Seed Packets in a Hardware Store © Jay Goodrich

I wanted to keep my theme going of a recent post to the Outdoor Photographer Magazine Blog regarding the creative use of my iPhone. This image was taken in a hardware store near the Haight/Ashbury district. The repetitive patterns of the bags of seeds caught my eye, but once I began to analyze the image a little closer I realized that it was also the design of the packets themselves that I liked. As fall approaches and we head into winter many people, myself included, begin to plan on what will be part of their garden in the coming spring. The image was taken with an iPhone 4 and mastered in Lightroom 3–that’s it.

As of writing this I am in JFK waiting for a flight to teach a one day workshop tomorrow in Houston. It is pretty amazing how fast information can now be sent to the world no matter where you are. I can only imagine where it will be when my daughter is my age.

Stars and Moving Clouds, Mount Rainier NP, © Jay Goodrich

After such an amazing evening hike and dinner with Heather and the kids I couldn’t help myself this month. I had to use one of the images as a photo of the month. I was fortunate enough to capture this photograph at the bottom of the Paradise Trail as we finished our hike in complete darkness. I decided to throw all the rules of composition out the window and include way more of the sky above rather than the foreground of wildflowers that was at my feet, which was almost black to the naked eye. Since these clouds were rolling along at a fast pace all I needed to create the above effect was a 30 second shutter speed. In some cases it takes much longer shutter speeds to see even the slightest bit of movement in clouds, but not on this night. The scene looks almost like the volcano itself is outgassing during an eruption. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark III, 16-35mm f2.8 lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk ballhead, and mastered in Adobe Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5. You can read more about the evening and see additional images on my weekly post to the Outdoor Photographer Magazine Blog.

Pride Parade Spectators, Vancouver, Cananda © Jay Goodrich

The photo I have chosen for this month’s photo is a little different then past choices and hopefully a new way of highlighting how I see the world. Don’t get me wrong, I love photographing nature and adventure but I am also taking to more literal types of photography. Possibly a bit towards photojournalism, but also not quite there. I want my viewer to start contemplating the scene. What does this image say to you? For me it was the repetitive nature of the stark apartment architecture and the people, who all seem to be joining forces in a celebration. Onlookers to something, but what that something is, has me looking deeper into the image. There are hints there but nothing concrete. The other piece of the puzzle for me is the variety of race, gender, style, ect. it speaks volumes to the people of our world. Captured with a Canon 1D Mark III, 70-200 f2.8 IS AF lens, handheld, mastered in Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS 5.

Glacier Lillies, Paradise, Mount Rainier N.P. © Jay Goodrich

It is almost time. A time when the snow covered meadows that surround Mount Rainier National Park begin to erupt into a summer splendor of pattern and color. It was almost a year to the day that I captured this image. It is a study of pattern and texture. There is no single subject for your eye to focus on yet the image keeps you looking for one. I love images like this one. They go beyond the standard wide angle landscape and yet still possess a strong compositional quality. There is a harmonious balance of white lilies and green grass and stems. Hopefully you can join me there in the next few weeks when the flowers begin to bloom all over Mount Rainier. Taken with a Canon 1Ds Mark III, 70-200 f2.8 AF IS lens, Gitzo tripod, and Kirk BH-1 ballhead. Mastered in Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS5.

Windmill Blowing in the Spring Winds, Alice, Texas, © Jay Goodrich

The spring in Washington has be really windy this year. Since this is my first year here, I am not really sure if it happens every year. It seems like every road bike ride is into the wind–both ways–for all of the miles. For this month’s photo I wanted something that would portray that wind. I have captured tons of abstract motion images of this, that and the other thing blowing, moving, and swaying in those winds. After the thousands of images, I have decided that one of my favorite images, is one that I captured a couple of years ago in a place that isn’t even near where I live.

The image is a bit trite, but a technical success nonetheless. I had to figure out a shutter speed to allow me to capture the moving vanes of the windmill while still allowing the viewer to read the manufacturer on the directional fin. It tells the complete story of how I feel almost every day that I head out to shoot, run, or ride recently.

Windmill, Alice, Texas, Canon 1D Mark III, 70-200 f2.8 AF IS lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk BH-1 ballhead.

The Hayden River Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Wy © Jay Goodrich

Our photo this month was taken by Jay last summer while he was working on a project in Yellowstone National Park. The reason we decided to post it for the photo of the month this month is because Jay is there right now shooting more images for the project. Hopefully he will be willing to “leak” some of the new images when he returns. Anyway, this image was taken of the Hayden River at sunrise as a low level fog bank was beginning to clear. You never can predict what nature will do, so it is best to stay until the last possible moment if you find a good location and keep you mind open to anything. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark III, 16-35mm II lens, Gitzo Tripod, Kirk BH-1 ballhead, Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer, and a 3 stop hard-edged graduated neutral density filter. And per last month you can order discounted prints of our monthly images directly from our print site.

