http://www.rachidphoto.com/index.php/blog/index/ en rachid@rachidphoto.com Copyright 2013 2013-05-18T23:23:27+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/whats-the-best-camera-bag-well-that-depends http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/whats-the-best-camera-bag-well-that-depends#When:23:23:27Z Avery is less picky about which pack I use.  All he knows is if a pack comes out there is a good chance that he is headed into the mountains for an adventure! My wife walked into my office the other day as I was packing for a shoot.  I was in the midst of picking out which camera bag I was going to use and I had seven bags strewn out on the floor.  She looked around, laughed and said, “Holy crap Rachid, do you really need all of those bags?!  Seems a little excessive don’t you think?!”  At first glance it was pretty funny but I began explaining to her why I had all of the different bags and what each one was for.  After expressing my reasoning she seemed a bit more receptive to the whole situation and how important having the right bag for a job can be.  That scenario got me thinking and, in turn, prompted this short article on the subject. There are lots of important elements to photography:  the camera, the lens, the location, the subject and the light.  One thing I find equally important is the bag I use to transport everything.  Every shoot is different, requiring a diverse amount of gear.  Thus, the bag I choose to carry and organize everything has to be nothing short of awesome. In my world I am constantly traveling, hiking, climbing or biking my way to different shooting locations and I need a bag best suited for the occasion.  Sometimes I am just carrying one camera body and a couple lenses.  Other times I am carrying multiple camera bodies, multiple lenses, flash setups and possibly even a video rig. The common ritual before every shoot I undertake is to layout all of the necessary gear I anticipate needing.  Aside from camera gear this also includes personal gear.  Will I be traveling into the backcountry or the frontcountry?  How much water will I need?  Am I bringing food and, if so, how much?  How many clothing layers will I need?  Once I’ve got that figured out it’s time to pick the bag that is best suited for the job.  My main goal is to pick the bag that will be just large enough to carry and organize everything without any wasted/empty space.   That means things will stay snug on my back.  If things are loose and slopping around, I will surely be miserable and not be able to focus on the task at hand, which is making killer content. Personally I trust Lowepro with all of my camera bag needs.  Over the years they have continually produced one great product after another and now I have been lucky enough to start giving my personal input into the future of their camera bag lines.  One of the biggest leaps forward they have made is taking traditional backpack designs and integrating them into successful camera packs.  This has been accomplished by taking the design of a pack that I would take on a normal day out and integrating key carrying features for all of the necessary camera gear.  These packs, like the Photo Sport line, the Flipside Sport line and the Rover Pro line are, in short, game changers. Additionally, the traditional camera bags still have their place.  Traveling in planes, trains and automobiles presents a whole new set of problems.  Many of these modes of transportation involve people other than myself handling my luggage.  In these scenarios I need a bag that is padded and protected enough to withstand the shock of a disgruntled airline employee hurling one bag after the next onto the conveyer belt.   For these circumstances I rely on the Pro Roller x200 and the Vertex 200 AW. Here is a quick breakdown of the bags I own and what I use them for: Lowepro Photo Sport AW – This bag is great for one day scenarios carrying one camera body, an extra lens, a small set of filters, cable release, a tripod and personal gear Lowepro Photo Sport Pro – This bag is great for one day scenarios carrying one pro-sized camera body (Nikon D4), an extra lens, a small set of filters, cable release, a tripod and personal gear Lowepro Rover Pro 45L AW – This is my bag of choice for one day or multiday scenarios requiring a lot of camera and personal gear.  This includes short overnight backpacking trips. Lowerpro Flipside Sport 20L AW – This is my bag of choice for one day scenarios where I need a lot of camera gear but limited personal gear.  I love this bag for shooting commercial ski resort work. Lowepro Pro Roller x200 – This is the ultimate bag for traveling in planes, trains and automobiles.  It has a ton of room for gear, extra padding to keep everything safe and meets airline carry-on bag size requirements. Lowepro Vertex 200 AW – This is my go to bag for traveling if I need the convenience of a backpack rather than a traditional roller bag like the Pro Roller x200. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW – I still use this bag, just not as often as I used to.  The Flipside Sport 20L has put this old workhorse on the back burner.  I do however still find myself filling it up as an extra bag for my assistant for certain commercial assignments. The scenario you are shooting will always dictate which bag is right for you.  In my world, having a good selection of camera bags is essential to my success on a shoot.  Every bag is different and has its advantages for certain situations.  Which bag or bags are right for you?  Well, only you can be the judge of that.  Look at your gear and imagine where in the world your photography will take you and what you will need to make that killer content of your own.   Therein lies the answer.  Happy shooting! Gear, General, Photography, 2013-05-18T23:23:27+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/brand-ambassador-for-the-photo-sport-pro-30l-aw http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/brand-ambassador-for-the-photo-sport-pro-30l-aw#When:04:35:35Z Last fall I got a call from Lowepro asking me to shoot a commercial for a new bag they were introducing, The Photo Sport Pro 30L AW.  