Where in the World is Juergen?

Das Foto of the Week

2012-01-30T11:20:00.001-05:00

Every week I choose one of my favorite photographs of the week from my fine art landscape, flower and macro photography collection and offer it throughout that week at a discounted rate. This week's photo of the week on sale is First Light displaying seconds before the sunrise in Maine Acadia National Park.

Starting today through the week of 30 January 2012 this Landscape Photography Image, available as art print, acrylic, or on canvas, is on sale.

Fine Art Photography Artwork that Sells

2012-01-29T11:52:00.044-05:00

This Photography Artwork Collage shows some of my recent fine art photography artwork sold online. Selling art online is no picnic. It takes a serious time commitment and it most likely will not make you the next Peter Lik of photography who sells photos for up to 1 Million dollars. However, it surely presents on opportunity for exposure and additional sales. Some tips that worked online and offline for me:

1. Enhance your brand recognition by consistently creating excellent Photography Artwork and strong pieces to show, e.g. compelling compositions and well executed technique.

2. Create Artwork that is close to your heart and that you like.

3. Make your local mark first and search for local Art Fairs, Galleries or Group Shows that fit your artwork. Once successful, you may be able to emerge nationally or internationally.

4. Be professional and Present your Artwork in the best possible way, e.g. materials, presentation, customer service and communication.

5. Maintain and increase your website traffic since it directly relates to exposure and sales. Drive traffic to your online gallery by using free marketing tools like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or StumbleUpon and posting links to your photos.

6. Connect with other artists, collectors, buyers and admires through Online Social Networking.

7. Devote certain times of the day to online marketing where you interact and communicate with your followers.

8. Write a regular Blog where you discuss your techniques, what inspires you, the background of your latest piece or what you are working on.

9. Be patient. It takes a lot of hard work and plenty of hours to get your work shown, bought, and collected.

10. Finally, have a good time and enjoy the journey!

Purple Iris Flower Fine Art Photography Artwork

2012-01-25T21:33:00.006-05:00

In this flower photo of a purple Iris I used a black cardboard as the backdrop. I like dark backgrounds because it really makes the colors of a flower pop. I usually choose a large enough black cardboard from Staples that I position behind the floral photographic object using the backrest of a chair for support. As a base I use the chair itself that I place in front of a window. The set up of my Close Up Photography studio next to our dining room window provides exceptional and beautiful lighting conditions in the morning. White cardboards are used to enhance the light and direct the light towards the floral when it is facing away from the window. I always use a couple of hardcover books to stabilize and minimize any unwanted shaking or movement of the flower. Additionally the books make it easy to adjust the height of the flower when a different perspective or angle is more desirable. I often adjust the white boards to explore the impact on the lighting and better control the light on the flower. Adjusting the light with the white boards is a great learning experience for us photographers and often leads to more inspirational and beautiful fine art photography artwork. In the final macro photograph of the purple iris I positioned the flower in the best possible way so that there were no other distracting branches or flowers in the composition. The light provided a beautiful illumination of the iris that keeps the viewer captivated. The aperture of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro IS USM lens was set to f/25 providing maximum Depth of Field and an exposure time of 4 seconds. An ISO100 setting minimized noise. In the post processing steps I removed dust, minimally adjusted brightness, contrast and color saturation before sharpening the final image of this Iris over Black.

Eaten Alive in Florida

2012-01-25T21:01:00.008-05:00

Sinister was taken at Turner River in Florida Big Cypress National Preserve. I noticed the American alligator at a crossover when exploring the area. Excited about finally coming across what I was looking for all morning I set up tripod and camera. I then started composing around the gator and its Reflection, keeping my eyes on the ball, or better on the gator. Although my goal was to get as close as possible and as low as possible, I was not ready to be eaten alive by this predator. It did not take long, perhaps a couple of shots when I suddenly felt a bunch of burning bites on my feet. When checking out what was going on I realized that I was standing in the middle of a colony of nasty biting ants. I immediately left tripod and camera behind and jumped backwards on one leg whipping the ants off and then switched to the other leg to work on the other foot. Needless to say that I had to take my sandals off to get rid of them all. During this endeavor I kept one eye on the gator which did not move a bit and probably enjoyed the stupid photographers' pitfall or was hoping for an easy breakfast. Turned out to be quite the painful morning but after all so worth it ... because it's not all about the next pic, it's equally about the outdoor experience ... and I sure had my dose for the day!

Peek into a Flower Photgrapher's Life

2012-01-24T11:55:00.001-05:00

Das Foto of the Week

2012-01-23T10:13:00.010-05:00

Every week I choose one of my favorite photographs of the week from my fine art landscape, flower and macro photography collection and offer it throughout that week at a discounted rate. This week's photo of the week on sale is Ardea Herodias showing a Great Blue Heron at a small southwest Florida marina in Bonita Springs.

