Posts made in January, 2013

My wife and I went to Kalispell, MT in the middle of the Winter. The only reason I could convince my wife to spend about a week in Montana in Winter  where highs never really got over 22F/-6C, was a chance to watch and take pictures of “winter cats” (lynx, bobcat). But in addition to the cats, we had the opportunity to see a coyote, a few wolves, and a few foxes. Let’s focus on the “smaller cats” first. We got to watch a Canadian Lynx and a Canadian Lynx kitten. They were  really cute with their furry tufts on their ears, their long legs and wide paws. The kitten’s paws were white, as if it was wearing mittens to walk in the snow. It was really hard not to try to take it home with us. Then we saw a feisty bobcat....

I shoot mostly landscapes and food. The closest thing to a live moving subject usually purrs or roars but seldom speaks English (or any other human language). But once in a while I like to challenge myself by taking pictures of models, you know a person, with feelings and moods and one who can speak back to me and more importantly judge my pictures (as I usually don’t get close enough to a lion to show it the pictures I took of it). When I do work with people, I generally have a concept image in mind and I’m trying to make it happen. This is far out of my comfort zone so I use every opportunity I get to take pictures of models. Recently Laura, a friend of mine, got engaged and I offered to take her engagement pictures in San Francisco. We did the...

Today I went to shoot the Mavericks surf contest. If you don’t know Mavericks, it’s a surfing competition with big waves (30 feet and bigger) in Half Moon Bay, CA that happens only when the conditions are right. It’s an invitation-only contest and the best surfers are coming. The weather conditions were exceptional (warm and sunny) but the waves were not as big as predicted (around 24 ft, 8 meters). Mavericks is now almost impossible to photograph from the shore as the bluff and the beach are closed to the public for safety reason. Only a few photographers with very long lenses can hope to get some images. The best and probably only way to get nice images of Mavericks is to get on a boat. There are plenty of choices at Pillar Point Harbor,...

For the New Year, San Francisco always has fireworks at midnight on December 31st. The fireworks are launched from barges located 1,000 feet out in the bay just South of the Ferry Building near Pier 14 (Mission Street and The Embarcadero). One of the best places to take pictures of these fireworks is Yerba Buena Island. Yerba Buena is a natural island (versus the connected Treasure Island which is man-made). You will not be alone, this is a very popular spot but if you come early, it’s fine. The place I like is a private residence, so as always be aware of any noise you could make, where you park and try not to disturb the neighbors. It only takes one problem to get this area closed off for everybody. View New Year Fireworks photo location in a larger map...

About a year ago, my wife and I joined David duChemin and Jeffrey Chapman’s workshop “Within The Frame” and went to Kenya to explore the Maasai Mara. It was my second organized trip where someone else was doing all the planning for me. The first one in Spitzbergen was not a success so I was unsure about what to expect. This time we were looking for an organized photo safari with a lot of freedom to take pictures of the wildlife, especially not being timed and be able to go early in the morning and late in the evening where most wildlife is visible. We were a bit overwhelmed by all the options available to visit the Maasai Mara and relying on guides like David and Jeffrey who have traveled to Kenya on numerous occasions seemed a smart...