Stephen Oachs, Nature Photographer

Time for some "Imagination"

2011-04-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's been a YEAR since I updated my blog. Blogs are dead anyway, right? I remember when blogs were the hot thing and the next big thing was the "vlog"...the concept of a blog but with video's....I guess that became YouTube...or Facebook? I dunno.

Well anyway, I decided I should catch up a bit and share the story behind my latest published image, I call "Imagination".

And the story goes...

3AM, I wake up to the sound of a lovely harp playing in the distance...groggy, I look toward the front of the MoHo (aka "motorhome") and realize it's just my iPhone telling me it's time to get up...instead of some vixen beauty playing me an early morning melody.

It's time to get up and go SHOOT!

I'm in the eastern Sierra's for the week conducting two Aperture Academy Death Valley workshops. Mid week I'm doing some shooting of my own. Last weeks group was a blast and there are many familiar faces for this weekend so it should prove to be a great weekend of photography for all.

So, I drive out of my camp spot and head off for a shoot that I've had on my bucket list for about three years now -- Piute Indian Petroglyphs. Weather in the Sierra's hasnt been on my side so I've been doing a lot of night shooting given it's so very nice and dark over here.

Back up two days...

With vague information gathered from about 10 different sources...I had, what I thought, was enough guidance to locate these amazing petroglyphs. The first day I hiked and drove quite a bit, with no success. That afternoon I phoned the ranger station in hopes of some help...no dice. They wouldnt tell me! And, now that I've been there I understand why...this place MUST remain extremely difficult to find for it's very preservation. I even have some hesitation with the image in that I do not want people flocking to this location.

No, I wont tell you where it is. I'm not being a jerk, you're welcome to go but you must have the same utmost respect for this place as I do, and you must go through the same challenges I did. And I request that if you do ever go, and find it, that you keep it's location only to yourself. I say all of this becuase I recently photographed some Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef National Park and was sickened by the defacing and distruction I witnessed on the artifacts :(

Enough of my soap box...on with the post...

So I'm on the highway on my way to the trailhead. It had taken me two days of hiking several canyons, searching for any signs that I was in the right area. Finally, and yes it's always the last place you look...bingo. I sat in awe, looking at each sketching in the stone...seeing things like turtles, fish, deer and the most strange of all, what appeared to be a jelly fish. I was amazing by the detail and level of patience it must have taken to create this giant pictograph panel...and could not stop wondering what drove the people of this era to document with such persistance and imagination.

I very carefully setup my gear on the edge of the rock surface and shot a series of 5 minute exposures. The first 30 minutes or so I tested a variety of settings until I had just what I wanted. Then, the real shooting began. It was nearly 445am now and I new the light in the sky would begin to grow in intensity, even though to my nake eye it was still nearly pitch dark (moonless night). I continued to shoot in 5 minute frames all the way into the morning twilight...carefully adusting my ISO down in small increments to not ruin an exposure. If I were to fumble now, I'd have a gap in my star trails and that would ruin the entire final result.

Why 5 minute exposures? Why not one long exposure?

Digital has an achilles heel...the sensor heats up during long exposures and this leads two a couple of issues -- noise and "hot" pixels. Both are not good for a quality image. So, by taking 5 minute exposures, all exactly back to back, you keep the noise manageable and help avoid hot pixels (I still had a few on the 1Ds Mark III).

But then what?

Then, you take each image into Photoshop and stack them in layers...with the "lighten" adjustment selected on each layer. This allows you to merge the images together, thus giving you the single continugous star trails. Then, one final image for the foreground where I used my trusted "walmart" plastic wrap latern. If you dont know what that means, you can read about that here.

I really love my lantern for light painting, now that I have it all pimped out with orange plastic to cast a nice warm and even light :)

So anyway, there you have it...I call it "Imagination". I'll have a BIG print up in the gallery in the coming days.

PS: It was awesome to hear the coyotes yipping in the distance as I sat waiting on my exposures...everywhere I go I seem to hear coyotes...I knew feeding them crockpot was a bad idea...they always come back for more!

2009 in Review: A Year of Big Events

2010-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

What a year it was. Not just for me, but the world. So many big events and the loss of many iconic figures such as Micheal Jackson, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett.

For me, it was a busy year of travel photography and on-location workshops. I started the year in Oregon and came away with an image of these timeless sea stacks, standing like giant tombstones of time. (These monoliths hug the shoreline of the small coastal town of Bandon, Oregon.)

In February, I made a long weekend run to Death Valley with good friends Brian Rueb and Scott Davis. Normally you'd think of a place like Death Valley as hot and dry, but we managed to plan our trip to encounter some of the worst rains the area has seen in years. We did manage a few images, but were eventually chased out just as they were closing the roads to the valley.

From Death Valley, Scott Davis and I hopped a plane to Alaska for our long awaited journey to the Kenai Peninsula, to photograph Bald Eagles. Our bad timing in Death Valley was long behind us, and we managed to arrive in Alaska to an unusually sunny week, where we took full advantage of the conditions and photographed eagles every day of our week-long stay.

We returned from Alaska just in time for me to head to Yosemite to meet back up with Brian Rueb and conduct our 2009 Winter Yosemite Landscape Workshop. We had a great group this year and the conditions didn't disappoint. Winter in Yosemite is always a great time, and the students loved every minute of it.

With spring's arrival in Oregon, I made the 12-hour drive from my home in California's Bay area to the Columbia River Gorge, a 60-mile stretch of scenic wilderness along Oregon's northern border with Washington State. I spent a week hiking and photographing many of the waterfalls; conditions could not have been more perfect.

Anxious to get down to the Desert Southwest before it got too hot, May was a perfect time for a long weekend get-a-way to the four corners area. Monument Valley was high on my list, as I'd driven through that area a few times prior but had never stopped to take in the giant, timeless landscapes.

On the way back through the Mohave Desert, I was fortunate enough to be near Andrews Air Force Base and witnessed the space shuttle landing. Lucky for me, weather had caused them to land in California instead of the standard Florida return. Hearing and feeling the sonic boom was indescribable!

In the middle of June, I headed north to Mt. Shasta to meet up with Brian Rueb again, to conduct our annual summer photography workshop tour of that area. Conditions this year were HOT! But visiting all the waterfalls and higher elevations really helped. We had a big group this time, but it was another great workshop!

From Northern California, I headed to Montana in route to Glacier National Park. I'd visited the west entrance many times before but never had the chance to spend time on the east side, which is difficult to access because Logan Pass is only open a few weeks each year, and they don't allow motorhomes to pass over, which is my transportation of choice these days. So after two days of driving I arrived at St. Mary's Lake, where I spent several days hiking and waiting for just the right conditions. Finally on the 4th day of my stay, late morning light gave way to one of my new favorite images.

July and August were very busy. That is Art and Wine Festival season and every year I display my work and sell prints and other misc. photography products. This year was one of the best ever, despite the slow economy. I was pleased with the response to my newest fine art prints and it was further evidence to me that my idea to open a gallery was valid.

Late September finally arrived and I was very anxious to get back into the field. I had been planning a two week trip to Colorado all year and with several stops on my pre-planned route, there wasn't a day to spare. My first stop was Zion National Park, where I hiked the 10 miles in and out of one of the north canyons, "The Subway," formed by an ancient lava tube. I arrived to find just the right lighting conditions and was able to capture the scene as I had hoped.

From Zion, I headed east into Colorado, where I spent a week in and around the San Juan Mountains in search of the best fall colors. While it wasn't the best year for color, I did manage to find a few spots that didn't disappoint. High on my "to-do" list was the difficult, off-road journey to the ghost town of Crystal.

After a full day of visiting and photographing this location, I moved on to the famous Maroon Bells Lake. My first day at the lake was a disappointment...stormy skies kicked up waves on the lake and muted the light. However, when I returned the next morning, the conditions were superb!

With my Colorado trip successfully behind me, I returned to California for the last, and largest, Art and Wine Festival of the year. Held in Half Moon Bay, California, this weekend show boasts up to 250,000 attendees.

October is also the final workshop of the year...our Yosemite Fall Landscape Workshop. Our scheduled workshop was timed perfectly for the fall colors and the students were treated to ideal conditions. On that Saturday night, we arrived at Glacier Point to photograph sunset and it turned out to be one of the most amazing I had ever witnessed. Everyone left with a camera full of wonderful images and many new photographic skills.

In between all of these trips, travels and shows, I managed to write a business plan for The Aperture Academy, a 4,000 square foot photography gallery featuring my work. It is also a studio for building upon the workshop series I'd been developing over the last few years.

We officially opened the doors to Aperture Academy on October 20th, 2009. A full 10 days sooner than expected, due to a streamlined construction schedule. We held our grand opening celebration on December 5th, 2009, with over 500 guests in attendance. It was quite a celebration!

