“4 x 6″ Photo Excursions Announced

No folks, that isn’t a medium format film being referenced, it means 4 days / 6 participants. Read on…

4 x 6 Photo Excursion #1
Northern & Western Zion National Park
and Surrounding Areas
September 21, 22, 23, & 24, 2009

• 4 days — 6 participants
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — held during the week to minimize tourist disturbance
• Morning & Evening Shooting; instruction, discussion, relaxation, and replentishment break midday
• Transportation to shoot locations included
• 2 instructors; 2 SUVs
• $395 + personal expenses
• Details to be posted soon – call or email now if interested.
• Subject to availability. Once payment is made, your reservation is considered firm. I accept check, Visa, and MasterCard. Please contact me now to reserve your dates at   (435) 673-3817   or bob@bobkulonphoto.com

 

4 x 6 Photo Excursion #2
Southern & Eastern Zion National Park
and Surrounding Areas
October 19, 20, 21, & 22, 2009

• 4 days — 6 participants
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — held during the week to minimize tourist disturbance
• Morning & Evening Shooting; instruction, discussion, relaxation, and replentishment break midday
• Transportation to shoot locations included
• 2 instructors; 2 SUVs
• $395 + personal expenses
• Details to be posted soon – call or email now if interested.
• Subject to availability. Once payment is made, your reservation is considered firm. I accept check, Visa, and MasterCard. Please contact me now to reserve your dates at  (435) 673-3817  or bob@bobkulonphoto.com

New Shows Added

Just a mention, as the days roll on, artists are now being alerted of their juried acceptance to fine art shows. I’ve just added three new listings on my Shows page. Changes will be occuring at a frequent pace now. Check back often.

Print of the Month #1 Announced

Print Of The Month Program

Anza-Borrego Scrub Hills
Bob Kulon’s Print of the Month #1 – April, 2009

This piece is presented as an 11×14 fine art print, matted and framed to 16×20 dimensions. During the feature month, the price is reduced 20% with shipping and handling included. After that, remaining stock is sold at prevailing price plus shipping and handling.

What that means to you is that you can acquire this piece during April, 2009 for only $120, shipping and handling included. Normally, this edition would be priced at $150 plus $30 shipping and handling. That is a 33% saving when you order it during the feature month.

About this Particular Image

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is located in Southern California. I went there on a shoot in mid-March, 2009 seeking desert wildflower macros for my catalog. When you have a decided goal, it pays to keep and open mind. This particular image appeared at the summit of the Carrizo Badlands Overlook. It was late afternoon and the group decided to wait out sunset. In the angular light this soft rendition of the hills emerged. The scene was visibly hazy and blah; most overlooked its inner beauty. I was immediately struck by the fact that by simply expanding its tonal range, a subtle glow would emerge. The mood is intended to be soothing and imaginative.

This particular shot was captured on my Canon 5D Mark II camera using a 70-200mm f/2.8 L lens set at f/16. As always, my trusty Gitzo tripod held everything stable in the stiff wind.

The print is made to 11×14 dimensions using the very latest Epson 7900 Ultrachrome HDR pigment inks. These exhibit extraordinary permanence and tonal detail when paired with my paper of choice, Ilford Galerie Gold Fiber Silk.

The presentation is matted with white Archival Bainbridge stock. The mat will be signed in pencil on the left and the numbered edition will be indicated on the left. It is conservation mounted (hinged) to acid-free foam core. Finally, it is glazed in acrylic (no breakage) and delivered in a black Nielsen gallery frame that is consistent for all Prints of the Month (should you wish to acquire a collection over time). A certificate of authenticity will be included.
Shipping & Handling

The framed print, as prepared, is quite durable. No glass is used. The frame is metal. It will be securely packed and protected and shipped in a flat container via UPS ground. The shipment will be insured.
Ordering

Remember, this is a limited time offer. Contact me first to discuss the order. I can take your order over the phone if you want to use a charge card. Alternatively, open my order form, print it and snail mail it to:

Robert Kulon
1031 N 1300 West #1
St. George, Utah 84770

Phone: 435.687.3817
Email: bob@bobkulonphoto.com
Payment

Payment can be made by check or credit card and should accompany your order.

