tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74286688640397409072024-03-14T00:13:28.271-07:00Matthew Crowley PhotographyDiary of Digital PhotographyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292546687297522200noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7428668864039740907.post-32640133345716317092013-06-06T16:19:00.004-07:002013-06-06T16:40:18.435-07:00Some Tips for Planning Your Photography Trip<div id="container">
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DkTrk77Bng/UbEMHPcPuwI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/25wSIidZk4U/s1600/2008Mar22_BlogImages_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sydney Opera House at Night" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DkTrk77Bng/UbEMHPcPuwI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/25wSIidZk4U/s640/2008Mar22_BlogImages_001.jpg" title="Sydney Opera House at Night" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sydney Opera House at night</span></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RWT8SMDhMoM/UbEMM1gvoeI/AAAAAAAAAKM/05cWsozOoUw/s1600/2011Jun29_BlogImages_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Eiffel Tower at Blue Hour" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RWT8SMDhMoM/UbEMM1gvoeI/AAAAAAAAAKM/05cWsozOoUw/s320/2011Jun29_BlogImages_004.jpg" title="The Eiffel Tower at Blue Hour" width="212" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Eiffel Tower at Blue Hour</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love to travel. Travel photography is one of my favorite things; exploring, and photographing, places that you have
never been to before, meeting new people, experiencing new customs. When I am
preparing to go on a trip, especially to places I have never been to before, I
do very extensive research on where I am going. Some have even called me OCD
when it comes to planning a trip. For a successful trip, however, it is very
important to do the research to get the most out of your time and the best
shots that you can manage. Here are some tips I use when planning for a trip: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Scour the Internet</b>. You want to look for photos from the
location you want to go. Now obviously, you don’t want to take the exact same
photo as someone else has already taken, but in many cases you can get a good
indication of what time of day/year the photos were taken so you know when to
be there to get those shots. A lot of times photo sharing websites, such as
Flickr, will have metadata that includes the time and date the photo was taken
or, at the very least, keywords indicating sunrise or sunset. You can then
confirm this information with many different applications; The Photographer’s
Ephemeris, Google Earth, Mr. Sun. You can confirm exact times for sunrise and
sunset and where the sun will be every minute in-between. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Plan out each day’s itinerary</b>. I’m a sun chaser, meaning where I
will be for sunrise and sunset will more than likely dictate the rest of the
day. My wife often jokes that all of our trips revolve around the sun. And
she’s 100% right. I plan out a reasonable driving distance between where I will
be for sunrise and where I will be from sunset. Once I have those two items
set, in my itinerary, I then plan for everything in-between, and sometimes
afterward. I look for locations along the way, sometimes off the beaten path.
If it seems interesting, and I can fit it into my itinerary, I will try to
include it. The time around high-noon can be the hardest to determine. While
good shots can still be had during this time, sometimes they cannot. You may
want to consider using this time for rest, recreation, shopping or just used to
drive to the next location, if they are a good distance apart. In order to
calculate times, you need to know how long it takes to drive to a location, how
long of a hike you will need to do once you get there.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1S33nG-1VI/UbEMVGP7mxI/AAAAAAAAAKw/C3UJmTd75LY/s1600/2012Mar24_BlogImages_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Good Morning, Canyonlands" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1S33nG-1VI/UbEMVGP7mxI/AAAAAAAAAKw/C3UJmTd75LY/s640/2012Mar24_BlogImages_005.jpg" title="Good Morning, Canyonlands" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Good Morning, Canyonlands"</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most of this
information you can find on the Internet. I use Google Maps and Google Earth
for figuring out driving times. For hiking, there are usually plenty of guides,
trail maps and information, on the Internet. You need to account for all of
this time and know when to leave a location so you can get to the next one
on-time, especially when it comes to sunrise and sunset.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-46eaRoajkMo/UbEO2leEwqI/AAAAAAAAAMU/0ImTg3bIL9g/s1600/2010Nov06_BlogImages_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunset at Pigeon Point Lighthouse" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-46eaRoajkMo/UbEO2leEwqI/AAAAAAAAAMU/0ImTg3bIL9g/s640/2010Nov06_BlogImages_018.jpg" title="Sunset at Pigeon Point Lighthouse" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sunset at Pigeon Point Lighthouse</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Be sure to
also allow some slack-time in your itinerary for stop-offs along the way, a few
obligatory self-portraits, and also to talk to locals about the area. You may be
surprised the things you will see along the trip that you didn’t even know
about. Sometimes people at a visitor center, chamber of commerce or even a
local bar can give you insights that you did not previously know about another
location. Don’t forget to also add time for bio-breaks, checking into hotels,
and of course eating.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tr5_TPvqRoU/UbEMsN-cssI/AAAAAAAAAL8/E-y4oW_4FzI/s1600/2013Mar13_BlogImages_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Might as well jump!" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tr5_TPvqRoU/UbEMsN-cssI/AAAAAAAAAL8/E-y4oW_4FzI/s640/2013Mar13_BlogImages_013.jpg" title="Might as well jump!" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Might as well jump!"</span></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IA1fpuGtEuE/UbEMo7ApYuI/AAAAAAAAALs/nrvyf1KgZNo/s1600/2013Mar13_BlogImages_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Go ahead and jump!" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IA1fpuGtEuE/UbEMo7ApYuI/AAAAAAAAALs/nrvyf1KgZNo/s640/2013Mar13_BlogImages_012.jpg" title="Go ahead and jump!" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Go ahead and jump!"</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Also print
maps or have the locations programmed into your GPS. You definitely need to
know where you’re going, especially if you haven’t been there before.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EA8gmWROM-s/UbEMN5smjZI/AAAAAAAAAKU/RFqTEKPgaMw/s1600/2011Jun26_BlogImages_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Tower Bridge through "a sneaky-good frame"" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EA8gmWROM-s/UbEMN5smjZI/AAAAAAAAAKU/RFqTEKPgaMw/s320/2011Jun26_BlogImages_002.jpg" title="The Tower Bridge through "a sneaky-good frame"" width="212" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Tower Bridge through"a sneaky-good frame"</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There are
some situations where an itinerary has been prepared for you. For instance,
when traveling abroad, we use typically Globus (<a href="http://www.globusjourneys.com/">www.globusjourneys.com</a>). On escorted tours you are limited
to the confines of their itinerary most times, but that is not always a bad
thing as they have some very talented people, who have researched extensively,
planning those itineraries. I still do research on each location in the
itinerary and see what freedom I have to do things on my own. The first day in
London, for instance, we had total freedom to do whatever we liked. I connected
with my friend, Tim Callister, who lives there and we devised an itinerary for
the day.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x83Slr90KM0/UbEMsArCfNI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ICFnZEnwMiA/s1600/2013Mar13_BlogImages_014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Teardrop Arch, in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park" border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x83Slr90KM0/UbEMsArCfNI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ICFnZEnwMiA/s320/2013Mar13_BlogImages_014.jpg" title="Teardrop Arch, in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park" width="213" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Teardrop Arch</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are
