landscape, nature, photography, workshop

The Great BIG Bend Giveaway

How would you like to join me on my new Big Bend Workshop in April…. FOR FREE??

Well, you could be the lucky one to win The Great BIG Bend Giveaway, and receive free tuition for our April 24-27, 2014 workshop!

Simply fill out the short form below.  A random drawing will be held and the winner announced on February 15.

You are also welcome to simply email us directly at workshops@andrewslatonphoto.com to enter yourself, or to confirm your entry… we would love to hear from you, so drop us a line!

AND DON’T WORRY, WE NEVER EVER SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH ANYONE ELSE!

So hurry and sign up… and don’t forget to SHARE with all your photo-phile friends!!  Oh yeah, P.S… once you’ve signed up, if you share on Facebook, your name gets entered again!  Twice the chance to WIN!! :)

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What’s Included if you win – Four days/ three nights packed with photography, instruction, and adventure in Big Bend National Park, plus more!

  • Pre-workshop Personal Skype Session – Before all of our destination workshops, you can benefit from a personal Q&A Skype session at your convenience with Andrew, to ask any questions you might have about your upcoming trip.  This is immensely helpful to gat to know your instructor, and to making sure you feel prepared for the great adventure ahead!
  • Welcome Packet – You will receive your personalized welcome packet 2-6 weeks before the workshop with maps, helpful local info, nature facts, FAQ’s, technical photography information on what we will be discussing, a comprehensive list of what to bring, and more.
  • Park Related Fees – We believe in and support our National Parks system, so we are proud Commercial Use Authorization Permit holders with Big Bend National Park!  This provides us good standing with the Park and the rangers, and it helps to fund fantastic conservation projects that would not be possible without special use educators and their students!  So a portion of your tuition goes right back to help protect the park you love!
  • Numerous Guided Hikes – We will embark on at least one hike per day through the intensely beautiful landscape of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains.  We will explore the myriad flora and fauna of both ecosystems, shooting anything and everything in nature, discussing a wide range of photographic tips and techniques.
  • Night Photography – You’ll get very used to your siestas on this trip, as we will spend the first hour or two before sunrise and after sundown navigating the exciting night sky with our cameras.  We will discuss and execute several techniques including night landscapes, star trails, painting with light, and more!
  • 3 Nights Camping, water, and snacks – Other lodging is available at the expense of the student.  But If camping is your thing, then you will enjoy all three nights of group camping in the park with Andrew, giving you extra time to talk about photography!  All you need is to bring your own camping gear!  Regardless of if you choose to camp or stay at a nearby hotel, plenty of bottled water and snacks throughout the day will be provided.

Transportation to and from Big Bend National Park, lodging (other than group camping), meals, and anything else not listed above is the responsibility of the student.  If winner opts out of the April 24-27, 2014 trip, winner forfeits his or her prize, unless otherwise agreed upon by Slaton.

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If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level please check out my new workshop dates:Big Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2014More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2014If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content (except otherwise attributed) © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2014
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aerial, photography

white rock | aerials + lifestyle

White Rock Lake in Dallas is a very fun, active area, so it’s no wonder there is a good bit of development happening in and around the nearby neighborhoods.

The private and public sectors have invested massive amounts of money, and the result is a beautiful, hip, fun, and affordable location.

I’ve been getting more and more calls for aerials and lifestyle shots of the area… and luckily, it’s right in our backyard!  Love these jobs!!

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If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level please check out my new workshop dates:

Big Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2013-2014

More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2013-2014

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

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landscape, nature, photography, travel, wildlife

PINS selects

Elle and I traveled to Padre Island National Seashore this weekend to enjoy the ocean.

Beach camping proved a bit more difficult than our usual locations… but it was great prep for the Everglades.

Too much sun, sand, and wind were the low points, for sure.  However, the good certainly outweighed the bad.

And as I prepare to leave today for my trip, I am very glad we had the time together.

Here are a few of my favorites from the long weekend….

