Peter Hawkins Photography

Where have I been?

2011-05-01T07:56:00.002-07:00

Well I am finally getting back to near normal. The first couple of months of 2011 were spent being very sick and in multiple Doctors offices trying to figure out what was wrong. Eventually I had to visit the Mayo Clinic to find out what was wrong with me, although we may never know what caused it. Long story short my recovery period is a long road but I am feeling better each day and am itching to start photographing again. The creative juices had to take a back seat for about three months and are starting rise to the surface once again I am looking forward to creating new images again so stay tuned.

About the photograph with this post, several years ago while living on the big island of Hawaii some friends were visiting from the mainland. The four of us were down in Wapio Valley when our wives found this old boot and pointed it out. I feel like the last three months I have been like this old boot......covered in moss! Well it is time to shed the moss and be more like a rolling stone.

Website Revamp!

2010-10-12T21:01:00.001-07:00

I’m in the process of giving my website an overhaul, I hope to have it finished by the end of the month, I will let everyone know when it is ready.

2010-08-23T04:45:00.001-07:00

Recently we were in Lee Vining California, which is on Mono Lake just east of Yosemite National Park and came across this interesting product. ORGANIC WOOD! I did not know there was such a thing as non-organic wood. Who ever thought this one up must be laughing at the gullible consumers thinking they are buying something special.....Come on people think about it.

Thanks to my brother Cole Hawkins for getting the photo. We saw it as we were leaving town.

Smooth one Duluth

2010-07-30T05:17:00.001-07:00

So my wife, daughter and nine year old grandson were among the hordes of humanity down in canal park for the tall ships parade of sail yesterday.

After it was over my grandson wanted to buy a souvenir of the event. So they searched Canal Park and found that the only place to buy such a souvenir was in the Festival grounds. Ok but you had to pay to get in to the festival grounds area, NICE! Way to go Duluth make people pay for the privilege to shop for souvenirs. I think there is something seriously wrong with this. In my travels throughout my lifetime I have never heard of any thing so stupid.

Busy Week New images to follow

2010-07-26T05:21:00.003-07:00

Well This promises to be a very busy and interesting week here in Northeastern Minnesota.

With in a couple of days we have 9 Tall ships coming in to Duluth for several days. On Saturday Split Rock Lighthouse is Celebrating it’s 100 birthday. So as you might imagine I will be running wide open later in the week. Some time in August I will be getting the images from this week up one the web site. I will post a blog about the images and send out an e-mail as well. take care.

2010-04-05T19:35:00.003-07:00

Shake rattle and roll Easter In Yuma Az.

It was Easter afternoon and we had a small group of friends over and I had just taken the meat off the BBQ and was carving it up when the ground started to rock and roll, It lasted for what seemed to be several minutes. Cars were Rocking our motor home was rocking even park models were moving. It shook us all pretty good and one of our friends complained of being sea sick. When it was over those of us that had been standing felt like we had just gotten of a boat and had sea legs real bad.

We all will be on our way to different states and Canada soon and for some including my wife not soon enough. The epicenter was about 63 miles from us.

Well hope you all had a less exciting Easter than we did here in Yuma.

2010-03-30T14:38:00.002-07:00

Im so frustrated my Camera ihas bee at Nikon for almost 2 weeks and They just told me that the repair period of 7 to 10 business days just started. GGGRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok Cannon users there’s your opening .... Go ahead kick a guy while he’s down. :-(((

And My Laptop needs work! @#Q#!$!#@$

2010-03-01T05:21:00.001-07:00

March is here that must mean that winter is winding down, I know it’s not over yet! Soon it will be time for the Minnesota State High School Boys Basketball Tournament and every Minnesotan knows what that means. Fro those of you not from Minnesota it means late season blizzard time, It coincides with the tournament.

April is not but four weeks away and soon the Ice Breakers on the great lakes will be opening the shipping lanes. Before long we will be seeing scenes like the one in this photograph on a regular basis. Lets hope the Twin ports has a banner year in 2011.

2010-02-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

The desert has been getting some good rainfalls over this winter. I just hope that it has happened at the right times for a good spring wildflower season. I will be monitoring it closely now as the flowers could start in the next couple of weeks and hopefully what happened last year dose not this year, a sudden heat wave burnt most of the plants and they never bloomed so pray for a gradual warm up.

Name this image!

2010-02-15T05:54:00.006-07:00

I would like to try something a little different today. I’m looking for a name for this image and I am asking you for help. This image was made in Itasca State Park in Minnesota in the Fall of 2009. I will consider any suggestions.

2010-02-11T04:53:00.002-07:00

Pathways! For some reason we as photography viewers are drawn to images of pathways / trails especially when there is a sense of mood to the image. This photo was made on the path in to Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

Remembering Fall

2010-02-09T04:59:00.002-07:00

Grab Shots

2010-02-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

I have said how important it is to plan what and where to shoot in order to create an photo with impact. Well most of the time that is true. I also believe photographers should always have a camera close by if we’re not carrying one.

Several years ago my wife and I were on a weeks vacation at a cabin on lake One (partially in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area), Our mission that week was total relaxation which meant NO WORK. We had this cabin for seven days and we were doing nothing but enjoying our time. The cabin had these white plastic chairs and each cabin at the resort had it’s own dock, So we had taken two of the chairs down to the dock so we could take in the different moods of the lake over the week. Well our time went by and we were packing up to leave and we remembered that the chairs were still on the dock so I went to get them and saw an image I just had to make. I ran back to the car and grabbed for a camera and started making images only to realize that I had my wife’s camera I thought for a moment about switching to one of mine but I decided not to because the fog was lifting so I just kept making images, after all we were shooting the same film that summer.

The resulting image has been one of our top sellers year in and year out since then. I’m not convinced that if we had tried to stage this image or do variations with the chairs it would have worked very well. Some times there is a great merit in the grab shot and I try to encourage people to keep their camera’s close by at all times.

The more I visit a location the more

2010-02-06T05:17:00.001-07:00

I find the more I visit a location the more I find to photograph or perhaps on subsequent visits I am seeing the location from a more personal perspective. Some of my favorite images have been made at places were I have been several times. So while it is gratifying to check out a new location it can be very productive to check out those familiar locations as well it just might sunrise you!

