Last day of the three day Macro Boot Camp in Louisville, KY. We have a awesome group of photographers. Today we cover Photoshop, Nik Software, Helicon Focus, Texture Overlays, and a couple hours of shooting.
Room is ready to go.
Here’s some of the group having fun shooting.
The Lansing Macro Boot Camp came to an end today and we had a great group of people from Michigan, California, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin. Thanks to all who participated.
If you’ve ever studied some of the better macro shooters you’ll see those nice clean solid color backgrounds that allow a flower to stand out with no distractions to pull your eye away from the main subject. This just doesn’t happen by accident, it’s carefully planned, and not all that hard to do. Most people that sign up for my Macro Boot Camps tend to be flower shooters so this is for the flower people out there.
In the image below you see a nice patch of Dame’s Rocket flowers. When approaching a patch like this I see so many photographers that head right to the middle of the patch to find a flower to shoot. With all the congestion of flowers, stems, leaves, this will only lead to a distracting background and make it impossible to get that clean shot.
Where you need to concentrate your attention to is the flowers at the perimeter of the patch. By finding those isolated flowers at the edges and shooting at an angle where the background is the farthest away will allow you to get those nice solid color backgrounds. In the image below you see the small cluster of flowers on the far right, this is what you should be looking for, a isolated group that will allow you to shoot without all the distractions behind it.
Find an angle where the background that you will be shooting towards is the farthest away, as this will make it easier for the camera to blur the background. Use a smaller f/stop in the f3.5 to f/8 to help soften the background into a solid color. Here is the small cluster that you see on the far right in the last image. The image was shot using the Tamron 90mm at f5/6.
If you can’t find that perfect flower at the edges and have to shoot into the clutter, go tight to eliminate the clutter.
The Spring 2011 Macro Boot Camps are on my storefront and ready for those wanting to sign-up. Here are the offerings
Register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Quality Inn, Carlsbad, California (north of San Diego) February 4,5,6.
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Courtyard Marriot, Farmington Hills, Mich. (southeast Michigan)March 11,12,13
2011 Macro Boot Camp – New England’s largest photo retailer “Hunt’s Photo” presents this workshop at the Courtyard Marriot, Woburn, MA (near Boston) March 25, 26, 27.
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Hampton Inn, Skokie, Illinois, (near Chicago) April 1,2,3
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Courtyard Marriot, Farmington Hills, Mich. (southeast Michigan) April 29,30,May1
Presented by Mike Moats, an award-winning, published nature photographer specializing in macro photography.
Sponsored by
Tamron – Lensbaby – Nik Software – Hunt’s Photo – Think Tank Photo – Helicon Focus – PhotoFlex – Outdoor Photo Gear – Outdoor Photographer Magazine
This will be an in depth unique three days of learning, fun, and entertainment. It is for the beginner to the intermediate photographer wanting to learn more about the macro world in nature.
Times:
Friday 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 10th 9:00am – 2:00pm
Mike will cover cameras,lenses,tripods,heads and special macro accessories. How to create artistic images using a Lensbaby. Focus Stacking images with Helicon Focus. See how to build a collapsible enclosed plexiglas wind box for shooting flowers. Shooting high magnification with a focusing rail. How to control lighting with diffusers, reflectors, and a plamp. Most new to macro photographers stuggles with depth of field, but Mike will make this easy to understand.
Learn the rules of composition for composing and framing your subjects. Mike will show you how to choose the perfect flower out of a grouping. With all the chaos in nature you will learn how to define the interesting subjects from the clutter. Choosing the right shooting angles for the proper background that compliments the main subject. Creating artistic compositions with flowers. How to create art combing subjects in nature.
Learn Mike’s techniques for processing images with photoshop and Nik software programs
Bring your camera, lens, tripod, because Mike will have subjects set up for you to shoot.
Lensbaby will be providing lens for you to try out.
You will have a chance to win door prizes from our sponsors.
Sales on many of the products you see at the workshop will be offered by Hunt’s Photo and Outdoor Photo Gear.
Cost $149.00
For more information call Mike at (586)770-3992.
Register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com
I will be heading to Chicago tomorrow for the Art In The Glen show. It’s held in the city of Glenview, just north of Chicago. I will also be checking out a Hampton Inn hotel in Skokie, also north of Chicago, for a place to hold a Macro Boot Camp in the spring of 2011. Stop by a say hi at the show if you live in the area.
I’ve had very little time to get out and shoot lately, but got a couple new images last week when I got a chance to get out one morning. Here’s a cone flower in the weeds with some early morning sun flitering through.
Anything goes in this macro contest, send me your artistic nature abstracts, processed images using any photoshop filters or software programs you can get your hands on, soft focus abstract flowers, lensbaby shots, blurs, spins, multi exposures, whatever, just make it cool looking to win.
Winner gets a $250 gift from Canvas On Demand
2nd place, wins $50 gift from Hunt’s Photo
3rd place, wins $25 gift from Outdoor Photo Gear
4th place, wins one year subscription from Outdoor Photographer Mag
Four Runner-ups each win one of my E-Books
FREE TO ENTER
Contest running now thru May 18th, winner announced on May 20th, 2010
Submit three of your best macro nature abstract shots for a chance to win.