other times where you are at a location where it is required to have a personal
guide. Again, you ar<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>e limited to their itinerary, but
they are professionals and you are typically in good hands. A great example of
this was when we hired Ray from Tom Phillips’ Kéyah Hózhóní Monument Valley
Tours (<a href="http://www.monumentvalley.com/">http://www.monumentvalley.com/</a>). It was the only way that we were
able to see certain locations in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park as they are
restricted to public access.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Expect the unexpected</b>. For better or for worse unexpected
things can and will happen during your trip. A cloudy, foggy, rainy or snowy
day can really do a number to your trip. So can a flight delay, road closure or
accident. Even staying at a location too long can mess up the rest of your
itinerary. You have to put contingencies and consolations into your itinerary. I
try to keep my expectations low just for these reasons. There’s no more
disappointing feeling than having a plan and not being able to execute it. You
need to have backups in place. You need to identify the things on your
itinerary that are most important to you and those that you could potentially
do without, if circumstances arise. A good example; while doing research for
Capitol Reef National Park, I read that the road to Lower Cathedral Valley was
very primitive and, during wet conditions, could be impassible to even the best
off-road vehicle. As this is a place I wanted to be for both sunrise and
sunset, I needed to have alternatives in place in the event the road was
impassible. I had a separate section of my itinerary in place just for that
reason. When we arrived at Capitol Reef, I learned the road was indeed
impassible, but having planned ahead, I already knew what my consolation would
be. If I had not done my research and arrived there ready to travel down that
road I know for sure I would’ve been disappointed and perhaps even pissed.
Instead, we were able to salvage our time and use it towards another spot. </span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZFxynu6xhA/UbEMqDPcWII/AAAAAAAAAL0/26WnNVxNKrI/s1600/CanYouSeeTheRoad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZFxynu6xhA/UbEMqDPcWII/AAAAAAAAAL0/26WnNVxNKrI/s400/CanYouSeeTheRoad.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can you see the road? Neither could we...</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is a sample day’s itinerary that I made before our most
recent trip to the American Southwest:</span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Day 2 - Mar 8th (Friday) - Bryce Canyon NP to Capitol Reef NP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6:00 a.m. Drive to Inspiration point for Sunrise (6:49 a.m.) - 5 minutes (2.5
mi) drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7:00 a.m. Drive to Bryce
Point - 5 minutes (2 mi) drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7:15 a.m. Drive to
Escalante - 1 hour and 10 minutes drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8:25 a.m. Breakfast in
Escalante (Subway) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9:00 a.m. Drive to
Torrey, UT - 1 hour 21 min drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10:30 a.m. Pick up Lunch
in Torrey (Subway) - extra sandwich for dinner </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10:45 a.m. Drive to
Fruita Barn - 15 minute (11.0 mi) drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">11:30 a.m. Drive to
Capitol Reef - (20.3 mi) drive - with stop-offs along the way </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2:00 p.m. Check in at
Hotel - (1 night) Roadway Inn, Caneville </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">!***---- If road conditions permit ----***! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3:00 p.m. Drive to Lower
Cathedral Valley, Temple of the Sun and Moon - 1 hour drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sunset (6:26 p.m.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7:30 p.m. Return to
Hotel - 1 hour drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">!***---- If road
conditions do NOT permit ----***! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3:00 p.m. Drive to
Scenic Drive </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5:00 p.m. Drive to
Sunset Point for Sunset (6:26 p.m.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Return to Hotel - 1 hour
drive</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now there are a few
things about this itinerary to mention. I didn’t explicitly plan bathroom
breaks, as much as my wife jokes that I do, but I did leave extra padding
between locations for them. I also left extra padding in areas where I wanted
to stay longer, especially before and after sunrise and sunset. When you are
actually on your trip, as I mentioned before, unexpected things do arise and
you have to make decisions on the trip. Which leads me to my next point: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Be ready to completely alter your
itinerary while on your trip</b>. The itinerary above is a perfect example;
Bryce Canyon became completely snowed-out. We ended up leaving before sunrise
(or lack thereof). We also decided to stop and photograph the Hundred
Handprints Native American panel, just north of Escalante. We then drove over
the most ridiculously snowy pass on Scenic Byway 12 and when we got to Capitol
Reef we learned we couldn’t drive to Lower Cathedral Valley. So instead we
received some insight from the Ranger, at Visitor Center, to do the Scenic Drive
and hike the Golden Throne Trail to The Tanks. It wasn’t as photographic of a
spot as the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon would be, but It was
something we could do as a consolation. Since it was overcast the whole day, we
also did not get the last light of the sun on Castle Rock or Sunset Point so we
called it an early night.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3X_YXQr3pM/UbEMgz-HbEI/AAAAAAAAALU/kwq3Qyp93aU/s1600/2013Mar08_BlogImages_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fruita Barn on an overcast day" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3X_YXQr3pM/UbEMgz-HbEI/AAAAAAAAALU/kwq3Qyp93aU/s640/2013Mar08_BlogImages_009.jpg" title="Fruita Barn on an overcast day" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fruita Barn on an overcast day</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are other times
where something so amazing happens that it can’t be overlooked and it changes
your plans for at least part of the day. This leads me to my next point: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Serendipity is a photographer’s best
friend</b>. Sometimes it almost seems as if the clouds part and the sun shines
just for you, both physically and metaphorically speaking. When things come
together that make for an even better photograph, than what you had planned for
in your itinerary, of course you’re going to photograph that instead. Case in
point; while staying in Sausalito, I had the morning all planned out. Sunrise
at a certain location, golden hour photos, etc. Being the Bay Area a lot of times
it will get really foggy. Upon waking up and seeing the fog, my entire morning
changed. I wanted more than anything to get the top of the Golden Gate Bridge
emerging from out of the fog. No sunrise was going to top something like that
so we ended up driving into the hills by the bay to see if I could get that
shot, a gamble that certainly paid off.</span><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NImzVwGk-_Y/UbEMTNZFFTI/AAAAAAAAAKk/EHcBks7pAU0/s1600/2012Sep02_BlogImages_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Emergence - the Golden Gate Bridge above the fog" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NImzVwGk-_Y/UbEMTNZFFTI/AAAAAAAAAKk/EHcBks7pAU0/s640/2012Sep02_BlogImages_006.jpg" title="Emergence - the Golden Gate Bridge above the fog" width="640" /></a></span></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Emergence"</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sometimes Serendipity
can be caused by you changing your plans in the first place. We were burned out
after the first day in Yosemite National Park, with our very heavy itinerary.