2010-02-05T04:33:00.002-07:00

The other day I was asked how do you make the water blurry like that? Well man years ago I was reading a book by Les Blacklock ( a well known Minnesota photographer) and he made the answer really simple. To the human eye a water fall is equivalent to 1/60th of a second. So if you want a nice white waterfall that shows a lot of movement you’ll want to slow your shutter speed down. If you do this you will need a good tripod and cable release.

In the case of my example photo instead of a water fall the water was moving through a stretch of rapids along the Temperance river along Minnesota’s North shore of Lake Superior.

2010-02-01T05:05:00.003-07:00

Knowing your subjects behaviors can lead to making the unexpected image an expected image. I have photographed the Common Loon for years and knew that toward the end of the preening process the birds would et up and shake their wings out. With this knowledge and a bird that was use to having boats near by I was able to create this image which I call Wings.

Do your homework, plan ahead and get lucky.

2010-01-27T06:43:00.002-07:00

These are all thing I feel are important in making high quality nature images. No matter if it is a trip into your backyard or half way around the world it’s important to know what you will and what you might find when you arrive. The internet is a great research tool, not only can you find places to stay, eat, fuel you vehicle, get maps and directions, you can also find out what the area that you are traveling to looks like. For example Photo sharing sites like Flickr you can view photos that have been taken in the area, Then using one of many map sites like Mapquest you can not only get you maps and directions you can look at ariel photographs of the area. I find this really helps me prepare for my shoot, as I can find what others have done but more importantly what others have not done. Finally I say get lucky, this can happen in numerous ways most often it is mother nature that provides those special opportunities and some times it is a perfect strange with knowledge of the area or access to privet property.

Protea

2010-01-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

Protea (Leucospermum cordifolium) growing in a back yard garden. On camera Flash with a black background behind the plant.

Composite images

2010-01-23T05:09:00.002-07:00

So how do you make an image of a popular place and not have any one in it? Well for years before I went digital and knew photoshop at all it was quite the challenge. With the digital tools we have today this kind of image has become easier to make. Starting with a good tripod and cable release make several exposures of the scene (in this case the headwaters of the mississippi river) make sure that the people are in different areas of your images this will be important later. Be sure that your exposures are all the same

Okay so now you have your files on your computer and your in Photoshop take as many files as needed in my example I used 3. then create a new canvas and copy each file to the new canvas as its own layer. Once you have done this you can start removing the people and other unwanted objects on each layer (painting or erasing). Now try Flattening the layers to see your results, If you are happy continue with your image optimization, If not you need to evaluate the results and try again, keep in mind you may need to grab another file or two. Most importantly have fun doing it and pay attention to detail.

4X5 Color and Black & White

2010-01-22T06:44:00.003-07:00

When ever I shoot with my large format camera (4X5) I always shoot both Color Transparency and B&W negatives. Why? Because some times it pays off huge! not every image works well as both color and Black and White, Every now and then you’ll find the exception. This image is one of mine that has served well in both versions. The Black and white silver print is stunning and has been a steady seller for years. The color image has also done well not only as a decor print but as a stock image. So if you run in to me out in the field and I am using my 4X5 you can bet I’ll be shooting both color and Black and White.

Irrigation of tomorrows vegetables

2010-01-21T03:43:00.003-07:00

In Yuma, Arizona one of the biggest industries is farming and the major crop is lettuce. Not long after the harvest is over the field is tilled and prepared and planted with the next crop.

Ocean to Ocean Highway Bridge

2010-01-19T06:04:00.001-07:00

Yuma's Ocean to Ocean Highway Bridge.

2010-01-15T06:08:00.003-07:00

How water is used for irrigation in North America will be a new and on going project for me this year!

Route 66

2010-01-14T04:58:00.003-07:00

So this is the last selection of my favorites from 2009 that I am going to post for now. I found this sign in Tucumcari New Mexico along Route 66.

2010-01-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

This image was made not too long after yesterdays image and is another favorite from 2009.

I have lists

2010-01-09T05:19:00.002-07:00

I have lists on paper and in my mind of images I want to find, some times it only takes a few days and other times it can be years. Well last fall I found an image that I had been searching for for a very long time, I have even walked by it a few times and something was just not right until last fall and the resulting image became another favorite of 2009.

My favorite 2009 image from New Iberia

2010-01-08T06:03:00.003-07:00

Last spring we spent some time in New Iberia Louisiana. I found several older buildings whose exteriors were in less than great shape which is what I was looking for. Whit that said this is my favorite 2009 image from New Iberia.

Tucson’s Barrio Viejo

2010-01-07T04:38:00.002-07:00

Tucson’s Barrio Viejo is full of interesting images and this is one of my favorites from last year.

More 2009 Favorites

2010-01-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

Any list of my favorites would not be complete if I did not include an image from Itasca state park the headwaters of the Mississippi River. I have been photographing this park for nearly twenty years and some how I keep finding new angles from which to photograph the beginning of the mighty Mississippi.

2010-01-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Simplicity and color make this image another favorite image of 2009!

My favorite images form 2009

2010-01-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

The changing of the year brings us all sorts of lists, the best of, the worst of, the top ten, ok you ask where are you going with this? Well I glad you asked. After viewing many of these lists I thought of my own work and I was going to put together a list called my top 10 from 2009, then I thought who am I to deiced which of my images should be in the top ten. So I through that out the window and decided that I would do several post with some of my favorite images form 2009. I am not going to set a specific number of images, however I will set a time limit, I will post favorites for at least the next two weeks, and will not go past the end of the month. I hope you enjoy and I would love to read your comments.

2009-12-28T04:29:00.000-07:00

Thinking about the new year I was reminded that 2010 will be the centennial celebration at Split Rock Lighthouse a Minnesota Historical society site and a state park.

For those of you who have visited this lighthouse you will know it’s beautiful location. For those who do not If you ever find your self along Minnesota’s North-shore of Lake Superior be sure to take the time to visit this site, it is well worth it.

