Bill Gorton's Blog

Iceland

delmarvagrapher — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:00:30 +0000

As I was looking at the blog contents and my Zenfolio page I realized that I had not included an images of the trip to Iceland in Nov…. you can check out the images on my blog, address is http://wegorton.zenfolio.com/p519583780

A little about our trip to Iceland. We originally went to shoot the Northern Lights. Everybody talks about seeing them so why not. So a number of us from the Camera Club book a trip to get our taste of the spectacular Northern Lights. Well what we did not know, is that at times it is impossible to see them due to the weather, overcast is the issue. Well, we spend six nights searching for clear skies, not to be found on that trip. However, we had the opportunity to see some of the country side, walk on a Glacier and enjoy the people of Iceland. Would I recommend going in the winter to shoot the Northern Lights, sure give it a go, but luck is what luck is, sometime your lucky and sometime you’re not. I would like to return in the summer, the landscape looks beautiful and it would be a pleasure to make summer trip. The people of Iceland are gracious and make the trip.

New Year Day + 1

delmarvagrapher — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:25:48 +0000

House guest have departed, glad they came and we were able to celebrate the New Years with them and some of our other friends and family.

I have a new iPad 2, thanks to Kay that I have installed an Application called Zite. Zite is an online magazine that allows you to build topics that you are most interested in. Of the seven sections, I have one in Photography, Digital Photography, HDR and Photoshop. The application builds a series of article on each of the subjects/sections. You can get some very interesting blogs, web sites, and online publications. There is a wealth of information in each of the sections, some that is useful and some this is not as useful. An example of a useful website and the contents is one by Cynthia Louden. She has a eBook that can be downloaded for free titled “How Did I do that?” This goes into a lot of details on applications for the iPhone and iPad on post processing of images take by either of the devices. It is a step by step of what and how she “makes’ her images. This is an example of what is out there, free and can be very useful in improving one craft as a photographer.

I read an article; one of many within Zite that said you should take every opportunity to see what your peers are doing and how they do it. We are very fortunate that most if not all of our peers share their experiences and methods in our hobby and/or profession. I read so much on specific topics and across the diverse field of photography. I enjoy the “free” data as well as purchase material that is worthy of purchasing, an example, I have 6 different books on HDR. To be honest, about 80% is repeated across those books, but it is the nugget you are looking for that will enhance you skills that enjoy digging out of the books.

I was out scouting opportunities for the Theme of the Week, Store Fronts. I’m nursing a cold but hopefully I can get out tomorrow and take some pictures for this week’s image.

Beginning of the New Year, 2012

delmarvagrapher — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:24:21 +0000

Spent the day celebrating with friends and reviewing photography applications for the iPad. Downloaded a couple of. Aps for processing images on the iPad and iPhone. I’m expecting to do more photography with both devices than originally thought I would. However, I’m not ready to move to those devices at the expense of the DSLR. Tomorrow I can get out and shoot images for the first week themes.

Last post for 2011

delmarvagrapher — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:58:48 +0000

The end of the year is here! New Photography Goals established!

Today, I received the Nik Software Complete Collection. It includes Dfine2. Viveza2, HDR Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro 4, Silver Efex Pro 2 and Sharpener Pro3. Looking forward to trying these out on some of my existing images.

I have begun to use the iPhone camera and the photography applications to experiment with what can be achieved with the iPhone. The old saying the best camera you have is the one you have with you. I don’t leave the house without the iPhone so it seems that I should understand the photography side of the device. I’m thinking of a page devoted to the iPhone and given that I’m in a small group that will be using the iPhone for a 365 project, I should have lots of images for that page.

Now it is time for company to arrive and to start celebrating the New Year.

2011 Year In Review and Goals for 2012

delmarvagrapher — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:51:59 +0000

A quick Year in Review. I set a couple of goals for 2011, success is in the eyes of the beholder. My goals were,

1) Install, learn and move all of my images into LR. Results: I took a 3 day workshop from Tim Cooper on LR3, highly recommend his workshop. I move over 30,000 images into LR3, still working on the attaching keywords to all of them. I learned something, I have many images that should have been deleted… a goal for 2012

2) Install Photomatix and explore HDR. Results: I installed Photomatix and short over 75% of my subjects with bracketing, anticipating a HDR for each of the subjects. I believe I have a good grasp of HDR, on the who and when to do a HDR. When you are shooting RAW as I do all the time you can sure chew up storage. I have increased my storage, externally more than I thought I would. Goal is continue to shoot HDR in 2012, but not go crazy with it.