Yes, 2009 was a year of big events and personal milestones, bringing great promise for an even better 2010. Happy New Year everyone, and I hope your 2010 is the best year yet!

The Aperture Academy - Coming Soon!

2009-09-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have a big announcement today -- an announcement that has taken me over a year to conceive, plan, stage, organize and otherwise bring to fruition.

Welcome to The Aperture Academy, a Fine Art Photography Gallery & School slated to open November 1st, 2009.

www.ApertureAcademy.com

Those of you who know me, you know I'm a serial technology entrepreneur, however, this marks the first time that I have meshed a passion and economic venture together. It also marks my first retail/non-technology-related business, so there are many new aspects that make this both very exciting, and extremely challenging.

As of today, September 1st, 2009, the facility is under construction and is slated for completion in mid October, with an opening date of November 1st. A Grand Opening Celebration is scheduled for December 5th, 2009.

Here's the marketing blurb to introduce you to the venue:

Located in the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell, California, The Aperture Academy is a 4,000 square foot venue featuring the fine art photography of Stephen W. Oachs. In addition to the gallery, this facility also contains a large classroom, which will provide a fun and interactive environment to learn everything photography!

Whether you're a beginner, or an advanced photographer looking to brush up or polish existing skills, our state-of-the-art classroom and in-field workshops will provide you with real "hands-on" instruction. Using the latest equipment, our instructors teach the latest in photography, software, technique and more.

At The Aperture Academy, you will find:

- Classroom instruction for Photoshop®, Lightroom® and much more
- Classroom and in-field Digital Photography Workshops
- Lifestyle Photography shoots with live models
- 101-Style Classes for those just getting started
- Much, much more as we dream it up, and you request it!

STAY TUNED! This is only the beginning....

Popular Photography Magazine, August 2009, Featuring Stephen Oachs

2009-07-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

This image entitled "The Furrows" is featured in the August 2009 issue of Popular Photography Magazine.

The image was awarded 1st place in their Your Best Shot photography contest. Be sure to pick up an issue at your local newsstand!

"The Furrows"

In a mysterious location, somewhere in the general area of Redding, California, a lazy portion of the Sacramento River flows elegantly through a seldom-seen maze of moss-covered river tiles. Legend has it that these rocks are only visible from time to time, when the water level is "just right." Affectionately nicknamed, The Furrows, this mystical, serene riverscape looks as though it could be set in mythical Brigadoon.

Taken during a foggy sunrise, this enchanting photograph derives its color and atmosphere from the filtered light, low water level, light drizzly rain... and magical conditions.

To learn more, visit www.StephenOachs.com

Stephen Oachs Photography Slideshow

2009-07-19T23:43:00.000-07:00

This is a new video slideshow, accompanied by music from Celtic Woman. Believe it or not, this was the first video I ever uploaded to YouTube. Yes, I know, I'm on the cutting edge...an early adopter :)

I hope you enjoy it!

Stephen Oachs Summer Photography Tour

2009-07-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a two week road trip that took me from home in San Jose, California, up to Grand Teton National Park, through Yellowstone and to one of my favorite destinations -- Glacier National Park. I had been to Glacier National Park a couple times in the past but always in through the west entrance. This time my goal was to photograph the east side of this amazing National Park -- a park created by the repeated creation and retreat of glaciers over thousands of years that left rugged, towering peaks behind. Nestled at the bottom of this amazing mountain formation is St. Mary Lake, nothing but a mere puddle in the midst of this oversized photographer's playground. St. Mary Lake is rich in mineral sediment stripped from the surrounding mountains by rain and snow. These minerals create an amazing teal color that is really enhanced when struck by direct sunlight. Truly one of natures most beautiful spectacles.

After three days of hiking, exploring and photographing in and around St. Mary Lake, I made my way east to the small town of Usk, Washington. Usk is nothing more than a gas station, a small diner and a string of abandoned buildings that echo memories of more prosperous days in the past.

Usk also happens to be home to a very large concentration of Osprey, most often building their nests on the tops of old piers that dot the shore of the Pend Oreille River. I was lucky enough to find a great vantage point that not only put me close enough for good, detailed, wildlife photography, but also allowed me to be hidden enough as to not disturb the Osprey and thus capture images of natural behavior. Over the course of three days, I spent many hours sitting, waiting... and waiting.

In this image, I observed this nest for five hours, and finally the male Osprey returned to the nest with a fish he had just plucked from the river. He landed, turned the fish over to the female, waited a few moments and then returned up the river, presumably for more fishing. The mother Osprey began tearing the fish into small, bite-sized pieces and carefully fed her chicks that were tucked safely down inside the nest.

With my fill of Osprey photography and the number of days remaining in my trip winding down, I decided it was time to start heading back south, toward home. After a brief look at a map, I headed toward Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. I had been there just two months prior, but the water level at the time was pretty high and there were a few waterfalls I was unable to access. So, this was my chance to revisit the Gorge and capture some additional images.

I spent two days hiking the trails above Oneonta Gorge, and even the gorge itself, where I waded through chest deep snow melt run-off water, to access the back of the canyon. I wasn't disappointed! These places may be challenging to get to, but the reward is both visually, and photographically, rewarding.

From the Columbia Gorge, I made my way down through the Willamette Valley, the Three Sister Wilderness and then back into California. I then turned around just a few days later and made my way back north to the Mt. Shasta area, where I conducted the 2009 Mt. Shasta Photography Workshop. We had 13 students on this trip and it was a really good group. We photographed many areas with the highlight being a 1.5 mile hike up above Castle Lake, which provided a perfect sunset vista of Castle Lake with Mt. Shasta in the distance.

Desert Southwest Shoot Over Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

I spent the last 5 days on the road...my first stop after driving through the night...and most of the next day...Monument Valley. Last fall I spend a week in the Desert Southwest but the furthest south I got was Mule Canyon and so this was a return trip to pick up where I left off.

This photo of "The Mittens" is a tourist shot, for sure, but no matter I wanted my own take on it. This was shot late in the afternoon on the day I arrived. About two hours later, close to sunset, the sky turned scary dark and a giant wind storm kicked up. I was standing there one second, everthing was fine and the next moment sand began pelting me and it was like being...no joke...sand blasted. It HURT!! I ran for the RV, trying to protect my camera gear from the fine dust that was pelting me relentlessly. I get in and Tucker, my Beagle, looks at me as if to say "You wimp. Now can you feed me?"

Finally, safe from the wind and sand I realized my chances of another shot were over. Not more than two minutes later it started to rain, and I mean RAIN. it POURED...and as I drove away the red sand that had collected on the windshield combined with the rain and I had giant clumps of mud being flung off by the wipers. It was NUTS! I retrieted to the campground in a nearby canyon that provided a bit of shelter for the night.

After getting chased away by a giant dust/rain storm in Monument Valley we decided to spend the next day hiking into a very remote spot named Falled Roof Ruin, about an hour north of the valley. I don't know why but I am captivated by these old Anasazi Indian Ruins, built into the side of alcoves carved out by river flow through Mule Canyon over thousands of years.

This particular ruin got it's name from the obvious "Fallen Roof", where the layers of rock gave way to gravity, and collapsed. The exposed surface is amazing...the patterns and colors in this high desert red rock is quite a stunning sight and there are parts of the roof that look as if they could give way at any moment.

Hiking into this Canyon is quite a journey. In typical fashion, I got a little lost...the cairns are far and few between and I was unable to find GPS coords for this location so I ended up going about two miles our of my way before I figured it out. The light was shifting and I was cursing "Damn it, the light is getting too bright, damn it, where the hell is this place?!?" Real mature of me...HAHA

All in all, now that I've been there, it's really pretty easy..I guess I'm just not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to directions. I even had the beagle (Tucker) with me but he was more intersted in chasing rodents and birds than helping me find the right path.

Beyond the great time I had photographing this location, the next best part was knowning that my wife, for the first time in her life, pee'd in the outdoors. It's a long story...I'll sum it up best I can...we have a motorhome but I have this strange thing about not using the toilet. Something about driving around with human waste sloshing about and then the task of dumping it out through a hose just doesnt sit well with me. So I told her "NO using the toilet...if you have to pee, pee outside!" So she was ok with that, oddly she agreed with my thoughts on this matter. Now, the issue is, she wants to camp where there is a bathroom yet the best places to park and RV for the night dont involve plumbed toilets. So finally, during this hike she broke down and did her duty, outside!

Her comment was "It's hard not to pee on your shoes...it's not fair, you have outdoor plumbing..."

I'm still laughing!

