Dean Nixon Photographer

Discovering beautiful Venice
Four Favourites

* 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇 *
~ 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐦 ~
If you want to see and learn from a master of the landscape, have a look at Michael's work, or even just to see and be amazed by the beauty of our landscape...click the link below.

Not only is he a wonderful photographer, you can clearly see his love for the landscape. He also gives great tips, and makes very helpful tutorials, many of which are on YouTube. Check it out...
https://www.facebook.com/shainblumphoto

"Understand me
I'm not like an ordinary world
I have my madness
I live in another dimension
And I do not have time for things that have no soul"
~ Charles Bukowski

Prague. May 2024

Getting warm here today. Here are my tips for cooling off.
What do you recommend?

* 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐏* 𝟐𝟒𝟔 *
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Also known as ICM (or, for some people, "Oops")
This technique is a method for creating a certain type of abstract image, where everything is blurred, but usually in one direction.
The best subjects to do this with are scenes where either horizontal or vertical lines are clear. It's not often successful with more complicated scenes.
You will probably need a neutral density filter to reduce the light so that you can set a slower than normal shutter speed. In bright daylight a 3-stop ND filter should be enough. Try to use around 1/15 or 1/30 second exposure times. Adjust the aperture and ISO if necessary. Set this manually. Also, set the focus manually.
Point the camera at the scene and move the camera in the same direction as the lines in the scene. Push the shutter button at the same time.
The effect depends on how fast and how far you move the camera. You may also need several tries to get it right. It takes lots of practice. Sometimes you will get something really quite amazing.
Have fun

I use and recommend Kase Filters
Any questions or comments...let me know
Click here for more

I have a deal for you...
Limited time only:
The normal price is $200 or more depending on the size.
This is available to download via the link below for only $10 and can be printed in high quality up to 40cm

It's a small way to support my work and for me to give something back to my supporters.
You can also "buy me a coffee" via this link.

Many thanks to you all

The Lady of the Lake. Lake Wanaka. New Zealand This is a printable image available for a limited timeSuper special price...normally $200+, but for supporters only $10

* MONO MONDAY * Dresden
A view across the Elbe River towards the Old City on a grey day.
Accompanied by the mysterious and adventurous Mel and Sven.

📷 Canon 5Div | 21mm | ISO 100 | F8 | 1/100 sec | Pol filter by Kase Filters Deutschland
Contact me if you are interested in learning more about long exposures and these filters. One-to-one and group workshops are available on request.

A lighthouse in a lake
Really...they say some royal person apparently built this just for parties.
My theory is, he locked his beautiful daughter in the tower...

Anyway, this was another stop during the amazing tour with Mel and Sven.

30 second exposure with Kase Filters Deutschland

Oh...another lovely little castle!
(I wonder if she's at home)

This is another part of the mysterious Melvin and Sven adventure

A little castle somewhere in Germany
From a short, fast road trip with Melvin and Sven

Who are Melvin and Sven? 🤔

📷 Canon 5Div | 16mm | ISO 50 | F11 | 30 sec | Pol + ND + GND filters from Kase Filters Deutschland

The Monument to the Battle of Nations. Leipzig.
In German it is called the "Völkerschlachtdenkmal"
Where Napoleon was soundly defeated by the nations of Europe and driven back to France after one of the bloodiest three-day battles in European history in 1813.

I've photographed this monument many times in the past, but during the blue hour last night I was joined by the illustrious Melvin Nicholson Photography and Sven Kayser from Haltelinie for a shootout and a pizza and to continue planning a series of photography workshops in Germany.
Stay tuned for further news

* 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐏 * 𝟐𝟒𝟓 * 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

Main points:
You will need a tripod, and the exposure times should be around 10 seconds

At this time of year, at least in central Europe; we often get thunderstorms...right now as I write these notes, there is supposed to be one on the way. So, for those interested, here are a few of the things I generally do.

