Professors Rubi and Patterson Lead PVCC Class to Southern Arizona

April 30 and May 1, 2010 saw Professors David Rubi and yours truly, Jim Patterson, take a group of Paradise Valley Community College students from Phoenix to Southern Arizona.

We visited the Tucson Museum of Art, featuring the work of Mexican-American artists David Tineo.  From the TMA, we ventured south of Tucson to the Tumacacori Mission, near the Mexican border.  Jesuit Father Kino established the mission in 1691. 

Then we visited San Xavier del Bac, known as the “White Dove of the Desert,” and still a Catholic Church.  Pick up any travel brochure on the Tucson area, and chances are you will see a photo of the mission. 

Finally, we visited Ted deGrazia’s “Gallery of the Sun” located on Swan Road on the north side of Tucson.   I was privileged to interview Mr. deGrazia for National Public Radio in 1980 shortly before his death. 

I took all the photos with my Canon 7D using natural light, ranging from an ISO of 100 outside to 800 to 1600 for some indoor shots.  I used a Tamron 18-270mm lens.

This only scratches the surface of places to visit and photograph in and around Tucson.  I would suggest Tombstone and Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns, and Fort Huachuca, home of the U.S. Army Military Intelligence School (and where I was an instructor for many years) to start in Southeastern Arizona, located an hour or so from Tucson.  In Tucson, the Pima Air and Space Museum and the military “bone yard” of mothballed aircraft is located next to Davis Monthan Air Force Base.  My alma mater, the University of Arizona (Bear Down!) is located in Tucson.  To the west of Tucson, are Gates Pass, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson Studios. 

Happy Shooting,

Jim Patterson

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Hockey and WrestleMania in Arizona, 27 and 28 March 2010

The weekend of 27 and 28 March 2010 here in the Phoenix area as far as sports was concerned meant hockey (the resurgent Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Colorado Avalanche, reaching 100 points for the first time in franchise history) and the WWE’s WrestleMania XXVI, held at Glendale Stadium in front of some 77,000 screaming fans. Something had to give and since I could not be in two places at once, I had to miss the Paul McCartney concert going on nearby in Glendale on Sunday.

These are just interesting venues to take photographs. Many places prohibit cameras with lenses longer than six inches. That may be to protect the fans in front who might get bopped by a longer lens or it might be to just hassle fans who happen to be photographers. But at any rate, this meant I had to use my backup camera to my Canon 7D, the nifty little Canon SD950IS. It only takes jpg photos but sports a 12-megapixel resolution. The photographer has very little control over a camera like this, as it really is a point and shoot.

One of the first problems inside is the white balance, especially in the tungsten lit hockey arena. Luckily, I had Lightroom and could correct the lighting by hitting the AUTO white balance. Remember, this camera only produced jpg’s so auto or “as shot” were my only choices unlike shooting in RAW when you can easily change the white balance.  A side note on camera flashes in stadiums:  Folks, it looks pretty to see the flashes in the stadium, but it does not a whit of good for your photographs!  Those on camera flashes are good to light your subject, or blast your subject, for about six feet.  THAT'S IT!  So turn off your flash.

The major problem in the stadium for WrestleMania was the poor and unusual lighting and that I was much further from the ring. At least I was on the first row of the second deck and could steady my camera on the rail or by making a pyramid with my arms. Still, the close ups were mostly unusable. Do note how I salvaged the Undertaker photo making it look almost like a painting. I actually think that version looks pretty good. Also, the lasers and multi colored lights of WrestleMania made for some interesting wide-angle shots.

My experience with the Canon SD950IS (thank you Canon for at least building some image stabilization into this camera) made me yearn for my Canon 7D, knowing full well its tolerance for high ISO. Plus, my ability to zoom nicely would have made for some on top of the action ring shots.

Happy Shooting,

Jim Patterson

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Faces of Santa Fe, March 2010

I spent a week in March 2010 studying photography at the Santa Fe (New Mexico) Photographic Workshop.   In particular I worked with New York photographer Paul Mobley. Oh did he work us for that week.  Paul is a marvelous photographer who has done a lot of published portrait work, including his new book American Farmer.

Our first day of shooting had us go to the plaza area of downtown Santa Fe, where I had to approach total strangers and ask them to pose for photographs.  For me, that wasn’t that hard to do.  I’ve found being bold often catches people off guard and for most, they are flattered by being asked. 

Day two was a day of shooting at the old New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe, home of a riot in 1980 that killed 33 people.  Rick was the tour guide and he worked for the prison some 28 years, missing the riot he says by 15 minutes.  He told stories of how the prisoners attacked mostly rapists, child molesters, and snitches and killed them one body part at a time.  In my photos that follow, you will see the soulful Rick, face framed with white hair and muttonchops.  You will wonder what he’s really seen and what he thinking. 

