Scott Shots Photography Blog

Frozen Prosser Reservoir Photos

2012-01-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

This winter has been a very interesting one for the weather up here in Truckee / Tahoe, California. Actually, it might be more "uninteresting". We have had very little snow compared to usual years. I was hoping to have many more new snow scene photos by now but so far, it's been all about shooting ice.

Prosser Creek Reservoir is a little lake near my house that usually freezes over in the winter. It usually has a very short ice skating season, if any, because the snow usually covers the ice pretty quickly. With very little snow at the ski resorts and no snow at most of the frozen small lakes, many locals have been enjoying an incredible ice skating season up here. I've been taking advantage of the ice by getting some pretty cool photos of it.

Here's a couple I got of ice skaters and mountain bikers on the Ice. Yes, mountain bikers. They came right off a trail and enjoyed an unusual experience for the area:

"Ice Skaters and Bikers on Prosser Reservoir 1" - These ice skaters and mountain bikers were photographed on a frozen Prosser Reservoir, Truckee.

"Mountain Bikers on Prosser Reservoir" - These mountain bikers were photographed riding on ice at Prosser Reservoir, Truckee.

And here's a couple beauties I'm proud of. Thank you Mother Nature for working with me:

"Rock on Prosser Reservoir Sunset" - Sunset photograph of a rock sitting on top of an icy frozen Prosser Reservoir in Truckee, CA.

"Frozen Prosser Reservoir Sunset 4" - A colorful sunset photograph of an icy frozen over Prosser Reservoir in Truckee, CA.

Please enjoy this slide show below of all the icy frozen over Prosser Creek Reservoir photos that I've got this year, so far... Most of the images are available as large fine art prints, photo gift items, and to license, download and use as stock photography. Click on an individual image to see a larger version, and click "buy photo" for purchasing options.

Thank you and enjoy!

-Scott Thompson

Frozen Prosser Reservoir - Images by Scott Thompson

10 Best Photos of 2011 by Scott Thompson

2011-12-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again, where I look back and review the best images I shot over the last 365 days. 2011 was a great year for my photography business. I kept very busy shooting for clients, exhibiting in art galleries, and I added a ton of photos to the virtual galleries on my website.

Last year I posted my best photos of 2010 and it was a very popular post. So, here are what I feel to be my ten best photos of 2011:

1) This is a classic view of Donner Lake in the town of Truckee, California where I live. The alpenglow was incredible that evening, it was also incredibly cold shooting it:

"Alpenglow at Donner Lake 2" - This alpenglow was photographed above Donner Lake and Truckee, CA.

2) I sell out of a gallery in Reno called the River Gallery. Every third Saturday of the month they participate in the downtown Wine Walk and I can usually be found at the gallery helping out. Sometimes after the event I'll take a walk with my camera and have some fun:

"Downtown Reno 4" - This Reno, The Biggest Little City in the World sign was photographed in Reno, Nevada at sunset. The effect was obtained in camera by long exposure mixed with intentional camera movement.

3) For a little while in 2011, I exhibited at a gallery in Marin, CA. I traveled there a few times for gallery events and I got this photo during one of the trips of a bridge I have fond childhood memories of. Here's a previous blog post about the shoot - Golden Gate Bridge photos

"Golden Gate Bridge Sunrise 1" - Photograph of San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise. San Francisco can be seen in the distance.

4) I had been out fishing all day with no real photos to speak of. But on my drive home, I pulled over and got lucky with this soft sunset on Lake Tahoe. My boot got soaked while I was lying down to shoot it but it was so worth it:

"Lake Tahoe Pebbles" - These pebbles were photographed at sunset just north of Idlewild, Lake Tahoe, CA.

5) Captain Pete invited me onto his fishing boat many times this year and I got many great photos from the boat. But this one of the sunrise and a fishing pole is my favorite from the boat:

"Sunrise Fishing on Lake Tahoe 2" - This trolling fishing pole was photographed at sunrise on Lake Tahoe.

6) Everyone that sees this photo thinks it's the famous Bonsai Rock, but it's not. I found this little bonsai like tree on a boulder near Speedboat Beach. I actually got tons of great photos from my kayak in the area, here's more about Speedboat Beach on a previous blog post - Speedboat Beach Boulders Photography

"Tahoe Boulders at Sunrise 13" - These boulders and bonsai like pine tree were photographed at sunrise near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe. Photographed from a kayak.