Starting today through the week of 23 January 2012 this Wildlife bird photography image, available as art print, acrylic, or on canvas, is on sale.

Tamiami Trail and Turner River Road

2012-01-18T19:18:00.034-05:00

Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve along Tamiami Trail (US41) and Turner River Road are two of my favorite Wildlife Photography locations in Southwest Florida. US41 and the area is easily accessible within an hour of Naples or Fort Myers and provides plenty of photography opportunities for the nature photographer and enthusiast. A 400+ mm lens provides sufficient reach to capture frame filling wildlife from the comfort and safety of your car. I usually stop the car, turn it off to minimize camera shake and take a few pics while using the car window sill to stabilize camera and lens. A Beanbag provides further stability and enhances Image Quality. Once I secure my shots out of the car, I make my way into the field and explore different perspectives and angles. The main goal is always to cut out any disturbing distractions in the background and arrive at a better composition. When stepping outside the car and getting into the field make sure to watch your step and not accidentally step on a snake or scare the wildlife. Alligators love to hang out at the sunny spots on the edge of the Turner River, so be sure you not getting to close and be extra cautious when looking and photographing straight on ... they are extremely fast and probably won't hesitate to come after you. If they are hungry, you look tasty!

Besides your long lens you also want to bring a Polarizing Filter to minimize glare on the river water and boost colors of the wildlife and surrounding nature. Make sure to select the right amount of Depth of Field so that all desired parts are in full focus and show acceptable details.

A large aperture (small f/numbers such as 5.6 and less) will minimize depth of field and is mostly desired when capturing birds. In these types of wildlife photos we strive for a quiet backdrop that beautifully isolates the main subject from any distractions in the background and solely lays the focus on the main subject. Stay safe and keep in mind: It's not only about photography and the one shot, it's also about the Outdoor Experience!

Florida Wildlife Photography Fine Art Collage

2012-01-17T07:28:00.002-05:00

Pink Orchids Flower Photography Fine Art

2012-01-16T06:53:00.006-05:00

Because of the exceptional and beautiful morning light bouncing off my neighbors walls into our dining room, I prefer to set up my close up photography studio next to our dining room window. As a base I use a chair that I place in front of the window. I then use a large enough black cardboard from Staples that I position behind the floral photographic object using the backrest for support. White cardboards are used to enhance the light and direct the light towards the floral when it is facing away from the window. I always use hardcover books to stabilize and minimize any unwanted shaking or movement of the flower. Additionally the books make it easy to adjust the height of the flower when a different perspective or angle is more desirable. I often adjust the white boards to explore the impact on the lighting and better control the light on the flower. Adjusting the light with the white boards is a great learning experience for us photographers and often leads to more inspirational and beautiful photographs. In the final macro photograph of the pink orchids I positioned the flower in the best possible way so that there were no other distracting branches or flowers in the composition. The aperture was set to f/11 providing sufficient Depth of Field and an exposure time of 1/5 second. An ISO100 setting minimized noise. In the post processing steps I minimally adjusted brightness, contrast and color saturation before sharpening the image of the Butterfly Orchid.

Florida Gators

2012-01-15T18:15:00.004-05:00

Photography Artwork of the Week - Pink Orchids

2012-01-15T15:02:00.009-05:00

This week's photo of the week is Pink Orchids showing beautiful flower photography artwork in full bloom.

Starting today through the week of 15 January 2012 this Flower Photography image, available as art print, acrylic, or on canvas, is on sale.

Florida Everglades Wood Storks

2012-01-12T19:56:00.016-05:00

Recently I explored the northern part of Everglades National Park along Florida US41. One morning there was patchy fog that turned out to be a nature and wildlife photographer's delight. The set up for the three Everglades Wood Storks opened up not far from the intersection of FL29 and US41 where several roadside ponds are present. The roadside ponds are small bodies of waters close to the road that attract lots of wading birds like ibis, egret, heron or the endangered wood stork. Attracted by the beautiful and promising scenery in front of me, I immediately pulled over. The first light of the morning was breaking through the fog and the Florida palm trees provided a wonderful backdrop for a hint of the location. The reflection of the wood storks and the egret to the right including the soft light hitting the birds provided the icing on the cake. I set up Tripod and equipped my camera with a 1.4x tele converter and a 70-200mm lens to frame the Wildlife within the foggy landscape. The wood storks were on a constant move, chasing their breakfast but then, once in a while, always stopped to rest for a few seconds. These were the seconds when I released the shutter to freeze the moment with my camera. The camera aperture was set to f/4.0 resulting in a shutter speed of 1/400 seconds. ISO was at 100. During post processing I minimally adjusted lighting, contrast and color saturation before sharpening.