For more information on Split Rock Lighthouse Minnesota Historical Society visit http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/srl/index.htm , And to find out about the Split Rock Lighthouse state Park visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/split_rock_lighthouse/index.html

RIP NICK DECKER

2009-12-17T04:01:00.000-07:00

Nick passed away on December 15th 2009.

Nick was an instructor at Brooks Institute of Photography and that is were we met. Even though I only had one class with him some twenty seven years ago I seem to still be learning from my friend. He had great impact on many who went through his class, just read the numerous posts on his Face Book page.

Nick you pushed us to the limit, you even made us angry some times bring us to tears, you gave us encouragement and taught us well. I would have it know other way and I want to thank you for every thing you did all those years ago. It is because of you that I am the photographer and person that I am today. Again thank you my friend!

I will remember your joking you called me a stump jumper from Minnesota and I called you the beat farmer from North Dakota.

Nick you will be missed greatly!

Getting Lucky

2009-12-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Being in the right place at the right time is so important to what we do as nature photographers. Research the location and the natural lighting and then making sure that we are there and ready for those few fleeting moments of the sweet light. When talking about what I do with people I stress this point.

I’ll follow up by saying there are time when mother nature just smiles on you and you feel like the luckiest person. I was on my way to check out a location on a cloudy fall day when the sun broke through the clouds and shone on the trees on the far side of the river. At that moment I knew I had just gotten Lucky!

Portland Head Lighthouse

2009-11-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Lighthouses are a relic from the days before Radar and GPS, each one looks and sound unique. Their uniqueness told the old sailors where they were and warned of danger in any weather conditions.

Over the years I have photographed many lighthouse some over and over. Some are close to home and some are far from home. I have visited them when the weather is nice and when it’s been so nasty no would want to be out there. Some times when the weather is in between good and bad you need to photograph in a way to make the image interesting and stand out otherwise you might as well left the camera in the car.

I ask myself how can I make this image more interesting than what I am looking at? In the case of this image I decided to shoot at a slower shutter speed in order to make the waves seem more active then they were. I made a series of exposure starting at 1/30 and going to 1/4 second and chose this image which I believe was 1/15 of a second.

When I was much younger and just getting started in photography I read a book by Les Blacklock said in relationship to photographing waterfalls the the human eyes see at about 1/60 of a second. Therefor if you want blurred water make your exposure at a speed slower than 1/60 of a second.

2009-11-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

Peter, Paul and Mary sung about Puff the magic dragon living near Hanalei on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua’i in the early 60’s, I grew up listening to the song. Some thirty years later while on vacation with my wife on Moloka’i Puff worked his magic on a Hawaiian sunset. The thing is for several years I just saw a nice sunset until one day someone pointed out that I had a photo of him. ..... Aloha Puff

New Images

2009-11-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

I've just uploaded some new images to my website! Follow this link to the New images section to see what I've posted http://www.phawkinsphoto.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1π=10000&s=0&p=0

Duluth

2009-11-07T05:39:00.000-07:00

Duluth, Minnesota is the worlds furthest inland sea port. Vessels from around the world visit each year to load grain, the port ships mostly Taconite pellets to the steel mills down the lakes. Taconite contains iron ore and is brought to Duluth from the Masabe iron range by ore trains. While many goods are shipped in and out of the Duluth Harbor its main good is Taconite. There is a new challenger that could out do Taconite some day, Giant Wind Machines and I mean the big ones. Each blade leaves the port on it’s own oversized truck, So just the blades and turbine take a minimum of four trucks to get from the port of Duluth to its final destination.

Are we really a better photographers?

2009-11-03T04:51:00.000-07:00

There are some subjects that I keep returning to year after year and some how I come away with new angles that I never thought of before. This is a result of personal and professional growth, the photographs I make present I could not have made before. These changes come out of more life experience and visual growth. What I mean by visual growth is that I spend a lot of time looking at other photographers work on the web both professionals and hobbyists, by doing this I hope to fine tune my own image making. If the last image we make is no better than one we have made in the past are we really a better photographers?

2009-10-25T15:49:00.001-07:00

You've got to push yourself harder. You've got to start looking for pictures nobody else could take. You've got to take the tools you have and probe deeper.

-William Albert Allard

2009-10-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Digital photography has simplified a lot of what we do as photographers. It has made photo restoration much easier, and the ability of making a new image look old is a snap.

The log structure was built by the C.C.C. back in the 1930’s and the my client was after a retro look for the building.

2009-10-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

For many years I had this idea for a photograph of a stand of Birch trees in the fall. I have even tried the shot a half dozen times or so over the years, only to later look at the image and think that is not what I had in mind. Several failed attempts Of this idea all found their way to the trash.

So the idea just simply stayed in my head until a couple of weeks ago. I was walking through one of the lager stands of Birch that I know of on my way back from photographing another subject. And there it was right in front of me, the image that matched my Idea perfectly.

On this day I was very lucky, not only to have found the right location for the image but to have the perfect sky for it as well.

I try to keep track of my image ideas in my head, and as a back up I have a folder on my laptop called shoot list (Ideas). I keep reading through these lists and adding to them constantly . I started my first list over twenty-five years ago, and I keep adding ideas and checking others off, The funny thing here is the lists never get shorter just longer. Years ago that first list got so long I had to split it into several shorter list. Today I keep list for every place I have ever been and even several places I want to go. I set my lists up geographically as well as by subject.

For me that folder full of lists is invaluable in that there is no way to remember all of my ideas. As I read through them I some times think “What was I thinking” and other times I’ll say oh yea I know where I can make that image. Over the years I have heard of people writing their ideas down in note books, pads and blank books. The key is What ever works or you is the way to do it. and this method really works well for me.

1005

2009-10-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

I seem to be drawn by old buildings, I have a hard time passing one by with out checking it out. Doors and windows on these buildings seem to have the most significant daw for me. Maybe its the weathering, the texture, who may have walked or looked through, I just know I am fascinated by them and probably always will be.

This door “1005” is located on Route 66 in Tucumcari New Mexico, A town that has seen better days, and may see them again thanks to I-40. There are many towns, old farms, and buildings around this country just waiting to fall down, I just hope the most interesting ones can wait until I can photograph them, wishful thinking I know.

iphone Photography

2009-10-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

When Cell phone started to come with digital cameras I thought “I have no use for that! I’m a photographer and I have several camera bodies what on earth would I want a camera phone for? And I proudly told this the sales clerk at the store where I was replacing my broken phone at.

