Photowalking Utah

Studio Lighting Photowalk #5 - February 25, 2012

2012-02-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

By Rich Legg

(2011 Studio Lighting Photowalk - Photo by Dave Daniels)

5th Annual Studio Lighting Photowalk

Wow, has it been five years already?Again with a repeat of the past four year's most popular Photowalking Utah event, we will be doing an indoor "Studio Lighting" photowalk. The event will feature eight different studios set up within a large conference room. Participants will be able to walk to each setup photography station and try their hand at shooting. Models will be provided along with assistance from the host photographer at each station.

(2011 Studio Lighting Photowalk - Photo by Sawyer Pangborn)

Again this year we will be working to create a variation in the type of lighting setups provided. This will give the participants a way to work with a large variety of portrait lighting arrangements.I have arranged with several models to help us out. Just like the previous event, we are suggesting a $4-5 "tip" given that will be put in a pool and divided up among the models after the event. This is purely optional but it really helps to have dedicated models available for the photographers to shoot and this is a great way to compensate them for their time. I've got a pretty diverse group confirmed so far including different ages / genders / looks.

(2011 Studio Lighting Photowalk - Photo by Rich Legg)

For those photographers that aren't carrying around digital SLR's, don't worry. We will have a way to sync point-and-shoot cameras via slave to at least a couple of the setups. Everyone is welcome at these events regardless of skill or equipment. There will even be some higher end gear available to borrow.Here are the details:

Date: Saturday February 25thTime: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Gateway Community Church, 584 E 12300 South - Draper
Cost: Free (though a suggested model tip of $4-5 is appreciated)

If you're planning on attending, please drop an RSVP into the event announcement on the Photowalking Utah Facebook Group (link).

For any questions, please feel free to contact me at rich@leggnet.com or 801.568.1000.

January 21: Photowalking the Leonardo

2012-01-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

By Ann Torrence

The typical January weather forecast for Northern Utah is cold. Really cold. Like no fun photographing outdoors cold. Out of respect for January's chilly weather, Photowalking Utah likes to play indoors.

Join us this month at Utah's newest cool (yes, pun intended) place to hang out, The Leonardo - a science/tech/art museum located in Salt Lake City. Get your inner geek on and come make art out of science.

Details:

Who: Anyone is welcome. Photographers are encouraged to bring their family
When: Saturday, January 21 - 11:00 am
Where: The Leonardo - 209 E 500 South, Salt Lake City

The great people at the museum have extended a discount to Photowalking Utah. The admission cost will be $7.00 instead of the usual $14.00. To receive this price, you must enter with the group at 11:00 am (come early).

Tripods are perfectly acceptable, but please be mindful of those around you if you will be using one.

As always, this event is open to photographers of ANY skill level and with any type of camera. Head on over to the Photowalking Utah Facebook Group if you have any questions or would simply like to say that you are coming.

I hope to see a great group on the 21st.

Photowalking Utah Article in the Salt Lake Tribune

2011-12-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

The Salt Lake Tribune featured a nice article on Photowalking Utah in today's edition. You can read it here (link): New camera produces the same old bad photos? Go Photowalking Utah

Photowalking Utah - Christmas Lights at Temple Square 12.20.11

2011-12-05T11:02:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

Yes, it is time again for Photowalking Utah to make its annual trek to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to photograph the holiday lights on display. This will be the 5th year in a row to hold this event. It really doesn't seem that long ago that we heldå our first Holiday Light Photowalk.

This year's event will be held on Tuesday December 20th beginning at 7:00 pm. The group will meet at the statue located at Main Street and South Temple. From there we will venture onto the Temple Square grounds to photographically capture this year's wonderful lighting display.

It probably doesn't need to be said, but PLEASE dress WARMLY! Nothing can take the fun out of this event quicker than a frozen extremity. Tripods are also highly recommended. For those photographers who do not have a lot of experience taking nighttime photos, there will be several Photowalking Utah volunteers on hand to assist in capturing a great shot.

As always, there is absolutely no charge to participate in this event. Photographers of ANY skill level are invited to join in.

Head on over to the Photowalking Utah Facebook group if you have any questions or would simply like to say you're coming. I hope to see a great group on the 20th.

Fall Colors Workshop and Photowalk!

2011-10-22T14:10:00.000-06:00

Fall Foliage Workshop Photowalk!
Saturday Oct 29th from 3-5 pm

UPDATE:The workshop/photowalk will be held at the base of the Temple Quarry/Little Cottonwood trail at the mouth of Little Cottonwood canyon. There is a decent sized parking lot right at the base just off of Little Cottonwood road (on UT 209, just south of UT 209′s intersection with UT 210) that we can all meet at at 3:00pm. This spot is beautiful with lots of trees, color and great walking paths. People can email me at Stacy@stacymariephotography.com if they need directions or more info.

3-4 pm will be the ‘teaching’ portion with more time to wander and explore and take photos into the evening light. Stacy Nish from Draper will be leading the teaching session with a few other veteran Photowalking Utah people helping out as needed.

We will be touching on a few basic photography techniques such as lighting, angles and framing as they apply to landscape and portrait photography. People will also be given the opportunity to pair up and practice some portraiture using the techniques we'll go over in the workshop. But most of all it's just going to be a fun opportunity for photographers of all skill levels to come learn, network, and take photos of the beauty Utah has to offer during the fall season!

The workshop portion is being catered to beginners and we will be teaching natural light photography using a digital SLR, so if people are coming to learn, they'll be best off bringing a DSLR, otherwise bring any equipment you might have and want to use to capture the foliage.

Of course, anyone is welcome to join in and socialize and hang out with the rest of us. Even if just film cameras or point and shoots!

We’ll pick a spot in Salt Lake County in the coming few days as we watch the colors up on the hills. Watch this space for exact location details.

If you are on facebook, rsvp at:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=235107539875667

August 13th 8pm - Balloon glow Photowalk!

2011-08-12T11:52:00.000-06:00

August 13th - 8pm to 10pm!

Sandy City's annual balloon festival is THIS weekend. Saturday evening they have an amazing 'balloon' glow where they keep the balloons on the ground but light them all up once it's full dark. There's food and music and other things going on, plenty to keep us having fun.

details:
sandy.utah.gov/government/community-events/balloon-festiv...

MEET UP 8pm on the back-side of the Target building. The event itself is at the South Towne Promenade in front of Sandy City Hall, 175 West 10000 South. So we'll meet up on the east side under the big Target symbol on the backside of their building.

as an ADDED bonus, Sandy city is also running a photography contest of photos from the balloon festival. Let's enter! sandy.utah.gov/government/community-events/balloon-festiv...
1st Place: $75
2nd Place: $50
3rd Place: $25
Mayor's Choice: gift certificates

September: Photowalking with Nicolesy

2011-08-05T12:27:00.003-06:00

If you're in the neighborhood, join me for an evening photowalk in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, September 3rd. This is the last photowalk I'll be leading in Utah and I thought I'd be all sentimental and lead the same walk I led just over two years ago when I first moved to Utah. Here are the details:

Who: Anyone and everyone! All levels of photographers are welcome, from beginners to seasoned pros.
What: A photowalk! :)
Where: Downtown SLC, near the Exchange Plaza
When: Saturday, Sept 3rd at 6:30 PM
Meeting Location: Northeast corner of S Main St and W 400 S (map). We'll group up in between the buildings for a group photo and then start the walk.

Rumor has it that there might be a few giveaways at the start of the walk, too ... Brian Matiash, EDU manager at OnOne software will be at the walk (with software giveaways), and we'll have some Peachpit books as well! Hope to see you there!

Save the Date: September 3, 2011 Photowalk

2011-07-19T13:36:00.003-06:00

Nicole Young will be leading a photowalk on September 3rd, location and time to be determined. This will be her last photowalk while in Utah before she moves to Seattle. So ... save the date! Hope to see you there.

Announcing: Salt City 50, 2011

2011-06-06T19:51:00.002-06:00

Salt City 50, 2011

Salt City Fifty announces a photographic exhibition at Slug Magazine’s Craft Lake City on August 13th at the Gallivan Center. Submissions are now open! Last year brought out all sorts of photos from photographers in Utah with a marvelous exhibition of the winners. A gallery of last year's winners can be found on the SaltCity50.com website here.

Full details can be found on the recent post at http://www.saltcity50.com/2011/06/city-call-for-entries/

The Smartphone, Cell Phone & Point ‘n Shoot Photowalk

2011-06-04T21:00:00.002-06:00

Photo from last year's Worldwide Photowalk, taken with an iPhone 3G.

The Smartphone, Cell Phone & Point ‘n Shoot Photowalk
June 18th, 20011 : 9am

Saturday, June 18th 2011 at 9:00am, we will meet at Historic Wheeler Farm for a smartphone, cell phone and point ‘n shoot photowalk. The objective is to make beautiful images, challenge ourselves, share our work and have a lot of fun. Wheeler Farm has a lot of room for photographers to wander with a variety of things to shoot such as animals, rivers, creeks, foliage, farm equipment, textured barns and of course each other.

The idea is to break away from our Digital SLRs and get us thinking about composition, light, deep depths of field and proving that beautiful images can be made without expensive equipment.

There may be times when you are not allowed to bring your Digital SLR into an event or location, yet you would still like to capture the moment. This is one way you can break out and learn to still get the shot without your DSLR. As the old adage goes: “The best camera is the one you have with you.” - unknown

For additional fun, if possible, try: editing your images in camera or on your phone. You could also bring other sources of light to illuminate or shadow your subject, such as a reflector disc.

Example images:
http://www.mobypicture.com/user/youtah/view/9531955

Wheeler Farm has a *suggested* donation of $10 for photography and their offices open at 9am. We will gather by the main building (park in the South Parking lot) and create a list of photographers to make checking in easier for them. We will accept the donation or you can drop it off at the office. We’ll do the group photo, chat a bit, and then start heading out around the farm. A map of the farm can be found at:

http://www.wheelerfarm.com/map/mapOfFarm.html

A few other useful links:

Camera phone tips:
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2008/12/5-tips-for-making-great-iphone-photos/

iPhone as Art portfolio from Chase Jarvis:
http://www.chasejarvis.com/#mi=2&pt=1π=10000&s=0&p=5&a=0&at=0

Please check out the Flickr page for photos after the event and indicate if you are coming on the Facebook event page:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc/discuss/72157626762244755/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189579481092585

UVU Car Show Photowalk

2011-05-13T10:41:00.003-06:00

(image courtesy BW Jones - Jonesblog)

UVU Car Show Photowalk: May 216:30am

We have permission to do an exciting Photowalk at the upcoming Thanksgiving Point Car Show/Swap Meet on SATURDAY MAY 21st. We will be meeting up at 6:30am, so this is a Photowalk built for the early risers. Over 700 cars and motorcycles were at last year’s show, so we will have a large number of opportunities to photograph unique cars in this setting.

COST: The car show is $5 (goes to scholarships) and the swap meet is free. Kids age 5 and under are free. The swap meet is a good alternative for anyone who doesn't want to pay as it has some cool "found" items to photograph.

WHAT: Utah Valley University hosts their 24th annual Auto Expo and Swap meet. The Auto Expo is among the largest car shows in Utah and includes local car clubs and unique private collections. All proceeds from the event will be donated to scholarships for auto, diesel and collision repair students at Utah Valley University.

In addition to the spectacular cars on display is the largest automotive SWAP MEET in Utah, which draws in people from all over the northwest. All proceeds from the event will be donated to scholarships for auto, diesel and collision repair students at UVU.

http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/calendar/events/UVUcarshow/index.html

http://www.uvu.edu/autoexpo/

WHEN: 6:30am! Why so early? Both to avoid crowds and to get the best light for cars that often are high gloss and chrome and can catch a lot of glare from the sun.

WHERE: We will meet up outside the gates to Electric Park. You can find the Thanksgiving Point map at:

http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/images/2010propertymap.jpg

Directions to Thanksgiving Point can be found at:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=thanksgiving+point&aq=&sll=40.44146,-111.896653&sspn=0.022994,0.038495&ie=UTF8&hq=thanksgiving+point&hnear=&ll=40.432151,-111.881847&spn=0.02218,0.038495&z=15&iwloc=C

Please let us know if you are going at our Flickr group or on the Facebook event page at:

https://www.facebook.com/?sk=events&ap=1#!/event.php?eid=171577319565906

http://www.flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc/discuss/72157626584351117/

See you there!

4th Annual Studio Photowalk Wrap Up!

2011-04-20T15:06:00.008-06:00

An amazing time was had by all at the 4th annual Studio Photowalk last month. A collection of photos can be found at our Flickr group at http://www.flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc/ - please do check them out and post any you wish to share.

An excellent video showing the set-ups was taken by Cody Sims:

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/16307786_qHqwF#1225954356_v6fk2-M-LB
Video by @codysims taken with a Sony A55, Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 fisheye

A literal ‘overview’ by Sawyer Pangborn was done with time lapse in the main room, found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr92sa2fkRQ
Taken with a Nikon D200, Tokina 12-24mm, 45 Second Intervalometer.
By Sawyer Pangborn http://anesticreative.com/

A HUGE thanks to Pictureline (http://www.pictureline.com) for the loan of the ProFoto lights used in one of our set ups.

Enjoy and see you all at the next photowalk!

Save the Date: 04.30.11 Photo Scavenger Hunt

2011-03-27T18:35:00.014-06:00

By Ryan Romeike

Image © iStockphoto / Sean Locke

The April Photowalking Utah outing is here, and this year it's a Photo Scavenger Hunt!

When: Saturday April 30th 2011 beginning at 6pm

Where: Provo area to start and ending at the Utah County Photo Co-op

START: Pioneer Park at US 89 and Center Street in Provo. You can park at the park itself along the street or in the Albertsons across the street. Also if you prearrange it with friends, you can meet up at co-op beforehand and carpool to the park in Provo. Map link: http://bit.ly/gRIllr
END: Utah County Co-Op at 122 N 1800 W Lindon, out by the Animal Shelter near the freeway if you are familiar with the area. Here's a map link: http://bit.ly/fIq9Zr

This event will be a blast for photographers of all skill levels and ages.

Upon arriving, the photowalkers will split up into teams of two or more (no worries if you come alone, we will help you find a team) and each be given a list with certain "items" they will need to find and photograph. Some items might be very specific (chrome on a car) while others may be open to more of your own creative interpretation (spooky, funny, etc.).

After the event the photowalkers will head over to the Utah County Photo Co-op (located in Lindon) for a "show & tell" where they will upload the photos and project them on a screen for all to share. While viewing the evening's photographs they can hang out, mingle and have a great time getting to know each other more.

Unlike many photowalks that are somewhat "solo" in nature, this will be a great chance to team up and be a bit more social.

More details will be made as the date approaches and plans are finalized. We are planning to meet in downtown Provo to start.

If you're planning on attending or have any questions, head over to the Flickr Discussion and chime in (link).

As always, Photowalking Utah events are free of charge and open to photographers of all skill levels. Follow @photowalkingUT on Twitter to keep up with the latest updates.

Photowalk Wrap-Up: Sunset and Light Painting

2011-02-24T11:48:00.017-07:00

ISO: 100, 40 mm f/8.0 12.0 Sec

Photowalk Sunset and Light Painting - Black Rock:

blog entry by Wes Bowling: Amateur Photographer

Last Saturday I attended the Photowalk Sunset and Light Painting event at Black Rock. It was the first time I had shot at dusk or night. The event was a great opportunity to test my recent purchase of a Canon 24-105 f4 L lens. Reading the how to prepare guide on the Photowalking Utah website, I made sure to be prepared for the weather to keep warm and most importantly to protect my camera.