Jurassic Discoveries - A Week in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge

2009-04-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

I recently spent a week in Oregon's Columbia Gorge, with a quick side trip to Palouse Falls, located in Eastern Washington. I loaded up the motorhome and headed north for the 12-hour drive from California. Tucker, my beagle, road shotgun the whole trip and napped just about the entire time. He did stick his head out the window a few times to bark at the cows we passed, standing in the many fields along the highway.

This time of year the green in the plant life is off the charts and just amazing to see, as well as photograph. I hiked many of the well known waterfalls up and down the Columbia River Gorge, as well as a few not so well known, in pursuit of waterfall photography. I was not disappointed -- all of the falls were flowing strong from the spring run-off from nearby Mount Hood.

Hiking back into the deep forest areas felt like stepping back into time, like the land of dinosaurs. I remember standing at the banks of the creek fed from the beautiful Ponytail Falls, looking at all the bright green moss and foliage, thinking it felt like a scene out of Jurassic Park.

The last day in the Gorge I hiked up to Elowah Falls again, as I had enjoyed it so much the first day. This time Tucker stayed in the RV (because the last time, he got soaked and wasn't thrilled with being anchored to a rock while I photographed). I grabbed my gear and started across the parking lot toward the trailhead. I looked up to see a dog running down the path with what looked like a big stick. He ran right toward me and as he got closer I realized, "that's no stick, it's a DEER LEG!" Yes, the leg of a deer....half bone, half fur and foot. He dropped it at my feet and wagged his tail, "uhhh, good boy?" I pondered out loud. He had a harness on, so clearly he was with his master...as I reached for his tags, he stepped back, not interested in me touching him. I tried a couple times to get him to come to me...my plan was to tie him up, because the freeway was only 50 yards away and he was running around pretty wild-like.

No dice.

So, I headed up the hill calling him, "here boy...come on, let's go!" and he actually did run after me...then he'd run ahead of me...this dog could run! So about half way up to the falls he disappeared off in the dense forest. I had done all I could, so I proceeded up to the falls. About 30 minutes later I headed back down and ran into a couple, "have you seen a dog...?"

"Ohhhhh yes, have I." I responded..."When I first saw him in the parking lot he had a deer leg..." they looked at me like I'm totally crazy, or joking... "a DEER leg?" I nodded.

So we hiked down together. "That stupid dog..." the man was muttering. He was clearly not happy the dog had run off, for what seemed to be a repeat event for them.

We got to the parking lot, no dog. But, we did find what was left of the deer leg...the skin, fur and foot that once was...was no longer. The dog had eaten it all...what remained was just the bones, oh and the toe nails.

Finally, after a few minutes of calling, here comes the dog, down the hill, happy to see his owners and he jumped in the car. Another happy day hiking at Elowah Falls for him!

EWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Press Release: My collaboration with the Snow Leopard Trust

2009-03-19T16:08:00.000-07:00

Recently, a representative of the Snow Leopard Trust contacted me about using my photo, Endangered Beauty, for their organization. They have been dedicated to awareness and conservation of the endangered snow leopard since 1981, and they are a cause I whole-heartedly support. I was delighted to work with them and as a result, I will be donating 10% of product sales of Endangered Beauty to their fine organization.

I've posted the official press release below. (Please feel free to repost it on your blog or site, or link to it!) And, I want to thank everyone who has sent me their comments and feedback on Endangered Beauty. I appreciate hearing from all of you!

Photographer to Donate Proceeds From Award-Winning Snow Leopard Photograph To The Snow Leopard Trust, To Help Spread Conservation and Awareness

Proceeds from "Endangered Beauty," the snow leopard portrait by acclaimed Fine Art Photographer, Stephen W. Oachs, will be used to promote awareness of this remarkable endangered species through an artistic partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust.

San Jose, CA/Seattle, WA–March 17, 2009–Photographer, Stephen W. Oachs, is honored to have his photograph contribute to the important mission of the Snow Leopard Trust, an organization dedicated to protecting the endangered snow leopard.

Oachs is a passionate nature photographer, so it was a tremendous honor for him when Endangered Beauty won voter's choice in the National Geographic 2008 International Photography Contest. "But it means even more to be able to offer the photograph to help spread awareness through an organization as honored as the Snow Leopard Trust," said Oachs. "What I have learned about the endangered snow leopard is a tragedy. To be able to contribute to bringing awareness to their situation means a lot to me. I was excited when the Trust approached me about use of my photo, and I am dedicating 10% of all product sales of Endangered Beauty to the Snow Leopard Trust."

To view the photograph, Endangered Beauty, visit www.stephenoachs.com/gallery-endangered-beauty.php or www.snowleopard.org/news/currentnews/stephen-oachs-winning-photo

To learn more about the Snow Leopard Trust and their mission, visit www.snowleopard.org.

About Snow Leopard Trust

Founded in 1981 and based in Seattle, WA, the Snow Leopard Trust is the oldest and largest organization working to protect the endangered snow leopard. The Snow Leopard Trust manages programs in five countries representing roughly 75% of the world’s snow leopard range, and is conducting the largest and most technologically advanced snow leopard research project to date. The Snow Leopard Trust protects the snow leopard and the mountain ecosystem on which it depends by using a comprehensive approach that combines scientific research, public education, and on-the-ground conservation programs that give people an incentive for protecting rather than poaching the cats. Learn more about the Snow Leopard Trust at http://www.snowleopard.org or by calling 206-632-2421.

About Stephen W. Oachs

Stephen W. Oachs is a successful entrepreneur, technology veteran and award-winning photographer working from San Jose, California and the San Francisco Bay area. Oachs' photography has won numerous awards and photography contests including National Geographic, Popular Photography Magazine and the National Wildlife Federation Photo Contest. His photo of the Fly Geyser in the Black Rock Desert will be in the Singh-Ray national ad campaign. His work is sold online and through art shows and galleries. He holds on-location photography workshops, and is available for presentations and speaking engagements. To contact Oachs or learn about his workshops, visit his Website and online gallery at www.stephenoachs.com, and his blog at stephenoachsphotography.blogspot.com.

# # #

Editorial Contacts:

Stephen Oachs Fine Art Photography
Stephen Oachs
408-829-7668
stephen@stephenoachs.com

--

Snow Leopard Trust
Siri Okamoto
206-632-2421
siri@snowleopard.org

I need your VOTE! Smithsonian Photography Finalist

2009-03-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! As I recently announced, I was chosen as a finalist in the Smithsonian Magazine Photography Contest...now I need your VOTE!

Please click here to vote!: http://photocontest.smithsonianmag.com/finalists/PCA

(To vote, find my image at the very bottom left, click the round button, then enter the code at the bottom of the page and click the "Submit Your Vote" button.)

You can vote once per day, through March 31st. If you feel so inclined, you can leave comments or share the story on this page: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/6th-annual/6th-travel-6.html

This would be a big honor for me and I really appreciate your support!

2009-02-14T10:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends, I have a big annoucement! I just recieved this letter:

Dear Mr. Oachs:
On behalf of Smithsonian Magazine, I am pleased to inform you that you are one of the top ten finalists in the "Travel" category of our 6th annual photo contest. Your photograph of "Ancestral Pueblo Ceremonial Kiva" was among
more than 17,000 entries we received from all over the world.

On March 2, 2009, your photograph, along with those of the other 49 finalists, will appear for a limited time on Smithsonian Magazine's Web site at www.smithsonian.com. It will also be considered for publication in an upcoming article on the contest in a summer 2009 issue of Smithsonianand for a photography exhibit, "World View: Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest," scheduled to appear in the Smithsonian Castle from July through January 2010.

Within the next month, you will also be notified as to whether you are a category or grand-prize winner.

Congratulations!

Sincerely,
Jesse Rhodes
Editorial Assistant
Smithsonian Magazine

Thank you to everyone who supports me and drives me to try harder!

There's a funny story behind this image...

This was taken in Mesa Verde National Park in the Spruce Tree Ruins...it was mid day and there were quite a few people cycling through. This Kiva is open for people to climb down into and it was a big draw for kids. I was down there for nearly 30 minutes waiting for it to clear out so I could capture the scene. It was dark so I knew I'd need a good 15-20 second exposure.

I decided to shoot it with a fisheye to capture the roudness of the room and get the great light beam that was piercing the darkness. I had my tripod down very low and I was plastered up against the wall as tight as I could to get my feet out of the field of view of the very wide 15mm fisheye lens.

As I waited, peoeple kept coming and going and I grew frustrated that I might not get the shot so I asked my wife, who was still up top, to ask people to wait about 30 seconds so I could get the shot. She felt wierd doing that and so, irritated, I crawled out and figured there was no way I was going to get the shot. She sensed my frustation and caved to become a human "hold up a moment" machine...I quickly climbed back down, temper tamtrum still in full swing, recomposed my camera, re-contorted body and took the shot.

