December 2019 Newsletter

December 2019 Photo Tour

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Lake Dauterive Ghost Tree in Fog–December, 2019

We completed the final photo tour of the year on December 5th, 2019. Fortunately, we had three beautiful days with beautiful weather. Fall foliage remained brilliant, particularly at Henderson Swamp. We visited Henderson Swamp, Lake Dauterive (twice), and Lake Martin. Tour Highlights included terrific sunrises and sunsets, Sunlit fog on day 1 of Lake Dauterive, and enveloping fog on day 2 of Lake Dauterive. A gallery of images from the tour may be seen here.

Fall 2020 Tours

Lake Dauterive Sunlit Fog–December, 2019

The Fall Photo Tours for 2020 are scheduled as follows

• November 15th–18th Details here
• November 30th–December 3d Details here

While it's hard to predict the best date for the best foliage or weather conditions, usually the best foliage is on the first tour. The second tour is more likely to have the foggy conditions that produce either the sunlit fog on the water or the enveloping fog that provides the stunning black and white images.

Photography Classes at the New Orleans School of Art and Craft

Lake Martin Landscape–November, 2019

I have two classes scheduled at the New Orleans School of Art and Craft

Basic Digital Photography

A basic class on digital photography covering exposure, making sharp images, camera settings, composition and basic post processing.

• January 19th
• March 22nd

Details here: http://nolabarkmarket.com/school/courses/photo-basic0712.htm

Photographing your Artwork

A class for 2D and 3D visual artists to photograph their work for promotion and to apply to shows.

http://nolabarkmarket.com/school/courses/photo-art.htm

* February 2nd
* May 24th

Consulting

I can provide help with your digital photography and post-processing. Topics that I can assist with include:

• Digital Photography
• Lightroom and Photoshop
• Digital Printing

Photo Tours

Spring Lousiana Bird Photography Tour

Rip’s Rookery Roseate Spoonbill Territorial Dispute–May, 219

A tour focusing on photographing wading birds in Rookeries in Southwestern Louisiana. Subjects will also include photographing sunrises and sunsets as well as photograping Osprey in flight.

• April 19th–22nd Details here http://charlesbushphoto.com/events/2019/4/april-2019-louisiana-bird-photo-tour-lb6te1414-anl7e
• May 3d–6th Details here http://charlesbushphoto.com/events/2019/4/april-2019-louisiana-bird-photo-tour-lb6te1414-anl7e-px5ec
• May 17th–20th Details here http://charlesbushphoto.com/events/2019/4/april-2019-louisiana-bird-photo-tour-lb6te1414-anl7e-px5ec-5lxrn

Houma Louisiana Photo Tour

A tour requested by a client. An excellent opportunity to shoot around my home in Houma, Louisiana, and also work with lightroom and photoshop. Photography will be land based only (no boats). Subjects will include landmarks, Oak Trees, and Pelicans. We will also have the opportunity to shoot and process Infrared images (participants will be allowed to use one of my IR converted cameras). This format allows more hands-on assistance than possible during the Spring and Fall Tours.

March 29th–April 1st http://charlesbushphoto.com/events/2019/7/17/march-29thapril-1st-houma-louisiana-photo-tour

Bayou Dularge Brown Pelican Taking Flight–March, 2019

Reminder from Charles Bush Photography–Reset the time in your Cameras

Ok, we switched back to regular time from Daylight Savings time. Most cameras don’t make the change automatically. So it’s time to change the time in the camera, so the metadata records the proper time.

I change my Nikon Cameras by synching to the computer using Nikon Capture Pro. However, that’s a paid piece of software; I don’t know of any utility that will change the date and time, so you’ll need to update it manually. For Canon Cameras EOS utility does support that, but shooting Nikon I haven’t used it myself.

While I’m at it, I also check if the sensor is clean and take care of any general maintenance while I’ve got the cameras out.

Tours

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Lake Martin Fall Landscape–November 2018

Space remains in the Fall Photo Tours, Houma Lousiana Photo Tour, and Spring Birding Photography Tours.

The fall tour features landscape photography in the swamps of Louisiana. I am combining photographing onshore with photographing from a boat. Fall is a mystical time in the wetlands with orange and rust leaves, Cypress trunks and knees in the water, and Spanish Moss draped over the branches. With a little luck, we'll get fog or mist backlit by the sun.