A nice touch was having the host at the entrance to Black Rock to make sure everyone made it to the right area. Although it was overcast, there were plenty of light for late afternoon shooting and plenty of subjects. I am still puzzled about the number of butter knives I found in the lake bed... When it was finally time to photograph the light painting, I was a little worried because I had only read how it was done. I quickly realized the reason for group activity and asked a few photographers with experience about their camera settings, and then I blended what I had read with the shared knowledge.

ISO: 100, 24 mm f/4.0 1/100 Sec

Paul Dennision and Scott Stringham did a great job of hosting and facilitating the event by forfeiting taking photos themselves. They both spent the evening conducting the actual light painting allowing everyone else the opportunity to take great shots. They were continually communicating with the group as the weather changed to make sure everyone's camera gear was protected from elements and wind.

Another benefit for me was meeting other photographers. Since the event, I have seven new contacts through Facebook. Those contacts have provided feedback on my photos from a photographer’s perspective rather than relying on friends and family.

ISO: 100, 28 mm f/4.0 1/50 Sec

Photowalking Utah has done a fantastic job of coordinating events where amateur and professional photographers can meet to share ideas that help everyone improve their skills in photography. No matter what type of camera you own, make a point to attend as many of these events as possible to build your knowledge and to just have a good time with fellow photographer enthusiasts.

ISO: 100, 32 mm f/8.0 49.0 Sec

Studio Lighting Photowalk #4: March 19, 2011

2011-02-23T09:46:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

4th Annual Studio Lighting Photowalk

In a repeat of the past three year's most popular Photowalking Utah event, we will again be doing an indoor "Studio Lighting" photowalk. The event will feature eight different studios set up within a large conference room. Participants will be able to walk to each setup photography station and try their hand at shooting. Models will be provided along with assistance from the host photographer at each station.

Again this year we will be working to create a variation in the type of lighting setups provided. This will give the participants a way to work with a large variety of portrait lighting arrangements.

I have arranged with several models to help us out. Just like the previous event, we are suggesting a $3-5 "tip" given that will be put in a pool and divided up among the models after the event. This is purely optional but it really helps to have dedicated models available for the photographers to shoot and this is a great way to compensate them for their time. I've got a pretty diverse group confirmed so far including different ages / genders / looks.

For those photographers that aren't carrying around digital SLR's, don't worry. We will have a way to sync point-and-shoot cameras via slave to at least a couple of the setups. Everyone is welcome at these events regardless of skill or equipment. There will even be some higher end gear available to borrow.

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday March 19th
Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Gateway Community Church, 584 E 12300 South - Draper
Cost: Free (though a suggested model tip of $3-5 is appreciated)

If you're planning on attending, please drop an RSVP into the ongoing discussion thread on the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group (link).

To learn more about this popular outing, here is a great video recap that our friend Jeremy Hall did of last year's event:

For any questions, please feel free to contact me at rich@leggnet.com or 801.568.1000.

A special Event: Color Calibration Workshop

2011-02-06T15:27:00.008-07:00

Color Calibration Workshop

Getting it right from shoot to print

When: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Where: Utah County Studio Co-Op (122 N 1800 W #8, Lindon)

Who: Any photographer who would like to learn more about color accuracy/calibration as a part of their workflow

Continuing the effort of Photowalking Utah to offer great educational events along with the fun 'walks, we are happy to announce a joint meetup with the Utah County SMUG, focused on helping you better understand and implement color accuracy in your workflow. Here's a bit more about the event:

Get the scoop on getting your colors right, from the very start when you shoot, through your workflow and to the final print. Local guru (he loves it when we call him that) Pete Stott will show us a variety of methods for calibration, including some of the latest products he uses from X-Rite.

We will meet at the Utah County Studio Co-Op facility, which will be set up in a classroom format for this presentation. We will leave one of the shoot stalls set up for hands on practice with the lights and calibration tools for those interested.

We are currently contacting X-Rite and some other vendors to see if they can provide us with demos of their products to try out on site. We will update with more info if we get some goodies to try out.

Anyone is welcome to join us - SmugMug is kindly sponsoring the event as one of their "SMUG" meetups, but all photographers are invited to come (you do not need to be a SmugMug user!) If you have wondered about how to get better color accuracy from in your photos, or if you want to share your methods as well, then this night is for you!

You can RSVP over on the Meetup page, or on the Photowalking Utah Flickr discussion page so we can plan for seating and treats.

Photowalk Sunset and Light Painting

2011-02-03T22:12:00.001-07:00

Come join us for some sunset shots and Light Painting out on the Great Salt Lake. We will be meeting at Black Rock (the lone rock just west of the Salt Lake Marina) at 4:30 p.m. on February 19th. The gates to the Marina road close at 5 p.m. so try not to be late or if you know you will be, make arangements for someone to wait for you on the other side of the gate. The gate has a censor so it will open to let us out. If you have always wanted to learn a bit about long exposures, this is an event not to miss. There will be lots of knowledgable people there to help with any questions you may have.

Here is a list of things you will want to bring with you if possible.

1. Warm Clothing. It is still winter and it does get cold once that light goes down.

2. Tripod. any kind of tripod will help hold your camera still. If you dont have a tripod, bring a small bean bag or pillowcase with rice. Something to set your camera on.

3. Trigger. If you have a trigger, you will want to bring it. If not, most cameras will have a shutter setting for around 30 seconds.

4. Anything and everything that makes lights. Flash lights, battery powered christmas lights, laser pointers, borrow your son's light sword, your daughter's fairy princess wand, blinking bicycle lights, steel wool, matches, etc.

5. Your creativity and imagination.

Directions:
I-80 West
Exit 104 Saltair Dr
Turn Right off the freeway
Turn Left at the stop sign
Take the dirt road to the left where the road curves to the Marina.
Follow that road to the Rock

Here is a link to Google Maps for getting to Black Rock from downtown Salt Lake.

For more discussion, see the Flickr group discussion.

Moonlight Snowshoe Photowalk

2011-01-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

January 15th 5pm

For this month's photo walk we will be doing a moonlight snowshoe walk. We will be doing this at Little Cottonwood Canyon. We will be walking the Little Cottonwood Canyon Trail. We will be meeting at the big park and ride at the bottom of the canyon and walking across the street to the trail. The trail head is the Temple Quarry Trailhead.

Things to bring; A camera (SLR, point and shoot, whatever you have), a tripod, warm clothes, warm boots, and light painting materials such as headlamps, flash lights and glow sticks.

Snowshoes or cross-country skis are both used in the canyon, but some people get by with just sturdy winter shoes. Warm clothes, layers, all the usual winter gear is advisable.
Ann blogged about some Winter weather Photo Tips.

Any Questions feel free to post it at the Flickr discussion page.

Photowalking Temple Square

2010-12-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to last week's Temple Square photowalk. Have a great Holiday season and a prosperous 2011!

Holiday Photowalk at Temple Square - December 16, 2010

2010-12-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

It is time again for Photowalking Utah to make its annual trek to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to photograph the holiday lights on display. This will be the 4th year in a row to hold this event. It really doesn't seem that long ago that we held our first Holiday Light Photowalk.

This year's event will be held on Thursday December 16th beginning at 7:00 pm. The group will meet at the statue located at Main Street and South Temple. From there we will venture onto the Temple Square grounds to photographically capture this year's wonderful lighting display.

It probably doesn't need to be said, but PLEASE dress WARMLY! Nothing can take the fun out of this event quicker than a frozen extremity. Tripods are also highly recommended. For those photographers who do not have a lot of experience taking nighttime photos, there will be several Photowalking Utah volunteers on hand to assist in capturing a great shot.

As always, there is absolutely no charge to participate in this event. Photographers of ANY skill level are invited to join in.

Head on over to the event discussion on the Photowalking Utah Flickr page if you have any questions or would simply like to say you're coming. I hope to see a great group on the 16th.

The 3rd Annual "Turkey Shoot" Photowalk

2010-11-11T17:50:00.003-07:00

By Nicole Young

Mark your calendar for this year's Thanksgiving Day Photowalk! We're going to head out into the streets of downtown Salt Lake City, starting at the Boston Building and working our way around the streets nearby. The streets are typically very empty on Thanksgiving night so it opens up opportunities for some fun shots.

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, November 25th
TIme: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: We will meet at the Boston Building in Salt Lake City. The address is 9 Exchange Place (between 300 and 400 South on Main Street)

There will also be a book giveaway at the start of the walk. Hope to see you there :)

For those coming or with questions, head on over the the Flickr discussion for this event: LINK

Film & Friends Photowalk in Park City - This Saturday!

2010-10-19T15:33:00.001-06:00

It's a bit short notice, but we've received the go-ahead for the "Film and Friends" photowalk this Saturday (October 23, 2010) in historic downtown Park City. The group will be meeting at 3:00 pm at Kimball Art Center before venturing out to capture the scenes on Park City's historic Main Street.

As a nod to our many photowalkers who have been dabbling in the use of film cameras lately, we are asking for participants who have a film camera to bring it along. Of course, digital only shooters are still welcome :)

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday October 23, 2010

Meeting Time: 3:00 pm

Meeting Location: Kimball Art Center, 638 Park Avenue, Park City (map)

So break out the 35mm camera from the attic and meet up with us this Saturday. I hope to see you there. For those planning on attending or with questions, head on over to the Flickr discussion (link).

Salt City 50 Photo Competition

2010-08-19T06:39:00.002-06:00

There are only two days left to enter! The new project, Salt City 50 is a non-profit group that puts on exhibitions of photographic prints. Our first show is coming up very quick, and will be held at the Gallivan Center September 10th in conjunction with Broadway & Opera Under the Stars. This first show is limited to Utah photographers, so this is your shot to have your work beautifully displayed before a large, sophisticated audience.

It works like this:

1. Photographers submit their work ($10 submission fee per photo).

2. Salt City 50 juries the show, has the work printed and mounted, and promotes the exhibition.

3. Photographers may price their prints for purchase. If a piece doesn’t sell, the photographer gets the print.

We have big plans for the future, and it all starts right now.

Deadline for submissions for our first show is 11:59pm Friday, August 20.

This has been reposted from Utah Photojournalism, Trenthead and Jonesblog.

Save the Date: 09.18.10 Sunset Valley Photowalk

2010-08-02T16:47:00.001-06:00

By Rich Legg

The details for the September 18, 2010 Photowalking Utah event have been finalized and it's going to be a great one. Not only will participants have the chance to capture some really cool sunset pictures from a unique vantage point, they will also get the opportunity to try out some camera equipment and share some pointers in a tips & tricks session beforehand.

The outing will begin with the tips/tricks discussion on Nighttime Photography at the Draper Pictureline store. From the store the group will make their way up Traverse Ridge to a location overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. Once at the overlook, we will spend an hour or so watching the sun go down and the city lights below come to life. This will be a great chance to capture some wonderful evening cityscape images.

As an added bonus, our friends at the Draper Pictureline store in conjunction with Olympus have arranged for us to have 10 Olympus E-PL1 "Live Drive" camera kits on hand to demo on the photowalk. These cameras feature the the Micro Four Thirds sensor which allow for the performance of a full-sized SLR camera in a body the size of a point-and-shoot. (Note: Since there will undoubtedly be more photographers than cameras available, we will ask those wanting to try one of the Olympus demo cameras to buddy up. Oh, and bring your own SD card to use.)

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, September 18, 2010
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 (ish) pm
Meeting Location: Pictureline Draper, 177 W 12300 South, Draper UT

As always, this events is open to photographers of any skill level and is free of charge. For those planning on attending, please head on over to the Flickr discussion group (LINK) and let us know you are coming.

I can't wait to see everyone on September 18th and to try out one of the cool little Olympus cameras. Let's keep our fingers crossed for nice weather :)

Save the date: August 7th: Hellfire

2010-07-27T10:32:00.004-06:00

By Harley Pebley

Saturday, August 7th, we're heading out to the Salt Flats for Hellfire 15. This is an annual, multi-day event sponsored by the Utah Rocket Club where they fire off high-powered rockets. The first couple days are closed to spectators due to safety regulations working with experimental motors, but Saturday they use certified motors and open it up to the public. It's a bit of a drive and can be hot, but there's stuff here you won't find anywhere else.

The range is open 8am to 4pm. I will get there about 8am to stake out an observation area and setup some shade. I'll probably stay mid-afternoon. Feel free to show up anytime, but morning is better. People try to get the first firing of their rockets in before noon, both for temperature and wind reasons. So, the hours between 9am and 12noon have the most activity. After noon, things slow down a bit. We'll probably take a group photo between 9:00 and 9:30.

Besides your normal photography gear, be sure to bring lots of fluids, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses and a hat. If you're going to be staying for an extended time, you may want to bring snacks and/or lunch too. I'll have an awning setup for shade, a cooler to store things in and a couple chairs. You may want to bring your own chairs, just in case.

To get there, head west on I-80 until exit 4 just before Wendover. Turn right off the freeway and then right again a little ways down the road. When the road ends, follow the cones on the salt leading to the firing range.

Plan on spending $10 and 30 minutes at the car wash when you get home. You don't want to leave that salt on your vehicle.

Comments and discussion on this Flickr thread. If you want to meet others somewhere to carpool, post your interest on the thread and self-organize.

Update: I found an online ride sharing coordination site at RideShare.us. I've never used this site before but created an event for us to experiment with. The link just mentioned should take you to it. If you go in through their main page, you need to enter lookup code "pwuhellfire15" (without the quotes). After registering, you can post ads to ride and/or drive and find others in your area. We'll see how well this works.

Here are some more of my images from two years ago.

Ten Tips for Photowalking

2010-07-23T12:35:00.000-06:00

By Nicole Young

Photowalking is a fun way to socialize and get some awesome photos in the process. Here are some quick tips to help you out, especially if it is your first photowalk.

1. Know what to expect

Take a look at the photowalk's info before you arrive so you know what you will be doing. Take note of the meeting location, route, time, etc. Some even have meet-ups after the event and it's good to know all of this info in case you get separated from the main group during the walk.

2. Get the group photo right away!

If you're leading a walk make sure you get the group photo before you start walking! People spread out and leave early, so if you get it right away then you won't have to chase people down or miss out on the group shot altogether.

3. Keep yourself safe & comfortable

A photowalk typically involves walking and moving around (yes, it's true). Be sure to wear comfortable shoes so your feet stay happy. It's also a good idea to bring or wear sunscreen if it's a sunny day, wear appropriate clothing and bring a good water bottle if you think you'll get thirsty. Most photowalks don't provide these things for you so you're on your own ... just know your needs and be prepared.

4. Any camera is fine!

Photowalks are not just for "photographers" ... these events are for anyone with a camera! You don't need to be a "professional" with a huge SLR to attend a photowalk. Bring any camera you have, even if it's the camera on your phone. :)

5. Minimize your gear

Now, this is just a personal preference, but I like to usually bring only one camera and one lens. Sometimes I'll carry around a few small lenses, but I don't tend to bring my entire camera bag. I do see some people toting around a lot of gear and there's nothing wrong with that, but if the walking distance is pretty far then all that gear can really weigh a person down. Plus it's fun to be challenged creatively to only shoot with one lens.

6. Don't be shy!

A photowalk is not just about the photos, it's about meeting up with friends and making new ones. I sometimes get so wrapped up in the people aspect that I forget I'm there to take photos. :)

7. Stay with the group

Photowalks, especially big ones, will mean that there are a lot of people heading in the same direction and should end up at the same place in the end. The groups usually spread out, but it's a good idea to stay near the main group or at least be sure you are with a few other people and not out on your own. Safety is always the top priority in any photowalk, and there's always much more safety in numbers.

8. Take lots of photos

Photography is of course the main reason for the get-together. It's up to you to snap away ... the majority of photowalks are not training events. You will mostly just walk around and take photos of whatever you like. A fun way to find things to photograph is to give yourself a theme, and then try and find things that fit the theme.