Instead of planning to be where we wanted to for sunrise the next morning, we
decided to sleep in. Had we followed our itinerary as normal, I would’ve missed
the sun coming up over the mountains, at the Tunnel View, and giving the most
awesome sunburst. The light in the valley was absolutely gorgeous! The Tunnel
View is not normally known for exceptional shots in the morning, it’s much more
of a late afternoon and sunset spot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFhtwhZKv9o/UbEMZCkAbII/AAAAAAAAAK8/QtO5zdhfAIE/s1600/2012Sep04_BlogImages_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Good Morning, Yosemite" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PFhtwhZKv9o/UbEMZCkAbII/AAAAAAAAAK8/QtO5zdhfAIE/s640/2012Sep04_BlogImages_007.jpg" title="Good Morning, Yosemite" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Good Morning, Yosemite"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One more example; after several days of overcast skies, rain and snow, we
arrived in Moab, UT. The sun was finally beginning to shine through but the
clouds were still so dramatic and were lifting out of the canyons. I decided to
go to Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset. Dead Horse Point is a site that
is usually known for spectacular sunrises but not really for sunsets. Because
of the clouds, the light was absolutely gorgeous and the spot worked out much
better than my originally planned location, for sunset.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sPOo0f7tM-U/UbEMiRRUEHI/AAAAAAAAALc/okSPdaMdnls/s1600/2013Mar09_BlogImages_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunset at Dead Horse Point" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sPOo0f7tM-U/UbEMiRRUEHI/AAAAAAAAALc/okSPdaMdnls/s640/2013Mar09_BlogImages_011.jpg" title="Sunset at Dead Horse Point" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sunset at Dead Horse Point</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In summary, when
planning a trip it is important to do research and plan your itinerary, but be
prepared to change your plans as needed. The itinerary will serve as a basis –
a basic outline. How you fill in the rest, or edit it, is up to you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFmPWLSzg90/UbEMJnFR3_I/AAAAAAAAAKE/Xb_oGGA-RL0/s1600/2011Jun27_BlogImages_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Time Flies By - Big Ben and the motion trails of a double-decker bus" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFmPWLSzg90/UbEMJnFR3_I/AAAAAAAAAKE/Xb_oGGA-RL0/s640/2011Jun27_BlogImages_003.jpg" title="Time Flies By - Big Ben and the motion trails of a double-decker bus" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Time Flies By"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few more helpful tips
for travel; some of these are common knowledge but I believe they bear
repeating:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Bring
only the photography equipment you plan to use. That stuff can get pretty
heavy, going through the airport. If you don’t think you need it, it may be
best to not bring it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bring
all of the most important items to you as carry-on. If your luggage gets
damaged, lost, or sent to Winchestertonfieldville, Iowa, by accident, you’ll
take comfort in the fact you can still take a photo. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before
you go on that hike make sure you’re only bringing the subset of your photography
equipment that you’ll need. Again, carrying all that stuff on a hike that you
don’t need creates unnecessary wear on your body. Also bring plenty of water
with you. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Charge
your batteries every night, before you go to sleep.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If
you have another device (or two) to unload your photos to, also do so every
night.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If
you’re driving from one location to another, always make sure you have a camera
ready and both a telephoto and a wide-angle lens handy. You never know what
wildlife or grand scene you may encounter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most
importantly, have fun!</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKH1MsIdeZc/UbEMU7VF6iI/AAAAAAAAAKs/A1x_ANIywP0/s1600/2012Mar25_BlogImages_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="At the Watering Hole - Mustangs" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKH1MsIdeZc/UbEMU7VF6iI/AAAAAAAAAKs/A1x_ANIywP0/s640/2012Mar25_BlogImages_016.jpg" title="At the Watering Hole - Mustangs" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"At the Watering Hole"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YuKhE3CidLQ/UbEMPWdfRgI/AAAAAAAAAKc/nRjHImf7ZXM/s1600/2012Mar23_BlogImages_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Open Range - cattle with mountains in the background" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YuKhE3CidLQ/UbEMPWdfRgI/AAAAAAAAAKc/nRjHImf7ZXM/s640/2012Mar23_BlogImages_015.jpg" title="Open Range - cattle with mountains in the background" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Open Range"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn7M-uWXqUU/UbEMeLMywJI/AAAAAAAAALM/4JZN8Ouy434/s1600/2013Mar09_BlogImages_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pronghorn Dash - Antelope galloping" border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn7M-uWXqUU/UbEMeLMywJI/AAAAAAAAALM/4JZN8Ouy434/s640/2013Mar09_BlogImages_010.jpg" title="Pronghorn Dash - Antelope galloping" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Pronghorn Dash"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-asRd3PegBCs/UbEMbX68bjI/AAAAAAAAALE/mmq24zT0ojs/s1600/2013Mar08_BlogImages_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Snowy Tractor" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-asRd3PegBCs/UbEMbX68bjI/AAAAAAAAALE/mmq24zT0ojs/s640/2013Mar08_BlogImages_008.jpg" title="Snowy Tractor" width="640" /></a></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Snowy Tractor"</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can find these photos, and many more, on my <a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MatthewCrowleyPhotography" target="_blank">Facebook.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292546687297522200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7428668864039740907.post-28046357361023144882013-04-12T14:19:00.001-07:002013-04-12T15:08:00.143-07:00A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKlr_PXqv2I/UWhsV5S4qYI/AAAAAAAAAIw/iKkDSYfbFZE/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Imperial Forces posing in front of Chicago skyline" border="0" height="236" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKlr_PXqv2I/UWhsV5S4qYI/AAAAAAAAAIw/iKkDSYfbFZE/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_023.jpg" title="Imperial Forces posing in front of Chicago skyline" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STAR WARS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Well, not so long ago and in the Chicagoland area... This is the story of how I met the coolest, and most photogenic group of people ever, the Star Wars costumers from The 501st Legion and The Rebel Legion. Just so you know right now, this is going to be a very lengthy and photo heavy post.<br />
<br />
