The Digital Photo Guy

Bodie, CA, Where Time is Frozen

Last time I was in Bodie, I nearly died. This time, I nearly roasted. Some of you know that, while photographing Bodie in the snow in 2008, I ruptured my intestine and nearly died of sepsis. This week, I returned to Bodie and felt the weather was going to kill me. At night, it’s been below freezing and during the day, it g0t to 90F.

Bodie looks very different in the snow than the hot, clear days of summer’s end. The rangers had been expecting snow by now so the 90F temps took them by surprise as well. Here are some photos from today.

Tomorrow, I’ll be at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest at 11,000 feet where I hope to reshoot some photos I made last year with less than satisfactory results. Then, on Thursday, I’ll be in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, photographing arches blasted into the granite.

Leftovers from California Photo Festival

Upcoming Workshops

If you don’t have time for a week long workshop like the California Photo Festival that I just attended, check out some of my local workshops:

Wild Animal Park “Hands-ON” Workshop – Oct 9

Flash Photography at Deer Park Winery – Nov 13

Backyard Photography at Kit Carson Park – Nov 20

My new mantra is, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. Photography lectures are soon forgotten, demonstrations are remembered but do photography to understand what you’re doing.

No More Exciting Landscapes or Flowers

Now, we’re into the druge, hard work part of the California Photo Festival. This is hard work but someone has to do it. We’re stuck in small studios for hours at a time, trying to wring the best photos we can from subjects that are selected for us. We don’t even have a say in subject matter.

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California Photo Festival

Here are some photos from around the California Central Coast. Most of you know this area as home to CalPoly SLO, a world class engineering school. But, for those of us who have shed our pocket protectors and slide rules, this is a beautiful area, full of magnificent flora and fauna. I even found a great farm/junkyard where the price of admission was purchase of a small container of pluots (plum/apricot hybrid).

The first is a sign where we’ll be photographing this week. Gives new meaning to “photos that pop”. I titled the 2nd “Spider Condo”. In the 3rd, a huge wave splashed up just as I got there. I waited behind these people for 20 minutes, hoping for another wave but it never came. The 4th & 5th are flowers I saw along the beach. Can anyone help me identify them? The 6th is just another view of Spooners Cove in the mist. Number 7 was on the way out to Montana de Oro State Park and the last is a marigold farm where they’re harvesting seeds.

Canon 24-105/4L IS USM

Until recently I had resisted the temptation to upgrade my perfectly fine Canon 28-135/3.5-5.6IS USM to the new 24-105/4L. In fact, there was no temptation as I was perfectly happy with the results my older, non-L lens delivered. Even in my warped logic, I couldn’t think of any reason to spend $1050 for a lens when my 10 year old, $410 lens turned out such great photos as below.

However, as the saying goes, “I can resist anything except temptation!” When a known, reliable member of FredMiranda.com posted his 24-105 for sale for $850, I couldn’t resist. I immediately sent the money via PayPal and received the lens the following week.
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I’m in a Rut

This site was launched on January 29, 2009. Since then, I’ve posted 142 articles plus 40 videos. Some loyal readers and students have followed me for the past 589 days (848,160 minutes). Much of the material comes from trade shows, classes, workshops and seminars I’ve attended. Still other posts are the result of articles I’ve read in magazines, books and, of course, the web. Some comes from readers’ questions and comments but, lately, less and less feedback comes from my readers. Now, I’m burned out. I can’t muster the enthusiasm to write articles and produce videos that no one may be reading.

I’m off to the 1st Annual California Photo Festival in Los Osos next week where I hope to recharge my batteries and get my creative juices flowing again. Until then, I hope you enjoy some recycled articles starting with this first one on Exif tools.
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