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The Beginnings and Basics of Aerial Photography | National Air and Space Museum

Liron Gertsman usually doesn’t bother taking pictures of pigeons.

But when he spotted a pair of them preening each other affectionately in White Rock, B.C. — their iridescent green and purple feathers shimmering in the sunlight — he was moved to take out his camera. 

“I definitely overlooked pigeons for a while. But that changed when I captured this picture because I just saw them shining in a new light,” the Vancouver wildlife photographer told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.

“When you take a moment to appreciate a bird like that closely, there is so much subtle beauty to be enjoyed.”

Gertsman’s instinct to capture that tender moment has paid off. The image is the grand prize winner at the National Audubon Society’s annual photography awards, which honours Canadians and Americans whose work “highlights the beauty of birds and the joy of capturing them through photographs and videos.”

Gertsman — who often goes to great lengths to photograph rare and beautiful birds in far-flung places — says he’s honoured that such an effortless image took home the prize.

“These are rock pigeons. This is not some rare species that you need to travel the world to see. I mean, anyone really could have taken this image. And I think that’s what kind of makes it special,” he said.

The National Audubon Society’s Preeti Desai, one of the contest’s judges, agreed.

“I hope photos like this will lead to more appreciation for pigeons and other common birds we see daily,” Desai told Audubon Magazine.

‘Puffin fever’

While Gertsman captured his award-winning photo while out for a stroll close to home, his fellow Vancouverite Shane Kalyn had to go much farther to get his award-winning shot.

Kalyn won in the Audubon Photography Awards’ professional category for his image of a solitary Atlantic puffin perched on an algae-covered cliff in Iceland.

“This was actually the first Atlantic puffin I’ve ever seen in my life,” Kalyn told CBC. 

He was visiting Iceland with his wife, he says, and they took a ferry to the Westman Islands, in the south of the country, so he could photograph some nesting seabirds.

He wasn’t expecting to find puffins there, he said, as their colony was located elsewhere. But his award-winning subject was one of the very first birds he spotted.

“Just by chance, [I] happened to see this one sitting in the most perfect spot,” he said. “He was just perched on this, like, beautiful lava cliff with blue wildflowers and colourful algae. It was super dark, kind of a gloomy morning, which made, like, the colours pop in the photo, I felt. So, yeah, I was pretty excited.”

Desai said the image “evokes a painting.”

“I love the soft, pastel colours and especially how they pop against the gray backdrop,” she said. “Another judge also pointed out that the upper rocks almost form a puffin head with a bill sticking out, and I love that.”

It may have been Kalyn’s first puffin, but it was certainly not his last. Later on the trip, he spent time photographing the little seabirds at a colony in Iceland.

His image of a male puffin holding a seagull feather in its beak — a gift for its mate — was a finalist at last week’s Big Picture Natural World Photography Awards.

Kalyn says he’s hoping to keep the “puffin fever” going with a trip to Canada’s east coast next summer.

“They’re a pretty charismatic little bird, right?” he said. 

WATCH | 2023 Audubon Photography Awards video winner:

Short-eared owls meet in the sky

5 hours ago

Duration 0:08

Steven Chu of Mahwah, N.J., won best video at the 2023 Audubon Photography Awards for this clip of two short-eared owls locking talons mid-flight over the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge in Wallkill, N.Y.

Gertsman also got an honourable mention in the professional category for his image of a northern hawk owl perched at the top of a snow-covered tree in Thompson-Nicola, B.C.

While his grand-prize-winning pigeon picture took zero planning, this one, he says, was “the exact opposite.”

“I covered tens of miles over a few days tracking down northern hawk owls … when I saw this bird just perched beautifully at the tip of this tree,” he said.

“It was the middle of winter. There was tons of snow on the ground, so I was snowshoeing around and the snow was so soft and so powdery that even with snowshoes on, I was sinking down to my knees at almost every step.”

But the effort is always worth it to showcase the beauty of birds, said Gertsman, adding that he’s pleased to see a real rise in birdwatching since the pandemic. 

“I think the more people that are out there enjoying birds, the better hope we have for the future where we can protect birds and by protecting birds, protect the entire ecosystem that they rely on, and that, of course, we as humans rely on as well.”

Join us for an introductory workshop focusing on nature photography on July 8! Get a chance to explore the basic functions of a camera and how each can influence the photographic process. Learn how compositional elements can affect the final product, and then put it all together with practice outdoors! Wrap up with a conversation on editing tools, and leave knowing that you can approach nature photography with a new level of confidence!