Fast forward several years and Apple announced the release of its G3 iphone, I was going to stand in line for one (The first and last time I have ever done so). It was going to be this great tool for me to have in my pocket but I thought “I will never use the camera, it can not be good enough for my needs”.

I admit I was wrong the iphone camera is a great little camera and I use it a lot! I use it for snapshots, Location scouting, Ideas and price comparison shopping. It is capable of producing a very nice image, not long after I bought the phone I sent an image to a high end lab that I use to have a 5X7 printed, not only was I blown out of the water when I told my rep at the lab that the image was made with an iphone they were amassed.

With all the praise I have just given my iphone’s camera I still have my DSLR and my 4X5 and I have no plans on giving up on either one of them any time soon.

Steam locomotive #2719

2009-09-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

The North Shore Scenic Railroad in Duluth Minnesota Runs old trails on the rail between Duluth and Two harbors Minnesota. During the fall on four weekends they pull the excursion train with Steam locomotive #2719.

“ Built in 1923, the engine carried troops to WW II and the Korean War and ran until 1959, growing old as the last working steam engine in Wisconsin.
Restored to running order by the Locomotive and Tower Preservation Fund, Ltd. the engine’s last excursion run was in 2003. It had been stored outside in Altoona, Wisconsin since then. In 2005 the L&TPF entered into negotiations with the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth to move the engine north for inside storage, further restoration and eventual operation on the North Shore Scenic Railroad.” (from http://www.northshorescenicrailroad.org/home/2719home.asp)

The train runs along the Lake front walk in down Duluth for several miles before slipping through neighborhoods on its way north.

Technique

2009-09-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

Some may look at this image and say well nice use of neutral density filters. The truth is that no filter was used in making this image, the technique was soothing in the very early morning just as it is starting to get light, in fact it was before sunrise.

Two other vital pieces of equipment were used in the making of this image. And I will use both on about 98% of all of my images, that is a good tripod and a cable release. With the image framed I stopped my aperture all the way down to f/22 and set the shutter speed to sixty seconds, I knew this exposure combination would yield the result that I was after.

When I am out in the field photographing I am approached by many people who ask what camera, lens should I buy? I respond the same way each time that is stick with a name brand camera but then I will say that more importantly get a good tripod (not one from a discount store), and a cable release.

When you try new techniques log your exposure info and try to learn what works and how to get the camera do what you want it to do.

Rhythm

2009-09-23T04:30:00.000-07:00

I believe that everything has a cycle, I also believe the things we’ve do can create a rhythm within that cycle. One thing I have always tried to advocate is stepping outside of the box or getting out of your comfort zone will help the creative rhythm in our lives.

This past winter I stepped away outside my comfort zone. I spent six months working as a resort photographer covering special events, photographing formal portraits and shooting advertising pieces for the resort. It is true that early in my career I worked in a portrait studio however that was 25 years ago and I had not done a single portrait in almost 15 years. The type of event photography that I covered was something totally foreign to me, yes at first it was a little scary and I was unsure of myself but after the first few images I found my rhythm.

As part of my job I assembled and published in a yearbook for the resort, I had in the past designed and published a souvenir book so there was some familiarity there. I think the combination of money formal training and my job experience definitely helped make this trip outside my comfort zone not only easier but successful.

While it’s been five months since I finish that job, and it seems like I have been in such a rhythm that I could probably put my camera at something with my eyes shut and it would work, I know that’s not quite true. this experience outside the box has refreshed my vision and my creative rhythm. My belief in stepping outside of our comfort zone has become even stronger and I intend step outside my zone on a regular basis. What do I mean by a regular basis, well probably an annual basis will suffice. It dawns on me that the more I do this I need to find other boxes to step into in order to keep it fresh, scary and challenging. If I can do this I think that my creative rhythm will respond in a positive manner.

I think we should all step outside of our comfort zone periodically and then reap the benefits of doing so.

Favorite places

2009-09-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

I just returned from my one of my all time favorite places to Photograph “Itasca State Park” The headwaters of the Mississippi River. I have been photographing in the park for close to 20 years and it never gets old, I find that amazing.

Each trip to the park I ask myself to photograph the headwaters in a way that I have never done so, and as you can imagine that can become a challenge after a while. Yet some how as time goes by and my vision grows so dose my approach to photography.

There are times when I find myself really having to work to=create images and other times where it seems as though everything works really well. I feel like I have been in that grove where everything just works very easily. That may be a result of doing a lot of image making over the last year, and it could be a result of stepping outside the box (Comfort zone) or both. And I plan on routinely getting out of the box if this is the result.

I will return to Itasca State park at least once a year to create new images as long as I live because it is a very special place in my hart.

Little experiment

2009-09-09T03:13:00.001-07:00

I am trying a little experiment with Facebook. Every weekday (as long as I have internet access) I will be posting one image to my wall along with my website address. I started this a week or so ago and am seeing traffic heading to my site, I will keep doing this for the near future and if it seems to be a good thing I may make it a regular morning task.

It is coming ............................ fall that is !

2009-08-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

it seems every summer goes faster than the one before its August 25 today and it seems like it was just early June. Yeah we’ve managed to do quite a bit this summer but why the summer golf so fast in winter goes so slow.

With the passing of summer we’re about to enter one of my favorite times of year here in northern Minnesota its fall well almost. As I look around I see subtle hints that fall is not far away the marsh grasses have started to turn that kind of gold-dish yellow. The weather is beginning to change you can feel fall in the air, soon will be able to smell it. not long after that natures palette will explode the vibrant reds and yellows will dominate the landscape for a short period as the trees transition to dormancy for the winter.

Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year to be out photographing, the bugs are gone for the most part and children are back at school. If nothing else in the fall colors season can be a very hectic time of year in trying to get from location to location. Here in Minnesota the colors changed in ways first you get the sumac then come the maples and other deciduous trees and a few weeks later along the North Shore it all happens again. Just when you think fall colors are over along comes the golden hue of the Tamarack trees if you’re not familiar with Tamarack they looked to be evergreen but they’re actually deciduous date change color and dropped their needles actually they are small leaves. By the time the Tamaracks finish dropping their leaves the fall color has shifted to central and southern Minnesota, so then it’s time to follow the colors south.

