Posts Tagged ‘landscape’
Favorite Images of the Year… 5 of 2015
01
Jan
2016
After 2015 has reached its inevitable end, it’s this time of the year when you reflect on your work as a photographer and browse through the images of the 365 days gone by. If my photographic New Year’s resolution this past year was to shoot less, I would certainly have accomplished this goal, but all kidding aside, here are my 5 favorite images released this year, not particularly taken in 2015.
Nightfall Neret
Neret (the Catalan word for the rusty-leaved alpenrose – ‘rhododendron ferrugineum’) blooming above Gran Estany d’Amitges during one of the best sunset displays I was fortunate to witness in the mountains.
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Light Bath
The emerging leaves of maples, beeches and alders are glowing in the late afternoon sunlight and offer a great backdrop for trunks such as this Oregon pine/Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the immediate foreground.Ore Mountains, Germany
Higher Calling
Much more than just pixels. Read WHY.Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Dazzling Dancers
Colorful grasses appear to dancing in the wind high up on a ridge in the Czech part of the Ore Mountains, surrounded by old birches who have seen a fair share of precipitation, wind and ice.Ore Mountains, Czech Republic
Congealed
An intimate view of the impressive basaltic columns that make up the Devils Postpile National Monument in the Sierra Nevada of California. The polygonal structure, which is said to be some odd 100,000 years old, formed when a huge pool of lava cooled evenly and slowly. Similar structures can be found around the globe in areas with high volcanic activity in the past.Devil’s Postpile National Monument, Ca, USA
As usual a few days late, but here’s to a great, stress-free, healthy and prosperous 2016! Cheers.
01
Jan
2016
After 2015 has reached its inevitable end, it’s this time of the year when you reflect on your work as a photographer and browse through the images of the 365 days gone by. If my photographic New Year’s resolution this past year was to shoot less, I would certainly have accomplished this goal, but all kidding aside, here are my 5 favorite images released this year, not particularly taken in 2015.
Nightfall Neret
Neret (the Catalan word for the rusty-leaved alpenrose – ‘rhododendron ferrugineum’) blooming above Gran Estany d’Amitges during one of the best sunset displays I was fortunate to witness in the mountains.Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Light Bath
The emerging leaves of maples, beeches and alders are glowing in the late afternoon sunlight and offer a great backdrop for trunks such as this Oregon pine/Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the immediate foreground.Ore Mountains, Germany
Higher Calling
Much more than just pixels. Read WHY.Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Dazzling Dancers
Colorful grasses appear to dancing in the wind high up on a ridge in the Czech part of the Ore Mountains, surrounded by old birches who have seen a fair share of precipitation, wind and ice.Ore Mountains, Czech Republic
Congealed
An intimate view of the impressive basaltic columns that make up the Devils Postpile National Monument in the Sierra Nevada of California. The polygonal structure, which is said to be some odd 100,000 years old, formed when a huge pool of lava cooled evenly and slowly. Similar structures can be found around the globe in areas with high volcanic activity in the past.Devil’s Postpile National Monument, Ca, USA
As usual a few days late, but here’s to a great, stress-free, healthy and prosperous 2016! Cheers.
It’s that time of the year again… Best of 2013
05
Jan
2014
Whew, that year flew by, didn’t it? It seems like yesterday that I have written a blog post, but it’s exactly one year today since my last post. I hope I can keep up that pace over the course of the next 12 months – kidding. I will hopefully post at least a quarterly update with some new images, but until then, follow me on Facebook to never miss the release of new images, some background info and updates on where I am traveling. To keep a long story short, I hope you enjoy the following ten images- They are my personal favorites of 2013 — made in the Pyrenees, Dolomites and Ore Mountains.
As It Begins
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Backcountry Bliss
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Mountain Summer
Passo Falzarego, Dolomites, Italy
Emerald Waters
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Highcountry Pools
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
The Portal
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Blooming Spires
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Autumnal Flow
Ore Mountains, Germany
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Peaches and Cream
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Thank you for all the patience in the first half of the year when this blog got neglected, for the continued support and the wonderful emails I receive. Here’s to a wonderful Holiday Season to you all out there!
David
05
Jan
2014
Whew, that year flew by, didn’t it? It seems like yesterday that I have written a blog post, but it’s exactly one year today since my last post. I hope I can keep up that pace over the course of the next 12 months – kidding. I will hopefully post at least a quarterly update with some new images, but until then, follow me on Facebook to never miss the release of new images, some background info and updates on where I am traveling. To keep a long story short, I hope you enjoy the following ten images- They are my personal favorites of 2013 — made in the Pyrenees, Dolomites and Ore Mountains.