9. Share your photos

After the walk it's always fun to see everyone's photos. A photo site like Flickr is a great place to share the pictures from the walk ... just create (or join) a Flickr Group where all the 'walkers can post their photos. Groups like these are also great places to share information on upcoming photowalk events.

10. Have fun!

This is pretty self-explanatory, but the whole point of a photowalk is to have fun doing what many of us love ... photography! Try not to take it too seriously and just go with the flow.

See also: How to Prepare for a Photowalk

Worldwide Photowalk - Salt Lake City Edition 07.24.10

2010-07-16T23:06:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: The "official" event is full, but anyone is welcome to attend.

The Salt Lake City edition of the Worldwide Photowalk site is posted. There are only 50 "official" sign-up spots for this walk ... click on the link below to sign up!

http://worldwidephotowalk.com/walk/salt-lake-city-ut-usa-city-creek-park/

Date: July 24, 2010

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Meeting Location: South-West corner of City Creek Park, at State Street and North Temple.

We will be walking North to Memory Grove Park, then up the stairs to the Capitol building. Then we'll head South down State Street back towards the park. There should be a variety of subjects to photograph and we'll have the evening sun to light the way.

Note: If the walk fills up and you don't make the list then don't worry, you can still come along and join the group. You won't be eligible to enter the photo contest after the walk but we won't turn anyone away that shows up to just hang out and enjoy the photo walk. :)

Save the Date: Photowalking the Tour de Cure 06.12.10

2010-05-27T18:20:00.000-06:00

By Ed Paz

Photowalking Utah has teamed up with the Utah Chapter of the American Diabetes Association for a unique Photowalk on June 12, 2010 in Brigham City, Utah. The group has been asked to capture images of the 2010 TOUR de CURE cycling event and its many participants. This is a great way for us as photographers to help 'give back' to a great cause through our photography and get some experience photographing a sporting event. Here are the details:

Date: June 12, 2010

Time: 8:30 am - completion (~ noon)

Where: Start Location: Rees Pioneer Park in Brigham City

We will be meeting at the morning time to begin capturing our great images. The bicycle route is well marked and we will be following the participants on it. We would also ask that we please car pool as much as possible. There is going to be many stations along the bike race, and we need to make sure that we don’t become a safety issue for the riders.

For more information or to let us know you are coming, head over to the Flickr discussion for this event by clicking here. I hope to see you on the 12th.

Save the date: Ladies' Special Photowalk

2010-05-25T10:36:00.001-06:00

Photographer Bob Bauer has agreed to allow us to have a Photowalk in his 1/2 acre rose garden a week from Saturday. We get access before the Utah Rose Society!

Bob has landscaped his entire lot in rose beds with lots of paths, so fitting in even 50 shooters with tripods won't be a problem.

Location: 880 West 200 South, Salt Lake City (NE corner of (9th West and 200 South)
Date: Saturday, June 5
Time: 9:00 am

Leave a comment in the Flickr discussion if you plan to attend.

O-Town Photowalk Recap

2010-04-06T12:20:00.000-06:00

by Shaun Nelson

Whenever you read the words, “Save the date,” on PhotowalkingUtah.com, you know that something fun has been prepared for the Northern Utah photo community. The photowalk on Mach 27th brought out 60 photographers to the historic Union Station and 25th Street area of downtown Ogden. It was exciting to see that half of the photographers who came were participating in their very first photowalk. Some of the youngest photowalkers were toddlers in strollers and kids with point and shoots cameras.

The 25th Street area of Ogden holds an important place in Utah history. It has a notorious reputation that has been the subject of books and movies. As a junction city in the early days of the railroad, the remnant sidewalks, brick walls and storefronts reveal stories and character that are perfect photographic subjects. From Willie Moore at Moore’s Barbershop to the strangers that emerged to smoke on the streets in front of bars, members of the group captured images that ranged from artistic to storytelling.

Special thanks: Dav.d for his HDR image of our group inside the Union Station and supporting members of the Ogden Camera Club.

Save the Date: Photowalking Utah & Walk MS - 04.24.10

2010-03-30T17:38:00.007-06:00

By Rich Legg

Photowalking Utah has teamed up with the Utah Chapter of the National MS Society for a unique photowalk on April 24th, 2010 in Salt Lake City. The group has been asked to capture images of the WALK 2010 (Twitter: @walkmsutah) event and its 4,000+ participants. This is a great way for us as photographers to help 'give back' to a great cause through our photography. Here are the details:

Date: April 24, 2010
Time: 8:30 am - complete (before noon)
Where: Meet in front of the Apple Store at the Gateway (10 South Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City)

The Photowalking Utah crew will meet up near the starting point of the walk. After some info and instructions on the day, we will fan out and take photos of the event. For anyone who has ever wanted to try out 'photojournalistic' type of shooting, this will be a great place to do so. After the event participating photographers will be asked to share any of their images that they would like with the local MS Chapter for it to use. It's worth noting that photos taken at this event in years past have been picked up by national publications.

As always, these events are free of charge and open to anyone regardless of your photographic skill or what kind of camera you have. For more information and/or to let us know you're coming, head on over to the event discussion at the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group.

I hope to see a good crowd on the 24th!

UPDATE

Paul Dennison will be heading a Photowalking Utah group to cover the Ogden MS Walk on the 10th. Here are the details:

Date: April 10th, 2010
When: 8:30 - Complete
Where: Lorin Farr Park 1691 Gramercy Avenue, Ogden, UT

Thanks for stepping up, Paul :)

More details on how you can contribute to the team's fundrasing effort.

Save the Date: March O-Town Photowalk 3.27.10

2010-03-09T09:23:00.004-07:00

This afternoon walk will be led by Shaun Nelson and will begin at the Ogden Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave, at 4:00 PM. The group will meet at the Union Station and walk East on the South side of 25th Street to Grant Ave. And then we will return to the Union Station on the North side of 25th Street. You’ll have the opportunity to photograph historic buildings, neon signs, alleys, and various storefronts. When we arrive back at the Union Station, you can catch the golden light on the steam locomotives and railroad displays. Recommended parking is the Union Station and surrounding parking lots. If you are traveling north from Salt Lake City, we recommend FrontRunner. A group pass for 4 people can be purchased for $12. Weather is expected to be in the mid to low 50’s. An optional post-photowalk dinner will be at La Ferrovia Ristorante on 25th Street. Come hang out and enjoy some great Italian food.

A map of the photowalk is located here.

Useful Links:

Ogden Union Station
UTA FrontRunner – SLC to Ogden (Saturday)
IG Films – Ogden – Junction City of the West
La Ferrovia Restorante

For those planning on attending please join in on the Flickr discussion group. Hope to see you there!

Last Night's Studio Lighting Clinic: WOW!

2010-02-12T13:44:00.004-07:00

By Rich Legg (cross-posted from LeggNet.com)

Image courtesy of Jeremy Hall

Last night's Photowalking Utah mini-clinic at the Salt Lake City Library was a huge success. I am constantly blown away by the popularity of these events and last night set a new high-water mark for attendance. Over 170 photographers attended the evening's discussion about Studio Lighting.

The mid-winter studio lighting photowalk has constantly been one of the most popular events since the group's beginning in 2007. I believe that it is the unfamiliarity that many amateur photographers have working with studio lighting that draws them to this event. Beginning in 2009, a mini-clinic with lighting/model instruction was held a few days before the Saturday photowalk to help familiarize the attendees with techniques that can be used when shooting with the lights.

Yesterday's event featured myself and two other photographers demonstrating techniques of working with a model and lights. Huge thanks go out to Dav.d Daniels and David Terry. These guys shared their knowledge and techniques to the eager audience in ways that were both education and humorous.

Based on last night's attendance, I believe it will be safe to say that there will be around 200 photographers at tomorrow's outing photographing the dozen+ models in the nine studio setups. It promises to be an exciting day.

Lastly, more HUGE thanks to our friends at Pictureline (and especially Nick, Jacob & Amy at the Draper location). They were kind enough to loan us the ProFoto lighting kit that was used in last night's demonstration. This same kit can be rented from the Draper location (801.572.2200) at a very reasonable day rate.

Have a great weekend. I can't wait to see many of you at tomorrow's photowalk. I'll be the guy hanging out by the trampoline studio setup :)

p.s. For those interested, here is the lighting setup that was used as a starting point for last night's demonstration:

Save the date: Millcreek moonlight photowalk (rescheduled)

2010-01-24T00:07:00.004-07:00

Please note: This event has been rescheduled due to predicted cloudy conditions. New date listed below.

Saturday, February 27th, is a full moon, and if the weather cooperates, Ann Torrence will organize a photowalk up Millcreek Canyon that evening.

The plan is to meet at a parking lot on the west side of Wasatch Drive between 3300 S and 3800 S at 7:30 pm to car pool up to the gate where the road is closed. We should be ready to depart the gate area by around 8:00 pm.

Snowshoes or cross-country skis are both used in the canyon, but some people get by with just sturdy winter shoes. Warm clothes, layers, all the usual winter gear is advisable. She blogged once about gearing up for winter photography.

Moonrise is at 5:24pm, by 8:00 it should be well over the mountains.

Leave a comment on discussion thread if you think you might attend.

Save the Dates: Two Studio Lighting Photowalking Utah Events

2010-01-13T16:41:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

The plans have been finalized for the February Photowalking Utah events and they are going to be great. Again this year we will be having two separate but related events. The theme is "Studio Lighting" and since it tends to be a bit cold this time of year in Northern Utah, both will be indoors.

FEBRUARY 11th - Mini Clinic

On the evening of Thursday February 11th, I will be facilitating a mini-clinic at the City Library in Salt Lake City. The theme of the clinic is "Posing and Lighting for Great Portraits". In the session, I will be demonstrating how to shoot portraits using various lighting techniques and get professional results. I will be using a model and shooting with a tethered camera so everyone can immediately see the results.

Date: Thursday February 11th
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Free

FEBRUARY 13th - 3rd Annual Studio Lighting Photowalk

In a repeat of the past two year's most popular Photowalking Utah events, we will again be doing an indoor "Studio Lighting" photowalk. The event will feature six different studios set up within a large conference room. Participants will be able to walk to each setup photography station and try their hand at shooting. Models will be provided along with assistance from the host photographer at each station.

This year we will be working to create a variation in the type of lighting setups provided. This will give the participants a way to work with a large variation of portrait lighting arrangements.

I have arranged with several models to help us out. Just like the previous event, we are suggesting a $3-5 "tip" given that will be put in a pool and divided up among the models after the event. This is purely optional but it really helps to have dedicated models available for the photographers to shoot and this is a great way to compensate them for their time. I've got a pretty diverse group confirmed so far including different ages / genders / looks.

For those photographers that aren't carrying around digital SLR's, don't worry. We will have a way to sync point-and-shoot cameras via slave to at least a couple of the setups. Everyone is welcome at these events regardless of skill or equipment. There will even be some higher end gear available to borrow.

Our friends at Pictureline have again donated a bunch of photography 'swag' to be used for door prizes at the "Pictureline Prize Table".

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday February 13th
Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Gateway Community Church, 584 E 12300 South - Draper
Cost: Free (though a suggested model tip of $3-5 is appreciated)

If you're planning on attending, please drop an RSVP into the ongoing discussion thread on the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group (link).

For any questions, please feel free to contact me at rich@leggnet.com or 801.568.1000.

Lensbaby Photowalk Video Recap

2009-12-16T15:08:00.006-07:00

By Nicole Young

Here is the final video from the Lensbaby Photowalk in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 7, 2009. Thanks to everyone who attended, and special thanks to both Pictureline and Lensbaby for making this event possible!

Video footage by Nicole Young, Jeremy Hall and Scott Jarvie. Music by Josh Woodward - "Memorized" from the album "The Simple Life"

Photowalking Utah Winter Clothing Drive

2009-12-11T12:17:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

This year Photowalking Utah has added something to our annual Temple Square Christmas event - a winter clothing drive.

At the event on December 17th we will be collecting winter clothing items (hats, coats, gloves, boots, etc.) in good condition. These items will be donated to The Road Home to help them in their service to those less fortunate.

If you are attending, please take a look through your closet ahead of time and see if there is anything you can donate. If you are unable to make the evening outing but would still like to drop off items to donate, we will be accepting them in the fourth floor conference room of the City Library between 6:15 and 7:00 pm on the 17th.

All items collected will be given to The Road Home on Saturday December 19th.

I know I speak for others as well when I say how blessed I feel to be a part of Photowalking Utah. Let's now take our group to the next level and help to bless others in their time of need.

For more details on the December 17th photowalk, click here.

Save the Date: Holiday Light Clinic & Photowalk 12.17.09

2009-12-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

It is time again for Photowalking Utah to make its annual trek to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to photograph the holiday lights on display. This year's event will again be in two parts. The first part will be a mini-clinic on taking low-light photos held at the Salt Lake City Library. When the one-hour clinic ends, the group will make their way to Temple Square to photograph the incredible holiday lights on display.

Here's the schedule:

December 17 - 6:30 to 9:00 pm

6:30 pm - Mini-clinic at the Salt Lake City Library (210 E 400 South) 4th floor conference room.

7:35 pm - Clinic concludes. Head downstairs to the TRAX station

7:50 pm - Ride the TRAX train (for free) to Temple Square

8:00 pm - Photography at Temple Square

This year we are adding a bit of giving to the December event. We will be collecting winter clothing to be donated to local organizations that help clothe those in need. Please bring any extra jackets, scarves, hats, etc. that are in good condition to the library. These will be collected and distributed to those less fortunate.

As always, there is absolutely no charge to participate in this event. Photographers of ANY skill level are invited to join in.

Head on over to the event discussion on the Photowalking Utah Flickr page if you have any questions or would simply like to say you're coming. I hope to see a great group on the 17th.

Recapping the Lensbaby Photowalk

2009-11-08T23:20:00.004-07:00

By Nicole S. Young

The first-ever (that I am aware of, at least) Lensbaby photowalk was a success! Over 60 photographers met up at Pictureline in downtown Salt Lake City, each with a Lensbaby to use for the photowalk (courtesy of both Lensbaby and Pictureline) and roamed around the block snapping photos. From what I could tell everyone was having a great time. I'm a big fan of the Lensbaby product and was really happy that others had a good chance to try one out for themselves.

A huge thanks go to both Jens and Nick at Pictureline for making all of the arrangements, and also to Lensbaby for supplying the demo lenses for all of the participants who needed to borrow one.

You can view photos from the event on the Photowalking Utah Flickr group (click here).

Save the date: 2nd Annual Turkey Shoot

2009-11-05T13:23:00.001-07:00

Come join us Thanksgiving evening to walk off some of those calories from earlier in the day and make pictures of a deserted downtown Salt Lake City night. Anyone with a camera is invited. Skill level is unimportant. Doesn't matter if you shoot a digital SLR, point and shoot, film camera, camera phone or whatever. Come on out, hang with other photographers and have a good time. We'll be outside, so watch the weather and dress appropriately.

Who: Anyone not comatose from Turkey
Date: November 26, 2009
Time: 7pm-??
Where: Gallivan Center by the Wells Fargo Building (Channel Two news studio), Main Street between 200 South and 300 South.

Further discussion can be found on this Flickr thread.

This is the intended route, subject to change based on whims of the moment:

(Click image for larger view.)

Save the Date: Scott Bourne Speaking at Pictureline 11.17.09

2009-10-21T17:20:00.000-06:00

By Rich Legg (reposted from LeggNet.com)

Earlier this month at Photoshop World, I was involved in a conversation with Scott Bourne and Nicole Young about a possible event featuring Scott in Salt Lake City. I am pleased to announce that we have finalized the details and are now taking sign-ups.

