YOU CAN DO IT!

I have, over the last few years, searched out every bald eagle that I can find.  Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a chance to get this shot.  Look at his expression.  He is so intense, searching out what he wants.  No doubt, he is determined, as his eyes express to us.   I love the Bald Eagle for so many reasons.  They are totally loyal to each other as mates and mate for life.  When the mother is setting on the nest, the daddy will fly in to take her place so she can have a break.  When you watch her, you will know that the mate is flying in long before you see him.  She will slowly lift her head and turn her eyes in his direction, in anticipation.

I love the intensity in the eyes, such boldness and determination.   There is so much power and strength in their large wings.   I feel that I can learn so much from the eagle.  I can learn determination, patience, and the ability to watch for an opportunity.  When the opportunity arises, I can be ready.  I can have the strength to take it.

I shot this picture from my car window, about eight miles from my home.  Of course, I killed my engine to get a good shot.  The slightest vibration of your engine, can ruin a shot like this one.   He was sitting in the top of a tree.  The wind was blowing through his feathers.  The sun was bright and I had to make sure I was focusing on the eagle, not letting the camera lens do the focusing for me.  Many times, you will get a picture back that you felt was a perfect shot, only to find that your main subject was too dark to see, but the sky was beautiful.  You made the mistake of letting the camera focus for you and it picked up what was the brightest, or even sometimes, what was closer to the camera.  Always take the time to slow down and focus on the subject that you are wanting to capture.  I know this may be hard when there is a majestic Bald Eagle sitting there is a tree just waiting for you to capture it.  At anytime, it could fly away…but remember if your shot is dark or blurry, what have you really captured to share with others?  Isn’t that what it’s really about…sharing with others?

Thank you to everyone who has purchased my Nature and Wildlife Photography. Many of you have asked how you can see more of it. I have lots and lots of new great stuff under my PHOTO ART FOR SALE category.  Be sure to check it out.  I have lowered some of my prices to help out in these rough times.  There is absolutely no reason why your home or office shouldn’t be decorated with beautiful sunrises, sunsets, peaceful lakes and streams, or rushing waterfalls.

I shot this picture with a slow shutter speed so I could capture the misty effect. This is at Lost Valley, in Ponca, Arkansas after a huge rain in the fall. This waterfall is a triple falls.  I used my wide angle lens to be able to get the height.

I woke up this morning and I was so excited to see the beautiful sunshine coming through my windows. It looked like it would be nice and warm outside….and amazingly enough, when I stepped out the door onto my front porch, I was not disappointed. It is an absolutely amazing day. The birds are singing, and there is no wind. Spring!!! Ahhh! I love it.

From a photographer’s prospective, this is the perfect time to take a hike to those waterfalls that you have been wanting to see and practice your skills at capturing the beauty. It is not too hot to hike, there are no ticks or chiggers to deal with and even though you may not have the benefit of the green leaves for background, you also will not have to try to shoot that half hidden waterfall through the leaves.

When you look at your waterfall, you will want to be able to capture it in different ways. You will want to capture the fast running down flow with the little water drops and sprays and also the slow misty look that is so beautiful. To do this, the novice will need a little help with that. To capture that fast moving down pour in it’s most natural state, you will need to set your camera to manual setting. The key is to keep your shutter speed set fairly high in the 400 range to stop the movement of the water. The challenge is to stop the water movement while keeping enough light to have a good picture. The faster your shutter speed the less time the light will have to get through your lens. If you have a 2.8 aperture lens, that’s awesome. Take advantage of it. If not, try to set your aperture to the lowest setting you can, adjusting your shutter speed and your aperture until you get a setting that will produce the results you are looking for. Remember, the lower the aperture, the more light you will have. I very rarely shot with anything above 5.6, which is normal range of most of your average lenses. one thing you will have to watch and be careful of, is keeping the shot looking natural with no underexposure or over exposure. You do not want your picture to be too dark, or have blue tones.

On the other hand to slow the flow of the waterfall down and accomplish that dewy, misty, etheral look, you will want to slow your exposure. Remember when you do this you will have light coming into your lens for a longer amount of time. You will have to come to that balance between the shutter speed and the aperture to have the final results that you want. It is not enough to just adjust those settings until the line is in the center of your range.