I said "sure no problem, I can shoot that for you." They said "no, you don't have to shoot anything, we want you to be the featured photographer that introduces the bag." "Oh", I said, "well I better get a shave and haircut, ha! " Well, the bag released last week and the video above is my "Testimonial Video" on the bag.  A big thanks to Josh Semolik, Canyon Florey and Lite Pro Gear for all of the great shots and making me look as good as I can.  Also a big thanks to Cat Keenan and Nina for coming out and modeling for the shoots!  You guys rock! Oh, and the Photo Sport Pro is sick!  Get yours at www.lowepro.com/photosport Gear, General, News, Photography, 2013-05-09T04:35:35+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nikon-d800e-field-test-reno-skyline http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nikon-d800e-field-test-reno-skyline#When:00:24:16Z Reno Skyline - Nikon D800e, Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens - ISO 100 f/8 6 seconds The Nikon D800e is my newest camera and it is a game changer.  The resolution is absolutely incredible and is comparable to a much more expensive medium format body.  Image quality and resolution was not available at this price point until now.  For photographers looking to make extremely large prints and shoot high end commercial work this is the camera for you.  That said, if you don’t plan on using the files for those purposes I would recommend saving some cash, getting a camera with less resolution and putting that money into lenses or some other purchase you have been holding back on.  The files are much larger than most people have worked with in the past and you need a computer that can keep up as well. Also, if you are considering this camera for purchase do your homework on the D800 vs the D800e.  The D800e differs from the D800 in that it lacks the anti-aliasing filter found on all DSLRs.  By removing the filter your images will be slightly sharper.  The negative effect this has on images is the possibility of color moiré appearing.   Moiré can be dealt with in a number of ways but it is worth researching the subject thoroughly before you commit to buying the D800e.  For me the benefits outweigh the negatives, hence why I chose the D800e. For my test of the D800e I took it up to photograph some stock of the Reno skyline near my home in Lake Tahoe.  Arriving just before dusk I set up my shot and waited for the city lights to turn on.  Once the light was right I knocked off a couple frames.  When I reviewed them I was blown away.  Hitting the zoom button I scrutinized the smallest areas of each image and the detail was astounding!  Below is a 100% crop of the image above.  Detail and sharpness of this quality has never been available in a DSLR, until now.   The detail in the files is pretty insane.  Wow! For me I will now shoot all of my landscape and commercial work (that doesn’t require a high shutter speed) with the D800e until Nikon raises the bar again on their next generation of cameras (yet to be released).  I am also really excited to start playing around with the video features on the D800e.  One of the video features I’m most excited about is the ability to monitor sound directly through the camera.  That is going to make collecting and monitoring good sound a much easier task in the field. As with any new gizmo, the camera is only as good and creative as its operator.  Always remember to make sure you understand the technical aspects of photography but not rely on them solely.  Creativity will always be king in the photo world no matter what fancy gadgets come out.  However, if you can combine your creativity with a tool like the D800e the results will be astounding!  Happy shooting!   Gear, General, Photography, Travel, 2013-01-14T00:24:16+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-an-evening-in-chicago http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-an-evening-in-chicago#When:03:18:13Z Looking down the Chicago River at the Trump Tower This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Windy City for a family wedding.  My wife and I spent the weekend enjoying the festivities and hanging out with family and friends.  On Monday my wife had a business meeting scheduled in the city, giving me a free day to explore and photograph.  There were numerous shooting possibilities available, but with limited time I really had to narrow down a good “hit list.” As with all of my photography, I believe scouting locations (if you can) is one of the most important aspects of creating compelling imagery.  Personally, I like to scout in the middle of the day when the light is less than pleasing so I can really take my time coming up with good possible angles and compositions.  This was the approach I took on this trip to Chicago and it paid off. Over the weekend in between wedding festivities, armed with only my phone for a camera, my wife and I visited several of the locations I was interested in photographing.  They included: The Cloud Gate Sculpture (known informally as “The Bean”) in Millennium Park, several skyline views from the Adler Planetarium, and different views of downtown along the Chicago River.   Since it was my first time photographing Chicago I wanted to start with what I felt were the defining shots of the city.  After taking a look at the locations, I decided that everything should be shot from several hours before sunset into the night to achieve the imagery I was looking for. I took a leisurely day early Monday and in the late afternoon hopped a cab down to The Bean in Millennium Park to kick things off.  After shooting The Bean I walked all over downtown for about five hours until I was satisfied with the results. The shot I was the most excited about was of the Cloud Gate Sculpture in Millennium Park.   I don’t normally shoot landscapes or cityscapes with a fisheye lens but I had an idea with The Bean that I wanted to explore.  I thought it would be interesting to bend the city around The Bean using a fisheye complimenting the effect that The Bean is so well known for.  I figured since The Bean has been bending the Chicago skyline for so long, perhaps it was time to return the favor.  