The event is scheduled for the evening of November 17th at Pictureline in Salt Lake City. The two hour session will begin with a short presentation (by me) on "Giving Back" before handing the microphone over to Scott for the remainder of the time. Scott will be showing his work and talking on the subject of "Previsualization". In addition, he will be giving a gear demo and displaying examples of his stunning wildlife photography.

Here are the details from the registration page at Pictureline.com:

"Scott Bourne is a digital media pioneer and has been involved in photography for more than three decades. He’s the author of four photo books including, 88 Secrets to Selling & Publishing Your Photography, Captivating Wildlife, with David Middleton, 88 Secrets to Photoshop for Photographers, and 88 Secrets to Wildlife Photography with Rod Barbee. Scott’s also authored three photography-related titles for Lynda.com.

His website, www.photofocus.com, is a widely used resource in the photographic industry.

Scott has led workshops and seminars for, Palm Beach Photographic Center, Cooperative Communicators of America, WPPA, The Professional Photographers of America, Seattle Art Center, and Olympic Mountain School of Photography. He holds the designation Apple Certified Professional Trainer (T3) for Apple’s Aperture. He’s also previously held the designation Certified Adobe Photoshop Instructor.

Scott is a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA.) To see Scott’s bird portfolio or his general wildlife portfolio go to http://www.avianstock.com or http://www.photodiary.com.

Come to pictureline and listen to Scott's presentation on pre-visualization and the impact that it has had on his life in the photo world. We are thrilled to have him speaking to us and look forward to having the great Salt Lake photo community in attendance. Reserve your seat today and receive a gift card of equal value when you attend the seminar."

There is a $10 cost for the event, but as a great gesture of support Pictureline will be giving each attendee a $10 Pictureline Gift Card.

Space is limited, so I recommend signing up early. To view the registration page and reserve your seat, CLICK HERE.

I hope to see a great group of photographers on the 17th!

IPPA - Free Tradeshow Ticket

2009-10-21T13:17:00.003-06:00

The I.P.P.A. (Intermountain Professional Photographers of America) is having their annual convention next week at the Davis County Convention Center. Along with the convention is the annual trade show. If you'd like to attend, click on the above image to print out a ticket for a free admission. Additionally they are offering a two-for-one special for membership. To receive the special, click here.

For more information, visit the I.P.P.A. website at intermountainppa.com.

Old Greek Town SLC Photowalk Recap

2009-10-19T15:07:00.001-06:00

By Nicole Young

This past weekend we had a really great turnout at the Photowalking Utah "Old Greek Town" photowalk. More than 50 photographers showed up and, after a risky group photo (video here, thanks to Jeremy Hall!), we made our way through the streets of downtown Salt Lake during the beautiful "golden hour" of the evening.

I'm always surprised at how many new faces we see at each event! It really solidifies the fact that Utah has an amazing photographic community, and I'm very proud to be a part of it. For me the "photography" aspect of the get-together is just an excuse to hang out with a great group of people. ;) It's also really neat to talk to the passers-by asking about the group and what we are doing ... I guess that's what happens when several dozen photographers go walking down a sidewalk together!

To see photos from the walk and view upcoming events go to the "Photowalking Utah" Flickr group.

Save the Date: Lensbaby Photowalk Salt Lake City

2009-10-06T12:01:00.002-06:00

By Rich Legg

Have you ever seen a photographer shooting with a little bendy lens on their camera? Maybe you even were bold enough to ask them what it was and you heard the name Lensbaby. Now is your chance to get to use one.

The Lensbaby is a special effect SLR lens that creates a unique out-of-focus area (bokeh) with a focus area that can be moved throughout the image. The above image on Nicolesy was taken using a Lensbaby.

Photowalking Utah, in conjunction with Lensbaby and Pictureline, is hosting a Lensbaby Photowalk on November 7th in Salt Lake City. At the event we will have over 20 samples of the product (Canon, Nikon & Olympus mount) for participants to use.

The outing will be led by Pictureline's own Nick Gilson. Here is the schedule:

November 7th, 2009 - Pictureline SLC, 305 W 700 South

1:15 - 1:30 pm Meet at Pictureline (Salt Lake CIty)
1:30 - 2:00 pm Lensbaby orientation and how-to session
2:00 - 3:30 pm Photowalk starting/ending at Pictureline
4:00 - 5:30 pm Optional Dinner at Charlie Chow's (255 E. 400 South)

As always, these events are free of charge for photographers to participate in. We can't take any responsibility though if you fall in love with the Lensbaby and end up buying one :)

If you are planning on attending (or have any questions), please head over to the Photowalking Utah Flickr group by clicking here and let us know.

I'm really excited about this event and hope to see many of you there.

Save the Date: Old Greek Town (SLC) Photowalk

2009-09-22T15:40:00.003-06:00

By Nicole S. Young

Photographer Ann Torrence on a recent Salt Lake City Photowalk. (image © Nicole Young)

The next Photowalking Utah event will be a walk around the Old Greek Town area of downtown Salt Lake City on October 17 @ 6:00 pm led by Nicole Young (that's me!). The Old Greek Town area is just Southwest of "The Gateway" shopping district along the Trax line on 200 South.

This will be an evening photowalk to catch the "golden hour" of the day, and we will be photographing urban decay, older buildings, your fellow photographers, etc.

The event is free of charge and open to all photographers, regardless of skill level. We frequently have people bring point and shoots, SLRs, and even camera phones.

Location: Old Greek Town Trax Station (550 W. 200 South)
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Cost: Free!

Parking in this are is limited so consider riding Trax to the photowalk. I will be riding from the Sandy station at 4:44 pm to the Arena station, and walking to our meeting location.

For those planning on attending please join in on the Flickr discussion group. Hope to see you there!

View Larger Map

Save the Date: Food Photography Mini-Clnic

2009-09-22T11:39:00.001-06:00

By Rich Legg

The date has been set for the next photography Mini-Clinic at the Salt Lake City main library. Just in time for taking pictures of your fabulous holiday dinners, the subject is Food Photography. Since I am not much of a food photographer, I am teaming up with my good friend (and awesome food shooter) Nicole Young for this clinic.

In the free 90 minute session, participants will learn techniques for capturing great food images using natural light, strobes and hot-lights. Our good friends at my favorite camera store, Pictureline, will be providing lighting equipment for us to use in the clinic.

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday October 29th, 2009
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: SLC Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Free!

I am pleased to be able to offer these clinics free-of-charge as a part of Photowalking Utah. Without the support of the Salt Lake City Library and Pictureline, I would not be able to do so. Please help me in thanking the great folks at these organizations for helping the local photographic community.

If you are planning on attending, please head over to the Flickr Discussion and let everyone know. I hope to see you at the clinic.

(Images © Nicole S. Young)

September Photowalk: Brigham City Peach Days

2009-08-28T13:00:00.005-06:00

(photo by Ann Torrence, Used with Permission)

The next Photowalking Utah event will be an afternoon stroll around Brigham City's annual Peach Days event. The event will be led by group member Shaun Nelson. Here are the details from Shaun's announcement over at the Flickr discussion thread:

Date: September 12, 2009
Place: Brigham City, Utah – Peach Days
Address: 251 South Main Street – Brigham City Tabernacle
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

The afternoon walk will be led by Shaun Nelson ([shaun][at][thenoiz.com]) and will begin at the Brigham City Tabernacle, 251 S. Main Street at 2:00 PM. The group will be walking north on Main Street from the Tabernacle to the carnival on Forest Street. We will walk on the East side of Main Street from 2nd to 1st Street. From there, the city has closed 1st Street to Forest Street to automobile traffic. Between 1st and 2nd, we will have the opportunity to photograph downtown Brigham City, the Brigham City Arch, the Peach Days Motorcycle Show, window and fruit displays, and the Main Street entertainment stage. The walk will end at the carnival on Forest Street. Photowalkers that wish to photograph the Bonneville Rod & Custom Car Club Show can walk from the carnival to Watkins & Pioneer Park. Recommended parking is the area around the tabernacle. A free shuttle service is also available around town with the main parking lot at the Kmart store on 900 South Main Street. Weather is expected to be in the low to mid 80’s.

A map of the walk is located here: shaunnelson.smugmug.com/photos/632732225_vrnEH-O.jpg

Monica Holdaway of the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce would love to have pictures from the Photowalk to share with the media. Each year, media throughout the state contact her to request pictures from Peach Days. If photowalkers would like to share their photos with the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce, please email your photo to [shaun][at][thenoiz.com]. Please include your full name and telephone number so a photo credit can be given. A disc of the photos will be sent to the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce. Deadline is September 30, 2009.

Thanks to Shaun for volunteering to lead the outing. If you are planning on attending or have any questions, chime in on the discussion in the Flickr group.

Recapping the August Mini-Clinic

2009-08-28T12:34:00.003-06:00

By Rich Legg

We had a great time at last night's mini-photography clinic at the Salt Lake City library. With over 60 photographers in attendance, the energy in the room was exceptional.

The theme of the night was "How to Make a Great Photo" and it featured a town-hall type of format. Four panelists shared a couple of images each for the group to critique. After overcoming a bit of trouble with the setting sun entering the room, we got down to the business of sharing opinions on what worked and/or didn't work in the example photos.

I can't thank enough the photographers that participated - both on the panel and in the audience. The feedback given on the subject images was exceptional. I hope that everyone who attended gained a little bit more insight into what makes a great photo.

Special kudos go out to our panel members (Amy Howton, Ed Paz, Scott Smith and Suzanne Plant), who willingly placed their work under the spotlight of critique. They were all great sports and very helpful.

Here are the images that were offered for critique (in the order presented):

© Amy Howton

© Ed Paz

© Scott O. Smith

© Suzanne Plant

© Amy Howton

© Ed Paz

© Scott O. Smith

© Suzanne Plant

I truly enjoy hosting these free clinics every-other-month for Photowalking Utah. The next one is tentatively scheduled for October 22nd and will feature food photography with Nicole Young.

Save the Date: "What Makes a Great Photo" Mini-Clinic

2009-08-17T19:33:00.003-06:00

By Rich Legg

Thursday August 27th is the date for the next Photowalking Utah free photography Mini-Clinic at the Salt Lake City Library.

The theme of this clinic is "What Makes a Great Photo". The session will be a town-hall type format featuring four guest photographer panelists. Each of the panelist will present a couple of their images for the participants to critique. As a group we will look at the photos and discuss what works and/or doesn't work in the photograph.

The goal of the 90 minute clinic will be to give the participants (panelists and audience) the opportunity to pick up some tips on what goes into capturing and presenting a great photograph.

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday August 27th, 2009
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Free!

As an added bonus, we will have a swap table set up. I've been approached by some members of the group that have photography stuff that they would like to give away (namely, photography magazines). Please feel free to bring along any unused magazines or gear that you'd like to give away to a fellow photographer.

I really enjoy facilitating these events and am really excited about the format of this month's session. Please feel free to contact me (rich@leggnet.com or 801.568.1000) if I can answer any questions about the clinic.

To read the discussion about this event and announce your RSVP, head on over to the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group.

I look forward to seeing everyone on the 27th! :)

Albion Basin Photowalk August 1

2009-07-30T13:33:00.000-06:00

by Ann Torrence

I will be leading a dawn Photowalk at Albion Basin on August 1. My plan is to meet at the Catherine Pass parking area at 5:15 am. (Yes, you read that right.)

Nautical twilight is when we need to be working out compositions, to be ready for things to start to color up by civil twilight. If you want to do a wide angle composition, it can take a while to find just the right foreground, and we will have to work together to stay out of each other's shots.

Nautical Twilight: 5:15am
Civil Twilight: 5:53am
Sunrise: 6:23am

Then after sunrise, as the sun races across the valley, you can track with it to do flower portraits, or trundle up toward Secret Lake (about a 1 mile hike). Possibility to see moose, perhaps closer than you'd like.

On the bright side, a 5:15 launch means we won't have to deal with traffic at the entry point.

For discussion and last minute information, see the Flickr discussion.

Video Wrap-Up: 2009 SLC Worldwide Photowalk

2009-07-25T13:55:00.003-06:00

A large group of us enjoyed the Photowalking Utah participation in the 2009 Worldwide Photowalk. Thanks to Rich Legg and Nicole Young for heading up the two events. I was able to be a part of the morning edition in downtown Salt Lake City and thoroughly enjoyed visiting with friends, meeting new people, and even snapping a photo or two.

It had been some time since we did any video wrap up from a Photowalking Utah event, so I volunteered to take some video with my 5D Mark II and put together a short wrap-up. Though the 5D worked great, it reminds me why it is better suited for set shots, preferably on a tripod. Despite the shaky footage as I walked around, hopefully you'll enjoy revisiting the fun event.

Video and post by Jeremy Hall, reprinted from WhatsGottaStay.com.

2nd Annual WorldWide Photowalk - Tomorrow

2009-07-17T18:39:00.000-06:00

by Rich Legg (reprinted from leggnet.com)

Here's the last minute reminder about tomorrow's Worldwide Photowalk. There are over 900 simultaneous walks happening worldwide with over 30,000 registered photographers participating.

Locally (Salt Lake County, Utah) our two events filled up weeks ago to the capacity 50 "official" participants per outing. We are not discouraging anyone else who would like to join us, however - so please come along.

#1 - 9:00 AM - Downtown Salt Lake City

This morning 'walk being led by Nicole Young will begin at 9:00 am at the Boston Building (350 S. Main Street). The group will take a leisurely stroll around downtown Salt Lake City photographing the buildings, people, etc. Since parking might be a bit of an issue, many of us are riding UTA Trax to the location (get off at Galivan Center stop). The train leaving Sandy at 7:54 am promises to have at least a few photographers on it :)

#2 - 6:00 PM - Jordan River Parkway (West Jordan)

This eventing 'walk being led by me will begin at 6:00 pm at the Jordan River Parkway parking lot located at 1000 W 7000 South in West Jordan. The group will take an evening walk on the Jordan River Parkway trail. Not being much of a nature photographer myself, I'm anxious to see what everyone captures on the trail. Macro lenses would be a nice addition to bring along for those that have them.

For those coming, please make a note of my Google Voice telephone number in case you need to get in touch with me (lost, late, tired, bored, etc.): (435) 227-LEGG (5355) - Catchy number eh?

The weather looks like it is going to cooperate and I am anxious to meet the many new faces along with seeing all my current friends.

See y'all tomorrow!!

Worldwide Photowalk SLC Press Release

2009-07-15T10:47:00.002-06:00

Download a PDF of the release here

2009-06-05T15:21:00.000-06:00

Photo by Nicole Young

By Rich Legg

I'm pleased to say that last night's Basics of Exposure mini-clinic at the Salt Lake City library was a success. Over 60 photographers listened in on my 90 minute presentation about the subject. It is always great to meet new people that share my passion and last night was no exception.

I have made my Powerpoint presentation available for download for anyone who would like to recap the session. It, along with some of my other presentations, can be found at leggnet.com/presentation.

As a humorous aside, while a few of us were chatting in the library lobby after the class, Niki spotted one of my images in use - the same image that I had just used as a background for the slides in my presentation. Too funny!

Save the date: Star Party

2009-05-29T16:47:00.000-06:00

By Jeff McGrath

Saturday June 13th, 2009, we will be going out to Stansbury Park (near Tooele) for Star Trail Shots.

The Salt Lake Astronomical Society will be hosting a Star Party at the Stansbury Park Observatory in the evening. Members of SLAS and other enthusiasts bring out their telescopes for the public to look through in addition to the telescopes at the observatory. Check out Saturns Rings or Jupiters Moons while you wait for your Star Trails Bulb shot to complete.

