tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22700435953462821912024-03-13T03:55:51.497-07:00Fine Art Underwater PhotographyHSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-64513507204818680172010-11-13T06:53:00.000-08:002010-11-13T07:05:10.081-08:00When the weather doesn't cooperate...We've had a rough week of snorkeling in Grand Cayman. First it was the wind, then it was the chop. The waves at the sandbar were over Terry's head (and he's 6 ft) so, you know I was doing a lot of bobbing up and down! <br /><br />Then there's the silt. It can really ruin a good picture. Makes the subject look like it's behind dirty glass. <br /><br />And, things seem to be heading in the wrong direction for some of the reefs that used to be very healthy. The new growth in front of the Tortuga Club has disappeared. We did relocate a spot in front of the Grand that has lots of healthy soft corals, but no fish! This used to be a great place to see spotted eagle rays, but not this year.<br /><br />The biggest disappointment was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Cemetery</span> Reef. Very little live coral. Algae everywhere. No sponges. Very few fish other than sargent majors and Bermuda chubs. No creatures either. <br /><br />Still we did get some good stingray and moral eel photos, so it wasn't a complete bust. I'll be posting more about those, once they are ready for prime time!HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-3243079675195349362010-11-01T19:44:00.000-07:002010-11-01T19:59:06.839-07:00Purple Lace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUsJVlLy-UBFsk3Y4L1TYdT0nEht0YnTRT8dsC6e2IdMgBMOAIsRqnFqGPUMjM-YIKg67kbqtfzhD_wvGLRLiQ4PHMxQMWJwHpQZmGKeCKdSpfHzQ3ItXzwtVj8FWaRfhwLvFpDdtrwwb/s1600/Purple+Lace+Cropped+low+rwz.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534778265508547394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUsJVlLy-UBFsk3Y4L1TYdT0nEht0YnTRT8dsC6e2IdMgBMOAIsRqnFqGPUMjM-YIKg67kbqtfzhD_wvGLRLiQ4PHMxQMWJwHpQZmGKeCKdSpfHzQ3ItXzwtVj8FWaRfhwLvFpDdtrwwb/s320/Purple+Lace+Cropped+low+rwz.jpg" /></a><br /><div>This is another lovely photo taken by Terry in Belize. He timed it with the waves to show off the beauty of creatures as common as a colony of purple fan coral (gorgonian). This coral is very healthy with no signs of bleaching or algae. I think its a great reminder of why we need to do everything we can to save the oceans coral reefs. Snorklers and scuba divers throughout the Carribean should always be able to enjoy seas full of waving fan corals while searching for more exotic sea life.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-14018583268545485042010-10-06T18:34:00.000-07:002010-10-06T18:56:57.367-07:00Feather Duster and Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64eDovNllJe5GMKVcU09YIsYucURqZQDYbFb9Niqgy1q6NXCWmJuHEP-gUuZLJVVdPyUvB2j6S2NtadQNc7m8I9YoicZJ_wpGwYqmPFxcg0q_UFsBcBd4NLW1SKqSuN2B1sAV24xMV4w2/s1600/Feather+Duster+and+Friends.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525115476729619010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64eDovNllJe5GMKVcU09YIsYucURqZQDYbFb9Niqgy1q6NXCWmJuHEP-gUuZLJVVdPyUvB2j6S2NtadQNc7m8I9YoicZJ_wpGwYqmPFxcg0q_UFsBcBd4NLW1SKqSuN2B1sAV24xMV4w2/s320/Feather+Duster+and+Friends.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I took this photo in 2008 in Belize. This is one of my favorite photos because it really seems like you're seeing through the eyes of a fish in the school. And, major bonus...it's a picture of a feather duster worm! Slippery dicks are not a rare fish, but most snorkelers don't see them this close up. Same with the fairy basslet. Just wish I'd had a better camera when I took this. Hopefully, I can make up for that on our next snorkeling trip. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This photo also translates well to our art-accessories (ornaments, coasters, keepsake boxes) which can be found at <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/hswtphotography">http://www.cafepress.com/hswtphotography</a>. </div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-63846376226358939462010-09-17T07:11:00.000-07:002010-09-17T07:24:37.958-07:00Perfect Camo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDLliBRMMCjCLTB5zmcQl3UZ9Wzu_0NnjvgqadziUg-ZCn1BRdn8kYghYUHm7cugm_EUeIN-us6MxtAc0EjyXfimp9aDHvh4hvj3E2T9tLnEGy06BP3YjYJy5g4KXFeqLTPvuaRmpauQ/s1600/Perfect+Camo+Cropped+for+11x14+Mats.