Below is my favorite frame from the shoot. The Chicago skyline bends around The Bean at night in Millennium Park Here are a few more of my favorite frames from my night shoot in the city.  Thanks Chicago, I’ll be back! A sculpture in front of the Adler Planetarium frames the Chicago skyline A person takes a picture of their reflection at night underneath The Bean in Millennium Park The Chicago skyline is reflected in The Bean in Millennium Park General, Photography, Travel, 2012-12-08T03:18:13+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/highlands-islands-yukon-territory-mtb-film http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/highlands-islands-yukon-territory-mtb-film#When:22:16:55Z Over the summer I had the pleasure of working with my good friend and colleague Trevor Clark on a spectacular project in the Yukon Territory in Northern Canada.  Our assignment was to create a short film highlighting the unbelievable mountain biking in and around the city of Whitehorse, YK.  Our client, H and I Adventures (based in Scotland), offers mountain bike tours all over the world to destinations such as Nepal, Ecuador, Mexico and Spain.  They are adding the Yukon to their unbelievable list of destinations and needed a short film to tell their story.  We had 10 days to scout and shoot the project. This video is an especially important step for Trevor and I as we plan to work together a lot more in the future.  We also had the pleasure of working with our friend and up-and-comer Tommy Penick on the back end for the edit.  Tommy has a big future ahead of him and did an amazing job constructing the piece from a monumental amount of footage. We would like to thank: Sylvain Turcotte and Marsha Cameron of Boreale Mountain Biking – for showing us all of their secret stashes and unbelievable backyard that they call home Lowepro  - for their support and giving us the just-now-released Rover Pro bags that made carrying 50 pounds of video gear on a mountain bike as comfortable as it can be Canyon Florey - for the use of a prototype of his ultra-lite camera crane that added a whole new level of production to the project Enjoy! General, Photography, Sports, Travel, 2012-11-04T22:16:55+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/lowepro-rover-pro-review-field-tested-in-the-yukon http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/lowepro-rover-pro-review-field-tested-in-the-yukon#When:23:10:34Z Northern Lights above our camp at Yurtville - Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada I have always wanted to explore the Yukon Territory in Northern Canada.  The Yukon is about the same size as California but only contains 34,000 people.  From abundant wildlife to dramatic landscapes to the Northern Lights, it is a photographer’s paradise.  Several months ago I was lucky enough to receive an assignment that would take me into the heart of this amazing landscape. One thing I didn’t know existed in the Yukon was world-class mountain biking.  My assignment was to team up with my good friend and fellow Novus Select photographer Trevor Clark for a 10 day video project documenting the lesser known mountain bike trails throughout the territory. As Trevor and I began planning our trip, the first thing on both of our minds was how we were going to carry all of the photography and video equipment while logging long days on mountain bikes in extremely remote locations. We let the good folks over at Lowepro know about our dilemma and a couple days later received the not-yet-released Rover Pro 45L AW and the Rover Pro 35L AW.  As soon as we saw the packs it was clear that they were going to be absolutely perfect. The larger Rover Pro 45L AW that I carried I carried the larger Rover Pro 45L AW and Trevor took the Rover Pro 35L AW.  Before leaving, we laid out all the photo and video gear we would be carrying (about 50 pounds apiece) to see if we could get everything in the packs.  Not only did we have no problem getting the gear to fit, but there was room to spare for the necessary outdoor gear we would require. Here is the breakdown. Camera/video gear that went into my pack (the Rover Pro 45L AW): Nikon D7000 Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Tokina 12-24mm f/4 Nikon TC-14E-II Teleconverter Genius 8 stop ND filter Nikon Circular Polarizing Filter Dynamic Perception Stage One Motorized Slider/Dolly System 2 Flashpoint Carbon Tripods 2 Go Pro Cameras and Mounts Zacuto Z Finder Loop Manfrotto 55 Mag Photo-Movie Head Sennheiser MKE 400 External Mic San Disk Extreme Cards LowePro Memory Wallet 20 IPhone Outdoor Gear Two Liter Camelbak Bladder 2 Tahoe Trail Bars First Ascent down jacket Bennie REI Event Rain Shell Spare Inner Tube Bike Tool Innertube Patch Kit Bike Pump Tire Irons Water Purification Tablets Headlamp All of this gear made for a heavy load but thankfully Lowepro took this into consideration and equipped the bag with a trampoline-style suspension system that performed beautifully.  Having 50+ pounds strapped to my back during rough 3,500 foot mountain bike descents was a true testament to this bag’s capability.  The bag handled all of the weight with ease and the pack always felt snug on my back. Aside from the way the pack fit, one of the things I really loved about the Rover Pro was the ability to access all of my camera gear from the front hatch.  This meant not having to unpack and repack all of my outdoor gear every time I wanted to set up a shot.  That, in conjunction with the customizable modular compartment system, created key timesaving elements that allowed me to move faster and maximize my shooting. The Rover Pro was an essential part of our Yukon mountain bike film project.  It carried all of our gear comfortably and reliably.  In the end it did what a great bag is supposed to do – let us focus on making killer content! Make sure and check out Trevor Clark’s review on his Rover Pro 35L AW on his blog and take a spin through his website to enjoy all of his fantastic work! For the full skinny and specs on the new Rover Pro visit the Lowepro website.  They hit the ball out of the park with this one. Stay tuned for our short film on our incredible experiences mountain biking in the Yukon.  