7) I got to experience a first this year and photographed from a hot air balloon for the organizers of the Great Reno Balloon Race. It was incredible! Here is a fun tilt shift photo I got that makes the Reno homes and the balloon look like toys. More info about this shoot can be found on this previous blog post - 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race photos

"Balloon Over Reno 2" - This hot air balloon was photographed over Reno, Nevada during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race. The "toy" like effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

8) And again, I got to experience another first in 2011. This time, I got to shoot from a tiny experimental class seaplane with the door removed. A happy client decided to bonus me by flying me over Truckee and Tahoe for some photography fun. Fannette Island in Emerald Bay has been shot thousands and thousands of times but rarely do you get to see it from this angle. More about this incredible adventure can be found on this previous blog post: Lake Tahoe and Truckee Aerial Photography

"Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe Aerial" - Photograph of Fannette Island in Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. Shot from an amphibious seaplane with the door removed. The "Tea House" can be easily seen in the photo.

9) In 2010, I got a photo of the eclipse that happened on the winter solstice. It was incredibly popular and went viral. This year, I got a photo of the December lunar eclipse over Downtown Truckee, CA. It didn't go as viral but I actually liked the image a lot better:

"Lunar Eclipse over Downtown Truckee, CA. 2" - Photograph of the December 10th, 2011 lunar eclipse over Downtown Truckee, California.

10) This photo is part of an ongoing abstract series titled "Beauty at the Bottom". The series consists of photos of bottles, shot right down the mouths of the bottles. I added many new photos to the series in 2011 but this one is my favorite new one of a Partida tequila bottle. More about how this series was created can be found on this previous blog post - Beauty at the Bottom photos

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila Sunrise 6" - This is a photograph of a tequila bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

Well, there you have it, my best photos of 2011. I hope you enjoyed them and I hope you stay connected so you can see what I'm up to in 2012. Please look for me on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Google+. Happy New Year!!!

-Scott Thompson

The photos above are available as fine art prints, gift items, and to license and download as stock photography. Please click on an image for a larger view and purchasing options.

New Bottle Photos Added to the Website.

2011-12-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila Sunrise 8"

Surprise surprise, I'm back at it again. I created more "Beauty at the Bottom" photos over the weekend. The bottles were piling up so it was time to recycle them into photographic works of art. (More about how this series was created can be found in this post)

Failed attempt at a Sunrise shot.

One of the ideas I've had with this series was to get an actual sunrise shot though a tequila bottle for the Tequila Sunrise photos. After a major failure up on Donner Summit in freezing windy conditions with no color during the sunrise, I came up with an alternative idea. I decided to bring up a sunrise photo I had shot in the past on my computer and use that to light up the bottle. Here's a photo of the set up:

Beauty at the Bottom photo set up with Casa Noble tequila bottle.

And here is the finished bottle photo paired up with the sunrise photo that were used to light up the bottle:

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila Sunrise 9"

"Donner Lake Sunrise 4"

Also, I have shot through many types of alcohol bottles in the past, but this was the first time I shot through a gin bottle:

"Beauty at the Bottom: Gin 1" - This is a photograph of a gin bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

And here's a fun new one of the inside of a red wine bottle:

"Beauty at the Bottom: Red Wine 7" - This is a photograph of a red wine bottle bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

More new photos from the "Beauty at the Bottom" series can be found on my web site's Bottle Photos Page. You can enjoy a slide show there. Images can also be purchased on the site as large fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Cheers!

-Scott Thompson

Lunar Eclipse over Downtown Truckee Photo, December 10, 2011

2011-12-10T07:12:00.001-08:00

Wow! That was beautiful. I almost didn't get out of bed but I'm so glad I did.

I just photographed the December 10th, 2011 lunar eclipse over Downtown Truckee, California and it turned out beautiful!

Here they are, enjoy. Click on an image for purchasing options. Available as fine art prints and to license and download right now as stock photography.

-Scott

"Lunar Eclipse over Downtown Truckee, CA. 2" - Photograph of the December 10th, 2011 lunar eclipse over Downtown Truckee, California.

Photographed with a Canon 5D MarkII, 100-400 lens, ISO 400. f8, 2.5 second exposure, flash, tripod, and cable release were used.

"Lunar Eclipse over Downtown Truckee, CA. 1" - Photograph of the December 10th, 2011 lunar eclipse over Downtown Truckee, California.

Scott Shot prints now available at Art Obsessions in Truckee, CA

2011-12-05T12:12:00.001-08:00

There's a new gallery in town. My favorite new gallery. It's not my favorite just because they sell my photography but because they exhibit some incredible work, from some incredible artists, in an incredible space.

Scott Thompson's exhibit at Art Obsessions in Downtown Truckee, CA.

Art Obsessions Gallery is the new must see spot in Downtown Truckee, California. It is located in a beautiful historic building that greatly enhances your art viewing experience. They recently received their license to sell wine by the glass or bottle so you can even further enhance your viewing experience. Plan on staying a while as there is a lot of art to view.

