Community Giving and My Photography

Community Giving. I am blessed to have a great day job at Symantec and photography is my passion and growing side venture. Giving back to the community has been very important to me and Sunnyvale Community Services (SCS) is a fantastic organization where I donate a portion of proceeds (with Symantec match) as well as annually donating a print to their auction. SCS provides financial aid, food, toys at Christmas and emergency assistance to low-income families and seniors facing crises in the Sunnyvale area. Their annual auction took place a couple of weeks ago raising $40K in less than 90 minutes. My "Sunset on Half Dome from Glacier Point" I donated raised $550! If you want to give toys, $$ or food to SCS, please look on their website. The folk’s needs that they provide for continue to grow at an exponential rate in this challenging economy. Consider this or other organizations like this especially around the holidays.

Additional great Photography info

There are a few great websites and blogs that I recommend ANYONE interested in making and taking better pictures. The Website and podcast, Photofocus and then also Scott Bourne's Website and twitter to follow. More info on the link! Happy making photos!

New images up from Australia, Sydney and the Royal National Park

I managed to get a few new images up from Australia. I have some nighttime cityscape as well as some fantastic images shot at the Royal National Park near Bundeena, an hour South of Sydney. Two of these images were the recent favorites at our open house!

Another New Photography Exhibit! REI in Saratoga!

I have another new exhibit that just started! REI in Saratoga. I have a selection of 9 images that I will be changing out through the end of January. Drop by and let them know if you like the images! The images are located just behind the registers.

Open House this weekend - Sat, Dec 5th 3-8pm

I am having a small celebration to thank all my supporters and customers over the last year this coming weekend (Dec 5th) at our Holiday Party/Open house at our house in Sunnyvale. Hopefully I will also get some new images on the wall! You can just drop by and have a glass of wine - bring the kids as it is a kid friendly event. Drop me an email or a comment if you want me to send you the address to attend.

New Photo Exhibit! Planet Granite Indoor Climbing Gym in Sunnyvale

I am excited about a new fine art photography exhibit that I have at Planet Granite Indoor Climbing Gym in Sunnyvale, California! I have about 10 images up including quite a few from my Yosemite "Water, Light and Textures" series. I put up all Canvas Gallery-wrap Giclée images including the 40x60 inch waterfall from Uvas Canyon Creek! I love sharing my images where other people are as much (or more) outdoor and fitness enthusiants than I am. I am taking the family to get certified for belaying and Laura (6) and Henry (4) are REALLY excited about rock climbing (and also excited about seeing Daddy's prints there!) Looks like we will have to get a membership! The management and staff are really awesome folks there and everyone seems to have taken an interest in my work - quite a few nice comments from people walking by even as I was hanging the pieces!! It is really those kind words that also help drive me to get to another place to try to take some great images. Looks like Planet Granite will be one of those places I will be on a Friday afternoon.

My images will be on display there until June, 2010. Stop by to check them out or for a workout if you are in the area. Then head over to another rock themed place -- the Rok Bistro for some fondue and entrees served on a Hot Rock! My images are still on display there and are continuing to be changed out.

Also! Open House /Holiday Party at our house in Sunnyvale, December 5th. Send an email for more information/directions.
Back to printing and stretching more canvas!

Don't forget the holiday sale going on for all of my images.

Great Photography Workshop in Yosemite with Mike Osborne / Ansel Adams Gallery

There is an upcoming photography workshop with retired Yosemite park ranger, Mike Osborne that I am going on. It is a one day workshop this Saturday, November 21st. The title of the workshop is "The River Nobody Knows" and focuses on the beauty of the Merced River and the Granite and water flowing along 140 that most people zip past trying to get to Yosemite.

Normally, I don't write about just any workshop, but I had the opportunity to meet and shoot with Mike last fall while taking a Fall Color workshop with Michael Frye through the Ansel Adams gallery (which was awesome btw!)

Mike is one of Yosemite's hidden gems and I want to get the word out because opportunities like this don't always come around! Mike is just an incredible guy - one of those almost stereotypical park ranger-looking guys you would see and ask questions or directions!! I had a blast shooting with him - his eye for details, composition and the stories about the year are amazing. I know that I couldn't spend a month in the Yosemite back country in the winter with only a pack and a mule!! Mike is very soft spoken and is able to share his techniques and expertise with a wide variety of photographers.

Mike loves the big landscapes but also the small details. You should see some of his pictures of ice crystals on small ponds in the morning. Just breathtaking! Mike has influenced me since I met him last year (My "Water, Light and Textures" series would be a good example!) Mike also loves rocks and rock abstracts that I love (granted with a touch less vibrance :-) Mike was recently featured in the book, "First Light: Five Photographers Explore the Yosemite Wilderness" as well as an updated book he has written called, "Granite, Water, and Light" (I have copies of both!) The links above are to the Yosemite Association where you can purchase the books or better yet, join!

I am hoping to learn and capture some new perspectives this weekend at the workshop. I hope you might also get a chance to sign-up and shoot. It is an inexpensive but priceless opportunity that I am looking forward to. If not, I will be glad to share some of my images! Keep shooting. John

Title for picture taken by John Harrison "Mike Osborne points out the dramatic lighting on the photographer he found in the wild."

Interview with Jennifer Wu, Canon EF 24-70 Lens

I just finished up a workshop assisting for Jennifer in October. A couple days later this great interview with her and one of her favorite lenses. Although it is a Canon :-), it is a really nice piece of glass! This is in the October Interview of Lens of the Month, so you may need to look through the "BACK ISSUES". Jennifer does some amazing work! You can find more of Jennifer's work at Majestic Peak Images on her website.

Awesome new Vincent Laforet video shot on the new Canon 1D Mark IV DSLR

New Vincent Laforet video shot on the new Canon 1D Mark IV at ISO 6400 with available light. Just wild and stunning. You can click the link at the top to view the full 1080p version if you have bandwidth (courtesy Chris MacAskill). This is hosted on the SmugMug site that also does a supreme job of hosting and displaying the video - the best site around for photo and video hosting.

Here is the link for the automatic sizing based on your display:

If you REALLY have some bandwidth and processing power (like a mac) to view the FULL 1080p HD video, then check out this link.

Shooting in Beijing was great!

My whirlwind trip to Asia got me to Beijing. I hired a guide and driver to take me around Beijing and managed to see The Great Wall (Badaling), The Summer Palace and The Forbidden City. I managed to get the guide to get me out early and was the first person to arrive at one of the most popular sections of the wall. I had about 30 minutes to shoot before other folks started to arrive! This is DEFINITELY the way to enjoy it. I captured this image just as I was getting ready to go in. The camera happened to be setup and ready to go or I wouldn't have gotten this. More images to post later.

Now off to shoot fall colors in Bishop and the Eastern Sierra.