual location, distracting elements. Here are few incredibly easy tips from Varina

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/quick-tips/flower-portraits

Do you have any Photo Tips we did not cover? Feel free to share them. 

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PhotoOfTheDay by +Matt Anderson

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Snake River Sunrise

Foggy morning sunrise on Signal Mountain, over the Snake River, and located within the Grand Teton National Park. Dead ghostly trees along the shoreline near and far.

D800E, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII @ 150mm, Lucroit Filter Holder System with a soft red GND


#landscapephotography #fallcolors #mattanderson #grandtetonnationalpark #treetuesday #photoplusextract #plusphotoextract #forestfriday #wyoming #panoramic #mountainmonday #snakeriver #reflection #lucroit  

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How do you deal with Extreme Tonal Range?

When you hear this do the terms HDR, Photomatix, Enfuse, Bracketting come to mind? If so you are not alone. But there are other easier ways to tame the tonal range. Here is one of them:

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/q-and-a/q-and-a-how-do-you-deal-with-extreme-tonal-range

Can you name few more ways to deal with extreme tonal range?

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips   #waterfallwednesday  

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Sol Duc Falls, Olympic National Park, WA
#PhotographyWorkflow , #howtophotograph

This is a magnificent and popular location in Olympic National Park that I have visited many times. There are trails that lead from this place to Deer Lake and the Seven lake region that are breathtaking and worth a visit.

How was this image created?
This image was challenge to compose. I did not have a wide enough lens with me to capture everything I wanted so I had to do the best I could with the lens the available lens. This was taken on an overcast day just after it had rained. I used a circular polarizer to bring out the details in every part of the image.

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Cutting Through the Mist, Yosemite National Park, CA

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Yosemite National Park in US is one of the oldest and most visited places National Parks in the country. Easy access to the Yosemite Valley attracts over 90% of the visitor, but only a small percentage of the visitors gets to see sites like these. This is a view taken from top of Nevada Falls looking straight down.

How was this Photograph created?
I took this photo with my old Canon 10D. To get this shot, I had to backpack my way up to the top of the Nevada Falls and look down just before the sun went over the horizon. The last rays of the sun came streaming through the mist trees and were traced by the mist. My biggest challenge was to deal with the glare from the sun coming off the foam in the river. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Ugo Cei

Congratulations for being this weeks winner. Welcome to Landscape Photography Community.

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Congratulations to +Ugo Cei for submitting the winning entry for this weeks Landscape Photography Community weekly landscape photo challenge! Want to join in on the fun? Come over to the SmugMug Community and join this weeks challenge!

https://plus.google.com/b/118357019708110162087/communities/112939661609733531057

#Photography #Landscape #SmugMugLandscapeChallenge

Adobe Creative Clouds or NOTHING?

...And an opportunity for competition

What are you thoughts? - Here is what I think:

I love Photoshop/Acrobat/Indesign....No software comes close to it. But giving small consumer and photographer NO CHOICE but to subscribe is a really DUMB move.

Personally I think there are many benefits of creative clouds for corporation but does not make sense for a small business owners. While Terry White may have busted 5 Myth's about creative clouds, he fails to address one simple reality: A forced payment plan for Adobe Products.

Let’s face it as a photographer, I don't upgrade my camera when Canon or  Nikon comes out with the latest stuff....I only do it when it make sense. So, why should it be different for photography software? A better move would be to give consumers some choice between the two products.

This leaves an big opportunity for any company that is willing to step up to the plate and provide few key features for photographers: Selection Tools, Masks, Image Adjustments and Raw Conversion.

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PhotoOfTheDay by +Rafael Rojas

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It is not every day that I see my name appear besides names like Art Wolfe and Frans Lanting...

From here, my humble thanks to Outdoor Photographer magazine for having chosen me as one of the "Modern Landscape Masters" on their annual May special issue on landscape photography. I should mention, however, that the more I photograph the landscape, the more I realize how far I am from mastering it!

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/locations/north-america/modern-landscape-masters.html?start=1

Aspens in Bloom, Grand Tetons National Park, WY

BEST VIEWED LARGE - Where do you think the sun was when I took this shot?

Here is an image from Grand Tetons from few years ago. I love going there in Fall, but I have visited and backpacked in this park in summer and the scenery is stunning. This is also one of the best places to view wildlife....especially the tourist kind. ;))

How was this image created?
This is simple photograph taken with a circular polarizer. I choose a low POW because I wanted the mid ground to compress so the use would focus his attention on the blue and gold (complementary colors). I waited for the sunlight to help bring out the colors before taking this shot. Even with even light this image did requires some targeted adjustment in photoshop. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Marek Potoma

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If anyone interested, here's the background how this photograph was created: http://landandcolors.com/photographing-northern-lights-in-iceland/

Have a great weekend everybody!

