Slickrock and Shadow

One of 20 Handcart Families Event photography includes weddings, parties, family reunions, school activities and much more.  This year I was asked to be an event photographer on a pioneer trek.  Youth groups from the LDS church sometimes will have an opportunity to join a commemorative trek, giving them a sample of what their pioneer forefathers experienced.  This particular trek took place in Mosida, Utah, and isolated but very beautiful place.  Temperatures were around 90 degrees, not a drop of humidity but occasional clouds gave us some shelter from the unrelenting sun.  The experience itself was wonderful.  I would like to share a little bit about what is involved as a photographer if you’re ever asked to do something like this. Walking was involved.  Because I was trying to capture a little bit of everybody, I did more walking than the average person.  I would walk with and photograph part of the group and then moved to a different ...

Headshot portraits are out of this world with the Canon 85mm f/1.2 L lens Portrait photography is an opportunity that every serious photographer will face at one point or another.  Friends and family know how serious I am about photography and ask about getting their photos taken.  This is always a wonderful opportunity and I look at it as a very enjoyable service.  I also hope to do the best possible and provide a professional portrait as good as anything they could obtain anywhere. The gear and style of shooting is very different from landscape photography.  Instead of methodically setting up a heavy tripod in the silence of the wilderness, I find myself talking and shooting quickly so that the subject does not become overly tired from posing.  Instead of wide-angle lenses with very small apertures and long shudder speeds, long telephoto lenses with wide apertures and very short shudder speeds are used.  There is no time for a tripod. Late in 201...