I'm so glad I pulled a classic 5 year old stunt and got my way! LOL

Stormy Death Valley

2009-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well I took a chance on this last trip -- the weather forecast for Death Valley looked hit or miss...either I could catch amazing light as the storms came and went or it would be too thick and all I would see were gray skies with rain and cold.

Well, I got both! The first two days were pretty nice...some very dramatic skies and high winds which made for some nice photography, especially at the Mesquite Dunes (pictured below) where the high winds the night before reset the dunes to a smooth, silky, perfection erasing the footprint evidence of recent visitors.

During the second day in the valley the storms got the best of us and we retreated back to the north in hopes of better weather, which never came to fruition. In hindsight though, it was good we departed when we did as we later learned that many roads flooded that day, washing them out and trapping many visitors in the valley floor. Shewww!

I plan to return next month for Part Deux!

2009 Photography Workshop Series with Stephen Oachs

2009-01-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2009! Yes, I realize I'm a bit late since it's January 25th already. I have a good excuse for such a tardy post and that is that I've been extremely busy. A wildlife shoot in Montana in early January was cold but fun and I came away with some new images for the wildlife gallery. This Arctic Fox being one of my favorites. You can see more here!

I've also been very finalizing the details of my 2009 Photography Workshops to be held in some of the most beautiful and amazing places in California. This years series is larger than last years with more locations and I'm also being joined this year by award winning photographer Brian Rueb. By adding Brian to the series will allow even more one-on-one individual attention for each student as well as bring his creative and unique insights to the group.

To learn more about these 2009 Photography Workshops please visit my website at http://www.StephenOachs.com

2008 ending with a bang, including a couple great magazine profiles!

2008-12-31T22:04:00.000-08:00

This past year has shined some warm light on my photography adventures, and highlighted some incredible firsts. I had my first art shows and public exhibits; I won several notable awards by such prestigious organizations as Popular Photography Magazine, Apogee Photo Magazine, MSNBC, and the pinnacle for nature photographers, National Geographic; I was honored by having one of my photos selected for a national ad campaign; and the year ended with terrific profiles of my work and career by Gentry Magazine and San Jose Mercury News.

Of course, these are just a few of the great things that happened in 2008. I met some wonderful people and fellow photographers, was able to travel and get photographic opportunities that I will never forget, and I stepped out of the title "amateur" and "hobbyist" and walked through the door as a professional, with online sales, art exhibits, teaching workshops, and sales of my first photography book.

It has been a remarkable and whirlwind year, and I've been fortunate to have the support of my adventurous and patient wife, many dear friends and relatives, and the weather!

I look forward to an even more adventurous new year, with more photos, more opportunities and more wonderful memories! Won't you continue to join me in my journeys? I hope to see you along the way!

Thank you all for your support and interest in my work. Please keep sending your comments and questions, and I hope you all have a healthy, happy and bright new year!

~ Stephen W. Oachs
www.stephenoachs.com
www.lighttheexpedition.com

Keep current with my newest posted images at my Flickr photostream.

2008 National Geographic International 1st Place Photography Contest -- Viewer's Choice Winner!

2008-12-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Hello all, I am extremely proud to share with you that I am the 2008 National Geographic International 1st Place Photography Contest Winner!

My photograph, of the endangered Snow Leopard, was selected for 1st place.

I can't thank you enough for your vote -- without your support this would not have been possible. Thank you!!

Here is the link to the winners gallery on NatGeo: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/photo-contest/2008-winners (select "English Edition Viewer's Choice")

(There were a total of 102,565 entries to this contest)

Stephen W. Oachs
http://www.stephenoachs.com
http://flickr.com/photos/stephenoachs

MSNBC Photo of the Week

2008-11-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

I entered my Emerald Bay "Sunset Before the Storm" photograph a couple of months ago to MSNBC and it is featured this week in their Travel category. You can view the article here.

ALSO...

This photo is also a finalist in the PCPhoto Magazine's 2009 "My World" photography contest. The winner is chosen by public vote so if you like this image, please vote!

Click here to vote!

2008-11-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone...I NEED YOUR HELP! I NEED YOUR VOTE!

I have just been notified that my Snow Leopard photograph has been selected as a finalist in the 2008 National Geographic Photography Contest!

The winning image will be selected by public vote (1 to 10, 10 being the best). Here's how you can vote and I would be grateful for your "10" vote:

How to vote:

• Click this link: ngm.nationalgeographic.com/photo-contest/photo-contest

• Please vote for each image, but PLEASE save your best vote for me!

I really appreciate your vote and will update everyone on the final results, to be released December 5th, 2008. Let me know if you have any questions!

HERE IS THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT IS A FINALIST:

Fly Geyser - Black Rock Desert

2008-10-06T10:46:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I made the long trek from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Black Rock Desert, located in the northwest corner of Nevada. They don't call it a desert for nothing...this place is desolate, like the land that time forgot. If it were not for the annual Burning Man event where idiots from all around gather to drunk and burn a wooden creation that resembles a man I don't think Gerlach would even be on the map. (Granted, it was founded in 1914 when the railroad was built through that area and the US Gypsum plant is nearby feeding the local economy)

The little town of Gerlach sits on the edge of the desert and is the only food and gas for about 200 miles. Bruno is a man who seemed to own most of Gerlach's 5 blocks...There's Bruno's Diner, Bruno's Hotel and Bruno's this and Bruno's that. Anyway, my friend Brian and I rolled into Gerlach late one evening looking for a man named Bill Spoo. Mr. Spoo is the caretaker for a piece of land where the Fly Geyser resides. While we never did meet Mr. Spoo, Bruno did give us his permission to enter the land to see and photograph the geyser, which we did.

So what is this place you ask? Fly Geyser is the result of the property owner, back in the 1960's, drilling for a water well and instead striking a geothermal pocket. In the past 45 years this accidental man made geyser has constantly spewed mineral rich, boiling hot, water and all those minerals built up to create the other-worldly formation.

We had planned to return and shoot the geyser again at sunset however a giant storm rolled in and we knew dry desert and rain would create very muddy conditions so we left the desert and headed south to Lake Tahoe. We stayed a night at the lake and shoot Sand Harbor the next morning even though it was a bit stormy there too. But, that stormy weather created some nice clouds and early morning color.

It turned out to be a great trip -- the weather was constantly changing due to the storms that were moving over that area and it made for dramatic and moody light as well as some pretty crazy camping stories, such as Kangaroo mice attacking in the middle of night...well at least that's what it sounded like they were doing! I didn't get any shots of them but look them up..they are the strangest little critters you've ever seen and even more fun to watch run around!

Golden Gate Panoramic

2008-09-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

I know, I know ... yet another shot of the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't we have enough already?? Well wait a second while I state my case...

First, this isn't your typical view. This is a view very few people take the time to see. If you hike a mile down a dirt road at the base of the North Tower you find a pristine beach called Kirby Cove. From here you can see the entire span of the Golden Gate and in the distance (on this perfectly rare and clear night, San Francisco, Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge.)

Second, this photo MUST BE VIEWED LARGER becuase it's massive (Six captures stitched together). I created this with the Canon 1Ds Mark III using a 50mm f/1.4 and all those mega pixels really are impressive. I hated to have to save this down to 72dpi for Flickr becuase the full 300dpi version has such cool details. I just love this camera.

Third, I setup/leveled in near pitch dark. Yes, I choose to hike down the side of a hill on a moon-less night (duh) and let all those childhood fears came rushing back. The highlight of fear was when I heard a russling in the bushes...I froze in my tracks, flashlight piercing the darkness for any sign of eyes, little eyes hopefully. Nope ... BIG eyes ... my heart was racing...then the dear decided he'd had enough of the standoff and went on his way. All was well until about another 500 yards down the road when an owl hooted and then I about jumped out of my skin. Ok, I know there aren't any real preditors in the Marin Headlands ... oh well maybe the lone Coyote (which I did see earlier in the day) but anyway ;)

So, in conclusion -- This is my first serious panoramic photograph. This is a combination of 6, two minute exposures, timed using my handy-dandy iPhone (if only it had a pocket knife that folded out the side! But, I hear the app is coming...) Then I stitched them together in PhotoShop.

Voila!

2008-08-11T01:07:00.000-07:00

When the weather man said there was a high preasure system sitting over the Bay Area today I knew that would mean little-to-no fog in San Francisco. The city at night is beautiful so I drove up to take a look. It was unusually warm in San Francisco tonight and the Embarcadero was very quiet.

This location is about one block to the southeast of the Ferry Building (toward the Bay Bridge) and right next to Pier 14, which is just to the southeast of Pier 2, while the rest of the piers increase in count to the northwest. Well pier 2 comes before Pier 1 also. Don't ask, I have no idea why!