On the third day, destination was the Bar S ranch outside of Santa Fe.  Our host was Powhatan “Pow” Carter, who also appears in many of my photos.  Pow was a real cowboy who competed in the Professional Rodeo Circuit.  I asked him and he did indeed compete in the La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros (Tucson Rodeo), which I’ve attended many times and hope to some day photograph.  Some of my favorite shots came from that visit.  Here’s a short television show from “America’s Heartland” where host Paul Ryan interviews Paul Mobley.  Later in the clip, you’ll see Pow Carter with Paul Mobley.  Watch long enough and you might see Pow turn the tables on Paul. 

On the final day of shooting, we went to a Santa Fe Harley-Davidson dealership and met some really nice and cooperative local Harley bikers.  They were patient as we found shafts of light to paint their faces and light them with professional lighting equipment.  One of my favorites was Rebecca, the lovely lady shown in my photo collection on her motorcycle wearing her leathers. 

It was a physically and mentally demanding trip to Santa Fe, but the effort paid off in the photos and friendships I’ve come away with.  To Paul Mobley, I said at the farewell party “I’m proud to be able to say I studied photography with Paul Mobley.”

Jim Patterson

James Gordon Patterson Photography
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Jim at the George/Reba/Lee Ann Concert

You've all seen the warnings or have even been stopped at a venue for having recording devices or video cameras. And we all know what hassle bringing a tripod can be. On Friday February 5 in downtown Phoenix, I went to the George Strait, Reba, and Lee Ann Womack concert, and with available light managed to grab a few nice photos.

My main camera is the Canon 7D, but that can be bulky and hard to use in a large crowd. So I brought my trusted backup, the Canon SD950IS instead. It fit in a nice little Lowepro pouch that attaches to my belt. You know, many of these little pocket cameras can take video too, which is a no no at these events. So far, nobody has given me a hassle about that.

Obviously, the biggest challenge in photographing these events is light.. or lack of it. PLUS, the colors change all the time. And you get unexpected light flashes from various sources that can mess up any photograph. I use Lightroom to edit and still find I have to toss many as just too grainy or blurry. I did the best I could steadying shots, but many were not useable. I found that the reddish lights on stage gave me the sharpest photos and the white light gave me the worst photos.

I love country music so I came in expected to be pleased. And I was. Lee Ann Womack is still got it. Reba is.. well, simply terrific. Reba and Lee Ann did a duet which the crowd really responded to. And the star of the show, George Strait, is cowboy cool. Love that black hat for some reason. The show started on time at 7pm and got out at 11:30pm. As with all country events I've ever attended, the shows start on time, the performers give their all, and nobody leaves feeling cheated. And the country audiences are the nicest people you'll ever want to meet. Years ago I thought I was too cool for country until I saw all the pretty cowgirls that show up at these events. Oh the music is great too!

Enjoy my photos!

Jim Patterson

Feliz Navidad from the Phoenix Botanical Gardens

I went to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens las noches de las luminarias celebration on 20 January 2009. This was a nightime celebration that of course posed many lighting problems. Armed with my new Canon 7D and a monopod, I took a sampling of photos using the higher ISO settings of the 7D. I used anywhere from 1600 to even 6400. Of course, the higher the ISO the more grain, but I thought some of it added to the appeal of the photos. I edited about 90 percent of the shots in Adobe Lightroom. For a few of them, I went to Photoshop and used the OnOne Plug-in Suite 5 tools. One thing I learned about taking evening shots... BRING A SMALL PENLIGHT! It was nearly impossible to make any kind of change on the camera without light. I even tried holding up a luminaria to see better. The other option is to memorize the controls on your camera. No, on second thought... bring a penlight! I was smart enough to bring my Manfrotto monopod that also has little legs that pop out at the bottom. Some venues will give you a hard time if you bring in a tripod. With a monopod, you can always say HEY IT'S A WALKING STICK! They'll usually leave you alone then. One more thing.. I totally forgot to bring my remote control. It is really easy to create blur with night shots even if you are so careful you hold your breath before clicking the shutter.

My New Canon 7D at the NASCAR Race

I tested my brand new Canon 7D camera recently at the Phoenix International Raceway. #2 Kurt Busch, from the University of Arizona, finished 7th.

I found the 7D a delight. It is bulkier than the Canon XSi, the camera I had before this, but it just feels like a pro camera. It also has a nice 8fps burst rate. It sounds like a machine gun! I used a Tamron 18-270mm lens and sometimes I used the Tamron 1.4x extender, too. All were 100 ISO and I used Adobe Lightroom for editing and uploading to Flickr.

Enjoy!



Another interesting feature on the Canon 7D is the ability to take high definition video. I can switch to video mode easily on the camera and even take photos while recording video! Here is a short example of video taken during the race. Turn up your volume so you can hear the zoom.



