May 3rd, 2010

For those of you following this Photo-a-Day blog, I've launched a brand new Portrait-a-Day challenge over here. Be sure to check it out and follow the new one!

April 9th, 2010

So my year long challenge is over . . . but I an not nearly finished! It's been an amazing year for me as far as my photography goes, having released more than a few books, been featured in a number of magazines and - the most impact on me - gotten involved in a few charitable events. I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride as much as I have . . . I'll be taking a month off from the Photo-a-Day blog . . . but then in May, I'll return with an even bigger challenge - a Portrait-a-Day blog I am calling Paul Michael Kane's FACES.

The End . . . for now!

April 8th, 2010

So I lied about there being one more camera phone image of the day before I wrap up this challenge tomorrow - and there's a good reason. It is astounding to me to see this shot and know that it was taken by a camera phone. So I am sitting in my office thinking about what I can put up today and I hear the heavy thump of the helicopter. I run up the stairs, snagging the first camera I see, my camera phone. Head out to the back deck and see this thing flying right over head - had to be maybe 300 feet off the ground. Snapped the shot and processed in-camera. Now the astounding part? Take a look at the blades! They are frozen - my little camera phone froze helicopter blades that have to moving in excess of over 1,500th of a second! Astounding! Last time I am going to say it on this blog - the best camera is the one you have with you!

April 7th, 2010

So warm outside . . . stunning! The buds are blooming everywhere. The color contrast is outstanding. I often get asked how I get my backgrounds so soft and out of focus and it's an easy task to accomplish. Simply set the smallest number on your lens as your f-stop - in this case I went with f/2.8

Captured with the Nikon 70-20mm VR at a 50th of a second at f/2.8. ISO is down at 100 for this shot.

April 6th, 2010

I've said it before and I maintain my position . . . I am a sucker for sunset shots. This is is one of those that I consider an epic sunset. The colors, the textures . . . just can't NOT shoot something like this. Again, the trick to getting colors that pop in a shot like this is to under expose or shoot with a higher shutter speed. When you process the image and bring back in the light, you'll be amazed at how much color you'll pull from the image!

Captured with the Sigma 10-20 at a 50th of a second at f/5.6. On Aperture Priority mode, the camera wanted me to shoot for a 6th of a second and would have given me a pretty washed out image. Switching to manual enabled me to hand hold the shot and achieve the color I was looking for! ISO is down to 100.

April 5th, 2010

Only four more images to go after this . . . and this may be the very last Camera Phone Image of the day . . . taking just before stepping inside my home office. The program I use for my Droid Eris is called FX Camera and processes the image for me. This particular effect is called "grung" and I like how it works with the clouds. The subjects themselves are great and I can't even believe I was able to capture them both as they soared past each other! Proving that the best camera indeed is the one you have with you!

April 4th, 2010

Happy Easter!! Captured this during Peyton's outdoor escapades with the family! It helps to have such a photogenic family! I did this run twice - once when she didn't know I was shooting and the other when I asked her to run towards me. Without fail, every time she knows the camera is taking pictures, she hams it up . . . this shot, she was unaware that I was taking the picture.

Captured with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at 5600th of a second at f/2.8. ISO is down at 100.

April 3rd, 2010

The marvelous weather continues as bird song awakens us in the morning . . . made sure there was some fresh bird seed provided and just waited for my subjects to arrive.

Captured with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at 250th of a second with an f-stop of f/5.6. ISO is down to 100. The trick to any wildlife photography is to get that little glint of light in their eyes - give the image a flash of life.

April 2nd, 2010

Spring has officially sprung here in Northern New Jersey . . . almost 70 degrees out there and it's simply beautiful!! Couldn't resist taking a shot of the buds finally sprouting . . . love the green pop of color against the otherwise brown backdrop.

Captured with the Nikon 70-200mm wide open at f/2.8. Shutter speed is set to 350th of a second with an ISO of 100.

April 1st, 2010

8 more days to go and I wrap up this Photo-a-Day challenge! This morning was a glorious morning. Fog rolling out, fabulous blue skies rolling in . . . couldn't pass up a little drive around town to see what I could shoot. Came upon this and knew I had a decent shot!

Captured with the Sigma 10-20mm - one of my favorite lenses! Shot at 125th of a second at f/8. ISO is set down to 100.

March 31st, 2010

So Peyton's class learned the old adage about March Weather - that being in like a lion, out like a lamb. That said, she also learned that sometimes old adages are not always correct. Take yesterday for example . . . more of the same biblical rain fall all day long. This is the constant drip just outside my office window, proving that at some point soon, I am going to have to head up to the roof and clean out some gutters!

Captured with the Sigma 70-300mm Macro shooting at 250th of a second with the flash mounted to the top of the camera. I shot at f/8 with an ISO of 100.

March 30th, 2010

So I am cooking dinner last night and my little 5-year old comes running, telling me my photo-a-day is out on the back deck. So - never one to doubt her - I grabbed the camera and raced to see what she was talking about and this little guy stuck around to get his picture taken. She was so cute about the whole thing, telling me to zooooooom way in.

Captured with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at 150th of a second at f/2.8. ISO is bumped up to 500 for this shot.