Hope to meet you at Florida's Birding & Photo Fest in April!

Mark your calendar for April 27 - May 1 for Florida's Birding and Photo Fest in St. Augustine, Florida! This is a great event packed with adventure and fun, and it's not just birds... Take a peek at the presentations, workshops, activities and events scheduled in one of the most historic and photogenic areas in Florida.

I'm very excited to be an event speaker again this year. Look for my presentations:  HDR - Creating Dynamic Images, Digital Infrared Photography, and A Creative Approach to Digital Photography. Plus, I absolutely love night photography, so I hope to see you on my Night Photography workshop in beautiful downtown St. Augustine!

There is a bird rookery that attracts hundreds of birds that are easily photographed from a boardwalk at the Alligator Farm. If you like alligators, you are in luck! Last year was a lot of fun and I met so many fantastic photographers. Come on down for photography, friendship, fun and FOOD! Florida has the best seafood ever. I hope to meet you there!  ~ Deb

Photography Tip - Be a Good Storyteller...

A photograph is an opportunity to create a visual narrative about what you want to communicate to the viewer. Look for elements that will instantly tell a story. Create emotional content through your composition that will connect with others. You can do this through carefully selecting your subject and waiting for the right moment.

I noticed this young egret beginning to preen her feathers in the morning light. What I was feeling when watching her was grace, beauty and a sense of peace. There was something very elegant in the gesture of extending her wing. She seemed to be counting her feathers one by one. I set up my tripod and camera, waiting for the just the right moment to take the photo that would tell my story.

This photograph was taken at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, FL. This location attracts a variety of birds and is the perfect location for finding great subjects. Visit early spring for the highest concentration of birds and activity. I hope to see you there next year. I'll also be at Florida's Birding & Fotofest held in St. Augustine - a great event for photographers. Make great pictures! ~ Deb

Dancers...

There's an old apple orchard in North Carolina overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. The orchard is covered with ancient elegantly shaped trees. For some reason, they remind me of dancers forever frozen in midst of an enchanted performance.

The trees are beautiful. To see them portrayed in infrared light is just magical, taking on another dimension of reality. Photographed in color, the tree doesn't tell the same story. Infrared photography isn't as daunting as it was with film. The camera I used was converted to photograph in infrared, using a standard R72 type filter. The camera was handheld with a normal exposure time. I used a fisheye lens to enhance the surreal quality of the image. No film, chemicals or darkroom needed.

I'll be in St. Augustine, at Florida's Birding & Fotofest this April. I'll be talking about infrared photography, and a creative approach to photography. Those who know me, know I love everything infrared, and everything creative, so it will be a lot of fun! I hope to see you there!  ~ Deb

Cool info about infrared!

Thinking about a creative way to make pictures? Try infrared! You can convert your digital camera (compact or SLR) to photograph in infrared with one of a variety of filters from Life Pixel. I just had my camera re-converted to the new Super Color Infrared filter (that's 590 nanometers for the techie's out there). You can use this coupon code for a discount... DEB. In the meantime, check out my online course Digital Infrared Photography starting up in March, at the best online photography school around, BetterPhoto.com! 

You can also pick up my book from your local bookstore or order online right now, Digital Infrared Photography published by Wiley. Check out the great pros that contributed photos and tips, Lewis Kemper, Kathleen Carr, Joe Farace and many more! 

Read about this amazing technique used with an infrared camera to define how Renaissance artists created the foundation for their art, click here. 

Interested in listening to a presentation on everything infrared? Come on down to St. Augustine for Florida's Birding & Fotofest April 22-25. Check out the programs and workshops (and the really great food, my favorite coconut shrimp and the best calamari around)!

Want your own private workshop in photography or creative techniques in Photoshop? Contact me for individualized instruction. You'll learn a lot, and have fun in the process!

~ Deb

Register now for Florida's Birding and Fotofest, April 22-25! This event is held in St. Augustine, a beautiful location and the perfect time of year to visit Florida. There are many activities, presentations and workshops planned, plus the Alligator Farm will be teeming with birds.
For more information, follow this link. I'll be giving presentations on infrared photography and a creative approach to digital photography. Enjoy everything photo and bird related! Take in a few sunsets, walks on the beach, and treat yourself to some great seafood. I hope to see you there!