The story begins last June. I was dropping off a print to a gallery, for an exhibit, in Joliet, IL. I had just came straight from a portrait shoot beforehand so I still had all of my camera equipment in the car (this becomes very important). I don't always bring my cameras with me wherever I go, I probably should. If I was just going to drop off the print, I probably wouldn't have. I walked into the building and pass by several stormtroopers. I literally did a double-take, "did I really just see what I saw, in Joliet?"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JY08hEE338s/UWhrhZT534I/AAAAAAAAAFM/-hW_E6MUsas/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Stormtrooper standing guard in front of the Joliet Public Library" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JY08hEE338s/UWhrhZT534I/AAAAAAAAAFM/-hW_E6MUsas/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_008.jpg" title="Stormtrooper standing guard in front of the Joliet Public Library" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing Guard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I go back out the exit to follow them, they walked across the street, towards the Joliet Public Library. The street was lined with all sorts of Star Wars characters and tents selling memorabilia. What had I just stumbled onto? It was the 3rd Annual Star Wars Day celebration at the Joliet Public Library. The event promotes reading by holding Star Wars-themed activities, costume competitions, artists and vendors around the library.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-24gFlwpaCiw/UWhrV17ALCI/AAAAAAAAAEY/3IYAzmYid0E/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Darth Vader with lightsaber" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-24gFlwpaCiw/UWhrV17ALCI/AAAAAAAAAEY/3IYAzmYid0E/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_001.jpg" title="Darth Vader with lightsaber" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"If you only knew the power of the Dark Side."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I couldn't believe my eyes! I am a super-huge Star Wars geek and I suddenly felt like a kid again! I almost forgot I still had to drop off the print to the gallery, so I went and did so with haste. I ran back to my car and fed the meter as much change as I had on me, honestly I wasn't even counting I just plugged it all in. I geared up with both my cameras and the lenses I would need and went to go photograph all of the awesomeness. It was so amazing! There were so many of my favorite characters from the Star Wars saga; Jango Fett, Darth Vader, troopers of every kind, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and a myriad of others. I must have had a grin from ear to ear. But I wasn't the only one. You could see everyone around just light up with excitement and smiles go wide across their faces, children and adults alike. That's how powerful the Star Wars Universe is and that's how much it affects the people that get to see these characters in person. I wanted to actually be a kid again too; to be thrown in the Imperial detention block, to fire Nerf guns at stormtroopers, to play inside of the trash compactor, how cool is that?!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti1sLM-n-u0/UWhrd5b6SLI/AAAAAAAAAE8/LReOS6rmJFs/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jango Fett - the best bounty hunter in the galaxy" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti1sLM-n-u0/UWhrd5b6SLI/AAAAAAAAAE8/LReOS6rmJFs/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_006.jpg" title="Jango Fett - the best bounty hunter in the galaxy" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jango Fett - <span class="st">the best bounty hunter in the galaxy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When I finally got home, I could do nothing but load the photos into Lightroom and start editing them immediately. I put a bunch of the best shots on my Facebook page and shared it with the Joliet Public Library. In minutes I had the actors showing up, commenting on the pictures and tagging the other members, many of which I am now friends with.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fs4FknigBDI/UWhrknQ8EeI/AAAAAAAAAFU/05-9NBNMJho/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Han Solo brandishing a blaster pistol" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fs4FknigBDI/UWhrknQ8EeI/AAAAAAAAAFU/05-9NBNMJho/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_009.jpg" title="Han Solo brandishing a blaster pistol" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Solo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When I heard that there would be a large group of them in attendance for the Bartlett, IL Fourth of July parade, I immediately asked them if I could walk along with them to take photos. I walked the entire parade with them and even ate barbecue with them afterward. They're such a fun bunch of people to hang out with. I not only got great photos, but I also had a blast doing it! Watching the children light up when troopers or Boba Fett or Luke Skywalker came to give them high-fives or pose for a photo with them was priceless.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V-IaXJABWiQ/UWhrI_7g1fI/AAAAAAAAADk/kxPAey7-hdM/s1600/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_011.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="The 501st Legion at the Bartlett Parade" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V-IaXJABWiQ/UWhrI_7g1fI/AAAAAAAAADk/kxPAey7-hdM/s640/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_011.jpg" title="The 501st Legion at the Bartlett Parade" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfZ_ZW18-6o/UWhrPq0xjXI/AAAAAAAAAEE/ng2F9Tt2GUo/s1600/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Children posing for a photo with an Imperial Shadow Scout" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NfZ_ZW18-6o/UWhrPq0xjXI/AAAAAAAAAEE/ng2F9Tt2GUo/s640/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_013.jpg" title="Children posing for a photo with an Imperial Shadow Scout" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children posing for a photo with an Imperial Shadow Scout</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9ybbHl9woo/UWhrUDS2QeI/AAAAAAAAAEM/ppr69vqeqgk/s1600/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9ybbHl9woo/UWhrUDS2QeI/AAAAAAAAAEM/ppr69vqeqgk/s640/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_016.jpg" title="Bounty Hunter, Boba Fett" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The next event to come was Adler After Dark's: Geek Chic event, at the Adler Planetarium. This time it was just Imperial costumers from the 501st Midwest Garrison and the Great Lakes Garrison. The planetarium was filled with troopers, Darth Vader and bounty hunters. I was running around all of the Planetarium trying to catch them in different places. You can't find better backdrops for Star Wars characters than inside of the Planetarium! We even had a bit of fun with some group shots, including in front of the Chicago skyline and acting out a parody in the board room that they used for a changing room.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eEoFQkhWSxQ/UWhsc0Luz-I/AAAAAAAAAJM/3EJR8bt18h0/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The men and women of the Imperial Forces" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eEoFQkhWSxQ/UWhsc0Luz-I/AAAAAAAAAJM/3EJR8bt18h0/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_025.jpg" title="The men and women of the Imperial Forces" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The men and women of the Imperial Forces</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DmM0m_83bHk/UWhsby3_yOI/AAAAAAAAAJE/US6IpfilK8g/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The (Sith) Apprentice - "You have failed me for the last time. You're fired!"" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DmM0m_83bHk/UWhsby3_yOI/AAAAAAAAAJE/US6IpfilK8g/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_026.jpg" title="The (Sith) Apprentice - "You have failed me for the last time. You're fired!"" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The (Sith) Apprentice - "You have failed me for the last time. You're fired!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhwbvM5sRMk/UWhsTpnuxpI/AAAAAAAAAIk/5kpEuBJyFlw/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Group of stormtroopers with blasters" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhwbvM5sRMk/UWhsTpnuxpI/AAAAAAAAAIk/5kpEuBJyFlw/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_022.jpg" title="Group of stormtroopers with blasters" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"There they are! Blast them!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VJR31wderYI/UWhsOn1SRLI/AAAAAAAAAIM/oCgE8-eWpYc/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Stormtroopers looking inside a lunar lander" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VJR31wderYI/UWhsOn1SRLI/AAAAAAAAAIM/oCgE8-eWpYc/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_017.jpg" title="Stormtroopers looking inside a lunar lander" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Are the droids we're looking for in there?