27Oct

Kolo Content- write a book review, receive a free frame with your own image printed inside!

KOLO CONTEST for all my photo friends, fans, followers!  
 
 
I put this out to all my Facebook, Twitter, & Google+ photo friends last week, but no one has added a review for my current book, so I wanted to blog about it as well.

 
The first TWO people to post a review of my book on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Nature-Photography-Professional/dp/0817400109) will receive a coupon code for a free 11×14 Kolo frame.  You can personalize by adding a photo, which Kolo will print (at roughly 8×10), mat, frame (in the 11×14 frame of your choosing) and ship to your home- about a $50 value.  This is only valid for US and Canada customers.  
 
 
 
I printed one myself, a photo of my wife and I (taken with my iPhone), and I love the results. Check it out below: 
 
 
So if you’ve read my new nature photography book (The Complete Guide to Nature Photography- Amphoto/Random House) write a review now and win!  Here are details and links again:
 
 
I will see your name and will message you through Amazon – then email me your information and Kolo will email you providing a coupon code.
 
Pick your Kolo frame and personalize it by uploading one of your photos (the Dearborn or Holden frames to personalize): http://kolo.com/mykolo/shop/products/frames/

If you are interesting in purchasing one of my how-to photo books (great for holiday gifts), The Complete Guide to Nature Photography, or, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure, go here: http://www.seanarbabi.com/products_books.html

Thank you!
14Oct

Fall Outdoor Photography Tips

I just loaded this tip on the Perfect Picture School of Photography (PPSOP), and wanted to share it with all of you as well…enjoy!

FALL OUTDOOR PHOTO TIPS

As we move through October, depending on where you live, the weather has begun to cool and dry out, leaves are slowing drifting off the trees, and the colors are changing into wonderful hues of yellow, orange, and red – whether in pumpkins or maple leaves- fall is everywhere. Here are a few tips toward better autumn photography:
#1) Easier or quicker usually doesn’t mean better
When you happen upon a nice fall landscape, don’t just settle for a photo from the spot you first noticed it. Move around to find a great foreground, search for that best angle, locate that optimal place to set your tripod down, wait for better light – as we say in the industry, work the scene. Subtle changes with light and location in your colorful compositions can make a huge difference.
#2) Exposure and Flash creates saturated color
If you underexpose red, it will become a deep maroon red – overexpose red and it will become pink. The same goes for colors like orange and yellow. If you don’t understand your meter and miss exposures on these colors, you will lose a big part of your autumn scene. Learn how to expose scenes like this and your autumn landscapes will improve. Another trick is using your strobe in shady situations. Light adds color, so if you capture wonderful warm autumn hues in the cool light of shade, these colors tend to cancel each other out – add flash to these scenes and the direct specular light brings that color back. My book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure can help with this tip: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0817435549
without flash (above)
with flash (above)

#3) Make those colors pop
If you’ve ever seen a color wheel, you begin to understand the relationship of various hues and why they may or may not pop off an image. Red is close to being the opposite of green, yellow is the opposite of blue, and orange sits somewhere between – closer to cyan. If you are able to find subject matter to emphasize these differences, you can produce a fall image where the color jumps off the screen – it’s why a red tree among a row of evergreens, or a mix of fall colored-leaves lying in a puddle with the reflection of the blue sky has so much impact.
#4) Use the weather and the season to your advantage
When the season changes, so does the weather, and consequently the environment as well. As leaves fall from trees, they begin to thin out and new views emerge, nonexistent when the tree was full during summer months. New scenery opening up like this can create window-light framing for backgrounds. If the wrong weather rolls in covering a blue sky, consider shooting scenes that don’t include it. Snow-fed rivers once raging during spring and early summer months have less water passing through them, allowing you to capture still water moments or crisp reflections. When working with translucent subjects like leaves, consider backlighting them in order for the light to shine through – this brings out those wonderful tones and intricate shapes and details.
But the best tip I could give is to simply make the effort to get out there with your camera – the beauty of nature is powerful, and the changing of a season is magical.