Florida Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Photography

2012-01-09T15:25:00.013-05:00

During my last trip to southwest Florida I dedicated a visit to the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. This wildlife sanctuary is located just east of Fort Myers and rewards the photographer with a pristine habitat for nature photography. The water in the slough is always on the move although visitors often think of it as an area of small lakes with surrounding swampy areas. In fact though the water always flows like a shallow, slow moving river.

The 1.2 mile boardwalk guides one through different areas of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Pine woods lead into the cypress slough that is made of the hardwood transition area, flag ponds area in the center of the preserve and small islands of higher elevation called hammocks. The most visible and beautiful forms of wildlife found in the slough are permanent residents such as raccoon, grey squirrel, five-lined skink, red-shouldered hawk, woodpecker, heron, wild turkey, turtle, southern black racer, branded water snake, cottonmouth and alligator. Visitors that may pass through the slough are bobcat, river otter, deer and even black bear. During my short visit I encountered alligator, turtle, ibis, anhinga, blue heron, green, heron, black crowned night heron, egret and many other birds. Lots of the forest floor is covered with beautiful swamp ferns. Sage old cypress trees tower above and cypress knees that provide the cypress trees with additional support in the wet soil are everywhere.

Gator lake at the beginning of the boardwalk is spectacular in the evening hours. On my way out I stopped at the lake because of the rookery left of the overlook. I again was awarded with a spectacular nature setting. Flocks of egrets and other birds were flying in and landing in the one area of shrubs and trees opposite of the overlook. There were probably a hundred birds looking for a good night sleep.

I certainly will return to the beautiful six mile cypress slough preserve to experience more then the glimpse I got of the mysteries of this swamp.

Macro Flower Fine Art Photography

2012-01-08T11:30:00.004-05:00

Wildlife Photography at Kirby Storter Roadside Park

2012-01-03T19:47:00.009-05:00

On my last photo tour I explored the parks and wildlife along US 41 in Florida. US 41 borders Big Cypress National Preserve to the North and Everglades National Park to the South. Its abundant wildlife is a feast for every visitor, not just for nature and wildlife photographer. One of my last stops in the area was Kirby Storter Roadside Park. The park consists of a 1/4 mile boardwalk that first winds through saw grass before quickly emerging into a beautiful cypress swamp. The atmosphere is quite magical when one enters the cypress swamp; trees are overgrown and birds are peeping, egret, wood stork, heron and ibis are immediately noticeable. The boardwalk ends at a gator hole where I made out an American Alligator that unfortunately was to far away for a frame filling capture. On my way back out of this oasis I stumbled upon a mature White Ibis that was perching on a tree branch. This was Bird Photography made easy since the ibis was not disturbed by camera and my close distance. I tried various compositions to eliminate any distracting smaller branches of the tree and to get the best possible composition and image. Once I found my Photography Composition I manually focused on the blue eye of the bird to obtain the maximum detail and color of it. Camera aperture was set to f/4 resulting in an exposure time of 1/160 second. During post processing I removed dust spots, minimally adjusted contrast, lighting and color saturation before sharpening.

Photos on Canvas

2012-01-02T11:21:00.020-05:00

The other day I ordered a Photo on Canvas of Teary Rose Leaf from Easy Canvas Prints, an online printing provider offering various sizes for your photos on canvas at competitive pricing. Turns out selecting an appropriate image to print on canvas was more challenging then ordering the print from Easy Canvas Prints. The online shop is set up with the customer in mind. All functions and canvas choices are well designed and easy to navigate which made it a pleasure to upload and order. Upon ordering I instantly received an order verification via email. Two days later the canvas was ready to ship and I received another notification implying that the canvas was on its way. The process from ordering to delivery at our doorstep was extremely fast and I was looking forward to accessing the packing and quality of the canvas. The canvas was very well packed protecting it from any shipping damage. Bubble wrap may have provided further protection but the clean plastic wrap was just fine. The canvas turned out exactly like I viewed it online. The quality of the canvas itself is outstanding. Colors are vibrant and the detail is incredible, showcasing my Photography Artwork at its best potential ... thumps up for Easy Canvas Prints!

Photo of the Week - White Heron

2012-01-02T11:11:00.009-05:00

This week's photo of the week is Great White Heron in Everglades NP showing Florida bird photography at its best. Juergen carefully composed around the heron and foreground applying limited depth of field to emphasize and focus on the beauty of the bird.

Starting today through the week of 02 January 2012 this wildlife Bird Photography image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

Happy Holidys!

2011-12-22T14:42:00.004-05:00

I am off for a digital detox ~ same time of year, same place ~ My best to you and your family,
Juergen

Mission Impossible?

