Marc Muench - SmugMug Artist-in-Residence

Andy

Inaugural member of SmugMug's Artists-in-Residence Program, Marc Muench. Stay tuned here, for details on what's to come with this exciting new program!

Marc's SmugMug Website

Here is where I will put new stuff:

Current Workshops!
Go there and check out links to Shenandoah NP, California Horses, Big Sur, Lightroom, Africa and more!

Tutorial: Quick and Beautiful!

Get the book: Exploring North American Landscapes

Some of Marc's wisdom (A continually updated sampling of his posts):

On biiiiiig panoramas

Focus your vision.

How far should you go when editing a photo?

Landscape photography and surreality.

The Search for the Incredible Reality

Soft Light

Believable Light

CS3 Fill Light Slider in ACR

Acclimating yourself to the landscape

Equipment and Freedom

Tilt/Shift lenses

Scale and Abstracts in Landscape Photography

The Great Gift of the Internet (and when to let go of it)

Baldy

clap

DavidTO

Fantastic. For those who don't know Marc, I'll just pipe in and say that in addition to being a fantastic photographer, Marc is also an awesome teacher, having taught me much on the Yosemite and Bryce/Zion dgrin shootouts.

Nice guy, too.

I'm really happy to see Marc team up with smugmug like this.

wxwax

Super guy with tremendous talent... and patience.

Awais Yaqub

Wow what a Photographer !
I hope he will visit this part of world to capture landscapes here i bear his all Sequrity and expensis in Pakistan

ziggy53

I don't know how I missed this announcement.

The Muench family have been my photographic heroes and long-distance mentors for, well ..., before I even knew their names. I have admired their collective work for a few decades (OK, that means more David at first) and I am really fired up that Marc is coming to these forums and our community.

Cool beans!

ziggy53

Jeffro

Great news! I used to see him from time to time on "Canon Photo Safari". I loved that show.....where did it go? Why did it go? It was truly the best show on television.

pathfinder

WoW!!

Now that is so cool

Marc is a great guy, approachable and easy to talk to, and a fantastic landscape and sports shooter.

I still owe him a beer for the help he gave me at Zion

ziggy53

I just came across my copy of the Dec 2000 issue of Outdoor Photographer, in which both Marc and David are interviewed by James Lawrence.

They got a "Portfolio" feature in the magazine and 10 pages. Great stuff! I wish I could share it!

To see more recent related contributions:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=+site:www.outdoorphotographer.com+%2B%22Outdoor+Photographer%22+%2Bmuench

ziggy53

Andy

Marc is in da house
Yo, Marc - where's our first Muench workshop gonna be?

ziggy53

Andy wrote:

Yo, Marc - where's our first Muench workshop gonna be?

Patiently waiting, tap ..., tap ..., ...

ziggy53 (I wanna be just like Marc when I grow up)

Marc Muench

Wild Utah

Andy wrote:

Yo, Marc - where's our first Muench workshop gonna be?

I'm thinking about Utah. That is the part of Utah less traveled! Maybe Goblin Valley and some rare rock art sites near Hanksville.

Andy

Marc Muench wrote:

I'm thinking about Utah. That is the part of Utah less traveled! Maybe Goblin Valley and some rare rock art sites near Hanksville.

Cool, let's go where few go, eh?

DavidTO

Andy wrote:

Cool, let's go where few go, eh?

Who's going?

Awais Yaqub

National Geographic wow which photo was published and what Issue

Ok i have serious question
What is important for publication at nat geo ? Subject or Quality or Both
How can a photo reach to magzines for printing

Not asking for my photos D
i heard lots of new/old photographers talking about it

Marc Muench

ziggy53 wrote:

I don't know how I missed this announcement.

The Muench family have been my photographic heroes and long-distance mentors for, well ..., before I even knew their names. I have admired their collective work for a few decades (OK, that means more David at first) and I am really fired up that Marc is coming to these forums and our community.

Cool beans!

ziggy53

Hello Ziggy, we are going to the wilds of Utah, where the robbers of the wild wild west hung out near Hanksville.

ziggy53

Marc Muench wrote:

Hello Ziggy, we are going to the wilds of Utah, where the robbers of the wild wild west hung out near Hanksville.