PLEASE NOTE:
My new book, The Complete Guide to Nature Photography, comes out in less than two months (December 6th)- I received an advance copy last week and it looks amazing. Pre-orders are available online at a number of stores including Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Nature-Photography-Professional/dp/0817400109
If you are interested in taking an online workshop with me, you can be anywhere in the world, read the lessons at your leisure, shoot what you want when you want, and receive solid feedback. Join me on PPSOP sometime for four weeks of fun! Nature and Landscape Photography online course: http://www.ppsop.net/land.aspx
08May

Books in the works….

The past few months I’ve been working on my second book – due out in the summer/fall of 2011, it will be based on nature photography- one of my first photographic loves. I thoroughly enjoy the process of writing a book because it brings out so much of what you do subconsciously, and reminds you of the many steps you take to capture a great photo.


I’ve also had the chance to capture new images without the limitations of a specific assignment- something I haven’t done much of for years.

Another book is also in the works, completely different from anything I’ve done so far- I’ll share more as it develops.

So over the next month or so, I may be absent on the blogasphere, but check me out on my Facebook fan page, where I try to pop in a number of times a week: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arbabi-Imagery-Sean-Arbabi-photography/122003760806

I’m a Flickr nut too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arbabi/

During the summer I’ll run a few workshops in the Bay Area and a few online (in between assignments), while planning a very exciting one I hope to make happen during the fall. Then in 2011, I may have an international workshop is an amazing location- more info to come.

Even with all of this activity, I continue to push forth my tv show on photography with my partner – we passionately believe in the project and hope to find a champion for it. More promotion as well as another tv spot also in the works.

Last bit a news- I was stoked to see my first book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure, hit #10 on Amazon’s Photo How-to section today- it continues to sell well, get great reviews, and I have signed copies available for anyone interested- check it out on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0817435549

Or on my site (with links to bookstores around the world): http://www.seanarbabi.com/book_exposure.html

Thanks for lettin’ me spread the news & promote- when you put your blood, sweat, and tears into projects, half of the excitement is sharing it with others.
16Dec

46 seconds about my book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure

Just a quick video message from about me and my exposure book – if you’re looking for a book to improve your photography, check it out!


To buy the book or get more info, go to: http://www.seanarbabi.com/book_exposure.html


Happy Holidays everyone!

27May

Signed copies of my book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure

For anyone interested in improving their photographic skill and learning more about exposure, you can order a signed copy of my book directly through us by going to this link:


Click on the “Buy Now” link and pay using any credit card through PayPal. We’ll mail out a signed copy, and if you’d like me to sign anything specific besides my name, let us know.

The book remains in the top 50 photo books since January, has received a number of great reviews on Amazon as well as other websites, is packed with solid info, over 250 images, fun assignments, and more.

15Mar

Update on my book: The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure


Hello everyone! Just wanted to spread the word about how well my book is doing, and to thank you all for the wonderful support through your purchases, attending a book signing, and the great reviews! Me feel special.


MEDIA COVERAGE & AMAZON: The book was ranked at its highest today on Amazon (#9,068, up from #337,000 when it first came out!), #21 for How-to photo books, and in the top 50 photo books the past 8 weeks. Reviews on Amazon are coming in as well with two wonderful ones from A Obannon in NJ and the Midwest Book Review in WI – big thanks to both of you!). Add your own review when you can – the more reviews we receive, the better the book will do.

I also did a tv segment on The View from the Bay, two radio spots with ABC radio WKPT and Inside Digital Photo Radio, had a feature interview in East Bay newspapers, with many others discussing the book online, from Jain Lemos’ blog to Zoom Street (coming up in April). Popular Photography also ran an online “tip of the day” using an excerpt from the book. Listen to some interviews on our how-to site, PhotoGuru.tv.

BOOK SIGNING EVENTS: We had two great signings, one at Clayton Books and another at Borders Books – both in February. I have three upcoming events between March and June – get my sign on:

One in Las Vegas NV in two weeks (March 26th, Thursday @ 4pm at Casey’s Cameras), one in Walnut Creek CA (April 2nd, Thursday @ 7pm at Barnes & Noble), and another in Seattle WA (June 12th, Friday @ 6:30pm at Third Place Books).