I'm not normally into photographing people or things people create, like bridges, buildings, etc but I couldn't pass up this scene and composition. What do you think?

San Francisco Zoo -- Revisited

2008-08-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

Can you say 1-800-BEAR-DENTIST??

I returned to the San Francisco Zoo a few days ago -- my first trip back since the escape of Tatiana the tiger on Christmas 2007, which resulted in her death.

[Full story of Tatiana here]

I'm sad to report that the big cat enclosures, that used to be so great for viewing and photography, are now nothing more than big glass and steel prisons. It's really very sad.

(TIP: If you're a photographer and want to photograph the big cats, the only option is to use a 300mm+ and shoot through the chain link fence...if you distance yourself just right from the fense and the subject is at the right distance on the opposite side, you can in fact focus out the fense. I had my 500mm with me that day and was able to accomplish this but it's not easy. Manual focus is the best bet.)

Anyway, I did spend a bit of time with the bears given they were being playful after feeding time. These two grizzly bears are sisters and were orphaned when their mother was shot and killed in Montana. They were cared for by Montana wildlife officials before being released to the wild. Used to human-induced food rewards, they were considered "problem" bears (rolls eyes, their bears!!) after invading the ranch of some Montana residents. After several attempts to relocate them away from human development and numerous phone calls to find the bears a new home, Montana wildlife officials were forced to make the agonizing decision to euthanize them, when the Zoo agreed to take them in. Poor bears, just being bears...maybe we should relocate the humans! After all, there are 6.5 BILLION of us running around.

Stephen Oachs awarded 1st Place in Popular Photography Magazine

2008-07-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that my photograph of Horseshoe Bend at Sunset has been awarded 1st place in the Popular Photography "Your Best Shot" photography contest!

The photograph and story will appear in the September 2008 issue. If you'd like to learn more about this photo, and how I took it, click here.

Rodeo Beach, Marin Headlands

2008-07-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

This is Rodeo Beach, a nice little spot located in the Marin Headlands, just northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge, ohh about 3-4 miles, if that.

I've been to Rodeo Beach a few times but conditions just never seen to be favorable for photography. Typically the coastline in this area is engulfed by the Northern California marine layer (i.e. FOG) which turns land and sea into battleship gray.

So I found myself in San Francisco again this past weekend. My wife and I went up to spend the weekend taking pictures...I mean celebrating our 5th anniversary. We headed out to Rodeo Beach for sunset where I captured this shot. Finally, no battleship gray...but, not a cloud in the sky (though I could see the battleship gray fog taunting me on the distant horizon, and just knew it would put a damper on any chances of a Sausalito sunrise shot the next morning).
The sun was intense with no clouds to defuse the light so I waited, hoping that when it finally did set that I might get some horizon glow, which thankfully I did.

I took this shot with a Canon 5D using a Canon 17-40mm lens. I used my classic filter setup which is a 77mm B+W ND64 and a wide angle P-Cokin holder with a Singh Ray Galen Rowell 3-stop, hard-step Graduated ND.

Speaking of Singh-Ray, if you've not yet seen my article I wrote for Singh-Ray Filters, you can read it here!

The shot before the storm... Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe, CA

2008-05-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

For Memorial weekend, I traveled from Lake Tahoe to Mono Lake and everywhere in between in search of good light and photographic opportunities. To say I spent my Memorial Day weekend chasing the light is an understatement! Unfortunately, the weather was unbelievably miserable all weekend, running the gamut between rain, snow, high winds, nearly record cold and just plain lousy conditions, and I was forced to end the trip earlier than I had planned.

However, I was able to get one shot. Actually, the only shot of the entire weekend.

The ironic thing about this Lake Tahoe Sunset, over Emerald Bay, is that I took it on my very first stop, just after arriving in Lake Tahoe. And a few minutes later the weather deteriorated and that was it. This was my first and last shot of the entire trip. The rest of the weekend was spent traveling between rain and snow storms. BIG STORMS! 32 degrees at Mono Lake in May?! Global warming?!

• See the full shot and download a copy for your desktop at Light: The Expedition

• Read what people think about this shot at my flickr.com post

Singh-Ray Blog Guest Profile: Filters Make the Sunset

2008-05-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

Recently I was invited to write up a story for the Singh-Ray Filters blog that talks about a few of my scenic photographs. Their blog is an excellent resource for photography, is very well-respected and I was honored to have the opportunity to share some of my experiences with them!

Today they posted an article titled, "Can you guess which two Singh-Ray filters captured these three sunsets?" I enjoyed writing about the filters I used and how the three shots were achieved, notably my current favorite shot, the Horseshoe Bend sunset. (You can see full sizes of the photos at the Singh-Ray blog or at the Light: The Expedition Website.)

I hope you will click over and take a read. If you're interested in improving your photos, I can't recommend their filters highly enough.

Alaska Airlines In-flight Magazine just printed my photo...

2008-05-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

On April 2nd I posted that I'd been notified by Alaska Airlines In-flight Magazine that I was a finalist in their photo contest. [Read that post here]

I am now happy to announce that my Grizzly bear cub from Hallo Bay, Katmai, Alaska trip won third place! I won two free tickets -- COOL! Now, what trip will I take next?

Thank you for all the support and well wishes I've received. Stay tuned for my next photographic adventure!

~ Stephen

Page, Arizona - A Journey Into The Earth

2008-04-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

I have recently returned from a 1200-mile drive in search of a great photo opportunity in Arizona. Horseshoe Bend is one of the most photographed locations on the Colorado river, located just south of the town of Page, Arizona.

Off Hwy 89, you'll need to hike about a half mile to witness this spectacular view for yourself. It's a must see and no photograph could convey the depth and magnitude of this spot.

To take this photo, I had to lay on my stomach with my tripod extended out over the edge of the canyon wall about two feet. It was windy and the sand pelted my skin. This was one of the toughest shots I've ever taken!!

I was also able to visit Antelope Canyon, and the remarkable sandstone labyrinth it holds. I especially enjoyed the Lower Canyon where I had to climb down, lowering myself deep into the earth. It was amazing and an exciting photographic challenge, with the varying light, sometimes extremely tight passages, shadows and sand. [Read my story and see all the photos at StephenOachs.com: Page, Arizona 2008 gallery]

You can also see some of the new Arizona shots at the Light: The Expedition Website, where I've started a section for downloading some of my favorite scenic shots as desktop wallpaper. Check it out when you get a chance and tell me what you think!

Thanks for checking in and following my photographic journey.

~ Stephen

Here Today, Gone to Maui

2008-04-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

I just returned from eight days in Hawaii -- mostly for vacation and as a gift to my mother for her 60th birthday, but I did manage to pull the camera out a few times. I was mostly interested in sunrise and sunset, given that the Kilauea Volcano, on the nearby Big Island of Hawaii, was pushing plumes of ash into the atmosphere and the trade winds blowing to the west made for spectacular and colorful sunsets.

I also made the two-hour drive from Kapalua (where I was staying) to the top of Mt. Haleakala, which stands 10,023 feet in elevation. It's an amazing drive with an even more amazing view from the top. Watching the sunrise from above the clouds is not something everyone sees in their lifetime -- I've had the good fortune to do this three times now; twice on this trip and once on a Maui visit a few years ago. If you ever get a chance to go to Maui, do it...you won't regret it. (But dress warm, it's 30 degrees up there!)

See a full size version of the Napili Bay Sunset photo, and the other landscape shots I took in Hawaii, at either of my sites:

Photo Gallery - Maui, Hawaii

Light: The Expedition photo gallery

My Newest Expedition: Seeing The Light

2008-04-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

For those who know my work, I’ve always been focused on capturing wildlife in natural settings, but this year I’m putting more focus on capturing the beauty of the earth itself.

While waiting for shots, I have opened my eyes to the scenery and landscapes around me...and seen the incredible beauty, the subtle drama of light, its importance and vitality over an entire landscape. The technical challenges and opportunities are intriguing and I feel a real accomplishment when I've captured the moonlight flowing from the moon as it is setting, or the motion of dancing waves as the light playfully ignites life.

Learning is a journey, an expedition toward discovery. I have found photography to be constant discovery, of elements, composition, conditions, equipment, light. I want to share my journey, so, I’ve launched a new Website - LIGHT: The Expedition (http://www.lighttheexpedition.com). This new site is a showcase of my new journey and the resulting work. I hope you like it and would love to hear your feedback.

Alaska Airlines In-flight Magazine just called...

2008-04-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Alaska/Horizon Air In-flight Magazine has selected my Hallo Bay photo of a baby grizzly with his mother watching closely, as one of the top 10 finalists in their 2008 "Give us your best shot" photography contest. I am jazzed, because this photo was selected from nearly 12,000 entries!