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 233px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517885299463311730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDLliBRMMCjCLTB5zmcQl3UZ9Wzu_0NnjvgqadziUg-ZCn1BRdn8kYghYUHm7cugm_EUeIN-us6MxtAc0EjyXfimp9aDHvh4hvj3E2T9tLnEGy06BP3YjYJy5g4KXFeqLTPvuaRmpauQ/s320/Perfect+Camo+Cropped+for+11x14+Mats.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Terry took this picture in the British Virgin Islands with a 5 meg Sealife camera. The critter who is trying to blend into the encrusting coral is a trumpet fish. Most divers and snorklers see trumpet fish at the surface of the water. And, you can often spot them from the shoreline. So, it was unusual to find this one on the sea floor. I think a closer crop would show case his camo even more, but unfortunately that's not really an option with only 5 megs to work with. Let's hope we find one of his friends on our next snorkeling trip!</div><div> </div><div>Prints of this and our other underwater photos are available at ArtWanted.com. We hope you enjoyed this post enough to follow the blog or follow us on facebook! And, don't forget we have many of our photos available on art-cessories or art-ware from CafePress.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-52570915508657861942010-08-31T19:16:00.000-07:002010-08-31T19:34:02.825-07:00Crowns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E22PNfMjBGiQSRwEVKZKxik0f_dBOzo9bB-98wWgvDcBDp8Q1UrADOwwU2T_maaXFzJZmp59eb8cv9zKBGFqrMBALdNd_sEu-1sMWOzGWzLdaQxULALNG12tLwVJafC6TUZ2LKOifux2/s1600/Crowns.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511765090200847986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E22PNfMjBGiQSRwEVKZKxik0f_dBOzo9bB-98wWgvDcBDp8Q1UrADOwwU2T_maaXFzJZmp59eb8cv9zKBGFqrMBALdNd_sEu-1sMWOzGWzLdaQxULALNG12tLwVJafC6TUZ2LKOifux2/s320/Crowns.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div> I took this photo in Bocas del Toro, Panama. I like it because it works on both macro and micro levels, which is unusual for a photo taken while snoreling. The overall photo shows a huge colony of coral. But, if you look more closely you start to see all the creatures that call this colony home. The magenta split crown feather duster worms are the first creatures to catch your eye. Then you start to notice the light blue encrusing sponge. Take a closer look and you'll see the flame clams behind the worms, the slippery dicks or the very young rock beauties. This picture is just teaming with sea life!</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div> Limited edition prints of this photo (and other photos from HSWT Photography) are available on Rtist.com. Artware by HSWT Photography is available from CafePress. And, you can join us on facebook. :)</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-41267578940965552072010-08-17T15:22:00.000-07:002010-08-17T15:55:44.459-07:00Spot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokGLrGuma4tooGQAShD1X7v4UYElXnrbJKunahXBZCanqNQ8_Dkdkce_ekWnP7yeZCXBajowzH1AZHaN7MR9uVmcn0Nm5AS-cRpuwdtHwcsplMS5IhHmLQSDN6Ri4HBXyETWIbRepnYva/s1600/Spot.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506509659570347842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokGLrGuma4tooGQAShD1X7v4UYElXnrbJKunahXBZCanqNQ8_Dkdkce_ekWnP7yeZCXBajowzH1AZHaN7MR9uVmcn0Nm5AS-cRpuwdtHwcsplMS5IhHmLQSDN6Ri4HBXyETWIbRepnYva/s320/Spot.jpg" /></a> I've thought many things about underwater photography: it's beautiful, it's interesting, it makes me want to go snorkeling asap. But, I've never really thought "it's fun!". This picture changed all that. Everytime I look at it, it makes me laugh. How can this orange blob with black spots be an animal? And, one that lives underwater?!! Sea cucumbers are just funny. Where is their mouth? Where are their eyes? What do they do in their spare time? Answer: clean up the bottom of the ocean. How cool!<br /><br /><br /><br />Terry took this picture in the Bocas del Toro region of Panama. You can see a bit of the cool blue sponges that grow in Spot's home waters at the top of the photo. The funny thing about the water in this area is that it doesn't have that carribbean blue look from above, but it is just as clear as the waters in the Carribbean and covers the most dazzeling array of underwater colors I've ever seen.