View 263: Familiar Faces

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York is running their annual January Winter Photo Contest.  People with a camera and a coupon (see link for details) can get free admission into the zoo.  They have cut the regular admission for everyone else by fifty percent.

Here are a few familiar faces to my blog but all are new to the photographer:

Meerkat, Snow Leopard cub and Gray Wolf at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

From left: Meerkat, Snow Leopard cub and Gray Wolf at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) looked like he was sleeping soundly until he heard the click of my camera through the glass and opened his eyes.

Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) seventh month old male cub hanging with his mother (in background) and brother (not shown).

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) looking alert.  I prefer to call them Timber Wolves as “gray” is not always their color.   Gray Wolves can range from pure white to total black.

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Looking for Photography Ideas for 2013?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

I shared with you my goals for 2013 last week.  I posted the link in a few photography forums and they generated a lot of discussion.  It was interesting to see people talk about goals but, like I did in 2012, they had no roadmap to get to the goal or a timeline for completion. Many did not have any idea what to do.

White timber wolf (Canis lupus) at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

White timber wolf (Canis lupus) at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.
Nikon D700/80-400VR, 1/200s, f/5.6, ISO 250, EV +0.3, 400mm focal length.

In the past week there have been a lot of excellent posts to help people who may be having difficulties in finding photographic inspiration or looking for projects in 2013. Here are a few selections:

Scott Bourne presents Seven Ideas for Photographer’s New Year’s Resolutions.

Ian Plant shares his Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Photographers.

John Paul Caponigo gives his 5 Resources to Help Plan for a Successful 2013.

For those thinking it is time to organize your digital photos, I wrote Plan for 2012 which is applicable for 2013, too. 😀

I bet you are wondering about the white wolf.  She is here to remind you to check out this month’s assignment on Winter. Hope you will join in the fun!

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Assignment 23: Winter

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

When I was planning the assignments for this year back in November, I hesitated to include this Assignment on Winter.  Last year, my area barely had a winter with unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow.  However, there is more to winter than just cold and snow, right?  Sports, hobbies, entertainment, outdoor events, indoor events, celebrations and other things happen this time of year.

Your assignment is to show me what winter means to you in any way you wish.  A single photo, photo essay or a series of posts.  Be creative and have fun!

Assignment 23: Winter

As in the other assignments, do not send me your photos. What I would like you to do is post them on your blog, flickr, Google+ or other photo sharing site, personal website or any place on the Internet where you can place a link to it here by making a comment to this blog entry. Then, we can all visit those sites and enjoy everyone’s Winter photos.

Please, have your photos posted on or before Midnight (your time zone), Wednesday, January 23, 2013.  Might be a good time to start up a blog or join a photo community like flickr.  As I have done for all the Assignments, I will put together a recap with my comments.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment and I will be happy to answer them. I would triply appreciate it if you would help spread the word about this assignment so we can get lots of people to participate. Blog it, Tweet it, FaceBook it, Google+ it, Pin it, Tag it, email it and talk about it to your fellow photographers, bloggers, friends, strangers in the night and family. Thank you!

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View 262: Winter Bride

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

I was walking to the War Memorial to photograph a Syracuse Crunch game in mid-December when I spied TV cameras in the streets and on a boom high up in the air.  I also saw a beautiful wedding setup inside the OnCenter Convention Center across the street.  My interest was peaked by all this activity.

I came around the corner and there was a large motorhome with The Cake Boss decals all over it. I have heard of this show though I had never seen it.  Tuns out Celebrity chef Buddy Valastro (aka Cake Boss) was in town doing a show.  I could not find out if he had anything to do with the wedding.

After passing the Cake Boss motorhome, I came upon a horse drawn lighted carriage which reminded me of the one Disney uses for their night parades in the Magic Kingdom.  Sitting behind the driver was not Cinderella but a lovely winter bride.