Coming soon! Gear, General, Photography, Travel, 2012-09-20T23:10:34+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nevada-ranching-portrait-project-stepping-out-of-my-comfort-zone http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nevada-ranching-portrait-project-stepping-out-of-my-comfort-zone#When:16:14:37Z Trase Bell - Paradise Valley, NV I have always appreciated people that display a sense of brutal honesty in their lives both in their words and actions.  It is a rare quality in this world that has my utmost respect.  It takes a lot of courage for people to simply live their lives without filters or excuses especially while doing something they love.  It turns out the perfect examples of this are the Nevada Ranchers. Several months ago I decided I wanted to take on a human driven portrait project.  I don’t photograph portraits very much and I was looking for a challenge.  I wanted the project to focus on real people doing real things with a sense of grit.  Luckily I live about ten miles from the Nevada border and if you are looking for grit you need look no further.  While driving through the fields of the Carson Valley one afternoon the idea for a portrait of the ranchers in Nevada dawned on me.  Not soon after, I contacted my friends over at Nevada Magazine to see what they thought about the idea.  Immediately, the editor turned me on to a program called the Nevada Centennial Ranch Program.  The program is facilitated by the USDA and the Agricultural Council of Nevada.  To be inducted a ranch must be in the same family for 100 years or more.  You couldn’t ask for a better set of parameters to build a story around. I knew the biggest challenge shooting this project would be getting access to photograph the families.  A lot of the ranches are fairly off the grid, aren’t used to outsiders and asking a family to simply let you into their lives is anything but easy.  Luckily the folks over at the USDA were thrilled about the project and offered to help make introductions.  Within several weeks there were five ranches willing to participate and it appeared that the project would come to fruition. The first ranch I traveled to was the Dalton Ranch in the Clover Valley just south of Wells, NV.  As I pulled onto the property I was welcomed with beautiful snow capped peaks towering over endless miles of pasture on the valley floor.  It truly defines the term, “wide open.” Brad Dalton manages his herd of cattle at the Dalton Ranch in the Clover Valley, NV I got out of my car and was greeted by Cameron Dalton and two of the ranch hands Trevor and Payton.  With a quick hello they pointed me towards Brad and Dani Dalton the owners of the ranch (Cameron is their son).  With a firm hand shake and a smile Brad introduced himself and his wife Dani.  “I’m going to do my best to make you guys look good” I said.  “Good luck!” Brad said with a boisterous laugh.  I knew immediately I was in the right place. Cameron Dalton rides his horse through his pasture at the Dalton Ranch in the Clover Valley, NV The day’s activity was a spring branding.  We went out into the fields to herd the cattle that were being branded that day.  Walking out into the pasture I was overtaken with how vast the landscape was.  I asked Brad how many acres encompassed his property.  “About 15,000,” he said, “30,000 if you include the BLM land that we use.”  “Oh, I said” trying not to let my jaw drop, “is that all?” Cameron Dalton and Trevor Zimmerman brand cattle at the Dalton Ranch in Wells, NV The day progressed as calf after calf was branded, earmarked, vaccinated and castrated.  The tasks were carried out with an efficiency that could only come from the tradition and knowledge passed down generation after generation.  After the branding I was invited into lunch and got to chat with the Dalton’s a bit about their lives and what ranching means to them.  What became immediately clear, and remained clear with all of the families that I met over the next several weeks, was that ranching isn’t a job; it’s a way of life.  The Dalton’s don’t ranch because they have to; they do it because they love it. A cowgirl and her horse hold a calf while it is branded at the Dalton Ranch in the Clover Valley, NV. After lunch it was time to shoot everyone’s portrait.  The key with these portraits was that no one was allowed to clean up from the day’s activities before being photographed.  Ranching is hard dirty work and the photos really needed to convey that sense of emotion.  I also envisioned all of the portraits being in black in white from the get go.  The idea was to strip away any distracting factors from the images so that it was all about the people.  Brad and Dani Dalton - Dalton Ranch - Wells, NV Trevor Zimmerman - Ranch Hand - Dalton Ranch - Wells, NV After the portrait session it was time to part ways and head for Paradise Valley to shoot the Stewart’s Ninety Six Ranch and the Ferraro Cattle Company.  I arrived in Paradise Valley the next day and waited for Fred Stewart to meet me at the local bar.  For this leg of my journey the Stewart’s were kind enough to offer up a cabin for me to stay in that they keep way up in the mountains north of Paradise Valley.  After a quick beer and introductions Fred jumped in his truck and asked me to follow him up to the cabin.  We wound up the mountain side on a fairly well-maintained dirt road and after about 30 minutes arrived at one of the coolest places I have ever had the pleasure of staying.  The cabin was nestled in a beautiful aspen grove next to a small creek and looked down several thousand feet to the valley floor.  It was incredible. The next morning I awoke early and made my way down to the Stewart’s Ninety Six Ranch; where they too were conducting a late spring branding.   What differed from the branding I had just photographed over at the Dalton Ranch and this one was the amount of kids involved.  The Stewarts invited several other families to participate in the day’s events and all of the roping was being done by the kids. Two cowboys brand cattle at the Ninety Six Ranch in Paradise Valley, NV Branding irons sit in the fire during a branding at the Ninety Six Ranch in Paradise Valley, NV It was wonderful to see how involved the youngsters were in the branding process.  