The Palouse Guy

Isolate Your Subject for Impact

garyhamburgh — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:33:05 +0000

One of my favorite things about photographing in the Palouse is the wide expansive vistas that are available. It makes it very easy to isolate a subject without a lot of wires and clutter around.

The barn in this image was taken in the afternoon and was very easy to shoot from any angle because of the great openness surrounding it. As many times occurs in the Palouse, clouds come up in the afternoon which add to the image. This ability to isolate the subject creates a striking image with simplicity.

To experience this simple beauty, I would suggest a trip to the Palouse area of eastern Washington. Harvest is just starting to get into full swing in the next couple of weeks so the images should be amazing.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: agriculture, barn, clouds, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat, wheat field

Harvest Is Fast Aproaching

garyhamburgh — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:17:33 +0000

It is just about time for me to head over to the Palouse for one of my favorite times of the year. In talking with the farmers in the area, they feel we are just about a week to ten days away from the wheat harvest. If you ever want to capture some great images with large tractors, awesome skies and the actual work that is involved during the wheat harvest, make plans to get to the Palouse during this month.

As you prepare to go to this region for photos, plan ahead for the heat which can get into triple digits at times. In addition the conditions are very dusty during harvest in the dry-land farming areas so be prepared to protect your equipment. Even with some extreme conditions, I think you will be rewarded with great images, make new friends and have the opportunity to develop an appreciation for this beautiful region.

I know I will be going over so maybe we will run into each other.

Filed under: Photography Advice Tagged: agriculture, clouds, farming, landscape, photography, wheat, wheat field

Communicating through Your Photographs

garyhamburgh — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:14:27 +0000

I was reading a post by my mentor Scott Bourne on Photofocus this morning. The article is entitled “Five Ways to Get People to Connect with Your Photographs ” and I found the thoughts to be very interesting and useful.

As I read it through a couple of times, I felt the urge to share his thoughts so you can incorporate them into your image making. I believe if you give these ideas a try your work may become more provocative to the audience that views it.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: farming, landscape, Palouse, photography

Utilize Patterns for your Composition

garyhamburgh — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:43:25 +0000

One of the ideas I like to use as I am compose images in the Palouse, is to simply look for patterns in the fields. These simple patterns can create very striking images as the lines lead you through the image and are also pleasing to the eye.

I also like to visualize these images in both color and black and white. The two images in this post provide an example of the composition that is available by just looking at the patterns that the farmers have created in the fields.

As you travel the Palouse making images, remember this simple concept to enhance your photography. The images in this post were created during the recent workshop that I co-directed with Scott Bourne.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: agriculture, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat, wheat field

Photography Exposure Tips

garyhamburgh — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:08:44 +0000

At times a particular scene can be difficult to expose properly. I came across an article by Scott Bourne that addresses some of the issues and gives some valuable tips. It is entitled Advanced Photography Exposure Tips and can be found at Photofocus.

I think you will enjoy reading the article and will find the tips to be valuable as you create your own images.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: clouds, landscape, Palouse, photography

Viveza 2 – Great Selective Tool

garyhamburgh — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:04:28 +0000

Last month I attended a convention in Reno where Nik software was being displayed and demonstrated. After attending the session, I purchased Viveza 2 which is designed for precise selective photo editing.

The software uses control points that select based on color, tonality, and texture of the object they are placed upon. Several control points can be used and they communicate with each other so a precise and natural selection is obtained.

The selective process is simple, fast and accurate. It makes it unnecessary to create complicated masks and selections. Some of the new features in this version include shadow adjustment, structure and levels and curves.

The images below show a before and after example based on using the program.

Before

After

I highly recommend this product and it can be used with Photoshop, Aperture and Lightroom.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: grain elevator, landscape, Palouse, photography

Adding a New Perspective to Your Landscapes

garyhamburgh — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:32:21 +0000

A few weeks ago I was mentioning to my mentor Scott Bourne that I would like to purchase a fisheye lens to add a new perspective in some of my images.

He asked me if I had used the Lensbaby with its fisheye attachment. I had to say that I hadn’t used the Lensbaby at all. My feeling was it just wasn’t my style. He suggested I try it with the fisheye attachment if I wanted to capture that look. I decided to try it out on my next trip to the Palouse actually believing it probably wasn’t what I needed.

The picture at the top of this post shows one of the images that I took with that setup. I was presently surprised as it definitely gives the perspective I was looking for. I am very happy with that setup for fisheye images. I might mention that it is not useful for all shots but from time to time it does provide an interesting perspective.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: bridge, fisheye lens, landscape, Palouse, photography, Rosalia

Let Your Phototography Show Your Passion

garyhamburgh — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:35:25 +0000

I spent the last couple of days at a workshop presented by author Terry Gogna who wrote the book “How I Can Get Myself to Do What I Need to Do” . He was a very exciting speaker and gave much advice. I was especially intrigued with his thoughts on motivation and transferred his ideas to my photography.

He discussed 3 types of motivation. External motivation can come from rewards like money or praise. Internal motivation is intrinsic and comes from needs within us. Both of these types of motivation are standard topics whenever motivation is discussed.

The third classification is what really intrigued me. He called it spiritual motivation. This is what really stirs our soul and what we are very passionate about. I feel this passion as I photograph in the Palouse. Its natural beauty and the sculptures that are carved by the farmers really stir my inner soul.

As you are photographing remember this third area of motivation and develop a project that allows you to get to you inner soul. Your images will convey that passion and will be more effective.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: farming, landscape, Palouse, photography, wheat field

Mild Winter in the Palouse

garyhamburgh — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:56:29 +0000

As I visited the Palouse today, I was surprised at the look of winter in the area. Typically at this time of year there is snow on the ground and the temperatures are very cold. As you can see from the image at the top of this post there was no snow and the temperature was very moderate.

The winter wheat is showing through the ground and as I spoke with a couple of farmers in the area they mentioned it almost seems like spring has come. Also I was able to drive to the top of Steptoe Butte in my car. I haven’t been able to do that for several years during January.

With the mild weather and some clouds in the sky, I had a great time visiting and photographing the area. Once again, it seems the Palouse is a great region to photograph at any time of the year.

Filed under: Palouse Landscapes Tagged: barn, clouds, landscape, Palouse, winter

In a Rut?

garyhamburgh — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:48:11 +0000

I was sent an article a couple of days ago by a friend and I thought I would share it with you. It is entitled “Choose Your Rut Carefully” and it was written by Lori Woodward Simons. The article deals with how an artist gains a following and becomes known for a particular style or subject.

I have been enjoying photographing in the Palouse for the last few years and that subject has been something I have been known for. As I read the article it made me think about that subject matter and how it fits into my overall work of photography.

I think as you read the article, it will make you do some thinking about your style and how you want to be known. Being in a “rut” can be good or bad depending on your interest and goals.

Posted in Palouse Landscapes, Photography Advice Tagged: agriculture, barn, farming, landscape, Palouse, photography