1. Check with one or two apps for the time and location. I use Ventusky and one of the lightning radar apps.
2. Find a good, safe location with a view towards where the action is expected
3. Set up with a tripod
4. The exposure time needs to be around ten or more seconds. Use an ND filter if it's still too bright. ISO 100 and F 8 - 11
5. Use a timer to take continuous pictures. Some cameras have them built in, otherwise you can get one online for 20 - 30 bucks.
6. Take as many pictures as you want...many will have nothing, but some will be useful.
7. Editing: Sometimes a single image is enough. Sometimes you may want to blend several together: stack them in Photoshop and use the "lighten" blend mode
8. Stay safe!

One more thing: PLEASE do not use AI for this. It's lazy. It's cheating. It's using data from other people's images. And it usually looks pretty stupid!

Any questions or comments...let me know
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* MONO MONDAY *
If you had wings, would you fly away too?

A coffee break on the day of rest

A small selection from the streets of Prague

"𝙉𝙤 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡
𝘼 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙡
𝘼 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙡
𝘼 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣"
- a bit deep for a Friday evening, but thoughts like this continue to use my brain as a punching bag

This is an ICM (intentional camera movement) image from my recent visit to Prague. For some viewers, maybe the photographer just bumped the camera. I will try to explain more in my next Tuesday Tip post.
📷 Canon 5Div | ISO 400 | F5.6 | 1/30 sec | ND Kase Filters Deutschland

I wish you all a great weekend

A small selection of random snapshots taken this afternoon during a quick walkabout in the inner city of Leipzig, Germany
Some of these could be classified as "street photography", which as I've said before is one of the most difficult genres. They are far from perfect...this is simply an impression of the city I call home.

Below is a short text from CARL DE KEYZER which says it all:
"It’s very satisfying to create images, but they are never perfect despite the fact that’s what I strive for. The perfect image, I don’t think it exists. There’s always something wrong with it. So many factors play a role. A painter can make the ultimate painting and then put his tools down. A photographer can’t do that. In photography you work with time, not with paint and a brush. It’s like fighting a losing battle against time, trying to capture that battle in a fraction of a second. It’s a fight you lose every time, but it’s a defeat I enjoy suffering."

Late last night
Another attempt at photographing the Milky Way in less than ideal conditions.
I'm mentioning this for several reasons.
One is that, especially these days, one is exposed to so many over-edited, over-blown, dramatically coloured, Hollywood style images of the Milky Way, that I feel compelled to show you what it can really look like on a typical night in a densely populated country, with cities, towns and villages every few kilometers in every direction...and my version is edited and enhanced...but not too much, I think. Remember a camera sensor can pick up more light during a long exposure at night.
Anyway, it's always a challenge to head out alone to the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night for several hours...but the rewards are great even if the image is not as spectacular as hoped for.
There's another technical challenge right now: the summer nights are really quite short even here in the middle of Germany, so short that we don't even reach true darkness at the moment.
My favourite weather app, Ventusky, told me to expect cloudless skies, and the quarter moon to be out of sight by 1 o'clock...so as near as good as one can get...but it wasn't so...quite a few clouds blocked the best part of the Milky Way (I'll post the scene that I got on arrival in the comments). I set the camera up for close shots of some of the visible constellations and chatted with a fellow photographer in New Zealand for an hour, then checked again...BOOM it was almost clear.
Long story short...I got what I came for. Just proves a point I have often made: don't give up. Stay...you never know what's gonna happen
And all that without stopping to make a coffee.

8pm here as I post this...still an hour or so until sunset, and I finally take a nap. I'll check my weather app again soon. Good night

* 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐏 * 𝟐𝟒𝟒 *
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰

This is a mix of some serious and some funny things I have learned or heard during my journey...

* The fastest way to make money as a photographer is to sell your equipment
* A true artist never quits and never retires
* There is beauty in everything if your eyes and mind are open
* If you buy a new camera or lens, tell her you sold the old one
* The best camera is the one you have with you
* Don't scroll through social media so fast. Slow down and really look
* A full moon is best photographed the day before 100%
* "Sharpness is a bourgois concept" - Henri Cartier-Bresson
* "There's nothing worse than a sharp photo of a fuzzy concept" - Ansel Adams
* How to be a rich artist? Know rich people
* You must have something to say, a story to tell, a philosophy, that burns inside you. Without this you are simply a technician with a camera
* Copy first, then steal ideas, and finally develop your own voice
* You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you will have
* There are two secrets for success: 1) Don't tell everyone everything you know