Several things were clear.  Firstly, there was a lot of history and tradition being passed down to the next generation of ranchers.  Secondly, all of the kids loved every minute of it.   You just don’t see this kind of practice and pride very much anymore, especially in the United States. Fred Stewart - Ninety Six Ranch - Paradise Valley, NV Paul T. Herrington - Ninety Six Ranch - Paradise Valley, NV The Bell Family - Friends of Ninety-Six Ranch - Paradise Valley, Nevada After another amazing lunch I drove back up to my mountain retreat to gear up for the next shoot at the Ferraro Cattle Company. Steve Ferraro feeds his cattle at the Ferraro Cattle Company in Paradise Valley, NV I met Steve Ferraro early the next morning to start shooting.  He greeted me in front of their house, invited me to jump in his truck for a tour of the property and off we went.  Immediately I knew that this day would be much different from the last two shoots I had just completed.  Steve was a lot older than the other ranchers I had dealt with and I could tell things moved a bit slower for him.  It was actually a really nice change of pace. Steve Ferraro stands in an old shed on his ranch, Ferraro Cattle Company, in Paradise Valley, NV He showed me around the property where part of the land is dedicated to raising cattle and the other part to alfalfa production.  Underneath one of the largest Cottonwood trees I have ever seen we chatted about the history of Steve’s ranch and his life in Paradise Valley.  “If you could sum up your time in Paradise Valley what would you say?” I asked.  “Paradise Valley is one of the best places in the whole state of Nevada in my books!  If you need help in this valley, you’ve got it.” Steve replied. Steve Ferraro - Ferraro Cattle Co - Paradise Valley I finished talking with Steve and made the long drive to my home in Lake Tahoe to reset and shoot the last two ranches on my list, the Snyder Livestock Company in Yerington and Ranch #1 in Genoa. I left before sunrise several days later for my shoot with the Snyder Livestock Company in Yerington.  The Snyder Livestock Company is not your typical ranch.  It is a feed lot. I thought it was important to try and see all the different sides of the ranching industry for my portrait of the Nevada Ranchers.   Feed lots are an integral part of the beef industry and I was curious to see what they were all about. I pulled into the dirt parking lot and was greeted by one of the owners Lucy Rechel.  She introduced me to her brother Jim Snyder and explained that Jim would be showing me around their operations for the morning.  I hopped in Jim’s truck and off we went. The Snyder Livestock Company actually isn’t all about livestock.  They also deal in onion, garlic and alfalfa production.  Jim’s role in the company is to oversee all of the farming aspects of the business.  We spent the morning taking a tour of the fields.  He was a great insight into learning about the ins and outs of the modern farming industry; a separate subject that I hope to spend more time capturing one day. A cow is weighed at Snyder Livestock Co. in Yerington, NV After the morning with Jim I met back up with Lucy to get the tour of the feed lot.  It was fascinating to see the process of modern cattle production.  From weighing, branding, inserted magnets into the stomach, artificial insemination and tracking each cattle’s food consumption using ultra modern technology and techniques, I was fascinated.  The folks over at the Snyder Livestock Company really have their business down to a science.  The thing that rang true with the folks at the Snyder Livestock Company that was similar to my experiences at all the other ranches was the love for what they do. Eddie Snyder - Snyder Livestock Co. - Yerington, NV The last ranch on my list was Ranch #1 in Genoa.  I was especially excited to shoot this ranch because I had been told that the owner, JB Lekumberry, was quite the character.  From the brief phone conversations that I already had with him I knew it was going to be a fun day. Getting out of the car and meeting JB it was clear that he was a lively guy, full of energy, ready to take on whatever challenges the day had to offer.  In this particular morning’s case it was the slaughtering of about a dozen rabbits for his local restaurant clients.  From there it was a quick change of clothes and off to herd some cattle.  Throughout the day it was great to talk to JB about the ranching industry as a whole and the small intricacies of his business.  He has carved out a really great niche for himself in the Carson Valley.  All of his cattle are 100% grass fed organic and he handles all of them from birth to the dinner table.  It is clear this is something he is very proud of. Knowing this was the last ranch I would visit, I was really looking to get a sense from JB about the future of the ranching industry and where he believed things were headed.  I asked him what he thought about the topic and I think his comment summed up the beliefs of all the ranchers I encountered in the great state of Nevada.  He said: J.B. Lekumberry - Ranch #1 - Genoa, NV “I think the future of agriculture in the Carson Valley has a great chance of continuing.  There is a younger generation of kids that are ready to take the reins.  If you had asked me the same question in the 80’s I would have told you it was all going to hell.  Now I am optimistic.” This story appears as a feature in the Sept/Oct 2012 issue of Nevada Magazine General, News, Personal, Photography, 2012-09-08T16:14:37+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nikon-tc-14-ii-1.4-auto-focus-teleconverter-review http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/nikon-tc-14-ii-1.4-auto-focus-teleconverter-review#When:18:25:20Z Camera: Nikon D3s - Lens: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 with Nikon 1.4 TC - 1/1600sec f/7.1 ISO 400 I recently ran into a problem shooting skiing and snowboarding this winter.  I needed to get a little closer to the action but the longest lens in my kit is the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8.  