Swimming Pool, Havasu Falls, AZ

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This place is truly a paradise on this planet...and it takes 10 miles of hiking (with a backpack) to get to it. It rained and snowed while we were there, but I paid no attention to the weather. I crossed the river few times went, fell in and got wet and very cold and lived without coffee for 3 straight days. And next year we did it all over again. ;))

How was this image created?
Simple...just point the camera and shoot. The lighting was very even and I used a circular polarizer to get brilliant colors in the water. In post processing I had to ensure that I could see the details in every part of the image. What was the hardest part? To keep the water off my lens. ;))

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

Canon: Does being #1 Count?
#canonphotography   #canon  

http://www.canon.com/news/2013/apr22e.html

Here is a Canon announcement stating that it is the global sales leader in volume for last 10 years. But for last two year it seems Nikon is beating pants of Canon in terms of the quality of Lenses and Sensors.

What do you think? What should be next for Canon?

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#photographydiscussion  

Photography: Importance of Branding
By: +Varina Patel 

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/tutorials/put-your-brand-on-it

One of the ways to establish yourself in a business is to create a brand. Here is an article that explains how we go about doing it for our work. Now compare the branding in the Article with branding on our Website, Ebooks (shown in image below) and you immediately recognize a consistent branding strategy.

Do you have any tips about establishing your brand? Feel free to share it with others.

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#photography, #businesstips   #photographytips  

Photoshop This: Show us your B/W Skills
#Photoshop, #postprocessing   #blackandwhitephotography  

To Participate: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/ce14ec2kdoveo45g7pbtl3mr7qs?authkey=CN7i1M-qioLrMQ

Why sit and watch someone else have all the fun when you can do it yourself? Here is first in Series on PHOTOSHOP THIS event in Landscape Photography Community where you can download a JPEG and try your hands on converting it to B/W.

FYI: You have to be member of Landscape Photography Community to participate. You can use any tools you like, but please tell us how you did it so other can benefit from your skills.

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#landscapephotography #Photography  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Erik Stensland

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All winter long I've been waiting to take this photo, but conditions were never right. Finally, last night conditions were perfect to take this shot of Longs Peak from the Dream Lake trail. The unusual colors come from the light pollution of the Denver area. While I generally hate light pollution, this time I kind of like the feel it creates. What do you think? 

#Albumthem: Majestic Mountains

I love mountains because of diversity of flora and funa found within them. From photography perspective mountains are host to some spectacular lakes, wildlife, flowers and are capable of producing some of the most dramatic light you have ever seen. 

I have arranged my album so that the first 25 images showcase the majestic mountains. 

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#landscapephotography  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Aravind Krishnaswamy

BEST VIEWED LARGE

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A few days ago I posted an image I made at Tunnel View on a Sunday morning.  About 30 minutes after making that image, I drove down to the meadows under El Capitan to capture a different perspective of the same scene.  I love working with El Capitan from this location.  If you go farther back, the trees become a much smaller part of the frame aren't as interesting.  Its almost impossible to get much closer because then you are too close to El Capitan.  This is a ideal spot to use lenses (or cameras) with perspective correction like TS-E/PC-E lenses or rise & fall with a technical camera.  Even with the relatively wide angle of view of the 32mm HR lens and nearly 10mm of shift, I still had to tilt the camera up to get enough sky and all of El Capitan.  I then corrected more of the perspective distortion using the excellent tools in Capture One Pro for this final version. 

I knew when I exposed the frame that I wanted 4 main layers in my final image and knew that I would need to convert to black & white to get those layers.  I wanted to crush the shadows in the trees to form the base, bring out the rising clouds for the second layer, accentuate peak of El Capitan for the third layer and finally bring out the drama in the high clouds for the last layer.  Working in Silver Efex Pro and with localized brightness, structure and contrast were the key in bringing it all together.

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#Photography & +Google+ Photos

Social media is intensely visual...and so is fitting that the Google+ Team was working diligently to create the new +Google+ Photos Page. 

Knowing the team, I this page will likely serve as inspiration and source of knowledge for anyone with a camera...or a cell phone...or with a wanderlust...or with eye for beauty...or an artist. In other words anyone on Google+. 

So, I would highly recommend you add +Google+ Photos page to your circles...I have.

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Welcome to the new Google+ Photos page!