This past Friday, I set up a little demonstration for Truckee's First Fridays. I brought my camera and set up a "Beauty at the Bottom" photo shoot. "Beauty at the Bottom" is a popular series of photos that I shot down inside the mouths of wine, beer, or other spirits bottles. More info about that series can be found by Clicking Here. It was fun explaining this bizarre abstract art to people and I've been asked to demonstrate again. Look for me there during future First Fridays...

Scott Thompson's "Beauty at the Bottom" demonstration at the gallery.

Please enjoy a slideshow of the gallery below. The photos don't really do the vibe and feeling of the gallery justice, you'll just have to check it out for yourself. Please be sure to stop by the next time you're in Truckee, CA and check out my exhibit. I have many framed prints and canvas prints of Truckee and the Tahoe area on the walls as well as many unframed prints for sale ranging from size 8"x10" to 30"x40". You can also order any of my prints there and not pay shipping. For a list of other artists exhibiting at the gallery, please check their website www.ArtObsessions.com. They are located at 10052 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA. 96161 across from the downtown fire station. (530) 550-9688 www.facebook.com/artobsessions See you there, cheers!

-Scott Thompson

Art Obsessions Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Great photos for Christmas and Holiday Cards.

2011-11-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

And Scott Shots Holiday Gift ideas.

My family and I took our Holiday card photos over the weekend and it got me thinking. Taking a holiday photo on self timer can be difficult and frustrating. And not everybody lives in a beautiful town like Truckee, CA where we have early snow and incredible natural backgrounds to choose from. For these reasons and many more, some people prefer to give Christmas and Holiday cards without a picture of themselves on it. I can help those people out...

"Snowy Candy Cane in Truckee" - This snow covered Christmas candy cane was photographed in historic Downtown Truckee, CA.

There are many Scott Shots that would make great Christmas and Holiday cards. Did you know you can order greeting cards right through the www.ScottShotsPhoto.com shopping cart? Just click on an individual image in the website or on this blog and look for the "buy photo" button above the image. The shopping cart with purchasing options will pop up. Look for the "products" tab and you will find all kinds of gift items, including greeting cards, that would make excellent Christmas and Holiday presents.

"Snowy Christmas Tree in Truckee" - This snow covered Christmas tree was photographed in Historic Downtown Truckee, CA.

Items available through the Scott Shots shopping cart that would make great gifts include:

Greeting Cards
Photo Puzzles
E-Clings (laptop and iPad covers)
Small Prints
Canvas Gallery Wraps
Ceramic Mugs
T-Shirts
Playing Cards
Mouse Pads
Coasters
Refrigerator Magnets
Key Tags

Below are more images that would make great snowy scene Christmas and Holiday gift items or greeting cards. When purchasing at www.ScottShotsPhoto.com, use the coupon code HOLIDAY for %10 off any one purchase (Expires 1/1/2012). Thank you and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

-Scott Thompson

"Snowy Truckee River in Autumn 1" - Photograph of snow covered cottonwood trees along the Truckee River in Downtown Truckee.

"Snowy Truckee River 1" - This foggy and snowy scene of the Truckee River was photographed in Downtown Truckee, CA.

"Icicles 3"- Photographed near Alder Creek in the Tahoe Donner area of Truckee, CA.
Photographed.

"Shack near Brockway Summit"- This old shack was photographed along Hwy 267 near Brockway Summit, CA.
Photographed.

A walk back in time, when everyday life was a bit scarier.

2011-10-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

2011 Truckee Haunted Historical Tour Photos
(and "how to" shoot a ghost photo)

"Ghost in Truckee 1" - Photograph of a ghost at the

2011 Truckee Historical Haunted Walking Tour.

BANG!!! Gunfire right from the start gets you in the mood. "Fussin', Fightin', and Fornicatin'" were normal everyday Truckee experiences in the late 1800s. During the Truckee Haunted Historical Tour, you get to experience that way of life up close and personal. Gunfights, yelling, drinking, town secrets, ghosts, music, and ladies of the night.

The Truckee Haunted Historical Tour is an annual fundraiser for Tahoe Trails and Vistas and for the Truckee Historical Society. I shot some promotional photos for the event last year, but this year I was lucky to shoot the whole tour.

When the tour started, a local lawman dressed in old western clothing told my group that "there is a gang of criminals on the loose" and the lawman's partner showed us an old wanted poster. Our guide then took us on a stroll through Downtown Truckee to the Art Obsessions gallery (a gallery where I sell my photos) where we heard stories, drank libations, and were even offered a lady of the night. The old creepy building and basement downstairs that used to be a saloon were a perfect setting for a haunted feel. Next, a little further down the road, a pianist treated us to some jokes and played a drinking song on a very old beat up piano that has been around Truckee for ages.