We will be meeting out there at 9:00pm, where I will introduce you to the Vice President of the SLAS. This should also give us enough time so we can be set up by 9:30. Around 10:00pm is about when the stars should really start to shine. Typically the star parties last until 11:00pm, but the ending time for this is still TDB.

You can find Maps to the Observatory on SLAS's website:
slas.us/maps/SPOCMAP.HTM
slas.us/images/MAPS/SPOC_Map.gif (printable)

Once again, the details:
* Stansbury Park Observatory (Not Island)
* June 13th (Saturday)
* 9:00pm

Weather Permitting

Follow the discussion on this Flickr thread.

Save the Date: Worldwide Photowalk - 07.18.09

2009-05-21T10:14:00.001-06:00

By Rich Legg

I'm pleased to announce that I will be leading one of the groups on this summer's World Wide Photowalk. The goal of the event is to coordinate simultaneous photowalks throughout the world on July 18th. Scott Kelby came up with the idea last summer and had great participation. This year's event will surely surpass that.

The group I'm leading will be taking an evening walk on the Jordan River Parkway in West Jordan, Utah. Unlike our normal Photowalking Utah outings, this one will require pre-registration and have a cap of 50 participants. Since the registration has already filled up nearly halfway in less than 24 hours, I would recommend grabbing a spot early if you would like to 'officially' participate. To save your space, visit the registration page at worldwidephotowalk.com/west-jordan-ut-usa.

For all the info on the event and to find one in your area (if you're not in Northern Utah), drop by the website at www.worldwidephotowalk.com.

Save the Date: Basics of Exposure Mini-Clinic

2009-05-18T16:48:00.003-06:00

by Rich Legg

It's time again for one of my Photography Mini-Clinics at the Salt Lake City Library. These clinics are presented as an additional event of Photowalking Utah. On Thursday June 4th I will be hosting the session. The subject of this clinic is The Basics of Exposure. Understanding the relationship between shutter speed and aperture and how to use it to better one's photography is a question I frequently get asked. In the session I will explain the basics of exposure and teach how to use the manual and semi-manual settings on a camera. As always, there will be plenty of time for Q&A as well.

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday June 4th
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Zero, zilch, nada - FREE!

These classes are open to anyone who has a desire to expand their photography knowledge. There will be info useful to photographers of any skill level.

For those who plan on attending, please head over to the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group to put down your RSVP.

May 16th photowalk at the Spiral Jetty

2009-05-05T06:09:00.002-06:00

By Elizabeth Foote

May's Photowalk is taking us up North to Promontory.

The Plan: Meet in the parking lot of the Golden Spike National Historic Site at 12:00 noon on Saturday, May 16. The Golden Spike charges $7/car or $3/individual, so I strongly encourage carpooling. I have called to let them know we're planning to invade. I assured them we will be respectful, and let them know we will be responsive to the rangers' instructions. They have asked that any photographs we take be for private use and not used commercially. Since there are so many of us, a special use permit may be required. The cost of the permit is $50. I will keep you posted on this.

The driving of the spike takes place at 1:00pm. In addition to the reenactment, there are a number of driving tours with interesting geographical features such as the Chinese Arch.

When we're done at the Spike, we will head out to the Spiral Jetty. It takes about 45 minutes to get there from the Spike to the Jetty. The road is a little rough, but most cars should be able to make it as long as you take it easy.

Given the time, distance, and remoteness involved in this Photowalk, I'm encouraging everyone to pack water and snacks. Anyone interested in a potluck? Hope to see you there!

More info on Spiral Jetty
Meeting location
Discussion on the Flickr group

Book Review: Fundamentals of Photography by Tom Ang

2009-04-07T10:05:00.002-06:00

Today's post was written by Photowalking Utah member Rhett Olson. Rhett's photography can be seen at www.rhettolsonphotography.com.

I started photography about ten years ago while writing a book, 100 Hikes in Utah. My co-author did most of the photography during our hiking and I would watch and ask questions. He would explain how using a high f-stop and long shutter speed in the slot canyons would give him enough light and keep all the walls in focus. I soon purchased a Pentax K1000 with a 50mm lens, a load of tri-X, and had a friend show me how to develop my negatives in my sink.

Because I didn't always have access to my photography friends to ask questions, most of my learning going forward (outside of experimentation) was done on photo.net. There, I read a little about everything. Lighting, posing, processing, printing, gear, it was all there.

When I picked up Fundamentals of Photography, it felt like the print version of my learning on the Internet, but conveniently compiled in one location. Even the book's jacket says it's "everything you need to know; from the most practical advice, to the most sophisticated nuances."

Ang defines photography, then breaks down the process from manipulating the light, capturing it, then processing the image and outputting it. Each color-coded chapter is broken into logical sections that cover everything from demosaiking and in-camera processing, to controlling image tonality and color theory.

The discussion photography in the realm of both traditional film and digital make the book relevant to any photographer. Ang details the types and sizes of film (35mm, medium format, and large format) and the advantages of each. Developing, enlarging, and printing is covered as well. He also outlines a hybrid method of using both film and digital; capturing the image on film, then scanning to a digital file for processing and output.

The book itself is a sturdy paperback, built like a field guide. It contains loads of colorful images, charts, and graphs. The use of sample images to illustrate points help in the understanding of each subject.

One example of this is on page 90 where a portrait of a woman is created with multiple lighting setups. Each image is shown next to a diagram of lighting setup and a written description. This format allows the reader to quickly see changes from each lighting setup to the next.

The first reference section on page 324 is another example where Ang uses pictures and diagrams to instruct. There, he outlines the process of diagnosing processing and printing defects. The associated chart shows an image, then lists the image's defect, it's diagnosis, and how the defect can be corrected.

In summary, I think Fundamentals of Photography is a great reference book for photographers. It covers a breadth of topics and allows readers to easily zero in on a subject they are interested in, or are experimenting with, and learn more.

Fundamentals of Photography is available at Amazon.com.

April 19th Photowalk at Utah Museum of Natural History

2009-04-04T00:43:00.004-06:00

By Bryan William Jones,

Reserve the date: Noon on Sunday, April 19th will be the next photowalk, this time up at Utah Museum of Natural History, the the University of Utah. We are planning on starting at 12:00pm and going up to 3:00pm.

The University of Utah Museum of Natural History provides a number of opportunities for photographing unusual objects including dinosaurs, rare collections and artifacts from around the world. In addition the building itself provides for some architectural photographic opportunities that will not be available long as the museum is building a modern, new building up by Red Butte Gardens. There are a number of points to our visit:

1) There will be an admission based on a Group Reservation Price of $4.50 per person unless you are a U of U student/faculty/etc in which case the price will be free.

2) There will also be a “Toadally Frogs” in the Special Exhibit Gallery. Use a low light lens without flash to photograph some of these frogs in their display case. If you have a macro lens, bring 'em.

3) Bring your tripod as we have been given special permission to use them for this visit.

4) UMNH allows for photography for private (non-professional, non-commercial) use of our exhibit areas and collections that are on exhibit. Flash photography is permitted in the permanent exhibits with the exception of exhibits containing life organisms, currently “Bugs Alive!”. The “Toadally Frogs” exhibit is limited to non-flash photography only, due to the sensitive nature of the live frogs.

5) UMNH has given us rights to post these photos on the Flickr and personal websites, however, they are not to be used for professional purposes. All photographs taken of exhibits and collections of objects in the Utah Museum of Natural History must be credited “From the Utah Museum of Natural History Collection” or “Property UMNH Collection”. They are looking for possible photographs to document the museum and the exhibits for their own website, so this will facilitate them finding images and asking photographers for rights to use them.

6) UMNH reserves the right to revoke permission on any photos that portray the collections objects, the exhibits and/or the Museum in an inappropriate way, or that undermine the mission, ethics, and public trust of the Museum.

Location: 11390 E. Presidents Circle Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

Meet up at 12:00pm. We'll have a brief introduction followed by wandering the museum.

Please confirm attendance and participate in discussion for this event over on the Photowalk Utah Flickr group.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Added Bonus for tonight's clinic - Moab Photo Symposium Giveaway!

2009-04-02T13:09:00.002-06:00

Great news for those attending the flower photography clinic tonight (04.02.09) at the Salt Lake City library!

We have a gift certificate for full registration to the Moab Photo Symposium , a $185 value (conference but not including optional workshops) to give away to one lucky attendee at the April 2 clinic. Must be present to win.

Also, Pixels Foto & Frame and Pictureline will be giving away some goodies.

For all the details, click HERE.

PS. This clinic is REALLY about general techniques that apply to all sorts of outdoor photography, if flowers aren't your subject of choice;

Save the Date: Flower Photography Mini-Clinic

2009-03-10T18:01:00.004-06:00

By Rich Legg

It's time for another one of my photography Mini-Clinics at the Salt Lake City library. These clinics are presented as an additional event of Photowalking Utah. On Thursday April 2nd Ann Torrence and I will be hosting the session. Just in time for spring blooms, the theme of this class is Capturing Great Flower Photos. In the class we will be demonstrating methods to create stunning floral photos without spending a small fortune on specialized equipment. Here are the details:

Date: Thursday April 2nd
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Zero, zilch, nada - FREE!

Save the Date: Film Shooter's Mini-Photowalk

2009-03-09T17:15:00.000-06:00

By Rich Legg

It's a bit short notice, but we've organized a Photowalking Utah mini-event for Film Shooters Only. This outing will give those of us that haven't loaded a roll of film in years a chance to revisit our early photography days.

Here are the details:

Date: Friday March 20th
TIme: 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: We will meet at the Boston Building in Salt Lake City. The address is 9 Exchange Place (between 300 and 400 South on Main Street)

We are asking that each photographer carry at least one film camera. A digital is acceptable as a 2nd camera.

As always, these events are open to any photographer regardless of skill level. Feel free to drop me a note at rich@leggnet.com with any questions.

As for me, I've made arrangements to borrow a Nikon F5. Yes you read correctly, a Nikon :)

Recapping the Studio Lighting Event

2009-02-23T16:23:00.004-07:00

Note: The following post is reprinted with permission from Photowalking Utah Co-Founder Rich Legg's blog, LeggNet's Digital Capture.

(click here for to see a full-resolution version of the group photo)

By Rich Legg

This past Saturday I again had the honor of hosting the Studio Lighting event for Photowalking Utah. Much like the inaugural event last year, this was an indoor photowalk consisting of multiple studio lighting setups for the participating photographers to demo. The idea of an indoor photowalk was hatched last year as a way of doing a winter event without having to brave the unpredictable weather of Northern Utah.

For this year's outing, we had seven different 'studios' for the photographers to shoot in. In planning the setups, I worked with the volunteer 'studio hosts' to have a variety of styles for the photographers to shoot. This worked rather well. The setup themes were: Speedlight, Natural Light, Stock, Bridal Portrait, Fashion, Group Posing and Dramatic.

Each of the setups featured models for the participants to photograph. I have to say that our models went above-and-beyond for the three hours of the event to make sure that the photographers were able to capture the images they sought.

The 'studio host' was available at each setup to assist the shooter with exposure, syncing, model direction and anything else they needed assistance with. Not only did these hosts bring all their own lighting equipment, but they had to essentially work the entire time. It is volunteers like this that make Photowalking Utah a success. This year's hosts were: Dale Welcome, Scott Smith, Ann Torrence, David Terry, Mike Calanan, Mark Abercrombie, Kim Guanzon and Ed Paz (who manned my setup).

By the end, over 120 photographers had participated in the event. I'm thoroughly impressed with the samples I'm seeing coming into the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group. It is really interesting to see the variety of results created using the same models/lights.

It's been an exhausting few days for me between teaching last Thursday's Mini-Clinic and hosting Saturday's Photowalk. But I've got to say it has also been extremely rewarding. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported this month's events.

Big Thanks to:

Gateway Community Church - Location sponsor
Pictureline - Door Prize sponsor
Pixels - Door Prize sponsor
Kenneth Linge - Grand Prize sponsor

...and the models: Andrew, Alyssa, Kylee, Ron, Elisabeth, Mady, Brittanie, Sarah, Emily and Laarni

Recapping the Budget Studio Lighting Mini-Clinic

2009-02-20T18:50:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

Last night's Photowalking Utah mini-clinic at the Salt Lake City library was a great success. Even though the event didn't feature any walking (unless you count the trek up to the 4th floor), it turned out to be our most attended event to date with 86 photographers participating. The theme of the clinic was "How to Get Great Studio Lighting Results for Under $250". In the session I showed how to create nice studio portraits using some of the absolute lowest price lighting available.

I really enjoy sharing my somewhat limited photography knowledge with others and doing this through the Photowalking Utah group has become a nice venue for teaching and learning. Even though the internet provides an abundance of free information for photographers to learn from, there is just something about getting several dozen like-minded folks together that increases the ability to share and learn.

As a follow-up to the session, I want to take a few moments and share some of the simple setups I demoed along with some links to ~~el-cheapo~~ budget lighting equipment.

I began with a balanced two-light setup. This is my absolute least favorite setup and one that I rarely (if ever) use. This is the lighting arrangement that I was trained to use back in the eighties during my days as a school picture photographer (eek!).

After showing this setup, I made a quick change to the lighting arrangement to give a key-light with on-axis fill. Unlike the previous balanced setup, on this configuration I set the key light at 1.5 f/stops more powerful than the fill light. This is an extremely simple yet useful setup that I was taught by my friend Kenneth Linge. I use a variation of this quite frequently.

After these two initial setups, I showed several more ways to create different feels by moving the lights around. While all of the arrangements can be classified as rather simple, they can serve as a nice starting point for a photographer new to using off-camera studio lights.

Here is a setup using a shoot-through umbrella for the key (or main) light and a small softbox for the hair light. The top image of Diane in today's post was shot at the clinic using this arrangement.

Another variation of the previous setup involved bringing in a reflector to add light to the darker side of the model's face. Unlike the diagram below which shows a $50 reflector, in keeping with the budget theme of the night I used a $1 piece of white foam board.

One of the last setups I demonstrated involved using a single light above and behind the model. I then used two of the $1 white boards taped together to create a V-Card held under the model's face to reflect light back onto her face. This gave a nice rim-light combined with a very soft light on her face.

For the demonstration I used a pair of probably the cheapest mono-lights available - Adorama Budget 100 Studio Monolights. They can be picked up for around $50 each. LINK

I'm really thankful for having the opportunity to facilitate classes like this. If the turnout at last night's event is any indication, I expect we will see a great turnout for tomorrow's Studio Lighting Photowalk. It promises to be a lot of fun!

p.s. Big props go out to Diane for being such a patient model and not minding that my shots of her were scrutinized in front of everyone on the projector screen :)

Studio Lighting Photowalk: The Models

2009-01-29T13:33:00.003-07:00

By Rich Legg

As was previously announced, Photowalking Utah will be hosting a Studio Lighting Photowalk on February 21st, 2009. One of the unique parts of this event is that each of the lighting setups will have a dedicated model for the participants to photograph.

I have finished scheduling the models that we will be photographing. Each of them has graciously offered their time. Every one of these amateur models has experience in front of the camera, and I know they will all be fun to work with. As I said in the other post, we are suggesting an optional $3-5 "tip" per participant that will go into a pool to be divided up amongst the models.

Now that all that has been said, let me introduce you to the crew:

RON

LAANI

ANDREW

ALYSSA

MELISSA

ELISABETH

KYLEE

Two Studio Lighting Photowalking Events in February

2009-01-28T08:57:00.002-07:00

By Rich Legg

The plans have been finalized for the February Photowalking Utah events and they are going to be great. We will be having two separate but related events. The theme is "Studio Lighting" and since it tends to be a bit cold this time of year in Northern Utah, both will be indoors.

