Updates on my Facebook Fan Page

Hello, dear readers! I apologise for not keeping up with the blog, while I'm not closing it down any time soon I do recommend also following my latest updates over on my Facebook Fan Page, which I update on a much more frequent basis. Here's how to follow Calanan Photography on Facebook:



Thanks for following this blog! If you don't use Facebook don't fret, I will continue to post updates here.

- mike

My first attempt at photographing lightning

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Taken in Denver, CO.

Camera: Nikon D700
Exposure: 4 seconds
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 24 mm (Tokina 12-24mm f/4)
ISO Speed: 200

I don't know why I haven't tried this before, to start with it was actually pretty easy to dial in exposure settings. There was quite a bit of ambient city light (orange sodium vapor streetlights) so I ended up keeping the shutter/aperture low enough to knock down the ambient yet just long enough to catch some full bolts of lightning.

Once exposure was set, I locked in the view I wanted with my wide angle zoom, locked the tripod down and took sequences of 4-second-long shots and crossed my fingers that I caught lightning.

Have you captured lightning on film? Share your links (and tips) in the comments!

Pinhole view of The Tetons

The Tetons, as seen through my homemade pinhole lens
Grand Teton National Park
Jackson Hole, WY

Nikon D700

Sean and his :P

Denver, CO
Nikon D700
Nikkor 35mm f/2

Family photography: A day at the Denver Zoo

I recently photographed the McDermott family at the Denver Zoo, where they spent a couple of hours viewing the animals while I tagged along and took candid "day in the life of" photos of their adventures. At the end of their visit took a series of formal portraits against a backdrop of greenery and flowers.











I love this combination of candid photojournalistic photography and posed, on-location portraiture as it takes advantage of my ability to capture those special moments while challenging me to think fast to compose photos in a way that tell a story. My work as an editorial assignment photographer in the magazine industry taught me how to find interesting portrait locations, and to make the best of natural lighting and portable artificial lighting (like small SLR flash units). Likewise, I also learned how to quickly build a rapport with strangers to try to make them feel comfortable so that their natural expressions show through in their photographs.

If you're in the Denver area and would like to book me for a "day in the life of" session please contact me for details and booking at info@calanan.com or 303 335 0348. Mention this blog post and I'll discount your session by 10%!

Wedding Teaser: Sarah Czajka and Eric Mitchell

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing the marriage of a wonderful couple in a stunning location in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.



On June 5th, Sarah Czajka and Eric Mitchell wed at The Secret Garden Bed & Breakfast in Ouray, Colorado. Ouray is billed as "The Switzerland of America" and this bold claim is certainly not without merit. The town is located just shy of 8000' elevation and is situated in a bowl encircled with beautiful mountain peaks rising 2000'+ above it.

Here's a photo of Sarah, taken at an overlook just a few miles out of town while we were scouting for a location for her posed wedding photos:



Sarah's bouquet was one of the prettiest I'd ever seen:



Finally, here's a group photo taken at Sarah and Eric's rehearsal BBQ at Angel Ridge Ranch B&B and Equine Sanctuary near Ridgway, Colorado.



Congratulations, Sarah and Eric. More photos soon!

Recent portrait session with Dene

I recently had a portrait session with an elderly client named Dene who wanted a set of wallet-sized photos to mail to his family and friends. I found this so endearing, that in an age of digital photography (be it digital SLRs or even cellphone cameras), e-mail, Facebook, etc., Dene wished to invest in an in-home portrait session so that he could have physical prints of himself to give to others.

Dene hadn't had a portrait taken in many years, in fact as he gave me a tour of the memorabilia in his gorgeous Craftsman-style home the most recent professional portrait he has was one taken of him in his 20's!

After spending some time talking with Dene to both get to know him and to determine the look he was after, I set up my equipment in his living room and posed him in front of his Grandmother's antique - and still working - Seth Thomas mantel clock.

Here's the portrait that Dene selected:



And here is one of his alternate takes...



...as well as a more relaxed portrait that we made before he donned his colorful, giraffe-print bow tie and suit coat:



Technical info:

Nikon D700
Nikkor 85mm f/1.8
Nikon SB-800 + 43" Westcott white umbrella, 1/2 power
Nikon SB-600 + grid spot, 1/16 power
(Speedlights triggered by Nikon CLS)