Try a few sittings, starting at a 200 shutter speed and working down to your lower numbers, adjusting your aperture as you go. Focus on the same shot each time, so you can see the difference in each shot. Everything affects this, from the sunshine, to the shadows, to the time of day. Don’t foget to use a tripod. The slower the shutter speed, the more time you will have to make that small movement of the hand that will blur the picture. There is nothing worse than getting home, after a long day of shooting, only to find that when you load that stunning picture that you thought you captured into the computer, you find it is out of focus and blurry from a slight move of the hand because you got excited and thought you were good enough to shoot without a tripod. USE A TRIPOD.

Okay enough about the tripod. Now go out with blessings and have a wonderful day in the woods. Don’t forget safety. Make sure you take someone with you or at least make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

So many times I see a picture that someone has taken, and I can immediately tell that it was shot on an automatic setting with auto focus. The subject will be dark and even though it might be a pretty good shot, it is almost impossible to see.  If you think about it, the sky is usually much lighter than your subject and for that matter, much larger or maybe the ground is covered with snow….white snow.  What is the most easily seen thing in the picture….your subject, the sky, or the snow?  Which one did your eye have to work the hardest to see?

Don’t be afraid to try your hand at manual settings.  Turn the auto focus off and play around with your camera. Learn to trust your own focus. Yes, you may miss a few shots, but I’ll bet in the long run, you will get more than you miss, with a little practice. Your pictures will actually be in sharper focus and your big buck, eagle, or just that little butterfly that you are trying to capture, will be what is in focus, not so dark you can’t see it.  Happy shooting and check back in for more tips! Talk to me, I welcome your comments.

My name is Sueann Jones and this is my first attempt at writing a blog.  Let me first introduce you to myself.  I live in a small town, Omaha, Arkansas, with my husband, Mark Jones,  who is the son of Grandpa Jones from Hee Haw and The Grand Ole Opry.  Mark’s oldest sister started a photography business before she died , called Arcadia, out of Aurora, Missouri.  Before she passed away, she passed all her photography books to us.  She was my first inspiration to become a photographer.

We recently bought 18 acres with a panoramic view  where,  every morning, I awaken to the most beautiful sunrises.  That is my Daily inspiration.  Everyone says that the baby boomers are moving out of the cities into more simple ways of life and it is no different for us.  We have two  businesses, a 32 track digital recording studio, called Jones Recording Studio, and the photography studio, Artistry Photography by sueann. After having worked in the corporate industry for my life, I am working just as hard to be able to do something that depends on my talents, talents that  I feel God has given me.

Since I started Artistry Photography by sueann, I have been blessed with some awesome jobs, one of which was, Baptist Health Hospital.  My photography decorates the walls of the hospital, beautiful nature scenes set against the awesome Sugarloaf Mountains.

Speaking of depending on my talents, there are many different kinds of photography out there, and many different editing programs, but there is just something to be said for, seeing the shot, taking the shot, and being able to put that shot out there for other people to enjoy without having to build the beauty into the photo with Photoshop.  Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I know Photoshop is a great neccessity for improving a portrait, but there is nothing like the magic of being in the right place, at the right time, and knowing you have the talent to capture that moment.

I also do portrait photography as well, specializing in weddings, seniors, and family portraits.

I have many beautiful scenic, nature, and wildlife photographs for you to choose from, which include waterfalls, bald eagles on the nest, sunrises, and rainbows, just to name a few.  Matting and Framing is available.  I also have some awesome motivational posters available.  We specialize in large business decor.  Custom sizes available.

My greeting cards feature natural photography, many of which were taken in the Ozark Mountains.  Check out the Greeting Card Magnets, as well.  Most folks receive a greeting card and toss it in a drawer, not with my greeting card magnets!!  They come with their own envelope, for easy sending, but they will go on a refrigerator, computer tower, or any metal surface  for years of enjoyment.  What better way to remember a friend.

I look forward to earning your business.

Sueann Jones