Great locations for some fun signings – I’ll talk a bit about my photo career, how I came to write the book, show some images, discuss the content of the book, and answer some questions (and of course sign many books!). For more info, go to our events page on our site: http://www.seanarbabi.com/workshops_lecture.html

Want to buy a signed copy of my book? That will cost you big time. Actually you can easily by going to our site links (listed below) and click on the “Buy Now” link. If you have a specific request for what you’d like me to write (besides my signature), you can add the message there – such as “To the most amazing photographer who’s work I never reviewed”, or “To the greatest book purchaser in all the land!”.

Signed copy on my main site, SeanArbabi.com: http://www.seanarbabi.com/book_exposure.html
Signed copies through our PhotoGuru.tv site: http://www.photoguru.tv/store.html

PHOTO WORKSHOPS: I’m also teaching courses on Exposure on the web and in the field. If you combine all of the information in my book, with hands-on teaching allowing you to ask questions and interact with me (whether shooting in the field or getting critiques on your images), you’ll be well on your way toward improving your photo skills. People will bow as you walk by, camera in hand, and knowledge in brain.

I teach a 4-week course on Exposure almost every month at BetterPhoto.com (Better Exposure – How to Meter Light), and will teach live at two venues this year – Art Wolfe’s Digital Photography Center in Seattle WA (June 11-14th – Exposure A to Z: The Ins and Outs of Metering Light), and the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops in Santa Fe NM (July 27th –August 1st – The Art of Travel Lighting).

The past ten years, I’ve taught students in 25 countries and over 40 states around the US – a wonderful mix of beginners, enthusiastic amateurs, and just plain good ‘ol photo folk – sure, I few pain-in-the-rears in there, but I can handle ’em. For more info and new courses, go to our workshops page: http://www.seanarbabi.com/workshops.html


NEW BOOKS: Besides my tv show we’re working hard to get on air, I’m also working on two new books, hoping both come out in 2010. Yes, they’ll involve photography yet in different ways from my exposure book – no romance novel yet in my future. Keep an eye out!

Look forward to meeting you at one of my book signings or workshops, and thanks again!
20Jan

Radio interviews, News profiles, and the life of a working photographer

Wanted to update everyone on all the happenings around the release of my new book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure (out in bookstores around the world).


Lots of fun highlights, but anyone who’s a working photographer knows, we love talking a good game, but our job is not nearly glamorous. It’s hard work, frustration, long hours, feast or famine, tons of marketing trying to land new jobs, consistently reinventing yourself, and so on – and that’s after 19 years in the game. Regardless, my book is out, it was many months of work, and I’m gonna take the fact that the light is shining on me just a bit.


Inside Digital Photo Radio: Had an interview with Scott Sheppard last Friday on my book and career- it went great. If you’re not familiar with them, they produce this show (80,000 listeners) along with: Inside Analog Photo Radio, Inside Mac Radio, Inside Mac TV, and more. They have a large audience bringing thoughtful interviews and information on new gear, photographer profiles, and trade show news to the listener. My interview will be out on their site and iTunes Podcast soon.

WKPT ABC Radio (an ABC News affiliate broadcasting to East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, & Western North Carolina via AM 1400, AM1490, AM 1590, FM 94.3, FM 97.7, and FM 97.9) will interview me on Tuesday, February 3rd, at 10am Eastern Standard Time for their popular mid-morning talk show, “AM Tri-Cities“.

Bay Area News Group: The largest media publisher in California (4th in the nation) will be interviewing me for their Career Profile section, an in-depth Q&A feature on a successful professional. The piece will appear Sunday March 1st in all of their publications including The Contra Costa Times, The San Jose Mercury News, The Marin Independent Journal, and The Oakland Tribune.

The View From The Bay: ABC’s San Francisco affiliate station KGO Channel 7 will be interviewing me for their Bay Area tv show Monday February 23rd. Want to come? Need tickets? Visit the event on Facebook with all the info and phone numbers to get tickets and see the live taping: Facebook/ View From the Bay event

The Modesto Bee: One of the bigger newspapers serving California’s Central Valley will feature my book in their book reviews page this Sunday (January 25th)

JainLemos.com: Ran a nice blurb on my work, my book, our recent conversation, and my goals in photography- check it out!