2011-12-21T20:38:00.008-05:00

Overcoming high contrast condition is not a mission impossible in photography. We as photographers are often challenged by difficult lighting conditions due to the high contrast of a sunset sky and the darker landscape scenery of a landscape in front of us, as in this landscape photograph of a blue dinghy, green marshland, and surrounding woods on Cape Cod. Metering on the boat and landscape scenery provided detail and good exposure in that area but blew out the beautiful sky colors because of the longer exposure time. On the other hand, metering on the sunset sky provided nice sky and cloud colors but little to no detail in the landscape and blue boat because of the shorter exposure time. As a solution I used the exposure time from focusing and metering on the blue boat that provided a correct exposure setting for the marsh landscape and dinghy in the foreground. I then hand-held a 1 stop graduated neutral density filter in front of my lens, placing it near the edge where sky and landscape met. Applying the 1 stop split neutral density filter reduced the incoming light on the sky and clouds above the horizon, maintaining its colors while the blue fishing boat, marshland, wooden area, and sky reflection in the river were correctly exposed for a Serene Cape Cod landscape photography with impact and strong foreground composition.

Who is your Santa?

2011-12-18T09:23:00.007-05:00

Even after photographing for nearly two decades, Mother Nature still catches me by surprise. The little things that she provides near my home, at my home, or on the road still give a never ending inspiration.

Just the other day, I had one of these moments when I discovered a tiny 2 inch autumn leaf on our living room window. What amazed me the most was that it was so perfectly straight and aligned. Curiosity kicked in and made me wonder how the leaf actually ended up where it was. If one thinks about it, the fall leaf must have been blown off a tree nearby to start its journey, traveled through the air and then with the help of the rain and raindrops glued itself to our window. And this all happened over night during a feisty rainstorm, early in the morning or just seconds before I looked out of the window to figure out what the possibilities for exceptional nature photography would be that day. Mind boggling, isn't it?

Because the lighting on the leaf was so exceptional I had to pull out my camera and tripod. The beautiful neon like leaf illumination was created by an overcast morning light where the sun is almost breaking through the clouds. The background in the picture was made of the lawn and trees in the park opposite our house. So, who is your Santa? Mother Nature definitely is my Santa and if I open my mind and eyes, she brings joy, day in and day out. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Heartwarming Flower Fine Art Photography

2011-12-18T09:20:00.002-05:00

City of Boston Skyline Photography Artwork

2011-12-12T14:11:00.003-05:00

Photo of the Week - Zantedeschia

2011-12-12T11:11:00.005-05:00

This week's photo of the week is Zantedeschia showing an abstract version of a beautiful orange Calla Lily. Juergen composed around the forms and orange tones while using lines and edges to guide the viewer through the photograph. Learn more about this photo and his award winning photography at his nature photography blog "Where in the World is Juergen?".

Starting today through the week of 12 December 2011 this Flower Photography image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

Photography 101 - Discovering Form

2011-12-11T21:07:00.009-05:00

There are many elements of design, which include shape, line, pattern and texture. When combined, we experience form within a two-dimensional media. Each of these can make or break a photograph. I consider them equally important, but I look at the element of form as the most important element of art. Forms are defined by their ... Learn More.

Trust Your Photographic Instincts

2011-12-04T12:59:00.008-05:00

Witnessing a sunrise is always very special but becomes magical in Maine Acadia National Park. This time I was destined to capture one of these moments with my camera and made my way out to famous Monument Cove in the early wee hours. I was one with nature and deer were greeting me along the scenic Acadia National Park park loop road. I figured somewhere in the woods a black bear or an owl must watch me pass by. While driving to my location I was thinking of climbing down to Monument Cove to shoot abstracts of Green Pebbles at sunrise. But as often in my photography, after arrival, I changed plans and followed my photographic instincts. Instead of stumbling down into the cove I decided to make my way over to the granite rocky seacoast above the cove. After capturing First Light, I made my way farther along the coastline, looking for other interesting foreground features that make for great photography. Not far from my original location, I found this tiny evergreen tree that looked like a cute little Bonsai tree in this grand Maine landscape. The tree made for a perfect foreground subject that conveys depth and perspective of the rigid seacoast. The beautiful morning light was still striking the Evergreen tree, granite rock formation and Otter Cliff in the far distance when I set up my camera and tripod for one more shot. In this seacoast photography image I had set the focal length to 28mm and the aperture to f/14. Combined with an ISO100 setting these settings provided a 1/30 second exposure time. I underexposed by 2/3 stops to saturate colors. During post processing I slightly adjusted contrast, lighting, and color saturation before sharpening and saving the image. So glad I once again trusted my photographic instincts ...