As It Begins
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Backcountry Bliss
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Mountain Summer
Passo Falzarego, Dolomites, Italy
Emerald Waters
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Highcountry Pools
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
The Portal
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Blooming Spires
Aigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain
Autumnal Flow
Ore Mountains, Germany
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Peaches and Cream
Lago di Landro, Dolomites, Italy
Thank you for all the patience in the first half of the year when this blog got neglected, for the continued support and the wonderful emails I receive. Here’s to a wonderful Holiday Season to you all out there!
David
Best of 2012 – A Year in Review
19
Dec
2012
Another year in the books – and what a year that was. I was able to pick up where 2010 ended, photographically-speaking; and make up for the missed opportunities in 2011. Now, with the last days of the old year winding down, it’s time to reflect on the past journeys, the people that made it special and the glorious sunsets (and sunrises) I was fortunate to witness along the way and how could this better be done than with some images. Sit back and enjoy the show! (Images are in chronological order as they were shot throughout the year.)
Leave Only Footprints
Erzgebirge, Germany
Doomsday Caldera
Hirtstein, Erzgebirge, Germany
Els Elcantats Rising
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Light Guardian
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Seeking Solitude
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Dawn of a New Day
Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Italy
Ethereal Gorge
Partnach Gorge, Bavaria, Germany
Silent Awakening
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
The Last Goodbye
Erzgebirge, Germany
Thank you for all the patience in the first half of the year when this blog got neglected, for the continued support and the wonderful emails I receive. Here’s to a wonderful Holiday Season to you all out there!
David
19
Dec
2012
Another year in the books – and what a year that was. I was able to pick up where 2010 ended, photographically-speaking; and make up for the missed opportunities in 2011. Now, with the last days of the old year winding down, it’s time to reflect on the past journeys, the people that made it special and the glorious sunsets (and sunrises) I was fortunate to witness along the way and how could this better be done than with some images. Sit back and enjoy the show! (Images are in chronological order as they were shot throughout the year.)
Leave Only Footprints
Erzgebirge, Germany
Doomsday Caldera
Hirtstein, Erzgebirge, Germany
Els Elcantats Rising
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Light Guardian
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Seeking Solitude
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain
Dawn of a New Day
Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Italy
Ethereal Gorge
Partnach Gorge, Bavaria, Germany
Silent Awakening
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
The Last Goodbye
Erzgebirge, Germany
Thank you for all the patience in the first half of the year when this blog got neglected, for the continued support and the wonderful emails I receive. Here’s to a wonderful Holiday Season to you all out there!
David
The Real Value of Your Photography
26
Aug
2012
It’s nothing new in the world of photography to receive requests from hundreds of people over the course of a year if they are allowed use your image for free on various projects. While for the novice, this might be flattering, for any even halfway serious photographer it’s the worst kind of request. "Well, aren't you glad I asked and didn't just steal it? You just have to give it to me." — No, I don’t.
Honestly, I am actually more insulted when they ask to use an image for free than when just taking it. That way, I would at least have gotten a settlement claim out of it.
From time to time, a company or advertising agency licenses an image by going through the whole process with the required professionalism we photographers are thankful for. Clear terms, fair compensation for our work. Both sides happy. Very easy.
Apparently, this method proves to be rare, even to the largest companies out there… but read on.
I was recently asked by the [company’s product] OS Partnerships & Business Development team to license my image “Firestorm” to use in their upcoming OS update as a wallpaper choice and later on, in the same ways, in the [company’s product] browser and promotional material. I was beyond excited, not because of a huge check I saw in my near future but for such a large company recognizing my work. A company I trust with my daily online searches, personal data and much more; the company that probably knows more about me than I’d like to.
Fast forward to the licensing agreement I was asked to sign: NO COMPENSATION! Way to go, [company]. While I didn’t plan on retiring after licensing an image with [company], I was expecting at least a fair amount of compensation for a “Give us your image and we do whatever the f**k we want” kind of license.
After some serious consideration and various attempts, I could restrain myself and instead wrote a, what I think to be, moderate reply stating the following:
Dear Mrs. ___________,
I am not willing to accept the licensing agreement under the terms stated.
First off, when did [company] become a charitable organization?
Last time I checked, [company]'s yearly profit for the financial year 2011 was roughly US$ 10 billion with its stock price currently being the third highest in history. [Company] is not a small family owned business thinking everything on the internet is free. They should know better. Licensing images for wallpaper use always involves compensation. Apple, as well as Microsoft, paid the photographers for wallpapers they used in their operating systems well. (http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/03/the-most-viewed-photo-of-all-time/ and http://www.petapixel.com/2010/04/06/the-photographers-behind-the-wallpapers/)
Why is [company] trying to claim usage rights without paying a fair amount?
