Mike Moats

When I started out in photography I wanted to travel to the national parks and shoot all the cool landscapes I had seen done by other landscape photographers. I’ve visited over ten national parks, and have to say, it’s not an experience that I want when I want to be in nature. The parks have become over crowded and I’ve lost all desire to visit them. There are a few national parks that are lesser known that I may go to, but the big names, I’m done with those. The one thing I have always loved about macro photography is that I can get my nature fix by just going to local parks and wander the woods and fields, and not see another sole. That is so important to me that I experience nature with no outside distractions from people. I’ve spent 18 years visiting my local parks and honestly in those 18 years I have never run into another human while shooting macro in the woods. I need these private experiences with nature to keep my mind charged and happy. I don’t even care if I come home with some images worth keeping, I just need those times to be all alone in the woods, and if I photograph something really cool, then it’s just a bonus. The photography part turned out very well for me, and I’m glad I can combine two things that makes me happy. Happy trails.

Time to delete some old images.

Posted: July 15, 2019 in Uncategorized

As we progress in our photography, we start to look at some of our past images, and realize we have gotten a lot better, and some of the older images don’t meet up to our skills of today. We may be better at finding more unique subjects, better at composing subjects, and better at post processing. So from time to time I review some of my old images and start deleting.

Get out and shoot some flowers. My annual Flower Contest with the winner getting a Tamron lens (18-400) will be coming up in about six weeks, Sept 1st. You’ll have ten days to submit your most creative flower images, so get out there at find that unique flower, or flower composition. More details to come as we get closer to Sept 1st.

5 Day Workshop – Macro Desert World at Tanque Verde Ranch

Posted: July 11, 2019 in Uncategorized

I will be going to Tucson, AZ for a 5 day macro workshop in January.

5 Day Workshop – Macro Desert World at Tanque Verde Ranch
Tucson, AZ

For more information and to register click below.
http://bit.ly/2Lguqy4

In this 5-day workshop with the 5th day for self-instruction come explore the deserts tiny landscapes and small details with the help of international award winning professional macro photographer Mike Moats.

We will be searching out artistic designs and abstracts in the desert plant life.

Key Concepts covered in this workshop:

Cameras / Lenses / Tripods / Heads / Accessories
Controlling light with diffusers, reflectors, and LED lights / working with natural lighting.

Depth of Field
How to control depth of field with f/stops and special techniques / focus stacking with Helicon Focus.

Composition
Learn how to compose properly / finding character in nature / elements of design / textures / contrast / lines / light / visual weight / learning to work camera angles for blurred backgrounds / Two Subject Compositions / What not to do when composing.

Post Processing
Learn Mike’s post processing techniques using Photoshop, Smart Photo Editor, Nik Software, and Topaz software programs.