Time To Scout

Winter in the north for macro photographers can be a bit challenging.  Basically every thing  is colorless which doesn’t sell very well for me.  Once every thing gets covered in snow it really limits what you can shoot.   This is the time of year when I do my scouting for the spring.  I get out and hike areas I haven’t been to before and make notes based on the terrain and any possible hot spots for the spring.  It’s good to be out and connected to the outdoors, keeps you in shape hiking for a couple hours a few days a week, and you may find a great new location.  I don’t carry my camera as I want to travel light during these scouting trips.   If I would happen upon something that would be worth shooting I can always come back with the camera.

THINK SPRING!

The Artist Statement

If you have displayed your photography at galleries or art shows you may have been asked to give an artist statement.  A written statement by an artist expressing their personal art philosophy.  If you’ve read some of the artist statements out there, they are usually written with some deep thought process that goes into creating their art, and I sometimes feel like the artists are trying to out do each other coming up with the most profound thought-provoking statements.  I will admit that I’ve tried to write mine in this form as I think people want to perceive the artist in this way.  I believe most of this is a lot of fluff and one of these days I going to write one that reads the way I really feel when I create my art.

Hi I’m Mike Moats, and I just like to take pretty pictures.

The End.

Ckeck out the Pro Advice link in the top right of this blog.

Only a few spots left for the Macro Boot Camp in March.

Pro Advice

I have added a new link in the upper top right of this blog where visitors can go and ask questions that I will answer about macro photography.  It can be anything from what type of equipment to buy, technique, composition, selling your photos, or running a nature photography business.

 I have people from time to time email about some of these subjects, and decided it would be a good fit here on the blog. Hope to help with any of your questions.   Don’t be shy.

Ten Favorites From 2009

I was looking over my images from 2009 and decide to pick my ten favorite images.

They are in no order as far as which ones I like best.

#1)  I’ve seen this type of shoot done before and went out one dewy morning with this image in mind.  I was lucky to find an interesting combination of grass and dew.  Placed the oxeyed dasiy in the background.

#2) We didn’t have a lot of frosty mornings this year, but I did catch one morning of frost and got this nice comp.

#3) I found this stump that had this interesting pattern and a hole that I liked, but I thought it needed a little color so I added these tiny flowers which I believe are called Morning Stars. They are only about three quarters of an inch and the area you see is maybe five by seven inches.

#4) This flower is from a May Apple plant.  The top is like a big leafy umbrella and a single flower grows under the umbrella.  I like the way this looks with a soft focus.

#5) Shot this bee on golden rod with the new Tamron 60mm macro lens, very nice fast shooting wide aperture lens.

#6) Shot this while co-teaching a workshop with Jack Graham in the Eastern Sierras.  It’s a trunk of a Briste Cone Pine tree.

#7) This shot was inspired by my photographer friend Jack Graham.  I had seen this comp done by Jack and liked it enough to shot my own.

#8) This was from a dewy morning when the fall color was pretty much gone, so I brought these flowers out with me with this comp in mind.  I like the contrast of the color against the muted leaves.  The dew adds a nice touch on the leaves.

#9) The color and condition of the Sumac bushes this year was awesome.  I’ve shots these many time with a lot of focus, but this year I decided I wanted a more soft abstract feel. The early morning sun was the bright backlighting.

#10) Here’s a cute beetle in some grass.

I was pretty happy with many of images I shot last year so had a tough time picking ten, Hope you liked them.

Winter Ice Abstracts

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.

Comparing Photography To Other Art Forms

I was at the movies the other day and while the previews were running I was thinking how cheap it was to go to the movies.  To me movies are a form of art just like photography.  I would consider actors as artist, the writers as artist, the directors that films the movie, all the set directors, lighting people, everything that goes into that movie in my opinion is  artistic.  The movie makers spend millions upon million of dollars and the product they produce is created by some incredibly talented artist.  So with hundreds of people and millions of dollars to produce this one piece of artwork why are they selling it for only $8.00 to view and when it comes out on DVD it may run $20.00.   photographers go out and capture an image, do a little processing, let a printer do the work to make the finished product and then they want to charge $500 to $600 for a 30X40 gallery wrap.  Photographers want more for an 11X14 print then the cost of buying the DVD of a movie.  This doesn’t make any sense to me, this is way out of balance.   Why don’t the movie companies do like the photographers and sell the DVD for $500 or $600 like the photographers are asking for when they sell that 30X40 gallery wrap.  It seems much more logical since the movie cost millions of dollars and tons of people to make it happen.  Why do photographers think their art has so much value for so little effort and a piece of photo paper.  How many people would buy that movie if it was 500 to 600 dollars.

