The Prize

THE RULES

We will judge the entries according to these rules.

1. Entries are due February 29th
2. All photos must be taken and edited between now and the due date. NEW PHOTOS!
3. The photos must be of good quality. Exposure, composition etc.
4. There must be one photo for each category. Total of 6 photos.
5. Have fun with it & be creative.
6. Entry must be emailed to mikem@mmphototours.com
7. Entry must be no more than a 10mb file.
8. Our judging is final and there is no complaining. – Just have fun!
9. By emailing your entry to us you allow us to post it to our blog if we want to share it.
10. All 6 photos must be compiled into one file, but the photos may be placed however you would like in no particular order or size. See examples below.

You are free to interpret the categories as you like. (That’s where the creativity comes in.) But it has to make sense. For example if the category is “Orange” the photo must contain at least the color orange, the word orange or an orange. Another example, if the category is “sharp” you have to show something sharp (like a knife), the word sharp or someone that is smart or being smart. (Get it? sharp=smart) Understand? If not, ask and we can clarify more. Rule of thumb – if we don’t understand it, you probably won’t win.

THE CATEGORIES

1. Pop

2. Smooth

3. Skin

4. Dramatic Light

5. Pointy

6. I wish

Think about it. Create it. Enjoy it. Send it. Win it.

We hope that you enjoy this challenge and it helps get your creative juices flowing. Sometimes we forget to enjoy our photography and try new things.

Good luck to all!  Remember its due by February 29th!

Discover Tuscany and its great architecture

Discover Tuscany and its incredible landscapes

Discover Tuscany and its artistic treasures

Discover Tuscany and its private villas

Discover Tuscany and its rolling hills and vineyards

Tuscany is renowned throughout the world for its art, history, beautiful landscapes and wonderful food. During the 10 day tour of Tuscany, you will get to see, taste, explore, and become a part of all of those things. By the time you leave, you will be able to take a bit of Tuscany with you.

Classic Tuscany Photo Tour
Tour date: May 3-12, 2012
Tour Price: $5900 **ALL Inclusive, including international airfare
Registration Deadline: March 3, 2012
Single supplement $750

Click here to register Now

- All Inclusive  – Private Villa
- RT International Airfare Included
- Wine Tasting – All Meals
- All Transportation
- Photographic Instruction

One warm July night, a large electrical storm rolled into town. As I sat in my home listening to all the rumbling and cracks in the sky above me, I realized that I wasn’t hearing any rain. I shot to my feet and grabbed my gear and set up in my backyard. Not having the latest “lightning snagging” photography equipment, I improvised in order to get the lightning on camera. I first focused on the trees in the foreground then set my exposure. Because I wanted my shutter speed to be very long in order to try and capture the change lighting, I know the ISO would need to stay at 100 and set the f-stop at f/4.

5 sec @ f/4 ISO100 Travel Angel Benro Tripod

5 sec @ f/4 ISO100 Travel Angel Benro Tripod

You know that the sunset must be amazing when you have three different friends calling you telling you that you need to get outside and shoot it. This particular day I had two different friends and one family member call me. Because sunsets and colors can disappear so quickly I know I had to jump on this opportunity as quickly as I could. There wasn’t any time to drive to a great location to capture this sunset. So I climbed onto my roof and snot away.

1/50 @ f/4 ISO 250 Tiffen polarizing filter

Another great example of having to keep your eyes open and take advantage of an opportunity. How often do you get to see an entire rainbow from end to end?

1/60 @ f/4 ISO 250

Happy shooting – even if its in your back yard, or on your roof.

The travel tip that often gets the most attention in our seminars and presentations is the use of Customs Form 4457. It is a very simple and easy way to protect you and your gear as you travel the world. Presenting this form will show official proof that you are not transporting new equipment and therefore do not need to pay any customs tax traveling to and from other countries.

The process is easy. Form 4457 can be found online (see link below) or in any customs office in your home and US International Airport. These offices are usually outside of security. Simply fill in the form with your information and that of your gear, not to forget the serial numbers on each piece of equipment. You will then need to have a US Customs officer/agent complete the form.