Barnes Creek Alders, Olympic National Park, WA © Jay Goodrich

Last week I captured a ton of photos because Heather took the kids to Colorado to visit the grandparents. Having this new found “freedom”, I took the opportunity to spend one of the days exploring Olympic National Park. As I was driving out to the beach for the anticipated sunset, this scene along Barnes Creek caught my eye on the drive-by. I quickly turned around and started to work some compositions for an hour or so.

It’s amazing how your eye can catch a glimpse of something at 50mph. What I saw, which became the subject of all of the images, were these long and lacy branches of alder that were extending over the the creek from both sides. The alder bark is light enough that the trees really stand out over their green forest counterparts. I used a Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer to cut the reflections on the water and the leaves. This composition is one of my favorites for its ability to highlight my subject and give the viewer and idea of the setting which was before me. Taken with a Canon 1D Mark III, 16-35mm f2.8 II lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk BH-1 ballhead.

This month also marks the beginning of us offering the prints for sale directly from our licensing site. Now we have a Photo of the Month gallery where this and all future images featured here on the blog can be purchased at a discounted rate. Eventually, we will add all of the previous photos of the month here too.

Rock Topo, Red Dirt Creek, CO, ©Jay Goodrich

I often look to abstract painters for inspiration in my photographic work. This idea of looking elsewhere is not new, I know many photographers that do it. It has done one major thing for me – put me always on the look out for new and interesting compositions. I don’t care what time of day it is, how good the light is (well for the most part), where I am, what gear I have with me, if I see something that catches my eye, I have to catch it with a camera. It could be the most simple of things or the most difficult subject I have ever tried to photograph. I will not quit until what caught my eye is recorded to something, even my iPhone, for availability to share with others at some point.

This month’s image came to me during a private workshop that I was teaching just after traveling for close to a month. During that month I was backpacking for a good part of my travels, which means I was looking at a topographic map constantly. When I discovered this rock, it immediately reminded me of those maps – pinnacles, and valleys. I grabbed my macro lens and had my participant stand next to me to block the late morning light. The subtle reflections added a subtle glow to the image. Taken with a Canon 1Ds Mark III, 100mm macro f2.8 lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk Ballhead, Singh-Ray Warming Polarizer. Mastered in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Martha's Beach, Washington

I have had a really good week. Colleague John O’Conner inspired me with a few super simple image compositions that he posted to his facebook page. I drew more inspiration from a video of urban trials rider Danny MacAskill. And, was able to witness an amazing light display at my own private beach that allowed me to utilize everything I learned – hint go to my facebook page. I was going to post the beach image that I had on facebook earlier this week as the photo of the month, but I figured it was out in the world already, so why not something new. This month’s photo was taken from the same location. For what ever reason, the sun always seems to come out right around sunset, it doesn’t matter if it is howling, pouring, or foggy and overcast. This is really good for me because I love to take the kids and the dog down there to explore – with my camera of course. The evening pictured here was standard operating proceedure –  it rained all day and then bam, magic. That is the beauty of nature, it is ever changing. This image was captured with a Canon 1D Mark III, 16-35mm lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk BH-1 ballhead, Singh-Ray LB Warming Polarizer, Singh-Ray 3-stop Daryl Benson reverse grad filter.

All of these positive events have generated a new idea – the experience. A new category on this blog beginning Tuesday. You will have to wait until then to find out more.

One more – I just realized that Singh-Ray has posted an article by me on their blog. Let me know what you think. They used this image as their lead-in.

Common Mergansers, Grand Teton National Park, WY © Jay Goodrich

This month I was looking for something I haven’t posted a ton of lately…a wildlife image. I have been really focused on landscape photography for some reason and that barely touches the gammut of what I shoot. I captured this image last spring while working on a project about Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. What really intrigued me about this scene is the colors and textures generated in the water while these common mergansers were feeding at Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park. The textures are a little bit distracting, but I feel by being confusing, they draw the viewer right to the heart of the image the – the wildlife. Two other things came together in this photograph to help with its design – the overcast conditions which created those textures and the fact that the birds all lined up in a row. Captured with a Canon 1D Mark III, 600mm f4 lens, 1.4x teleconverter, Wimberley Head II, Gitzo tripod. Mastered in Lightroom and Photoshop.