Notes about this workshop:

Participants will spend some time outdoors taking photos- be ready to walk around outside.

Participants should bring a camera or device for taking photos: a digital camera would be better for this workshop than a phone, but all are welcome regardless.

If you have a laptop or tablet for editing photos, bring this along. We will discuss editing software (including free trials of paid software, as well as free software).

This is intended as a beginner workshop. We will not be covering advanced topics.

Participants should bring a sack lunch.

Presenter Bio: Jackson Steinmetz is a 5th year senior at Goshen College double majoring in film production and communication, from Bluffton, Ohio. He has spent semesters studying in Ecuador and Los Angeles, both of which experiences were formative for his worldview and career aspirations. He loves to run, play soccer and other games outside and really enjoys taking photos, especially of teammates while they are racing. He aspires to work in documentary film making or for non-profits as a digital creator working with film, photography, and graphic design.

Things don’t always go as planned during photoshoots. Here are five questions to ask yourself when trying to overcome a creative challenge. 

Creativity and adaptability are essential elements in any artistic pursuit. With photography, unexpected obstacles are bound to arise, challenging us to adjust, pivot, and stay true to the integrity and concept of our photoshoot. That’s what makes a great photographer. 

I recently worked on a fine art nude photoshoot where I was reminded of this. My husband and creative partner, David, and I built a custom set for a photoshoot. However, halfway through the build process, we realized that the set would be too small to achieve the desired shots and poses. This presented a huge problem that needed immediate attention. We were confronted with the reality that we had to find a solution within our given deadline, without compromising the creative vision of the shoot. Pivoting to overcome a creative challenge is absolutely necessary sometimes.

Here Are Five Questions to Ask to Help Overcome a Creative Challenge

Is the Integrity of the Concept at Stake?

The first question to ask when facing a creative challenge is whether adapting and pivoting would compromise the overall integrity of the concept. In our case, we understood that the essence of the project depended on the unique shots and poses we had envisioned. Recognizing this, we knew that making a pivot was crucial to preserve the original artistic intent of the shoot.

Can the Existing Resources Be Repurposed?

When confronted with limitations, it is essential to assess the resources available and explore how they can be repurposed to meet the creative demands. In our situation, we examined the materials and components of the original set and brainstormed ways to rearrange and modify them to accommodate the required shots. This allowed us to leverage existing resources. 

Are Alternative Approaches Feasible? 

Flexibility involves considering alternative approaches or techniques that can achieve similar or even enhanced outcomes. We brainstormed different shooting angles, explored different lighting setups, and even reconsidered the overall composition of the shots. By embracing alternative approaches, we discovered new perspectives that added depth and creativity to the project.

Will the Pivot Enhance the Creative Vision? 

Sometimes, a pivot can lead to unexpected opportunities that enhance the creative vision. Reflect on whether the proposed adaptations can elevate the final result. In our case, the redesign of the set not only addressed the space constraint, but also introduced new elements that added visual interest and augmented the overall impact of the images.

Can the Pivot Be Implemented Within the Given Constraints? 

While creativity knows no bounds, practical considerations such as time, budget, and resources must be taken into account. Evaluate whether the proposed pivot can be realistically implemented within the given constraints. In our scenario, we carefully evaluated the feasibility of the revised set design, ensuring it could be executed within the remaining time frame without compromising the quality of the final product.

Remember, when confronted with creative challenges it is through adaptability, thoughtful consideration, and strategic decision-making that we transcend limitations. Check out the video above for more. 

… continuing the review of older photos in the portfolio today and a look at some recent ones … the photo above is an azalea plant at Filoli Gardens in Woodside, California that I shot last month when I was up there for a presentation to the Padre Trails Camera Club. I love shooting flowers and the very short lived beauty that they bring to those who take the time to look around. The bloom is gone, but the beauty shared will be here for a while.

Below is a shot of a golden retriever puppy that was calling it quits on being in the warmth of the day … drinking water or not be darned, it was a place to cool down. Hard to believe that it is 21 years since I took this shot … the puppy was trained to be a service dog and during his life I am sure he brought a great deal of happiness to whomever was fortunate to have ended up with him.

Closing it out … have to be up in four hours and it is down to Lake Pleasant whilst the water levels are up then to Lake Mary in Flagstaff for the summer.

