Posts Tagged ‘sunset’

More Pyrenean Goodies

29

Aug

2015

It’s two years already since I’ve last visited the beautiful rugged peaks of the Pyrenees; a mountain range on the border of Spain and France, covering 305 miles (491km) from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Proud (tongue-in-cheek) to announce that today, I am able to publish two new images of the Gran d’Amitges area of the Aigüestortes National Park.

Kiss Goodnight

Buy Prints or License Kiss GoodnightAigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain

Both images catch the magical light show after the daily hailstorm accompanied by lightning and heavy gusts and boast some integral elements I always wanted to capture. Ice melting on a high alpine lake and wildflowers blooming on the mountain slopes. In this case, ‘Neret’, the Catalan word for the rusty-leaved alpenrose – ‘rhododendron ferrugineum’.

Nightfall Neret

Nightfall Neret - Purchase Print or LicenseAigüestortes NP, Pyrenees, Spain

There’s just something magical about mountain peaks reflecting in a pool of water, don’t you think?

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.)

bestof2012-header

Leave Only Footprints

Leave Only Footprints
Erzgebirge, Germany

Doomsday Caldera

Doomsday Caldera, Hirtstein
Hirtstein, Erzgebirge, Germany

Els Elcantats Rising

Els Encantats rising Through the Fog at Sunrise, Pyrenees, Spain
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain

Light Guardian

Light Guardian, Pyrenees, Spain
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain

Seeking Solitude

Seeking Solitude, Pyrenees, Spain
Aigüestortes National Park, Pyrenees, Spain

Dawn of a New Day

Dawn of a New Day, Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy
Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Italy

Ethereal Gorge

Ethereal Gorge, Partnach, Bavaria, Germany
Partnach Gorge, Bavaria, Germany

Silent Awakening

Silent Awakening, Classic Bavaria, Alps
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany

The Last Goodbye

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

Everything on the Internet is Free

11

Oct

2011

I had planned to share some more images today but this idea was quickly turned down by a thoughtful post on Tony Wu’s blog that I felt needed my commentary here too.

Tony Wu is a professional underwater photographer whose work I regularly check out because it takes your breath away. Got it? Underwater photography – breath…. never mind. Anyway, I highly recommend checking out his portfolio. It oozes greatness.

While we’re at it and this is the whole reason of this blog post…

Can I have one of your images for free, Tony? It would make a great background for my non-commercial site! Thanks in advance.

The problem is right there. Everybody believes anything on the internet is free to use for any matter you can think of and to some degree, I think this is true for about anyone on the internet, me included. Hey, I am not Mother Theresa either but truth be told, a quick Google image search revealed my images on blogs in Japan, Brazil, Zimbabwe and a couple dozen other countries; most recently on a photography website in Portugal. Yes, they gave me credit – at least.

However, I can’t even count the numerous times I have gotten requests to use my images for free for whatever reason, which I sometimes felt bad to decline, but mostly was just annoyed or even amused to some degree about the impolite way of asking for it. As a person trying to make a living with photography, you just cannot live off of water, love and image credit. You need money in the bank to support your family and travel to all those fancy places you like to decorate your homepage with, you save the environment with and help a fellow of yours out for a great cause. That’s fine and all, but while you help others, you’re not helping me. Every image spread across whatever medium that I did not get paid for, is one place less traveled and photographed. Think about it. Do this a couple of times more and you might have nothing left to take for free.

Tony’s thoughtful blog post covers just this experience and the way to handle requests. There is just no perfect way to respond but Tony’s way of dealing with it proves to be a real time keeper, raises valid points for the “right-grabbers” to consider and to eventually change their habits. (Which, in all honesty, I doubt.) Read the whole response here and share with whomever you think might enjoy it. It’s free!

So let it be that, another rambling. Remember, not everything on the web is free! 😉

My favorites of 2010 – Happy New Year everyone!

02

Jan

2011

Whoa, it seems like yesterday that I wished a Happy New Year… wait. It was yesterday. Ugh, never mind. So many things happened in 2010, the year flew by like monarch butterflies over the state of California and I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in the field, photographing in the jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring locations in the western US, namely Yosemite National Park, Arches and Canyonlands NP in Utah, the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and a few lesser known places on the way, but see for yourself.

Without further blah blah, here are my favorite 5 images of the last year.


1. “Granite Reflections” – Yosemite National Park, California

The Death Hike, Cathedral Peak, Yosemite -- Granite Reflections

Cathedral Peak majestically towers over Upper Cathedral Lake high in the Sierra and a lesser visited area in the Yosemite National Park, California. Read the story behind the ascent here or by clicking the image above.



2. “Defiance Falls” – Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Defiance Falls

The official name of this little known jewel in the Columbia River Gorge is Lancaster Falls, named after Samuel C. Lancaster, an engineer responsible for the construction of much of the original Columbia River Gorge Highway. (Which is an awesome drive by the way!)



3. “Captain’s Point” – Cape Kiwanda, Oregon

Captain's Point

A beautiful soft and warm evening light kisses the sandstone formations of Cape Kiwanda on the Oregon coast near Pacific City while the raging surf shapes the ever-changing cliffs.



4. “Rising Dawn” – Convict Lake, California

Early Morning Crime Scene

Stormy rain clouds are pushing over the ridge of Mt. Laurel at Convict Lake, California; lit by the rising sun over the Eastern Sierra Nevada.



5. “Firestorm” – Natural Bridges State Park, California

Firestorm

A rare colorful sunset during the late summer season in California. Usually the beaches in Northern California are covered in a thick marine layer which blankets the coast like an impenetrable coat, suffocating all chances of possible color. With a little luck and a lot of patience, the spectacular sunset eventually happened, accompanied by lit up rain showers.


Last but not least, I want to thank you all for the support throughout the year. I resolve to post more in 2011, spend even more time in the field, explore new places, offer a better experience when browsing and shopping for images on my website (reads: a major upgrade is in the works) and buy more of the Cialis and Rolex watches I am offered every day. Thanks Spammers. I love you too.

Laced In Frost (Firework Edition)

That said, enjoy “Laced in Frost”. My last image of the past year taken on December 30th; complete with hoarfrost covered branches, steam rising from the river and a little pink magic; brings 2010 to a worthy end. Here’s to a great Twenty-Eleven y’all!

David