Zoom Street: An online magazine covering the world of digital photography will be profiling my Exposure book in their March issue.

For more info on monthly happenings, go to our This Month page on our site: http://www.seanarbabi.com/thismonth.html or our Lecture & Workshop page: http://www.seanarbabi.com/workshops.html


Enough self promotion! Next blog, back to photo gear, software, tips & tricks, and more!
12Dec

Book Signing Events for my book – The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure


In 2009, I’ll be holding a number of book signing events in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, as well as other possible US locations for my book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure (Random House/ Amphoto/ Watson-Guptill).


I’ll talk a bit about photographic exposure, share some experiences from various assignments around the world, take a few questions, catch everyone off-guard with a pop-quiz (just kidding), and sign books. It’s always a nice intimate settings where people can feel comfortable meeting the author to find out more about a book or a topic.

Bookstore locations will include Clayton Books (Clayton, CA – Feb 15th), Borders Books (Pleasanton CA – Feb 28th, and possibly in NV, NM, or WA), Barnes & Noble (Walnut Creek CA – April 2nd, NV, WA) and possibly at the Book Passage (Mill Valley, CA). I’ll also be in Las Vegas at Casey’s Cameras on March 26th or 27th.

Here’s a link on my main site to all book signing dates, locations, times and venues: http://www.seanarbabi.com/workshops_lecture.html

More dates will be added soon!

I’m very proud of the book, believe it will help many with their image-making skills, and it’s already getting great reviews on Amazon.com.

So mark your calendars, come out and join us, pick up a book to improve your photography (less than $30 – cheap!), and have me sign a copy for you!
03Dec

Photoshop CS4 continued and my book on Amazon.com

Here’s a link to my book on Amazon.com – it’s out January 6th, 2009, and sellin’ like hot cakes.  If you want to learn all about photographic exposure, which includes many aspects of photography that will help you improve your skills, pre-order it today.  It’s less than $20 and with over 225 pages, 200 photos, diagrams, and lessons, it’s worth every dollar!

And if you live outside the United States, there are over 30 sites carrying the book, in places like Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom.

Moving back to Photoshop CS4, as I began to

 get up-to-speed on the recent release, my new favorite toy is the clone tool with now offers a preview of the clone before you ever click on an area in a photo – it’s fantastic!  Not only does it save you a step of cloning if the clone is wrong (in tone, color, subject matter, etc), but it also helps a ton with lines and patterns of any kind (branches, building, power lines, road markings, and so on).

More to come on all the new Adobe’s Photoshop CS4 features, as well as the rest of Adobe’s Master Collection!
03Oct

My Flomax commercial…not really

Okay- here I was, up in the state of Washington heading over the border to British Columbia, shooting a few editorial magazine jobs in both areas- combining it with a sports / road trip, just happy to be with good friends – something I’ve needed for a long time.  


And as we drove from Seattle to Vancouver by way of Snohomish, I sat in the back seat (a place I’m definitely not use to) with a smile on my face and a slow heartbeat.  We joked about someday renting a convertible and being the guys in the flomax commercial.  As we headed up Interstate 5 towards the US/Canada border, we past a beautiful forested area near Bellingham and Mt Baker where I shot this image.

Although it was an impromptu capture of friends on a road trip, and a nice but not once-in-a-lifetime-photo, it still took all of my photographic exposure experience to meter the outdoor light, use my pop-up fill-flash to add detail in the backlit shaded interior (couldn’t use my strobe flash unit since it was just too large in the Acura TL we were riding in), chose a super wide-angle lens to frame the scene, all the while driving 70 MPH in the small sedan with the sun shining straight into my lens (an aspect I desired since I knew it would add an extra spark to the scene).

My exposure was f/5.6 @ 1/200 second in manual mode, spot metering, using ISO 100, fill-flash, and a 12mm lens…not that this would help a ton to reproduce the image – only the specs of what I chose for the particular situation.

Dope road trip – cool assignments – great sporting events and outdoor activities.  Maybe in 20 years I’ll try the same shot in our convertible, as our grey hair flows in the wind.  🙂