marine life Archives -

Sitka Workshop Went Great

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014 by karenulvestad, posted in Location, Workshops

“Excellent instructor – willing to help and make accommodations for all. . .” Student comment. . .

The Spirit of Place workshop I taught at the Sitka Center for Arts & Ecology went great! The students were a fantastic group of diverse individuals with a desire to learn more about photography. We ventured out on our second day to Cape Kawanda (Pacific City), and Neskowin. We practiced the workshop skills photographing the expansive landscape, dories, tide pools, gray whales, and birds. Below is an image of one of the students photographing the dories, as they came into the beach.

Below is one of my photographs taken of the dories from the beach. The tide was out, and we were able to walk through the tide pool area near the cape. The dories require a fast shutter speed to capture the action with clarity. My students had the opportunity to shoot these experiences, while learning the finer points of exposure and composition. My workshops are balanced between learning in the classroom, practicing in the field, and exploring the possibilities of the photographic medium.

While exploring the area after teaching the workshop all day, I came across this mule deer buck and a doe. The light was waning since it was later in the evening. The morning had started out with a bald eagle flying by, and the day ended with deer. Sitka is a fantastic place to take workshops with top-notch instructors, and they offer a variety of art classes through-out the summer months. I’ve been blessed to have been teaching workshops through this school for 3 years.

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Great Time of the Year to Photograph the San Juan Islands

August 9, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

The San Juan Islands sit in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receive less rain than Seattle 65 miles to the south. Explore 172 islands, which up the archipelago highlighted by Fidelgo, San Juan, Orcas, Shaw and Lopez. The islands are home to the largest concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states, three pods of orca and harbor seals. Explore the tallest peak, Mount Constitution on Orcas Island, or ride the ferry. This is a great time of year to explore and photograph the incredible scenery and abundant wildlife. For the rest of the article, visit http://seattle.cbslocal.com/top-lists/getaway-guide-one-tank-trip-to-san-juan-islands/.

Photographing Nesting Bird Colonies

June 4, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Location, Workshops

I returned from teaching a fantastic workshop at Sitka on the Oregon coast last Thursday. We had the opportunity to photograph thousands of nesting birds. The low tide offered us an opportunity to walk closer to the bird colonies, and gave an opportunity to see tide pools filled with marine life. The lower rocks were filled with Harbor Seals.

One of the biggest parts of the class was learning to make order out of the pandemonium of the scene. The air is filled with the calls of the birds, the ocean waves are crashing on the rocky shoreline, and the constant movement of the birds. The area had over 60,000 nesting seabirds, raptors and songbirds. The species most prevalent were Common Murre, Brandt’s Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, White-crested Sparrow, Turkey Vultures, Gulls, and Great Blue Heron.

The photo above is a small section of the Common Murre colony. Often times, these areas are windy. It is advisable to use a lens with Image Stabilization (Vibration Reduction, etc.), or a sturdy tripod, when photographing the birds. Video clips always require a stable tripod.

The photograph below was taken from the beach looking up at the birds. These nesting areas usually have several species of birds nesting together, though each has a “zone” they will use. In this instance, the birds at the top are mostly Common Murre, while the Cormorants are intermingled or below. The lowest level in this image would be the Gulls.

In addition to all the visual, audio, and physical input, it is important to remember to think about composition, exposure, and focus. The image below was visualized before being taken. The composition is relatively simple. The exposure allows the fore-ground to silhouette against the sky. These are the pieces that create the successful image within the arena of pandemonium of the scene.

My next workshop on Bird & Wildlife photography will be July 27 & 28, 2013 through the Pacific Northwest Art School.

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Spring on the Oregon Coast

April 27, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Location, Workshops

Spring is a wonderful season to adventure out to the coast for a day, weekend or longer. The change from winter to spring is highlighted by spring storms and warmer sunny days. The migratory birds are passing through to their nesting destinations, which include species of sandpipers, seabirds and others.

For the entire article, visit http://www.examiner.com/article/recreation-opportunities-on-the-coast?cid=db_articles

Of the Land, Sea & Air – A Coastal Photographic Adventure

March 25, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Location, Workshops

copyright Karen Ulvestad — This bald eagle is flying in after missing a fish in the ocean. This is at Neskowin.

“It was perfect for all levels. It was a great combination of technique and artistry.” Susan H.