FEBRUARY 19th - Mini Clinic

On the evening of Thursday February 19th, I will be facilitating a mini-clinic at the City Library in Salt Lake City. The theme of the clinic is "How to Get Great Studio Lighting Results for Under $250". In the session, I will be demonstrating how to shoot portraits with extremely inexpensive (cheap?) lights and get professional results. I will be using a model and shooting with a tethered camera so everyone can immediately see the results. Handouts of all the lighting setups will be provided. If time permits, I will also demonstrate with the help of Harley Pebley a "Strobist" style setup using a couple of Speedlights on stands with umbrellas.

Date: Thursday February 19th
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Location: Salt Lake City Main Library - 210 E 400 South, Conf. room #4, 4th floor
Cost: Free

FEBRUARY 21st - Studio Lighting Photowalk

In a repeat of last year's most popular Photowalking Utah event, we will again be doing an indoor "Studio Lighting" photowalk. The event will feature six different studios set up within a large conference room. Participants will be able to walk to each setup photography station and try their hand at shooting. Models will be provided along with assistance from the host photographer at each station.

This year we will be working to create a variation in the type of lighting setups provided. This will give the participants a way to work with a large variation of portrait lighting arrangements.

I have arranged with several of my stock models to help us out. Just like the previous event, we are suggesting a $3-5 "tip" given that will be put in a pool and divided up among the models after the event. This is purely optional but it really helps to have dedicated models available for the photographers to shoot and this is a great way to compensate them for their time. I've got a pretty diverse group confirmed so far including different ages / genders / looks.

For those photographers that aren't carrying around digital SLR's, don't worry. We will have a way to sync point-and-shoot cameras via slave to at least a couple of the setups. Everyone is welcome at these events regardless of skill or equipment. There will even be some higher end gear available to borrow.

Our friends at Pictureline have again donated a bunch of photography 'swag' to be used for door prizes at the "Pictureline Prize Table".

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday February 21st
Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Gateway Community Church, 584 E 12300 South - Draper
Cost: Free (though a suggested model tip of $3-5 is appreciated)

If you're planning on attending, please drop an RSVP into the ongoing discussion thread on the Photowalking Utah Flickr Group. Here's the link.

For any questions, please feel free to contact me at rich@leggnet.com or 801.259.3500.

January 24th Cactus and Tropicals Photowalk

2009-01-12T23:07:00.005-07:00

By Bryan William Jones,

Reserve the date: The afternoon of Saturday, January 24th will be the next photowalk, this time up at Cactus and Tropicals, the Draper location. We are planning on starting at 1:00pm and going up to 3:00pm.

Cactus and Tropicals is a garden center with plenty of indoor space that we can meet in to avoid the cold while having the opportunity to photograph plants, exotic and common. We are planning on having at least one macro studio setup for people to explore the wonders of macro photography as well as having studio lights set up to photograph flowers and plants from the everyday ficus to your more exotic Venus fly traps and orchids.

Location: 12252 S Draper Gate Dr (1325 E) Draper, UT 84020

Meet up at 1:00pm. We'll have a brief introduction followed by wandering the greenhouse to photograph with at least a table or two set up for studio work.

Please confirm attendance and participate in discussion for this event over on the Photowalk Utah Flickr group. (Updated link to point directly to discussion.)

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Recap: Photowalking Temple Square

2008-12-19T08:20:00.001-07:00

By Rich Legg

Photo by Scott Jarvie

Last night's two-part Photowalking Utah event was a success, at least it appeared to be from where I was standing. We had great participation in both segments of the outing.

The evening began with a mini-clinic on Nighttime Photography at the City Library in Salt Lake City. We managed to squeeze 50+ photographers into the conference room provided by the library. It is always a challenge to present relevant information to photographers of such varying skill levels, and hopefully I was able to do so.

I had more than a few requests for a copy of my Powerpoint presentation, so I have uploaded it to the server. It can be found here. The slides were more of a starting point for our discussion, but I hope this can at least help with remembering what we chatted about.

After the mini-clinic, the group hopped on Trax (Salt Lake City's light-rail system) and headed over to Temple Square where we met up with several photographers that couldn't make it to the earlier session. While it was a fairly cold night, the day's earlier snowstorm had moved on so conditions were good for shooting.

Photo by David Terry

This was probably the first photowalk that I didn't take any pictures on. I loaned my camera to one photographer and my tripod to another, so I spent my time just walking and talking with the group. Even though I didn't shoot, I still really enjoyed the event.

The Photowalking Utah Flickr pool is beginning to see the night's captures filter in. Be sure to check it out over the next few days to see a sampling of the participant's work.

Photowalking Utah enjoyed a great 2008. We have had over a dozen events and have seen the attendance steadily increase. I really look forward to seeing where this group can go in 2009.

Gearing up for Temple Square Photowalk

2008-12-17T09:11:00.008-07:00

Taken at the 2007 Temple Square photowalk

The following tip originally appeared on the Ann-alog, website of Ann Torrence, photographer and founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find the Ann-alog on the web at www.anntorrence.com/blog/.

The National Weather Service forecast for tomorrow night's Photowalk is cold, with a chance for snow. I, for one, am hoping for some wet weather for the reflections of the lights in the wet concrete at Temple Square. The Highway 89 project has given me ample opportunity to work out a wet/cold weather practice for myself and my gear. Here's some thoughts on keeping both photographer and gear comfortable in winter weather:

Before leaving the car:

I spread out a trash compactor bag on the seat where my camera bag rides. If you read nothing else, skip to the end to find out why. It could save you a from an optical disaster. Otherwise, venture forth.

Keep warm

Your mom was right: wear a hat. Preferably one that blocks wind. Even better if the brim flips out of the way so you can keep it on AND see through the viewfinder. A hat and the warmest, driest shoe/sock combination in your possession delivers you 90% of the way to comfortable in any weather. As for in between, I use the tried-and-true three layer method: inner wicking layer to keep dry*, thick middle layer to keep warm, outer layer to block wind and wet. No cotton, no denim, lots of fleece. It ain't a fashion show out there.
Gloves: Some people like the photographer's gloves, I wear some fingerless combo glove mittens I picked up at a truck stop in Wyoming. The price was right--I guess truckers don't spend disposable income like some photographers. At -25°F in Yellowstone I used inner glove liners under a waterproof glove topped by some mittens, stripping down the outer two layers as needed. At -25°F your exhaled breathe freezes into sparkling crystals. Tequila acquires an unctuous thickness. The vapor in Old Faithful's plume froths up into a voluminous cloud. I digress.
Chemical hand/foot warmers. These work, but you need to give them ample time to get the chemistry going, especially in closed boots. They need some exposure to oxygen to get cooking, and then they keep going for hours.

* A dear elderly lady once told me "horses sweat, men perspire and ladies effervesce." I haven't seen any anti-effervescence underwear on the market yet. No doubt it would be a rose-colored set of silk thermals.

Keep gear dry

The DIY camera cover: in between shots, I cover the camera with a plastic dish cover from the grocery store. I bought a new package this week for $1.99. The ones I like best are made of colored plastic that can be doubled over as a flash gel, but the new ones have flowers on them. Yes it looks goofy. No it's not perfect. $1.99 justifies a multitude of sins. Make sure they don't blow away.
I use a microfiber cloth, which I want to keep clean, on the lens itself. If it's really wet, I pack along a bandanna or golf towel to wipe off mist and droplets from the exterior of the body and lens. Most new cameras are well-sealed, but dry is the best insurance. It's equally important to keep the inside of the camera bag as dry as possible, so be sure to wipe down everything as you put it away.
If it's blowing up a storm and I still have reason to be out, I will either use the all-weather cover on my camera pack, or put the entire pack in another trash compactor bag, wrapping the mouth of the bag into the carrying handle of the pack.
The golf umbrella comes along if I have a helper. Mostly it's for the helper's comfort.

Keep gear functioning

In cold weather, batteries tire quickly. I keep fresh batteries in a warm pocket. Sometimes a seemingly empty battery revives after warming up again, so I put those in a different pocket as I change them out.
Plastic and metal get more brittle in cold weather. Fingers don't work so nimbly. The combination can be costly. Don't force anything. Cable releases are especially fragile characters in cold weather.

Coming in out of the cold

After a cold shoot, it is so tempting to jump in the car and get the heater running. Stop! Remember that big plastic bag? First, your camera pack goes in the trash compactor bag. You know how the car windows or your glasses fog up, not while the car is cold, but while it is heating up? The same thing can happen to your optics, even if the weather is seemingly dry out. Those many-element lenses can get condensation on their interior faces, where only an authorized and highly-paid technician can clean. Even worse, a really bad case of condensation might fry the camera's electronics.

Hopefully, your gear is pretty dry in its camera bag (having used the bandanna, golf towel or whatever you brought). Wipe down the exterior of the bag. Then seal the camera bag (but not the wiping rag) in the garbage bag. Ignominious, but necessary. The idea is to have any condensation form on the outside of the garbage bag, rather than my optics. I'd put the whole package in the trunk, if I had a trunk, but somewhere away from the blowing car heater. The goal is to slowly re-equilibrate the temperature of your gear with the ambient conditions where you store your camera. Once the camera is up to room temperature, you can take it out of the plastic bag. I try to remember to put my CF cards in my pocket beforehand, so I can leave the bag sealed up until morning.

I like the trash compactor bags because they are incredibly sturdy, inexpensive, and reusable. They are tough enough so that the buckles and do-hickeys on the camera bag won't rip a hole in the plastic. I've found many uses for the humble trash compactor bag in outdoor adventuring, none so important as a moisture barrier at the end of a cold weather photography session.

If you have been wondering what Photowalking is all about, Thursday night at Temple Square will be a great first one to check out. We are all about keeping photography fun. See you there. Official details from our Flickr site

Hill Aerospace Museum Photowalkers

2008-12-14T16:02:00.003-07:00

Thanks to everyone who ventured out early on Saturday morning (despite the winter storm warning) to photowalk the Hill Aerospace Museum. It was a great time in a great location. Extra special thanks go to member Averie for getting our group the VIP treatment! Our tour guide, Don could not have been more accommodating - they were great!

To see a great sampling of images shot by the group, visit the Photowalking Utah pool on Flickr.

Save the Date: Photowalking Temple Square

2008-12-05T09:17:00.003-07:00

By Rich Legg

It's time again for Photowalking Utah's annual trek to capture the lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. In addition to photographing the beautiful Christmas lighting displays, we've added another element this year - a low-light photography clinic.

The event will feature two parts. The first session will be a nighttime photography mini-clinic held at the City Library. I will be facilitating this part as we discuss and share techniques for making great nighttime captures.

After wrapping up our classroom time, the group will hop on Trax light rail and ride down to Temple Square. We will then spend an hour or so walking the grounds and photographing.

We have received special permission from the LDS Church to photograph as a group on their sacred grounds. Please note that our agreement with them states that we will NOT be using any of the images taken on their property for commercial purposes.

Here are the details:

Thursday, December 18
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Mini-Clinic at Salt Lake City Library
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm - Photographing at Temple Square

As always, these events are open to anyone who wants to attend. For those planning on attending the mini-seminar portion, please drop a comment in the Flickr discussion. I'd like to keep an idea of headcount so I know we will fit in our classroom.

Is Your Camera Gear Insured?

2008-12-03T12:02:00.003-07:00

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

I'm taking time today to re-inventory my equipment and send an updated list over to my insurance company. While doing this, I began wondering how many serious-amateur/professional photographers have their gear insured.

I added a rider to my studio/office insurance policy a couple of years ago to cover my gear in case of theft and/or loss. Since I will routinely bring just about everything I have onto a location for a shoot, I figured this was a wise choice. The cost of the additional coverage was only a few hundred dollars a year. That's pretty cheap when you consider how easy it is for us photographers to gather several thousand dollars worth of equipment that could easily be walked off with by a thief.

At the very minimum, I would recommend that photographers take a moment this week to call their insurance company (homeowners, vehicle, etc.) and inquire about adding coverage for camera equipment.

Don't assume that your expensive investment is covered - make sure it is.

The 'Turkey Day' Photowalkers

2008-11-28T08:41:00.002-07:00

by Rich Legg

We had seven of us participate in the mini-photowalk that was hastily put together on Thanksgiving Day. Though our numbers were small, we had a great time exploring the downtown area of Salt Lake City. With it being a holiday night, the streets were noticeably devoid of Trax trains, people and vehicles which made for a relaxing setting to walk, talk and photograph in.

It is always a lot of fun hanging out with other photographers and this was no exception. It was discussed with the group that we should really add a little advance planning in the future to make the "Turkey Day Photowalk" a regular event.

Be sure to check out the Flickr pool to watch for images from this 'walk as they come in.

Thanksgiving Mini-Photowalk

2008-11-27T10:38:00.003-07:00

by Rich Legg

I just got off the phone with Harley, and we are planning on doing a mini-photowalk in downtown Salt Lake City tonight beginning at 8:00 pm. If anyone wants to join us, drop me an email at rich at leggnet dot com and I will let you know where we are meeting.

Hopefully the streets will still be wet from today's rain which will make for some nice reflections. This will be a great opportunity for me to try out some high ISO images on the new 5D mark II.

Update: We will be meeting at the City Center Trax Station (100 S. Main Street) at 8:00 pm

Photoshop Tip: Blend a B&W Layer to add Edginess

2008-11-25T09:09:00.002-07:00

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Since the majority of my photo editing is for my stock portfolio, I tend to be rather vanilla with my editing. By that I mean that I keep my images pretty true to how they were shot. For uses outside of stock however, a friend of mine recently showed me a quick way to add edginess to an image by blending layers.

I will be the first person to tell you that I am no master of layer blending in Photoshop (I will defer that title to Ann Torrence, her knowledge on the subject is amazing!), but I really like the look that this effect creates.

In today's before/after image, I opened one of my shots from last weekend in Photoshop. The sample on the left is unedited other than the RAW conversion. On the other image (right side), I only added this simple process in Photoshop:

1. Create a copy of the original layer above itself
2. Desaturate the new layer (apple-shift-U on a Mac)
3. Set the blending of the new layer to 'Overlay'

If you want to further tweak the settings, try different blending modes (soft light, hard light, etc.) and play around with opacity.

And that's it. A quick and fairly easy way to add a more dramatic look to an image.

Scott Bourne sits down with Photowalking Utah

2008-11-23T21:22:00.002-07:00

by Rich Legg

Scott Bourne, the extremely accomplished photographer and new media personality, spent some time tonight with a few of us from Photowalking Utah. Scott had Twittered that he would be passing through the area and Ann Torrence offered up an invite to have a bite to eat with a few of us to which he graciously accepted.

We spent a couple hours tonight chatting with Scott about all things photography. The insights that he shared from his experiences as a world class wildlife photographer, author, podcasting pioneer and successful entrepreneur were extremely interesting. Scott was great to freely offer his time and as it turns out he's just a regular photographer like the rest of us.

Scott's podcast This Week in Photography is one of the top 100 podcasts on iTunes and I wholeheartedly recommend that if you aren't already doing so that you spend some time listening to the weekly episodes. And for the Mac users among us, you can catch Scott on MacBreak Weekly with Leo Laporte.

It was a great way to spend a Sunday evening and hopefully Scott will leave Northern Utah with a better understanding of Photowalking Utah and the photographers that call this area home.

December 13th Hill AFB Museum Photowalk

2008-11-18T11:13:00.003-07:00

By Bryan William Jones,

Reserve the date: The morning of Saturday, December 13th will be the next photowalk, this time up at the Hill AFB Museum. We are planning on an early start to avoid the crowds and take advantage of a tour and some special access to the exhibits arranged by the Father-In-Law of our very own Avery Pince.

The Hill AFB Museum is one of the better aerospace museums in the United States and hosts around 180,000 visitors annually. It currently exhibits over 80 aircraft and aerospace vehicles on the grounds in addition to displays covering the history of the Air Force and Hill AFB itself.