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cI7-IfXre_o/UWhsVM_aY5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/wyiMZ8HbmxM/s1600/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Darth Vader with troopers at attention" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cI7-IfXre_o/UWhsVM_aY5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/wyiMZ8HbmxM/s640/2013Jan17_StarWarsBlog_021.jpg" title="Darth Vader with troopers at attention" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't you just hear the Imperial March theme song playing right now?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My photography club, the Sandwich Photographic Society, has an Annual Studio Night every year where we invite models to pose in front of studio backdrops as a chance to get some instruction on shooting in that environment. I asked one of my good friends from the 501st Midwest Garrison if he would be interested in being a model and if he could invite some of the other members as well. Before you knew it we had a full roster of models. We actually had to change it from Studio Night to Studio Day and rent out a larger space to accommodate all of the actors and backdrops that we would need. We ended up having 11 actors show up, but not just Star Wars Characters; there was Iron Man, Loki, the Predator, Jessica from True Blood, video game characters and other Sci-fi and fantasy characters. Several of them brought more than one costume with. There was even a life sized, remote-controlled R2-D2!!! He chirped, he beeped, he turned in circles, he even played Gangnam Style, which they all danced to! It was our own personal Comic-Con. It was a win for both of our groups though: we got great photos and learned more about studio lighting techniques and they got studio-quality photos of themselves for their portfolio and personal use.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjTESYtWJA4/UWhrlTYuxkI/AAAAAAAAAFc/EtY95_NrbQ0/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_027.jpg"><img alt="Jango Fett with blasters drawn" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjTESYtWJA4/UWhrlTYuxkI/AAAAAAAAAFc/EtY95_NrbQ0/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_027.jpg" title="Jango Fett with blasters drawn" width="426" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_loT5kYS81Y/UWhrxPtcvgI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/WEd5NcGgLzg/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Darth Vader about to slice through Obi-wan Kenobi" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_loT5kYS81Y/UWhrxPtcvgI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/WEd5NcGgLzg/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_032.jpg" title="Darth Vader about to slice through Obi-wan Kenobi" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You can't win, Vader. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mt3Ox9hUkH4/UWhrse_j_wI/AAAAAAAAAF8/S1_eNmXUfss/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Darth Vader, stepping on Obi-wan's empty cloak" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mt3Ox9hUkH4/UWhrse_j_wI/AAAAAAAAAF8/S1_eNmXUfss/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_031.jpg" title="Darth Vader, stepping on Obi-wan's empty cloak" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Where'd he go?"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuYFy_rAoPU/UWhr018i9TI/AAAAAAAAAGo/sAUJfm2D5gA/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Life-sized R2-D2" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MuYFy_rAoPU/UWhr018i9TI/AAAAAAAAAGo/sAUJfm2D5gA/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_035.jpg" title="Life-sized R2-D2" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"R2-D2, where are you?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IK0TcFYGR0/UWhr0v9jUCI/AAAAAAAAAGs/POilpxhF8yM/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Stormtrooper with helmet off" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6IK0TcFYGR0/UWhr0v9jUCI/AAAAAAAAAGs/POilpxhF8yM/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_037.jpg" title="Stormtrooper with helmet off" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man behind the mask</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5EI6JqDWAk/UWhsEuPVdHI/AAAAAAAAAH0/uKs0qU1WVwc/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Princess Leia as Jabba's Slave" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5EI6JqDWAk/UWhsEuPVdHI/AAAAAAAAAH0/uKs0qU1WVwc/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_046.jpg" title="Princess Leia as Jabba's Slave" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, this totally happened...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__cxccToE9k/UWhr3FCz5fI/AAAAAAAAAG0/3Ji4xJ-BHhE/s1600/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="It's a girl under that helmet!" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__cxccToE9k/UWhr3FCz5fI/AAAAAAAAAG0/3Ji4xJ-BHhE/s640/2013Feb16_StarWarsBlog_038.jpg" title="It's a girl under that helmet!" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Empire needs you."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I've even expanded to photographing other costumers. My friend and I drove 4 hours to take production photos for a fan film, called Project: Prometheus. It was an unlikely alliance, between Iron Man and Batman, in a Marvel/DC crossover.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6vR9fae_VPU/UWhsiHgcdPI/AAAAAAAAAJk/PegYLyP2Uvc/s1600/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Iron Man and Batman team up, in Project: Prometheus" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6vR9fae_VPU/UWhsiHgcdPI/AAAAAAAAAJk/PegYLyP2Uvc/s640/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_049.jpg" title="Iron Man and Batman team up, in Project: Prometheus" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Project: Prometheus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utKgfIeJeLE/UWhsfGPoYaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/VV3OVIPMBAU/s1600/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Dark Knight, with wings spread" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utKgfIeJeLE/UWhsfGPoYaI/AAAAAAAAAJU/VV3OVIPMBAU/s640/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_048.jpg" title="The Dark Knight, with wings spread" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm Batman!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tgufgAvWslo/UWhsiJLJ2qI/AAAAAAAAAJg/2hnJVaulPUA/s1600/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Iron Man, against a blue sky with clouds" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tgufgAvWslo/UWhsiJLJ2qI/AAAAAAAAAJg/2hnJVaulPUA/s640/2013Mar03_StarWarsBlog_050.jpg" title="Iron Man, against a blue sky with clouds" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I am Iron Man..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I love photographing costumers, I champ at the bit every chance I get to photograph them. And I will be photographing them again soon. At the end of this month, at C2-E2, I will meet up with my friends from the 501st again, maybe I'll even make some new friends.<br />
<br />
You can see all of my photography work on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MatthewCrowleyPhotography" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> <br />
