February 2012

Bring up the subject of snow and there are usually two distinct reactions. You either embrace the winter season or escape it by heading down south and become a “snowbird”. I know there are many folks who prefer the warmth of sunny days and would dread just about anything related to the white stuff (like driving in it). And then there are Rocky Mountain people who love living in the north and seeing the white fluffy stuff come down in terms like dumps and blankets. Put me in the latter camp as I look forward to the changes that winter season brings, cold temperatures and all. Waxing skis, sledding downhill, watching the snow falling in a quiet forest, checking the ski report, sign me up!

Capturing the essence of winter can be challenging, but the images can be very rewarding and unique. Just like in summer, the best time to shoot winter images is right after a passing storm that dumps (see there’s that term) snow that clings to the trees and transforms the landscape into a sparkling terrain. The snow acts as a cleansing agent as the pure white is very pleasing to the eye.

Tips for better winter images;

If you shoot in automatic mode and wonder why your snow always looks flat and gray it is because your camera is calibrated to turn everything to a neutral 18% gray. To get white snow, you will need to overexpose by a stop or stop and a half.

Dress appropriately for the conditions. Sounds simple right? You will enjoy photography and make better images if you are not feeling cold or wet. Waterproof pants, Sorel boots and two pairs of gloves (a thinner pair on the inside of heavier gloves) go along way to making successful images.

There are many subjects to shoot during the winter season such as ice patterns, snowmen and people out enjoying and playing in the powder. I recently landed an assignment that will chronicle most of the major outdoor winter sports. I’ve been busy this past month with skiing, ice skating, hockey, ice fishing, etc.. It has been great motivation to stay in shape and keep my photo skills sharp.

Here are my new January images;

http://www.agpix.com/platform4/AGPix_chaney/?platform_num=4

News;

Don’t forget if you are interested in coming along to witness and photograph the spring migration of sandhill cranes on the Platte River in Nebraska this spring, I still have 2 openings remaining for this first workshop of the season. You will want to take advantage of this opportunity to witness one of the truly most magnificent natural wonders on the planet. I secured three overnight blinds along the Platte River for the sandhill crane migration. The blinds are available for a month from the Rowe Sanctuary and this year the reservations for the overnight blinds sold out in a day and half! So, if you have ever thought about witnessing this amazing spectacle, act now. I have one blind still available. And the sandhills are just a portion of the birding photography on this trip. For more details to my workshops page.

http://www.chuckhaney.com/workshops.html

Just a reminder- make sure to register early for the 2012 workshop classes. Also reserve your lodging as early as possible. We go to the best locations at the best times; so lodging can fill up way before the classes begin.

March- Nebraska Birding

April- Spring in Zion National Park, Utah

May- Spring in the National Bison Range & Mission Valley, Montana

June- Front Range of the Rockies, Montana

Late June- Teddy Roosevelt Badlands National Park, North Dakota

July- Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

If you haven’t done so already, please click on the “like” button on my homepage, that way you can follow the latest news and view my new images first on my Facebook photography page.

My website has undergone some really Big changes. The site now features a portfolios page where you can view the “best of the best” images at a much larger size. I feel it will making the searching for the right image for your next project or enjoyment easier. You will enjoy the viewing! There is a link to the page from the homepage or you can go directly to the site here, http://portfolios.chuckhaney.com/

For a more refined search, you can still log onto the searchable stock page where there are over 12,000 images on file.

New covershots..