Visits at different sites throughout the town got us even more stories from historically dressed docents, gunfire, and even more offers from "working" ladies. Jiboom Street, hidden behind the more respectable businesses, had quite the history of being a red light district. Eventually we made our way to the old Truckee jail. Truckee had a lot of people go through it's jail back in the day, even some famous outlaws like Baby-Face Nelson. We got to see one of them break out and escape! And then we saw a local lawman shoot and kill him... The performance was a lot of fun for the senses, a bit of chaos, interesting old clothing, loud bangs from guns, and the smell of gun smoke.

No historic tour of Truckee would be complete without a visit to one of the many bars in town. We gathered at the Tourist Club for more ghostly stories and shots of booze. I don't usually drink on the job, but it was almost the end of the tour, so cheers! A little whisky helped me forget my fears of all the haunted tales.

2011 Truckee Historical Haunted Walking Tour

One last stop at the Train Depot was unforgettable. A long time friend of mine gave a great performance about the sad tale of a tiny circus sideshow woman who died during a huge snowstorm while in a stuck train near Truckee. She also sang "Amazing Grace." I had no idea she could sing that good! It was the perfect ending for an educational and entertaining evening.

More information about the Truckee Haunted Historical Tour can be found at www.TruckeeHistoryTour.com. Next Halloween season, you should treat yourself to a walk back in time, when everyday life was a bit scarier.

2011 Truckee Historical Haunted Walking Tour Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Please enjoy this slideshow of images from the 2011 Truckee Historic Haunted Tour. Prints are available, click on an image, then click "buy photo" for purchasing info.

How to create a ghost photograph:

There is more than one way to create a ghost image, but for a similar look to my Historical Haunted Tour ghost photos, I recommend doing the following.

You'll need low light for the photo shoot, either indoors or if you're outside, shoot it at dusk or night.
Use a DSLR or a camera capable of shooting in manual mode.
Use a tripod. You're going to use a long exposure. A shutter release cable is preferable.
Use a flash, second-curtain synchronization is preferable but not necessary. You'll probably need to adjust the power a littler lower than a normal proper exposure calls for.
Set your ISO to 50 or the lowest setting that you can
Set your shutter speed to 2 seconds as a starting point.
Set your aperture to f9 as a starting point.
Have any "ghost" models walk during the exposure, the flash can help freeze the ghost but the movement will make it appear see-through. A little bit of light on the model during movement will be necessary for any ghostly streaks of color like in the image below.
Any non-ghost models need to remain perfectly still during the whole exposure.
Adjust your shutter speed, aperture, and flash power level as needed. It usually takes me at least a few photos to dial in the exposure perfectly.

Any questions about this method? Please ask in the comments area below. Also, I'd love to see your ghost photos, please post a link. Happy ghost hunting!

-Scott Thompson

"Ghosts at the Richardson House" - Photos of ghosts at the Richardson house during the 2010 Annual Historical Haunted Walking Tour in Downtown Truckee, CA.

Lake Tahoe and Truckee Aerial Photography

2011-10-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

-My Aerial Photography Adventure (and Photo Tips).

Happy clients are great. But when they are a pilot and they are so happy with your work they decide to bonus you with a flight around Truckee and Tahoe in a small experimental class amphibious seaplane with the door removed for some photography fun, priceless...

Scott Thompson after an aerial photo adventure.

Last Saturday morning, I woke up ready to go shoot the "golden hour" from an amphibious airplane. Unfortunately, the fog was so thick, the early morning flight did not happen. But mother nature did it's thing, the fog eventually burnt off, and I got to do something most people will never be able to check off their bucket list: fly in an amphibious seaplane and touch down on Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe!

The whole experience was incredible. The plane was a tiny two seater with no room for even a camera bag, and it was only 80 horsepower. Taking off with the door removed was a little unnerving, but I immediately was presented with photo opportunities and I quickly forgot all feelings of fear.

"Downtown Truckee Aerial 1" - Downtown Truckee photographed from a small amphibious seaplane with the door removed. Donner Lake can be seen in the distance.

After shooting Downtown Truckee, we made our way slowly to Donner Lake. I had flown with the pilot before in his Cirrus but the "amphib" was a much slower ride. It was a perfect speed for photography. Donner Lake was looking gorgeous with the fresh little bit of snow we had above it.

"Seaplane over Donner Lake" - Photograph of Donner Lake in Truckee California. Shot from an amphibious seaplane with the door removed.

Next, we made our way to Lake Tahoe! I got some nice photos along the shore and we eventually made it to our goal, Emerald Bay. Again, incredible photos! Then Pierre, the pilot, wanted to check out nearby Fallen Leaf Lake, I wasn't going to argue. This is where things got even more interesting.

"Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Aerial 5" - Photograph of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, shot from an amphibious seaplane with the door removed. Cascade Lake can be seen on the left.