The best image from each photographer’s submission will be posted along with their name and tech info on my website during the contest. Images will be posted at (www.tinylandscapes.com)
I will be judging for the most unique looking image.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Submit only three images, jpegs at 200kb or less.
Winning images from my past contest may not be entered
Open to amateurs or those with some photo income / excluded full time pro photographers
Contestant represents and warrants that he or she is the sole and exclusive owner of each image entered.
The Mike Moats Macro Abstract Contest will not claim any rights or use of any image without the permission of the contestant.
Please include, name, camera make and lens.
Send images to Mike Moats at, mgmoats@yahoo.com
GOOD LUCK!
If you’re looking for the unusal or even the usual, check out the online photographers store, Outdoor Photo Gear.
Fall Macro Boot Camp
Presented by Mike Moats, an award-winning, published nature photographer specializing in macro photography.
Sponsored by
Tamron – Lensbaby – Epson - Fuji – Hunt’s Photo – Helicon Focus – PhotoFlex – Outdoor Photo Gear – Outdoor Photographer Magazine
This will be an in-depth unique three days of learning, fun, and entertainment. It is for the beginner to the intermediate photographer wanting to learn more about the macro world in nature.
Where; ConCorde Inn, Rochester Hills, Michigan (M59 & Crooks)
Special room rates at $59.00
Dates and Times :
September 24th 5:00pm – 8:00pm
September 25th 9:00am – 5:00pm
September 26th 9:00am – 2:00pm
Mike will cover cameras, macro lenses, Lensbabies, the best tripods and heads for macro, special macro accessories, stacking images with Helicon Focus, composing, and learning how to see the artwork in nature. Learn how to control depth of field. See how to build a collapsible enclosed plexiglas wind shield for shooting flowers. Camera positioning for that perfect background. When and how to use reflectors, diffusers, plamps, focusing rails, and more. Mike shows his image processing using Photoshop and Nik Software. Epson rep from New Dimension will give a presentation on printing.
Bring your camera and lens because Mike will have subjects set up for you to shoot.
Lensbaby will be providing lens for you to try out.
You will have a chance to win door prizes from our sponsors.
Sales on many of the products you see at the workshop will be offered in a Hunt’s Photo flyer.
Limited availability, so don’t wait to register or you may miss out. Spring boot camp sold out 2 month prior to workshop.
If you register and pay before July 1st, you will receive a free PDF of Mike’s e-book, “Running A Successful Nature Photography Business” ($39.00 value).
Cost $149.00
For more information, call Mike at (586)770-3992.
Register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com
I’d like to thank all those who signed up early for the Macro Boot Camp in the end of March. The boot camp is now full. We have people from various states coming in and it’s going to be fun. If you would like to have your name placed on the waiting list in case I have somebody cancel, send me an email with your name and phone number to; mgmoats@yahoo.com
A camera store salesman was telling me about his frustration since photography forums were created. Customers come into the store looking for a camera and lenses and ask for his advice. He would go through his sales pitch and once he was finished the customer would start in with, well this guy on this forum said this, and another guy on this forum said this and on and on. Every sale was a battle with the customer on who was right, the salesman or the people online.
So he came up with this line. When a customer comes in and starts with the what everybody online was saying and paying no attention to what he says, he tells them to find a photographer that they look up to, and admire the look of their images, find out what kind of equipment they use and buy that.
I thought this was brilliant, let’s say you like the work of Art Wolfe, John Shaw, or Ansel Adams, just find out what equipment they use, buy it and your images will look as good as their images. Problem solved, now you don’t have to worry about what everybody online says or what the camera store salesmen thinks.
So many opinions, but this takes the guess work out of the purchase.
When December rolls in the cold weather here in the north I start getting excited to shoot abstracts in ice. The first ice is when these abstracts form. I find small streams in the woods where I live and follow the edges in search of this interesting artwork. It happens in the first ice formations at the edges of the streams. As the ice starts to thicken you lose the patterns. I shoot these using a longer focal length macro lens like the Tamron 180mm. You will be shooting from the bank and need the extra reach of the longer focal length. I shoot these in the highest f/stops to bring in all the details. Very cool stuff.
Once the stream ice thickens and I lose the cool patterns, I move to the lakes. Search out the edges of frozen lakes where fall leaves have blown into the lake and froze. On a warm sunny days you will get melted patterns in the ice above the leaves. You can shoot these with any macro lens as you will be nice and close and you’ll be shooting a flat subject so just position your tripod directly over top of the leaf and shoot in the F/8 range.
Presented by Mike Moats, an award-winning, published nature photographer specializing in macro photography. www.tinylandscapes.com
Sponsored by
Tamron – Lensbaby – Photoflex – Hunt’s Photo – Helicon Focus - Nik Software – Outdoor Photo Gear
This will be an in depth unique three days of learning, fun, and entertainment. It is for the beginner to the advanced photographer wanting to learn more about the macro world in nature.
