Last Saturday, I was at my son’s All Star soccer tournament in Madera, CA. In between games, I was walking around the park and found this tree trunk with great patterns. I used my iPhone 4s, and the quality of the captured file is stunning, surprising me even though I’ve had the phone since Oct. All post-processing was done in Lightroom 3.

ALSO:  I will be attending Photo LA on Sunday and part of Monday. My Impressions of Lights prints will be at the Susan Spiritus Gallery Booth B300. If you are in the area, come visit! http://www.photola.com/

To see my collection of images from 2010, see My Favorite Images of 2010.

Please tell me which photographs of mine from 2011 are your favorites.  It is always interesting to hear this feedback, so select your fav 3-5 images and tell me why you like them!

Thanks, and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

Bill

Winter Fog and Oaks, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/6.7, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Calla Leaves, Ahwanhee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

White Orchid, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro,
1/20 second at f/2.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Clearing storm, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Madera County, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/3 second at f/8, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Foothills and Winter Storm,Table Mountain,California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/6.7, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Almond Trees Blooming, Kern County, California  2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/2 second at f/8, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Almond Trees in Bloom, Kern County, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/9.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Buckeye, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/3 second at f/19, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Pear Blossoms, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/4.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Pathway and Pear Blossoms, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/9.5, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Plum Blossoms and snow, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/2 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Pond and Fog, Coarsegold,, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/10 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Buckeye and Oaks, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Morning Mist and Pines, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/250 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Spring Oak, Coarsegold, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
HDR at f/16, ISO 160
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Roots and Rocks, Merced River at Happy Isles, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
2″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Dogwood blossoms and the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/32, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Hosta Leaves, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/15 second at f/16, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Pine and Waterfall, Tioga Road, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Rock, Water and Tree, Cascade Falls, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/2 second at f/27, ISO 320
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Evening Light, Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/1 second at f/22, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Flower Impressions, Pier 39, San Francisco, California 2011
Apple iPhone 3GS,
2″ second
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Waterfall in Morning Light, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/4 second at f/9.5, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Waterfall and Sunbeam, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1.5 second at f/27, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Sunbeam on waterfall, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
2″ second at f/16, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Late Summer Meadow, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/8 second at f/13, ISO 320
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Maple Leaf, Ahwahnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro,
1″ second at f/32, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Autumn forest and slickrock wall, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/1 second at f/16, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Reflections, Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/8 second at f/19, ISO 400
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Virgin River Reflections, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
1/4 second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

River of Light, Virgin River in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
second atf/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Sandstone Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/19, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Canyon Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/16, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Slot Canyon Sculpture, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1.5000005191107″ second at f/22, ISO 200
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Hoodoo, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1/2 second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Eroded Rock, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
1″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Rocks, Stud Horse Point, Arizona 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM,
3.0000010382213″ second at f/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Morning Fog and Oaks, Ahwanhnee, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
second atf/19, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Sandhill Cranes landing at sunset, Consumnes River Preserve, California 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF300mm f/4L USM +2.0x,
1/250 second at f/8, ISO 1250
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Yellow Orchids, 2011
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, TS-E90mm f/2.8,
2″ second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2011 William Neill

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM__1.5 sec at f / 16__ISO 200

On my recent trip to Utah and Arizona, I photographed slot canyons in the Page area for the first time since 2002. This image was created with one exposure, and a 16mm focal length.  My very first session in Antelope Canyon was in 1982, with no one there.  I spent hours making images in silence and peace.  It was a magical and spiritual experience then, and so it was again on this trip.  There are more images to come, as I find time to process and post them!

Enjoy,  Bill

I am excited to announce my new Affiliate Program for my ebook series!  If you review the ebook or place the affiliate link in your blog or website, you will receive 30% of the sales that you send our way.  We are just starting up this program, but I wanted you to know right at the beginning. I hope to have a new ebook or two ready to launch in the next fews months, and having the Affiliate program should help launch the sales!  Click here for more details.  Thanks for supporting my photography!

Earn money by becoming an affiliate and re-selling our eBooks on your site or blog.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__TS-E90mm f/2.8__1/8 sec at f / 13__ISO 320 + Canon 2X Extender

I made this image yesterday.  I’ve been driving by this spot almost daily and had decided that I would need my Tilt Shift lens to achieve sharpness from front to back.  The morning was overcast so now I had the light I wanted.  Adding the 2X Extender to my 90mm T/S, I isolated these layers of color and texture.  There was a breeze, which made catching a sharp frame tough.  I spent 30 minutes in one spot, especially watching the tall composite flowers for when they stopped moving, to capture 2-3 sharp images.