Winter bride waiting for her carriage to bring her to her wedding at the OnCenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York.

Winter bride waiting for her lighted carriage to bring her to her wedding at the OnCenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York around the corner.
Nikon D700/24-85G, 1/125s, f/5, ISO 2200, EV 0, 24mm focal length.

She was gracious in letting me photograph her as a TV cameraman photographed me  doing it.   Another clue this wedding may have been part of the Cake Boss presence.  Click here for another photo of the carriage. (UPDATE: Have gotten confirmation the Cake Boss show was a coincidence but still in the dark about why all the cameras.)

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Goals for 2013

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

I was very much unconcerned about my goals for 2012.  I had not reviewed them at all during the year.  Upon seeing them, I know why.  They were not goals at all.  They were statements of what I wanted to do.  I had not stated how I would do them, no way to gauge progress and no deadline as to when I wanted to accomplish them by.  It is no wonder at times I felt lost last year.  Thankfully, the blog itself pushes me forward and visiting all of your blogs inspires me.  This year I will do better. 😀

1. Create a Sports Poster.  This was the main idea behind getting PhotoShop CS6 last year.  Doing this project I will learn a lot of good PhotoShop skills and techniques AND allow me to create unique photo products for my sports clients and customers. I am sure such skills will come in handy in my other photographic endeavors, too. With the help of people I know to be PhotoShop experts, I have identified the following I need to learn: Camera RAW, Selection, Layers, Masks and Blend Modes. I want to create my first Sports Poster by February, 28, 2013.

2. Purchase a Second dSLR Camera. Buying goals are easy, right? Not so fast, my friends. The camera I had targeted might not do what I need.  I want my second camera to have a cropped sensor or DX in Nikon speak.  I missed having the extra 1.5x reach with my longer lenses for sports and wildlife subjects.  Yet, I do not want to give up the excellent ISO performance of my current camera, the Nikon D700. There are loads of Internet rumors about Nikon bringing out a new DX camera in one of the big trade shows this year. Maybe as soon as next week or next month.  I will make my decision by June 30, 2013.

3. Produce an eBook. This is a hold over from last year which I kept finding ways to push onto the back burner. This will be a summer 2013 project with the following tasks to be done: Learn Apple iBooks Author, review my blog for good ebook subjects, outline the ebook, write the ebook and publish the ebook by August 31, 2013.

4. Have an Adventure. This one I have been planning already.  For the first time my wife and I will be taking a three week vacation from mid-September to early October which coincides with our 30th Wedding Anniversary.  We do not have all the details yet. I can tell you it will start at Disneyland in Anaheim, California and end in Denver, Colorado.

5. Read a Photography (e)Book every other month in 2013. I have a pile of books and a folder of ebooks relating to photography I have not read. I will read and review on the blog the book starting in February.  In other words, the months in between the photo assignments.

6. Edit and Process Backlog of Disney Park Photos. I have some going back to 2011.  I need to do this so I have more to write on the All Ears blog and here. 🙂  Not to mention the relief I will feel when it is done by May 15th, 2013.

To help me in keeping these goals, I will use apps on my iPhone and on the Internet to make sure I do not forget them. I will be reviewing them every month, too.  Oh, and speaking of photo assignments, I will be posting the first one for 2013 next week.

My Annual Pledge to You

Here is something from my post from January 1st, 2009 that won’t change:

  • I will continue to add relevant links to my postings to encourage further research for those so inclined. It is something I like to do when visiting blogs and websites.
  • I will continue to visit other blogs and flickr photostreams and leave comments I hope are encouraging and helpful to the blog authors and photographers.
  • I do not mind people using my photos on their blogs or websites. All I ask is for you to give credit and a link back to this blog. If you want to use any of my photos for commercial purposes, please, contact me.
  • I will do bi-monthly photo assignments to challenge those who participate.

Here’s to a great 2013! Do you have any goals this year? Photography related or otherwise?

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