Have a beautiful day, keep smiling and for sure do the breathing thing … my plan is to do it every day until I don’t 🙂

Cheers,

Ted

To-morrow, O to-morrow!
Fast fall the fading years. A thought, a dream
Of gentle words; of faith and love a theme;
A smile, a step or two, and all is done.
Quick is the veering stream of life full run;
Yet in the crimson west still gleam
To-morrow and to-morrow’s endless dream.

excerpt from To-morrow by Max Ehrmann

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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com

In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.

Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses.  By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.

More about Ted Grussing …

The Mexican photo community is up in arms after a photographer and his wife claimed to have trademarked “Boudoir” and took down scores of photographer’s pages on Facebook and Instagram that mentioned the term “boudoir.”

Jorge Lara and Maria Moscoso have received serious backlash with sponsors dropping the opportunistic pair forcing Lara to backpedal and explain his actions.

Boudoir photographers in Mexico who had worked hard for years to build their social media pages suddenly found they had been deleted after Lara and Moscoso issued takedown notices claiming to have registered the term “Boudoir” with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).

“Having a registration gives you the exclusivity of using that name or signs to differentiate yourself from the competition,” Lara first wrote on Facebook.

“Having registered the Boudoir brand I have the right to use it exclusively, therefore, through a procedure, I uploaded my trademark registration to Meta and I am requesting that all accounts, profiles, etc. that use the name as a trademark be canceled.”

Data Noticias published screengrabs of direct message conversations over Facebook between Lara and an affected photographer that appear to show him threatening people to not use the term boudoir.

“It is important that you do not change the name again because right in the message that Facebook sends they mention that if there is information again, they will definitively cancel your accounts,” he writes.

“You can’t carry the word Boudoir. That is precisely the registered word.”

The anonymous photographer who took the screengrab argues back: “Oh really? But why? It’s a global term I don’t think the IMPI says that…I just want my clients back.”

Untrue

Despite Lara’s claims that he had registered the word “Boudoir” as a trademark, it was later revealed that the name IMPI approved was “Boudoir in Mexico” and not just the term “Boudoir.”

“He believed that registering his trademark makes him the owner of the word ‘Boudoir’ and of what it means and represents, he couldn’t be more wrong,” says Mexican boudoir photographer Carlos Dorantes.

“According to the law in Mexico, you cannot register the technical or common use names of the products or services that are intended to be distinguished by the brand.”

In other words, while Lara and his wife may have a claim to the name “Boudoir in Mexico” they cannot shut down photographers such as one called “Victoria Boudoir” who had her Facebook page deleted by the Machiavellian duo.

“They threw my Victoria Boudoir account at me,” writes Victoria on Facebook. “What is being done on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is unethical,” she says.

“These people decided to have someone look for all the pages/accounts that included the word ‘Boudoir’ in their name, to report them [to Meta] and remove them without prior notice. In my case, my account was 7 years old and almost 10,000 followers — it was deleted overnight.”

Backlash

Lara and Moscoso have received strong condemnation from the photo community in Mexico. PetaPixel readers will be aware of just how catastrophic losing a business social media page for a photographer can be — for many, it’s how they pick up business and clients.

For what they have done, Lara has found his sponsors queuing up to drop him. Foto Distribuidora Vyorsa, a major photography store in Mexico, announced on Facebook they would not be working with Lara any further.

“Given the controversy that has been generated with the photographer Jorge Lara, we have decided to cancel all collaboration with the aim that the affected parties find a prompt solution to their requests,” it writes.

Meanwhile, Master Class Photographers, which provides learning courses across Latin America including some taught by Lara, also cut ties with him — deleting his online tutorials from its website and offering free courses for the people affected by Lara.

“There has been a copyright dispute surrounding the word ‘Boudoir’ that has led to the suspension of several Facebook and Instagram accounts,” it writes on Facebook. “This is not right and we do not support it.”

Rectifying the Situation

For his part, Lara has accepted some culpability and in a Facebook post, he offered to help affected photographers get their accounts back. He claims nine Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended.

“We accept the way in which the protection of the brand was made with the Meta platform, but we were always open and respectful with those who came to ask about their accounts and were released in a positive and timely manner.” Lara writes.

“The word Boudoir is obviously free for any photographer to use as part of their services, advertising, or promotion.”

In another post, Lara claims to have received death threats over the situation and is taking legal action against the offenders. His personal social media accounts have now been deleted.