The photo community here on Google+ keeps inspiring us every day. Your passion for sharing beautiful photography drives us to keep thinking of new ways to make your images shine. This doesn’t just mean building new features you can use to share and discuss those important photos in your life -- we also want to help this vibrant community of Google+ photographers grow. 

So, say hello to the new Google+ Photos page! Here’s what you can expect:

You’ll get inspired. We’ll share beautiful and thought-provoking photographs, and shine a spotlight on the photographers who created them. 

You’ll meet great new people. Through Google+ Photographer Spotlights, the Google+ Photos Chat Series, and good-natured conversations within the community, you’ll be able to connect with people around the world who love photos as much as you do. 

You’ll learn new things. You’ll regularly see posts with helpful tutorials, educational videos, and relevant industry news.

Together we can do things that are amazing, ambitious, and really, really fun. If there’s more you want to see from this page, please let us know!

Image courtesy of +Trey Ratcliff 

#GooglePlusPhotos   #GooglePlusUpdate  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Zero Dean

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A Walk in the Woods (Also on Flickr: http://bit.ly/18dy9jU)

A winding trail leads through Redwood National Forest as a glowing sun sends light rays through the trees.

Prints/cards available: http://www.redbubble.com/people/zerodean/shop

I'm also on FB (surprise):

https://www.facebook.com/zerodean
https://www.facebook.com/ZeroDeanPhotography

#plusphotoextract  

Q & A: Do you shoot JPEG?
By: +Varina Patel 

....If so under what conditions? And what is your reason to do so?

A while ago we got a question from a fan who asked if shooting RAW is cheating as claimed by his wife. The situation was a bit tense...How Tense? There was some talk about dividing the dog between them. ;)) Here is Varina's response to the question:

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/q-and-a/q-a-raw-versus-jpg

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#photographydiscussion   

Glacier National Park, Montana

BEST VIEWED LARGE

This smallish waterfalls required us to climb down a steep drop and then flatten my body on the slick wet rock to take this shot. Why? To get the proper composition and to prevent myself from sliding over the edge of a larger waterfall located just behind me. Needless to say that I was very wet and dirty after taking this shot....like a good landscape photographer should be. ;)

How was this photo created?
This small falls was located just below the bridge. So, to get this composition I needed to avoid the bridge and position my camera so you can see the source of the water coming through the small hole. I used a circular polarizer to get bring out the rich colors in the wet rocks surrounding the falls. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips   #waterfallwednesday  

Morning @ Banff

BEST VIEWED LARGE

We will often wander around the local area long after the sun has come up to scout the area. This photo was created on one such wanderings in Banff National Park in Canada. The summer was in full swing and the sky was very blue on the clear day. 

How was this photo created?
This photo was about composition. I choose the focal length and positions my camera to place the reflection of the mountain in the just right location in the pond. Additionally, I used a GND filter to balance the the light between the sky and the foreground. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +QT Luong

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For lava photography, the time around sunrise and sunset, extending to twilight is by far the best for photography.  During that time, brightness differences between lava and land or sea are small enough that both can be properly exposed in a single exposure: there is enough ambient light that you can see details in the landscape, but it is dark enough for the lava to glow. For photographing the cascades of lava pouring into the ocean, such as this image, you will want a telephoto lens, since you won’t be able to get  close.

from: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.hawaii-volcanoes.html

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#PhotoOfTheDay  by +Jarrod Castaing

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"Neist Point"

After driving for about an hour along a single track road the landscape suddenly ends at Neist Point on the Isle of Skye and it truly feels like you've reached the edge of the world. Well, the edge of Scotland at least :)

www.jarrodcastaing.com/photo/39

#landscapephotography +Landscape Photography  +Margaret Tompkins  #10000photographersaroundtheworld +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS  +Robert SKREINER   #plusphotoextract +Jarek Klimek       #travelphotography #fineartphotography #naturephotography #scotland #isleofskye #lighthouse #neistpoint +VisitScotland 

Among the Blue Bells

BEST VIEWED LARGE

We were out exploring the wildflowers in a state nature preserve called Clifton Gorge. This geological canyon was formed by Glaciers and being carved by Little Miami River. When we arrived at the scene there were 1000s of Trillium growing in the forest along with few patches of blue bells. 

Question: How did I select the exposure?

How was this image created?
I wanted to capture the sense of time and place so I selected the composition to include the blue bells and trillium in the same shot. Additionally I selected the focal length and DOF so that the blue bells in the background would create in impressionistic image and allow the sharp trillium to stand out. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips   #macromonday  

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PhotoOfTheDay by +Jon Cornforth

I love the colors of the Soft Coral reefs....and this image is no exceptions. 