Looks kinda kewl.

http://www.ccsi.com/~jwilbur/travels/wildhors/
http://www.earlham.edu/~parkero/amwest/Maytermpics/Goblin_Valley/page_01.htm

ziggy53

Seneca

Wow...stunning work.

Marc Muench

Welcome
Hello Dgrinners!

I have been informed that this is where it's "goin' down"! In the short time I have spent on Dgrin I can see that you are tuned in, probably more than most professionals.
I look forward to getting to know the SmugMug community and sharing with you technology, tips, tricks and philosophies that have aided me in becoming a successful photographer. Just remember, occasionally I am away on assignment, so I ask for your patience for delays in my response.
Since I am the new one here, I am posing this first query to all of you for topics that you wish to discuss. In addition I will bring up topics that I contemplate, as we share these concepts and profundity!!!! I'm sure the epiphanies will be flying.

At some point in all our lives we became hooked, that is hooked on telling stories with images. Most often obtaining that perfect image is illusive, but our passion keeps us focused because we have been bitten, bitten by the same bug that causes some of us to spend our hard earned money on things like, Lens Babies! In spite of our addictions, our visions are fuel, so let's keep this forum highly flammable..

DavidTO

Marc,

The thing that I've gotten a taste of on our shootouts that I want to learn more from you about is composition of landscape photography. What works, common mistakes, etc.

I was thinking that maybe we could do 2 things:

1) maybe you could post a pic or two, and talk about the composition of it. Why you shot it as you did. Other options you could have shot, or maybe did shoot and why this one ended up being the winner.

2) dgrinners could post some of their landscape shots, and we could talk about what works/doesn't work in their shots.



I think technique, equipment, etc. are good topics, too, but for me the biggest thing is this: it's a big world out there, and knowing (for oneself) what to shoot and how to shoot it is the most elusive aspect of photography.

HiSPL

I want to know how you find new locations that will feel like they haven't been touched by man yet. There aren't that many left yet...

Also, any tips on selling a landscape/nature images so that it remains profitable would be nice...


Thank you for doing this BTW, it is incredible to me that you would give your time like this!

Sam

WOW is the only printable word that comes to mind. Smugmug, and Digital Grin just keeps getting better, and better!

Sam

Marc Muench

HiSPL wrote:

I want to know how you find new locations that will feel like they haven't been touched by man yet. There aren't that many left yet...
Also, any tips on selling a landscape/nature images so that it remains profitable would be nice...
Thank you for doing this BTW, it is incredible to me that you would give your time like this!

Now days I have to stay in shape because most of those places are remote for starters. However, I do find new locations by just exploring when I am not in a hurry. Believe it or not I have spotted several locations from above on commercial flights while peering out the window at 30 thousand feet. Once I have noticed a location I spend some time on Google Earth!!!! Hands down, the very best rule of thumb is the three mile barrier rule. Very few people hike beyond three miles. Finding new images is the best part of this job especially when the entire area is undiscovered.

Selling nature images either commercially or in galleries is not easy. I have many theories but for now I must say that to sell commercially to editorial magazines or advertising agencies you must have some unique imagery and/or mass quantities of images. Since you asked me about new locations I can actually answer both questions with this one: If you seek out new locations less traveled you have a better chance of selling the images. Personally I mix new locations with old ones through out every year. I have many locations where I need to go back to only because I don't feel I captured the right light. Many of my selling images were taken in less dramatic locations for example Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota, view :

http://www.muenchphotography.com/search/AdvancedSearch?keyword=&national_parks=Theodore+Roosevelt+NP&Submit.x=76&Submit.y=9&Submit=SendIt

I have several friends doing very well on Alamy.com as they charge about $20 per image to post and only take a small percentage of the final sale. The requirement is a unblemished 60meg tif or jpeg files. Rumar is they might be baught up by one of the larger agencies which is a back door entrance to being in the large agencies like Corbis or Getty.

Marc Muench

Awais Yaqub wrote:

National Geographic wow which photo was published and what Issue

Ok i have serious question
What is important for publication at nat geo ? Subject or Quality or Both
How can a photo reach to magzines for printing

Not asking for my photos D
i heard lots of new/old photographers talking about it

Awais

This is the big question that everyone wants to know.

