Category Archives: General Commentary

Workshop Updates, General Commentary

2017 Rocky Mountain Summer Photography Workshop

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The 2017 Rocky Mountain Summer Photography Workshop is under way!   We have had a great time so far.  Our first group has finished and it is time for our second group to arrive.  I have been so busy, I haven’t had much time to go through all of my images yet, but here area  few.  We  have experienced sunrises, wildlife including moose, elk, marmots, squirrels, chipmunks, mountain scenics, waterfalls, cascades, wildflowers, butterflies, hiking trails, and so much more. We also had a couple of wildlife visits right at our lodge, including elk and bear.

A Note About Making Backups: I also had a frustrating afternoon that is worth mentioning.  The USB drive where I load all my photos failed.  It appears to have a corrupted file system and shuts down randomly. Now that WOULD be a disaster if that was the only place where I put my photos.  My standard workflow includes downloading the photos from my memory card to my photo hard drive, and then backing the photos up to a 2nd hard drive, and only then deleting the photos off the memory card ready to take more photos. So, when my photo drive died, I was able to switch over to my backup drive and all was fine. If I had not been diligently backing up my photos each day, I would have lost all of my photographs taken during this workshop. Fortunately, all is good, and I have yet another drive that I am using as my new backup drive.  Keep this incident in mind as you do your photography.  If you don’t make backups frequently, you are living dangerously.  And cloud backup strategies are often useless while traveling because many locales have wifi that simply is not fast enough to support uploading many gigabytes worth of photographs.

We’d love to have you join us in 2018!  If you would like to join us in 2018 (since 2017 Summer and Fall are SOLD OUT), go to our 2017 web page and click on the bright green box to express your interest in joining us.  You’ll love this photographic adventure!  Those who express interest before the dates are announced will be given the first chance to register.

Here are a few photos from our travels.   Again, I really haven’t had much time to go over all my photos yet.

We host two groups in the Summer.  Here is our wonderful Group A:

Wildflowers are abundant in the Summer:

The “never summer mountain range” in July. I guess you see why they are called that.

Here’s Long’s Peak.

Early morning at the Alpine Visitor Center:

Elk:

Moose:

Waterfalls/Cascades: 

Marmots:

More waterfalls:

Lakes:

Sun and tree near Dream Lake:

Moon in early morning at Rainbow Curve:

A new day begins in Rocky Mountain National Park:

Here is how tourists photograph the park. 🙂

 

Duck on Lily Lake:

Bull Moose encounter:

Yes, he walked right in front of my vehicle:

Our burger cookout on Fall River:

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Workshop Updates, General Commentary

Journey to Colorado for Our Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops

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I drive up to Colorado from Austin, Texas each year for our Summer and Fall Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops.   We bring so much equipment with us (including a laser printer, maps, manuals, camera gear, tools, and much more) it just doesn’t make sense to fly. I have come to really enjoy the drive.

Of course there is a lot of the drive that is just across flat land, but I enjoy the journey.  Right before you get to Amarillo, there is Palo Duro Canyon.  It’s a bit of a surprise since you are just in the middle of flat land and then suddenly there’s a canyon!

Once you are in Amarillo, you can check out the “Cadillac Ranch.”  Seems only logical to plant some Cadillacs face down in the dirt, I guess?

And then there is The Big Texan Steak House. If you can eat their 72 ounce steak with all the fixin’s withing an hour, you get it for free.  No I haven’t tried it. 😉  I do go there and eat a much-smaller-than-72-ounce steak, though.

In the panhandle of Texas, you’ll find a lot of small towns along the drive that are dying with numerous old gas stations long out-of-business with stories of travelers from decades past.

You’ll probably see a few trains passing by.  LONG trains.

Then there is Mount Capulin in New Mexico.  This dormant volcano has a perfect cone and you can drive to the top and hike around the rim.  It is so peaceful up there on top! You can see for miles.

Colorado Springs has so many places to visit such as the wonderful Garden of the Gods. We stop off at their gift shop and grab a bite to eat in their cafe on almost every trip.

Eventually, we get to our destination in Estes Park, Colorado for our Rocky Mountain Photography Workshops.   I’ll post more about the workshops in my next blog post.  We are sold out for 2017, but we are soon going to announce our 2018 workshop dates.

If you are interested in joining us in 2018, go to our 2017 page and click on the bright green box to express your interest.  You will be notified before the general public and be given the first chance to register!

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General Commentary

A Series of Moments

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I am grateful for my life.
I am grateful for my family.
I am grateful for my friends.
I am grateful.

When I reflect back on my life, I really don’t think of it as a continual stream of memories. It’s more like a series of “mental snapshots” of special moments that were life-changing in one way or another; some more significant than others, yet still all important to me.