This image will add nicely to my Morning Light series.

Enjoy!

Bill

If you haven’t seen my ebooks, check them out.  If you have one or more, share with your friends!

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__0.7 sec at f / 22__ISO 400

Later on the same evening that I photographed Rock and Water, Cascade Falls, Yosemite National Park, California 2011, I also spent some time along the roaring Merced River.  There is something magical about standing next to massive amounts of water thundering by so loudly that the rest of the world is drowned out.  The sky reflected beautifully in the rapids.  I made about 80 frames, playing with various shutter speeds and compositions.  I liked this version which shows the strong streaking and jumping of white water.

Enjoy!  Bill

See more of my Yosemite work, my PFD ebooks or new iPad app at my ebook store.  William Neill’s YOSEMITE: VOLUME ONE

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__TS-E90mm f/2.8__1/30 sec at f / 22__ISO 200

Practice, practice…

I’ve been very frustrated lately because I haven’t been able to get out of the office and up to Yosemite for waterfalls, reflections in the meadow, corn lilies in the high country.  Fortunately, my water lilies are in bloom and I check them out every day.  We had an amazing rain storm Tuesday night and the next morning, and so I took a lunch break on my patio.  My water lilies had been washed clean and were gleaming with water drops.  I used my trusty 90mm Tilt Shift lens, making two frames to merge into this square composition using Photo Merge in Photoshop CS5.  The storm was starting to clear, with the sun on the edge of a cloud which gives this image a fresh and sparkling mood.

So when I finally get up to Yosemite Valley next week, I’ll have had recent practice.  Practice seeing every day, get your camera out whenever and wherever you get inspired, and be ready for the next opportunity.  Oh yes, and it might just happen in your back yard!

Enjoy,  Bill

William Neill’s Yosemite Volume One

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM__1/15 sec at f / 16__ISO 400

Last week, I was in the Toronto area with my family for a wedding.  I brought along my camera and a few lenses in case I found inspiration.  Staying at our  family’s home,  I took a short walk about their property on a drizzly day.  I am not sure if these plants are hosta, or maybe veratrum, but I know I loved the patterns.  Does anyone know the common and/or latin name?

Thanks for reading my blog.  Stay tuned for new postings soon regarding a special Fine Print offer!  To ensure receiving info about my Fine Prints, ebooks, online workshops and more, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter.

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Enjoy, and let me know your comments about my latest image!

Bill

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__3.0 sec at f / 32__ISO 400

Here is my favorite image from  Saturday May 7th in Yosemite. The dogwood were beautiful, and I had a blast! More to come!  I posted this image on FB earlier but loaded the wrong jpg.

Enjoy, and please give me your feedback!  Bill

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__1/3 sec at f / 19__ISO 200

I have lived in the Sierra for 33 years, and I have always been thrilled when seeing the first buckeyes popping out in early spring.  The leaves come out so fast that I have never caught that moment I have enjoyed for so many years.  The bare branches of these small trees often have wonderful patterns that I have photographed during the winter months.  See one such image on mine on the OP site:  The Digital Deluge.

I have been wanting to capture that sense of early spring that I have seen and felt every spring for so long.  The timing for this image was critical – early enough in the budding process to still see the branch patterns and also see the full, radiating shapes of the leaves.  On Tuesday morning, on my Morning Light run, I think I captured the moment.

Enjoy!  Bill

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__1.5 sec at f / 22__ISO 100

For the past couple of months, I have been watching this calla plant growing in my living/dining room area.  The light comes through two different windows to light the leaves to various effect.  This past Sunday, I finally saw a composition worth setting up for.  I hung up my black piece of velvet on the wall behind these leaves.  I left my camera set up and made frames when I saw interesting light. I downloaded the images, looked at the new images, and was not particularly inspired by the results.

Yesterday, four days later, I looked at the images again with Lightroom.  Then it hit me that there was real potential here, made several adjustments to this image, including converting the image to BW.  Bingo!  I polished up the file this morning in Photoshop this morning.  Here is the result!

Enjoy,  Bill

For more of my BW work, see my Meditations in Monochrome ebook!