The main website returns!

Since relocating, I have put redesigning and presenting my professional website on the back burner. I was waiting for fresh images, a bit of inspiration, and a focus for my enterprise. I am now past that and the new website has officially rolled out. A fair amount of it will be grown over coming days and weeks as I have time to add the content, but I think you should visit now to get reacquainted and bookmark it.

http://www.bobkulonphoto.com/index.html

If you have any comments, feel free to share them here.

Take care,
Bob

Structure – a finishing step worth considering

Disclaimer: I do not mean to imply I “invented” this process. Frankly, I don’t know. It came to me over the last week as a way to create subtly enhanced, yet believable, images. If anyone else is already doing this then I guess the process is so obvious that several of us deduced the same technique simultaneously.

OK, now…

Many times I will take a credible image to its natural conclusion in Photoshop and create a master color file, that is, one that has been fully edited and adjusted, but not sized or sharpened for printing. If I see strong design elements beyond the colors, I will then convert it to black and white to see if it can stand in a monochromatic rendition. Sometimes there isn’t much worth saving, other times it is subjectively better than the color and I save it as a separate black and white master file. Having these two files, color and black & white takes us to my proposed technique: Structure.

This is a simple Photoshop Layer technique. Really simple! The point is that is adds “structure” (meatiness?) to the color image without throwing of the original color rendition.

Just stack the black and white image as a layer over the color image layer and change the blending mode to Luminosity. Adjust the opacity to suit. That’s it! Try it – let me know what you think.

Layer Settings

Here are the results…

 

Background Layer

 

Black and White Layer

 

Luminosity Blend with Structure

YAHDRC: Yet another HDR comparison

Zion National Park, Checkerboard Mesa, 3 renditions, best I could do. Please feel free to comment.

HDR in Photomatix Pro, Optimization in Photoshop CS4

 

100% Straight Photoshop CS4, no HDR

 

Turned the Photoshop version into B&W using Silver Effects Pro

Two crazy days with Jack Graham

My sidekick for Monday and Tuesday was Jack Graham – both of us formerly of NE Ohio. Jack now is located in Portland, Oregon and I am in St. George, Utah.

Anyhow…

Jack flew in to attend the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) Conference in Las Vegas for business and we thought we would take a leisurely day in the natural environs to do some touring, gaping, and shooting.

Monday we spent in Zion, visited three different photographer’s galleries including Michael Fatalli’s, and checked out the petrified dunes in Snow Canyon State Park. Although it was a whirlwind day, it was still relaxing and there were some excellent photo ops. (It is impossible to not find subject matter here.)

Here’s a few I put together from Monday… 

 

Small canyon detail in Zion NP

 

Checkerboard Mesa

 

Tuesday, was completely different. We headed down to Vegas early expecting massive crowds and delays at PMA. Surprise! Even at 10 AM opening we found a parking spot near the door. This was my first PMA, so I didn’t quite know if this was normal. Everyone I met assured me that this year was in the pits due to the economy. Tumbleweed city!