For some of those occasions, a photograph was taken to remember the moment. For many more, no camera was involved, but I still remember.

Heading Off to College

This is an example of a moment where I happened to have my camera with me.  

I was 17 years old. I had my Plymouth Duster all packed up and ready head off to college.

After leaving the house, I stopped by to say goodbye to my Mom and Dad who were both still at work.  While I was excited about leaving, I was also a bit nervous about this new life I was entering into. As I said my goodbyes and was walking out the door, I turned and paused, and took a snapshot of them.

I wanted to remember that moment. I then stepped out the door and entered into a new phase of life.  Only now in hindsight, knowing what it is like as a parent to send off my kids to college, I have a deeper understanding of what a major moment it was in my Mom and Dad’s life. I am glad I took this photo. I bet if I had shot a closeup, you would see tears in their eyes.

That Girl I Met

There were countless other major moments where I didn’t have my camera with me.  Like the time I was in college and was making color prints in the darkroom preparing for an upcoming photo contest and this girl named Gail walked in and I said “hi” not realizing she would one day become my wife and mother of my two precious daughters.

A Perspective Shift

And there was the moment where I became a Christian.  Having been an I-don’t-know-what-I-believe person for the first 27 years of my life, this was a major moment in my life. If that doesn’t make sense to you why that would be such a big deal, well, all I can say is I can understand that.  Remember, I was not a Christian for 27 years, and that stuff about Jesus didn’t seem to be big deal to me either… back then.   But to my surprise, it really changed my life for the better in more ways than I can possibly explain in a blog post.  In fact I would say it is a major “defining moment” in my life.

Death

Then my Dad died.  It was my first experience being with someone I love as they died.  That was tough.  No photograph of that moment either, but it is indelibly burned into my memory.

Life (Wow x 2)

Less than two weeks after my Dad died, in a whirlwind of emotions, our first daughter was born. Wow.  Just wow. Another big defining moment.  And then 3 years later we had a 2nd child. Wow, all over again.

I think, of all the experiences in my life, being a “Daddy” to my two precious daughters tops everything. They mean the world to me. Fortunately, I have photographs of many of those special moments. I’d call those “cherished memories.”

A Clown

Yes, that’s me, the big clown on the right. I tended to be a bit silly on Halloween. 🙂 Some people might say I am still a big clown.

A Lifetime of Wow Moments

I could go on about so many more moments, but I am not trying to tell my life story here… walking both daughters down the aisle at their weddings, the birth of our grandkids, and so much more I could tell.  More “wow” experiences, most definitely.

We Are Shaped by These Moments

I just want to say how much we each should take an “inventory” of the special moments in our lives, some of them “wow” moments, and realize how those moments have shaped us to be who we are. It explains why we each see the world differently, and maybe we each need to just appreciate and embrace the differences.

I have so many wonderful friends, and I love them just the way they are.  Many of my “mental snapshots” of special moments in my life involve some of you who are reading this. And then, some of you I have not yet met.

Whatever your story is, whatever your life experience is, embrace that which is good in your life, hold onto those memories, and take photographs when you can.

The Most Important Thing About Photography

This is a photography blog.  I wish I could say the most important thing about photography is to impress others about what awesome lighting you have achieved, or how well you do HDR image processing, or your mastery of your Photoshop skills, or how many photography contests you have won. Actually the most important thing about photography is the remembering of the most meaningful moments in your life.

I love you all.

Kevin Gourley

P.S. Every photographer would probably do well to include a quote by Ansel Adams in their writings, so hear ya go:

“A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.” – Ansel Adams

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General Commentary

Thank You From Kevin

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Reflecting back on all of the photographers I have taught over the years, I have to say, for me, this is not about earning an income. Sure, since I am neither retired nor independently wealthy, I have to earn an income in order for me to be able to do this, but that is not WHY I have chosen to teach photography.  I frankly could have made way more money in my previous career.

When I reflect back on the people who influenced my life the most, they were all teachers. I have always had a lot of respect for teachers.  And I have always loved teaching.  Since I love photography and I love teaching, it is only natural for me to teach photography.

Actually teaching photography sharpens my skills as a photographer, and doing photography professionally empowers me to be a better instructor, but what motivates me the most has to do with my respect for the art of photography.  Photography is not just about creating pretty pictures. It is more meaningful than that.  Photography is an important way we tell our life stories about our adventures, our vacations, our celebrations, our sorrows, our tragedies, and our accomplishments.  Photography captures the record of our human experience on this earth.