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Here are the photos that didn't make it into the copy above. I didn't have the heart to cut a single one of them. Enjoy: <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4i_nZTavdoQ/UWhrJe8jbNI/AAAAAAAAADs/DCmpfBy1snE/s1600/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_010.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Group photo of both the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion (buckets off)" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4i_nZTavdoQ/UWhrJe8jbNI/AAAAAAAAADs/DCmpfBy1snE/s640/2012Jul08_StarWarsBlog_010.jpg" title="Group photo of both the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion (buckets off)" width="640" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1SqAvXdp0M/UWhrV1DBBEI/AAAAAAAAAEc/85wkhJANf-M/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1SqAvXdp0M/UWhrV1DBBEI/AAAAAAAAAEc/85wkhJANf-M/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_002.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QtFkczNa-cQ/UWhrX9LM4KI/AAAAAAAAAEk/4itUgCJP7iM/s1600/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QtFkczNa-cQ/UWhrX9LM4KI/AAAAAAAAAEk/4itUgCJP7iM/s640/2012Jun02_StarWarsBlog_003.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not going anywhere for a while? Grab a Snickers!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292546687297522200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7428668864039740907.post-6368020992448894362013-04-10T15:07:00.001-07:002013-04-10T15:24:02.777-07:00Poor Photographer Etiquette Leads to Serendipity<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0d7s2LbNTlM/UWXU_zxupBI/AAAAAAAAACY/wj2LXVOLqQg/s1600/2013Mar10_BlogPost_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Milky Way at Balanced Rock" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0d7s2LbNTlM/UWXU_zxupBI/AAAAAAAAACY/wj2LXVOLqQg/s640/2013Mar10_BlogPost_001.jpg" title="Milky Way at Balanced Rock" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of my first shots upon arriving at Balanced Rock</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So there I was, 4:30 a.m. at Arches National Park, one of the greatest Candylands for a landscape photographer. I was so excited, to push my ISO to obscene levels, with my new Canon EOS 5D Mark III, for Milky Way shots. My wife and I were the only souls awake at this location, this early, so I could light paint to my heart's desire. I got all set up and focused, going back and forth on what ISO to shoot at, until I settled on ISO-10,000. I'm thinking to myself, "alright, time to experiment!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The photo above:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Canon EOS 5D Mark III | Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS | 28mm | 30 seconds | f/3.5 | ISO-10,000 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was going to start a series of light painted shots, some with the rocks and foreground lit up and others with the rocks as silhouettes, when no sooner did I start then a car drives up, headlights pointed at the rocks. This is of course forgivable as I could always start over again, or so I thought. This photographer gets out of his car, headlight ablaze, turning it every which way causing all sorts of light pollution. "Well, I'll wait for him to get set up," I thought. No sooner does he set up then he just starts light painting Balanced Rock with a very narrow and focused spotlight. No asking me if I was in the middle of a shoot, just starts polluting the whole scene, never turning off his headlamp and randomly shining the spotlight on the rocks. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glBMhHrNdDE/UWXYebzYeZI/AAAAAAAAACo/1AR-0HAieiI/s1600/2013Mar10_BlogPost_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mr. Etiquette" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glBMhHrNdDE/UWXYebzYeZI/AAAAAAAAACo/1AR-0HAieiI/s640/2013Mar10_BlogPost_002.jpg" title="Mr. Etiquette" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can see "Mr. Etiquette" on the left side of this photo. And this shot's only at ISO-1250!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The photo above:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Canon EOS 7D | Canon EF-s 10-22mm f/3.5-5.6 | 10mm | 30 seconds | f/3.5 | ISO-1250</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was pretty furious, he definitely knew we were there, because I was in the middle of light painting as he pulled up. He clearly showed right away that he was not interested in coordinating shots with me, not to mention he was in my shot. My wife is pretty good at keeping me calm, because I was quite hot under the collar at that point. But seriously, how is it alright to just stroll up and start light polluting a night scene? I know if I was not the first to show up, I would certainly go find out how to coordinate with the other photographer(s), it's simple etiquette and common courtesy. So with a sense of defeat, and a bit of anger, we decided to cut our losses there and move on to the next spot on the itinerary, Delicate Arch. I wanted to be at Delicate Arch for sunrise, but I had not planned on hiking up in the dark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was a grueling hour hike, up to Delicate Arch, and sunrise was still quite a ways away. Anyone who has done that hike, knows what I mean, especially when you're carrying loads of photography equipment. It was also getting on to Blue Hour so I wasn't sure what to expect when we got up there. What I saw, when we rounded the corner to Delicate Arch, was absolutely stunning. The twilight glow mixed with the Milky Way was beautiful, even to the naked eye. I knew that the camera would provide an even better representation. I really loved the ethereal effect of Blue Hour mixed with the Milky Way. The addition of the low atmosphere clouds was also a very welcome bonus. In the end, "Mr. Etiquette" causing me to give up on Balanced Rock, was actually a favor.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrKxnIalMsk/UWXep3VldAI/AAAAAAAAAC4/TcfiYJJXaFs/s1600/2013Mar10_BlogPost_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xrKxnIalMsk/UWXep3VldAI/AAAAAAAAAC4/TcfiYJJXaFs/s640/2013Mar10_BlogPost_003.jpg" width="425" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ethereal Arch</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The photo above:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Canon EOS 5D Mark III | Canon EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS | 28mm | 30 sec | f/3.5 | ISO-10,000</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After getting the shots that I really liked, we hiked to the opposite side of Delicate Arch, across the ravine. I got another treat, just before sunrise. A fairly rare phenomenon, called a Sun Pillar, shining on the low atmosphere clouds. The photos from this morning turned out better than I could have ever hoped for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXuKAbVe26M/UWXgB8IFivI/AAAAAAAAADE/FxE8wnb2g8I/s1600/2013Mar10_BlogPost_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXuKAbVe26M/UWXgB8IFivI/AAAAAAAAADE/FxE8wnb2g8I/s640/2013Mar10_BlogPost_004.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Light Pillar Eruption</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>The photo above:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Canon EOS 7D | Canon EF-s 10-22mm f/3.5-5.6 | 12mm | 2.5 seconds | f/22 | ISO-100</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You can find these photos, and many more, on my <a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/" target="_blank">website.</a> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292546687297522200noreply@blogger.com0Arches National Park, N Highway 191, Moab, UT 84532, USA38.733081 -109.5925138999999738.336667 -110.23796089999998 39.129495 -108.94706689999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7428668864039740907.post-79683726312721645332012-10-16T08:43:00.001-07:002012-10-16T09:43:40.134-07:00Published in the November Issue, Popular Science<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8093573771_1c52b5dfb0_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Transitions Adaptive Lenses, Through Your Eyes, Winning Image" border="0" height="261" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8093573771_1c52b5dfb0_z.jpg" title="Transitions Adaptive Lenses, Through Your Eyes, Winning Image" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popular Science Magazine - November 2012 (pages 12-13)</td></tr>
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I have recently received a great achievement, winning the Grand Prize in the Transitions® Adaptive Lenses, Through Your Eyes Photo Contest, hosted by Popular Science Magazine. As a result the image has been published, in the November 2012 issue of Popular Science Magazine, as a 2-page spread. It's hard to describe the feeling you get seeing your work published for the first time, least of all in a magazine that gets 1.2 million subscriptions. The photo is of sunrise at Mesa Arch, in Canyonlands National Park.<br />
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I thought that perhaps I would describe the specifics leading up to getting this shot. I was fortunate to spend a few days in the Moab area as an excursion on the side of a business trip. I researched a lot about the area before heading on the trip; looking at photographs, topography on Google Earth, checking out multiple books from the library, etc. I wanted to use this opportunity to experiment and push the limits of my photography skills. My itinerary revolved around sunrises, sunsets, the Milky Way and I obsessively planned every minute of my day, based on lighting conditions.<br />