My only wish for fall is that it lasted months instead of weeks because it is such a beautiful time of year to be outdoors not too hot not to cold and very few bugs if any at all. There is something about the crisp fall air is so refreshing I’ll step outside and take a good lung full of the fall air on enjoy it for several moments then the realization of what is yet to come shocks me back to reality, yes winter can’t be too far away.

Looking forward

2009-07-29T15:55:00.001-07:00

WOW! I can hardly believe that it’s almost August 1. Where has the summer gone again in oh I heard yesterday on the radio at Duluth has only had I believe three days where the high temperature topped out in the 80s. Sure for some the 60s and 70s are pleasant but I really do like in the mid the lower 80s in the summertime. While as I stated in an earlier post I’ve been sticking close to Duluth this summer and photographing around the city. it actually has been quite fun and challenging and have learned quite a bit about the area.

One of my favorite parts of Duluth is a park called blue Leif Erikson Park, and it lies between I-35 in Lake Superior and as its name suggests heat is dedicated to the first European to discover North America and I’m not referring to Christopher Columbus. The Duluth Rose Garden comprises part of this park it in itself a requires its own post. The Duluth lake walk also runs through the park and is a post all in its own, on the lakeside of the lake walk and there’s an old theater reminiscent of the Viking era. The statue in the photo is of Leif Erikson, in his pose he is looking to the future standing proud and tall. In this time of economic slowdown I’m planning and looking forward to a bright future not just for myself but for all of us.

Copyright

2009-07-19T05:25:00.000-07:00

On a regular basis I will search the web looking for any of my photographs, on the occasion that I do find an image that has been used illegally meaning without permission I will contact the individual or organization regarding the fact that they broke federal law. In each and every incident I have recovered the maximum amount allowed by federal law. Every item leaving the studio has been my copyright on it and at least one way of contacting me, there should be no excuse for not trying to contact me about using my images. On a really do not like to have to go after someone that have caught using my images without permission but it is in my right and it is protected by federal law. US federal law states that once in the image is created it is copyrighted. Therefore I spend time regularly searching for and individuals or groups that have illegally used my images and I do go after them, and they do so with US federal copyright laws on my side. So should you think it’s okay to use my image without my permission you better be prepared to suffer the consequences.

2009-07-09T08:46:00.001-07:00

Recently a good friend of mine started a blog about where he lives here’s the link http://thisisnorthkitsap.com/about/ I think you’ll find it interesting. After looking at his blog I have become inspired to share with you more of that area I call home.

So through the next several posts that I do to this blog I will be highlighting the sites of Duluth Minnesota and the North Shore of Lake superior. My hope is that this series of postings will inspire you like my friend Eric’s did to me enjoy and always feedback is welcome.

2009-07-08T15:12:00.001-07:00

Instead of doing a lot of traveling this summer, I have decided that it would make more sense to photograph closer to home. in recent years Duluth has revitalized its waterfront and become a real tourist destination. All of the old warehouses have either been remodeled or demolished and new buildings have replaced them.

I am really discovering Duluth again this summer through my photographic efforts. I am amazed how photogenic city of Duluth really is, I’ve always known that Canal Park in the lake walk provide a lot of interesting vistas what I never realized before is the vast array of parks and the fact that this city is really the beginning of the North Shore of Lake Superior.

What I would recommend is that no matter where you live it doesn’t cost much to get out and explore your local area even your backyard so get up grab the camera and get out there and explore your local area and make some images you’ll be amazed at where you live.

2009-07-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday which was July 2, 2009 in the Paul ship Dennis Sullivan was due in the Porter Duluth between 12:30 and 1:30 PM. in preparation for going down in photographing the arrival of the tall ship I went online to dilutes boats.com to check for updated arrival information only to be surprised by the fact that the ship had come in at 6:30 AM. I wonder he if this was a planned scheduling as last year when the three tall ships came in support there were literally 1,000 boats in the harbor, including the one I took to picture accompanying this post from.

I’m wondering if it was designed this way as a safety measure because there were too many boats all last year or perhaps they were just ahead of schedule. Anyways the arrival of the Dennis Sullivan was very anti-climatic. The ship will be in the port of the loose in till July 7. According to duluthboats.com the Sullivan is expected to depart Duluth today Friday, July 3 early afternoon and is expected to reach turn and is expected to arrive back in Duluth for a grand entrance between 230 and 330 p.m. this should in fact be quite spectacular hopefully they will have their sales up.

Apparently next year and the organizers of last year’s event in this year’s event are hoping to have between four and 10 tall ships visit Duluth harbor the amount of docking space is going to determine the actual number is some believe it’ll be four or six a lot of people are hoping its 10. No matter whatever the number ships come in next year I am sure they’ll be quite a spectacular event and I will be out there photographing it.

To all a happy and say Fourth of July 2009.

Once, long long ago (RIP Kodachrome)

2009-06-25T09:23:00.001-07:00

Once, long long ago a giant ruled the land, he still lives but is a Mirror shadow of himself. The mighty giant was all knowing and powerful until one day when a eager competitor arrived on the scene they did battle with one growing stronger and the other getting weaker. You see the giant was over confident and thought he could rule the world for ever. The giant had many trusted weapons in his arsenal and he knew that they were good and some were the finest in all the world, and he was right. For years he relied on what he had and did not look to the future. This would eventually being his undoing.

Today he still is out there but he is no giant anymore he is gust one of the guys. Years ago he was know far and wide as the Great Yellow Father, you may know him as Kodak.

This image was originally made on Kodak’s Kodachrome 25! RIP Kodachrome

Sorry, Paul Simon, Kodak's taking Kodachrome away

2009-06-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

I just recieved this in my in box I'll comment on Kodak later in the day.

Sorry, Paul Simon, Kodak's taking Kodachrome away

By Carolyn Thompson
Associated Press

-- Sorry, Paul Simon, Kodak is taking your Kodachrome away.

