Monthly Archives: February 2016
Everyone has surrealistic experiences and we say “wasn’t that amazing?”. Photographers search for places like Mono Lake where we can have that experience as we enjoy a special sunrise, the light changing over ancient lakes and mountain ranges. After these brisk morning shoots as I am relaxing over breakfast, my thinking is usually like that of an excited little kid; let’s do it again!!
Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour March 13 – March 17, 2016

Mono Lake Sunrise
Shooting into the sun created a lot of noise in the shadow areas which I was able to recover using DeNoise 6.
Topaz DeNoise is designed to let you shoot anywhere in any light and still get crisp, clear and noise-free images. Specializing in extremely noisy high ISO images, DeNoise removes distracting image noise while preserving image detail, giving you the image you wanted without the noise you don�t.
Click here to receive $30 off Topaz DeNoise 6
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Leave a comment | posted in HDR, High Sierras, Lightroom, Mono Lake, Photographic Workshops, Photoshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz DeNoise 6, Topaz Labs, Valley of Fire
One of my favorite images in Venice to photograph is the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, commonly known simply as La Salute, is one of the largest churches of Venice and has the status of a minor basilica. It stands in a prominent position at the junction between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco on the lagoon.

Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
When I am on location shooting with clients the two questions I am asked the most are why I pick a location to shoot and why I return to many of the same locations over the years.
The answers to both of these questions are simple. Foregrounds matter! The locations provide some of the most exceptional foregrounds a photographer can capture no matter what the weather conditions. This allows each group to come home with images that can hang on their wall. Often when we are shooting in the morning and evening the magic happens and we capture some of the best sunrises and sunsets that I have ever seen.
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Leave a comment | tags: Digital Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Topaz Labs, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Caffe Florian, Doge's Palace, Gondola, HDR, Italian Photographic Workshop, Lightroom, Nik Software, Panoramic, Photographic Workshops, Rialto Bridge, Santa Maria della Salute, Topaz Clarity, Topaz labs, Venice Carnival Photo Workshop
A Southwest Valentines

Heart Light – Southwest Workshop
Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour
March 13 – March 17, 2016
$695/ Limited to 8 Students
Click here to get to my Links page for the 15% off discount code for any of the Topaz products
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Leave a comment | posted in Heart Light, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Labs
Mono Lake is off US 395, the main north-south route in California, just east of the Sierra Nevada range. Much of its length has phenomenal views of the snow covered mountains nearby.

4 Image Pano Mono Lake
I spent some time photographing the Tufa around Mono Lake, but my favorite shot from the area is this Panoramic that I shot from high above the lake.
While photographing there last fall, I stayed in the small town of Lee Vining. Located on the west shore of Mono Lake, it is close to the Tioga Road which leads into Yosemite National Park. Mono Lake is a large, shallow, alkaline lake which is impressive enough from a distance, but close up has the added interest of unusual Tufa pinnacles. These calcium carbonate spires have been deposited over thousands of years around underwater springs, and are now exposed because the lake level has fallen in recent times.
Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour
March 13 – March 17, 2016
$695/ Limited to 8 Students
Click here to get to my Links page for the 15% off discount code for any of the Topaz products.
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Leave a comment | tags: Paul Christopher James, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Mono Lake, Photographic Workshops, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Labs, Tufa
Photography has become a way of life for me that has always been changing. In the early days, it was usually just me, on a hillside, waiting for the light to change and learning how to take a moment and breath it all in. Now it is more about sharing the hillsides and what I have learned with a few others. Last night was a fun evening; I gave a presentation for the Mid Michigan Photo Club in East Lansing on Lightroom workflow and some luminosity masking. It was a nice change from my solo days on hilltops and in the darkroom.

Sierra’s north of Bishop
I had bracketed this image to create an HDR +2, 0, -2 but only used the 0 exposure with a curves mask on Lights 3 channel I had created to bring down the highlights.
Click here to get to my Links page for the 15% off discount code for any of the Topaz products.
Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour
March 13 – March 17, 2016
$695/ Limited to 8 Students
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2 Comments | tags: Paul Christopher James, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs, Zion National Park | posted in Cotton Woods, High Sierras, Photographic Workshops, Sierra Nevada, Southwest Photo Workshop
Early morning mist and cypress trees in the Val d’Orcia create breathtaking images that have keep bringing me back over the years. This region is has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site which will help ensure that this area will stay natural and not be overdeveloped.

Morning Mist Val d’Orcia
This June I will be staying with the group in a small village that has ancient mineral springs used by the Romans and the Etruscans before them. There are a couple of spot left and I hope you can join me.
Tuscan Photographic Workshop Tour
June 18 – June 23 2016
$950.00/ Limited to 8 Students
Click here to get to my Links page for the 15% off discount code for any of the Topaz products.
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Leave a comment | tags: Italian Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Italian Photographic Workshop, Lens Correction, Lightroom, Photographic Workshops, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workshop, Tuscany, Val d'Orcia