<br /><br /><br /><br />As always, you can order limited edition prints of this or our other photos from Panama (and other locales) from <a href="http://www.rtist.com/">http://www.rtist.com/</a>, by searching for HSWT Photography. Or order artware at <a href="http://www.cafepreess.com/HSWTphotography">http://www.cafepreess.com/HSWTphotography</a>. And, of coarse you can follow us on Facebook! :)HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-63054303908763996712010-08-08T19:12:00.000-07:002010-08-08T19:35:24.361-07:00My Favorite Southern Sting Ray Photo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9e1NQiU1I0l8FCcBhtHUtRweEHaE-fgzNc-BdF3-K3UhG8BjLfmgPhupA5tbx0mX_tDorfepJb49aTQYQRWKpLLVPo9kBJWYi0MCZ83neT0AMb9qvqQztiuSb-64LWBusCCvLBJP2uaRq/s1600/The+Survivor.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503228966922609330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9e1NQiU1I0l8FCcBhtHUtRweEHaE-fgzNc-BdF3-K3UhG8BjLfmgPhupA5tbx0mX_tDorfepJb49aTQYQRWKpLLVPo9kBJWYi0MCZ83neT0AMb9qvqQztiuSb-64LWBusCCvLBJP2uaRq/s320/The+Survivor.jpg" /></a> Terry took this stunning picture of a female southern string ray on our trip to Belize in 2008. I think the detail is amazing. You can almost see the velvety texture of her skin. The scars on her face appear to be from to propeller of a boat. Luckily, for us you survived her prior encounter with humans. <br /><br />We love snorkeling with sting rays. They are so friendly (especially if you have squid) and seem to really enjoy interacting with people. The hard part is getting far enough away to fit the entire ray in the shot. Terry is better at that than I am. I'd rather interact with the rays, than photograph them. ;)<br /><br />This limited edition photo is available for purchase thru Rtist.com or at Gallery 26 in Easton, MD. <a href="http://www.rtist.com/">http://www.rtist.com</a><br /><br />We also have prints and art ware available from Cafe Press: <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/HSWTPhotography">http://www.cafepress.com/HSWTPhotography</a>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-55170573017952848382010-08-01T17:24:00.000-07:002010-08-01T17:40:10.065-07:00Paradise Found<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0v3f0eCsp2mq0umA8wwwyAkvdx_6B83-UDv-ZFiyvmTaw2pe8N0Ua0v1DXrwpykSl0DNBRVOyBJJTzDmi9M4f0frK8MIvABkag-8ptR9kHnHSn-jp3Ped6GGF2U97dGRytMt_Wm0bifI/s1600/Paradise+Found.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500605518181398226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0v3f0eCsp2mq0umA8wwwyAkvdx_6B83-UDv-ZFiyvmTaw2pe8N0Ua0v1DXrwpykSl0DNBRVOyBJJTzDmi9M4f0frK8MIvABkag-8ptR9kHnHSn-jp3Ped6GGF2U97dGRytMt_Wm0bifI/s320/Paradise+Found.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I've decided to share my thoughts about some of our limited edition fine art photographs one post at a time. Starting with "Paradise Found" which is not an underwater photograph, but certainly showcases the beautiful Carribbean waters of Belize. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When I first saw English Key I thought of a Disney set. Too perfect to be real. But, it's a real working light house. The only one in the vicinity of Ambergris Caye which in and of itself is amazing because of the shallow waters off the coast of Belize. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And, not only are these waters beautiful, they are home to gorgeous large coral heads and awesome sea creatures. If I were the lighthouse keeper I would spend all my time in snorkling gear with camera in hand.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Everytime I look at this photo I'm transported back to our week sailing with Tradewinds Cruise Club in the vicinity of Ambergris Caye. And, dream of the day I can return. </div><div> </div><div>If you'd like to be transported too, limited edition prints of this photo are available at Rtist.com.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-61772949038169899712010-07-24T05:56:00.000-07:002010-07-24T06:09:32.395-07:00Who to pleaseI'm starting to think that I should have used a different title for this blog. I haven't had a chance to do any snorkeling lately, so no new photos to discuss. Did find out about a feature (content aware fill) of Photoshop CS5 I can't wait to try. Just need to find the bucks to purchase the upgrade! <br /><br />So, on to the title of this post. I've been taking a lot of "above ground" photos lately. Living on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, this seems to be what sells. I'm currently shooting pics to enter in Easton Plein Air's photo contest. And, I'm starting to wonder if I'm taking these pictures because it's what I want to do or because I'm trying to please other people. <br /><br />I hope I'm doing this because I enjoy it or else this is going to turn into a second job...HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-70703789303359390922010-07-09T12:17:00.000-07:002010-07-09T12:19:46.252-07:00My Friend's blogTerry White is one of the Wednesday Morning Artist's in Cambridge Maryland. She has made me feel very welcome in my new home. This is her blog about her books and music. Check it out!