Where; The Embassy Suites Hotel, Livonia, Michigan (just outside Detroit)
Dates and Times :
March 26th 5:00pm – 8:00pm
March 27th 9:00am – 5:00pm
March 28th 9:00am – 2:00pm
Mike will cover macro lenses, Lensbabies, the best tripods and heads for macro, special macro accessories, stacking images with Helicon Focus, reversing lenses. Composing, and learning how to see the artwork in nature. Learn how to control depth of field. See how to build a collapsible enclosed plexiglas wind shield for shooting flowers. Camera positioning for that perfect background. When and how to use reflectors, diffusers, plamps, focusing rails, and more. Mike shows his image processing using Photoshop and Nik Software.
Bring your camera because Tamron and Lensbaby will be providing lens for you to try out. Mike will have subjects set up for you to shoot.
You will have a chance to win door prizes from our sponsors.
Sales on many of the products you see at the workshop will be offered in a Hunt’s Photo flyer.
Each participant is encouraged to bring five prints of their best macro shots to share
The Embassy Hotel will offer special room rates for this event.
Lunch on Saturday and Sunday included in the price of workshop.
Limited to forty participants, so don’t wait to register or you may miss out.
If you register and pay before January 1st, you will receive a free PDF of Mike’s e-book, “Running A Successful Nature Photography Business” ( $39.00 value).
For more information or to register by credit card, call Mike at (586)770-3992 or (586)264-7100
Or register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com
Starting in the month of October I will be publishing a short monthly newsletter. The newsletter will help you improve your macro work with a monthy macro tip, photography equipment news, and and my updates for workshops, art shows and new products.
Click below and add your name to the email list.Click Here
I was out in the swamps this morning shooting the floating leaves. This was shot after my camera unhitch itself from the head and took a swan drive into the swamp water. My hand shot into the water like out of a canon, so the camera wasn’t submerged more than a fraction of a second. Had no towel to clean it so had to use my t-shirt. It seems to be working fine as this image was shot after the dunking. You can bet I was cranking on the knob that tightens the camera on the head after that.
Lensbaby introduced its new fisheye attachment today. I had a chance to play with this lens last month and found it very interesting and a creative tool. I only wish I had more time to spend with it but hopefully this month things slow a little so I’ll paly some more. Check it out at www.lensbaby.com
This top image made it on the lensbaby website (fisheye images) to promote the new lens.
http://www.naturephotographers.net/onlinecourses/
will be starting their new online workshops on November 1st. I will be teaching the macro workshop.
The Nature Photographers Network™ is pleased to present its series of online nature photography courses. NPN online courses are conducted in “virtual classroom” private forums and are instructed by today’s top nature photography professionals. Students are granted access to the virtual classroom for the duration of the course. All lessons and interaction with the instructor – and other students – take place in the virtual classroom.
Each course includes six lessons, which are presented in publication-quality PDF format. Each lesson is allotted one week for completion and includes a shooting assignment. The student may post questions in the virtual classroom at any time during the week for the instructor to answer. Once the assignment is completed, the student will post their work in the virtual classroom for instructor and peer review. At the completion of the course, each student will receive a personalized Certificate of Completion.
You can pay for the course via your PayPal account or directly with a credit card. We are so confident that you will enjoy and benefit from any of our online nature photography courses that we offer a no-hassle, no-questions-asked 100% satisfaction guarantee. Once the course commences, you have 14 days to cancel and receive a full refund.
We look forward to your participation!
Any one looking to sign up for the macro course go to
http://www.naturephotographers.net/onlinecourses/
I’m honored to have been added as a”Macro Master” on the Tamron lenses website.
http://www.tamron.com/macrospecial/
Despite the continuing poor economy my sales are up for the forth year in a row. This year I’ve added some large frame pieces in the 24×36 size. These large sizes are selling well and also draw people into my booth. One of my new images that is selling really well is of dew drops in grass with an Oxeyed Daisy reflecting in each dew drop, which has really gone over well with the customers. Shot with my Fuji S5 and a Tamron 90mm macro lens.
Check out my latest in books and online macro course.
MACRO WORKSHOP / E-BOOK
My how-to Macro Workshop is now an e-book. I’ve had hundreds attend my workshops here in Michigan and do have some come from out of state, but most can’t afford to travel across country to take a one day workshop, so now you can have the workshop e-book come to you.
Course Covers
Equipment
Cameras
Lenses
Tripod And Head
Accessories
Plamps
Diffusers
Reflectors
Camera Functions
White Balance
ISO
Shutter Release
Lighting
Composition
Rule of Thirds
Lines
Contrast
Textures
Light
Two Subject Comps
Color
Using All The Rules
Depth Of Field
Shallow Depth Of Field
Full Depth Of Field
Some Where In Between
Crowding The Main Subject
Viewing From All Angles
My Photoshop Tools
_________________________________________________________
E-book will be sent to you as a PDF for downloading once you order.
Cost $29.00
Order at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com
E-Book will be available by April 20th