When I worked with the NG magazine staff it was only because I went to Washington and visited with the editors of the NG Traveler first. Then I was referred to Thomas Kennedy the photo editor of the magazine at the time. He reviewed my portfolio and I was then on his radar, if you know what I mean. From that point on I submitted images for many articles but few were used. This is normal of many photographers and as you learn, is just the price you pay.
The most important thing a photographer can do is develop a relationship with the right photo editor or art director. If this creative person likes your work you will not only get images published but begin to take better images because of the inspiration felt by being accepted.

If I were attempting to be published in the NG magazine for the first time, or any magazine for that matter, I would make a commitment to present my work at least four times a year for up to 4 years.

DavidTO

The Wild Utah trip is officially announced, here. Take a look!

Awais Yaqub

Thanks a lot Marc for detailed answer

if i was there i must have joined that workshop

erich6

Marc Muench wrote:

Now days I have to stay in shape because most of those places are remote for starters. However, I do find new locations by just exploring when I am not in a hurry. Believe it or not I have spotted several locations from above on commercial flights while peering out the window at 30 thousand feet. Once I have noticed a location I spend some time on Google Earth!!!! Hands down, the very best rule of thumb is the three mile barrier rule. Very few people hike beyond three miles. Finding new images is the best part of this job especially when the entire area is undiscovered.

First off I want to thank you, Smugmug, and Dgrin for making this opportunity available to us. I look forward to profound and deep discussions.

Your point about looking out at 30,000 ft peaked my interest. I do a lot of travel for work and just today I was staring out the window and saw a couple of sites that were simply amazing. I had never seen them before and I just felt like putting on a parachute and jumping out right there and then (only thing was that I didn't have my camera gear with me).

But I also like the point you made about going back to a place for the right lighting. I think that's a big part of it isn't it? So many times I go hiking I end up feeling like I "rushed" or just went to the sites I researched before expecting to get that perfect shot and I didn't mainly because the lighting and the sky just wasn't right. I often feel like I need to go back again and again to truly capture the spirit of the place.

Is there any way to do this without becoming a professional photographer? How can a hobbyist find the time? Or are we just destined to hope and get lucky? Other than planning around the seasons and time-of-day are there other options?

Erich

erich6

DavidTO wrote:

Marc,

The thing that I've gotten a taste of on our shootouts that I want to learn more from you about is composition of landscape photography. What works, common mistakes, etc.

I was thinking that maybe we could do 2 things:

1) maybe you could post a pic or two, and talk about the composition of it. Why you shot it as you did. Other options you could have shot, or maybe did shoot and why this one ended up being the winner.

2) dgrinners could post some of their landscape shots, and we could talk about what works/doesn't work in their shots.



I think technique, equipment, etc. are good topics, too, but for me the biggest thing is this: it's a big world out there, and knowing (for oneself) what to shoot and how to shoot it is the most elusive aspect of photography.

I like this idea. When can we start?

Erich

DavidTO

erich6 wrote:

I like this idea. When can we start?

Erich

Go for it.

erich6

DavidTO wrote:

Go for it.

OK...this is a bit intimidating (sorry, much more so than the ol' whipping post).

I recently posted this picture in this forum and I've gotten a lot of good comments. I like the way it turned out also. I'm troubled that I can't find much to self-critique which means I think I've reached my limit and I can't help but feel that it still isn't good enough for "prime time".

So, here it is. This is The Grandstand, Death Valley National Park. It's located at The Racetrack. It's a rather desolate place and it has an out-of-this-world feel to it. I really liked the lighting I was able to get in this image as I was trying to capture the feel of the place.



Erich

Marc Muench

erich6 wrote:

OK...this is a bit intimidating (sorry, much more so than the ol' whipping post).

I recently posted this picture in this forum and I've gotten a lot of good comments. I like the way it turned out also. I'm troubled that I can't find much to self-critique which means I think I've reached my limit and I can't help but feel that it still isn't good enough for "prime time".

So, here it is. This is The Grandstand, Death Valley National Park. It's located at The Racetrack. It's a rather desolate place and it has an out-of-this-world feel to it. I really liked the lighting I was able to get in this image as I was trying to capture the feel of the place.



Erich

Congrats to you Erich for goin for it!

I am intrigued by the mood of this photo. I would like to view this image prior to any Photoshop if that is possible. I would also like to hear how you took the image and than how you prepared it. Also post a black and white version for comparison, as that will lead us into discussing the composition.