November 17–20, 2019 tour Details.

December 2–5, 2019 Tour Details

The Houma Tour, added by request, centers around my home in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. This tour combines photo opportunities near my house with time in my office processing images. More time will be available for working on both photo techniques in the field and post-processing images than in the Fall and Spring Tours. While there will be ample opportunities to create beautiful images, the focus will be on learning and exploring new techniques. This tour would also be an excellent time to explore Infrared Photography as well. Details are here.

Roseate Spoonbill Collecting Sticks for the Nest

The Spring Bird Photography tours feature photographing nesting Wading Birds in Southern Louisiana. Southwestern Louisiana is a fantastic place for Photographing Wading birds. Featured are Roseate Spoonbills, Great, Cattle, and Snowy Egrets, Little Blue, Great Blue, and Little Green Herons and White Faced, Glossy and White Ibis. Frequently photographed are also Least and American Bitterns. We also will be photographing Osprey in Flight going to and from the nest.

April 19–22, 2020 Tour Details

May 3–6, 2020 Tour Details

May 17–22, 2020 Tour Details

October 2019 Newsletter

Fall Tour Scouting Trips

I've made two trips to the Henderson / Breaux Bridge area to check out conditions for the Fall Tours. While it is very early for any fall color, I was able to make several beautiful images. I also photographed using the camera converted to photograph infrared and experimented with using perspective blending to enhance my landscape images. Finally, I went on a tour conducted by my friends at "The Atchafalaya Experience" on their new boat, shown here.

A New Boat - “The Atchafalaya Experience”

Fall is arriving late here as temperatures remaining in the upper 80's and 90's well into October. Temperatures have moderated during the past week, but we're still expecting higher than average temperatures over the next several weeks.

I photographed at Lake Martin for most of the time. During the second trip, I shot both at sunrise and sunset. At sunset, there wasn't enough cloud cover for a spectacular image; I did get a period where there was a lovely yellow glow.

Sunset at Lake Martin–October 9th, 2019

For the Sunrise shoot, I experimented with perspective blending, where I shot with the camera pointed down where the background was near the top of the frame and then tilted the camera up and took a second shot. Later in Photoshop, I cloned the sky into the bottom image and cropped to the regular camera format. Doing this had the effect of making the trees in the background appear larger.

Image 1–Camera Pointed Down

Image 2–Camera Pointed Up

Image 3–Composite Image with Tone and Color Adjustments

Another way to achieve the same effect is to use a tilt-shift lens pointed down and then using the lens rise to compose the image in the frame. I used this technique in the final image shown here.

Image 4–Final HDR Image shot with Tilt Shift lens

For this image, I also took 3 photographs bracketed by two stops and used Photoshop's HDR feature to combine them with better tonal values. Also note the sun had risen to the point it was illuminating the trees.

I created two Infrared images as well. One photographed at Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St Martinville of a large Live Oaktree. Another a panoramic shot at Lake Martin.

Live Oaktree Longfellow_Evangeline Historic Site

IR Panoramic Image October 9th, 2019

Black and White Spider Award

My Black and White image of St Eloi Church in the fog at Bayou Dularge received a honorable mention in the Professional Architecture Category.

St Eloi Church–Bayou Dularge Louisiana

Tours

Lake Martin Fall Landscape–November 2018

Space remains in the Fall Photo Tours, Houma Lousiana Photo Tour, and Spring Birding Photography Tours.

The fall tour features landscape photography in the swamps of Louisiana. I am combining photographing onshore with photographing from a boat. Fall is a mystical time in the wetlands with orange and rust leaves, Cypress trunks and knees in the water, and Spanish Moss draped over the branches. With a little luck, we'll get fog or mist backlit by the sun.

November 17–20, 2019 tour Details.

December 2–5, 2019 Tour Details

The Houma Tour, added by request, centers around my home in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. This tour combines photo opportunities near my house with time in my office processing images. More time will be available for working on both photo techniques in the field and post-processing images than in the Fall and Spring Tours. While there will be ample opportunities to create beautiful images, the focus will be on learning and exploring new techniques. This tour would also be an excellent time to explore Infrared Photography as well. Details are here.

