Bob Koblewski, Dan Weiss and guest visiting during pre-meeting social time; photo by Bill Brennan
Bill Brennan
James Cowlin, professional photographer from Oracle, Arizona, discussed Nature and Landscape Photography at the October meeting of DIGS, also known as the SaddleBrooke Photography Club.
The subject for Jim’s presentation was Photographing the National Parks Along U.S. 89.
Jim has a special passion for U.S. 89 as there are seven national parks, 14 national monuments, 150 cities and towns, plus state parks, museums and lots of interesting people, nature and landscapes to photograph along the route without having to exit a super highway. U.S. 89 starts at the Arizona-Mexico border and extends to the Canadian border.
U.S. 89 is the perfect slow road for photographers. There is time for photographs, coffee, pie, conversation and total immersion in the local and natural history that you discover along the way.
Tips: In addition to take the slow road, Jim gave DIGS members and guests three more tips for making a unique photograph:
1. Search continuously for the unique photograph. Making landscape photographs without horizons is an example; as virtually all landscape photographs have a horizon.
2. Don’t give up. He shared an example of how he made a unique, award winning photograph during an unexpected sleeting rainstorm.
3. Use different lighting. As an example, he suggested trying back lighting a saguaro at Saguaro National Park or back lighting a geyser at Yellowstone National.
In 2008 Jim converted his camera equipment from a Hasselblad medium format film set up to a Canon digital set up.
His camera bag contains a Canon 5D MKII plus several Canon lenses that range from wide angle to telephoto: 17-40; 24-105; 70-300; plus a tilt shift.
A Canon G12, an advanced point and shoot, serves his need to capture unique moments in time while he is walking about.
In addition to his professional photography, Jim teaches photography at his studio in Oracle, Arizona. Information about his workshops can be located at his website: www.JamesCowlin.com.
For more information about DIGS, SaddleBrooke’s photography club, visit the website www.digitalimaginggroupsouth.org or come to a meeting at 8:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month in the Coyote Room at the HOA1 Clubhouse.