Directions: A gate pass or DOD ID onto Hill AFB is NOT required to visit the museum. Simply take Exit 338 off Interstate 15 in Roy, Utah, and enter the museum grounds through the gate.

Meet up at 8:00am. We'll have a tour along with special access to some of the exhibits for photography, then there will be a behind the scenes tour followed by wandering the museum grounds, taking photographs at will.

Please confirm attendance and participate in discussion for this event over on the Photowalk Utah Flickr group.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Note: New start time of 8:00am.

Recapping the Ladies Special Photowalk

2008-11-10T19:46:00.007-07:00

By Ann Torrence, hostess of the 8 November Photowalk

The first ever Ladies Special Photowalk was a smashing success, except we didn't smash anything. Ten of us enjoyed seasonable weather and lovely golden light on Saturday, including:
Elizabeth (wibbet_64), Renatta (wildvinephoto), her as-yet Flickrless friend Stacy,
Judy (jkiel), Anna (yanimfah), Diane (Lady Pebbles), Robyn (photogirl66), Jessie (jeszerszen), Diana (dianalbrks) and me.

Now that PhotowalkingUtah has over 300 members, it was kind of nice to get back to our roots with a smaller group. Naturally we dispersed and I hardly saw a couple people the rest of the afternoon. It was still fun. Robyn showed us where she made this stunning image. Diane was explaining some lighting strategy when we came upon her and Renatta. Then she organized the post-shoot dinner at Chili's.

The images are starting to drop into our Flickr pool. Next month we return to our regular program of walking about in large groups of marginally organized photographers at Hill Air Force Base Museum. Subscribe to the PhotowalkingUtah RSS feed to get the details.

Antelope Island Photowalk Recap

2008-11-04T13:21:00.006-07:00

By Scott Smith, host of the Photowalk at Antelope Island. Originally posted on his blog.

We had about 40 photographers show up for Saturday's Photowalking Utah event held at Antelope Island in Syracuse Utah. The main group arrived around 10am, we took our group photo first then everyone hung out at the pens. Some ventured off to Gar Ranch afterwards spending most of the day on the Island.

The rangers were giving the 700+ bison their health checks in a three day marathon. They would use old Ford Bronco's to round them up into pens in small groups. The rangers would then feed the bison down a long corridor and eventually to the pen where veterinarians and volunteers were there to assist tagging, drawing blood, giving pregnancy tests, and logging information into the computer via a micro chip that was implanted in their neck.

The larger bison were held in place with a nose ring so they wouldn't move around in the pen. When the rangers would released the gate the bison would rear up and come running out of the shoot.

The event reminded me of my youth when we would gather our cows in pens and give them their health checks. These guys were a bit more sophisticated but the smell of the dirt and working with animals is what brought back some fun memories.

One of the things I really like about the Photowalking Utah events is meeting new people and talking about photography. I'm always amazed what a camera will do to spark up a conversation with a total stranger.

See other photowalk recaps:

If you have a wrap up for this event, leave a comment and we will add it to the list!

Antelope Island Photowalk Suggestions and Tips

2008-10-31T11:24:00.005-06:00

The following tips are provided by Scott Smith, host of the Photowalk at Antelope Island tomorrow.

Here are a few suggestions/tips for the photowalk tomorrow

There is limited space on the viewing platform where the bison are released from the holding pen. Two photographers will be able to shoot at a time so please be mindful of others and give them an opportunity to get some great shots.

You will be shooting into the sun so bring your lens hoods.

If you are bringing a tripod it may be best to leave it in the car when we are are at the pens. The space is limited and I don't think they would appreciate a big group carrying tripods.

There are bathroom facilities at the pens but no food or water.

There is a ranger available for tours at the pens, it's very informative and she walks you through the process of what everyone is doing there.

For those who want to go to the pens early and bypass our meeting place at 9:30 we will be taking our group photo at the pens around 10am.

See you all there!

Photowalking Antelope Island this Saturday

2008-10-26T14:16:00.002-06:00

There are only six more days until the next Photowalking Utah event. As our event host Scott Smith posted in the announcement post, we will be checking out the Bison (among other things) on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake.

If you've never been involved in a photowalk, now is the time to start. These events are open to photographers of all ages and skill levels. Regardless of what type of camera you use, you will be greeted with open arms at one of our events.

For all the details on this 'walk, read the announcement here. And be sure to chime in on the RSVP discussion thread over in the Flickr Group.

Please Change Your Bookmarks and/or Links to Photowalking Utah

2008-10-23T12:42:00.005-06:00

As you might of noticed, we made a slight change this week here at Photowalking Utah. We no longer have the site at photowalkingutah.blogspot.com but fully on the domain of http://photowalkingutah.com. If you have previously linked to us or have the site bookmarked in your browser, please take a moment and make sure that you aren't linking to the "blogspot" address but the new domain. This will help ensure that you are getting the most current information about the events.

Other great ways to keep in touch is to follow our Twitter updates or subscribe to the RSS feed. To follow on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/photowalkingut. To subscribe to the RSS feed, add http://feeds.feedburner.com/PhotowalkingUtah to your feed reading program.

Thanks to everyone who has participated in making Photowalking Utah one of the premier photographic clubs in Utah.

November 8 - Ladies Special Photowalk

2008-10-22T15:15:00.009-06:00

By Ann Torrence, hostess of the 8 November Photowalk

Sometimes, the girls just want to have some fun. Bring your camera, ladies, to the Salt Lake City Cemetery on Saturday 8 November to hang out and make some pictures. Some folks have suggested costumes, so bring whatever seems to fit.

Salt Lake City Cemetery is the oldest in the valley, dating back to 1847. Over 120,000 people are buried there, including many figures prominent in Utah history.

Meet up at 3:30. We'll do our group shot first, then head out. There is a great sunset location on 200 N if the weather cooperates.

Last minute updates will be on our Flickr discussion thread. See you there.

Quick Tip: An ID Tag for Your Camera

2008-10-22T12:36:00.001-06:00

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Here's a quick and easy tip that could pay for itself a thousand times over.

While at a recent Photwalking Utah event, I noticed that photographer Ann Torrence had a small ID tag attached to her camera. When I asked her about it, she told me that it was a tag designed to put the owner information on pet collars in case the animal is lost. I immediately thought "What a great idea!".

I made a trip to my local PETCO store and used their machine to have a tag made for each of my cameras. I opted for the smallest version (about the size of a penny) and it is completely out of the way on the camera body. The total cost to label my gear: $12.

Now, let's just hope that if my camera is ever lost that the person who finds it is honest (fingers crossed).

November 1 - Antelope Island Photowalk, Bison Roundup

2008-10-15T09:40:00.004-06:00

By Scott Smith, host of the November photowalk

The November 2008 Photowalking Utah event will be held at the Antelope Island State Park in Syracuse Utah on November 1st. Antelope Island is home to one of the largest and oldest publicly owned bison herds in the United States. The Bison will be corralled into pens starting Oct 22nd and then will receive their health checkups starting October 31st.

The photowalk will be held at the Buffalo Pens where the rangers will be giving the bison their health checks. This is a great opportunity to get up close to the Bison and hopefully get some great photos. We can then proceed to Garr Ranch when we are finished at the pens.

Dress accordingly and bring plenty of food and water.

Here are the details for the November 1st event:

Meet in the parking lot west of the entrance gate in Syracuse. There is an entrance fee to the park $9/per car, we can break up into groups and share rides for those interested.

9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Antelope Island
State Park
4528 West 1700 South
Syracuse, UT 84075

Map from Salt Lake to Syracuse.

Park Entrance Fee: $9.00 per vehicle

As always, these events are open to photographers of ANY SKILL LEVEL. We have everyone from first time shooters to seasoned professionals join in. If you've ever wanted a chance to hang out with some friendly photogs, this is the chance to do it.

Be sure to let us know if you are coming over on the flickr discussion thread.

October 18 - Gardner Village Halloween Photowalk

2008-10-12T10:16:00.002-06:00

By Ann Torrence and Jeremy Hall, hosts of the October photowalk

Ghosties, Goblins, and Photowalkers!

Please join us for the next Photowalk Utah event, Saturday, October 18th at 3:30pm. We will wander through the witches, ghosts and goblins of Gardner Village in West Jordan to enjoy the Halloween festivities and atmosphere.

This month’s photowalk will be a family affair. Bring your family and especially the kids! While you capture images, your family can enjoy the shopping, events and activities sponsored by Gardner Village.

Check out this link to see all that is happening at Gardner Village.

www.gardnervillage.com/events.php

No fee to enter Gardner Village, but you might want some cash for caramel apples and other junk food.

Please meet at Archibald’s Restaurant at 3:300pm to start the photowalk. To conclude this month’s event, at 6:00pm we plan to reconvene at Archibald’s for food, warm drinks and share our captures.

Watch the weather forecasts and dress accordingly.

For those not familiar with this location, Gardner Village can be found at
1100 W. 7800 S.
West Jordan, UT
www.gardnervillage.com

More being discussed over on flickr, and be sure to post if you are going to be able to join us so we have an idea of how many will be there. Come one, come all!

How to Join Photowalking Utah

2008-10-10T22:07:00.005-06:00

Joining Photowalking Utah is very simple. In fact, it is so simple that it involves only one step: Show up!

This is a group run by volunteers that charges no fee to participate. Each event has an "Organizer" that plans and hosts the event. It is announced ahead of time on both this site (PhotowalkingUtah.com) and the Flickr Group (flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc). All that is required to attend is a willingness to hang out with fellow photographers and have a good time.

Photowalking Utah member Dale Welcome at his first event.

Attendees at a Photowalking Utah event range from brand new shooters with inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras to seasoned veterans with digital SLRs. It doesn't matter what type of camera they have or the amount of photographic experience they bring, everyone is welcome at an outing.

Many of the participants share their photos from a Photowalking Utah event on the Flickr group. Flickr is a free photo-sharing site. The group can be found at flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc.

For those photographers that want to be prepared and might have a few questions about what a photowalk is, founding member Harley Pebley has written an excellent post called "How to Prepare for a Photowalk". It can be found by clicking here.

For further information, feel free to contact group founders Ann Torrence at ann@anntorrence.com, Rich Legg at rich@leggnet.com or Bryan Jones at bryan.jones@m.cc.utah.edu

Active Members

2008-10-08T09:23:00.014-06:00

Thanks to all of you that make up Photowalking Utah. This "group" is all about the gathering of like-minded individuals for learning by practice, sharing and fun. We appreciate everyone that helps to make it a success month after month.

Founders
We would like to recognize the founding organizers of this great idea here in Utah:

Group Organizers
All members of Photowalking Utah are invited to help with organizing "meetups" as well as other aspects of this group. There are some current active organizers that you can contact to get more involved:

Flickr Group Members
You can see a complete list of group members on flickr.

Contact List
The following is a shared contact list of currently active members to help facilitate communication between each other. Scott Myler originated the list on flickr with the following comments:

It was mentioned recently that there were a few people that arrived late and couldn't find the group. There was another time we were looking for a number to reach someone to return a lens after one of our events.

I can see times in the future where, due to overbooking dates, or needing a second shooter, we might need to ask for other photographer's assistance with a wedding or something else and it would be nice to have a phone list for those in the group.

Are you interested in being a part of that list?

We would like to encourage all those actively participating in Photowalking Utah to share their info on this list. To have your name and info added updated on this page, please contact Jeremy Hall using jhall [at] greatproj.com.

Note: The list is alphabetized by last name (where available) for easy reference

Mark Abercrombie
(801) 440-7514
mark [at] mga-media.com

Aaron Barker
801.633.0638
aaron [at] aaronbarkerphotography.com
blog.aaronbarkerphotography.com

Kelly Branan
801-913-3410
kbranan [at] gmail.com
kellybranan.com/blog/

Gregory S Brown
801-391-3650
gbrown [at] yesco.com

Melissa Brown
801-413-4000
melissabrownphotography [at] gmail.com

Michael Calanan
801 413 3008
info [at] calanan.com

Brian Coleman
(801) 815-3243
brian.coleman7 [at] gmail [dot] com

Paul Dennison
801-719-7793
dddphoto [at] comcast [dot] net
dddphoto.wordpress.com

Elizabeth Foote
801-654-1059
footepath [at] hotmail.com
wibbet.blogspot.com

John Freeman
801-360-7808
john [at] jafman.com

Michael Frye
801-554-3734
fryeme [at] comcast.net
www.photocapm.com

Kim Guanzon
(801) 367-1207
kim {at} kimguanzon.com
kimguanzon.com

Jeff & Karrie Haddon
801-510-5173
jhaddon84015 [at] mac.com

Jeremy Hall
801.318.8889
jhall [at] greatproj.com
whatsgottastay.com

Dave Heaps
801-301-7531
heaps_dave [at] yahoo.comm

Tamra Hyde
801-712-0510
modernmother [at] comcast.net
todaysmodernmother.com

Scott Jarvie
801-362-6372
jarvie [at] jarviedigital.com / jarvie [at] gmail.com
jarviestudios.com/blog

Jeremy Johnsen
801-776-4661
jjohnsen [at] gmail.com
johnsenclan.com/wordpress

Justin Johnson
801-652-1477
authalic [at] gmail.com

Bryan Jones
801 859-1470
bryan.jones [at] m.cc.utah.edu
prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones

Sarah Keitz
801.317.1622
bandersnatch3 [at] hotmail.com

Ben Kuhns
801-884-7089
benkuhns [at] gmail.com
benkuhns.com

Rich Legg
801.259.3500
rich [at] leggnet.com

Nathan Marx
801-540-6712
nateperro [at] yahoo.com
nathanmarxphotos.blogspot.com

Jeff McGrath
801-923-8621
jeff [at] youtah [dot] com

Bob Mertlich
801.376.9763
b_mertlich [at] yahoo.com

Scott Myler
801-427-1110
scottmyler [at] comcast.net
scottmylerphotography.com/blog

Jenna Nelson
319-4853
jennanelsonphotography [at] comcast.net

Carl Nielsen
(801) 694-0326
carl [at] carlnielsenphoto.com
www.carlnielsenphoto.com

Preston Norris
801-520-6180
preston_w_norris [at] yahoo.com
www.zoneviiphotography.com

Ed Paz
801-361-9827
edpaz84 [at] yahoo.com

Harley and Diane Pebley
801.253.9756 (home; no cell)
harley3 [at] pebley.org
www.pebley.org

Avery Pince
801.814.0358
american_papillon [at] yahoo.com

Robyn Poarch
801-949-2281
photogirl66 [at] gmail.com
rlpimage.com/PhotoBlog

Vladimir Shnayderman
801-856-6503
vshnay1 [at] yahoo.com

Scott Smith
801-540-3947
scott [at] scottosmith.com

Jerry Staton
801-230-3628
sta57ton [at] yahoo.com

Jacom Stevens
jacomstephens.vox.com

Jessica Szerszen
(801) 773-3228
Cell: (801) 603-4393

Anna Tenney
(801)587-5120
anytka232my [at] hotmail.com

David Terry
801-699-3427
david [at] dterryphotography.com
blog.dterryphotography.com

Ann Torrence
801-557-0611
ann [at] anntorrence.com
anntorrence.com/blog/

Charles Uibel
801-573-1668
Charles [at] GreatSaltLakePhotos.com

David Ward
801.739.1821
dave [at] remember4ever.com

Chad Webb
801-860-2567
radchad [at] mac.com
www.chadwebbphotography.com

Jenni Young
(801) 391-1984
jenzbox2 [at] gmail.com

Ryan Young
801-391-0605
ryguy77 [at] rocketmail.com

John Yrungaray
801-446-6453
yrungaray [at] gmail.com
www.johnsebastianphotography.com

Photowalking Utah - One Year Later

2008-10-05T23:26:00.002-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the very first Photowalking Utah event. Six brave souls ventured out on a rainy Saturday night to capture the sights of downtown Salt Lake City.

