Cormorants in the fog

Last week I was in Florida doing some bird photography. I made over 6,000 photographs of various species of birds and a few landscapes. Don't be taken aback by the number. When photographing wildlife it is quite common to come away with a large number of photographs. Between anticipating the action and shooting in burst mode the number climbs rather quickly.

When presented with a foggy morning I have a tendency to go into landscape mode. This is generally a good idea as birds don't let you get too close. Thus, may not be visible through the fog. But not it Florida! This is because the birds are more habituated to humans and allow us to approach a lot closer.

Creative Interpretations - The new e-book is here!

I am thrilled to announce the release of my first instructional e-book called "Creative Interpretations". The e-book can be purchased via my website at - http://www.nikhilbahl.com/photography_ebooks.html. It's only $10! If you do purchase it, I would love to receive any feedback you may have.

Here is the description of the e-book:
Photography is all about interpretation. From focal length to aperture and shutter speed, to composition and post-processing, a photographer makes many decisions that interpret the subject. The subject can be presented in an atypical manner that may challenge our perceptions or by delving into the abstract, the viewer can be left guessing as to what the subject really is. In this e-book, Nikhil takes you into the realm of conceptualizing and interpreting the scene that is to be captured by the creative photographer. Using his photographs and experiences as examples, Nikhil shares many ideas and offers plenty of insights on how you can reach a new level of creativity with your photography.

Chincoteague Workshop Report

The last workshop of the year was probably the best in terms of the light we had. All 3 days were a treat!

I have mentioned that Chincoteague remains one of my favorite locations to photograph. It's very challenging to switch from photographing the wildlife to a landscape and then a detail shot. Not to mention the ocean which is a lot of fun to photograph. You really need to know your camera gear to maximize the opportunities.

I made the next three photos the morning before the workshop started.

Mid-Atlantic Photography Expo this weekend

I will be sharing a table/booth with my friend and fellow photography Bill Folsom at the Mid-Atlantic Photography Expo (Nature Visions) this weekend. If you will be at the expo please stop by and say hello.

More info on the expo can be found at http://www.midatlanticnaturephotographyexpo.org.

We had some nice conditions last weekend. Leading a field session I made sure the participants were taking advantage of the situation. I managed to take 15 exposures in 3 hours. This photo is not bad considering that :)

Misty Potomac, Great Falls Park, Virginia

Exhibit at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery

Lone Willet, Assateague Island National Seashore

This weekend I will be exhibiting nine photos (including the photo above) at the new Betty Mae Kramer Gallery at the Silver Spring Civic Center at the Veterans Plaza. It's the first exhibit at this new gallery and I am honored to have been invited by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County to be part of this 3 person exhibit called "Three Visions of Nature". Opening reception: Sunday, November 7, 2-4pm. The exhibit will be on display until December 31, 2010.

The idea for the exhibit is that all three artists being exhibited have very different ways of seeing and interpreting nature. More information on the exhibit is available at - http://www.creativemoco.com/kramer-gallery


UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS
November 4 - Manassas Warrenton Camera Club
November 10 - Arundel Camera Club
November 15 - Reston Photographic Society
November 30 - Baltimore Camera Club
December 2 - Silver Spring Camera Club


UPCOMING WORKSHOPS/CLASSES
http://www.nikhilbahl.com/photography_workshops.html
Great Falls (field session) - Nov. 6 (Full)
Photoshop for Photographers (One day workshop) - Nov. 7
Chincoteague Island - November 19-21 (only 1 spot available)

Back from Arizona/Utah

Just got back from a fruitful trip to Arizona and Utah. I haven't been to another state that has such remarkable texture and feel. And there are parks round every corner! It's an absolute treat for a photographer. It's no wonder that these states attract people from far and wide. This was supposed to be a scouting tour but one of the two clients was admitted to hospital and they had to cancel. That left me with a couple of friends to adventure with. And adventure we did.

The last time I was in Utah everyday was sunny until rain arrived the last day. This time it was the opposite. Heavy cloud cover and rain, then clear skies the last day. As nature photographers we have to adapt to the shooting conditions and try to get to the right place at the right time. Not easy, but we can try :)

Dixie National Forest, Utah

At higher elevations it was cold enough for some snow.

West Virginia Tour Report

Got back from West Virginia on Sunday. Had a great time with the tour participants. It was a small group and this gave me a chance to do my own photography while still giving them plenty of attention. The color was patchy when I got there but came in nicely for the last couple of days. It might not be as spectacular as it was a couple of years ago as the area has been in close to drought conditions. We have to remember that it's not about how good the color is but how you use it. After a quick sunset shoot at Lindy point the first evening I took the participants to a few spots I had scouted, that had great color. We worked on several close up photos but really had fun with canopy shots and making abstracts images using several blur and multiple exposure techniques.