After getting a few great photos, Pierre decided he would show me what it's like to "touch down" on the water. We couldn't stop because at the elevation we were at, we wouldn't have had enough horse power to take off again with both of us in the plane. So we skimmed along the surface on the plane's pontoons for a few hundred feet. I had no idea I would be getting to experience that when I stepped into the seaplane a little while earlier. The speed, the splashing, the noise... it was an incredible rush, one I would probably never experience again.

I was wrong. We had a little trouble gaining altitude out of Fallen Leaf, but after corkscrewing our way up out of the little "valley", we were on our way. We headed back to Emerald Bay, Pierre had so much fun showing a rookie a "touch town", he decided to do it again. This time in Emerald Bay! I will never forget that moment, not too many people have had that experience. Thank you Pierre!

Here's a short video clip of us touching down on Emerald Bay:

At this point, I knew I had priceless photos but we weren't done yet. On our way back to the airport, I was able to get aerial photos of Tahoe City, the Truckee River, and more of Truckee, CA. Landing was a bit scary with the big pontoons and the tiny little wheels on them. But Pierre is an awesome pilot and of course everything went smooth.

I shot over 500 photos during the flight, here's a slide show of some favorites:

Truckee and Tahoe Aerial Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

Photography tips for shooting Lake Tahoe from an airplane with the door removed, should you ever get the chance:

It seems obvious, but check and re-check your seat belt/harness. I was leaning partway out of the plane for most of the photos, if there would have been a problem, I might not be here to write this post...
Dress warm. Tahoe can be cold in the morning, flying 60-80 mph at altitude with no door was cold. I wore my ski jacket and that worked well but I wish I had some thin gloves with grip on them. My hands got very cold and stiff, to the point that it was a bit hard to operate the cameras.
Use your camera strap and think twice about changing your lens. You don't want to end up dropping your lens like this person did. I brought two cameras so I had two lenses ready to go.
A huge zoom lens is not necessary when flying at low altitudes. I find my 24-105mm lens works great for just about all the shots I want. A 200mm lens could work but the 400mm range is probably overkill. I also used a 17-40mm lens to get some shots of the pilot and interior of the plane.
Lens Shade??? I used mine and would again. But the wind was so strong, the lens shade acted like a little parachute. It was actually hard to zoom the lens out and I did get a little nervous that it might fall off the lens.
Shoot fast. Most of the photos that were shot at a shutter speed of 1/800 of a second were tack sharp, a few weren't. All of the photos I shot at 1/1000 or faster were tack sharp.
Shoot while on speed priority mode. I tried to shoot on manual mode like I usually do, but the lighting and scenes change so fast, I decided I would get more photos if I switched to speed priority.
Polarizer??? I skipped the polarizing filter. The blues were incredibly blue already. A polarizer can often make the blues of Lake Tahoe look fake if it is already a very blue day for the lake.
Tissues. I should have brought a tissue of some kind. The cold winds can cause a runny nose, I had to clean the back of my cameras after the shoot. Gross, I know.

Hope you enjoyed my story and aerial photography tips. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments area below. Thank you.

-Scott Thompson

www.ScottShotsPhoto.com

2011 Trails and Vistas Photos and Coupon Code

2011-10-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

You can help Trails and Vistas by purchasing photos of the event. 10% Off + 10% to Trails and Vistas (details below)

I recently photographed the 2011 Trails and Vistas Reflections and Rhythms, an incredible art hike in the Tahoe area. The Trails and Vistas hike is filled with different art installations, mostly performance art, and takes place along a mellow hike in a beautiful outdoor setting. This year's event was held at Spooner Lake, near Lake Tahoe.

2011 Trails and Vistas

Trails and Vistas is a very popular event up here in Tahoe. People travel here just to attend the event and many people volunteer to help make the event a success. I've been lucky to shoot it the last three years. I find myself fascinated by how popular and loved of an event it is. Why is it so loved?

Do people feel a greater connection with performance art than with most types of art? I produce nice fine art photography but I don't think anyone would ever volunteer to help me out with any of my projects.

I think it might have to do with being able to look the performer in the eye. The performer can express an artistic idea in a way no 2D or 3D art piece can do. You can look in to the performer's eye and read emotion. You can connect with the performer, feel their feelings. Whether they are telling a story or dancing or playing music, you can connect easier and deeper with a performance artist than you can with someone who creates a piece in a gallery.

I always find myself buzzing with artistic inspiration after photographing Trails and Vistas. I too want to help the event be a success. Therefore I would like to donate a percentage of any Trails and Vistas print sales on my website to the Trails and Vistas non-profit. I would also like to give you a discount when you purchase them:

10% of Trails and Vistas print sales from ScottShotsPhoto.com will go to the Trails and Vistas non-profit when you use the coupon code: RHYTHMS when checking out. This coupon code will also get you a 10% discount on your purchase. (Offer expires December 31, 2011)

Please view photos from the 2009, 2010, and 2011 Trails and Vistas here: Trails and Vistas collection

Here's a slide show of the 2011 Trails and Vistas. It's not as good as actually being there, so be sure to check out www.TrailsAndVistas.org and "like" them on their facebook page so you'll know when tickets go on sale next year.