Find the form here: http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_Form_4457.pdf

Official Instructions/Regulations

1. Complete the Original only.
2. Prior to Departure, present the described articles and the completed form to a CBP Officer for comparison and signing of the form.
3. The signed form is to be returned to the applicant and must be shown to CBP each time the registered article(s) are returned.
4. This certificate is not transferable.
5. Note: Foreign repairs or alterations to articles (whether or not the articles are registered with CBP) are dutiable. Such repairs or alterations must be declared to Customs when the articles reenter the United States, whether or not they were done free of charge.

Once you complete this process you can reuse these forms as many times as you would like. It is also possible to fill out forms with gear that are specific for different areas of travel. For example you can have a form for your Africa trips with your large lenses, a form for Tuscany with your tilt shift lenses, etc. We suggest protecting these forms as you travel by placing them in a plastic zipper baggy or something of that nature, but do not laminate or alter the form in any way. This will void the authenticity of the form.

Happy travels.

Be sure to stop by Anita’s website for more of her work. www.anitasaha.com

On the same tour to China we had a tour participant named Jook who has shared a bit of his work with us as well. Not only did he go to China with us, he was able to go on the Indochina tour (Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia) as well. Follow the links below to see his work. It just comes to show you how different photographic styles can be, not to mention how differently one photographer can be looking at a situation compared to the photographer standing right next to him/her.

http://jookleung.com/

This link will show you every meal that we eat during the China tour.

http://360vrchina.com/2010/09/china-food/

Click here to book your China Tour

We have seriously upgraded our website with a ton of new features.

It is now much easier to navigate and find what you want. You can easily find a tour that suits your needs whether it be by region or time of year. Swing by the new gallery to view photos that were taken during earlier photo tours. Then book your tour right there on the site after registering.

A couple key features to point out

-          Search For Tours By Region Or Date

-          Easy Registration & Booking

-          What To Take On A Photo Tour

-          Photographers’ Toolkit

-          Travel Info Page With Links

-          New Photo Gallery

-          Guest Pro Page

-          Read Testimonials

-          Links To Our Sponsors And Friends

-          Travel Gear – Our On-Line Store For Gear M&M Uses

-          Newsletters

Be sure to stop by the site and spend some time browsing! We are very excited about the new site and hope all of you enjoy it.

This was all possible because of one of our amazing tour participants, Neil Downie from Manchester. We often find that many of our tour participants have amazing skills outside of photography. Neil is one of those people with an incredible talent and was able to help us create our new website. If you are in need of any such skills we would suggest Neil without hesitation. His professionalism and abilities are outstanding. See his information below.

Neil Downie
Innovative Internet Systems
Web Application Specialists
http://www.innovativeinternet.co.uk
neil@innovativeinternet.co.uk

1/125 @ f5.6 ISO 800

While in China, you will see that the people, in their immense numbers, provide many photographic opportunities. The culture you are immersed in can become loud and fast paced when you see the Chinese squeezing into busses, locals walking around in their pajamas, or inviting each other to sit down to some of the most varied cuisine in the world. Each night of the tour, you will be treated to a local feast. During the trip, you are sure to try and enjoy many foods you would not have the opportunity to eat anywhere else in the world.

The Birds Nest 1/15 @ f2.8 ISO 2000

While in Beijing, you will have the opportunity to gaze upon architecture that traces each mood swing from centuries ago to the present. There are numerous hútòngs (narrow alleys shaded by traditional Chinese residences) to huge underground bomb shelters scooped out during the 1970’s and everything in between. The National Stadium, affectionately known as Bird’s Nest, is situated in Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing. It was designed as the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Olympic events of track and field, soccer, javelin, shot put and discus were held there. Since October, 2008, after the Olympics ended, the National Stadium has been opened as a tourist attraction. Now, it’s the center of international or domestic sports competition and recreation activities. This is just one of the many wonders included in the $40 billion China has spent on infrastructure development in Beijing in the past few years.

Terracotta Warriors 1/125 @ f5.6 ISO 800

During the tour, there will be a flight that will take us to Xi’an, in the Shaanxi Province. In 1974, while digging a well in the city of Xi’an, Chinese farmers discovered an underground tomb filled with 8,000 statues of ancient Chinese warriors. These warriors, created around 221 BC are said to guard Emperor Quin’s tomb. Much of the mystery surrounding the tomb has yet to be solved.