Photography Artwork of the Week

2011-12-04T09:42:00.008-05:00

This week's photo of the week is Radiant Orchid showing beautiful flower photography artwork in full bloom. Starting today through the week of 04 December 2011 this Flower Photography Artwork image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/radiant-orchid-juergen-roth.html

Artful Cape Cod Photography Give Away

2011-12-01T20:09:00.010-05:00

Follow the link and comment on my Serene Cape Cod photography artwork for a chance to win a signed 8x10 print, framed to 14x17 inches. The signed and framed photo print of this Massachusetts Cape Cod photography will be raffled off from all comments on 15 Jan 2012. This includes free shipping of the photography art ... good luck!

Boston Skyline Photography

2011-11-21T13:52:00.005-05:00

Post sunset is one of my favorite times to take photographs; this applies to landscape as well as city skyline Photography. I regularly go out and capture the Boston City Skyline at twilight on days that I am not occupied hunting for nature photographs. The best time is 20 to 30 minutes after the sun has set. The optimum light and magic of twilight does not last long. Because twilight is hard to predict I set up my tripod and camera prior to the actual sunset and then fire away once the sun sets and disappears. This approach requires sufficient battery power and flash card memory to keep shooting while closing in on the optimum light. The Twilight Effect also works on cloudy days and really long exposure times are not unusual.

The other day I set up on the parking garage of Boston Science museum. It is one of my favorite locations and I love to see the sunlight fade and the city lights come to life. This day I went straight to work and kept on photographing the City Skyline of Boston while the sun was setting and disappearing. I included in the composition the skyline reflections and such Boston landmarks as the Longfellow Bridge, Prudential Center, John Hancock building and placed the Charlesgate Yacht Club as a foreground feature. The exposure of the photograph was timed to to coincide with the Boston T subway crossing over the Longfellow Bridge. At ISO 100, the aperture was set to f/4.5 resulting in a 10 second exposure time. In the post processing steps I removed dust spots, minimally adjusted lighting and color saturation before sharpening.

Anatomy of a Lily Flower

2011-11-19T09:23:00.006-05:00

Photo of the Week - Hygrangeas

2011-11-13T19:05:00.005-05:00

This week's photo of the week is Hydrangeas showing local New England flower photography in full bloom. Juergen applied the rule of thirds for the composition and a Polarizing Filter to saturate colors and remove distracting glare on the flower petals.

Starting today through the week of 14 November 2011 this Flower Photography image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/hydrangeas-juergen-roth.html

Morning Maple

2011-11-13T17:21:00.017-05:00

I love when the morning or afternoon sunlight strikes and illuminates the colors of fall foliage. In this photo of maple tree leaves from the inspiring Boston Arnold Arboretum I isolated a branch with four maple leaves in peak autumn colors. The leaves were sun-kissed while the background made out of shrubs and other tree foliage remained mostly in the shade. I used a Polarizing Filter to further darken the shadow parts, adding more drama and enhancing the natural green, yellow and orange colors. The polarizer also eliminated any unwanted and distracting glare on the foliage. A 70-200mm lens, fully zoomed in, produced the limited Depth of Field and background bokeh that I had envisioned, laying the attention solely on the beautiful fall colored foliage. At first, the wind was kind of a problem but increasing the ISO from 100 to 200, lots of patience and multiple exposures guaranteed a useable photographic capture of this beautiful autumn scenery. The higher ISO setting allowed me to set a camera aperture of f/8 and provided a shutter speed of 1/200 second. I chose to underexpose by 1 full stop to saturate and intensify colors. During post processing I removed dust spots, minimally adjusted contrast, lighting and color saturation before sharpening the final Fall Foliage photography image.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/maple-glow-juergen-roth.html

Root Awakening

2011-11-12T18:25:00.015-05:00

Human forms in nature is something I always look for when I head out into the field. It all started in the White Mountains of New Hampshire when I stumbled upon roots that appeared very human; in fact like a "Resting" person lost in the woods. Once hooked I continued the quest and made it now a lifelong project. More recently I found someone "Crawling" on Little Hunters Beach in Acadia National Park and "Strolling" in the Boston Arnold Arboretum.

Macro Photography of a Raindrop

2011-11-07T12:10:00.009-05:00

Originally I was shooting for raindrops on leaves in the Boston Arnold Arboretum but the wind made it impossible to capture a sharp image that day. I then started focusing on the ground where I was looking for a raindrop on a blade of grass with a decent background to use. Not far from where I hoped to find raindrop covered leaves, I was able to pin down a decent sized raindrop that was in front of a large orange leaf. As expected the wind was not that imminent at ground level and I exposed multiple images to ensure I capture the colorful autumn like droplet image I had envisioned. The setting is shown above and I originally wrote about the final image, technique and circumstance in my blog "I love the rain". Thought it's worthwhile sharing the tiny landscape setting I found in addition.