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Indonesia, Papua, Raja Ampat, Misool Island, Underwater soft coral (Dendronephthya) landscape with reef fishes at Boo West dive site

Purchase a print of this image at http://cornforthimages.com/product/corals/boo-west-soft-corals-2/

View more of my photography at http://cornforthimages.com/

If you like this image, please share it with your friends.

Thanks +Jarek Klimek 

For including my photo from Cuyahoga National Park in Top Photos from April 25. To view other great photos click on the link below:

http://www.photoextract.com/plus-extract/2013/4/25

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4 Myths about Pro Photographers

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/q-and-a/what-makes-a-pro-photographer

Am I a Pro Photographer? - If you have ever wonder this question you are not alone. With advent of digital camera the distinction between a PRO and a NON_PRO is blurry at best. Here is an article that explore the 4 Myths about a Pro Photographer.

After reading that article what do you think....are you a PRO Photographer? :))

FYI: I started out my photography career with a 3 MP DSLR....and absolutely no idea what was the difference between a RAW and JPG format. ;))

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#Photography   #photographydiscussion  

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#PhotoOfTheDay By  +Luke Austin

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The amazing form and colours of eroded sandstone in Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA. The place is extremely surreal.

How do you simplify your Photos?
By: +Varina Patel 

It is not easy to simply a photos....I know because I have tired it before. When we are photographing in the field our senses overwhelm with everything there is to see. Here are few tips you can follow to achieve this:

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/q-and-a/qa-how-can-i-simplify-an-image

Have any tips to share? Feel free to chime in. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographytips   #photographyworkflow  

Spring at Last, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH

BEST VIEWED LARGE

Daffodils don't typically grow in the woods except for this one place. The land in Cuyahoga Valley was once farm land consisting of old homesteads. These flowers are most likely left over from one of the old farm house. The building is long gone, the the flowers survive and thrive in this area. 

How was this photograph created?
This photo is all about timing. +Varina Patel and I visited this place three time last week after the kids left to keep an eye on the flowers. Once the flowers started to bloom I waited two more days for it to rain and get a soft overcast light. I used a circular polarizer to get the rich colors in the wet leaves. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Francesco Gola

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There are some places that fascinate your Soul, places where you can spend your whole life in silence watching what Mother Nature is offering to you, places where the Time doesn't exist anymore and where you know that all your dreams can come true.
One of them is for sure the wonderful coast of Portugal, where I found this incredible sight with the good company of my friends +Alessio Andreani and +Luca Gerardi 
Photography, friends, beer..and the beautiful notes of +Ludovico Einaudi in my ears.
Yes, this is one of those moments that you wish would just last forever, especially in this period of my life

#LongExposureThursday #PlusPhotoExtract

www.francescogola.net

Buon 25 Aprile Italia!
Perché non festeggiare partecipando a questo #LongExposureThursday? 
Ciao!

Suggested music for this picture : ♫ Ludovico Einaudi – Experience ♫ (the same I was listening while taking this shot..)

Vizelex RhinoCam for Sony NEX E-Mount Cameras

http://fotodioxpro.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/2030/s/vizelex-rhinocam-for-sony-nex-e-mount-cameras/category/10/

Here is an Interesting low cost, compact system that allows you to make high quality panoramas. 

Has anyone tried this? If so how well does it work? What the Pros and cons?


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#panoramas   #sonynex7  

Reflecting on the Tetons, Grand Tetons National Park, WY

BEST VIEWED LARGE

I have been to Grand Tetons several times, and I just love to photograph the park. This was taken on my first visit to Grand Tetons. When I was taking this shot (along with a 10 other photographers) a giant bison walked up about 10 feet behind us an made himself at home. ;)) For rest of the shoot we were very quite and made sure we did not disturb Mr. Bison. ;))

How was this image created?
In those days there was no HDR and the only option left to a photographer was to use GND filter. So, I used a soft GND filter to balance the light in the sky and the reflections. Everything was perfectly still and the mist was hanging around at the end of the pond. 

FYI: This was taken with my old Canon 20D.

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Aaron Reed

I love Oregon in Spring...and this photos show you why. 

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Artist: Aaron Reed
Title: The Horse's Tail
Website: Www.aaronreedphotography.com
Workshops: Www.exposurenorthwestphotography.com

Springtime is one of the very best times to visit the Columbia River Gorge! If you have been thinking about attending one of my workshops, please consider an upcoming one in the area May 4th & 5th. You can find details below. There are 2 spots left!

http://exposurenorthwestphotography.com/extra-view/waterfalls/

Do over use of Technology ruin Creativity?

