Author Archives: Michael Frye
City of Rocks Planned Revisit
Tomorrow morning The Wog (Paul Dennison) and I will venture to City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho. My first there was just several weeks ago and Paul’s first will be this trip. It will not be like the last venture I made into that area. We will be spending a full weekend there.
I am looking forward to this revisit. Why? There are a few reasons, but first is simply spending time out photographing with a buddy. Second is a desire to capture the golden and blue hours of the area. I was not able to do that on my last trip.
Finally, I am working on a project with my good friend and colleague Dave Seeram and the photographs from this visit will be used in it. It is important to have significant projects to work on in life. It is not that they give you full meaning in life, it is rather that they give deeper meaning.
It is going to be a great trip with great moments to make wonderful images. I will try to update everyone on Twitter and Facebook as we go. I hope you will take time and go do a little photography over the weekend. It might renew your spirit and soul in doing so.
Tweet you on the go soon, so look for it.
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Clamorate! What’s That?
Over the last months my good friend and all around fantastic Dude, Dave Seeram (PhotographyBB Online Magazine), has teased me in our weekly conference call with little mentions here and there of something fantastic that was in the works. Trust me when I say that I had no idea what he and Corwin Hiebert were up to, but when they announced the pre-release of their new product two weeks ago, I was blown away by what they presented. These two found an entrepreneurial itch that needed scratching.
It is called Clamorate and this, in a nutshell, is what it is all about. (From Clamorate! About Us)
“Being creative is hard work. Managing and marketing your creativity is hard work too. We know. We get it. And we’re here to help. We are raucous web community of creative freelancers, sole proprietors, and small business owners who want to live the dream! clamorate! delivers the inspiration and information you need to grow and manage your creative business. clamorate! is in the trenches and we’ve got an amazing roster of industry pros and subject matter experts here to deliver the goods (we’ve got peeps like chartered accountants, lawyers, agents, advertising executives, business coaches, and project managers to just name a few). Starting, managing, and growing your creative business is tough and clamorate! is here to help!”
My initial impression of Clamorate as I perused its sections came in the form of a thought, “It’s about time.” The site is full of great articles, tips, and practical advise on starting and/or maintaining your business. Topics are broken down for easy access making the site itself very functional.
E-books on entrepreneurial mechanisms, methods, and spirit are already available with more to come in the future. Clamorate! Magazine will soon be available to the subscriber. The Forums are up and running. There you can get assistance, make a suggestion, and interact with other entrepreneurs.
The truly amazing thing about all of this is the price to access this much needed product. It is only $10 per month or $89 per year if you purchase a yearly membership. These grant you access to the coming magazine for free, discounted e-books from industry leaders, and the Forums. Access to LIVE webcasts, Clamorate’s archives, and the Screen Cast Library are also included.
I trust those who have put this wonderful product together. They are individuals who know how to help you get started or maintain your business. I highly recommend that you get subscribe and then get involved with Clamorate! This could be there very thing you need to take that next step toward success.
CHECK IT OUT RIGHT NOW! Visit: Clamorate!
Apply Point and Shoot to Your Walls
Father’s Day it rained. It rained a lot. As evening approached the weather man said that the storm would began breaking apart producing scattered showers. That was my queue to get out and shoot.
There is an area of Utah that I have come to love for its beautiful scenery and with the storm beginning to wane I decided to revisit this area. Off I went with The Traveler. He carries me everywhere I want to go to find and make the photographs I want to.
Morgan, Utah was our destination. At least the area around Morgan. The weather man did not disappoint in his prediction of what the storm was going to do and the sky was perfect for the photographic venture I had in mind.
Evening light, shadows, and clouds can make for some very dramatic imagery especially after a storm clears the air of smog and “juck”. This was what I found when I arrived. Clear air and mountain views as far as your eyes could see.
I intentionally took only my Canon SD1400 IS (Digital ELPH point and shoot) and left my Digital SLR at home. I wanted to get in some practice with the little camera I carry on my hip everyday. I also wanted to see if I could make high quality images with it.
Composition played a major role in using the camera. Second to that was finding the right lighting. I waited at several stops for long minutes to allow the clouds and sun to move into the correct position for the shots I envisioned.
In the end I came away with some wonderful photographs proving something to me that I really had known all along. It is good to have the right equipment to do the right job. That equipment does not necessarily need cost thousands of dollars.
In my case the only equipment I needed for this venture cost less than $300 and is smaller than most smart phones. Still it did what I asked it to do and I found that my brain was the real tool in making the imagery I did. Knowing the rules for great image making was a real asset.
Some have said that “it is the photographer that makes the photograph and not the equipment”. I am inclined to agree with that most of the time. In the case of the Morgan, Utah area and me, as “photographer”, it applied fully I believe.
There is application in this for you too. It does not take an expensive camera or oodles of photographic equipment to make great images to put on your walls. It is you taking the time to learn how that inexpensive camera works and striving to understand how images are best made from those who have made them the best.