The Eastman Kodak Co. announced today it's retiring its most senior film because of declining customer demand in an increasingly digital age.

The world's first commercially successful color film, immortalized in song by Simon, spent 74 years in Kodak's portfolio. It enjoyed its heyday in the 1950s and '60s but in recent years has nudged closer to obscurity: Sales of Kodachrome are now just a fraction of 1 percent of the company's total sales of still-picture films, and only one commercial lab in the world still processes it.

Those numbers and the unique materials needed to make it convinced Kodak to call its most recent manufacturing run the last, said Mary Jane Hellyar, the outgoing president of Kodak's Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group.

"Kodachrome is particularly difficult (to retire) because it really has become kind of an icon," Hellyar said.

The company now gets about 70 percent of its revenue from its digital business, but plans to stay in the film business "as far into the future as possible," Hellyar said. She points to the seven new professional still films and several new motion picture films introduced in the last few years and to a strategy that emphasizes efficiency.

"Anywhere where we can have common components and common design and common chemistry that let us build multiple films off of those same components, then we're in a much stronger position to be able to continue to meet customers' needs," she said.

Kodachrome, because of a unique formula, didn't fit in with the philosophy and was made only about once a year.

Simon sang about it in 1973 in the aptly titled "Kodachrome."

"They give us those nice bright colors. They give us the greens of summers. Makes you think all the world's a sunny day," he sang. "... So Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."

Indeed, Kodachrome was favored by still and motion picture photographers for its rich but realistic tones, vibrant colors and durability.

It was the basis not only for countless family slideshows on carousel projectors over the years but also for world-renowned images, including Abraham Zapruder's 8 mm reel of President John F. Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963.

Photojournalist Steve McCurry's widely recognized portrait of an Afghan refugee girl, shot on Kodachrome, appeared on the cover of National Geographic in 1985. At Kodak's request, McCurry will shoot one of the last rolls of Kodachrome film and donate the images to the George Eastman House museum, which honors the company's founder, in Rochester.

For McCurry, who after 25 years with Kodachrome moved on to digital photography and other films in the last few years, the project will close out an era.

"I want to take (the last roll) with me and somehow make every frame count ... just as a way to honor the memory and always be able to look back with fond memories at how it capped and ended my shooting Kodachrome," McCurry said last week from Singapore, where he has an exhibition at the Asian Civilizations Museum.

As a tribute to the film, Kodak has compiled on its Web site a gallery of iconic images, including McCurry's Afghan girl and others from photographers Eric Meola and Peter Guttman.

Guttman used Kodachrome for 16 years, until about 1990, before switching to Kodak's more modern Ektachrome film, and he calls it "the visual crib that I was nurtured in." He used it to create a widely published image of a snowman beneath a solar eclipse, shot in the dead of winter in North Dakota.

"I was pretty much entranced by the incredibly realistic tones and really beautiful color," Guttman said, "but it didn't have that artificial Crayola coloration of some of the other products that were out there."

Unlike any other color film, Kodachrome is purely black and white when exposed. The three primary colors that mix to form the spectrum are added in three development steps rather than built into its layers.

Because of the complexity, only Dwayne's Photo, in Parsons, Kan., still processes Kodachrome film. The lab has agreed to continue through 2010, Kodak said.

Hellyar estimates the retail supply of Kodachrome will run out in the fall, though it could be sooner if devotees stockpile. In the U.S., Kodachrome film is available only through photo specialty dealers. In Europe, some retailers, including the Boots chain, carry it.

On the Net:

Kodak: www.kodak.com

When new directions come from old directions

2009-06-11T04:49:00.000-07:00

We need to challenge ourselves everyday push in new directions or old directions just push. I recently decided to change my focus ( Pardon the pun) of my business. Yes the current economy has a part to play in this as well as feeling too complacent with my work. So I decided to go back to an old formula that had worked well for me.

I’m betting your asking what is he talking about ? Well I have been shooting stock Photos for close to 20 years or so, but the last number of years it has been on a back burner. I am making an effort to shoot more images and get them in the hands of my agencies.

I am not sure what this will mean to the bottom line for the business, but I have a renewed enthusiasm for making images so I gotta believe that the rest will fall in to place. Having just written this I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes on photography.

"Shoot what you love and you'll love what you shoot"

-John Sexton

Exploring a subject

2009-06-04T05:52:00.001-07:00

Exploring a subject with your camera can lead to some great images. What I mean is that after taking the first couple of images of a scene look at it from different angles. Pretend it is something you have never seen before. Making detail images by getting up close and check out the shapes, colors and contrast. Sometimes this can produce a much more interesting image than your typical ID image. Your viewer dose not necessarily to know what the environment of the image looks like.

Both the images in this post are from the same location and subject but tell different stories and could have totally different uses. The peppers drying on the roof and the ristas that have been finished and on display could be used to illustrate an article on the southwest in a magazine or a Textbook. While the close up could also be used for these projects I Like the graphic quality and would tend to use it more for a Fine art print or perhaps as an element in a page layout rather than an Id image.

Weather you are photographing in your backyard or you have traveled halfway across the planet to make photographs. Be sure to take the time to really explore the subject that you are photographing, You will be sure to be surprised with the results.

2009-05-22T05:37:00.001-07:00

I’ve been asked to speak at a local camera club and I happily agreed. Then I thought what am I doing I have no program to present! After some thought I decided to go with the idea of revisiting a subject time and again not only throughout a year but throughout a life time to record the changes that take place ever so slowly in natural world. Over time there can be huge changes.

For instance the Tamarack tree behind the post was once full of branches that hung down and shade the base of the tree. They also made some great framing when photographing across the rocks that signify the beginning of the Mississippi River.

I other places it might be the growth of the local vegetation, or erosion. Maybe the landmark has been restored or just painted.

By going back time and time you can also keep your images current and over the years you can daw on the older ones if some one needs some historical reference. An example would be Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue ox in Bemidji Minnesota. Years ago be for the whole downtown area was revitalized and the built a new visitors center. Blacktop surrounded Paul & Babe, To day they have cement and brick work, which is much more appealing. I have sold both image many times.

2009-05-18T07:38:00.001-07:00

Tucson Arizona for some reason is one of my favorite locations in Arizona. It must be because the diversity of subject matter in a relatively short drive from where you might stay.