Some other stops on this tour include the Li River, Forbidden City, The Great Wall, Summer Palace & Classic Gardens of Suzhou to name a few. Not much right? The tour is loaded!

1/200 @ f4 ISO 100

This incredibly diverse tour ends in Shanghai. Within the city there are no dusty imperial palaces, instead European-style cityscapes and tree-lined neighborhoods. Shanghai is a city of stunning contrasts where visitors can go from eating dumplings in a street stall to sipping cocktails in designer bars. They say Shanghai never stops. But better yet the photography opportunities never stop during this tour, and you will see why.

For centuries China has withstood the test of war and political struggle to become a global powerhouse. With 1.3 billion people and 55 ethnic groups thriving within its borders, China is a stronghold of culture, myth and legend.  (Travel Channel.com, LonelyPlanet.com)

Our China Photo Tours with Ron Wyatt & Sponsored by Blackrapid

China’s Best Treasures
September 1-14, 2012                                      Click here to book
$5200 ***INCLUDES RT AIRFARE

Also join us on the breathtaking tour of the Li River
China’s Li River
September 16-25, 2012                                    Click here to book
$5000 ***INCLUDES RT AIRFARE

Ask us for discounts when booking both of these tours together!

China Photo Tour Group 2010

There is much more to Arches National Park than just the arches. The 76,000 acre region contains colossal sandstone fins, soaring pinnacles, spires, and balanced rocks in addition to the beautiful arches. The size of the natural red rock features seems to dwarf each visitor as they explore all that the park has to offer.

Canon 5DMKII, Canon 100-400L @100mm, f/5.6, ISO 1000, 1/250, Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack, Blackrapid strap

The diverse landscapes, flora, fauna, and wildlife are what make the Arches National Park the perfect location for an M&M Photo Workshop.

During the 4 day/3 night stay, each participant will have the opportunity to photograph the famous Delicate Arch. This is possibly the most famous natural span in the world. It means so much to Utah, that we put it on our license plates.

f/3.5 @ 1/8, 70mm ISO 80, , Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack, Blackrapid strap

Double Arch is located in the Windows Section of the park. This magnificent sight was used as a back drop for the 1988 movie “Indian Jones and the Last Crusade”

f/4 @1/640, 55mm, ISO 80, Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack, Blackrapid strap

Landscape Arch is 306 feet wide. It is so tall, a 9-story building would easily fit under its thin span.

f/4 @1/1600, 70mm, ISO 80, Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack, Blackrapid strap

These are just a few of the world-famous sites that you will have the opportunity to see and to photograph. The diversity of the landscape means there is something here for everyone. With the tour spanning several days, there is also the ability to photograph the area when the light is exactly right, and every photographer knows the light can make or break a picture. Just to get you even more excited, here is a list of places that can be photographed in different lighting to guarantee you not only learn to be a better photographer on one of our tours, but that you also learn to love your surroundings.

f/4 @1/1250, 35mm, ISO 80, Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack, Blackrapid strap

Fill Light

There is no exact formula for assessing the amount of fill required when a subject is illuminated by direct sunlight. As you spend more time photographing the world around you, it will become easier to judge not only how much fill lighting is needed, but you will begin to master the type of fill light to use for each situation. SEE THE LIGHT!!

Reflector

Reflectors are strategically placed to soften the harsh shadows cast on a subject in harsh sunlight. When deciding on a reflector for a given shot, you must take into consideration the surface quality and the size of the reflector you will be using. Keep in mind, when using a reflector, you will require someone else to position the reflector for maximum effect.

Reflectors can be matte white, silver, gold or a mixture. The color of the reflector determines the characteristics and color of light reflected back on the subject.

• Matte White – a diffused subtle fill light.
• Silver – provides a harsh and very bright fill light.
• Gold – increase the warmth of the fill light and remove the blue cast present in shadows created by sunlight.

There is a large range of reflector sizes available. Most are collapsible and can be transported in your photography bag with you wherever you go.