<br />
My first day I spent mainly in Arches National Park, north of Moab. At this point, I had driven into Utah in the dark and had not yet seen a single feature of the land. I drove into Arches, way before sunrise, taking a gamble that I could get a blue hour silhouette of the iconic Balanced Rock. A gamble that I am more than happy to have made.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-cnrx6jG/1/M/2012Mar22Balanced-Rock-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Blue Hour at Balanced Rock" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-cnrx6jG/1/M/2012Mar22Balanced-Rock-M.jpg" title="Blue Hour at Balanced Rock" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Hour at Balanced Rock</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />
After finishing my shots at Balanced Rock, the area was finally starting to light up and I looked around at the alien landscape that I had somehow drove through. It was like no place I had ever seen before. Pictures cannot describe the beauty that lay before me. I was headed now to the Courthouse Rocks to catch the first sunlight glowing upon them. Watching the orange sunlight pour down onto The Organ and the Three Gossips was a religious experience. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I had driven past these monoliths, in the dark.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-2WMrjFB/1/M/2012March22Southwest0107-Edit-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunrise at Courthouse Rocks" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-2WMrjFB/1/M/2012March22Southwest0107-Edit-M.jpg" title="Sunrise at Courthouse Rocks" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at Courthouse Rocks</td></tr>
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<br />
After being satisfied with the sunrise shot that I wanted, I ventured around the park and also went and explored some ancient rock art and other features of the area but the end of the day was reserved for one of the most famous features in Utah, Delicate Arch. I hiked up to Delicate Arch in time for sunset, but I was really there to try my very first shot of the Milky Way. Being in a place with some of the most impressive scenery is a really good motivator to try and experiment. Obviously you want to take the iconic shot first, but once you grab that, it's playtime! After extensive research and some tips from Milky Way shooters, I gave it my all at Delicate Arch.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-KfqP33P/0/M/Arch-Across-the-Universe-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Milky Way and Delicate Arch" border="0" height="400" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-KfqP33P/0/M/Arch-Across-the-Universe-M.jpg" title="Milky Way and Delicate Arch" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milky Way and Delicate Arch</td></tr>
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<br />
After being elated at the shot of the Milky Way that I had gotten, it was still an hour hike back down to the parking lot and almost an hour drive back to the hotel, in the dark. This is where chance first affected my photos of Mesa Arch. I had run myself ragged that first day, waking up at 4 a.m, hiking and driving to multiple locations and not getting back to sleep until after 1 a.m. I had decided instead of going to Mesa Arch, the next morning, I would put it off until the third morning. I instead traveled to Dead Horse Point State Park for sunrise. Dead Horse Point is a gorgeous view of a bend in the Colorado River, with layers upon layers of rock in the canyon lying before you. The sun hits each of these layers differently creating a very dramatic sunrise image. The only problem was there were no defined clouds. Clouds are very important for landscape images and can really add to the impact of the final shot. Had I stuck to the original plan and gone to Mesa Arch, I wouldn't have ended up with the nice feathery wisps of clouds that were present the next day. But in the end I still really liked how the Dead Horse Point shot came out, with or without clouds.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-LHt6DzL/0/M/2012Mar23Slideshow042-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunrise at Dead Horse Point" border="0" height="200" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-LHt6DzL/0/M/2012Mar23Slideshow042-M.jpg" title="Sunrise at Dead Horse Point" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning at Dead Horse Point</td></tr>
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<br />
One other very fortunate thing to happen to me, at Dead Horse Point, was meeting Christian James of <a href="http://prophotospots.com/">prophotospots.com</a>. When I first got to Dead Horse Point, I saw a photographer on the farthest point out over the canyon, waiting there for the sunrise. He had another camera, pointed at him, taking photos every minute to document the shoot. We got to talking and I told him that I was planning on going to False Kiva, a Class II archeological site, that evening for sunset shots and hopefully the Milky Way. He said that he himself had been to False Kiva many times, and was interested in doing Milky Way shots there. He told me he would show me the way to False Kiva and accompany me there for the evening. That was very good news for me, especially since I only theoretically knew the way to False Kiva as it is a protected site and does not show up on any map. So that afternoon we made the hike to False Kiva and got awesome shots at sunset, but it was seeing and photographing the Milky Way from False Kiva that I will never forget. Christian and I worked together to light the alcove of False Kiva and use the appropriate camera settings for capturing the Milky Way. It's still my favorite photo to date.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-5QsmMvT/0/M/Visions-of-the-Cosmos-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="False Kiva and the Milky Way" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-5QsmMvT/0/M/Visions-of-the-Cosmos-M.jpg" title="False Kiva and the Milky Way" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">False Kiva and the Milky Way</td></tr>
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<br />
As with the first day, I had again had a very grueling, long day of photographing and didn't get back to the hotel until almost 2 a.m. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to make another sunrise, the next morning, but fighting a minor case of altitude sickness and not being able to sleep because of anticipation, I decided that I would sleep when I'm dead and headed to Mesa Arch for sunrise.<br />
<br />
I had a late start so I was traveling pretty fast, through Canyonlands to make sure I got there in time, almost hitting several cows in the open range along the way. I made it, but to my disappointment there was already a crowd of people. The spot that I had originally wanted to take the photo of the arch from was occupied by a 4-headed hydra of photographers, with tripods, all clumped together. I pulled out my Mr. Sun app on my iPhone and calculated exactly where the sun was going to come up. This perspective didn't allow much of a view of the canyon itself, through the arch, but it would give me a great spot for getting a nice sunburst. I set my camera's aperture for f/22.0 to give me the maximum depth of field but also allow for a very nice sunburst. I bracketed my shots in 3 stops, -1EV/0EV/+1EV as I figured I would need to blend the exposures to have a properly lit sky and foreground in the final image.<br />