-Scott Thompson

Trails and Vistas 2011, Reflections and Rhythms - Images by Scott Thompson

Click on an image above for purchasing information. Available as prints and greeting cards.

2011 Great Reno Balloon Race, media day photos (and photography tips)

2011-09-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to fly in a hot air balloon? Unless you're afraid of heights, the answer is of course yes. Probably since you were a kid. Me too. Today I got to live out that dream...

Photographer Scott Thompson in front of the
Darth Vader balloon. Scott ran into local photographer
Stan White and traded quick portraits.
Photo © Stan White of RenoTahoe.About.com

3:30 am alarm clock buzzers are hard to do, but today I woke right up and didn't feel tired at all. Shooting the Great Reno Balloon Race from a hot air balloon was on my to-do list. But right when I walked out the front door, FLASH... roooaaar, lightning and thunder. OH NO. I got in my 4Runner and headed down the hill to Reno anyway. 15 minutes later it was pouring rain. What was I thinking, I wanted to turn my vehicle around and go back to bed, this was a disappointing waste of time.

When I got to San Rafael Park in Reno, it was still dark and slightly raining. The topics of conversation among the pilots and crew were mostly weather related and whether or not they would fly. A little helium balloon with a glow stick attached to it was sent up into the air and seemed to be moving along more horizontal than vertical. Sigh.

But after a while, the sun started to rise, the weather calmed down, the clouds started to clear and it was announced that the balloons could launch, if they wanted to... The pilot I was matched up with told me right away he wasn't sure if he was comfortable flying in the winds we were still having. He had a frog shaped balloon that was a little harder to fly and land in questionable conditions.

A little while later, he made the call, we would not fly today. NOOO!!! I thought but said "I understand and thank you for keeping me safe." Then I quickly found the event organizer I was shooting for and told her I would not be able to get her the photos she wanted unless she could find me another ride. She worked her magic and found me a balloon that the CNN crew was supposed to be in. It was a maybe, if the crew showed up, I was out of luck.

Standing around waiting, I was able to get some photos of the famous Darth Vader balloon. It's the first time it has been in the Great Reno Balloon Race. A stormtrooper stood guard, I don't think he liked me getting pictures of it, I might be a spy for the Jedi...

"Stormtrooper and Darth Vader Balloon 1" - This Star Wars stormtrooper and Darth Vader hot air balloon were photographed at the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race in Reno, Nevada.

After what seemed like an eternity, my new pilot said we needed to get going and I was in the balloon!!! YES! As we took off, I looked at my two cameras, looked at the balloon lifting off, and I felt one of those child like feelings you get on your birthday or Christmas morning. We were floating.

"Take Off" - This photograph of a hot air balloon firing up and taking off was photographed at the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race. Photographed from inside the hot air balloon basket.

We floated around for about a half hour. Stan, a Reno resident and my pilot, explained how he could navigate a bit by flying in different air currents at different heights. He told me how he had trained and certified a bunch of the pilots out there that day and I suddenly felt a lot more relaxed. I had plenty of time to get some really fun photos:

"Balloon Over Downtown Reno" - This hot air balloon was photographed from a balloon during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race.

"Balloon Over Reno 2" - This hot air balloon was photographed over Reno, Nevada during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race. The "toy" like effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

"Ballon Over Reno 4" - This hot air balloon was photographed from a balloon during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race.

The Great Reno Balloon Race is incredible from the air, but it is just as incredible from the ground. Hot air balloons provide some fun colorful images like these I shot of the event in 2008: 2008 Great Reno Balloon Race. I'm planning on taking my family out this Saturday to catch the Dawn Patrol and for more balloon photos. You should get there as well!

Here's some of my photography tips for shooting hot air balloons:

Getting up early is worth it. The photos at the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol can be incredible. And parking can be a nightmare later in the morning.
A tripod can help capture the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol but remember the balloons are moving. Too slow of a shutter speed can create a blurry balloon.
Dress in layers, you'll probably be cold when it's dark and hot as soon as the sun comes out.
If you arrive when it's dark, have a flashlight. Not just to see your camera but there is little mud holes and mini streams throughout the park.
A tilt-shift lens can be a lot of fun and can give you a "toy" like look to your balloon photos.
Don't be afraid to go right up to the balloons for photos or to talk to the pilots and crew when they are on the ground. That's one of the things that makes this event so cool. But move out of the way if they need you to.
Reflections on nearby ponds can double the amount of balloons in your photo like this balloon photo from 2008.
Only pack your photography gear, there are food booths available. They could use the support and your spine wants to support a lighter backpack.
If you get to shoot from a hot air balloon, pack minimal gear. Most of the baskets are small, I'm glad I left my big backpack style camera bag in the 4Runner.
Also, the landing can be a little rough, protect your gear. My cameras bumped around a bit when I crawled out of the basket that ended up on it's side.
Have fun!