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/quick-tips/focus-as-a-creative-choice

This is an interesting question that I have been exploring lately. I know few photographer that always bracketed he shots and produce HDR images....even though they were not needed. Do you know anyone like that? :))

Yes many things are possible with today's technology, but are you using technology for creative purposes? Or just because it is there? Here is an example where technology was used in an unconventional and creative way. 

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#photographytips   #photographydiscussion   #photographyworkflow   #landscapephotography  

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Landscape Photography Community & +SmugMug

We are today announcing a partnership with +SmugMug on an ongoing basis to provide a chance to get some visibility.

DETAILS IN THE POST BELOW:

Landscape Photography community has 125000+ members and with 87000+ posts it is also one of the most active communities on G+. I wanted to take this chance to thank the moderators: +Margaret Tompkins, +Greg Griffin, +David Heath Williams, +David Pilasky, +Michael Riffle, +Jim Warthman, +Bill Wood..

..and my partner in crime: +Varina Patel

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Landscape Photography Community Weekly Contests

SmugMug, along with +Varina Patel and +Jay Patel, are excited to announce a new Community collaboration contest between the SmugMug Community and the Patel's wildly popular Landscape Photography community at bit.ly/15BTN1t

Every week, one landscape photo from the submissions to the SmugMug community will be chosen to be featured on the Landscape Photography community page, which currently has over 125,000 members. In addition to being featured, you will also receive a SmugMug swag package, consisting of a SmugMug t-shirt and baseball cap. 

Also, out of the 4 monthly winners, we will also choose one grand prize winner, who will receive one year of SmugMug Portfolio! A Portfolio account, priced at $150, features include unlimited uploads, a website with full customization, e-commerce tools to sell your photos, and much more! http://www.smugmug.com/pro/features/

Rules For Entry:

* You MUST Be a member of the SmugMug Google+ Community at bit.ly/109VUBy

* Submit only one photo per week to the SmugMug Community, under the thread "Landscape Photography Community Contest Submissions" at bit.ly/15BRbRl

* Photo must fit into the Landscape Photography genre...Vistas, Sunrise, sunsets, wild animals, Macro....if it can be found in nature, most likely it will be accepted. You will receive notification if your photo isn't eligible. 

* Weekly Submission window starts on Mondays at 12:01 AM and end on Sundays at 11:59PM Pacific Standard Time. 

* Weekly Winners will be announced every Monday. 

Photo By +Jay Patel 

#Photography  #Landscape  #Nature  #Macro #Hawaii #Lava 

Ghost Stones, Escalante National Monument, UT

BEST VIEWED LARGE - Look closely...can you guess the stones got their ghostly tattoos?

These painted stones are found all over the place in the Wahweep Wash in the Southern Utah and absolutely fascinating o photograph. On our last workshop to this region we had a hard time getting the students away. The beauty of this location is that there is more than one fascinating feature to photograph and one can spend all day exploring the wash. 

How was this image created?
I used Liveview to focus the camera on several different places in this frame. The final image you see here is a focus stacked image that displays sharpness throughout the image. The composition was selected to form a familiar geometric shapes...Can you guess which one?

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips   #Macromonday  

Photoshop Tutorials: Tiny Planets
By +Varina Patel 

I have seen some fantastic and unique works of art called Tiny Planets. So, we decided to do some research to see how you can create small planets of our own. Here is a tutorial that offers step by step explaination on how to do it. 

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/tutorials/tiny-planets

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#landscapephotography   #photoshop   #photoshoptutorials  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Laurie Rubin

It is not often that a photographer can capture an emotion while photographing wildlife. +Laurie Rubin has managed to do just that with this fantastic photo. 

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A Long Way to Grow

This was one of the first images I took when I first started working for Nik Software 8 years ago. I discovered that by looking through the lens, I could capture the beauty of the moment and enhance it in the digital darkroom. There have been many times when I've been overwhelmed by what is happening before me, or I find myself forgetting to take a breath because of the connection I'm feeling with the animal looking back at me. 

Since this image was taken, I have spent almost every weekend photographing animals at zoos, I've been to Africa to experience the Superbowl of animals and to Alaska to photograph Brown Bears catching wild salmon in their natural environment. My world has forever changed and I'll never look at it the same way again. This is just the beginning...

#nikcompletecollection   #potd   #flamingo  

Twilight @ White Sands National Monument

BEST VIEWED LARGE - Look closely and you will be able to see the grains of sand in the foreground.