Photo of the Week

2011-11-06T09:10:00.006-05:00

This week's photo of the week is "NE Fall Foliage" showing the Boston Arnold Arboretum in peak New England fall foliage colors. Juergen used a polarizing filter to saturate colors and remove distracting glare on the leaves and to boost autumn colors in this landscape photography setting.

Starting today through the week of 07 November 2011 this image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/ne-fall-foliage-juergen-roth.html

Landscape Photography at Boston Jamaica Pond

2011-11-06T08:57:00.008-05:00

Since the first time I saw this tree in the middle of Jamaica Pond I have been fascinated by it. My wife and I sometimes walk around the pond for a stroll and I often thought about how to capture this tree at its most beautiful. I never succeeded or even really tried since the shoreline behind is covered with the boat house and residential buildings. In 2009 though, on a foggy and misty morning in Boston, I decided to make my way over to the Boston Arnold Arboretum for a photo excursion. When I turned the keys to start up my car that morning I already knew that I was in for a special landscape photography treat. When driving up the road leading to Jamaica Pond I saw heavy fog across the pond. Excitement immediately rose and a smile crossed my lips. While finally turning around the corner to the main pond road the perfect picture arose out of fog. Best of all there was no distracting background. I instantly made a u-turn to park the car, pulled out my tripod from the trunk and walked down to the shoreline and followed the dirt path around the pond looking for the best composition. I didn't need to walk far and only a few joggers passed me on that early morning. I set-up the tripod, composed my image off center to include the tree reflection and part of the tree-lined shoreline. The focal length was set between 28 and 35mm, aperture setting was f/5.6 resulting in a shutter speed of 1/15 sec. Once I knew I had my image I took a deep breath of joy and moved on to my original destination, the Boston Arnold Arboretum.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/jamaica-pond-juergen-roth.html

Acadia National Park Fall Foliage Photography

2011-10-23T12:18:00.016-04:00

When I visited magical Acadia National Park in Maine for a couple of days of pristine fall foliage photography over Columbus Day weekend, I found the reds and yellows of the trees in peak autumn colors. I remember thinking upon arrival that it would be great to bring home a photograph that somewhat conveys the immense color burst and beauty of Acadia National Park during the famous New England fall foliage season. On the second morning it all fell into place when I was driving to Eagle Lake where I was planning to photograph after sunrise. Half way into the drive, on Route 233, I noticed a small stand of black birch trees with prime red fall foliage in front of a beautiful canopy of yellow leaves. The morning light perfectly illuminated the leaves and was exactly what I had envisioned. I quickly decided to make a u-turn and work the subject. First I moved around with tripod and camera and tried wider compositions. I then realized that a tighter composition would be more beneficial and I settled to cut out the blue sky and only include the complimenting yellow canopy in the back. I kept the reflection of the red leaves to emphasis the surrounding water. At ISO 100 and an aperture setting of f/11, the camera provided me with a shutter speed of 1/10 second. A polarizing filter eliminated any distracting glare in combination with an exposure composition of 2/3 steps boosted colors. In the post processing I minimally adjusted contrast, lighting and color saturation before sharpening the image. So glad I made the u-turn ...

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/black-birch-tree-splendor-juergen-roth.html

Portraits of Flowers

2011-10-20T19:42:00.004-04:00

Photo of the Week

2011-10-16T10:32:00.004-04:00

This week's photo of the week is "Another World" showing a raindrop on a blade of grass that was taken in the Boston Arnold Arboretum. Juergen used natural light and a fallen autumn foliage leaf to illuminate and bring out the natural colors of the macro photography setting.

Starting today through the week of 17 October 2011 this image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/another-world-juergen-roth.html

First Light Seacoast Photography

2011-10-16T09:10:00.015-04:00

Witnessing a sunrise is always very special but becomes magical in Maine Acadia National Park. This time I was destined to capture one of this moments with my camera and made my way out to famous Monument Cove in the early wee hours. I was one with nature and deers were greeting me along the scenic park loop road. I figured somewhere in the woods a black bear or owl must watch me pass by. While driving to my location I was thinking of climbing down to Monument Cove to shoot abstracts of Green Pebbles at sunrise. But as often in my photography, after arrival, I changed plans and followed my photographic instincts. Instead of stumbling down into the cove I decided to make my way over to the granite rock seacoast above the cove. There was one other photographer in the same area and I later found out that Tony Sweet was working the green pebbles in Monument Cove. I immediately looked around for a suitable foreground feature to convey depth and perspective of the rigid seacoast at sunrise. It did not require much of a search to find a great setting. With the First Light striking the granite rock formation in front of me I started releasing the shutter. In this seacoast photography image I had set the aperture to f/14 and chose an ISO100 setting that provided me with a 20 second exposure time. I used a graduated neutral density filter to overcome the high contrast of foreground and sky. During post processing I slightly adjusted contrast, lighting, and color saturation before sharpening and saving the image. So glad I went and changed plans ...

