You’re invited . . .slide lecture on Nature and Landscape Photography

02 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in CHESAPEAKE VIEWS - CATCHING THE LIGHT, Maryland, Photography, Uncategorized, Writing

Tags

Academy for Lifelong Learning, Art, Cameras, Carl Sandberg, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Edward Steichen, Emily Dickinson, Landscape and Nature Photography, Mentor Series Worldwide Photo Treks, Popular Photography Magazine, Thomas Point Lighthouse, Writing, Yosemite - Catching the Light

First Sunrise in Spring, by Wilson Wyatt, from “Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light” Click on image for larger view

Reprinted from The Talbot Spy (talbotspy.org):

The Eastern Shore Garden Club will be welcoming Wilson Wyatt, Jr., photographer, author and teacher to its second Environmental Lecture with a slide talk on “Nature and Landscape Photography,” Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 11:30 AM at the Talbot County Free Public Library, in Easton, Maryland. It is free and open to the public.

Executive Editor and a founder of The Delmarva Review, Wilson Wyatt moved to the Eastern Shore about 14 years ago when he discovered the writers’ community he had been looking for. As an author and photographer he paints pictures and moods with words and light, believing that storytelling and a connection with your subject is as much a part of a good photograph as a story or poem––”when a photograph communicates a feeling from one human to another, the craft has turned into an art.”

While shooting his Nikon Mentor Series “Best of Maryland” award-winning photo: “Sunrise at Thomas Point Lighthouse” Wilson waited as two vessels passed each other behind the lighthouse while the sun rose. The shot captured this changing scene taken from his boat that was also moving.

In his recently published book, Chesapeake Views-Catching the Light, there are many examples of the varying light and landscape at different times of day and year. Each demonstrates the patience, the power of observation and inner sensitivity it takes to catch with a click the mood of a particular season or time of day as Emily Dickinson did with words in: “There’s a certain Slant of Light, Winter Afternoons.”

Wilson says, “There is pleasure in craftsmanship but when artistry happens, we know something special has occurred. The creation is exhilarating.” When you see his photographs called “December Reflection” or “The First Sunrise of Spring” (above), the quality of light is absolutely particular to the season. He says that photography is about working with light, a mere blink of light in a moment of time with your camera being a kind of clock. Carl Sandberg put it poetically in an inscription to Edward Steichen, “camera engraver of glints and moments.” Wilson Wyatt’s first book of photographs, also on light “Yosemite–Catching the Light” grew out of a camera trek with his son, also a photographer.

We were first told about Wilson Wyatt by a garden club member, who took his photography course and learned so much she recommended him for this talk. He will be giving workshops again this spring at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Academy of Lifelong Learning. Last year it filled quickly with 30 applicants and more on the waiting list.

Book Review . . . ‘Chesapeake Views’ Captures Shore Beauty

12 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Chesapeake Bay, CHESAPEAKE VIEWS - CATCHING THE LIGHT, Maryland, Photography, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Views - Catching the Light, Eastern Shore, Exhibition, James Dissette, Macro Photography, Maryland, Photography Book, Sunrises, Sunsets, The Talbot Spy, Thomas Point Lighthouse, Watermen, Wildlife Photos

It’s a pleasure to receive a review by James Dissette, publisher of The Talbot Spy (go to: http://talbotspy.com/chesapeake-views-captures-shore-beauty/).

He writes:

Sometimes we have to see through someone else’s eyes to newly appreciate the world at hand. Our workaday lives can dull our appreciation for the rich visual palette the Shore has to offer: the omnipresent Bay; the web of tributaries twisting through panoramas of forest and field; its vast array of marine, field and forest wildlife.

Good photographic images reintroduce us to the world around us. They are both a re-visiting and a discovery, and leave us wanting to explore with a refreshed curiosity. Wilson Wyatt’s collection of Eastern Shore photographs, “Chesapeake Views—Catching the Light,” is an invitation to rediscover the Eastern Shore, and sometimes discover facets of it for the first time.

December Reflection – Click on image for larger view

While there are many wonderful wildlife photos, from soaring osprey to graceful mute swans, fawns silhouetted by orange dawns, along with a gallery of exquisite macro-images of butterflies in a section Wyatt calls “All the Little Live Things,” the spirit of the book glows within its selection of purely Eastern Shore motifs—fog-shrouded waterman tonging for oysters, fiery sunrises spilling gold across still rivers, a sailboat limned by the setting sun or a heron poised like a sentinel on the bow of a fishing boat.

Tonging for Oysters II – Click on image for larger view

Each image has a caption—some with technical advice for fellow photogs—poetically describing the image. The distinct captions become a helpful narrative for the reader. It’s a bit like walking through an art exhibition with a friendly and articulate tour guide.