I have since my first visit to the area in the 1970’s loved the Sonoran Desert. especially in the spring time when the cacti begin to bloom. The terrain allows you to choose many different angles for photographing.

My newest favorite spot in Tucson would undoubtable be Barrio Lebria, The oldest neighborhood in Tucson, It is subject rich, Although it has been discovered and it is being re-paired building by building, The buildings are being painted. This is sad and exciting at the same time. I feel lucky to have found this spot when I did, I just wonder what it was like five years earlier.

While my main focus (pardon the pun) is on nature I just love to shoot interesting buildings and details new and old but mostly old. And with in a few blocks of Barrio Lebria there exists so much subject matter that its almost hard to believe.

National Loon Appreciation Week 2009

2009-05-14T06:25:00.000-07:00

Peter Hawkins brings his fine art photography back to the Walker Leech Lake area. Peter grew up in the Walker area spending much of his time out on Leech Lake photographing the common loon.

Peter has been creating photographic images of nature for over twenty-five years. He is passionate about his subjects and considers their well-being more important than the photograph. It can take days if not weeks to make a single image, depending on the behavior of the subject.

Peter’s image of a loon on the nest was selected to be on the National Loon Appreciation Week poster for 2009. This event is put on each year by the Sigrud Olson Environmental Institute at the Northland College in Ashland Wisconsin. In conjunction with this event Peter is doing two poster signings. The first will be held on May 15th at 6:30pm at the Hartley Nature Center in Duluth Minnesota, The second will be at the Artist and Crafters Mall of Walker on May 22nd. from 2pm till closing.

Peter looks forward to joining the other fine local artisans at the Artist and Crafters Mall of Walker who will be the exclusive retail location for Peter’s work in downtown Walker, Peter is constantly creating new images and looking for creative ways to display his work.

Those familiar with Peter’s work will find some old favorites and exciting new images from places like Itasca State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse and around Minnesota. There will be some images from Peter’s travels which may include Hawaii, the pacific northwest and the desert south west. There will be a wide selection of images to choose from.

Loon Appreciation Week 2009

2009-04-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

This image won the poster contest for Loon Appreciation week that the Sigurd Olson Enviromental Institute in Ahland Wisconsin dose each year. www.northland.edu/sigurd-olson-enviromental-institute-loon-watch.htm

I will be doing two poster signing events in May. The first one will be in Duluth, Minnesota at the Hartley Nature Center on Friday May 15th at 6:30 pm. The following week I will be in Walker Minnesota athe the Artist and Crafters Mall of Walker at about 1:00pm ( I will post the exact time as we get closer to the date)

These posters are free of charge, I will have a donation Jar with 100% of the proceeds going to the Loon watch program.

I hope you are able to make one of these events.

The art of sight

2009-01-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

Look very carefully you may find a subject you did even know was there. Stand still and look around and observe your surrounding yo might just be surprised in what you find, look from different angles.
Some times when I walk in to an area I find that if I just stand there and take a good long look I will find a lot going on and others not so much. You never know it could be flowers, birds, texture, dramatic lighting or just an incredible scene.
The more I observe the more photographic possibilities I see. Take the time to just plain look around you and do this weather you have your camera or not.
The most important thing a photographer can learn is the art of sight.

Adding depth to your image

2008-12-05T05:07:00.000-07:00

Photographs are two dimensional by nature. The best way to add depth when composing an image is to have three zones in the image a foreground an mid-ground and a background.
I will usually have the foreground and mid-ground in focus, however the image may call for the mid-ground and background to be the focus.
This practice will cause the eye to fool the brain into thinking that there really is depth to the image therefore creating something of a 3d effect on the mind.
This is a simple technique that can really enhance your images. So next time you are out creating images keep this in mind and try it, and have fun!

Ansel Adams Quote

2008-11-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

"In the electronic age, I am sure that scanning techniques will be developed to achieve prints of extraordinary subtlety from the original negative scores. If I could return in twenty years or so I would hope to see astounding interpretations of my most expressive images. It is true no one could print my negatives as I did, but they might well get more out of them by electronic means. Image quality is not the product of a machine but of the person who directs the machine, and there are no limits to imagination and expression."
~ Ansel Adams, An Autobiography, 1985.

Framing the subject when making images

2008-11-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Framing the subject of your photograph can make it more interesting. I will usually pick something from the local environment to use regardless of weather it is man made or natural.

While photographing at Tumacácori National Historical Park I was checking out a display of the park it was very interesting. But then looking out the window I found this image, it was just asking to be photographed. I did use a flash for fill light on the stucco wall, and I am please with the results.

Framing your subject also adds depth to your image which is important in 2 dimensional media. When you are making images remember to look for those elements that will add to the aesthetic value of the image.

2008-11-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Years ago I was visiting an uncle on the east coast. One morning it was very foggy and I grabbed my camera and tripod and headed out the door to make some images. As I passed a someone on the street they said to me “it’s not a very good day to take photographs!” My response was too say “No its a great day to make photographs”

My point here is that when you have weather rather than sunshine do not think that you should not be making images. The attached image was made early one foggy morning, and it is the fog that really makes this image stand out.
So as long as you keep your equipment dry and clean get out and make images, You find the results very pleasing.

Not always what it seems

2008-11-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

On occasion mother nature will give us a little surprise, and when she dose we just need to be thankful.
While on Molokai on day I realized we were in for a really nice sunset. The clouds, palm trees and the sun were begging to be photographed. The image making was fast and furious on that beautiful hawaiian evening.
I came away with several very nice images that all sell very well and even years latter it is still very satisfying.
Then at an Art Fair a customer came to me and said I love this image, however your Title “Molokai Sunset “ was all wrong and did I not see the real subject in the image? I thought about it for a bit and asked what they were seeing. They responded “why it’s Puff The Magic Dragoon”. I thought wow I never looked at it that way and since that dat on all I see is Puff.
There are times when others will see a totally different image than the artist had originally intended, and this is not a bad thing, it is what make us unique.

Look closer it might be in the detail!