He did share the email for his legal team so those affected can contact him and resolves the release of their accounts. The email is contacto@notamlegal.com

Note: Most of the correspondence in this article was machine translated so PetaPixel apologizes for any nuance that may be lost in translation.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

I’ve taken a look at some earlier iterations of Astro Panel over the years, a plug-in designed for automating and enhancing both astrophotography and landscape photos. I found it a powerful addition to my editing arsenal, and it was easy to use but could do some very sophisticated editing. This new version from photographer Angelo Perrone adds more than 80 new astrophotography and landscape functions, as well as some features to support portrait editing.

Recently, I stopped using the plug-in as it did not work with Apple Silicon Macs (it does work fine with Windows). Finally, and happily, the latest Astro Panel X Pro embraces the newest chips from Apple, and I did my testing on both a MacBook Pro with an M2 Max chip (12 cores and 32 GB unified memory) and a new Mac Studio with an M2 Max with 12‑core CPU, 38‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, and 96 GB of unified memory. 

Astro Panel Pro X requires Photoshop CC and is only compatible with Adobe Photoshop CC from 2021 to the current 2023 version and, as I said, it is compatible with the new Apple Mac M1/M2 processors and Windows.

Installation is a couple of clicks, and the suite of tools appears under the Photoshop plug-in menu, not the filter menu. 

What You Get

Included in the purchase are some e-books (How to Photograph the Night Sky, Landscape Photography, and a PDF Manual). Also included are raw files so you can follow along with the training and overlay files in JPEG and PNG of skies and night skies to use with your photos. Also included are 25,000 Lightroom presets and a good video tutorial available online with a provided link. Coming soon to buyers is a retouch and portrait tutorial. 

The package is $56 U.S., but prices tend to fluctuate as the author has sales and upgrades for users of older packages. 

Using Astro Panel Pro X

When you open the plug-in, you’ll see it’s divided into two sections, Astrophotography and Landscape. 

I started with some astrophotos I’ve taken recently, including the star cluster M13 I grabbed the other night.  

I’m mostly a deep sky photographer, so I concentrated on those tools. There are a lot of one-click options that are time-savers, like removing the green cast in photos caused by light pollution. There are methods to remove gradients, reduce bright star halos, reduce stars in nebula photos, and enhance star colors. I found the functions worked well, and happily, there was an undo menu and a redo menu. Many of the functions in AstroPanel Pro X create a new layer, leaving you with plenty of control. 

The app also includes some nice features for Milky Way processing, including removal of light pollution, enhancing color, and increasing sharpness. Star trails are covered as well, with the ability to increase star colors, increase sharpness, and remove distortion. 

On the landscape side, there’s a wide variety of tools, such as fixing white balance, sharpening, noise removal, increasing sharpness and contrast, shadow and highlight recovery, Orton and glow effects (I found these very nicely restrained but effective), dodge and burn tools, and tools to fix the geometry of panoramas. 

Of course, all these things can be accomplished on Photoshop or Lightroom, but the automation here is quite slick and time-saving. With many of the tools, you can control the amount of the change and undo when needed. Think of Astro Panel Pro X as a sort of sophisticated macro generator with sliders and controls that let you decide the amount of some of the effects.

Astro Panel X Pro offers luminosity masks, and tools like Forward and Back, the Quick White Mask, Curve Level and Tonal Values, White Brush, and Black Brush. Hue/Saturation and Color Balance have been optimized compared to the previous version.

With these tools used together, you get very complete control of lighting for landscape photography, and for some, these tools alone may justify a serious look at this package.

My View

Astro Panel Pro X has been significantly improved over previous versions. While, as I’ve said, some functions are one click, there is a learning curve when you get into luminosity masks and some of the other advanced functions, but if you take the time to watch the tutorials and go through the electronic manual, you’ll have a set of powerful tools you will use in every editing session. 

I found the app stable and crash-free, working on both the release version of Photoshop and the new beta. It also behaved well under the beta of macOS Sonoma 14.0.

I think the only thing I’d like to see are tool tips for each functions, as sometimes, the icons aren’t obvious in what they do.

At $56, I think Astro Panel Pro X is a bargain. Just the extensive guidebooks to night sky photography and landscape photography are worth that. 

If you are willing to dive into the documentation and use the many features, Astro Panel Pro X is a really good investment. It’s available for purchase at this website, where you’ll get more details on what it can do for your astro and earthbound images.