The results are to be announced May 1st, and the winning photos, along with the finalists, will appear in the magazine. I'll post the results and further details as soon as I know more.

If you haven't yet, you can see the full-size photo of this not-so-little fella at my Hallo Bay & Katmai National Forest gallery, at stephenoachs.com.

Return to Big Sur - Soberanes Point

2008-03-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had gone to Big Sur in search of some specific shots. If you read my earlier post, you saw that I had gotten some great views of McWay Falls. There was one spot, however, that I couldn't find while I was there. So I decided to drive the two hours back to Big Sur in search of that location.

Once there, I did find the location I had missed before, Soberanes Point, and I set up to get some sunset shots. Well, when I set out, I had hopes of capturing a shot that would do this incredible scenery justice. I am thrilled with this shot. It was definitely worth the drive!

For those who like some technical info, this shot was taken just after sunset. I used a 45 second bulb exposure at f/16 to soak up the fading sunset light and to achieve the ghosting effect on the waves on the rocks.

Los Gatos artist, Vernon Dittenbir, will be showing oil paintings from four of my wildlife photos at an Art Show in April

2008-03-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

I was visited today by a local painter, Vernon Dittenbir. I've had a few artists ask permission to recreate some of my wildlife photographs in their chosen medium, from laser art to oil paintings. It is always very flattering and I really enjoy seeing their renderings, to see how their eye translates what my eyes have caught on film.

Today, Vernon came by my office, and he brought four of his paintings to show me. Wow! He told me they would be part of his display at an Art Show being held next month. You just have to see these for yourself, so with Vernon's permission, I've posted photos of his paintings alongside the photos that inspired him. If you'd like to drop Vernon a line about his work, you can e-mail him here.

Thank you, Vernon!

McWay Falls, Pfeiffer Burns State Park — Big Sur California

2008-03-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

I set off this past weekend to Big Sur, California, with one goal in mind — to photograph McWay Falls. The weather report was good, and with a high-pressure system off the California coast, that meant no fog, of which Big Sur is notorious.

McWay Creek is extraordinary. It drops 80 feet into a small cove and spills onto a pristine beach below it. The beach is not publicly accessible…at least, not to humans. This was evident, because when I first arrived at the falls, I could clearly see animal tracks in the sand below.

I spent the first afternoon and evening scouting the location and taking test shots to get a feel for which angles I felt would best represent this amazing place.

I took the first shot with a Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, which is not an "everyday"-type lens, but is a lot of fun. As you can see, it allowed me to capture my path across the footbridge, with McWay Falls and the sunset in the distance. [See full size image of "McWay Falls Bridgescape" here]

As the sun approached the horizon, the light became warm and illuminated the cove nicely, casting a glowing golden tint to the rocks and drawing the turquoise color from the shallow surf that lapped at the sandy beach. I snapped a few more photos before I wrapped up for the night. [See full size image of "McWay Falls Sunset" here]

The next evening, I arrived at Pfeiffer Beach and went to a rock formation known as, "The Window To The World." From the photo, you can see why it has that name. Just as the sun was setting, it cast a glow inside the cave opening. By using a 10-15 second shutter delay, I was able to capture the flowing surf as it crashed through the opening and out onto the rocks before me. I took many exposures timed to the surf, trying to get the best misty effect. [See full size image of "Window to the World" here]

The next morning, at 3 am, I headed back to McWay Falls. I calculated, by the moonrise schedule, that the moon would be far enough west to illuminate the cove and, if conditions were right, I'd be able to capture the scene by moon light. I was not disappointed! By 4:30 am the moon was in perfect position and I took this picture. It was a challenge because (believe it or not) it was still totally dark, with exception of the moon light, so I was forced to focus manually. It took a 30-minute exposure to capture this scene! [See full size image of "McWay Falls Moonset" here]

"Coyote Growl" selected as Apogee Photo Magazine's Photo of the Month

2008-01-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

I received notice this morning that a photo I took last month in Kalispell, MT, was chosen by Apogee Photo Magazine as their Photo of the Month. "Coyote Growl" has been receiving a great deal of attention in a short time, and it shows that patience, knowing your equipment, and being at the right place at the right time can produce winning photos. Thank you, Apogee, I really appreciate the honor!

2008 is looking to be an exciting year, both professionally and photographically. Hope you'll stick around and watch what comes up next!

~ Stephen
www.stephenoachs.com

Holiday Greetings!

2007-12-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

May you and your loved ones enjoy a playful and warm holiday season!

Revisiting Kalispell, MT - The difference is night and day...or summer to winter to be more precise

2007-12-10T22:50:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

I’m just back from a wildlife shoot in Kalispell, Montana. I had visited this past summer, and before I left, I booked a return trip to revisit and capture how these magnificent animals change from summer to winter. Many, especially the snow leopards, were very young last summer, so it was fascinating to see the growth and behavioral changes.

As usually happens, when I return from a photo excursion, I often find one photo that was a surprise, or an unexpected treasure. This trip was no exception. While there I encountered a disgruntled coyote that did not want me to bother him, and he let me know it in very clear terms. And I was able to capture his message.

You can read my full story and see the entire photo gallery here: Triple D Game Ranch

Oh, and to those who recently asked if I work anymore (ha!) the answer is yes, I work a lot, and my company, VisiStat, is just wrapping up a really great year. There are many long days of work, and adventure, ahead in 2008! I hope you stay tuned!

~Happy Holidays~

Stephen

Southern New Mexico was for the birds! And a few zoo inhabitants, too.

2007-11-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

I've just returned from Southern New Mexico, where I spent three days shooting in Bosque Del Apache, a wildlife refuge in southern New Mexico -- one of the preeminent locations in the US for photographing migratory birds. Here's a link to my journal Website to read all about it and see all my photos from the trip: http://stephenoachs.com/bosque-del-apache.php

While waiting for my return flight home, I found I had a couple hours so I detoured to Albuquerque's Rio Grande Zoo and took a few photos. You can see that gallery here: http://stephenoachs.com/rio-grande-zoo.php

You can also find the trip photo gallery on PBase (if you stop by, please feel free to vote and leave comments - would love to hear from you: http://www.pbase.com/stephenoachs

I hope you are all well and everyone had a great Thanksgiving — drop me a line and stay tuned!

~ Stephen

37th Annual National Wildlife Photo Awards Contest Winners Announced

2007-11-20T12:08:00.000-08:00

I am excited to share this news...

The National Wildlife Federation has announced
my Yellowstone Park photo, "Bears Play Fighting," took First Place - Mammals, Amateur Category, in their 2007 National Wildlife Photo Awards Contest!

Some time ago I posted that I'd been contacted as a finalist, and now the results have been posted. [See all the winning categories here.] After looking at the incredible submissions and fantastic set of winners in this contest, I am humbled to be among them! This is an exciting achievement, and I am honored to be in the company of such fantastic photographers.

If you would like to visit, or revisit, my Yellowstone gallery, click here
- and as always, thank you for your support and congratulations! I appreciate it.

~ Stephen

New Tiger at the San Francisco Zoo!

2007-11-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, one of my favorite places to visit and try out new equipment or techniques is the famed San Francisco Zoo. This past weekend I discovered there was a new member of the Tiger family, and I was happy to get some shots of him to add to my zoo family gallery.

See my full San Francisco Zoo gallery at my Website, Stephen Oachs Photography Journal Gallery, or my PBase.com gallery, where you can vote on my photos and galleries.

As always, thanks for the support!

Ask and (eventually) you shall receive...

2007-09-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

I have been asked repeatedly when my photographs will be available for purchase, and I can now say, the time has come. For those of you who have been asking, and anyone who hasn't asked but would like to know more, I now have a number of my more popular and requested photographs available for purchase in print on quality paper, suitable for framing. Sizes range from 8" x 10" up to 24" x 36".

On the right is a thumbnail of one of the photos available (titled, Majestic Reflection). To see the full gallery or place an order, visit my Website, or click HERE.

Thank you for all your enthusiastic and humbling comments on my work, I appreciate your support very much!

~ Stephen

Mission Peak - Elevation, Sunset, Full Moon... Breathtaking on Many Levels

2007-08-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

I made the hike to Mission Peak, above Freemont, California, for the first time today. It's an amazing hike, long, steep and hot... and worth every step once you reach the top. Overlooking the San Francisco Bay at that elevation was a humbling and breathtaking experience. It was an incredible perspective.

Once at the summit, the light breeze and view down onto the San Francisco Bay made it a great place to sit and relax while I watched for the sun to set and the light to turn magical.