Any questions or comments...let me know
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NOTE: The picture below is an old favourite

* MONO MONDAY *
There is much solace to be found in the true beauty of nature

Let us be thankful for the peace we have in our lands, and remember those who do not have this.
These days I often think of a few lines from an old Elton John song from my more innocent youth...and how they have so much more meaning now...
"For soon I'll find the yellow moon
Along with my loved ones
Where the buffaloes graze in clover fields
Without the sound of guns
And the red sun sinks at last
Into the hills of gold
And peace to this young warrior
Comes with a bullet hole"

Good night.
Dean

Lady in Yellow
Street photography in cities such as Prague is definitely interesting, and on my last visit there I caught a few gems.

But, what is street photography and why is it important?
It's all about capturing fleeting, candid, unposed moments of everyday life in public spaces... catching the raw energy and beauty of the human experience on the street.
It is important for the following reasons:
Preserves history: It acts like a visual diary of a place and time, documenting fashion, culture, and the overall vibe of a city.
Tells stories: A single image can capture a powerful emotion, a funny interaction, or a glimpse into someone's life story.
Sharpens observation skills: It teaches us to be present and pay attention to the details around us, the way light falls, and how people interact with their environment.
Connects us: It reminds us of our shared humanity, showing the universality of emotions and experiences happening all around us.

By the way, there will be an announcement about a workshop in Prague soon, so, watch this space. There's still some organisation to do but feel free to PM me if you want some details now

A gathering of minimalists with a lot to say about their day.
Landscape near Colditz, Germany

I've just started this Buy Me a Coffee page.
Why?
1. I am a coffee freak...and a good coffee gets me going.
2. Every little bit of support helps my work...and keeps me going

I will add some items to the shop in the near future. Some will be free and others at a very reasonable price. Things like wallpapers, and digital files for printing, and online tutorials.

Feel free to click this and get the page started. Thank you all again for your great support. It means a lot to me

Dean Nixon Photographer is Fine art photography. Landscapes from around the world. Colour and B&W I love photography and I love sharing what I discover about our world. I've been doing this since I was a boy (so, that's a long time). I am also a coffee freak. You know what to do ;)

A selection of my images with awards from various art and photography groups.
I'll add more to this from time to time.

The Wanaka Tree
Also known as "The Lady of the Lake"
This iconic tree is one of the most photographed trees in the world.
It's stunning...and sometimes I just have to make an image that celebrates the pure beauty of nature.
Since taking this photo one of the lower branches was damaged, however it is still a beautiful, elegant lady

* 𝐓𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐏 * 𝟐𝟒𝟑 * 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝

I admin and moderate several photography groups and give training to a lot of photographers. I see the same problems again and again. Simple errors and easy to make, but also easy to correct.

𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Learn about leading lines, the rule of thirds and a main subject. This means the viewer intuitively sees what you wanted them to see...the main point of the image
𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻. Make sure it is straight. This is very easy to fix afterwards with any editing software.
𝟯. 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. Many photographers push these sliders (and others) way too far...the results look awful. You seldom need to touch these. Instead, learn how to use the HSL panel and other methods to get a nice overall look
𝟰. 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. Good equipment is great, but many of the greatest and most famous photos were made with much simpler and often cheaper cameras than most of us have today. Learn how to use what you have because a better camera will not make better photos.
𝟱. 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮. You have no idea if the critic knows what they are talking about, and many can be downright rude, and may have a destructive effect. In my opinion, very few of them know what they are talking about. Instead, find a good photographer who is willing to be a mentor, and consider doing a workshop or two...you will learn so much more.

And finally, just practice, a lot, enjoy the process, and you will get better. It's very simple.
Any questions or comments...let me know

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* MONO MONDAY * Night Visitor
For those who have been following the story, I have been training a local raven to visit me. This is Esmerelda, or maybe it's Edgar as I haven't been able to identify if it's male or female yet. Sometimes she comes late in the evening. Here she is, on a nearby rooftop, waiting for her dinner.

600mm lens