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/art/all/acadia+national+park/all

I love the rain

2011-10-13T17:07:00.021-04:00

Yesterday it was raining on and off in Boston but nevertheless I made my way over to the Boston Arnold Arboretum for a macro photography shoot. I envisioned the leaves covered in raindrops and knew the overcast sky makes for good close-up photography. My goal was to find some extraordinary raindrops on leaves that I could beautifully frame in a photograph. Last year I found a special area of shrubs in full orange and red fall foliage covered in raindrops. Unfortunately not that lucky this year! Instead I had to put in a little extra work by looking around nearby. I actually was looking for dropped colored leaves on the ground that would make for nice backdrops and secondly for a good sized raindrop that would be the main photographic subject. Finally I stumbled upon a large orange leaf with a good sized raindrop on a blade of grass in front of it; perfect I thought! It's truly amazing what nature offers when one looks carefully around. I tried multiple compositions from all angles but settled on a side view that allowed me to use the orange leaf as a full background. With the tripod and camera lowered to ground level, I adjusted the aperture setting to f/16 for maximum Depth of Field. The slightly windy conditions turned out to be quite the problem. I had to sacrifice a low ISO setting for a faster shutter speed and changed the ISO from 100 to 400, providing me with an exposure time of 1/4 second. I then used the camera self timer to minimize camera shake and enhance picture quality. During the post processing process, I removed dust spots, minimally adjusted contrast, lighting, and color saturation before sharpening the final image of Another World. It's raining ... it's pouring ... but I ain't complaining 'cause I love the rain ...

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/another-world-juergen-roth.html

Common Green Darner Dragonfly

2011-10-12T18:14:00.020-04:00

Columbus day weekend is fall foliage peak and prime season for Northern New England and I spent a couple of days in Bar Harbor, Maine to visit Acadia National Park. On my last morning I made my way along Ocean Drive and photographed famous landmarks like Monument Cove and Otter Cliff. After the early morning shoot I decided to stop one more time and chose Little Hunters Beach. Little Hunters Beach is a small cobble stone beach tucked away off the scenic park loop road and I once discovered some great driftwood here that made it into my ongoing human forms in nature collection. This time I focused on abstract reflections of rock formations in small tide pools; they made for great subjects and came out nicely. After the shoot I packed up and stumbled across the cobble stones, watching my steps so as not to trip when I suddenly spotted this green burst of color in front of me. The totally unexpected: A common green darner dragonfly clawing to the cobbles stones enjoying the early morning sun! I instantly took out my camera, changed lenses and adjusted the camera aperture to be ready in case the dragonfly didn't take off right away. Let me tell you, luck was on my side this morning. I carefully crawled closer to get a frame filling macro photography image and while in the early morning insects are often lethargic, this one was almost ready to go. I quickly adjusted my camera aperture setting to f/5.6, moved the camera into range, focused, composed the photograph, and captured the photo before the common green darner dragonfly took off. The insect challenged me by giving me only one shot ... darn it, darner!

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/common-green-darner-dragonfly-juergen-roth.html

Artful Give Away Raffle

2011-10-12T13:55:00.009-04:00

Artful give away: Like my facebook page and leave a comment on Teary Rose Leaf for a chance to win a signed 8x10 print, framed to 14x17 inches of it. The signed and framed print of this macro nature photography will be raffled off from all comments received by 27 Nov 2011, 11:59 a.m. This includes shipping in the US, oversees will have to pick up the difference … good luck!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Juergen-Roth-Photography/91467613868

Photo of the Week - Rare Beauty

2011-10-03T21:15:00.007-04:00

This week's photo of the week is "Rare Beauty" showing an orchid in bloom and was taken in the comfort of my home. I used natural light and white card boards to illuminate and bring out the natural color of the orchid.

Starting today through the week of 03 October 2011 this image, available as art print or on canvas, is on sale.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/rare-beauty-juergen-roth.html

Nature Visions - Our Natural World Captured

2011-10-03T20:57:00.009-04:00

This week I guest blogged at Nature Vision - Our Natural World Captured, discussing tree leaf photography at the Boston Arnold Arboretum. One does not always travel far to capture nature's beauty ... you often find it right at your doorstep:

http://naturevisions.org/blog

While you there make sure to check out the link to the 2011 Nature Visions – A Mid-Atlantic Photography Association Expo
November 11-13, 2011 – Manassas, Virginia as well!