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–andrew

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If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level, and/ or Big Bend photography tours and workshops, please check out my new workshop dates:

Big Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2013-2014

More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2013-2014

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

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equipment review, instructional, photography, travel, writing

planning an epic road trip // equipped

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”
Ansel Adams
 

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Equipment

It cannot be said enough… the equipment is only as good as the photographer using it.  With that said, I am a lover of gadgetry and get really excited when I have the opportunity to learn a new tool that will help me achieve better, more consistent results with my imagery.

So for this trip, Canon is sending me the 5D MK III, TS-E 17mm, and the new Speedlite 600EX-RT to evaluate and review here on the blog…

I know the MK III is not very new anymore, but I’m excited to put it to the test in one of North America’s most extreme environments.  And I am really looking forward to spending some quality time  with Canon’s widest and highest rated tilt-shift lens, and the newest Speedlite technology.  

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But regarding other equipment, and being prepared for a trip such as this, I have had to plan accordingly, with weather as the biggest “x” factor.

From dry bags and applying scotch guard to as much as possible, to purchasing mosquito netting for my head, I have tried my best to think it all through.  I will be bringing multiple rain covers no doubt.

Check out this video that explains a bit more, and see some of the gear that will (hopefully) get me through the extreme conditions…

“Never forget that all the great photographs in history were made with more primitive camera equipment than you currently own.”
Brooks Jensen

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To know what equipment to bring and what to leave behind, I think carefully through my shot list.  What tools will I need to give myself the best chance to achieve each image?  Only experience helps me determine that with any accuracy.  And the more you shoot, the more confident you’ll be when practicing this.

It’s a very obvious, yet important part of the planning process.  There’s nothing worse than arriving on location after days of driving, only to realize you so wish you had brought that second tripod, or the 2x extender.

Don’t rush through this step, or chances are, you’ll be frustrated later…

— andrew

“There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.”
Ansel Adams

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If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level, and/ or Big Bend photography tours and workshops, please check out my new workshop dates:

Big Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2013-2014

More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2013-2014

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

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landscape, nature, photography, random thought, travel, wildlife, writing

flashback | everglades

It was thirteen years ago…. I sat at a crappy, college-student computer, playing around on a new website called “Priceline”.

Back then, all you could do was bid on flights.

And so it was, a 19 year old aspiring photographer and travel junkie, bidding (really low) on random flights.

Well, I didn’t realize that if they accepted my bid, that I would have actually purchased my first solo trip.

And they did.

I think the winning bid of Austin, TX to West Palm Beach, FL, round trip was around $120.

I was going to the Everglades.

The next few months were marked with frustrating phone calls, trial and error planning, and no luck finding a reputable rental car company to rent an out-of-state nineteen year old a car.

But eventually I found a shady car company, and I was on my way.

With only a hand-me-down Canon AE-1, two lenses, and about 35 rolls of film (Fujichrome Provia 100F and hand-rolled Kodak T-max 100/ 400 b+w), I set off on my first solo photo adventure.

I know that I have already attached several of these Everglades images to earlier posts, but I thought it would be fun to see them again in light of the flashback…

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I have SO many more images from this trip, tucked away in dark closets, nested within box after box, like Russian dolls.

Perhaps someday I’ll dig them back up and share them. But until then, these will suffice, as will the new ones I bring home in just a few weeks…

I’m getting really excited!

— andrew

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in learning more about photography, taking your art to a new level, and/ or Big Bend photography tours and workshops, please check out my new workshop dates:

Big Bend Photographic Tour/ Workshops 2013-2014

More Destination Photo Tours/ Workshops 2013-2014

If you are interested in licensing any of the images/ video from this post, please visit my stock agency:

Tandem Stills + Motion // andrew r. slaton

If you are interested in purchasing prints from this post, please check my prints for sale, or email me directly for a custom request:

andrew r. slaton // photographer // prints

For assignment work requests, please email me: andrew@andrewslatonphoto.com

Thanks for visiting AndrewSlatonBlog.com!

all images and content © andrew r. slaton | photographer 2013

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