I also looked at the music business. The musicians which I also consider artist have to take the time to write all the songs for their album, rehearse all the songs, go into the studio and record.  They need producers and techs to work the recording equipment to get that perfect sound.  The record companies spend huge bucks to pay all these people and to produce the CD’s.  What does it cost to you and me, about $16.00.  They would have every right to charge hundreds of dollars for this artistic product , but they don’t.  Would most pay hundreds of dollars for the latest CD, I doubt it.

If the movie people and the musicians charged what photographers charge for their art they would also become staving artist like most photographers.   Are staving artist starving because they charge too much for their art?

Nature’s Best – Windland Smith Rice International Competition.

I had an image that won “Highly Honored” in the 2009 Nature’s Best Magazines  Windland Smith Rice International competition.  The mag should be out soon, they just posted press releases and the winners on their blog.   They pick from over twenty thousand images from all over the world.  You can see the winners from the different catagories at www.naturesbestblog.com  Here’s mine that won “Highly Honored”

Macro Boot Camp

 
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 1^st, 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

 

Monthly Newsletter

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

Lensbaby’s New Fisheye Lens

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.

 

What’s New

Back from the workshop in the Eastern Sierras, had good weather and everyone had a good time shooting.  Shot at mono lake, and if you every get a chance to visit the ghost town of Bodie, it’s very cool and a great place to shoot some intresting macro images in the old buildings.  We also got to visit and shoot the bristle cone pines that grow on the top of a mountain at 11,000 feet.   Haven’t had time to process any of the images I shot but hopefully this week I will have time to post some.

Yesterday I was at the Rock Financial Showplace for the Great Lakes Fine Art Show.  It also runs today and tomorrow from 10:00am till 6:00pm and is located in Novi, Michigan.  Anyone in the area stop by and say hi.

The fall color in lower Michigan is starting to turn.  So far the color looks really good.  The last couple years the leaves have been blotchy and lacking good colors.  This years the leaves have great color and no blotches.  So looking for some great opportunities for images.

I’ve been shooting with the new Tamron 60mm macro and Tamrons new 17-50mm lens and will post a review and some of the images.

In 2010 I will be offering a photoshop workshop that will also feature the Nik software programs. They will be one day workshops held in Rochester Hills, Michigan.  No dates set yet, but will I will post info as I put them together.

Online Workshops at Naturephotographers.net

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/

St James Court Art Show

I’m writing this from my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky.  In town to do the St. James Court Art Show. This art show is rated in Sunshine Artist magazine as the second best art show in the county.  Draws around 250,000 people over three days and has over seven hundred artist from across the county.  Stop in and say hi if you’re in the area.

Fun On The Rocks

Over Labor Day weekend I was in Harrisville, Michigan exhibiting at an art show.  I arrived Friday morning to set up, and I had the afternoon off to go out and do some shooting.  I was staying at a friends home during the show and we planed to head to an old light house on Lake Huron, where I wanted to shoot some of the colorful rocks off the point of the lighthouse.  We waded out into about a foot of the cold clear water and began shooting abstracts of the rocks.  The wave action that was hightlighted by the sunlight create interesting patterns as it distorted the colorful rocks.  I was shooting some macro images earlier with my Tamron 90mm macro and decide to use it when I ventured out for these images.  My settings for the three images were, f/8. shutter 1/2000, and ISO 1600.   The high shutter speed stop the movement of the waves and captured some interesting lines in the rocks.  In the last image I caught a wave that was just entering the frame.

 

 

Upcoming Workshops

“Macro and More” in the Eastern Sierra mountains of California.  Jack Graham and I still have an opening for this  workshop October 8th thru 11th.   Anyone interested in joining the group let me know, mgmoats@yahoo.com

NEW!! www.naturephotographers.net  will add a new feature to their site next month.  They will be offering online workshops for nature photographers.  I will be teaching the Macro workshops.   Below are some of the courses.  More will be added.  Each course will vary, but I think most run around six weeks.