Hope you enjoyed my story and tips. Please enjoy the slide show below. If you have any questions about shooting the event, please ask in the comments area. More info about the event can be found at www.RenoBalloon.com Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

2011 Great Reno Balloon Race - Images by Scott Thompson

Click on any image above to order fine art prints, gift items, or to license and download as stock photography.

2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance Photography

2011-08-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

"Tahoe Concours d'Elegance Sunset 1" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance at sunset.

Last weekend I had the great experience of getting to photograph the Tahoe Concours d'Elegance for TahoeTV and the event organizers. The Concours d'Elegance is North Americas premier classic wooden boat show put on by the Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation. I've been wanting to photograph the event since I moved to Tahoe but just never made it out. I'm sure I'll be back every year now...

I was lucky to have special access to the event, which made photos like the one above possible. The event was "closed" before sunset. You can shoot the boats from outside the event, over railing for free. But you're better off paying the entrance fee and getting up close and personal with the boats. Getting up close can provide some interesting "abstract" type shots of the beautiful craftsmanship that went into the making of the boats.

"Wooden Boat on Lake Tahoe 1" - This abstract photo of a classic wood boat was taken at the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

"Boat Steering Wheel 1" - This classic wooden boat steering wheel was photographed at the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

A tilt-shift lens is a big bonus at this event. I had a ton of fun getting shots that provided a "toy boat" look. There was also a lot going on in the background at the event so blurring it out heavily with the tilt-shift lens helped simplify the shots. Below are a couple tilt-shift shots, if you click on the images, you will see a larger version that makes it easier to see the effect.

"Toy Boats at the Concours d'Elegance 2" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance. The toy boat effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

"Toy Boats at the Concours d'Elegance 3" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance. The toy boat effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

On the third and last day of shooting, I was asked to shoot the grand finale, the Roar Off! This is where many of the boats pull out of the marina and show off their speed (and noise). They have to wait to pull out past all of the buoyed boats near the shore before they can make the boats "roar". I could tell when I scouted out a location that I was not going to be happy with the shots from the shore or a dock. So... I unloaded my kayak from my truck and braved dozens of spectator and exhibitor boats to get the shot.

I would NOT recommend shooting this part of the event from a kayak. There were plenty of smart photographers shooting from ski boats but I worked with what I had. There were many boats with lots of partying going on and I felt a little vulnerable in my easy to run over kayak. But I kept looking over my shoulders and raised my paddle if I could see a boat driver was paying more attention to the wood boats than what was around him. Big waves were also a problem when the Roar Off boats started having fun. A dry bag is a must for your gear if you do decide to shoot the event from a kayak, I got soaked. But it was worth the risk of sinking $18k in camera gear and I got many great shots like these:

"The Hornet II on Lake Tahoe" - Photograph of the Hornet II, a classic wood and aluminum Gar Wood special racing boat from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

"Miss De Meanor on Lake Tahoe" - Photograph of the Miss De Meanor classic wooden boat from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

Above are some of my favorites from the event. But I shot many many more. Please enjoy this slideshow below. Many more photos will be added to it in the upcoming days so check back. Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance - Images by Scott Thompson

All of the images above are available as fine are prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please click on an image or view the 2011 Concours d'Elegance gallery for more info.

Any questions about the event? Please ask in the comments!

Boulders on Lake Tahoe, new photos from my kayak near Speedboat Beach.

2011-07-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

"Kayak on a Tahoe Boulder 2" - Scott Thompson's tandem kayak parked on a boulder near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe. Two stand up paddle boarders can be seen in the distance.

I love shooting photos of Lake Tahoe from my kayak. One of the best areas for this is the Speedboat Beach area in North Lake Tahoe, near the California and Nevada boarder. The boulders and beauty there provide for some incredibly peaceful moments as well as stunning photos.

You can access Speedboat Beach with a car. There is a small amount of public parking and a path to a small public beach. But dragging a kayak down the path and stairs can be a big challenge, and on high lake level years like this year, there really isn't much of a public beach. I find the easiest way to access the area is to park and launch at the Kings Beach boat launch and paddle for about 10-15 minutes to Speedboat beach.

You can't miss the boulders, they're everywhere, some more photogenic than others. I tend to get there before sunrise and my small headlamp is plenty strong enough to locate a good spot to catch the colors of the sunrise. From the kayak, I shoot sunrises handheld with no tripod so a high ISO is a must, usually around 800 with a wide aperture. A good camera like my Canon 5D MarkII can handle high ISOs decently, but I also tend to use a bit of Photoshop's noise reduction to clean the images up a touch.