2008-10-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when making images you really need to look for detail. In Westport Washington on the south side of the mouth of Grays Harbor there is a U.S. Coast Guard Station. Just next to the base is an area where abandoned Fishing stuff lies including an old boat near by I found this huge pile of old fishing nets, buoys and chains.

While this area itself seems rather boring I knew that by getting in close and walking around it I would be able to make at least a few good images. So armed with my tripod and a macro lens I spent the better part of a morning making images.

This image and many others we made that morning just by looking for the composition amongst the mess, one can find order in disorder.

2008-10-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

It’s the Angle. A lot of images are made from the height of their creator, some times that is ok. I like to look at the world from all sorts of angels even if it means climbing to a height out side my comfort zone, or getting on my belly and crawling around in the dirt and rock. What ever it takes to make an interesting image. Looking at a flower from below or behind makes it more fun and creates some stunning results.

Fall Colors in Itasca State Park

2008-10-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Fall Colors in Itasca State Park

While climbing down from the top of the fire tower at Itasca State Park, I was looking in to the canopy of the trees and I saw this image with the amazing color. I thought wow mother nature has been good to me today!

Wow!

2008-10-19T06:27:00.001-07:00

Wow has it been a while since my last post! Just plain got busy .......... no excuses!
It was a crazy summer, however now things have settled down to a low roar. I will make more effort to post on this blog at a more reagular intervals.

Well it is finally warmed up in Minnesota!

2008-07-03T04:04:00.001-07:00

After what was an unusually cool spring and the weather is finally a bit more seasonal. it seems that with the cool weather this spring most wildflowers were little but late so far the lupine were beautiful and the blue flight irises are just passed their prime.
Our resident geese in our pond have raised their young and have gone wherever they go to feed and beef babies up for fall migration. The beavers have been pretty active in the pond as well knocking down a very nice couple birch trees are little disappointed about, but that's nature. Also in the area we see the white tailed deer frequently the other day and box and ago came through the yard and the buck's antlers were about to a half or 3 inches long, this time a year in Minnesota can be so full of life and fantastic watch. Oh did I mention that there is a rate population of mosquitos, I guess we have the spring rains to thank for this.
We were recently were camped at a campground on Lake where for the past several years are photographed loons and bald eagle's. When we arrived I was talking to the managers who have been there for several years and heard some very disheartening news in that someone and they're not sure who shot and killed a bald eagle. This news was absolutely horrible I soon found out that what is the eagle eye and photographing for the last several years. I sincerely hope they find the perpetrator and punish the person to the fullest extent of the law.
Some of the exciting things coming up this summer is that in early August the tall ships will be visiting the port of Duluth, in a couple weeks the delusive air-show featuring the Navy’s blue Angels will be here in the loads unfortunately we will be in Bemidji doing a show that weekend.
to take time from time to time to check our website to see what new images have been loaded up I will be uploading images frequently. Also with the website there will be some new galleries and pages, one of the pages they visit in the works is a new shopping cart so those of you who would like to order from this new site will be able to.
I would like to close this entry to my blog with a quote John Sexton once said pictures you have taken have an influence on the ones that you’re going to make that’s life!”

Cool Spring in Minnesota

2008-05-29T05:24:00.002-07:00

We have been experiencing a very cool spring. May 28 we had a freeze warning! The trees have started to leaf out but seem to be on hold, due to the cool weather.
In our pond the resident Canadian Geese have young and the beavers have been quite active. I be building two separate blinds for the pond and hope to add a third upland one as well. Just a short post today, take care!

Cool Spring in Minnesota

2008-05-29T05:24:00.001-07:00

We have been experiencing a very cool spring. May 28 we had a freeze warning! The trees have started to leaf out but seem to be on hold, due to the cool weather .
In our pond the resident Canadian Geese have young and the beavers have been quite active. I be building two separate blinds for the pond and hope to add a third upland one as well. Just a short post today, take care!

It's Live!

2008-05-18T04:08:00.000-07:00

After many months of the re-design phase of my website, it has gone live.
http://www.phawkinsphoto.com/
As I said in the last entry I will be updating the site regularly so check it out often as new images will be posted as soon as they have been created. Other aspects of the site will be unveiled as the sumer progresses.

So sit back browse the site and f you have thoughts or concerns please let me know.

We’re Days away!

2008-05-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

In a very short time I will be unavailing a totally redesigned web site!

The changes are exciting, first I will be able to update the site 24/7. New images can be loaded up almost as soon as they are created. A new blog will accompany the redesign.

The most exciting part of the new site there will be an area that current clients will be able to log onto and proof their images, thus speeding the delivery time up.

So very soon I be launching the new site. When it goes live I would invite you to stop by and check it out.

Why a new Website?

2008-04-11T07:18:00.001-07:00

Well I will state the obvious first, the current site is four (4) years old know.

With the new site I will have total control over updating the site, If I create the greatest image I ever made I can load it up soon after it’s creation. It should greatly increase traffic and hopefully business to my site.

But wait what was wrong with the old site, basically it is old and static. Also I need to say a bit about the host of the old site.

For the life of the current site I had been happy with the host (whom I will not name here). In the last few months they have been transferring all of their hosted sites to a new platform. Ok should be smooth and easy like it always had been, wrong! After they transitioned my site things started going badly! First my e-mail just stopped working. I spent many hours over two weeks trying to resolve the issue several times I would find that they declared the issue resolved with out ever contacting me. I would again contact them and they would promise that some one would call be and no one ever did until two days ago. Finally a supervisor calls me back and we work on the problem for almost an hour and finally he admits they do not have a clue as to what is wrong. All along they inferred it was something on my end. Mysteriously later that day it started to work again sort of.

Sometimes the best solution is to totally erase the board and start from scratch, and that is what I have decided to do in this case.

By the way the phone center for Ipower is located in the Phillapeans. Whoops I’m bad I said I was not going to mention the host Ipower (I did it again).

Any how I am finished with this rant!

New Blog for Peter Hawkins Photography

2008-04-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new Blog. The old one Peter's interactive notes will be going away when the Website is redesigned which began this week. I hope to have the new site Live sometime in late May. It will have the same URL http://www.phawkinsphoto.com/ So stay tuned to this new Blog and I will keep the progress of the new site updated.