Roll the clock ahead a year and we have now had over a dozen events and have nearly 300 photographers who have joined the group. It has been a great year and I now count as close friends many of the photogs that I have met through these events.

I anxiously await the future of Photowalking Utah!

Pictured in the image (left to right): Harley Pebley, myself, Diane Pebley, Bryan Jones, Ann Torrence and Scott Smith.

Photowalking Utah Recap: Hangin' with Kenneth Linge

2008-09-22T21:42:00.000-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

InStudio's Director of Seminars Julie playing the role of model for the group

Saturday's Photowalking Utah event was great. The two-part event started with a behind-the-scenes look at Kenneth Linge's new studio (InStudio) in Orem (Utah).

Kenneth holding a discussion with Photowalking Utah participants in his studio

Kenneth, an international award winning photographer, spent two hours talking to the 50+ attendees about all things photographic. His sense of humor came blazing through as he kept the group laughing the whole time.

Kenneth demonstrating tungsten lighting techniques on the streets (literally) of Provo

After a dinner break (Cafe' Rio....yummmm!), over thirty of the photowalkers reconvened at the Historic Utah County Courthouse for an evening photowalk. With Kenneth in attendance, the "walking" part of the event turned into a lighting workshop on the streets (literally!) of Provo. Kenneth purposely didn't bring a camera but instead brought along reflectors and portable tungsten lights. He graciously worked with the group for over 2 hours showing different lighting techniques.

I count Kenneth as a good friend and am delighted that the photowalkers were able to find out what a great guy he is.

The group of photowalkers during the second portion of the event

One of the things I really like about Photowalking Utah is the willingness of the group to try different types of events. This 'walk was no exception as we didn't do much "walking" but we sure talked a lot about photography.

The next Photowalking Utah event will be on Saturday October 18th. The group will be exploring the halloween decorated streets of Gardner Village in West Jordan Utah. I will announce the details here at LeggNet.com as well as on PhotowalkingUtah.com when they are finalized.

Links:

Flickr photostream of the participants' Photowalking Utah images
David Terry's great recap of this month's event
Kenneth Linge, International Photographer
InStudio - A Photographic Studio by Kenneth Linge
Photowalking Utah

How to prepare for a photowalk

2008-09-14T13:44:00.001-06:00

Originally posted on Hooked On Light by Harley Pebley.

I've never been on a photowalk before. How do I prepare?

This great question was recently raised on the Photowalking Utah discussion forum. I figured I could do a quick Google search and point the questioner to a couple answers. Surprisingly, I didn't find any, so here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

First, unless you know how to take photos without a camera, you will need one. This can be anything you want to use. Bring something you're comfortable with or want to learn to use better. Photowalks are not intended to be gear competitions. I've seen everything from cell phone cameras to five figure DSLR rigs to medium format film cameras used. There is no disgrace in having a point and shoot and there's no superiority in bringing the most expensive thing on the market. The goal is to have fun and learn to use what you have better.

Most cameras these days have batteries. Make sure they're charged. A backup would be a good idea. And don't forget to top off the batteries in accessories too.

There aren't many things more frustrating than getting the blinking "CF full" message in your viewfinder. Make sure you have enough space in your memory cards. Carry extra; better more than you need than not enough. Of course if you shoot film, memory cards won't do you much good; just have enough film for the trip.

Photowalking is a compound word. You need to take photos and you need to walk. A good pair of shoes appropriate for the location allows you to focus on shooting. The wrong pair will be a distraction. Make sure you fall in the first category. Some walking/sport shoes in an urban setting are probably a good choice. On the other hand, in a rocky environment some hiking boots might be better. I really appreciated the organizers of a recent photowalk letting us know there were some marshy areas around where we were going so I could bring some footwear appropriate for that environment.

Dress appropriately for the weather and check the forecast just before you leave. If there's going to be a wide swing in temperatures, use multiple light layers to add or remove insulation as needed. If there's going to be precipitation, don't not go. Rather take protection and have fun with the reflections and moody environment. Things look completely different in the rain. You might want to have a change of clothes in the car though so you don't have to drive home soggy.

Take care of your body. Walking is exercise and staying hydrated is important. Particularly outdoors during summer, make sure you have some sort of liquid available. This may be having some cash to pop into a local market to buy it on the fly if you're in town or carrying a bottle of water or canteen if you're out in the rough. In any case, make sure you know your limits and the environment and plan accordingly.

Know where and when the photowalk starts. Everyone misses out if the group leaves without you. You lose the synergy generated by the group and the group misses your input. There are several web sites that give time and distance between two points. (Here's one and here's another.) You enter your address and the address of the photowalk's start and you get back directions with estimated average driving time; adjust for weather and local road conditions. And then leave 10 minutes early.

The items above are the most important things to consider. If you want to go light, that's about it. Now let's cover some optional items.

First, taking optional items will probably require something to carry them. Depending on your load, a backpack, camera bag or large pockets will be suffice.

A hard-drive based media viewer is a really useful tool. My work flow is to start with two empty CF cards and the viewer (also typically empty). When I fill a card, I swap CF cards in the camera. I then put the full one in the viewer and start the backup. I can then continue shooting. When the backup is finished, I clear that card and have it ready for when the second card is filled. Repeat as needed. When I'm done with the photowalk it all gets downloaded to the computer and cleared from the portable devices.

Depending on the location, sometimes a tripod is useful. I've been on some photowalks where I've used it quite a bit. I've been on others where I haven't used it at all. Others fall in between. Sometimes I've not used it and should have. It all depends on personal style and the types of shots you're taking. I tend to err on the side of over planning and typically take it.

Lastly, consider the location and plan for possible needed accessories. If you're going to someplace during the day with lots of reflections, for example a car show or a lake or a river, a circular polarizer filter will help you cut out some of those reflections. If you're going to be catching a sunrise or sunset, some people like a graduated neutral density filter. A standard neutral density filter can give you interesting effects by blurring movement in bright light. Even during daylight, I always carry a flash and radio remotes, with charged batteries. You never know when a fill light will be just what you want.

In closing, mentally plan your trip. Think about the location and environment and the types of shots you want to get. Consider a new technique you've been wanting to try but haven't and plan to use it. I know people with very extensive DSLR setups who have attended with simple point and shoot cameras to limit their equipment options and focus on composition. Others have attended with a new piece of equipment specifically to experiment with them. Some who are comfortable in the automatic modes on their camera, use the expertise of others on the walk to get more comfortable with aperture priority or manual modes. Finally, plan enough to get out there and have fun, but not so much that you lose spontaneity.

If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to share them in the comments.

Photowalking Utah - 4th of July Balloon Launch Recap

2008-07-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

The event offered a colorful assortment of subjects to shoot

Most of the people that know me for any amount of time probably come to learn that I'm not much of a morning person. Because of this I cringed a bit when I read the schedule for the latest Photowalking Utah event. The outing was an early morning session photographing hot air balloons at the America's Freedom Festival in Provo on the Fourth of July. The balloons began inflating at 6:00 a.m. which necessitated a 5:00 a.m. wake-up call to make it to the field in time.

As many of the photowalkers as we could get to hold still for a group shot

A total of about 20 photographers joined in on the 'walk. Since the starting time was so early, we didn't have one set location to meet. Instead, we were able to coordinate as the event took place to join together. Afterward, the majority of the group headed off to breakfast together.

The heat of the inflation

The partial cloud cover eliminated the chance for any "balloon against blue sky" shots, but it kept the temperatures in the manageable mid-eighties range.

Inside the envelope of a balloon being inflated

One of the pilots tapped me on my shoulder and asked "want to get a cool picture?". I obviously answered yes. With that, he took me inside the envelope of his balloon as his crew inflated it. It was kind of surreal being inside the massive craft as it grew over my head.

An "over-the-head" no look shot

Nikon / Canon / Nikon

I must admit that I'm glad I got up before light to attend this event. I took as many pictures before 8:00 a.m. as I usually do on a full day of shooting. It's always great to hang out with my photowalking friends and this outing was no different.

The next Photowalking Utah event is still being planned. Keep an eye on the announcement section of the group's Flickr page at www.photowalkingutah.com.

Photowalking the Great Salt Lake - Recap

2008-06-23T21:50:00.000-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

Saturday evening's Photowalking Utah event at the Great Salt Lake was a lot of fun. We had over 40 photographers join us for a few hours of capturing the lake at dusk. It was especially great to see so many first-timers among the shooters.

The group met at Saltair for a short welcome session before following the evening's guide Charles Uibel out to the lake. Charles has been photographing the lake for quite some time and has an impressive body of work. He knew the place and time to be at to capture some great shots and really made this outing a success.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly our model, Heidi. She's a friend of David Terry who graciously volunteered to do a Trash-the-Dress session with an old wedding gown. She literally spent over two hours in and around the water being photographed.

The recap wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fatalities from the evening. I had the embarrassing misfortune of slipping into the water in front of 25 photographers. While I saved my camera gear, my Blackberry is down for the count. David Terry, in search of the perfect light placement, had a Speedlight (along with a new Radio Popper) fall into the lake. And lastly, I didn't see it happen, but Mike Calanan's phone took a swim as well and last night I saw him on Twitter looking for anyone with an extra Verizon phone.

As I write this there are over 225 images in the Photowalking Utah Flickr group. It's amazing to see the different variations of the same subject that the photographers captured.

The details for the July Photowalking Utah event are still being gathered, but the plan right now involves blue sky and hot air balloons. It promises to be an event that you won't want to miss. Stay tuned to here (and photowalkingutah.com) for details.

Moran Eye Center Video

2008-05-09T19:34:00.004-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Jeremy Hall on his blog at whatsgottastay.com)

It's that time again for the video of the most recent Photowalking Utah event. These videos only take me a few hours to edit and upload, but getting them online has a little delay while I wait for people to post their photos to the flickr group along with some good old fashioned procrastination on my part.

As described in my previous post, (also here and here) we had a very enjoyable event visiting the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah. Bryan Jones, who made the access to the lab possible, later wrapped up the event well on his blog.

Hope you enjoy this wrap up video of the event. I'll try to keep these up when I can attend as long as there is continuing interest. Please feel free to post this video to your site/blog, just please give a link back here for credit.

Photowalking Utah: Tulip Festival Recap

2008-04-21T21:53:00.000-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

In spite of high winds and dust that threatened to derail the event, 15 courageous photographers showed up at Photowalking Utah's Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival event on Saturday. The recent cold snap had slowed the emergence of the tulips, but there was still plenty to photograph.

Instead of carrying my normal SLR camera gear, I opted to travel light and loaded my pockets with a Canon G7 (10 mp point-and-shoot), Canon 430EX strobe, 2 Pocketwizard radios and a handheld light meter. Today's image of a tulip was captured with this equipment.

I lit the subject by placing the strobe on the ground to the left of the subject. The directional light created a nice rimming effect on not only the flower petals, but the leafs as well.

For those that skipped the event because of the wind (I know I was tempted to), you missed a great time. It was actually quite peaceful with very little wind once we entered the gardens.

The details for next month's Photowalking Utah event are being put together and will be announced soon. To see more images from the participants in the April photowalk and for announcements about future events, visit PhotowalkingUtah.com.

Canon Powershot G7 - 1/125 second, f/8, ISO 100

Photowalking Utah - Trax Recap

2008-03-29T21:57:00.001-06:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

There was a nice turnout for today's Photowalking Utah event in Salt Lake City. I joined twenty-five other photographers aboard TRAX (Salt Lake City's light rail system) for a train ride around the city. We got off the train at various stops to photograph, before boarding the next train to continue our journey. It was great to meet several first-time photowalkers as well as catching up with the regulars.

The next Photowalking Utah event will be in April as the group heads South to Thanksgiving Point for the annual Tulip Festival. Stay tuned for details.

Today's image is of one of the original members of Photowalking Utah, Scott Smith, working his new 40D aboard the train as the event unfolded. Be sure to check out Scott's photoblog at www.scottosmith.com.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/160 second, f/4, ISO 1000

Studio Photography Video Wrapup

2008-01-25T22:06:00.004-07:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Jeremy Hall on his blog at whatsgottastay.com)

In a second recap of this great event, Jeremy Hall put together some footage from our last "photowalk" (term used loosely this month) to give newcomers a taste of what it was all about.

Again, thanks to the organizers, Rich Legg, Ann Torrence and Bryan Jones for getting this all started. Extra thanks to those putting in the time and effort to share their studio setups and knowledge on using them. If you are in the Utah area and have interest in hanging out with a bunch of other enthusiasts, I highly recommend you check out the group and join us on future events.

Photowalking Utah: Studio Photography - Recap

2008-01-14T21:51:00.001-07:00

(This is a re-print of a post originally written by Rich Legg on his blog at leggnet.com)

What happens when you put 75 photographers, 8 studio lighting setups, 9 models, a gear tryout table and 25 door prizes in a 6,000 square foot church auditorium? The answer is simple - a great photographic time!

Last Saturday's indoor photowalk was a rousing success. With the addition of the Utah Photo Safari & Salt City Photo club members joining the Photowalking Utah regulars, the energy in the room was incredible. The participants got a chance to walk among the different lighting setups and to shoot the various models while meeting and talking with fellow shooters.

Our good friend Berkely at Pictureline hooked us up with plenty of Nikon and Canon swag for the prize table. Many a photographer walked away with more Canon and/or Nikon goodies than they arrived with.

To take a look at the 150+ photos (posted so far) in the Photowalking Utah Flickr group, visit flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc.

Special thanks go out to Gateway Community Church for the use of their building, Pictureline for the prizes and to all of the folks who brought gear and muscles to set-up and tear down the room. It was great to hear from the church that they felt we left the room in better condition than we found it.

The triumvirate leadership of Photowalking Utah is busily planning the next two events. Stay tuned here or at PhotoWalkingUtah.com for details.

Update: Here are a few other articles and/or blog posts on the event:

http://www.photowalking.org/2008/01/14/photowalking-utah-indoor-studio-wrap-up/
http://www.anntorrence.com/blog/2008/01/photowalking-studio-workshop-l.html
http://prometheus.med.utah.edu/~bwjones/C1516441744/E20080117004430/index.html
.

First Photowalk SLC

2007-10-09T22:30:00.012-06:00

Photowalk SLC v.1 was an absolute success despite the rain, the cold, the stares and attention that a bunch of photographers seem to attract and did I mention the rain? Despite the rain, a few hardy souls made the appearance including Harley and Diane, Rich, Scott, Ann and myself. A good time observing people was had by all and we even got some comedy while we were discussing photography outside of a hotel entrance and a woman pulled up in a car asking who the celebrity was inside. I suppose there would be no other rational explanation for why a bunch of folks carrying cameras would be assembled outside the entrance to a hotel in the rain... We of course found it to be fabulously funny.

The other notable thing was that despite all the rain and not really having any weatherproofing on my Canon 20d other than the L series lens, things appear to be just fine. I was secretly hoping that the rain would kill the camera and I'd have a good excuse to upgrade to the new Canon 1D MkIII, but no such luck and I'll need to find another excuse to pick one up. The experience with the 20d has been very good so far and it has held up to a couple of heart stopping drops on concrete, getting slammed into rocks on a hike, getting wet several times, undergoing freezing temps and 120 degree heat in the middle of the desert, so I am most happy to upgrade to another Canon.

Blog entries from Rich on the Photowalk can be found here, Ann has an entry here, Scott has an entry here, and the Flickr pool for SLC Photowalk can be found here.

Another photowalk is scheduled for Friday October 19th to photograph the gallerystroll, clubs and more. Hope to see you there.