<br /><br /><a href="http://terrylwhitesblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/ancient-memories.html#links">Terry L. White's Book Blog: Ancient Memories#links#links#links</a>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-22639428648422193712010-07-09T00:02:00.000-07:002010-07-09T00:17:15.494-07:00Back to Photography!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyDB7dBpbHb1WxcqKKuQqPEUdu2GyhT8-my5hPIh7hPiUNBl3s3nxxA5280QrgU6RZQj7SBsgtZXPrWrjs72dntAv7tCrJMyI430_C8-RRrAvSQ4Ht39hyU_2qHnAaXoqlvWk7DuQ-R_f/s1600/Osprey+on+Nest.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491801438674054818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyDB7dBpbHb1WxcqKKuQqPEUdu2GyhT8-my5hPIh7hPiUNBl3s3nxxA5280QrgU6RZQj7SBsgtZXPrWrjs72dntAv7tCrJMyI430_C8-RRrAvSQ4Ht39hyU_2qHnAaXoqlvWk7DuQ-R_f/s320/Osprey+on+Nest.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Just finished my refresher course on Lightroom including the updates of LR3 and I'm wondering if I'll ever need CS4 again. LR3 adds overall sharpening for printing and the ability to do basic contrast curves, which are pretty much the only things I was still doing in Photoshop. So, if I can master printing from Lightroom I think my CS4 may start collecting dust (can software do that?).</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Unfortunately, my camera was at Nikon being fixed while we were on vacation in Missouri, so I don't have any pics from that trip that were shot in RAW format. But, Terry's taken a few around our condo in Cambridge. The one above is the one I worked with in class. If only we could have rearranged the nest so that branch wasn't in front of the Osprey's face! </div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-89633938675470822262010-06-13T12:37:00.000-07:002010-06-29T13:00:32.100-07:00Westward Ho!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wgEu2WIVf1fZ3wBXYJrs8EaGuYkBKTF3fwZ5UkYC_HfaCo2MylrVqJgF8it_kbaWpEBcEVkvojD9Qfz3_WPEWQD_oIv8dMviWgka2r7cicBbbPEahQpIzKeI8diRD4BhIE-e6KmeB98Y/s1600/Ragonite+Formation.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488287805183599682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wgEu2WIVf1fZ3wBXYJrs8EaGuYkBKTF3fwZ5UkYC_HfaCo2MylrVqJgF8it_kbaWpEBcEVkvojD9Qfz3_WPEWQD_oIv8dMviWgka2r7cicBbbPEahQpIzKeI8diRD4BhIE-e6KmeB98Y/s320/Ragonite+Formation.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Just got back from a family trip to Osage Beach, Missouri. Not good for underwater photography, but great for fishing (my husband's first love). Unfortunately, we were there during a heat wave (heat index of 110 most of the days we were there). So, to get a break from the heat we toured several of the caves in the area. Our first cave was Meramec Caverns. Meramec has several unusual formations: the third largest stalagmite in the world, the largest ragonite formation in the world (see pic) and a "theater" curtain in a room large enough for concerts. The next cavern we toured was Bridal Cave which is advertised as one of the most scenic caves in the country. I'd have to agree. There were stunning formations around every turn. The cave got its name from the native wedding ceremonies that were performed there long before Europeans ventured into the cave. The final cave we toured was Ozark Caverns. This cave is run by the state of Missouri. All of the electric lights have been removed in order to protect the formation, so we toured by lantern light and I'm hooked on this type of lighting. The difficulies of taking photos under sporadic artificial light are completely eliminated. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I think I got some good shots and if they're good enough I'll be posting them on Rtist.com. </div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-71276527476315072702010-06-08T10:23:00.000-07:002010-06-08T10:45:01.081-07:00After Glow<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtrhaDjxu97THgnoXxdX8TdKteMBliuAzpJBH6ypVX29TsujiWWk1VgGOhDbPaKsNHsF70xqyHCEELJEV5tyRBS-PVmZvfynoV4g_Fb0j7L5F8Y0Zm5CbZKEAf7gQBYITo7B2FJ-6wrMA/s1600/Dolphin+Chair.