Our photographs grasp onto fleeting moments of time, embracing those moments, and remembering them, to be appreciated at a later time.  Some of our photographs rise to something beyond just a “snapshot” and become a “priceless possession” remembering a moment we can never go back to, or a memory with a loved one who is no longer with us.  A few of our photographs can even become cherished possessions. The bottom line is that photography is important, and I see the endeavor of teaching photography as therefore important.

I have so many wonderful memories with so many of you, in teaching photography, and experiencing some real adventures with you. Thank you for participating in my workshops, and thank you for the memories. I love photography, and I can honestly say I love you all.  You are truly wonderful people. My life is better for having known you.

Kevin Gourley

 

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Photography Tips, General Commentary

10 Steps on the Path to Better Photography

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If you want to improve your photography, here are some practical  suggestions:

  1. Don’t Skip Over “The Basics”
    Lot’s of people just use their camera in fully automatic mode and never take advantage of all of the wonderful capabilities built into the camera.  The first step to better photographs is to understand the fundamentals of photography and how to operate your camera.  I offer a Photography 101 Fundamentals of Great Photography Course that is a good starting point.
  2. It’s Really About the Art of Photography
    While it’s tempting to think that advanced photography is about all that geeky stuff like apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field, exposure compensation, white balance, (I could go on forever), the real goal is the art of photography.  The technical stuff is just the means to that end.  The more you know the technical stuff, the more you are able to create what you envision and you are no longer at the mercy of the fully automatic modes that limit your control.  In my Photography 101 course, I don’t just focus on the technical side.  We also explore a bit about the art of photography and about the meaningfulness of this art form in our world.
  3. Advance Your Skills, Advance Your Art
    I can only cover so much in Photography 101.  There are numerous more advanced techniques to further enhance your photographic skills which I cover in my Photography: Mastering the Fundamentals Workshop.  That’s a day long class where we push deeper into important technical aspects that can help you create consistently better photographs.  Again, the whole purpose for this focus on the technical, is to eventually move beyond the technical, to the art.
  4. Have You Stopped Progressing in Your Photography?
    If you keep focusing on doing the same thing, you’ll keep getting similar results.  It is really important to push yourself beyond your current skills, to explore different aspects of the art and science of photography.  I have a workshop for that, called Rekindle, which I offer upon request. We just need a few students to organize a session of this great class. This might be just what you need to break out of “doing the same old thing.”
  5. It’s Sure Not About the Megapixels and Fancy Gear
    You’ll find that beautiful art, captivating images do not have to be created with high megapixel cameras and the finest lenses.  Good art is about composition, light, balance, proportion, story telling, posing, timing, concept, emotion, none of which has to to do with megapixels.
  6. Don’t Upgrade Your Gear Until You Know Why You Are Doing It
    Slick marketing and dazzling lists of “features” can tempt us to go out and spend thousands of dollars, only to find our photographs aren’t any better. You might be lured into buying a new camera, when in fact a specific lens might be more helpful. Or maybe what you need to do is buy a new tripod instead of a new camera or lenses. Yes there are compelling reasons to buy new gear, but be sure you know what problem you think you are solving by making that purchase, otherwise think twice.
  7. Before and After Firing the Shutter
    I am a big believer in getting the image right in-camera as much as possible.  Pay attention to those factors that ensure excellent images, the right depth of field, an appropriate shutter speed, all kinds of camera settings, BUT this does not mean your job is done once you fire the shutter! You can do SO much to enhance images and to create beautiful digital art using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and other software and image editing plugins. I offer classes in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, usually adding them as students make requests for more classes.
  8. Explore Other Aspects of Photography
    Keep pushing yourself to try new things, such as High Dynamic Range Photography and Painting with Light and other fun activities.
  9. Study Light
    This is really important: STUDY LIGHT. The more you focus on getting the light right, the more you will find your photography improving.  Light is beyond the camera. It is out there, in front of the camera. It’s not a camera setting, although camera settings DO matter.  Managing light, shaping it, softening it, diffusing it, reflecting it, blocking it, enhancing it, coloring it is all part of the job of creating better images.  And… by the way… I have a class for that:  Light & Photography Workshop 😉
  10. Make Mistakes
    Push yourself. Challenge yourself. Don’t just keep doing what you have always done. Go beyond that. Make mistakes, and then learn from your mistakes.  If you are not making mistakes, you are not pushing yourself hard enough.   Try things you have never tried before. Expand your skills and learn more.
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General Commentary

Share Your Art

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Some of you may have heard of Eva Cassidy. If you haven’t heard of her, I think you need to know about her.

Eva was an American vocalist/guitarist gifted with an incredible musical talent. Sadly, she died of melanoma in 1996 at the age of 33.