Sunrise at Thomas Point Lighthouse, by Wilson Wyatt jr. - Click on image for larger view

Sunrise at Thomas Point Lighthouse (cover photo), by Wilson Wyatt jr. – Click on image for larger view

Thank you for a delightful book review on The Talbot Spy! For more about the book, see “About,” on this blog.

Photography…learning from a mentor can be a magical experience.

12 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Best of Maryland Photo Contest, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Mentor Series Photo Treks, Photography, Thomas Point Lighthouse, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Butterflies, Chesapeake Bay, Corey Rich, Dragonfly, Flowers, Mark Alberhasky, Marshlands, Maryland, Mentor Series Worldwide Photo Treks, National Geographic, Nikon, Popular Photography Magazine, Thomas Point Lighthouse

– Schooner Heading Home at Sunset, Chesapeake Bay (click photo for larger image)

Photography…learning from a mentor, a master of craft, can be a magical experience. I recommend it for all aspiring photographers. If you want to take better photographs, I don’t know of a better way. In this post, I’ll mention some photographic tips from Nikon’s professional mentors.

Writing and photography are two of my artistic passions. Each is part “craft” and part “art.” Each engages visual perception as a gateway to the mind. Even our memories of events past are visited through the “images” we store in our minds.

I had the pleasure of joining two Nikon mentors recently for a three-day trek through the Chesapeake Bay country of Maryland. On a July blog post, I promised to share more about the experience. Instead, I decided to pass along a few tips and techniques, which may be useful to you. I’ll also post some of my images from the trip.

First, some credits. Mentor Series Worldwide Photography Treks is the group that organized the trek in Maryland, last June. Nikon is a key sponsor. The website is: www.mentorseries.com. You can check out some of their fabulous photo journeys at beautiful spots around the world. But, be prepared to do some serious work (it’s all fun!) and to enjoy meeting a small group of like-minded aspiring photographers. There were about 25 on my trek. We learned from each other, as well as from the pros.

The two mentors were Mark Alberhasky, from Atlanta, and Corey Rich, from San Francisco. You’ve seen their stunning images in national magazines, from Nikon World to National Geographic. You can’t beat the one-to-one learning experience. Mark’s website is http://imagema.com and Corey’s is www.coreyrich.com. Check them out. They have very different approaches to photography, yet they are complimentary teachers. Mentor Series did a nice job of pairing these photographic masters.

– Professional Nikon photographer Mark Alberhasky, above, explains technique to a member of our group.

– Nikon mentor photographer Corey Rich, above, says a great photo should tell a story.

Tips From Our Mentors – for Single Lens Reflex Cameras (SLR):

Photography is all about light, and the way it forms an image. Think about light when you frame a shot…what kind of light (direct or reflective), how does it light your subject, what is in the shadows? To act like the human eye, the camera needs to be adjusted. The following will help.

– Select the file format…raw or jpg. Raw gives you far more latitude to improve your image later, with processing software.

– Select the best ISO for your lighting conditions (for low light or bright light). Modern cameras are amazingly sophisticated. Don’t be afraid to use their technology.

– Color – In your camera’s menu, set the color to Adobe’s “RGB.” It covers far more of the color spectrum than “SKGB.” Also, set your white balance to “daylight,” not “automatic.”

– Camera settings – Think about your creative choices (automatic vs manual; selecting lens aperture and shutter speed). What type of shot…macro, action, landscape, or portrait?

– Don’t be bashful – Do whatever it takes to create an interesting image.

– Shoot lots of photos to get the one perfect shot. Digital storage is cheap, unlike film.

– Look INTO the viewfinder…not through it. Notice the frame marks in the viewfinder. This will be the image. Compose your shot within the viewfinder, with as little excess as possible. Think…and slowly release the shutter. As they say, “Nail it in the camera!”

– Every photo should tell “a story.” What is the story you are going to tell with this image?

– Be a little uncomfortable – Don’t be afraid to get dirty or look a little silly. Lie on the ground and shoot up, or at least even…or eye-to eye with a pet or insect. Stretch…do what it takes.

– Ask, “Is the content interesting…is there a better or more unusual angle?”

– “Make” a photo situation…don’t be passive. If you use a model, don’t be afraid to give direction.

– Shoot in rapid sequence. Use the “continuous” setting on your SLR. Usually, there’s only one chance to get the right image. Don’t lose it.

– Focus accurately on your subject. Hold your camera steady in one hand, elbows into the body, and trip the shutter with the other. Do whatever it takes, including using a tripod (if possible), to get the sharpest possible image.

– Equipment – Before you go on your photo trek, list the equipment you will need for the day (or night). Only bring what you may need for each trek, in a comfortable daypack. Always bring rain gear…for your camera, as well as your protection.

A few more images from the Maryland trek follow: