Join OM System Pro Ambassador Lee Hoy as we examine Ten Myths about Nature Photography and we explore what it means to “Master Your Camera.” This episode will debunk popular myths that too many nature photographers believe are true which often leads to frustration, wasted financial resources, and missed images.
Episode #8 will take an in-depth examination of the compositional element of “visual balance.” We will explore the concept, how to develop an eye for visual balance, how to use it to increase the visual impact of your images, and how to develop the skill for detecting visual balance in a scene before you press the shutter. So often, what could have been an excellent image, is left wanting due to a lack of visual balance.
The reflection in this image helps provides visual balance to this image.
This image is visually balanced from right to left as the iguana’s head and rock flow to the thinner section of body and rock in the lower left.
The curves of the Snake River flowing toward the dip in mountains to the right of Grand Teton peak provides visual balance along with the larger group of trees to the left and the anchor tree on the right lower corner.
We take a look at a new filter adaptor that could save you a lot of money on step-down rings. The H&Y RevoRing will change how you use circular filters!
Finally, we take a quick look at waiting for the right head angle in wildlife photography.
Why do you find this head angle pleasing? Hint: Consider the eyes.
While this body position is certainly odd (which I enjoy about the image), what is it about the head angle that makes the image more pleasing?
What about this head angle is pleasing or displeasing to your eye?
This episode will discuss the planning, logistics, and travel to the Galapagos Islands, the proper selection, use, and considerations of using a tripod, and five tips for beginning bird photographers.
Blue-footed Booby
Common Cactus-finch
Galapagos Sea Lion
Swallow-tailed Gull
The Galapagos Islands are dream destination for many photographers and for good reason! It offers up close and personal wildlife, dramatic island landscape and even underwater photography while snorkeling! I just finished my fourth workshop and first as the solo leader; but Kevin Loughlin, owner of Wildside Nature Tours, has been 41 times! To say Wildside reigns supreme as the Galapagos Photography Workshop is an understatement! If you are going to go to the Galapagos, what should you know about planning a photography trip? Do you go solo or do a live aboard? What will you miss if you go solo? How do you make sure you choose a great company for a photography workshop to this amazing destination? Find out what a “generic” Galapagos trip will leave you sadly disappointed as a photographer.
Tripods are a critical piece of photographic gear and as such, I am often left wondering why such a huge percentage of photographers put so little thought into their purchase and use. In this episode, we will navigate the waters of camera support and give you some knowledge on how to best purchase and use a tripod.
Tripods
Finally, we give beginning bird photographers five tips on how to capture better bird images. Frankly, many non-beginners could use this same advice!
Yellow-headed Caracara
In the sixth episode of Capturing Nature with Lee Hoy, we have a segment of “On the Road” where we share the challenges of moving birders from birding with a camera to bird photography and the opportunities it presented during the 2022 Wildside Nature Tours Peruvian Amazon Riverboat Cruise. You can see a sampling of my images from this workshop below and you an see some of my favorite images from the Peruvian Amazon folder on my SmugMug.
Sanderlings along a Peruvian Beach
Dobsonfly
Dead Leaf Mimic Toad
Green Kingfisher
Pygmy Marmoset
Ringed Kingfisher
White-winged Swallows
Camian Lizard
In the second “On the Road” segment, we consider the final five tips on how to be a great photography workshop/class participant!
A Wildside Nature Tours Participant walks a Peruvian Beach
Finally, we conclude today’s podcast with a segment “Setting Yourself up for Success”where we will discuss image stabilization and how to develop an internal database of the lowest shutter speeds you can use with any specific camera/lens combination. This will vary based on your physical strength, handholding technique, and external factors such as wind, subject movement, and other environmental conditions.
Handheld at 1000mm with Shutter Speed of 1/8″ OM-D E-M1x | M.Zuiko 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO @ 500mm 1/8s | F5.6 | ISO6400 Handheld
We kick off today’s episode with an On the Road segment where we look at the first five of ten tips on how to be a great photography workshop/class participant! Lee shares how a horrible client made him want to share with others on how to be a great workshop/class member!
Be a Great Participant
I am constantly amazed at how often pixel peepers are really not great photographers! Some photographers will spend so much time analyzing every tiny detail of an image and yet ignore some of the more basic and critical aspects of great nature photography. In today’s “Setting Yourself Up for Success” segment, we discuss ten (10) alternative skills instead of pixel peeping!
Take Time to Learn to Read Light
Finally, in the “Photographer’s Screen” we will get the low down on Texture vs Clarity in Lightroom Classic. Be sure and check out the companion video on my YouTube Channel.
You can see where I used Texture and a tiny bit of Clarity on the foreground mask of this image in LR Classic.
To learn more about the topics in this episode, you can follow me at:
Lee Hoy – OM System Ambassador
On the fourth episode of Capturing Nature, Lee will share seasonal photography tips for Big Bend National Park, his home base and favorite spot to photograph. Big Bend National Park is a huge park and the lone photographer can waste a lot of time not knowing what and when certain activities take place. Whether you are in pursuit of birds, wildlife, macro, landscape, Milky Way, or other photography subjects, Lee will give you a good foundation for photographing Big Bend.
Four (4) Image Panoramic
Great Horned Owl in Flight
Lightning at Sotol Vista Overlook
To learn more about visiting the Big Bend region, you can explore the Visit Big Bend website and the National Park service website on Big Bend National Park.
Pre-visualization is a technique Lee uses when traveling to new and repeat destinations to increase his chances of capturing captivating nature images. This simple but effective method will help you in advancing your photography skill.
Finally, Lee shares his thoughts, complaints, and rants on crappy composites.
To learn more about Lee, his role as an OM System Ambassador, and the photography workshops he offers, you can click on the links below.
Episode 3 of Capturing Nature features the segment “Breaking Free with Olympus: and Lee gives an overview, first impression and early review of the OM System M.Zuiko 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO and shares his lowest shutter speed so far handholding and getting a tack sharp image while in Ecuador!
In “The Photographer’s Screen” Lee shares how the new Lightroom Classic masking feature has changed his editing approach and he has a video on the Big Bend Birding & Photo Tours YouTube Channel showcasing this feature!
“Know Before You Click” will highlight one of Lee’s favorite North American mammals which he first remembers photographing at about age 6 or 7 at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, the American Bison (let’s be honest, I am from west Texas and I prefer the common name Buffalo)!
Finally, the last segment of today’s podcast is “The Experience – Blending the Technical & Creative aspect of Nature Photography – The Difference between a Snapshot and an Image.” We will discuss the difference between a snapshot (where we simply record a place/people/event at a specific time to document where we were at a given moment) and an image.
This episode comes to you live from Yellowstone National Park during the 2022 Wildside Nature Tours photography workshops. During the “On the Road” segment, we discuss photographing Yellowstone National Park in winter and the benefits of traveling on your own or joining a workshop. The first 2023 Yellowstone in Winter workshop is already sold out and we added a second with Lee Hoy and Earl Nottingham so plan now to join us in January/February 2023.
The “Setting Yourself Up for Success” segment will address properly exposing your images in the snow.
Properly Exposed Image in the Snow – Good Detail in the Snow
Underexposed Image in the Snow – Note the Grey Tone to the Snow
Exposure Adjusted to +1.25 in Post Processing – Note Lack of Detail in Snow
Bison in the Snow – No Post Processing
Bison in the Snow – Post Processed
During the “If the Shoe Fits . . .” segment, we will review The Heat Company gloves. You can get a 10% discount using the code CAPTURINGNATURE10!
Our final segment, “Clicking with . . . ” offers an interview with Kevin Laughlin, owner of Wildside Nature Tours. Kevin’s book, Galapagos: A Nature History (2nd Ed) is expected in November 2022.
Kevin Laughlin – Owner, Wildside Nature Tours
To learn more about Lee, his role as an OM System Ambassador, and the photography workshops he offers, you can click on the links below.
Lee Hoy – OM System Ambassador
To Do’s
- Follow me on Facebook – Big Bend Birding & Photo Tours
- Follow me on Instagram – @bigbendbirdingphototours
- Subscribe to the Wildside Nature Tours Newsletter
- Sign Up for Precision Camera & Video Newsletter
This episode will introduce you to Lee Hoy, the host of Capturing Nature; the various segments that will be featured from time to time on the podcast, and what you can expect from this podcast. Lee covers why you should listen to the podcast and a bit about his background that led him to begin a career as a professional photographer at 49 years of age.
To learn more about Lee, his role as an OM System Ambassador, and the photography workshops he offers, you can click on the links below.