MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - LIVING BIG

Jeff and Mary live life colossal!  They are like action heroes!  They're always skiing, or paddle boarding, or going on a run for like an hour.  For someone who lives as big as this, I really wanted to make a huge photo for them.  So I scouted this location they showed me a few times and begged them to make the 30 minute drive and 30 minute hike up to this pristine little lake for our post wedding shoot.  Mother nature was getting jealous and had step up her game.  She came through colossal for us!  It was awesome!

Montana wedding photography by Billings Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger.  An artistic vision for dramatic fine art photography as unique as your love story.  How do you dream of being photographed?  Contact Billings Montana wedding photographer Paul Bellinger for any wedding destination.  www.paulbellinger.com

MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - LAKE TAHOE SUNSET

Here's a little eye candy from my recent trip to lake Tahoe for Jeff and Mary's Tahoe wedding.  I raced to the beach to catch the end of this sunset.  I had to run a long way in the sand and was completely out of breath when I shot this.  I only managed three shots before the color faded.  It was worth the run but I wish I had been there 30 minutes earlier!  I love photography so much that I can't resist a beautiful sunset, or my dog rolling around in the backyard.  I'm always ready to shoot.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Dad on the banks of the Missouri overlooking our hometown Omaha Nebraska!  It was probably 0 degrees fahrenheit plus a cool breeze coming off the river.  Hence dad's snow suit!   Happy father's day dad!  I can't wait to shoot some landscapes together again soon!

My stepdad Bruce posing with my beautiful wife Nini in front of Bruce's huge smoker at our Husker tailgate party!  We had the smoker up and running before sunrise!  I wish father's day was during Husker season, so we could celebrate appropriately.  Happy father's day Brucey!


Paul Bellinger Montana wedding photographer Billings Montana wedding photography www.paulbellinger.com

MISSOURI RIVER BLUES

Missouri River Blues, Rocheport MO

I took this 30 second exposure a while after sundown during the blue hour.  Nini and the dogs were getting anxious to get off the sandbar, up the steep dirt cliff, and back to the M.K.T. "Katy" Trail that leads back to the car.  This was one of the last shots of the night, if not the very last one.

This is a single 30 second exposure and it is the first single exposure I've shared of this sunset (all of the rest were HDRs you can see here, here and here.  When I have the time I like to keep shooting for about an hour after sunset.  Once the sun is down it's possible to get long exposures like this without using any filters.  I'm obsessed with the long-exposure effect on the water, as you can probably tell by now.

Photo taken Feb 22, 2012

AFTER SUNDOWN

After Sundown, Rocheport MO

The final of three sunset photos from our trip to the "best beach in Missouri" on the banks of the Missouri River.  I usually plan to stay for an hour after sundown and take photos during the blue hour when the light goes cold and blue.  I really love the way the camera catches that deep blue light.  This photo was taken just after sundown.  See my previous posts from the best beach in Missouri here and here.

This is a five-exposure HDR and the exposures range from .5 to 8 seconds in one-stop increments.  After the sun had set I was still set up facing directly toward the sunset.  But Nini pointed out that the Southeastern sky was glowing purple!  I quickly recomposed to get some of the purple light in the frame.  It was gone before I could get off six exposures, so I was left with five to work with!

Once again, CreativeLIVE is LIVE today and it's free.  The workshop is "Posing Masterclass" with Bambi Cantrell.  You can go to www.creativelive.com/live but if your internet is slow I recommend the low resolution link here:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/creativelive-lowres

Photo taken Feb 22, 2012

DUSK IN THE WOODS

Dusk in the Woods, Columbia MO

The boys and I took a quick hike at Grindstone Nature Area.  The sun had already went down and it was getting cold, but I decided to take the high ridge trail out of the park anyway.  I was treated to this lovely view of the dusk sky along the trail.

This is a six exposure HDR.

BEFORE SUNDOWN

Just Before Sundown, Rocheport MO

Nini and I took the dogs to our new sunset location the night before last and were lucky to see a beautiful Missouri River sunset.  This little sandbar is just below the Katy Trail outside of Rocheport Missouri.  The Katy Trail is a 240 mile state park that runs along the old M.K.T. railroad line (Missouri-Kansas-Texas).  To access the sandbar you have to climb down a steep dirt cliff, but there are plenty of tree roots to help lower yourself down.  The dogs were down in a skip and a jump.  One passer by said, "How in the heck do I get down there?  That's the best beach in Missouri!"  We had a fun time watching the sunset on the best beach in MO.

This is a six-exposure HDR.  Despite an awesome view of the sunset, I struggled for a long while to find a composition I liked.  But we arrived 45 minutes before sunset and I had plenty of time to try out different compositions and ultimately settle in on a few that I liked.

Photo taken Feb 22, 2012

VICTORIA MEMORIAL SUNSET

Victoria Memorial Sunset, Kolkata India

Kolkata was the British capital of India and this is the memorial they built for Queen Victoria. There are many other British memorials and government buildings around Kolkata but it is amazing how the modern city has swallowed them up. Because Delhi is now the capital, it seems that the old government buildings and memorials are a bit more isolated there than in Kolkata.