http://naturevisions.org

Mastering the Art of ICM published by Apogee Photo Magazine

2011-09-24T09:56:00.009-04:00

Discover Intentional Camera Movement for your photography through my article "Mastering the Art of Intentional Camera Movement" published by Apogee Photo Magazine. In the publication I discuss how to successfully capture abstract photographs, what photography subjects are best for ICM and how to set up your camera. Grab your camera, move that camera and have fun with it!

http://www.apogeephoto.com/sept2011/jroth92011.shtml

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com

New England Fall Foliage Trip Planning

2011-09-21T20:53:00.006-04:00

Planning any New England fall foliage leaf peeping or photography trips this year. Here is quite a good site but make sure you plan your trips around "High Color". I had better luck finding these glorious New England fall colors in the past around that time:

http://www.foliagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=300:ne-foliage-report-4-2011&catid=34:northeast-us&Itemid=68\

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com

Thoughts on Abstract Macro Photography Art

2011-09-18T19:54:00.025-04:00

If you look at my photography artwork portfolio, you can tell that I like to photograph everything: landscapes, seascapes, flowers, fall foliage, rushing water, mushrooms, close ups, macros, sports ... the list is endless. One area I fell in love with and focused my efforts on over the past years is macro photography. Close up photography comes with many advantages like keeping traveling expenses low while shooting in your own backyard, local rose garden or arboretum. Lighting is not as critical as it is for your scenic landscape and seascape photography. Overcast is often the best choice for success. In particular I enjoy the intriguing world of flower photography. Discovering the colors, forms and texture within the flowers has become my prime photographic target. Getting in real close and exploring the unknown is a great joy. Creating floral abstracts using the elements of design is truly inspiring and a great creative outlet for me.

Usually, we as photographers strive for sharpness from foreground to horizon within our compositions. I challenged my own quest by moving in closer and using my photographic tools to the fullest. Now-a-days it excites me to work with only millimeters of depth of field. Challenging and stimulating the viewers brain and curiosity is priceless.

Next time you are out and about, give macro photography a try but beware, you may get hooked.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/art/all/abstract+photography/all

Photo of the Week - Peter's Hill

2011-09-18T14:39:00.003-04:00

This week's photo is Boston Arnold Arboretum that shows Peter's Hill in full Spring boom. I choose this image because a visitor to my art exhibit at the Hunneman Hall in Brookline mentioned to me that it looks like a painting ... what better compliment to ask for .. she made my day!

Starting today each photography print and canvas of this landscape photography from the Boston Arnold Arboretum is on sale throughout the week of 19 September 2011.

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/boston-arnold-arboretum-juergen-roth.html

Natural oil - looks like pollution, but it is not!

2011-09-08T19:52:00.012-04:00

I always wondered about the oil film that can be observed between the pond and the upland when exploring the wildlife sanctuary Hall's Pond in Brookline. I remember when I encountered the oil film the first time I was very worried about some kind of pollution but the opposite is true. From the Hall's Pond brochure I quote: This area is a wooded wetland, where trees grow on mounds of soil and water collects during wet seasons. Peat soil lies under the area and as this material decomposes, it releases natural oils as well as nutrients needed by small organisms. This oil on the water may look like pollution, but it is not. After many years of visiting the sanctuary I finally feel that I captured an image that may pay some tribute to the phenomenon. I was enjoying the birds and the view from the viewing platform, but looked down and immediately recognized the potential for exceptional abstract macro photography. I set up my tripod and worked my way closer towards the photographic subject. The final image was taken at ISO100 and an aperture of f/11, providing an exposure time of 1/5 seconds. Personally I love the abstract nature of the image and the glare of the oil. The droplets on the yellow leaves and natural arrangement of them add interest as well. I am very delighted that there is no pollution involved and I am even more inspired to go back and work the subject more ... so stay tuned for the next round!

http://juergen-roth.artistwebsites.com/featured/the-world-as-we-dont-know-it-juergen-roth.html

Interview with Nature Photographer Juergen Roth

2011-09-08T19:47:00.010-04:00

Has your style changed from when you first began? If so, why?

Over the years my style changed dramatically. I taught myself basic photography skills and developed my techniques, compositions, use of colors and light further so I can most effectively strive for the best photograph possible at the time. I often head out to photograph abstract macros these days. Macro photography keeps the budget in balance because of local destinations … no need to travel by train, car or train and getting up in the wee hours of the morning to catch the brilliant light. I am also currently pursuing intentional camera movement photography and try to enhance my portfolio.

What kind of equipment do you use?

Five years ago I gave up on my Canon film camera and joined the digital armada. I still use canon equipment solely and my film prints are now digitalized. I currently researching a new camera with a complete new set of lenses … it’s like Christmas in summer for a photog like me!

The complete interview is published through 1st Angel Arts Magazine:

http://fineartamerica.com/pressreleases/1-interview-with-nature-fine-art-photographer-juergen-roth.html