On Assignment: Photographing the Royal Peacock Opal Mine

• outdoor life, Photography, travels, Uncategorized

I had a really fun photo assignment last month, photographing at the Royal Peacock Opal Mine in Nevada. This mine is a U-Dig operation where anybody can visit, buy a pass to dig in the mine, and hopefully uncover some amazing Opals.

These types of assignments are always fun, not only for what I get to photograph but also for the learning. The creation of Opals is absolutely fascinating, but rather than explain it myself, here is a quick explanation:

‘Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids, caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit. This cycle repeats over very long periods of time, and eventually, opal is formed.’ – Opals Down Under 

What was explained to me, and I may not recall exactly, but this silica solution enters into the wood that is buried and estimated to be 12 – 15 million years old, and that wood eventually becomes petrified. Once the moisture leaves the solution, it becomes an Opal.

What Makes a Good Selling Photo?

• Nature Photography

Concept!

Without a doubt concept is the biggest ingredient in a top selling stock photo. This image screams farming, agriculture, Heartland, and more, and has made good money.

 wheat farmer

I was actually on assignment for the former America West airlines when I was shooting this guys cornfield. He drove up and asked what I was up to. We chatted and later became friends and I was invited to photograph anytime I wanted including wheat harvest where we set up this photo.

It was shot before sunset so it had the golden light of the setting sun. Having them in the foreground with the combine in back added a great sense of depth. It has been on brochure covers, bank ads, and more.

An Image from an Architecture Shoot

• Architecture Photography

I recently had an architecture shoot in Washington State to shoot a beautiful custom home. Here is one image from the shoot. I was asked to get 10-12 scenes of the home, which is a lot but also pretty common these days.

I have determined the best way to do this is using selective lighting and Photoshop, which is lighting specific areas and then compositing a lot of images for the final result. This image had 20 layers.

Copyright (c) 2013 Charlie Borland

I teach these techniques in my class on Architecture photography here.

12 Tips for Getting Started in Professional Photography

• Architecture Photography, Corporate Photography, Flash & Strobe Lighting, Lifestyle Photography, Outdoor Adventure Photography, Portrait Photography, Seminars & Workshops, Special Effects, Strobe Lighting

You love photography and want to photograph full time by launching a photography business. Maybe you are unemployed or wish to supplement your retirement income or simply wanting to earn money doing what you love.

For those with jobs you may not want to quit the day job until your business is launched and earning you an income and enough income allowing you can quit that day job. Maybe you are unemployed and if so you can get started right away but be careful if your financial resources are limited.

So how do you get started? I have compiled these ideas into the 12 most important steps I believe are crucial to finding success as a professional photographer in today’s markets.

Exploring the Business of Outdoor Photography Seminar, June 29th – July 1st, 2012, in Bend, Oregon.

• Seminars & Workshops

The Cascade Center of Photography will be conducting a seminar called: Exploring the Business of Outdoor Photography, June 29th – July 1st, 2012, in Bend, Oregon.

If you have a passion for outdoor and nature photography and wish to make money and even a living at it, this seminar covers all the territory. Many photographers have very marketable images, but no idea how to get them to market, let alone, into a clients publication. The business is competitive and the sooner you learn how to shoot for the market and who buys your photography, the sooner you can realize a profit. But if you have no experience, where do you start? This workshop will show you how