Roseate Spoonbill Collecting Sticks for the Nest

The Spring Bird Photography tours feature photographing nesting Wading Birds in Southern Louisiana. Southwestern Louisiana is a fantastic place for Photographing Wading birds. Featured are Roseate Spoonbills, Great, Cattle, and Snowy Egrets, Little Blue, Great Blue, and Little Green Herons and White Faced, Glossy and White Ibis. Frequently photographed are also Least and American Bitterns. We also will be photographing Osprey in Flight going to and from the nest.

April 19–22, 2020 Tour Details

May 3–6, 2020 Tour Details

May 17–22, 2020 Tour Details

September 2019 Newsletter

Cazan Lake

Great Egret Courtship Display–Cazan Lake, Ville Platte, Louisiana

Last year I added Cazan Lake to the Spring bird photography tours. It proved to be one of our better opportunities for my bird tours. Providing close easy onshore access to nesting Great Egrets and Roseate Spoonbills. A guard controlled access at the entrance to the property, and you signed in and paid the entrance fee. The guard will no longer be there early in the morning or on weekends. However, they are instituting a membership arrangement with a card key access for off-hours. I'll be purchasing a membership allowing access for the tours, and I'll pay for the participant's fees at the gate as before after we have entered the property. For those of you in the area, you may want to purchase a membership to allow access early in the morning for the best photography. Over the last year, I visited enough times to exceed the $125 annual fee, and I expect to visit more frequently over the next year.

Portfolios

Black and White Cypress in the Fog–Henderson Swamp

During the past month, I've created three online galleries. One is of Black and White images; one is of Landscapes in color, and the other is of birds. I'm also printing each image to make a matching print portfolio. The online galleries are here:

Black and White Portfolio

Landscapes Portfolio

Bird Portfolio

Post Processing Software

While updating my portfolio, I used Lightroom, Photoshop, and the following applications extensively.

I process images without a lot of special effects or by taking them over the top. I've tried alternatives to Lightroom and Photoshop and consider their presets too much for my taste. However, photographing using the raw format intentionally produces an image low in contrast. Carefully balancing the needed additional punch needed while maintaining restraint from over-processing is my target.

While I frequently shoot bracketed shots to extend the dynamic range, I find most of the HDR software makes the images look too artificial. In many cases, I prefer to use luminosity masks to blend highlight and shadow detail from the bracketed shots rather than using HDR software. One outstanding Photoshop Panel to make excellent luminosity masks is The TK7 Actions Panel by Tony Kuyper. I've been using his panels since version 4 and have kept up to date ever since. One downside of the panel is the steep learning curve, and I recommend if you decide to try this approach, you also purchase the companion video by Sean Bagshaw.

While I own a multitude of photoshop plug-ins, there's one set that I return to over and over. The Nik Collection. These plug-ins have a long history, first released by Nik many years ago, then purchased by Google who let the software go dormant, and finally picked up by DXO. I use three of the plug-ins frequently. Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Nik Sharpener. I use Color Efex Pro on almost every color image, to improve mid-tone contrast, remove incorrect color casts, and give photographs a bit of pop. Silver Efex Pro is my "go-to" Black and White conversion technique, and Nik Sharpener is an excellent sharpening tool. DxO has made the software compatible with the latest version of Photoshop and the MAC and Windows operating systems, a valuable set of updates. However, while there have been new presets created, there are no new useful features.

Tours

Space remains in the Fall Photo Tours, Houma Lousiana Photo Tour, and Spring Birding Photography Tours.

The fall tour features landscape photography in the swamps of Louisiana. I am combining photographing onshore with photographing from a boat. Fall is a mystical time in the wetlands with orange and rust leaves, Cypress trunks and knees in the water, and Spanish Moss draped over the branches. With a little luck, we'll get fog or mist backlit by the sun.

November 17–20, 2019 tour Details.

December 2–5, 2019 Tour Details

Lake Martin Fall Landscape

The Houma Tour, added by request, centers around my home in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. This tour combines photo opportunities near my house with time in my office processing images. More time will be available for working on both photo techniques in the field and post-processing images than in the Fall and Spring Tours. While there will be ample opportunities to create beautiful images, the focus will be on learning and exploring new techniques. This tour would also be an excellent time to explore Infrared Photography as well. Details are here.