White Sands National Monument is an amazing place, but a busy one. The challenge for the photographer at a location like this is to get away from the crowds and find a untouched piece of land. To this we hiked out in the sand for several miles to find a place which was not visited by the tourists in few days...and came upon this location. ;))

How was this image created?
I almost did not catch the last glow of light and was packing up my gear for the day when the sky light up with magenta colors. I quickly ran up this dune to find a composition to include subtle textures in the sand. The light was strong enough that this shot required me to bracket the image and then blend it using our iHDR manual blending workflow. This control over the exposure enabled me to retain the textures you see in the foreground (VIEW LARGE).

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

Echos @ Yellowstone, Wyoming

Here is an image from our workshop in Yellowstone. This was the first day and all the students had gathered at the Mid Geyser basin and they were practicing their GND filters and composition. And while going in between the students I had left my camera at ISO 640 setting...and shot entire evening using that ISO. ;))

How was this photo created?
This is a simple photo to take using a GND filter, but I bracketed 3 images to get this shot. I later combined them using our iHDR workflow. Why? Because I had lend my GND filter to one of the students. The composition was selected so that the clouds in the sky echoed the patterns on the ground. 

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#photographytips   #photographyworkflow   #landscapephotography  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Helminadia Ranford

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Durdle Door Dorset,UK

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Nik Photography is hanging out with 3 people right now in a live Hangout On Air! #hangoutsonair

#AlbumTheme - Showcase of Life
#lansdscapephotography  

Today's Album theme showcases life and its beauty. If  you look at the first 30 images from my portfolio you will find that life stands out in these images. I use life (flora and fauna) in my photograph as leading lines, as point of interest, for colors, for macro shots, to capture action, to capture the seasonal change, as inspiration, for complementary colors, for repeating patterns and just as an excuse to take more photos. ;))

As spring approaches in Northern hemisphere you will likely to get lots of opportunity to photograph life. 

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#photographytips   #photography  

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Calling ALL Photographers - Want a job in Paradise?

Check our this AD from +Matt Adcock

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+del Sol Photography IS HIRING.   Know anyone who fits the bill?  

More info here: http://delsolphotography.com/we-are-hiring/




#wearehiring   #helpwanted   #hiring   #jobseekers  

BAD LIGHT ....or just BAD IMAGINATION?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/tutorials/developing-creativity

We often have to remind ourselves that there is no bad light....just bad imagination. Why? It helps us develop creativity. Here is a short tutorials that explains how. We wander in locations that cant possibly have a good composition or at times where other photographer are busy chatting on social networks at the nearest Starbucks. ;))

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#landscapePhotography   #photographydiscussion  

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#PhotoOfTheDay by +Hengki Koentjoro

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© 2013
➤ Bromo - East Java

On the Edge of Mordor, Hawaii

BEST VIEWED LARGE - You should be able to see the subtle intricate details in the Lava as well as the highlights.

We were incredible lucky to have wandered to the Edge of Mordor and back on Big Island of Hawaii. The lave has just started going into the ocean two days before we arrived and on our second visit an inflation cycle in the Volcano cause more than normal lava flow into the ocean. I wanted to capture the essence of what it was like when photographing the lava at Twilight.

How was this image created?
This is an manually blended image using our iHDR manual blending workflow. The sea floor and steam is lit by the light from the lava stream. While the sky is showing of the last glow from the setting sun. One of the biggest challenges was to dealing with the thermals caused by the heat around the lava streams. Camera's auto focus has a hard time getting an accurate focus in those thermal areas. Second challenge was extreme dynamic range: Water reflected lot of light, while the textured dark cliffs reflected very little light. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips     #photography  

How do you decided where to go shoot? 
#landscapephotography  

This was the question that came up when the famous TWIP Interview host  +Frederick Van Johnson sat down with us. This discussion was published last week at part of TWIP Episode #302. You can find our more about this at the link below:

http://www.thisweekinphoto.com/2013/twip-302/

Question: So what are you going to photograph next and just how do you decide?

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Perils being a Landscape Photographer
Photo by: +Neal Yu  
#landscapephotography  

Landscape photography is exciting, but not always pleasant. Bad weather and dramatic photographs often go together. Last year when photographing in Iceland it rained and then it rained some more. The winds were 30-40mph at time and the ocean was violent. Here is a photo that gives you an idea of what it was like. And accidents can and do occur....sometimes. But the stories are always exciting like the article below:  

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/blog/iceland-day-5-2

And some tips on How to avoid them:

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/?p=11708

Feel free to share any stories you may have. 