I will not let my image go to a multi-million dollar S&P500 company for free. After all, it was you who approached me to license and use my photo in your browser operating system and possibly more than that, not vice versa.
[My licensing terms inserted here.]
In all honesty, would you be willing to work for free? Well, I certainly won't. Here's some further reading material, covering this exact situation: http://photoprofessionals.wordpress.com/
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
To me, it doesn’t come as a surprise I haven’t heard back from them and quite honestly, I don’t expect any kind of answer. The licensing contract they sent was a slap in the face of any photographer.
I ask you, my dear readers (who didn’t have a lot to read from me lately — sorry for that), would you be willing to work for free? Disregarding the industry. I blackened out the company’s name as I do not want start a bashing campaign or anything. I just needed to vent, inform people that even the largest tech companies out there with multi-billion dollar profits do NOT value the work of photographers.
That said, don’t sell yourself short. If I have learned one thing over the years, this is it.
I’d rather have no money in my pockets than knowing someone is falsely promoting their product with my image without paying a fair amount. No exorbitant high amount, a fair compensation.
Thanks for reading my ramblings and feel free to share with your friends, amateur and professional photographers alike, your grandma who might get a kick out of this or the advertising agency of your choice.
David
26
Aug
2012
It’s nothing new in the world of photography to receive requests from hundreds of people over the course of a year if they are allowed use your image for free on various projects. While for the novice, this might be flattering, for any even halfway serious photographer it’s the worst kind of request. "Well, aren't you glad I asked and didn't just steal it? You just have to give it to me." — No, I don’t.
Honestly, I am actually more insulted when they ask to use an image for free than when just taking it. That way, I would at least have gotten a settlement claim out of it.
From time to time, a company or advertising agency licenses an image by going through the whole process with the required professionalism we photographers are thankful for. Clear terms, fair compensation for our work. Both sides happy. Very easy.
Apparently, this method proves to be rare, even to the largest companies out there… but read on.
I was recently asked by the [company’s product] OS Partnerships & Business Development team to license my image “Firestorm” to use in their upcoming OS update as a wallpaper choice and later on, in the same ways, in the [company’s product] browser and promotional material. I was beyond excited, not because of a huge check I saw in my near future but for such a large company recognizing my work. A company I trust with my daily online searches, personal data and much more; the company that probably knows more about me than I’d like to.
Fast forward to the licensing agreement I was asked to sign: NO COMPENSATION! Way to go, [company]. While I didn’t plan on retiring after licensing an image with [company], I was expecting at least a fair amount of compensation for a “Give us your image and we do whatever the f**k we want” kind of license.
After some serious consideration and various attempts, I could restrain myself and instead wrote a, what I think to be, moderate reply stating the following:
Dear Mrs. ___________,
I am not willing to accept the licensing agreement under the terms stated.
First off, when did [company] become a charitable organization?
Last time I checked, [company]'s yearly profit for the financial year 2011 was roughly US$ 10 billion with its stock price currently being the third highest in history. [Company] is not a small family owned business thinking everything on the internet is free. They should know better. Licensing images for wallpaper use always involves compensation. Apple, as well as Microsoft, paid the photographers for wallpapers they used in their operating systems well. (http://www.petapixel.com/2012/08/03/the-most-viewed-photo-of-all-time/ and http://www.petapixel.com/2010/04/06/the-photographers-behind-the-wallpapers/)
Why is [company] trying to claim usage rights without paying a fair amount?
I will not let my image go to a multi-million dollar S&P500 company for free. After all, it was you who approached me to license and use my photo in your browser operating system and possibly more than that, not vice versa.
[My licensing terms inserted here.]
In all honesty, would you be willing to work for free? Well, I certainly won't. Here's some further reading material, covering this exact situation: http://photoprofessionals.wordpress.com/
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
To me, it doesn’t come as a surprise I haven’t heard back from them and quite honestly, I don’t expect any kind of answer. The licensing contract they sent was a slap in the face of any photographer.
I ask you, my dear readers (who didn’t have a lot to read from me lately — sorry for that), would you be willing to work for free? Disregarding the industry. I blackened out the company’s name as I do not want start a bashing campaign or anything. I just needed to vent, inform people that even the largest tech companies out there with multi-billion dollar profits do NOT value the work of photographers.
That said, don’t sell yourself short. If I have learned one thing over the years, this is it.
I’d rather have no money in my pockets than knowing someone is falsely promoting their product with my image without paying a fair amount. No exorbitant high amount, a fair compensation.
Thanks for reading my ramblings and feel free to share with your friends, amateur and professional photographers alike, your grandma who might get a kick out of this or the advertising agency of your choice.