Roseate Spoonbill Collecting Sticks for the Nest

The Spring Bird Photography tours feature photographing nesting Wading Birds in Southern Louisiana. Southwestern Louisiana is a fantastic place for Photographing Wading birds. Featured are Roseate Spoonbills, Great, Cattle, and Snowy Egrets, Little Blue, Great Blue, and Little Green Herons and White Faced, Glossy and White Ibis. Frequently photographed are also Least and American Bitterns. We also will be photographing Osprey in Flight going to and from the nest.

April 19–22, 2020 Tour Details

May 3–6, 2020 Tour Details

May 17–22, 2020 Tour Details

August 19-21 Houma Louisiana Tour Added

Southdown Plantation House at Night Houma, LA

I've had a request from a customer to add a tour in my area around Houma, LA. I've scheduled the tour for August 19th–21st, 2019. The tour will focus on things of interest here in the bayou area, Sugar Cane Plantation Houses, Shrimp Boats, Bayou Scenes, places of Interest in the Bayous South of Houma. The focus will be on both Color Digital Photography and Infrared Photography. If you don't have an Infrared Camera I'll loan you mine to get a feel for it.

The Tour will include both shooting and post processing, for both traditional color and infrared.

I'll looking for 2 more participants, the tour fee will be $900 and will be headquartered out of my house in Houma.

Call for details 985-223-4708.

March 2019 Newsletter

Osprey Photo Opportunity

Osprey from Photo Blind

This photograph was taken from a makeshift floating blind a number of years ago. The blind was a small unpowered camouflaged boat tied off between two trees. The birds were not aware of our presence and acclimated to the small blind. They came and went as if we weren't there. We were very lucky that we had an easterly wind that morning and as a consequence they were taking off and landing directly toward us with front lighting.

The folks at The Atchafalaya Experience are planning on setting up a hunting blind in a similar manner the day after each of our spring tours, April 18th, May 2nd, and May16th. There will be a $150 charge payable directly to The Atchafalaya Experience, to spend several hours photographing Osprey from the blind. The blind is a bit nicer than the one we used for the shot above, but it is small and consistent with what you would expect for a hunting blind, for example the seats are plastic buckets. However space is very limited, there is only room for 4 photographers. Tour participants will be given preference, but if there is space available non-participants can sign up if there is space available please call me at 985 223-4708 to reserve you spot.

Openings remain for the April 28th–May 1st and December 2nd–5th 2019 tours, Opening for the April 14th–17th Tour

An Osprey Bringing a Fish to the Nest

One participant cancelled due to medical issues so there is now an opening for the April 14th tour. Check it out here, The April 28th Tour can be viewed and registered for here. A gallery of images from the 2018 Spring tours can be seen by clicking this link. Highlights of theses tours include photographing nesting wading birds including Roseate Spoonbills and flight shots of Osprey. 2018 was a great year for the spring tours and I’m looking forward to a great spring. Join us for some great photography.

Cypress Stumps in the Fog 2017 Tour

There is also space left in the December 2nd–5th Louisiana Photo Tour. While a bit latter than I normally schedule the tour due to working around the Thanksgiving Weekend, shooting conditions should still be very good as seen from this shot taken in early December. I would love to have you join us for this tour. Images from 2018 can be seen here and the tour site can be seen here.

Cypress in the Swamp December 7th 2010

The fall tours feature large cypress trees growing in the swamp waters of Southern Louisiana. We visit a Lake with a large number of old growth trees with the rust colored foliage of late fall in Louisiana. With a little luck with get a layer of mist or fog over the water backlit with the sun in the early mornings.

Over the past several years other photographers have discovered the unique beauty of Louisiana Swamps in the late fall. I’ve been leading these tours since 2006 and know how and when to get you to some of the best photo locations.

Check out the tour here and join us in 2019 for some great landscape photography. A Gallery of Images from the 2018 Tours can be seen here.

Why do a Photo Tour with me

1. I've been doing photo tours in Southern Louisiana since 2003 and the fall tours since 2006. I know when and where to go.
2. I live in the area so I do scouting trips each year to make sure I get you to the best places.
3. I work with great people (The Atchafalaya Experience) for the boat trips, I've worked them from the beginning, they know what we want, are properly equipped and are at many of the places daily.
4. I limit the size of the tours to no more then 6 participants, and usually I only do 4.
5. I will help as much or as little as you want. While I do photograph on the tour, participants take precedence over my shooting.
6. Southern Louisiana is an untapped area with few other tours operating here. Sixty percent of North America's wetlands is in the state with an abundance of wildlife.
7. I'm at home with digital cameras and computers. Prior to being a full time nature photographer I was an engineer working with telecommunications networks. I know Lightroom and Photoshop well and can help with post processing and photo workflow.
8. We have a good time and eat some good Cajun food and make a lot of very nice images.