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480458490918564210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtrhaDjxu97THgnoXxdX8TdKteMBliuAzpJBH6ypVX29TsujiWWk1VgGOhDbPaKsNHsF70xqyHCEELJEV5tyRBS-PVmZvfynoV4g_Fb0j7L5F8Y0Zm5CbZKEAf7gQBYITo7B2FJ-6wrMA/s320/Dolphin+Chair.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We survived our first gallery opening! Which is pretty good if you know what social butterflies Terry and I are not!!! </div><div></div><br /><div>It's more nerve racking than I thought it would be to have our work on display and receive immediate feedback on it. At least it is for me, it doesn't seem to phase Terry, but then again, not much does.</div><div></div><br /><div>We're now working on finalizing our photos for Chair-ity, a fundraising party in Cambridge, MD at the Main Street Gallery that benefits local art programs (particularly for children). I've been having a great time photoshopping a picture of one of my dolphin chairs (left) into underwater scenes and trying to think of iconic chair related things (like musical chairs) to photograph. </div><div></div><br /><div>I recruited my grandnephews and grandnieces for a musical chairs picture, but my camera was on the fritz so I didn't get a good enough shot. But, my stepson somehow caught a star-nosed mole and managed to get it to stay on a small chair long enough for me to get a picture of it. My husband took a picture of a conference room table, so next on the agenda is creating our "Chair-mole of the Board" picture. Hope it turns out!</div><div> </div><div>FYI - The opening for "Chair-ity" is July 9th and tickets for the opening are $25. I think they can be purchased from the Main Street Gallery, the Dorchester Center for the Arts or at the door. </div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-22138962429200676292010-06-03T06:49:00.000-07:002010-06-03T06:57:21.630-07:00So many things to reportWell after what seems like endless unpacking, we are finally moved and I'm getting back into working with and promoting our photography. I'm very excited to announce that HSWT Photography will be one of the artists featured at Easton, MD's newest art gallery, The Little Yellow Paint Brush, 10 West Dover St. Some of our latest Limited Edition photos will be on display and for sale. <br /><br />We will also be displaying/selling some of our Limited Edition prints at the Cambridge Yacht Club in Cambridge MD starting next Monday. And, we've shut down our Etsy store and moved our on-line retail of Limited Edition prints to Rtist.com, where our work can be found by searching HSWT Photography (of coarse!) :).<br /><br />And, we joined a great artist group called the Wednesday Morning Artists in Cambridge, MD. So, I guess I have a little bit of an excuse for not posting lately. I promise to keep up with this better now that we're settled in.HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-50182564306317482712010-01-08T21:02:00.000-08:002010-01-08T21:12:32.977-08:00T-shirts and More<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbRrQqYve4fc1FJloC8JEvfxmdQeNhFE2s8Pqwy_HH3cRHEYTufPP44fYiCFtjDyHkm_JcZMzWn7J0DuZ8-qze-sN15PuslUAK6olCTKVujXJliLVkcbA2TPun86BMkG7rtBhEo0jO06E/s1600-h/Purple+Lace.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424601320196766930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbRrQqYve4fc1FJloC8JEvfxmdQeNhFE2s8Pqwy_HH3cRHEYTufPP44fYiCFtjDyHkm_JcZMzWn7J0DuZ8-qze-sN15PuslUAK6olCTKVujXJliLVkcbA2TPun86BMkG7rtBhEo0jO06E/s320/Purple+Lace.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Not having much luck with etsy so far, so I thought I'd try something different. I uploaded this pic and another non-limited pic to ArtWanted.com. Where it can be printed on "art ware" such as t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads and other useful stuff. Ordered a t-shirt for myself to see what they are like and to wear to shows. I think this pic will look good on a white t-shirt. Hope I'm right!</div><div> </div><div>I'm probably trying to avoid working on the pics from the Bahamas. Can't seem to get excited about them. I'm not trusting my own judgement for some reason. I think I need to go back to my notes from my Lightroom class and start over with them. But, they don't seem worth the bother. Guess I'm in a rut...