The Ultimate Digital Nature Photography Coursewith Richard Bernabe.    

The Essentials of Digital Landscape Photography – Part 1: Field Techniqueswith Darwin Wiggett.  

Learning to “Speak” the Language of Visual Expressionwith Samantha Chrysanthou.    

Fine Art Abstract Photography – The Art of Seeing and Special Techniqueswith Joesph Rossbach.    

Creating “Wow” Images – The Fundamentals of Landscape Photography Composition with Ian Plant.    

Macro Nature Photography with Mike Moats.

Looks like the course will get started hopefully next month.  Contact me for more details, www.mgmoats@yahoo.com

Can’t Figure It Out

Won’t be long and I’ll be shooting some of these Milkweed seeds popping from their pods.  Fall is right around the corner as I felt it in the cool air this morning while out shooting.  Fall is my favorite time to shoot. 

If you’re wondering what it is I can’t figure out as the title says, it’s the mystery behind the business cards I give out at my art shows every weekend. At the beginning of each art show season I order thousand of business cards to give out at the shows. 

At the pace I’m going it looks like I’ll give away about five thousand cards by the end of the season in October.  It’s amazing how many people want a card to take home, what’s more  amazing is  out of all those cards taken I get no calls to place  print orders.  I’ve had only one sale so far this year from all those cards, and I don’t think anyone called and order anything last season. 

How can that many people take cards and yet have so little success in sales.  It puzzles me on why someone would take the time to come up to me and ask for a card and then throw it away when they get home.  I’m not the only one that this happens to, I have mentioned this to many other artist only to hear they have the same response to all the cards they hand out.   So it’s not just me. 

My sales this year are the best in four years since I started doing the shows.  It seems sales are based on impulse and if they don’t buy it at the show you’ve lost them once they leave, even if they have picked up a card at the show. 

You probably wonder why I bother to give out cards at the shows if the success rate of sales is so poor.  It’s because it’s more of a hassle to explain to the customer why I don’t carry cards then is  just to hand them one and have them on their way.  Once I forgot to bring cards to a show and people were actually upset because I didn’t have cards, taking the attitude you must not be much of a business man if you don’t have a business cards. If they only knew what a waste of money and time those business cards are. 

My wife is quilty of this, when she goes to an art show she picks up cards and never orders from those artist and when I ask her why she bothers to pick up a card, she has know idea. 

I know someone will read this and have a story about how a simple business card made them a big sale, but in my business they are pretty much useless.

Spring 2009 Macro and More Workshop

Take a moment and check out the images from our participants in the Oregon Macro and More Workshop in June 2009.

www.macroandmore.com

Macro Masters – Tamron Lenses Website

I’m  honored to have been added as a”Macro Master” on the Tamron lenses website.

http://www.tamron.com/macrospecial/

Art Shows Sales Up Again

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.

www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

Macro Memorial Day Challenge

Here in southeast Michigan we had some great weather over the Memorial weekend so I decide to head out and shoot some images for the second annual Macro Memorial Day Challenge.  I am one of two moderators of the macro/flora gallery at www.Birdphotographer.net  (it’s isn’t just for birds) and my moderator partner Julie Kenward  issued the challenge.  You were supposed to shoot images at an aperture that you don’t normally shoot at.  I’m a stopped down f/32 freak and if you visit my website, www.tinylandscapes  you’ll see the majority of my images are full depth of field everything in focus.  So my challenge was to search out subjects and shoot wide open  with my Tamron 90mm macro lens. Shooting with this aperture setting will produce the nice soft blurred background with very limited depth of field on the main subject, sometimes creating a nice abstract look.  Here are some images from my Memorial Day shoot.

Found this little critter and set my focus on him and the shallow depth of field soften the grass and BG.

I set my focus on the very edge of the Mayapple flowers petal and let the rest soften with the wide open aperture.

Found this little dew drop poking sideways through the vertical grass. Place the focus point on the dew drop.

I thought this newly emerging Milkweed plant had a nice flow in the leaves. I focused on the flat leaf facing my camera. 

I liked how the light played thoughout these leaves.  I focused on the ant on the top leaf and the rest soften with the wide open aperture.  It’s hard to see the little ant on this small image size.