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It seemed like an eternity waiting for the sun to finally rise and reach the top crook of the arch to create the sun burst. I wish I could live in those few minutes forever though as it was just glorious. Everything I wanted for a good photo was there; amazing wispy bands of cloud formations, a stunning and iconic foreground and the most perfect sunrise. After getting the shot that I wanted, I had quite high expectations seeing the preview in the camera, but it wasn't until I reviewed the photo later, in Lightroom, that I really knew what I had gotten. To follow up such an amazing experience at False Kiva with the Milky Way with another first for me, a true sunburst shot made the entire trip, and the strain I put on myself those first couple days, totally worth it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-w87XrHw/0/M/2012Mar24Slideshow040-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sunrise at Mesa Arch" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-w87XrHw/0/M/2012Mar24Slideshow040-M.jpg" title="Sunrise at Mesa Arch" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at Mesa Arch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I took it a bit easier after this shot. I had put a lot of miles on both myself and driving in such a short amount of time and I had already gotten what I felt were some great takeaways from the trip. There were still a lot of great shots to come in the next couple days, but at a much more relaxed pace than the first couple days.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-D2zj5mf/0/M/2012Mar24Slideshow053-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="False Kiva" border="0" height="265" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-D2zj5mf/0/M/2012Mar24Slideshow053-M.jpg" title="False Kiva" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">False Kiva</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-sBjJkqx/0/M/2012Mar25Slideshow067-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Morning in Castle Valley" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Landscapes/i-sBjJkqx/0/M/2012Mar25Slideshow067-M.jpg" title="Morning in Castle Valley" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning in Castle Valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/6924441792_db283f343f_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mustangs at the Watering Hole" border="0" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/6924441792_db283f343f_z.jpg" title="Mustangs at the Watering Hole" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustangs at the Watering Hole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7170377196_a4219ed60c_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Morning at Garden of the Gods" border="0" height="266" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7170377196_a4219ed60c_z.jpg" title="Morning at Garden of the Gods" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning at Garden of the Gods</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I love to travel. I love to show others photos of beautiful locations, through my eyes. Don't ever be afraid to promote your work, if it is something you are proud of. Had I not entered this photo in the contest, I would have never received the recognition that I have from this. Don't ever give up on your dreams. If you want to be a successful photographer, you need only to continue to improve your skills and work to get your name out there. It has always been my dream to be published and I will always work as hard as I can to deliver captivating photos that will be seen by others.<br />
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You can view all of my best photos from this particular trip here: <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pDAJQnXvW9g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10292546687297522200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7428668864039740907.post-10471270511794086152012-05-23T09:11:00.000-07:002012-10-16T06:37:15.478-07:00The Eyes Have It<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvqUFEkT47c/T70LKBvMHHI/AAAAAAAAAKo/SQ9EkqZBCFw/s1600/AutoFocusPoints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Focusing on the eye using autofocus points" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lvqUFEkT47c/T70LKBvMHHI/AAAAAAAAAKo/SQ9EkqZBCFw/s1600/AutoFocusPoints.jpg" title="Focusing on the eye using autofocus points" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Focusing on the eye using autofocus points</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When taking portraits or animal photos it is important to
focus on the eye of the subject. A great
photographer, <a href="http://www.ricksammon.info/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rick Sammon</a>, says, “<span class="st">If the eyes are not well lit and in sharp focus, you've missed the shot.</span>” There are several reasons why it's a good idea to focus on
the eyes; firstly the eyes are the window to the soul, secondly there are a lot
of lines and contrast making up the eyes giving your camera’s autofocus a
good area to focus on.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Senior-Portraits/i-MdzJJHX/0/M/2012Oct06Emily002-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Senior Portrait Shoot" border="0" height="265" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Senior-Portraits/i-MdzJJHX/0/M/2012Oct06Emily002-M.jpg" title="Senior Portrait Shoot" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior Portrait</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To achieve the best focus possible on the eyes, you will
need to be able to control the autofocus points of your camera. You want to set
it to a single focus point. This can be done in most SLRs and some advanced
point and shoot cameras. I will not get into the technical side of selecting focus points right now as there are so many different cameras with different ways to select focus points. What you want to do is lock the focus on the eye,
using a single focus point that you have selected, and then re-compose the shot
while keeping the focus locked on the eye. Be careful doing so when using very
shallow depths of field however (f/1.2-f/2.8) as, depending on your focal length, you can shift the focus
when you re-compose. If you are using shallow depth of field, it would be
better to choose a focus point nearest to where you would the eye in the final composition to be. Some cameras have 5, 9, 19 or even more focus points to chose from.<br />
<br />
Alternatively you can focus manually on the eye, however I typically do not. Most of the time I am too concerned with capturing the moment, that in taking the time to manually focus, I might miss it. My camera's autofocus hardly ever disappoints. I feel as though if I focused manually all the time I would probably have more user error (soft images) than the camera would error with autofocus.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/New-Additions/i-Qsbx3Bn/0/M/MarisolFeatured-18-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Baby Portrait Shoot" border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/New-Additions/i-Qsbx3Bn/0/M/MarisolFeatured-18-M.jpg" title="Baby Portrait Shoot" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Portrait</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Another thing to take into consideration is making sure that
the eyes are well lit. Whether it is natural light or in a studio, you want to
be sure that the whites are white and the iris shows color and texture. You may
need to reposition your model, have them tilt their head up a bit, etc. to
ensure that the eyes are properly lit.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Pets/i-FKXDBxc/5/M/2012Jan02Igloo-3-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Pets/i-FKXDBxc/5/M/2012Jan02Igloo-3-M.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pet Portrait</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
It’s also good practice to focus on the eyes
for different subjects including pets, wildlife and candid photos.
When you get in the practice of focusing on the eye, it will become innate and your portraits will improve dramatically. Having the eye in focus and emphasized makes the subject more interesting.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Animals/i-Z7pGpfc/3/M/IMG5665-copy-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Niiice Kitty..." border="0" height="266" src="http://www.matthewcrowleyphotography.com/Portfolio/Animals/i-Z7pGpfc/3/M/IMG5665-copy-M.jpg" title="Niiice Kitty..." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Eye of the Tiger (had to do it)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Matthew Crowley Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04863138631456486650noreply@blogger.com2