</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-76717413260315891682010-01-01T18:31:00.000-08:002010-01-01T18:37:05.885-08:00Not So GoodI keep working on the pics from our Bahama's trip and I think I've finally figured out why I'm not getting anywhere with them. They just aren't all that good. I blame the water. We've been spoiled by the clear waters of Grand Cayman, Belize and even Panama. The water in the Bahama has a cloudy look that is frankly depressing. Also, we're still getting used to the new cameras. Terry set his ISO to 800 and that created too much noise. I left mine on auto (I know, I know...) and for the few pics where the water is clear, the fish are just a little blurry. Think we're going to have to chalk this trip up to a learning experience. <br /><br />So, I'm dreaming that we'll get back to Grand Cayman sometime soon where we'll have the luxury of editing pics as we take them so we can get the hang of the new cameras. Keep your fingers crossed that the airlines drop their prices for us!HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-45541548269697281162009-12-14T16:28:00.000-08:002009-12-14T16:56:05.702-08:00Cruising Not For MeWe did our first ship cruise (Royal Carribbean - Magesty of the Seas) last week. It was a real disappointment. I know that the snorkeling in the Bahama's isn't the greatest, so I wasn't expecting much from that. But, the cruise was just too hokey from the entertainment, to the activities, to the annoying waitress. The most surprising thing was that the food at the buffet was better than in the dining room. <br /><br />Still the trip wasn't a total waste. We did discover that while Atlantis was fun for a day, there's not enough to do to spend a weekend there, let alone an entire week. The best ride was the ocean (i.e. body surfing in the waves at the man-made beach). The water slides were ok and the river rapids was fun. <br /><br />And, I saw my first ocean triggerfish. Unfortunately, he was too quick for me to get a good picture of him. But, I'm still hoping we got a couple of good pics this trip. Will post some once I finish working on them.HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-34032080733662189022009-12-07T06:23:00.000-08:002009-12-07T06:38:12.306-08:00The Day AfterBefore I recap our experiences with our first juried arts & crafts show, I want mention a great weekly blog that features Etsy artists: <a href="http://gifteddesigns.blogspot.com/2009/12/sunday-showcase-royal.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://gifteddesigns.blogspot.com/2009/12/sunday-showcase-royal.html</a>. Each week the author picks a different theme and features items that fit with the theme. This Sunday's theme was purple and she picked one of our pictures of purple fan coral to feature.<br /><br />Now back to the show...It's hard for us to really judge how things went because it snowed the first day and people in the DC area just don't venture out in snow. We made a few sales, mostly cards and handed out a lot of cards. Hopefully, that will lead to future contact. <br /><br />We did learn a lot at the show. For instance we really need to come up with a background for our booth and overhead lighting. If anyone knows a good place to buy pipe and drape, we'd love to hear the suggestion. I'd really like to just purchase the pipe and make the drape myself.<br /><br />We got lots of complements on our work which is gratifying, but doesn't pay the bills. And, the odd request (do you have pictures of manatees?, do you have pictures of cuttlefish?). Other artists at the show were very helpful. Hopefully, we'll get some good pictures this week to add to our portfolio.HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-24139607882334095732009-12-03T05:56:00.000-08:002009-12-03T06:11:09.971-08:00Why I love camera RAW<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoz4VNQX_ujQvvNEIgxpV9FXqWUozBDmAqWvUELN40Dm1cjsCtzXzbcNaPAaSN9UwEInZDOcjrzQBZwwMkogrlebqhzxUE5O1ok4VM6TExIYgUxTdv8bZQmdy5SHSA-rAIlCbSycMiZ2N/s1600-h/Pillar+of+Life.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411008868789752306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoz4VNQX_ujQvvNEIgxpV9FXqWUozBDmAqWvUELN40Dm1cjsCtzXzbcNaPAaSN9UwEInZDOcjrzQBZwwMkogrlebqhzxUE5O1ok4VM6TExIYgUxTdv8bZQmdy5SHSA-rAIlCbSycMiZ2N/s320/Pillar+of+Life.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Kind of sounds kinky doesn't it? So, yeah I wish they had come up with a different name for this digital format, but that doesn't make me love it any less! Without camera RAW I never would have been able to capture these amazing colors of sponges in the pristene waters of Bocas del Toro, Panama. And, I couldn't have let them shine without Adobe Lightroom. Sorry, if I sound like a commercial, it's just that we are leaving Monday for the Bahamas and I can't wait to capture more images in RAW. Keep your fingers crossed that the snorkeling is good!!!