I held off buying the Canon 7D because I didn't really need the video. I have a Canon HF200 which is a wonderful HD video camera. But how many times have you been to an event and they say cameras are ok but no video? Ha ha, the 7D takes care of that problem nicely.

I am a National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) member and got a smoking deal on shipping with the 7D from B&H.

Coyotes White Out October 10, 2009

The Phoenix Coyotes played before nearly 18,000 fans at their home opener in Glendale Saturday October 10th. Fans were dressed all in white and the event was called a White Out. Unfortunately, the 'Yotes lost to Columbus two to nothing.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

For those interested in photography, all the photos were taken with a Canon SD950 12 MP camera, one of the smaller "point and shoots." Sometimes it is easier to put one of those in your pocket and walk in the door without hassle. I edited and uploaded to flickr via Adobe Lightroom using a Jeffrey Friedl's "Export to Flickr" plugin. I also use his "Export to Zenfolio" plugin when posting photos from Lightroom to my Zenfolio site.

Upcoming... My reaction to attending NAPP's PhotoShop World in Las Vegas!

First Test of the Tamron 18-270mm Lens

On Saturday September 5th, I took my new Tamron 18-270mm lens attached to my Canon XSi to Tucson, Arizona for the Arizona Wildcats vs. Central Michigan University tailgate and football game (Arizona 19, CMU 6).

Here are the photos I posted to Flickr. My review is under the photos.



First, keep in mind why anybody would by an all purpose "walking around" lens. I did not want to take all of my photo equipment to a tailgate and football game, especially since severe weather was predicted. I wanted to travel light. The Tamron 18-270mm lets you do that. I feel it does many things pretty well. Is it an excellent portrait lens? Of course not. Is it a great telephoto? Hey, not to bad. For the convenience of having such a walking around lens, you do give up f/stops. It just isn't what photographers would call the fastest glass in the world.

Was it worth the $599 (minus $70 current Tamron rebate I got via B&H Photo). Sure it is; I would do it again.

But you be the final judge. I was taking photos in a variety of conditions. Cloudy and sunny during the day; stadium lighting from a distance at night. If I were on the sidelines, I'd not have to use the full 270mm zoom and have better lighting. I'd also probably use a tripod or even monopod for more stability. As it was, I sat in the 42nd row on the 50 yard line.

I vote the Tamron 18-270mm lens a double thumbs up for convenience, performance, and price!

Jim Patterson

15 August 2009 at Fort Huachuca With the Wildcats

I had the pleasure of covering the Arizona Wildcats football team luncheon at Fort Huachuca, AZ and scrimmage at Buena High School in Sierra Vista Saturday 15 August.

Photos and story are at Wildaboutazcats.com http://wildaboutazcats.com/2009/08/16/readers-blog-a-day-with-the-wildcats-in-sierra-vista/

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The issue of media access came up. The Arizona sports information director refused wildaboutazcats and me media access. He claims if he gives it to a website, then everybody will want media access. My response? Hey, it’s coverage for your program and team! Secondly, the new media is here to stay. Why should ease of entry dictate who is a legitimate news operation? Sure, anybody can start a webpage, but SO WHAT? Newspapers like the Tucson Citizen are failing all over the country. Third, legitimate former newspaper reporters like Javier Morales (who used to cover the Wildcats for the Arizona Daily Star) and Anthony Gimino (who covered the Cats for the Citizen) run wildaboutazcats. Hey, I’m as old school as it gets... I studied journalism at the University of Arizona when we used newsprint and manual typewriters and newsrooms were smoke filled. I’m old school AND I GET IT! It’s time sports information directors understand the new media. I’m more than willing to run a workshop on the new media for any sports information directors or p.r. types who are interested.

Next, what about the challenges of taking photos of a sports event? This was both inside (the luncheon) and outside (the scrimmage).

Inside challenges include choosing either available light without flash by raising the ISO level to around 800. The trade off is with that ISO, you usually have more graininess or noise in the photo. Using flash indoors may wash out some of your subjects. I tended to try both during the luncheon and then picked and choose what worked well afterwards in Adobe Lightroom.

At the scrimmage, I experimented with a small aperture size (f/22) and slower shutter speed and larger aperture size (f/5.6 or so) and faster speed. The faster speed froze action much better obviously. The slower speed gave more blur or the look of speed and motion. I also experimented with f/11 and f/16 aperture sizes. Of course, f/5.6 or lower will give you more background blur, putting more attention on what you are focusing on. As you can see, I used a variety of settings during the day. I also used a nice Manfrotto monopod to steady my Canon XSi and used a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle, a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto, and sometimes a Tamron 1.4x extender. Since I was not granted media access, I had to shoot from the crowd, which meant some of the shots were with the extender.