As the sun began setting, I realized the color/scene over the Bay wasn’t going to be very impressive this evening, so I turned my attention to the rising moon and colorful sky behind me. I grabbed up my gear and headed further up the trail to a rock outcropping where I planted my tripod. There was a pretty good wind so I hooked my backpack onto the underside of my tripod to weigh it down, reducing movement while I took my shots — this helped ensure I would get a crisp shot.

I had packed my tripod, ball-head and shutter release cable as well as a couple Cokin filters for this particular shoot. I attached a Cokin ND4 Graduated Filter to the front of a Canon 17-85mm IS USM, and using a shutter release cord, captured the scene. Technically, everything looked good on the preview screen, and the histogram said I had detail at both ends. And the view I was trying to capture was awe-inspiring.

I managed a shot of a glowing full-moon as it came up from the south-east, just as the sun set behind me. As I’d hoped, the light did indeed turn magical!

After packing up and taking a few moments to inhale the last remnants of the day, I hiked back down the mountain. The full moon lit the trail so well that I had a shadow to accompany me almost the entire way home. This was a shoot I will not soon forget!

Photo Journal: Kalispell, Montana

2007-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just returned from 4 days in Kalispell, Montana, where I had the
opportunity to photograph at the renowned Triple “D” wildlife farm, and spent many hours hiking through the mountains in Glacier National Park.

I have posted a few of my favorite shots from the trip, here:
http://www.stephenoachs.com/glacier-tripled-2007.php

NEWS FLASH: I just learned that one of my photos won a prestigious contest (name withheld pending approval by the organization) and will appear in their December 2007 issue! The photo they selected was taken in Yellowstone National Park in May of 2007. (Click the image to see it full size. You can see other images from my Yellowstone trip on my Website.)

Final word for now: with a ton of help from my long time friend and writing pro, Cherié Davidson, I have this blog! Please drop me a line and stay tuned! Updates on the contest are coming soon!

Stephen Oachs
stephen@stephenoachs.com

Canon 1d Mark III Test Shoot at the San Francisco Zoo

2007-07-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

By Stephen Oachs

After months of reading about, and then waiting for, this new camera to arrive, it's needless to say I was anxious to get out and put this new heavyweight camera through its paces. I decided to head to the San Francisco Zoo — it’s close to home and helps curb my wildlife photography habit since work and budget don’t allow me to get out into nature as much as I’d like.

The new 1d Mark III is a 10.1 mega-pixel shooter, taking a blistering 10 frames per second (in RAW too!), sounding more like a machine gun than a camera. I shot with a 4gig Sandisk Extreme III SD card and noticed it was a bit slow to keep up with the camera’s buffer after long rapid-fire moments. The good news is these chips get cheaper every day so I’ll certainly be upgrading shortly to be sure memory storage can keep up with the camera’s write speeds.

The weather in San Francisco was perfect — low clouds, foggy and cool...exactly the way I like it. The clouds defuse the harsh sunlight making for even lighting with no shadows. The downside is a lower level of light, but from all I’d read about the new 1D Mark III the new Digic 3 processor allows images taken at ISO 800 and higher with very minimal noise — I wasn’t disappointed. I headed for the tiger compound in the zoo, where I knew I could find animals in motion with good, non-zoo looking, backgrounds. This was a great place to test a combination of fast frame rates, high ISO’s and more. I chose to shoot with a Canon 100-400mm IS USM since the San Francisco zoo does a great job of getting you up-close and personal to these majestic, endangered cats.

This shot of the tiger in the bamboo was taken with the Canon 1d Mark III (1/250s f/5.6 at 400.0mm iso800). Using auto-focus, I was able to lock onto the tiger and follow him as he paced in and out of the bamboo and thick brush without any issues. I found this camera to perform very well in low light, allowing me to capture shots that I might have missed in the past.

This happy duck is another example. The light was pretty low, so I locked focus on his head and dropped the ISO down to 200, slowing the shutter speed, anticipated his next flutter and snapped the shot.

I have much more field testing to do before I’m completely comfortable with the new Canon 1d Mark III, but early results with in-hand usage and image results look promising. I’ll write a more in-depth review — stay tuned.

The eyes are the window to the ... Great shot!

2007-07-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

Great news! Stephen is planning, as time allows, to contribute to this blog! I'm very excited, because now we will have much more information than news here and there. You've got to subscribe to the blog updates now, especially if you're a photographer yourself, because he's got some great tips, information and experiences to share! Here is his first blog post...

You've heard the saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul" and the eyes are also the ticket to getting good wildlife shots. If you're new to wildlife photography, or just want to improve your shots taken at your local zoo, here are a few of my top techniques for getting good wildlife pictures.

Tip 1: Miss the eyes and you've missed the shot. Getting the eyes in focus is key to capturing a photo of an animal. It's human nature to look at the eyes. It's how we determine emotion and how we connect. When I was in Homer, Alaska, I came across this moose and he was on the move. Given it was early morning and the light was low I knew getting a fast shutter speed to freeze his movement would be tough, so I quickly adjusted my camera to lock the focus on his eyes, and took the shot. If you look at the full size image (here - scroll to bottom), the majority of the picture is a bit blurry, but because the eyes are in focus, the shot was saved.

Tip 2: Use a telephoto lens. Getting closer to the action, yet staying a safe distance, is the key to photographing wildlife. By keeping your distance you allow the animal to be in their comfort zone and are more likely to get natural behavior. Safety is also a factor when photographing in the wild. Always keep at least 100 yards distance from wildlife, for your safety and for the well being of the animals.

Another good use for a telephoto lens is a trick not many people know, which comes in very handy when photographing animals in the zoo that are behind fencing. If you move close to the fence (keep a safe distance) and use at least 100mm of your telephoto lens, focusing beyond the fence, with a wide aperture, you can "focus out" the fencing and take a photo of the subject with no wires! Now, there are some exceptions, such as, if the fencing is black you’ll have a much better chance of pulling this off. Regular chain link fence is gray and semi-reflective, which in the sunlight can cause a glare and is often too bright to focus out. I’ve also had some successes at trying different angles, so experiment for your best results.

I often shoot with a Canon 100-400mm IS USM and a Canon 28-300mm IS USM. If you're new to telephoto lenses, on a budget and not sure what to get, I suggest the Tamron 28-300mm or a Sigma 70-300mm. I've also had great results with the Sigma 50-500 which, as of this writing, I consider to be the best bang for the buck. These lenses all work with teleconverters of 1.4x and 2.0x so you can easily extend your reach even further, often while keeping auto-focus (with Canon L lenses, a minimum aperture of 4.0 or less will support auto-focus. Above that a manual focus is your only option.)

Tip 3: Use a wide aperture. Learning the effects of adjusting your camera's aperture will go a long way toward improving your photographs, especially in portrait style shooting. In this photo of a grazing elk, shot in Yellowstone (see full size here - scroll down on page), I chose a very wide aperture to blur out a potentially busy background and bring attention to the subject instead. As you learn to control your camera you'll also find that adjusting your aperture will have a direct effect on your shutter speed. This will prove especially helpful when shooting in the early mornings and late evenings, when animals are typically most active and the light is warm and muted.

Tip 4: Adjust your shutter speed to stop/show the action. When animals are on the move you need to decide quickly on the type of shot you want to take. If you want to freeze the action, you'll need to shoot at 1/500 or faster and depending on light, that can be tricky. One option, if you're shooting digital, is to adjust up your ISO, which will make your sensor more sensitive to light and give you that needed boost in shutter speed. Now, if you want to give a sense of motion to your image, try shooting with a shutter speed of 1/4 to 1/8 and pan your camera with the animal. Pan steady and remember, keep the eye in focus if you can! For best results, pick backgrounds that are uncluttered and simple, as this will make the subject standout in the image.

Tip 5: Use a flash to fill in shadows. It may sound odd, but using a flash outside on a bright sunny day actually makes a lot of sense. In this situation, you're not using the flash to illuminate the subject, as you would in a dark setting, but rather to fill in the shadows and provide detail where harsh shadows would otherwise be heavy and dark. It's important to use flash wisely and here are a couple of other suggestions:

1) Be conscious of the animal and whether flash will scare them and

2) There are times where your only shoot is through glass -- using a flash
behind glass will ruin your shot. The glass will reflect the light back at
the camera and you shouldn't be surprised if all you get is a big white
picture!

Tip 6: Plan for the best light. There's nothing like a cloudy day to provide soft, even light for wildlife photography. Clouds act like a giant diffuser to the sun, spreading the light out evenly and taking away harsh shadows that are created by a bright, sunny day. Of course, a cloudy day has its challenges as well, such as lower light, which will force you to adjust ISO and shutter speed settings for stopping action and getting sharp, in focus images.