3) Improve my post processing. Results: acquired CS5 and continue to explore that package as well as a couple of plug-ins for both LR3 and CS5. I’m not sure there is enough time in my life to fully understand CS5, but I’m learning what I need to know to do what I want to do. I purchased a set of plug-in from Nik Software and Topaz to augment my post processing.

4) Take a week Photography Workshop. Results: I took the workshop from Nate Chappell of Trogon Tours that was focused on wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. I would recommend Nate and his company Trogon Tours. I followed up the Yellowstone trip with a few days in, Arches and Cayonlands National parks. I will return that area, just not enough time to cover all the sights in those majestic National Parks.

And for best of all, a publication in Alaska that produces tourist material contacted me to get permission to use one of my images from Alaska in their upcoming publication. Of course I agreed, felt good. I’m waiting for the publication to be announced. Not bad for hobbyist….

So as the end of the years closes I asked myself if I was successful in meeting the goals I set for 2011. I would say yes, with varying degrees of successful.

As I look forward to 2012, I would like to accomplish the following:

1) Complete a 52/365 Project

2) Improve on B&W Photography

3) Post an entry everyday on my blog

4) Add a new entry every week on my Zenfolio site; it will be the best of the best for me

5) Start a section called Monthly Best so that at the end of the year I have at least 12 outstanding images

6) Remove and clean-up the unwanted images in my library of 35,000 images…..

7) And foremost, continue to improve my skills as a photographer…..

I have taken on a project for our camera club to put together a Portfolio for an Organization to support their development of marketing material.

52/365 Project for 2012

delmarvagrapher — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:57:34 +0000

Today is Dec. 29, 2011 – I have really struggled over the last couple of months, meaning not shooting much and can’t seem to get the inspiration needed to get out and shoot. So I have decided to start a 52/365 project. Many people try the 365, an image a day for 365 days. What I have decided to so is a modified version of the 365, hence the 52/365 project. I have established themes for each week and will shoot subjects based on the weekly them posting from one to seven images a week. Notice I said one to seven, a daily image is not required but at least one image is required a week. The only time I will not post is when the internet is not available to me, but when returning to a location that has the internet will post the back dated images. By establishing themes, it focuses the images into categories that very across the 52 weeks, no two themes are the same. Hopefully this will inspire me to get out daily and shoot. Each month I will post the themes for the month. These are the themes for Jan. 2012:

Jan 01 – Store Fronts

Jan 08 – Cold

Jan 15 – Breakfast

Jan 22 – Smells

Jan 29 – Tired

Jan 31 – Senses, sight, hearing, taste and feel

Jan 1st is right around the corner……

An opportunity to be published in an Alaskan Tourist Magazine

delmarvagrapher — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:29:44 +0000

Today I received a request from a publication in Alaska asking for my permission to include one of my Alaska Eagle pictures in there upcoming magazine, celebrating 70th Anniversary of the Alaska Highway. Of course, I said “sure” as long as I get credit for the picture and a copy of the magazine. It will be interesting to see how this plays out…. update, they did in fact select one of my shots of two eagles wading across a stream. It will be in their upcoming publications. I’m looking forward for the publication to come out.

Twilight on Rehoboth Bay

delmarvagrapher — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:46:08 +0000

Walked out of the house and saw the cloud formation, I knew I would get a great shoot across the bay.

Enginee parts from a Train in the B&O RR Museum

delmarvagrapher — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:56:55 +0000

http://wegorton.zenfolio.com/p957112536/h1ebe7cee#h1ebe7cee

Denton Guitar Man

delmarvagrapher — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:47:37 +0000

On my return trip home from Va and Md, I stopped by Denton to see the downtown area. Much to my surprise i saw the Guitar Man so I had to shoot him…..

http://wegorton.zenfolio.com/p957112536/h373da4e7#h373da4e7