Terribly shy, Eva never achieved great fame during her life, but after her death, her music lived on and reached the top of the charts in UK and was a best seller on Amazon for a while. Once you hear her music, you’ll understand.

The New York Times described her as a “silken soprano voice with a wide and seemingly effortless range, unerring pitch and a gift for phrasing that at times was heart-stoppingly eloquent.”

In learning more about her, I find her so inspiring. Her pursuit was simply to do the best at her art, which was her music. She was not seeking fame or fortune really. She simply made the world a more beautiful place.

I encourage you to listen to her rendition of “Over the Rainbow” (below). It’s like her spirit somehow reaches into us and lifts us to where we are almost touching heaven.

It is such a tragedy to see such a life cut short by cancer. But I am just struck by how much she is living on through her gift of music that she gave us.

We as artists, need to really appreciate that a part of us lives on through our art. I am so grateful for the artists who have impacted my life. Simply by experiencing the music of Eva Cassidy, my life is somehow “better”. I appreciate “life” a little more. I am reminded to be grateful for this brief time I have on earth.

Your art might have that effect on someone.

Share your art.

Sincerely,
Kevin Gourley
Fields of Gold

The Eva Cassidy Story

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Photography Tips, General Commentary

Take the Time to Just STOP Occasionally

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If you are out hiking on a trail, take the time to STOP and look around you. Hiking on a trail for exercise is different from hiking on a trail to photograph nature. Pause. Look around. Look up. Look down. Look behind you also.

You might totally miss something beautiful if you just keep pushing forward without stopping to LOOK. Especially on rocky rugged trails, it is easy to focus on where you are placing your foot in each step so you won’t fall. That means you really are not seeing the world around you.

That is one of the things I have loved about photography. It reminds me to slow down and appreciate the world around me.

There’s probably a good analogy here about life in general. We can sometimes expend all our energy focusing on just putting one foot in front of the other and totally miss the beauty in our lives.

Seriously, take the time to just STOP occasionally.

Happy Picture-Taking… and STOPPING,

Kevin Gourley

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Photography Tips, General Commentary

Liberate Your Art

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Sometimes I am asked if an image was edited with Adobe Photoshop. My answer is almost always yes, at least to some degree. To be well-rounded in your photographic skills these days, it is important to sharpen your camera skills, management of light, AND editing your images on the computer.

I work with all of my images using Adobe Lightroom, and then for some of those images, I take them a step further and use Adobe Photoshop to enhance them. I also use a variety of great plugins from companies like Topaz Labs, Google Nik Software, Alien Skin Software, and others.

In this photograph, I’ll break down the main sections where I edited the image using various tools. My model’s name is Vanessa. She was absolutely wonderful to work with.

Here are the areas that were modified from the original image.

First I tweaked the overall image light levels just a little bit in Adobe Lightroom. My camera exposure settings were pretty much perfect already, so I didn’t have to adjust the image very much.

A. In these areas, I made some Photoshop edits. I added the fake ball of light using the Photoshop Filter->Render->Lens Flare option. Then there was a clothes pin holding the fabric that I had to remove with the Photoshop Clone Stamp tool and the Healing Brush.

B. I did a little smoothing of her skin using Nik Color Efex Pro‘s Dynamic Skin Softener Tool.  Vanessa didn’t really need much smoothing because her complexion was already wonderful.

C. I used my Topaz Glow plugin from Topaz Labs just to enhance Vanessa’s hair and the fabric ever so slightly.  I also used Topaz Glow to modify the ball of light to have a more unusual look.

D. I dropped in a different background using Photoshop Layers and Layer Masks, just to further mix things up and just to give the photo a bit different look from the original studio shot.

Here is the original photo, as shot in my studio (note the clothes pin)
😉

There are an infinite number of options for how you might edit any photograph. This is really a lot of fun, once you learn how to use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop and explore some of the many plugins.

I encourage you to not get “stuck” in just one aspect of photography. Explore your creativity. Challenge yourself technically. Experiment with different lighting techniques.  Improve your photo editing skills. Dare to liberate yourself to create art, not just photographs.

Happy Photography

Kevin Gourley

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Events for Photographers, General Commentary

Houston Art Car Parade! April 8, 2017

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Want to do some fun photography this weekend?

Go to the Houston Art Car Parade on April 8th in downtown Houston!  It is a lot of fun.

You’ll see some pretty wild cars!  The parade is 2-4pm, but I encourage you to get there early.  You can stroll along the lineup of cars starting at 11am, visit with owners and take some fun photos of their creative works. Bring along a photographer friend, for a fun day-outing!

For more info, go to their website.  CLICK HERE

Happy Picture Taking!

Kevin Gourley

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