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What to Photograph?
By: +Varina Patel 

Take a look at the large size image below....You will notice the most intricate details in the shadow and the highlights, the flowers on the trees, individual leaves and vibrant and saturated colors. 

http://www.photographybyvarina.com/photography/quick-tips/light-matters

This photo is incredibely simple to create...just point your camera and shoot. Dont believe me? Take look at this article by +Varina Patel that describes how to decided what to photograph. 

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Photoshop User: What A Wonderful World
#photoshop  

Landscape Photography is perhaps one of the best jobs in the world. Thundering Waterfalls, Gorgeous Sunsets, Blue Icebergs on Black Sand Beaches, Sharing the trail with Fully Grown Mountain Goats, Roasting Marshmallows on Lava - We get to witness some of the most amazing sights in the world.

http://members.photoshopuser.com/magazine/

So it is fitting that our latest article in Photoshop User magazine is title What a Wonderful World!! in the April 2013 issue. 

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Every Photo Has a Story to Tell?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

+Varina Patel and I have worked for past year to bring you guys stories about the photograph we take. These storied include adventure, How-To, Tips, Workflows and more. In case you missed our posting on Google+ you can access the archives on our Blog at 

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/category/photo-of-the-day

Next up: Location!! Location!! Location!!....Stay tuned for more details. 

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#landscapephotography  

Fires of Masaya, Masaya, Nicaragua

I dont know what it is about Masaya, but we have been luck twice with some gorgeous light. On our second workshop with +The Giving Lens the sky was even more spectacular than the first time around, but the gas activity from the Volcano was more subdued. I took this shot while helping a student use the GND filter. 

How was this image created?
This image is a manually blended image of three bracketed shot using our iHDR workflow. The most difficult part of this blend was the steam because it broke the horizon. This was also the reason (along with the fact that I had lend my GND filters to Lauren) that I did not use a GND filter for this photograph.

If you look at the large size image you will be able to see all the details in the steam as it rose above and below the horizon. as well as om between the branches of the trees.

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips +Empowerment International 

Question: What Software do you use for HDR?
#photographydiscussion  

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/photography/tutorials/photography-workflow-the-portal

Photomatix? NIK? Photoshop CS6 Merge to HDR? Enfuse? Manual Blending?

We use layers and mask in Photoshop? Why? because it gives us complete control over the blending process...and allows us do special things as described in this article. 

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography  

RESHARE:
#PhotoOfTheDay by +PJ Ammidon

Here is something to make you dream - The one question is why you you not here?

Enjoy and Share.
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Reshared text:
Colors of Freedom

#thirstythursdaypics   #thirstythursday   #landscapephotography  +Landscape Photography +HQSP Landscape +Breakfast Club  #breakfastclub   #blue   #sony  

Reaching for the Sky, Death Valley National Park, CA

BEST VIEWED LARGE

Question: Which composition rules do you see used in this photo?

What happens when the light is not just perfect at the location you are photographing? - Move yourself to the location where the light IS perfect. The night before I took this shot we had photographed Vermilion Cliff but the good weather was stalled over Death Valley. So, we drove through the night to catch this fantastic sunrise in Death Valley...and flew back later that day.

And you thought that the life was a landscape photographer was easy?

How was this image created?
This image is all about textures and and color. I used rule of the thirds (twice), complementary colors, side lighting in the sky and the ground to enhance textures. The sky on the right side was bit over exposed and required some targeted adjustment to bring out the details. 

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Majestic, Vik Iceland

BEST VIEWED LARGE

It rained while we were in Iceland and then it rained some more. It was windy and foggy pretty much all of the seven days we spend there last fall. The top of the Glacier was covered in such a thick fog that for first 3-4 days we had not idea that there was even a mountain just beyond those clouds. 

How was this photograph created?
I  used a circular polarizer to bring out the rich colors in the terrain...it was high effective as everything was very wet. It also darkened the river and made it stand out from the rest of the lush green background. Additionally I had to bracket the shot and use our iHDR manual blending workflow to bring out the textures in the clouds on top of the mountains. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

RESHARE:
#PhotoOfTheDay by +Ajit Menon

BEST VIEWED LARGE

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Reshared text:
Here's a re-post of an image I had posted earlier with corrected white balance adjustment.
This was taken on a fantastic trip to Norway on the beach of Uttakleiv in the Lofoten Islands with +David Clapp and +Antony Spencer . We were lucky to get some lovely aurora displays on the first 2 nights.

I woke up this morning to find it is the cover of the 1x homepage which is amazing to me.

