Gear

Reflections On The Past

June 18, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

If you remember last week’s adventure in Americana, I shared some ideas surrounding using non-pro gear to have fun and make images. Well, this was another shot from that adventure. The sun was setting, and noticed the windmill in the distance. I initially thought about compressing the image by zooming in on the horizon. However, just up ahead of me were the tire tracks you see here. They were leading me right in to the scene. So I decided to run up the road, get low and grab a quick hand-held shot. Now, if I was shooting anything but a non-pro super zoom…no way could I have made that compositional decision within the few seconds Mother Nature granted me. Again, the lesson is feel the flow and forget the gear!

Filed Under: Americana, Colorado, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D7000, One Click, Sunsets, Travel

Reggie

June 16, 2013 by Justin Balog 3 Comments

Because Father’s Day was yesterday, this image is for my pops. When he was a kid, he had a dog named Cesar. Caesar was a boxer and I have heard so many stories about what a great dog he was. Anytime I see a boxer, I can’t help but think about him. Like the day I met this guy. His name is Reggie and he’s the shop dog at a local rock store in Utah. Good dog, and nice enough to let me lay on the ground to take his photo.

Filed Under: Nikon 24mm 1.4, Nikon D700, Utah

The Great Wide Open

June 12, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

If this isn’t what Tom Petty was talking about, I don’t know what is? Yes, still an adventure into Americana with the Nikon 18-200…well, that and an iPhone. I shared some thoughts about the creative process as it relates to the adventures on the plains over at Big World Little Lens if you’re interested.

Photographer’s Note – This is a single image brought to life using Lightroom 4. Has anyone upgraded to LR5 yet?

Filed Under: Colorado, Lightroom 4, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D7000

The Herd

June 11, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

The #RoadTrip continues, more important so does the adventure with a non-pro Craig’s List lens. I’ve stated before that the Nikon 18-200 is one of my all time favorite lenses. This image is a good example of why. Had I been bothered with lens decisions and heavy gear, I might have missed this opportunity that mother nature presented. Again, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on glass. Just find a system you are comfortable with and have fun. By comfortable, I mean you know how to use it (so the technology doesn’t get in the way of your creative muse) and it’s not a burden to carry around. That being said…I’m really interested in the new Fuji X system along with the 55-200. For the focal ranges I primarily shoot, the Fuji system would be 1/2 the weight of my current Nikon travel kit. For me, that’s a BIG DEAL! More on that later.

Filed Under: Americana, Colorado, Lightroom 4, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D7000

Lessons From A Mountain Goat

June 10, 2013 by Justin Balog 3 Comments

I just got back from a weekend long #roadtrip that took me from the eastern plains to 14,000 ft. For the entire trip, I took one camera with me and left the tripod at home. This is one of my favorite images from that trip. I shot it with the non-pro super zoom, Nikon’s 18-200. I know it’s cliche, but to hell with the gear. Just get out and shoot! Great images are in you, not your gear. If you can’t afford $10,000 worth of lenses…who cares. Just get out and have fun!

Photographer’s Note – I used Google’s Viveza software to emphasize the structure in the mountain goat’s coat. The rest was Lightroom 4 and Mother Nature.

Filed Under: Colorado, Lightroom 4, Nik Software, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D7000, One Click, Processing Notes, Tips