We will have minus tides during this workshop, which will allow students to view and photograph tide pools, walk closer to bird nesting areas and marine mammal resting areas. It’s a great opportunity to learn the details of bird and marine mammal photography, and shoot at beautiful locations. The coastal waters are filled with harbor seals, gray whales, and sea birds during the late spring season.

The workshop starts in the classroom, with an interactive presentation about exposure, techniques and equipment. Then, students go out into the field and practice what was learned in the classroom, ask questions and learn how to spot wildlife. Composition is discussed through-out the workshop, both in the classroom and in the field. The workshop is about 30% in the classroom and 70% shooting in the field with instruction.

This last photograph is the students photographing harbor seals in the surf. Most of the subjects can be photographed with a 400mm lens or shorter. It is recommended that students bring a tripod. For more information or to sign-up, visit Sitka Center.

Northern California Coast Adventures

October 16, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

Here is my latest article on the northern California coast. It is part 1 in a series. For the entire article, please visit Northern California Coast Adventures.

Olympic peninsula beach low-tide treasures

September 14, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

Here is my latest article on the Olympic Peninsula. Please check it out, and subscribe to my articles. You would be helping me out. . .thanks & have a great day. . .Karen

Olympic peninsula beach low-tide treasures.

Sitka Center Rocks!

July 7, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Location, Workshops

Just taught at the Sitka Center for Arts and Ecology last weekend. Absolutely incredible venue to teach through. My “Of the Land, Sea & Air – A Coastal Photographic Adventure” filled months ago, and had a waiting list. The students were great, and the wildlife made its appearance. The coastal weather was misty one day, and simply overcast the second day. Overall, a great experience to teach in, and a wonderful school to work with.

The students photographed the Common Murre colony, fledgling Peregrine Falcons, Great Blue Herons, Black Oyster Catchers, Pigeon Guillemot, Black Guillemot and more. One student watched and photographed a Humpback Whale that was breaching.

The following photographs are from the workshop. . .

More Later, and Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Using Compositional Elements

June 23, 2012June 23, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

Every photograph is built from the elements the photographer sees through their lens. On the surface, it is a subject like the ocean, bird or person. Beyond the obvious, our photographs consist of lines, patterns, shapes, color, textures and more. What goes into our compositions is what we see, and how we arrange it in our viewing space.

The photograph below is of the incoming tide along the Oregon coast. The ocean is lit by bright sunlight, and the waves are crashing over the rocks. Other people like this photograph, because of the subject. What I see in this photo is its subject. Then, I see the lines, texture and color of the image. The waves create diagonal lines. Splashing water and the rocks create texture. The colors of the water are vibrant greens and blues, due to the sunlight.

Many of these concepts are the basics learned in an art class. A photograph, like a painting, is made up from the same principles. With the painting, the artist has the choice of brushes, paints, color and artistic license of subject placement. The photographer is working with different tools. Being based on light, a photograph at different times of the day or different weather, will affect the photograph. Our brushes are exposure, lens choice and camera choice. Our color is dependent on the amount or quality of light. Subject placement is limited only by our ability to move or observe a subject.

In the photograph below, both the rocky shoreline and the wave make powerful lines. Between the two, they meet creating an arrow pointing to the left and out of the frame. The perspective is from the cliff top. A lower perspective would have changed the relationship between the wave and rocks. It’s up to the photographer to decide how to place the elements in the frame.

With landscapes, many of the elements are stationary. Waves do have a short life-span, but they will repeat themselves. Birds perch, swim or fly. They may not repeat an action. A bald eagle will catch a salmon out of the ocean. If the photographer misses the shot, he/she may not get another chance to take the photo. Living beings add some unpredictability to any photographic scenario.

The photograph below is of Stellar Sea Lions. At the moment of the photograph, they were sleeping on the shoreline. This can make a static photo, since they are not doing anything. In this case, I used the environment to bring in interesting elements into the composition. The sea lions are on the left side of the photo, yet a small whirlpool sits on the right side. These three elements make a triangle for the viewer to look at. The texture and color of the water complete the composition.

More later, and happy shooting. . .Karen

Sitka Center: Of the Land, Sea & Air: A Coastal Photographic Adventure

March 12, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Location, Workshops

Here is the information on my upcoming workshop on the Oregon Coast. It is on June 30th and July 1st. It would be great to see you there, and feel free to pass this on to other interested people.

Thank, and have a great day. . .

Sitka Center: Of the Land, Sea & Air: A Coastal Photographic Adventure.

Tag: marine life

Sitka Workshop Went Great

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