Over the past several years other photographers have discovered the unique beauty of Louisiana Swamps in the late fall. I’ve been leading these tours since 2006 and know how and when to get you to some of the best photo locations.

Spring 2019 Photo Classes in the New Orleans Bywater Community

I teach digital photography classes and photographing artwork classes at the New Orleans School of Art and Craft.Check out and register for my classes and other great classes here.

February 2019 Newsletter

Cattle Egret Gathering Nesting Material Rip’s Rookery New Iberia, Louisiana

February 14th 2019

Spring Comes Early in Louisiana

Oriental Magnolia Bud Houma, Louisiana

It’s been a mild but rainy winter this year in Louisiana. Temperatures have been reaching the upper 60’s to lower 70’s for the past couple of weeks. The grass is beginning to grow, leaves are starting to appear on trees and the oriental magnolia’s are in bloom. I’ve been out in the yard with the macro lens documenting the magnolia blooming. It has more blossoms this year. I’m ready for the end of winter and ready to be out photographing nesting birds.

Two Openings remain for the April 28th–May 1st, 2019 Tour

Roseate Spoonbill With Stick for the Nest

The April 14th-17th and May 12th-15th Louisiana Bird Photography Tours are full. The Aril 28th–May 1st which I added after the other two filled has two openings. The nesting season should be in full swing and I’ll have been out multiple times finding the best shooting. Please consider joining us for this tour check it out and register using this link. A gallery of images from the 2018 Spring tours can be seen by clicking this link. Highlights of the tour includes photographing nesting wading birds including Roseate Spoonbills and flight shots of Osprey. 2018 was a great year for the spring tours and I’m looking forward to a great spring. Join us for some great photography.

While there have been many changes over the years, I’ve been leading these tours since 2003. Southern Louisiana offers many opportunities for photographing birds and has remained largely uncovered by other photo tour leaders.

Fall 2019 Louisiana Landscape Photo Tours Scheduled for November 17th-20th and December 2nd-5th

The fall tours feature large cypress trees growing in the swamp waters of Southern Louisiana. We visit a Lake with a large number of old growth trees with the rust colored foliage of late fall in Louisiana. With a little luck with get a layer of mist or fog over the water backlit with the sun in the early mornings.

Over the past several years other photographers have discovered the unique beauty of Louisiana Swamps in the late fall. I’ve been leading these tours since 2006 and know how and when to get you to some of the best photo locations.

The first fall tour from November 17th-20th is already full but spaces remain for the December 2nd–5th tour. Please consider joining the tour.

Check out the tour here and join us in 2019 for some great landscape photography. A Gallery of Images from the 2018 Tours can be seen here.

Why do a Photo Tour with me

1. I've been doing photo tours in Southern Louisiana since 2003 and the fall tours since 2006. I know when and where to go.
2. I live in the area so I do scouting trips each year to make sure I get you to the best places.
3. I work with great people (The Atchafalaya Experience) for the boat trips, I've worked them from the beginning, they know what we want, are properly equipped and are at many of the places daily.
4. I limit the size of the tours to no more then 6 participants, and usually I only do 4.
5. I will help as much or as little as you want. While I do photograph on the tour, participants take precedence over my shooting.
6. Southern Louisiana is an untapped area with few other tours operating here. Sixty percent of North America's wetlands is in the state with an abundance of wildlife.
7. I'm at home with digital cameras and computers. Prior to being a full time nature photographer I was an engineer working with telecommunications networks. I know Lightroom and Photoshop well and can help with post processing and photo workflow.
8. We have a good time and eat some good Cajun food and make a lot of very nice images.

Over the past several years other photographers have discovered the unique beauty of Louisiana Swamps in the late fall. I’ve been leading these tours since 2006 and know how and when to get you to some of the best photo locations.

Spring 2019 Photo Classes in the New Orleans Bywater Community

I teach digital photography classes and photographing artwork classes at the New Orleans School of Art and Craft. Check out and register for my classes and other great classes here.