</div><div> </div><div>So, please excuse a little more praise for Lightroom. For RAW editing it kicks CS4's butt. And, that library thing is good too. :) I have to thank my instructor (guru) Eliot Cohen for showing me the light (pardon the pun). BTW - You can find Eliot's work at <a href="http://www.eliotcohen.com/">http://www.eliotcohen.com</a>.</div><div> </div><div>And, don't forget to check out our photos at <a href="http://www.hswtphotography.etsy.com/">http://www.HSWTPhotography.etsy.com</a> where you'll find more great pics from Bocas, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Grand Cayman.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-84095356050767924452009-12-01T10:27:00.000-08:002009-12-01T10:33:15.262-08:00Framing MadnessOk, so you decide that you're going to mat and frame all your own photos for your first juried art show. So you go out and by some mats and frames. Then you find out that your frames aren't standard sizes, your mats aren't archieval quality for colored photos, and your backing board isn't either. So, you find a supplier who can get you all the right materials and now all you need is a mat cutter, glass and more frames. Oh, and don't forget the acid free framers tape and double sided tape. Or, the blades for the mat cutter and the photo trimmer (cause you have to print the photos smaller than your sheets of premium glossy photo paper to leave a nice boarder for signatures). And, maybe you need a glass cutter too and btw, how are you going to hold your fabulous mats, photos and backing board in the frame. That's right you need a point driver too. And, you cross-fingers that all this stuff that you just spent a small fortune on will arrive in time for you to put it all together and hopefully sell some of your limited edition photos to cover the cost...<br />Wake me up when the show's over. :)HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-39601988494815615542009-11-29T07:07:00.000-08:002009-11-29T07:47:00.995-08:00Too crop or not to crop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x-uOLjDOgmn5JUd0acI8hZSmEs-mTg2tfVXFN5qi-jHXDNONDoUFj0gok165udJ7-QXQAS6kYBj9u3LMqSUrmI2rhxsMDckpQbs4w0nIlirsycthJ5OpOU3Xz5bRCGwHHoAbYF3ucu1F/s1600/Recess+Close+Crop.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 195px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409550163759766066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x-uOLjDOgmn5JUd0acI8hZSmEs-mTg2tfVXFN5qi-jHXDNONDoUFj0gok165udJ7-QXQAS6kYBj9u3LMqSUrmI2rhxsMDckpQbs4w0nIlirsycthJ5OpOU3Xz5bRCGwHHoAbYF3ucu1F/s320/Recess+Close+Crop.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIojO9iytjwF4kJ1Igd1ERMVrWb8jVs_ZZdjoqm8oWxs4Fr_nue_866UTfzUnWBr-B_fIXjwry8Lm-CVz-XKaOERTiVO3XMqhSa5EhnOVqsPUaNW_szzDo-Z1myhqHOUgYFIpGdyVrpQeQ/s1600/Recess+Just+the+School+Crop.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 199px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409550158157801474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIojO9iytjwF4kJ1Igd1ERMVrWb8jVs_ZZdjoqm8oWxs4Fr_nue_866UTfzUnWBr-B_fIXjwry8Lm-CVz-XKaOERTiVO3XMqhSa5EhnOVqsPUaNW_szzDo-Z1myhqHOUgYFIpGdyVrpQeQ/s320/Recess+Just+the+School+Crop.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL5QB9abHXE6pONEFf6skb6JU6oGNWB1TQ0iJhFjqLygVSlML_ll-bcBxnTDvOmDvCnKieKcUJXAtnE0K1HSScL3kmVFFdkReFFm1ao4ec0BaxGpEOlTUbF8lYd5VPSZv6bPvH7GuiLpa/s1600/Recess+Cropped+for+11x14+Mats.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409549993907608530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYL5QB9abHXE6pONEFf6skb6JU6oGNWB1TQ0iJhFjqLygVSlML_ll-bcBxnTDvOmDvCnKieKcUJXAtnE0K1HSScL3kmVFFdkReFFm1ao4ec0BaxGpEOlTUbF8lYd5VPSZv6bPvH7GuiLpa/s320/Recess+Cropped+for+11x14+Mats.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Cropping is so subjective and I seem to be stuck on standard sizes. Everytime I stray from them, I end up recropping to a standard size. The pics above are a good example. The last crop is the one we are selling. I like it because its a standard size for easy framing and it shows the whole school of blue tangs in context. The first image is a close crop suggested by a friend of mine. I think it makes a nice abstract image, but looses context. The second image is a closer crop of just the school, but I don't think its a better crop than the one we're selling. Hope I made the right cropping choice.