1/160 @ f/8 Matte White reflector camera left

Flash

The flash can be a very hard skill to master. Because a flash is a point light source relatively close to a subject, the resulting light is very harsh.

1/125 @ f/5.6 Speedlight with defuser camera right

Dedicated flash units (‘speedlights’) are made to communicate information through additional electrical contacts in the mounting bracket of the unit. Using this type of flash the exposure is more precise and allows you the flexibility of using filters without having to alter the settings of the flash.

1/125 @ f/16 speedlights camera left and up high

Several dedicated flashes have settings for automatic fill flash, slow sync, rear curtain slow sync, red eye reduction and strobe. The manuals that accompany the flash paired together with time and practice will be your greatest tool for learning when and how to use your flash.

Just a quick post and images to show the many faces and people of the region.  M&M strives to give our guests BOTH an awesome photography experience AND cultural experience.  There is no better way to connect culturally than with the people of where you visit.  Watch what they do, what they eat, how they work, how they interact – watch and photograph everything they allow you to.

It is hard to find a more hardworking and humble people on earth than in this region of the world.  Life is not easy for them but they do not let it keep them down or bring any negative aspects to their interactions with guests in their respective country.  They lead a simple life and are simply kind.

Nothing epitomizes simplicity more than monks.  I captured these two walking in a light rain just after sunrise in Luang Prabang.  Love the contrast in the image – the old, weather-worn and stained wall against the vibrant orange of the robes and the gold vs. black umbrella.  Also like the motion of the image.Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @200mm, f/4.5, ISO 1000, 1/640, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

The mother and son team below were out early heading to the market when we visited the Floating Villages outside of Siem Reap.  The image grabbed me because of the colors, shadows and the absolute need for the boy to get his work done.  Have been testing the Sigma 7-200 f/2.8 and think it did a great job on the trip and with a shallow depth of field in this image.  Scenes like this play out all over Indochina.Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @200mm, f/2.8, ISO 250, 1/2500, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

Images like this are all over the Floating Villages in Cambodia - just waiting to be captured by you.  The simplicity of life is the essence of how these people live.Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @200mm, f/5, ISO 800, 1/400, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

Contrast that with life in Vietnam – much more fast paced whether you are in Hanoi or Saigon.  This young woman was sleeping on the job at Hanoi’s Central Market – it was hot, the store stalls are small and it is crowded. Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @200mm, f/4, ISO 1000, 1/100, Lexar Digital Film, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

What do they eat for breakfast on the street in the Old Quarter in Hanoi?  Pho’ – yes, even for breakfast and it is awesome yummy eats. Our guide took us to one of the most famous places so we could try ourselves.  Can this young woman be wrong?Canon 5DMKII, Canon 24-105L @105mm, f/4, ISO 1000, 1/125, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

How does one get his/her haircut in Hanoi? Many visit “stalls/booths” like this one below.  Yep, face the little mirror and let the barber work his magic.  You can see Mike G’s blue shirt and part of his cheek in the reflection of the mirror.  Who has time to go to the salon?Canon 5DMKII, Canon 24-105L @32mm, f/6.3, ISO 400, 1/200, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

But, get back into the countryside of Vietnam – like north near Sapa and Lao Cai – and you’ll run across small villages with basket makers like the man below who brings out the life in your images with his eyes and beard.Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @200mm, f/4, ISO 500, 1/125, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

Just as a bit of foreshadowing for the next post about the trip we’ll leave you with the following image from Banteay Srei Temple which lies outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia and is considered by many one of the best temples of all Angkor temples.  The temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, is built of red sandstone, and has some of the most elaborate decorative carvings of all Angkor carvings which have endured 1100 years of wear and tear.  I spent a lot of time this trip working the carvings, reliefs and stone work of Cambodia.

Canon 5DMKII, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 @180mm, f/4, ISO 320, 1/160, Lexar Digital Film, Tiffen Circular Polarizer, Clik Elite Pro Express Backpack

We hope you enjoy this post.  The people make the photographs and make our job easy.  Do not miss your chance to visit Indochina – http://mmphototours.wordpress.com/cambodia-laos-vietnam-with-ron-wyatt/

Happy Thanksgiving to all.