Laurie Shupp At Macro Boot Camp

I’m excited to be heading to Carlsbad, California (north of San Diego) on Feb 4,5,6, 2011  for my Macro Boot Camp, and in just two weeks since posting the workshop it is almost half filled.  One special addition to the Macro Boot Camp is Laurie Shupp of Nik Software, who will be there to do a presentation of the Nik software programs, which I use for all my image processing.  Laurie is not only an expert with the Nik programs, but an accomplished nature photographer as well.  I’ve attached some info about Laurie’s association with Nik and her Photography.

Laurie Shupp

Like so many of her contemporaries, Laurie is passionate about photography and her work with animals and nature. “Photography brings me up close and personal to nature and to that quiet place that I crave in my normally busy world. It is a very spiritual experience that I hope to be able to convey in my images.” Laurie’s educational background is a BA with an emphasis in Graphic Design. She has over 20 years of experience working for numerous software companies in Art Asset Management, Education, Product Management and Technical Support.

 

With over 5 years working as the Operational Manager at Nik Software overseeing Customer Service and Technical Support, she was recently promoted to the Education department as the Education Project Manager. She helps to coordinate and implement many of the training programs offered at Nik Software and works closely with many professional photographers. She also teaches some of Nik Software’s Educational Webinars specializing in Wildlife and Landscape photography as well as demoing at Tradeshows and as been a Photo Leader at several workshops.

 

Recently Laurie was an Honored Photographer for the Windland Smith Rice International Awards (Natures Best Photography magazine) as well as other photography awards. Many of her images have been published and are often used for training and demonstration purposes.

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To see more info about  Nik Software programs Nik Software

Macro Boot Camps www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

Starting Spring Macro Boot Camps Dates

I’m working on my Spring 2011 Macro Boot Camp dates.  I’ll have two in southeast Michigan, one in Chicago, working on Boston, maybe California, and hoping for some more in other areas. Here are the boot camps that have set dates. 2011 boot camp costs will run $149.

2011 Macro Boot Camp – Courtyard Marriot, Farmington Hills, Mich. March 11,12,13
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Hampton Inn, Skokie, Illinois, April 1,2,3
2011 Macro Boot Camp – Courtyard Marriot, Farmington Hills, Mich. April 29,30,May1

I’ll post new workshops as they are set.

Shot with a Tamron 90mm lens

NEW – Macro Boot Camp in Lansing, Michigan

The Fall September Macro Boot Camp in Rochester Hills, Michigan is SOLD OUT, so I’ve added a new boot camp in Lansing, Michigan. Details below.

LANSING, MICHIGAN MACRO BOOT CAMP

Presented by Mike Moats, an award-winning, published nature photographer specializing in macro photography.

Sponsored by
Tamron – Lensbaby –  Nik Software – 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: University Quality Inn, Lansing, Michigan
Hotel just a short distance from Capitol City Airport, with shuttles service from hotel.

Special room rates for workshop participants.

Dates and Times :
October 8th 5:00pm – 8:00pm
October 9th 9:00am – 5:00pm
October 10th 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 the latest Nik Software.

Bring your camera and lens because Mike will have subjects set up for you to shoot.

Lensbaby will be providing lenses 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 long to register or you may miss out. September boot camp sold out in a few weeks.

If you register and pay before July 1st, you will receive free, Mike’s e-book, “Running A Successful Nature Photography Business” ($39.00 value).

Cost $149.00

Register online at www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

For more information, call Mike at (586)770-3992. Visit Mike’s website at, www.tinylandscapes.com

(New) Macro Abstract Nature Contest

 

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!

Visit to The Frederik Meijer Gardens

Last Thursday I spent a few hours at the Frederik Meijer Gardens, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   It’s an amazing indoor botanical garden of tropical and desert eco systems.  The month of March and April are “Butterflies In Bloom”.  They release tons of butterflies for the two months.    I happen to be in the area and thought I would check it out. 

I was more interested in the plants then the B-flies, but you can’t ignore them. The problem during these two months is they don’t allow tripods because of the crowded conditions. I’m not happy when I’m shooting in a crowd and during these two months the butterflies draw a good crowd, so I had to shoot with lots of people. NO TRIPODS! this sucks because I suck at hand holding shots. 

I was shooting with the Tamron 180mm macro on an overcast day and limited light.  I shot everything at f/3.5 and 1600 ISO to get the shutter speed up.  Even with the higher shutter speeds in the 180/sec  range I still scraped most of the images because of camera movement.  The lighting in the images was fine, but my hand holding destroyed most of the images. 

I ended up with a few images that I was okay with.  I had only two butterfly images that were border line keepers as the sharpness was not what I wanted and the comps were just okay.  It’s tough shooting when you only have one angle from the walkway.   You can’t walk into the garden and explore different views of the subject.  In most cases you have one position and that’s it.  Here’s a few images that worked out okay.

One day I will go back but it will be when the butterflies are not there and you can bring your tripod in. 

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.

Guide To Macro Composition E-Book

This e-book is designed as a guide to help you with composition in your macro photography.  It will cover image placement,  how to use contrast, depth of field, light, visual weight, textures, lines, and color to enhance your images.  Tips on seeing the images in the field.  Cost only $9.95.  To purchase go to www.MikeMoatsBooks.com

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

 

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.

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

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.

Presentation At Grosse Pointe Camera Club

Tomorrow night April 28th I will be speaking at the Grosse Pointe Camera Club in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.  My presentation with be The Four Seasons Of Macro.  the club meets between 7:00pm till 9:00pm.  The locations is at Brownell elementary school at 260 Chalfonte, Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Come and say hi.

Still Waiting On Spring

I got out to shoot last Thursday and did find a few late blooming bloodroot, but haven’t processed them yet.  Still lacking on new growth as the only thing showing was some coiled up Skunk Cabbage and a few emerging Mayapples.  I did get a little creative with an interesting formation on a stump I found last fall.  At the time I found it I shot it with some small white flowers I found in a field but wasn’t happy with the lack of color.  My wife had bought some flowers from the store call Sun Stars,  I carried them with me to use with this stump idea.  Shot both images with my Fuji S5 and a Tamron 90mm macro lens, f/stop at f/32 .

After I finished shooting this one I was heading back to the trail I came in on and found a large Turkey feather.  I always keep interesting finds as it could come in handy combining it with another subject.  I went to visit another downed tree trunk that also had some interesting patterns in the wood.  I combined the Turkey feather with this stump.  You sometimes have to use your imagination when waiting for spring to showed up.

In a few days I’ll post one of the Bloodroot flowers I shot on this day.