Hello Reader !

​

I took the wrong turn…

Before John M. and I left our hotel… I thought I knew the way.

After all, we had scouted the area the day before.

Who needs GPS?

But, it was now pitch black and…

…we ended up at the airport… not our photographic destination.

I panicked.

Here I am… the mentor. And I wasn’t prepared.

We were going to miss Blue Hour, I thought.

John, calmly entered in our destination via his iPhone for directions.

On our way we went.

Then, a clearing opened and… BOOM!

There it was… my heart started racing.

It was a spectacular site.

Blue hour was still dominate...

...And the stars were out… and little did I know at the time… a planet too!

But, a slight transition started to appear at the horizon.

A golden glow was gently pushing the blue tones aside.

And then… I look up… just above the horizon… and FOMO began to set in… a small sliver of the crescent moon was rising above the horizon.

Man, it looked sweet!

Sweeter than a good ‘ole American apple pie.

“How much longer to get there,” I asked John.

“15 minutes,” he calmly replied.

Deep down I was embarrassed.

We were going to miss it!!!

Pedal to the floor… sorry John!

We twisted and turned.

Up and down.

D*mn those West Virginia roads!

Only if I “knew before” we left.

6 Minutes Later

We arrived.

But, we weren’t alone.

2 cars, and three more photographers.

We grabbed our gear and rushed down the trail (short 500 foot walk to the overlook) so I could claim… MY CORNER!

My corner? Say what?

Well, unlike our Golden Retriever, I ”marked it" the week before… in my mind.

Ahhhhh… there it is!

In last week’s newsletter I said: “know before you go.”

Did you read it?

​If not, it’s here.​

Know Your Vision Before You Go

Our destination: the Grand View Overlook, near Beaver, West Virginia.

Popular enough to see images, from multiple angles, right from Google Maps!

Time permitting, and if it was a more expansive location, I’d have done a deeper dive in my research to scout it out before we went.

…know before you go.

So, a week prior, I had a good indication of where the best spot to fulfill my creative vision was… MY corner.

And scouting the day before confirmed it!

Know Your Settings Before You Go

I also knew the exact camera settings to use... to match what I had envisioned.

Well, at least the Aperture; f/4 for Blue Hour and f/11 for Golden Hour. And possibly f/5.6 before the sun peaked over the horizon.

For the ISO, I knew from past experience, and the limitations of my cameras sensor (know before you go), that an ISO of 3200 or lower was ideal (for noise control). 6400 if necessary…

So, before arriving, I new my creative vision and how to achieve it with: composition, Aperture and ISO.

Shutter Speed, for this situation anyway, is tough to determine ahead of time.

Mother Nature is finicky, after all…

• Clouds (if so, stationary or fast moving) or no clouds ?
• How windy is it going to be?
• Will there be fog rolling through the gorge? If so, how fast will they be?

With that in mind I had an idea: 1/30 or higher to freeze the action.

How did I know what settings (aperture, iso, shutter) to use… 33 years of experience.

Don’t have the patience to practice for 33 years?

You don’t need to, instead…

…know before you go.

Here's how...

Study images beforehand of the location and/or subject (Instagram, Google images, 500px, Facebook, etc.).

Then, figure out YOUR creative vision for the image.

• Where do you need to stand for your composition?
• What settings should you use to fulfill that vision?
• What else do you need to know before you go?

​

Not sure? Ask in PhotoMation. I’ll let you know. No excuses.

…know before you go.

I Nailed It

This was the first, and best shot of the morning… out of 173 (a few extras for panoramics, exposure bracketing, vertical + horizontal, working the scene, etc.)

...know before you go, but...

...wait? You don’t shoot landscapes, you say?

Well, it doesn’t matter what you shoot.

Are your current images matching what you had envisioned?

Are your subjects and images… sharp?

Are they properly exposed?

Photography is easy… when you… that’s right… know before you go.

John Nailed it Too

The second image is the best photo John has ever created... in my humble opinion.

I've been guiding John the past year and he's come a long way from where he started... wouldn't you agree...

​
Have an awesome day!

Chris Parker

Parker Photographic

​

P.S. Next week… I’ll share more compositions from this same location with more pro tips. And don’t forget… know before you go.

Yes, that includes me… note to self: follow GPS not your old foggy brain!

​

P.P.S. I found the West Virginia roads fun to drive!! My wife… “why can’t they make any of these roads go in a straight line! Just tunnel through the hills already.” Sigh.

​

P.P.P.S. Ready to take photography seriously and elevate your photographic skills?

Well, you're in luck. From now through middle of March I'm offering in-person workshops at a discounted rate: book two days get the third for free.

Plus, 2 virtual consultations (one before and one after - to review images from our trip) and much more. Reply to this email if you'd like to learn more.

​

269 WALKER ST V5718, Detroit, Michigan 48207-4258
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​