There were two options to get the added focal length I desired.  The first and most expensive option was to purchase the Nikon 200-400 f/4 lens for a whopping $7000.  Even as a working pro this would have set my budget back quite a bit.  Added to the budget constraints is the physical size and weight of the lens.  Coming in at roughly 7.5 pounds the lens is heavy and bulky.  When I am shooting skiing and snowboarding I am constantly moving, hiking and snowboarding. Weight and bulk are always large concerns when it comes to gear.  Between the weight, bulk and price tag, the 200-400 just didn’t make a lot of sense.  The solution?  The Nikon TC-14 II 1.4 Auto Focus Teleconverter. Coming in at a price tag of just under $500 and weighing only 7.5 ouches the 1.4 teleconverter effectively would turn my 70-200 lens into a 98-280mm.  This was just the added length I was looking for to get me a little closer to the action.  I decided not to go with the Nikon 1.7 or 2.0 converters because of the negative reviews I read on each prior to my purchase.  Most people found them to be soft and the extra loss of light from the added length of the teleconverters was unacceptable to me.  I was ok with losing one stop of light with the 1.4 but that was it. So what are the pros and cons of the 1.4 TC attached to a Nikon 70-200 f/2.8?  I’m glad you asked. Pros Getting closer to the action Extremely sharp results – I haven’t noticed any loss in sharpness by adding the 1.4 TC Lightweight, small and easy to carry No noticeable fringing Cons A loss of a stop of light (it changes the maximum aperture of the f/2.8 to f/4) The autofocus is noticeably slower when shooting fast moving subjects.  The TC forces the lens to search more when trying to track a fast moving subject.  This can be overcome by prefocusing your subject and then continuing to shoot the action.  If you simply pick up your camera with the TC attached and quickly try to focus in on a moving subject you will be disappointed. All in all I am extremely happy with the Nikon TC-14 II 1.4 Auto Focus Teleconverter.  It is a great and relatively cheap fix to adding a little extra focal length to my kit.  While there are a few shortcomings I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives. I would recommend this setup to anyone looking for a cost effective way to increase their focal length and get a little closer to the action.  Happy shooting! Advice, Gear, General, Photography, 2012-01-31T18:25:20+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-the-eastern-sierra-and-death-valley-national-park http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-the-eastern-sierra-and-death-valley-national-park#When:19:05:13Z Watching the sunrise from the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, CA. It is almost the middle of January in Lake Tahoe and by now I should have a ton of new ski and snowboard images under my belt.  Unfortunately this season Mother Nature has other plans.  We are currently experiencing one of the driest winter seasons on record and it looks like it is going to last at least another week.   It feels more like May than January.  There is no snow on the mountains and to sum it up in a word is “depressing.” To curb my overwhelming desire to bundle up and cram myself into my refrigerator with a few cold ones and pray for winter, I grabbed my fiancée and we headed down to the Eastern Sierra and Death Valley National Park to brighten our mood. My first goal of the trip was to photograph the Bristlecone Pine trees high in the White Mountains near Bishop, CA.  I have photographed the Bristlecone Pines in Great Basin National Park quite extensively, but have never had the opportunity to visit the groves in the White Mountains of California.  I wasn’t sure if the road would be open (it usually closes in October after the first snow) but I figured I would give it a shot.   Luckily, and completely abnormal for January, the road was good to go. We got a later start than I wanted to leaving Lake Tahoe and didn’t arrive to the Bristlecone Pine Forest until just after sunset.  At first I was upset that I hadn’t given myself time to find some proper compositions but there was still some ambient light left.  I did some quick exploring and came up with a few ideas.  I knew I would have some moonlight to work with once it got dark and I was counting on using that to make some compelling imagery. Once the sky was dark enough I began shooting.  I shot a few exposures using the available moonlight but after previewing a few, something was missing.  I decided to try something new, at least for me.  I have shot under moonlight and played around with light-painting quite a bit with great success.  I hadn’t however, combined the two.  This was the perfect opportunity to give it a try! An ancient Bristlecone Pine tree in the White Mountains, CA I put together a composition of an impressive gnarled Bristlecone that I really liked.  I set the camera to Bulb mode and opened the shutter for 160 seconds.  While the shutter was open I used my headlamp to paint the tree from the side for about 45 seconds.  I painted the tree from the side to give it some added depth.  If I had lit the tree head on it would have given it a flat effect.  After the first exposure I checked my preview and was thrilled with the results!  I was really pleased with the combination of ambient moonlight and artificial light from my headlamp.   The Bristlecone pines are such an oddity in nature to begin with (they are the oldest single living organisms on earth) and I have always wanted to make an image that really conveyed that.  I finally felt like I succeeded. With a winner in the bag, we made our way back down to the valley floor and headed for the Alabama Hills outside of Independence, CA.  There, we set up camp. I awoke early the next morning below the shadow of Mount Whitney and hiked over to Mobius and Lathe Arch to photograph sunrise.  Both provide an excellent feature to photograph at sunrise.  In the case of both arches it is possible to frame Mount Whitney (the highest peak in the contiguous US) and Lone Pine Peak perfectly in the negative space of both arches.  As the first rays of light spill over the horizon lighting up the entire Eastern Sierra, it is truly a site to behold. The Mobius Arch frames Mount Whitney and the Eastern Sierra Nevada at sunrise in the Alabama Hills, CA. After shooting for about an hour I had everything I needed.  We drove down to town, grabbed some breakfast and continued on to Death Valley National Park. Having photographed in Death Valley before, I had a good idea of what I was looking for.  On my previous trip most of my time was concentrated on photographing the famous Racetrack and the Zabriskie Point area.  My goal with the limited time I had on this trip was to put my efforts towards creating some fresh imagery of Badwater Basin (the lowest point in the North America) and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Regina (my fiancée) was really excited to do some yoga in a spectacular location and I thought a late afternoon photo shoot in Badwater Basin would be perfect.  I could photograph her in a variety of poses in a surreal setting and could then switch gears and photograph some dynamic landscapes once the sun set.  We styled her out in some clothing that I liked and off we went. Regina performing Lord of the Dance Pose (Natarajasana) in the Badwater Basin area of Death Valley National Park The shoot went better than expected.  The white salt surface of Badwater Basin provided the perfect natural reflector (similar to snow) to soften the harsh shadows of the late afternoon light.  It balanced the scene out perfectly.  The combination of the surreal landscape and yoga made for some great imagery that will surely sell in the commercial stock photography market. Regina performs the One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose (Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana) in the Badwater Basin area of Death Valley National Park After the sun set I stayed out on Badwater Basin for another hour composing a variety of landscape images.  What a dreamlike place!  Absolutely spectacular! Badwater Basin at sunset The next morning Regina and I awoke early and made our way over to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.  We arrived early enough to give ourselves time to hike out a good distance on the dunes and scout a location to shoot before the actual sunrise. We found a few spots we were happy with and began shooting.  Early morning and late afternoon are the ideal times to shoot on the sand dunes.  When the sun is high overhead it illuminates all sides of the dunes and it doesn’t translate very well photographically.  The drama of the shadows at the beginning and end of the day provide the best chance to create dramatic imagery.  We shot for over an hour until I was happy with a variety of different scenarios.   It was a really fun morning. Running down the sand dunes at sunrise in Death Valley National Park After photographing on the sand dunes it was time to drive home.  For two days of shooting I was extremely happy with the results.  I was the most pleased with my frame from the Bristlecone Pine Forest.  I am excited to use the technique of combining moonlight and artificial light in more photo shoots down the road.  There is a lot of possibility for unique imagery using that technique and I’m excited to explore it further. Once again I sit back in my office in Lake Tahoe getting all of these images out into the market.  As much as I enjoyed this trip I would really like to start seeing some snow fall in Lake Tahoe.  If any of you readers out there have some free time be sure and wash your car, do a snow dance and PRAY FOR SNOW!  Until next time… Advice, General, Personal, Photography, Travel, 2012-01-12T19:05:13+00:00 http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-reno-sacramento-and-san-francisco http://www.rachidphoto.com/blog/photographing-reno-sacramento-and-san-francisco#When:02:56:27Z SF Usually at this time of year I am already extremely busy shooting all of my winter photography projects in Lake Tahoe.  However, Mother Nature hasn’t delivered the goods yet.  Lake Tahoe is about to have one of the driest Decembers on record and the forecast looks dismal.  Everyone in town (including myself) is going stir crazy. With everything on hold, I decided to get out of town and create some new work for my fine art and stock portfolio.  I hadn’t shot any city scenes in awhile and decided that I would point my lens towards Reno, Sacramento and San Francisco. My first shoot was in Reno.  I didn’t have any images of Reno in my portfolio so I thought shooting an overview of the skyline was a good place to start.  I drove down in the early afternoon to scout a good location to frame the city.  Within a few hours I found a great vantage point on the top of a hill.  The sun wasn’t going to set for another couple hours so I used the rest of the time to scout several locations in the city that I would photograph after I had captured the skyline shot.  Everything was shaping up great. The Reno skyline at dusk After finding several other good shooting locations in the city I drove back out to the hillside location I scouted earlier.  The sun was just setting and the buildings were starting to light up.  Dusk is one of my favorite times to photograph city scenes.  There is still enough ambient light to give the sky a nice tone and maintain some detail throughout the scene.  Additionally, the vantage point I picked was great but it was also a good distance away from the city itself.  The longest lens I carry is a Nikon 70-200 2.8mm.  The workaround I use a lot when I want to get a little closer to something is simply shoot with my Nikon D7000 instead of my Nikon D3s.  The cropped sensor on the D7000 immediately turns my 70-200mm lens into a 105-300mm giving me the extra reach I need. A detail of the Reno skyline After about a half an hour of shooting I knew I had what I needed.  I quickly packed up my gear and drove back to the downtown area to capture a few more scenes.  My main goal was to get a good shot of the famous Reno Arch.  I knew that a good shot of the arch would have a lot of salability, especially in stock.   