Here are some observations, rumors, and opinions I walked away with…

1. Every professional photographer should make an attempt to occasionally attend this event. You can’t get in unless you are in the biz; it is not open to the general public. It is an invigorating experience.
2. Don’t eat the chicken sandwiches (I’ll take Jack’s word for it).
3. Major DSLR manufactures (Nikon and Canon) had no new DSLR camera introductions.
4. It is rumored that a Nikon D400 is in the works for release in about a month.
5. It is rumored that a Nikon D700x is in the works closely thereafter. (D3x resolution).
6. No Canon DSLR body rumors, but one would assume something will shake loose by fall to keep pace.
7. Canon lenses: nothing new except the already announced Tilt-Shift wide angles.
8. Nikon lenses: I didn’t pay any attention, sorry.
9. Look out for Sony. They are making some serious attempt to rule the DSLR roost. Big threat!
10. The sweetest lens I ever saw in my life was the Sony 300mm f/2.8. Not much bigger than my Canon 300mm f/4 L IS. Painted “Canon Beige”. Hybrid Canon/Nikon metal work. A serious array of Canon-esque controls.
11. Sony also had the requisite 70-200 f/2.8 with the same styling.
12. Carl Zeiss is about to release Nikon and Canon mount lenses, perhaps with full automation. A new 21mm is on the way.
13. Canon has the Explorer’s of Light giving back-to-back presentations and live studio shoots on the Canon Stage. This was great stuff. Much to learn. Live video feeds from wireless remotes. Camera to print (24×36) in about 8 minutes. Amazing!
14. I saw the 5D Mk2 video capabilities. They quality is very high. The human interface needs a lot of work; but this is the start of something big – High Def video in a DSLR. Perfect for event shooters.
15. Canon and Nikon are both promoting their prosumer lines very heavily. This show was all about the Nikon D300 and D700 and the Canon 50D and 5D Mk2. The pro stuff (Nikon 3Dx and Canon 1Ds Mk3) as well as all the entry and consumer DSLRs took a back seat.
16. Vendors all had smiles and they all seemed phony. The bad economy has hit home.
17. This was the first year they charged an admission fee to the show floor.
18. Ilford is about to release a new series of papers in the Gallery line; an update to the Pearl surface. Rolls now; sheets by mid-year.
19. Some of the photography I saw used to demo products was amazingly second rate – I just can’t understand this
20. I’ll probably go back about every other year.
21. Conspicuous by their absense: Epson, Bogen, Manfrotto, Gitzo

Announcing: 1-on-1 Workshop Program

Effective immediately, I am offering private instruction. This has been something that I find rewarding, enjoyable, and frequently requested.

This educational service will be offered on a 1-on-1 basis in my studio office in St. George, Utah. This facility is fully equipped with three powerful work stations, multiple calibrated monitors, Photoshop CS4, Lightroom 2, and host of professional photographic applications to render the ultimate in image presentation. I use the very latest in printers: the Epson Pro 7900 and the Epson Photo R1900. Your prints for the day are your to take with you.

I plan to meet your needs in individual training centered on five possible themes:

• Creativity (concept, approach, possibilities, exercise, etc)
• Image management (ingestion, ranking, key-wording, archiving, etc.)
• Editing (the basics and more)
• Output (print, web, video, etc)
• Presentation (matting, framing, hanging, selling, etc)

These sessions are aimed at the Outdoor Photographer facing the challenges of natural light. This encompases, landscape, scenic, nature, street, and documentary work. (For now, studio and flash components are not a consideration.) This a natural outgrowth of many of the topic and concepts I have been teaching for years at seminars and DSLR Boot Camps.

Obviously, that is a broad palette from which to choose. I will work you ahead of the session to define and prioritize your needs so the program is crafted to be of most use to you.

I am very close to Zion National Park (and hundreds of other equally amazing scenic gems). As a result, you can come to the park, and take private lessons with me.

The base charge for a day of private studio lessons is $275/day, prepaid at time of reservation. I live 2 hours from the Las Vegas airport along I-15. Should you wish to book 2 or more days in a row, you are welcome to use my comfortable guest bedroom gratis. Significant others that merely observe or have their own agenda are not charged.

I also will accompany you into the field for shooting if you need my skills for guiding and/or photographic instruction. The same terms apply. 

This offer is subject to availability. Once payment is made, your reservation is considered firm. I accept check, Visa, and MasterCard. Please contact me at bkulon@hotmail.com or 330-635-7557.

I sincerely hope to see you in the glorious Southwest – the best concentration geography and art in our country.