#landscapephotography by +Margaret Tompkins and +Jay Patel
#longexposurephotography #longexposurethursday
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
#besttopphotographer by +Rinus Bakker
#visitnorway #norwaylandscape #lofoten #uttakleivbeach  

8 Simple Photography Business Tips
By: +Varina Patel..
Source: +SmugMug..

__Too much social Networking? Not Enough Social Networking?
__Must have solid business plan or be Flexible?
__Stick to what you know? Or Diversify?
__Should I be in Stock Photography ONLY? No Workshops or Fine Arts prints?
__You need a website to succeed..Really?

Just how does a photographer navigate through different options to create a successful business? 

Pro photographer +Varina Patel shares easy to follow business strategy with SmugMug that has allowed her to grow her photography business in face of changing market conditions. 

http://news.smugmug.com/2013/04/08/how-to-stay-in-business-by-varina-patel/

Enjoy & Share.
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Aspen & Marbles, Marble, Colorado

BEST VIEWED LARGE - Can you see the fractal patterns on the leaves?

Little things like this are often overlooked by me. As landscape photographer I prefer wide vista and dramatic light, but tiny landscape like these are just a fascinating. When I looked at this leaf, I could not see its individual veins, but when i looked at it through my 180mm Macro an entire another world was visible to my eyes. 

How was this image created?
This is a focus stacked image created using Liveview. I used Liveview's focusing mechanism to take few different shot to ensure that entire scene was in focus. Later I combined them using Photoshop. Do the dew drops appear 3 dimensional? I used my jacket and camera back to give them shadows so they stand out from the rest flat surface of the leaf.

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#landscapephotography   #macromonday   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

Color Processing: An Art not A Science
By: +Varina Patel 

Color processing is just as much as art as it is science  Often times we will make decisions based on mood and feeling rather than what is the RIGHT thing to do. Here is an article that explains why and how:

http://www.jaypatelphotography.com/?p=11877

Do you actively use colors to create a mood or feeling? Feel free to share your work.

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Stroll Through the Woods, Olympic National Park, WA

BEST VIEWED LARGE  -

Where are you going to be on come Monday morning? - Taking a stroll through the woods?

I took this photo few years ago during our workshop in Olympic National Park. It was raining and everything was wet. The fresh leave on the trees glows green under the soft light provided by over cast skies. 

How was this photograph created?
The exposure for this image was very simple because it was taken on a heavily overcast day. I used a trail as a leading line and selected a composition that filled the frame with colors. A circular polarizer was used to bring out the rich colors in this photo. 

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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

How To Photograph Waterfalls
By: +Varina Patel..
Source: +The Giving Lens..

I am proud to annoce that we are contributing authors for +The Giving Lens...and from now on you will be able to read some of our work on their blog. In our first article the awesome +Varina Patel give simple tips to make the most out of shooting waterfalls. 

http://www.thegivinglens.com/guest-post-varina-patel/

By the way the shot seen below when viewed at large size look stunning. ;))

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography   #photographyworkflow   #photographytips  

Do Rules Really Matter?
By: +Varina Patel..

http://education.niksoftware.com/2013/03/12/q-and-a-do-the-rules-matter-by-varina-patel/

What happens when you get a comment like "Reflections should be darker than then sources"? Do you run back to Photoshop and update your image?  - Let hear what you have to say.

Here is an article by +Varina Patel that explains why and what we do on +Nik Software's Education Blog. 

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#AlbumTheme: Glow of Life

Life is beautiful...even is most desperate circumstances. During our numerous trips for landscape photography and workshop around the world we are always reminded of this fact. When I look at my gallery the images with life like the one seen below never fails to provide an inspiration...and remind us that or abundant beauty surrounding us at all times. 

This week #AlbumTheme is to showcase this Glow of Life. The first 30 images showcases how life even under the most difficult circumstance stand out in an image.

Who is Anna?
Anna was paralyzed from chest down in a car accident when she was 18. Back in early days of photography career, I had gotten to know Anna's high school teacher through one of the photography forums. During a regular exchange of comments I came to know about Anna (I had commented on the only photograph of Anna in her portfolio). Together we started conspiring to give Anna a long vacation in US (she lives in Italy). We picked Canon Beach as destination of choice because at low tide the sand is hard enough so that we can push her wheel chair on the beach. After about 1.5 years of planning we (including Anna's friends/family in Italy) finally managed to pull it off in August of 2006. +Varina Patel and I spend a week with Anna traveling around Northern Oregon. When I took this shot I did not think much about it but over the years it has been one of my well recognized shot. When I look back at this photograph I always think what are the odds of random events coming together to make this happen?

Enjoy & Share.
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#landscapephotography