When I first set up my tripod and started composing the first batch of photos, I placed my tripod on the concrete bank of a reflecting pool. I was careful not to break any rules, and we didn't see any signs warning us against it. But after about three minutes a couple of guards started hollering at me from the other side of the reflection pool, making quite a scene. There were thousands of people on the grounds and many were already staring at me. Now everyone was looking as Nini and I made our way to the guards. They simply said "no stands," and walked off.

FIRE IN THE WOODS

Fire in the Woods, Columbia MO

The sky started to combust as Nini and I were hiking with the dogs along the cliffs overlooking Grindstone Nature Area.  I thought we'd have a view of the sunset from our vantage on the cliffs, but we were in a new area and I was totally wrong.  I headed off-trail toward the colors and ultimately found this clearing in the woods.  It wasn't the best spot for photographing the sunset but this was one of the best sunsets I can recall in Columbia and it was amazing to watch the colors change and ultimately fade away.

This is a six exposure HDR.  With a single exposure I was able to capture the gorgeous colors of the sky, but everything else in the frame was completely black.  But when I was standing there, witnessing the sunset, I could see beautifully colored light washing over the three layers of leaves: in the distance, on the low brush and in the foreground.  Using multiple exposures I was able to create a more accurate, yet still far from perfect, match with the reality that unfolded in front of my eyes.  HDR photography doesn't always work out this way, and can be used to create unrealistic looking photos as well, but in this case I think it helped a lot.

Daily photo: Feb 3, 2012, taken Jan 30, 2012

MISSOURI RIVER MAJESTY

Purple River Majesty, Rocheport MO

Nini and I took the dogs to our new sunset location the night before last and were lucky to see a beautiful Missouri River sunset.  This little sandbar is just below the Katy Trail outside of Rocheport Missouri.  The Katy Trail is a 240 mile state park that runs along the old M.K.T. railroad line (Missouri-Kansas-Texas).  To access the sandbar you have to climb down a steep dirt cliff, but there are plenty of tree roots to help lower yourself down.  The dogs were down in a skip and a jump.  One passer by said, "How in the heck do I get down there?  That's the best beach in Missouri!"  We had a fun time watching the sunset on the best beach in MO.

CHIDIYA TAPU SUNSET

Chidiya Tapu Sunset, South Andaman Island, India

Chidiya Tapu, also known as "Sunset Point" and "Bird Island," is one of the best places to see the sunset after flying into Port Blair, the main hub of the Andaman Islands.  The beach is located on the furthest Southern tip of South Andaman Island 25 kms South of Port Blair and takes about 45 minutes to get there by car (or over an hour by bus).  The road traverses through dense jungle/rainforest that opens up along the coastline in a few places.  There are "beware of crocodile" signs along the way, and the sign on the beach at Chidiya Tapu reads "Beware: Crocodile Infested Beach."  We didn't see any crocodile during our three days in the Andamans, and no one we met had seen one either, although our drivers said they do see crocodiles every now and then.

While Chidiya Tapu is probably the best sunset spot accessible from Port Blair, the horizon is obstructed by the hills of Rutland Island across the bay.  As a result, the best colors come out about 30 to 45 minutes after the sun dips below the hilly horizon.

This is a six exposure HDR and these were the last six shots I took before heading back to Port Blair.  The exposures range from one second to 30 seconds in one stop increments.

Photo taken Jan 8, 2012

RAJGIR SUNSET, BIHAR INDIA

The view from a hilltop in Rajgir, a holy town for Buddhists.  We made a quick one night trip to visit Nini's Aunt and Uncle during our trip to India in late December 2011.  You can see the row of tour busses carrying mostly Japanese and Korean buddhist travelers.  The main road was completely swamped with people wanting to see the holy hot springs where Buddha himself once bathed.  I much preferred the view from the hills and the fertile valleys beyond.  It was amazing that in one minute I was on the road below, stuck in a traffic jam and breathing fumes with thousands of others, and 10 minutes later I was on top of the hill, all alone, taking in this beautiful view.  Everyone was amazed that I could run up the hill so fast!  I was amazed no one else wanted to do the same!

HOLY FAMILY SUNSET

On December 22 2011, my little sister and I went out and photographed the Holy Family Shrine near Gretna Nebraska.  The Holy Family shrine is located about 20 minutes West of Omaha on Interstate 80 and is clearly visible from the interstate.  Look for exit signs on the interstate that will lead you right to it.  The chapel is a stunning combination of glass and wood designed by famous architect E. Fay Jones, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright.  To find out more about the The Holy Family Shrine you can visit their website here.

This is a seven exposure HDR.  There were serious halo problems around the top of the shrine that took a lot of time to fix and I'm still not totally satisfied with it.

PINK SKIES OVER BIG RED, COLUMBIA MO

After a great vacation in Omaha it didn't take us long to get back out to Grindstone Nature Area with the dogs.  The sky was gray all day but the sun started breaking through the clouds just in time for sunset.  That's why I always bring my camera, no matter what the sky looks like when I'm leaving the house.

HINKSON CREEK COLOR, COLUMBIA MO

We witnessed a beautiful sunset at Grindstone Nature Area yesterday. The dogs had a blast at the 200-acre off-leash nature preserve, and we got to make some nice photos. It was a good day despite the terrible performance of our beloved Huskers.