</div></div></div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-21608806619840313762009-11-28T14:11:00.001-08:002009-11-29T07:39:41.056-08:00Reef Squid Cute?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC2Mm09KSJpwiDan4V3kgjSSNUqa2jUqiSh4gJ2Bj2q4Py6DTFI1NREV7QWQWpu1xkO-dmJEDGuCKjcmjeVS1NNgtjQP5Xn0teuBSYnMe8V8rzbEhurLV7ax0qpGbjDYgPar24FB1JkKn/s1600/Cute+Couple.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 229px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409550683979005586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDC2Mm09KSJpwiDan4V3kgjSSNUqa2jUqiSh4gJ2Bj2q4Py6DTFI1NREV7QWQWpu1xkO-dmJEDGuCKjcmjeVS1NNgtjQP5Xn0teuBSYnMe8V8rzbEhurLV7ax0qpGbjDYgPar24FB1JkKn/s320/Cute+Couple.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Yeah, I actually think they are. Especially when they are hanging out in rows at the beach or snuggling up like these two. Plus, the way they can change colors is awesome. Unfortunately, they are very hard to photograph. Which is why we don't sell this photo in our Etsy shop (<a href="http://www.hswtphotography.etsy.com/">http://www.hswtphotography.etsy.com/</a>). But, I'll keep trying. One of these days I know I'm going to get the perfect shot. That's what keeps me jumping back into the pool!<br /><br />And, as much as I like photographing fish (yes, squid are technically fish), it's the creatures that are really starting attract more and more of my attention. Like the red flame scallops and split-crown feather dusters that we saw in Panama. And, the Christmas tree worm hiding in lettuce coral in shallow water that was just too choppy for a good photo.<br /><br />I hope I get a chance to photograph more creatures in the Bahamas! We're heading out in a little over a week and it's been a long time since I've had the chance to snorkel there.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-80568537953925307732009-11-25T16:38:00.000-08:002009-11-29T07:42:12.406-08:00Getting Ready for a Juried Show<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPIoOaEI7S1aeISqydagOP-NIwpOafZuk9dqRKA5Vrut2z92K8cdehP-u_ofoRigth8xLmUvAXBrVxi8CBqD7TSqDqeVPyBHFfqZuLT4yHHtGMdsqDuVuPa5A5csHM46k2TdbKLPMqfEb/s1600/Beautiful+Teenager.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409551356304386674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPIoOaEI7S1aeISqydagOP-NIwpOafZuk9dqRKA5Vrut2z92K8cdehP-u_ofoRigth8xLmUvAXBrVxi8CBqD7TSqDqeVPyBHFfqZuLT4yHHtGMdsqDuVuPa5A5csHM46k2TdbKLPMqfEb/s320/Beautiful+Teenager.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We've been busily printing photos in preparation for our first juried art & craft show. So, I thought I'd share one of our photos that's only available at the show. Beautiful Teenager is a fine art photograph of an intermediate stage French angelfish. I took this picture while snorkeling in Grand Cayman in November, 2006. I recently went thru some of our older photos and reworked them in photoshop and got some amazing results. The only thing is that they were taken with 5 meg underwater cameras so they don't have enough pixels to be enlarged. Still it's nice to revisit these photos and make them available as 5x7s or 8x10s.</div>HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270043595346282191.post-54880602431103038782009-11-25T00:34:00.000-08:002009-11-25T00:47:26.203-08:00About nine years ago while on a fishing trip to Walker's Key I talked my future husband, Terry, into trying snorkling. The water was choppy and we were on a dive boat with about ten divers and two other snorklers. When asked if we knew how to snorkel, I immediately said yes without thinking that this was his first time. Trooper that he is, he got out in the swells and immediately fell in love with snorkeling. We've been snorkeling ever since.<br /><br />Soon we started getting interested in trying to photograph all the incredible fish, coral, sponges, rays and other creatures we were seeing. This blog is about our journey into the world of underwater photography. I think our journey is unique because we don't scuba, we free dive. We can't sit on the bottom and wait for interesting fish to come out of their hiding places. We have to literally swim them down. We are trying to capture the perfect image while our subjects are moving, the water is moving and we are moving. I hope you'll click the picture to see the results of our efforts in our etsy store. And, that you'll come back to hear more about our adventures as I discuss our photos and our process.HSWT Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16378031059416720524noreply@blogger.com0