Why not get out and shoot when that next storm comes your way. Wait for it to subside and then utilize the morning or evening light. Allow the clouds to paint shadows on the scenery before you.
Shoot away at what you see no matter the camera you have in your hand. When finished, take your very best and hang it on your wall, so that others can see it and you can remember the thrill of being there in that time and place. Who knows? It just might turn out to be some of the most dramatic scenery you have ever captured.
The Edge 35: Remembering a Time
by: Tonya S. Winters
When I think of summer, I remember my hometown. Hometown for me is the place I grew up; a place I lived out most of my childhood adventures, my stomping grounds of many explorations. A place known as Corpus Christi, located in South Texas off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Summer reminds me of the warm, sunny days spent on the beaches of Padre Island. Memories swarm my thoughts of smells of the salty sea grass growing in the sand dunes, the feel of the warm sand squishing between my toes as I trample up along the sand dune hills exploring on one of my early childhood adventures! The joy of spending hours swimming in the warm, salty water and the endless sandcastle building with the sounds of the crashing waves just in the distance reminds of a time… a time of youth, a time to be carefree, a time of pure innocence!
My hometown is now the place that brings me joy as I share it with my children when we travel back home making new memories… some like the ones from when I can remember a time…the joys of summer!
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City of Rocks, Idaho
City of Rocks, Idaho is one of the most impressive places experienced by this individual. Granite edifices dotted over the landscape jut toward the sky creating what appears to be a literal city of rocks. The power that forced the creation of such a place is incomprehensible.
Now a National Reserve, named by James F. Wilkins in 1849, once served as a resting place for the pioneers who sought opportunity in California. Aside from the prominent granite edifices so prominent, are the names and dates of those who traveled here long ago. Found, is a registry of sorts. Their names and the dates of arrival to this “silent city” can be found in multiple locations through out the Reserve.
The nature sculpted beauty of the area is incredible. There are many features and attractions unique to this area located in southwestern corner of Idaho. Here are just a few.
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TWIN SISTERS
At south exit to the Reserve stands two huge granite features known as Twin Sisters. They are an impressive pair. They reside about a half mile from Pinnacle Pass where those on the California Trail departed the City of Rocks headed West.
The history found in the place is a seeker of the past’s paradise. A portion of the California Trail can be explored, as well as a section of the Boise-Kelton Stage Route. If you make your destination here, plan on spending several days just exploring its abundant trails rich in scenery and history.
ELEPHANT ROCK
One of the major attractions to the area is rock climbing. There are other things one can do here, but the primary activity is climbing and repelling the large structures scattered throughout the Reserve. Twin Sisters, above, is climbed and explored, but the main attraction for the climber is Elephant Rock.
To call this a “rock” requires one to appreciate just how much understatements in fact thrive in our sometimes sarcastic culture. It is gigantic. It is clear to even the casual observer why this “little” piece of the area might be attractive to the climber. However, do not believe for a moment that this area is for the amateur.
Climbs featuring edifices named Rabbit Rock, Morning Glory Spire, and Bread Loaves attract climbers from all over the world. Highly technical climbs to less technical exist and according to the National Park Service boast climbs that rival those in Yosemite National Park. So, if you are a rock climber, especially one interested in a piece of historical United States of America, then this place is absolutely for you.
PHOTOGRAPHY
There is room for the photographer as well. If you love dynamic landscapes and have a desire to make a few photographs to add to your portfolio this is certainly a place to do it. At your disposal are long sweeping vistas that provide layer after layer of differing foliage back dropped by impressive granite rock and pine covered mountains.
For those who seek a unique natural subject for their portfolio there are trees and foliage of various kinds that have made their way through the cracks and crevices of stone. They simply sit and wait for the image maker to pass their way. They scream, “LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!” as one passes by.
And of course, there are the climbers. They are a built in feature for those photographers seeking to display a little danger in action. They need no direction as models, because their poses are always perfect. You may have to wait just a little while to catch them at just the right moment though.
City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho is a place that would be well worth your time to visit. Whether you are looking for adventure, history, a unique experience in a unique place, or to simply make some photographs, the investment in travel time and expense would not be wasted. Consider it and then expect to be thoroughly impressed by what surrounds you when you arrive.
(Note: Information on City of Rocks National Reserve was collected from information provided by the National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. You can find more information on City of Rocks National Reserve at http://www.nps.gov/ciro.)
PhotographyBB Online Magazine
Be a Part of Photowalking Utah- Tulip Festival Photowalk April 18, 2012 Leah
- PhotoFocus Podcast
- Photofocus Podcast Episode 106 March 22, 2012 Scott Bourne
- PhotographyBB Feed
- eyePhone: The Controversial Discussion May 22, 2012 Dave
- David duChemin’s Within the Frame Podcast
- Within the Frame - Episode 20 October 15, 2009
- Digital Photo Experience
- Images and Memories of Logansport
- Franklin Family Portrait 1899 February 2, 2012 Ed Franklin
- ShewMen (Mike’s Other Blog)
- Toil January 1, 2011 Michael Frye