I worked the scene down at the arch for awhile and got what I was looking for.  I drove back up to Lake Tahoe confident my time was well spent and that I had some great shots in the bag. The famous Reno Arch The next day my fiancée and I drove down to wine country where she had some business to take care of.  Over the next several days I used my time to scout and shoot different versions of the San Francisco skyline and bridges. So much of photography, especially landscape and travel photography, is all about scouting.  I definitely spend a lot more time scouting locations than I do shooting them.  I usually scout everything during the middle of the day when the scenes are less interesting and the light isn’t as dramatic.  Then when all of the elements line up I know exactly where I need to be to make a great image.  A lot of my creative process is all about pre-visualization and scouting is a huge part of that. The first shot I was after was a panorama of the San Francisco skyline with the Bay Bridge.  The easiest place to shoot that scene is from Treasure Island, which sits just across from the city and is easily accessible by car.  The only downside to shooting from Treasure Island is that I have never felt like the scene is very dynamic.  In my mind, the best place to shoot the scene was from the top of a hill on adjoining Yerba Buena Island. The only problem with shooting from Yerba Buena is that all of the good locations are technically off limits to the public.  Luckily things like that don’t usually stop me from doing what I need to do.  I spent some time on the island prior to sunset finding a good place to set up my shot.  After coming up with some good options I went back over to Treasure Island to wait for the light to get good.  I didn’t want to hang out at the locations I scouted on Yerba Buena and draw attention to myself possibly getting me kicked out before I could get my shots. The sun set and I quickly drove back over to Yerba Buena and began shooting.  The scene was spectacular!  I shot well into the darkness using a variety of lenses and shutter speeds to get different effects.  I shot some of the scenes using a low ISO and slow shutter speed to get the cars streaking across the Bay Bridge.  I also shot some of the scenes using a very high ISO (up to 4000) to freeze the cars on the bridge giving the shots a different feel.  The capability of the Nikon D3s to produce unbelievable files at such high ISOs has never ceased to amaze me.  In fact, I don’t even consider 4000 to be that high of an ISO any more.  In the last year I have had several photos published that were shot at a whopping 12,800 ISO! The San Francisco skyline and Bay Bridge at night from Yerba Buena Island With all of the shots in the bag from Yerba Buena I went back over to Treasure Island and captured a few more scenes.  There is a new sculpture on the island that is lit up at night that makes for an excellent subject. The San Francisco skyline at night from Treasure Island An amazing sculpture on Treasure Island illuminated at night The next day my efforts were concentrated on the Golden Gate Bridge.  I had shot the Golden Gate once before from the Marin Headlands with great results.  I wanted to mix things up a bit though.  I really wanted to create an image of the Golden Gate that was colorful and moody.  I also didn’t want to shoot the bridge from any of the “classic” locations over on the Marin Headlands.  It is easy to get great shots of the bridge and the city from the Marin Headlands but all of the locations are overshot and you would be hard pressed to come away with anything original.  After driving around for awhile I found a great location with a different perspective at the Presidio Yacht Club.  Not only did the location have a great view but I also noticed that the tide was starting to go out.  Low tide was going to coincide perfectly with dusk which gave me a great tool at my disposal for creating the kind of image I was looking for.  I knew the exposed rocks at low tide would make great foreground subjects with excellent texture.  The moving water around the rocks during a long exposure would add to the mystic feel that I was going for. The Golden Gate Bridge As it began to get dark and the bridge began to light up, I crept down on the slippery rocks and set up my shot.  I took some quick tests and after a few adjustments I was happy with the composition.  The only thing I didn’t like was how dark the foreground was compared to the bridge and the sky.  To correct this problem I used a 2 stop Hard Graduated Neutral Density filter.  I adjusted my exposure accordingly and was extremely happy with the result.  I stayed down on the rocks and took shot after shot to ensure I had what I was looking for.  The motion of the waves hitting the rocks created a slightly different effect with each exposure and I wanted to make sure that I had the best possible version of the image.  After about 30 or so shots I knew I had what I was looking for.  Ironically, when I processed all of the images the first shot in the batch was my favorite. The next day I joined back up with my fiancée and we began our drive back to Lake Tahoe.  We didn’t leave until later in the afternoon so we could stop in Sacramento and photograph the famous Tower Bridge on our way home.  It worked out perfectly.  We hit the bridge at just the right time and I had the chance to take some general overview shots of the bridge as well as get a little more creative.  It was a wonderful end to a great couple days of shooting. Cars pass over the famous Tower Bridge in Sacramento at dusk Now, back in my office in Lake Tahoe, everything is processed and submitted to the agency I shot for, Aurora Photos.  Ultimately I was able to put about forty new images into the market.  On top of that I have several new shots that will be sold as limited edition fine art prints.  I would call that a productive week! Unfortunately there still isn’t any snow in the forecast.  I haven’t figured out what my next short term project will be to get me through this lull in the weather but trust me, the wheels are turning!  Stay tuned. Advice, General, Photography, Travel, 2011-12-27T02:56:27+00:00