Tip 7: Composition - Framing your shots. Some simple framing advise can go a long way toward improving an image, and for those who are computer savvy, a little trick called cropping (software technique to cut a photo) can help improve composition that wasn't quite right at the time the photo was taken.

The best way to think about composition is to picture a tic-tac-toe grid in the view finder of your camera (I've seen some new cameras that come with this as a feature you can turn on!) and use that grid to organize your shots. There is no hard rule, but the general theory behind good composition is that your subject lies in one of the crosshairs of the grid. Setting up your shot to lead the eye is also a good example of composition.

This shot of Lamar Valley, taken in Yellowstone, is a good example of how the composition of the image leads the eye. The road starts in the lower right corner and stretches off into the distance, leading you along toward the spectacular landscape in the distance. Well, at least that's how I saw it! Again, there's no right or wrong, it's about what's appealing to you.

Tip 8: Shoot with two eyes. This is a tip I'm sharing here, but often have a hard time remembering myself. I can't tell you how many shots I've missed because I didn't see the action coming. By keeping both eyes open you'll see the subject in the viewfinder and you'll also see what's going to happen next.

Tip 9: Anticipate behavior. This tip goes well with Tip 7, shoot with both eyes, because anticipating behavior is often key to capturing a rare moment, action and unique situations. Panning the camera to follow an animal can be a tiring process, so often I'll study the animal's behaviors watching for a pattern and then use some anticipatory shooting, and a little luck, to hopefully capture that perfect moment.

Tip 10: Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. This tip is a no-brainer for those of us who shoot digital. Shooting digital is cheap -- technology is advancing so quickly that, as of this writing, a 4 gigabyte memory card is selling for less than $100 and you can get A LOT of photos on a 4 gig memory card. The bottom line of this tip is take photos....a lot of photos. Don't be shy. I often take multiple photos of the same scene or subject and then later choose the best from the group. This is also a great way to learn; by adjusting your camera between shots you can experiment and see the results of different settings of your camera. And, don't sweat the details of trying to remember which photo had which settings...another great thing about shooting digital is something called EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format). EXIF data is written to every photo so that later, upon review, you can see every setting your camera used to take that image.

Tip 11: Use a tripod. Using a tripod is one of the best things you can do to improve your photography, and wildlife is no different. By mounting your camera to a tripod you reduce camera shake, which is usually the cause of blurry photos. To take this a step further, I use a shutter release cable, which eliminates the need to touch the camera while snapping shots and thus removes almost all potential for camera shake.

nature photography

Q & A with Stephen Oachs

2007-07-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

I asked Stephen if he would mind answering a few questions for this blog, and he generously agreed. So, here is the transcript of our e-mail interview...

Stephen, thank you for taking the time for this interview. It's great to be able to post a little "inside" information about you on the blog. Without further preamble, here we go.

Q: When did you first get bit by the photography bug?

Answer: That’s a good question because I know exactly when. I had been trying to take photos of my beagle, Tucker, with a Sony pocket-type camera. I grew frustrated because he wouldn’t hold still and the camera had a terrible delay between pushing the button and the actual image capture. That's why I set out to buy a new camera. While looking, I discovered that (at the time), all compact cameras share this delay, some better than others, but I wanted instant results. After reading a ton of articles online, I realized that what I wanted was a digital SLR and set out to figure out which was the best bang for the buck.

The Canon Rebel ended up being my first DSLR camera and I never looked back. That was the fall of 2003. My first "money shot" was a photo I call “Snowy Noah,” which is a shot of my in-laws' Sheltie. (I call a "Money Shot" the best I can do, a shot I’m most proud of. If it’s so-so, I call it a Keeper. Only keepers and money shots end up in my galleries.)

Q: Why such an interest in wildlife and nature photography?

Answer: When I first got started, I really enjoyed capturing water in motion, and using a lengthy shutter delay to create a silky look. As I became more familiar with pro equipment I began seeking new subject matter, especially as my lenses got bigger and longer. A few trips to the zoo to test new equipment got me started with wildlife. I’m such a nature/animal lover as it is, to photograph life is really what I enjoy the most. Especially when I can connect to wildlife, such as my trip to Katmai, where I photographed Wild Alaskan Grizzly Bear in their natural habitat.

Q: What are some specific subjects you would love to photograph that have eluded you so far?

Answer: The list is long, but in order of priority, it would be more endangered animals — wildlife that could possibly be extinct in my lifetime if issues like global warming and war continue unchecked. At the top of that list are Bald Eagles and Polar Bear, though I am happy to see the Eagle was recently removed from the endangered species list due to some very dedicated preservationist groups, such as the San Francisco Zoo. The Polar Bear are not so lucky and I read a recent study that stated, at the current rate, the glaciers in and around Churchill, Manitoba, where many polar bears call home, are melting at such a great rate that the natural hunting grounds for these amazing creatures is quickly being lost.

Q: You are a programmer, Web developer and Web analytics technical director by trade; how do you balance your “day job” and your passion for photography?

Answer: Right now work comes first. And since photography is not a cheap hobby, keeping the day job helps keep the photography hobby going strong.

Q: You’re obviously a seasoned amateur and accomplished hobbyist; any plans to take it to a professional level?

Answer: Photography is still only a hobby and, right now, I like it that way. There are a lot of very talented photographers in the world and I don’t see National Geographic calling on me anytime soon, though it would be a dream job!

Q: Speaking of your professional skills, did you build the StephenOachs.com Website? And are your photographs displayed there exclusively?

Answer: I did build stephenoachs.com. I’ve been in digital media for over 10 years now so I have the tools and skills needed to put a site like that together. That site is primarily a place for me to showcase my travels and favorite shots from those trips. I keep an extended gallery at pbase.com (www.pbase.com/stephenoachs).

Q: Are your photos available for purchase?

Answer: They are; usually people e-mail me and I work with them one on one to get them what they are interested in. [Editor's Note: Since this interview, Stephen began arranging for a limited number of prints to be for sale on his Website. I'll post the announcement on this blog when it is available.]

Q: Do you know where your next photographic adventure is going to take you?

Answer: I have two trips I’d like to take before 2007 is over. I’d like to return to the Grand Teton National Park in the fall to photograph Moose and to capture the fall colors. The Grand Teton’s valley is dotted with Aspen. The other trip I’d like to do is Bosque Del Apache, a location where tens of thousands of birds gather each fall and stay through the winter. I’m looking forward to 2008 to see if a trip to see the Churchill Polar Bears can be worked into my busy schedule.

Q: Where would you like your photography to be, in say, three years?

Answer: I want to continue to learn and expand into more areas of photography. One area that looks interesting, but I’ve yet to explore, is macro. I’ve seen some pretty amazing work from macro photographers and it’s incredible that when you look very closely at the small things in life, there’s a whole new world there to explore. Beyond that, I hope to continue traveling and photographing wildlife in their natural setting.

Message from Stephen about his Alaska adventure

2007-07-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Stephen sent the following announcement out to his mailing list:

Hello all, I have safely returned from Katmai, Alaska, where I spent 5 days camping in Hallo Bay, photographing wild Alaskan Grizzly Bears in their natural habitat. Let me tell you, these bears are BIG!

I was able to get up close and personal and captured some rare moments, such as grizzly cubs climbing a tree and a sow nursing her cubs. All these photos and the story of this adventure are now on my Website at:

http://www.stephenoachs.com/katmai-hallo-bay-2007.php

Stephen Oachs
stephen@stephenoachs.com
http://www.stephenoachs.com

If you'd like to be on his mailing list and find out when he has new postings on his Website, visit StephenOachs.com and let him know, or you can simply subscribe to this blog. I will be posting his messages here as I receive them, so either way, you'll be informed!

Photo Journal: Yellowstone National Park 2007

2007-06-25T15:38:00.001-07:00

Stephen traveled to Yellowstone, specifically to get some wildlife shots, which is an area of photography where he certainly excels! This is evidenced by the wonderful shots he brought back with him. According to his story, he spent four days trekking to get these shots. But, they are very much worth the effort!

See his full set of Yellowstone photos at his Website. From bear, bison and elk to marmots and geese! Makes me want to pack up and head to Yellowstone.

Photo Journal: Grand Tetons - Jackson Hole Wyoming 2007

2007-06-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

Stephen traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming in the spring and took some breathtaking photos. Visit his Website to see them all, from Oxbow Bend and Antelope Flats, to the grandeur of the "American Alps."

"Powerful Primate" photo selected by Popular Photography Magazine, June 2007

2007-06-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Stephen's photo, "Powerful Primate," was selected by Popular Photography Magazine for the "Your Best Shot" section of their June 2007 issue.

Stephen took the outstanding photo of a Mandrill at the San Francisco Zoo. See his full gallery from his photo shoot at the San Francisco zoo by clicking on the image of the mandrill.