David
Summer Update: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
03
Oct
2011
Without further ado, I am back in the saddle again after what seems like a terrible long late spring and summer break and before I even realized, the fall season starts to kick in with some really nice days for us here in Germany.
Last week I was finally able to catch a sunrise over the Ore Mountain ridges with a little fog settling in the valleys below, becoming illuminated by the wonderful warm sunlight hitting just the top layers and creating a somewhat mysterious atmosphere.
Then, I am on to share another shot from Germany taken some months ago at one of my favorite spots for lupines in the whole region. This year, the flowers were not as abundant as in the previous years but the sky was certainly one of the best I have ever seen here. Enjoy.
Now for the bad and ugly and back to the good. An odyssey in the customer service industry in Germany.
Many of you know, as a landscape photographer, your shooting and well-feeling in the field, stands and falls with your gear and we’re not talking about cameras and lenses here, but rather hard- and soft-shell jackets and pants, water-proof boots, etc. Either way, I was pretty disappointed in recently acquired gear, two hardshell jackets to name it, that literally failed on the first time wearing them.
I contacted the manufacturer, who, in the US, is known for the best of the best in customer service, but apparently, things move at a different speed here in Germany and my experience was far off of pleasant. I honestly did not expect them to send two new jackets out my way but at least some sort of apology with the request to send the jackets in for inspection of the matter or anything in this direction, but not so, instead they send me the following lines back. “Of course it is always a pity if a beloved product doesn’t function the way it used to.” What? Excuse me? Did you just say beloved product? I am really sorry, but I didn’t have time to enjoy said product(s) at all because they failed miserably the first time out in the field.
Long story short, I contacted the online retailer where I got both jackets and this time, I was more than pleased and received more than I ever expected after the first experience with the manufacturer. Not only they offered me to send me in the gear at no cost, picked up from my doorstep, the communication was super friendly and I knew at any point what was going on, where my gear has headed, etc. They handled the matter to my fullest satisfaction, but now you need to know who I was so pleased to deal with, huh?
bergfreunde.de is where it’s at, folks. At least if you want to shop for outdoor gear in Germany.
For recommendations on where to buy your gear, please refer to the links section of my website. Thanks for letting me rant. Oh wait, this is MY blog. Haha!
I know I said this in the past and failed, but it won’t be too long till the next update.
03
Oct
2011
Without further ado, I am back in the saddle again after what seems like a terrible long late spring and summer break and before I even realized, the fall season starts to kick in with some really nice days for us here in Germany.
Last week I was finally able to catch a sunrise over the Ore Mountain ridges with a little fog settling in the valleys below, becoming illuminated by the wonderful warm sunlight hitting just the top layers and creating a somewhat mysterious atmosphere.
Then, I am on to share another shot from Germany taken some months ago at one of my favorite spots for lupines in the whole region. This year, the flowers were not as abundant as in the previous years but the sky was certainly one of the best I have ever seen here. Enjoy.
Now for the bad and ugly and back to the good. An odyssey in the customer service industry in Germany.
Many of you know, as a landscape photographer, your shooting and well-feeling in the field, stands and falls with your gear and we’re not talking about cameras and lenses here, but rather hard- and soft-shell jackets and pants, water-proof boots, etc. Either way, I was pretty disappointed in recently acquired gear, two hardshell jackets to name it, that literally failed on the first time wearing them.
I contacted the manufacturer, who, in the US, is known for the best of the best in customer service, but apparently, things move at a different speed here in Germany and my experience was far off of pleasant. I honestly did not expect them to send two new jackets out my way but at least some sort of apology with the request to send the jackets in for inspection of the matter or anything in this direction, but not so, instead they send me the following lines back. “Of course it is always a pity if a beloved product doesn’t function the way it used to.” What? Excuse me? Did you just say beloved product? I am really sorry, but I didn’t have time to enjoy said product(s) at all because they failed miserably the first time out in the field.
Long story short, I contacted the online retailer where I got both jackets and this time, I was more than pleased and received more than I ever expected after the first experience with the manufacturer. Not only they offered me to send me in the gear at no cost, picked up from my doorstep, the communication was super friendly and I knew at any point what was going on, where my gear has headed, etc. They handled the matter to my fullest satisfaction, but now you need to know who I was so pleased to deal with, huh?
bergfreunde.de is where it’s at, folks. At least if you want to shop for outdoor gear in Germany.
For recommendations on where to buy your gear, please refer to the links section of my website. Thanks for letting me rant. Oh wait, this is MY blog. Haha!
I know I said this in the past and failed, but it won’t be too long till the next update.