"Tahoe Boulders at Sunrise 7" - These orange, black, and grey boulders were photographed at sunrise from a kayak near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe. A light amount of flash was used to get a good exposure of the boulders.

I have previously written a bit of a "how to" on kayak photography so I won't go into too many details on that. You can find that post here: My Kayak, What a Great Photography Tool.

The colors and shapes of the boulders out near Speedboat beach can really vary. But I love the bright orange colors on this boulder pile. Although some of the boulders along the shore can be photographed by foot, a kayak or boat is always required to get out to this pile. The oranges and blues go so nicely together:

"Boulders on Lake Tahoe 18" - These orange, black, and grey boulders were photographed in the early morning near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe.

Getting in close on the colorful boulders can also provide some fun abstract photos:

"Tahoe Boulder Abstract 1" - This abstract images is a photograph of a boulder near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe.

The lake level can really vary year to year and can really change the look of the area. With this year's high waters, I have been able to get into some areas and get photos that I could not last year. Bonsai Rock is a famous spot on Lake Tahoe for photography but I found this little bonsai like pine tree (below) near Speedboat Beach. I don't think the boulder made an "island" for it last year but I could be wrong.

"Bonsai Tree on Lake Tahoe Boulder 2" - This little pine tree on a island boulder was photographed near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe.

Don't just stop at Speedboat Beach and call it a day. If you keep on paddling along the shore a bit, you actually cross the California / Nevada boarder. No, you can't actually tell this from the water but here's a Google maps view. There are some really cool boulders out there but they are on a point so the waters can be a little rougher, especially later in the morning when more motor boats pass close by. A higher shutter speed will be necessary for handheld shots there. Here's one from that area:

"Boulders on Lake Tahoe 24" - These boulders were photographed in the morning near Speedboat Beach, Lake Tahoe.

Those are some of my favorites from my recent trip out to Speedboat Beach. But please enjoy this slide show below of many photographs from that area. Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

Speedboat Beach Area Boulders - Images by Scott Thompson

The Boulders on Lake Tahoe images above are available for purchase as large fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please click on an image for purchasing information.

New Lake Tahoe Photo Gallery added.

2011-07-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I added a new photo gallery to my website. Well, actually I divided one gallery up into two galleries. I had a Lake Tahoe Sunsets and Sunrises gallery. Now I have a Lake Tahoe Sunsets Gallery and a separate Lake Tahoe Sunrises gallery. This is because I was getting too many images in the original gallery, a good problem to have. I've been out shooting even more Tahoe and Truckee sunrises lately, although it has been tough as the sunrise happens pretty early this time of year. Please view the photos below for a few favorites.

Here's a couple links to the new galleries:

Lake Tahoe Sunrise pictures

Lake Tahoe Sunset pictures

And here are some new Lake Tahoe sunrise photos and Tahoe fishing photos I've added to my website recently:

"Sunrise Fishing on Lake Tahoe 2" - This trolling fishing pole was photographed at sunrise on Lake Tahoe. One of the motivating factors for getting up so early lately has been fishing. I have a good buddy with a fishing boat and I often get the invite. As you can see, fishing and photography go very nicely together.

"Tahoe Fishing Boat at Sunrise" - This silhouette of a fishing boat and fishing poles was photographed at sunrise on Lake Tahoe. The boat is my fishing buddy's boat and I have spent many hours fishing and taking pictures of Tahoe from it. The fishing boat was loaded with gear and coolers, and the silhouette worked great to hide it all.

"Tahoe Sailboats at Sunrise" - These silhouettes of sailboats were photographed at sunrise on Lake Tahoe. I captured this one from the dock, right as we were about to head out fishing for the day.

"Sunrise at Lake Tahoe 7" - This sunrise was photographed from a boat on Lake Tahoe. As we were heading out of the buoy zone, the boat was moving slow so I was able to capture a few photos of a fiery but near cloudless sunrise.

"Sunrise at Lake Tahoe 6" - This sunrise was photographed from a boat on Lake Tahoe. Taken at about the same time as the photo above, I zoomed out to the widest angle my 24-105 mm lens could go. I like this one a lot for the simple and abstract feel to it.

I've previously written a bit of a "how to" when it comes to photography from a small fishing boat on Tahoe. You can view the post here: Fishing and Photography on Lake Tahoe If you have any technical questions about the subject, please feel free to ask in the comments area below. Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

The images above are available at Fine Art Prints, Gift Items, and as Stock Photography. Please click on an image to view it larger and for purchasing info. All of the Scott Shot's Tahoe area photographs can be found in the Lake Tahoe and Truckee Areas gallery collection.

Wine Bottle photos now available at the Pour House in Truckee

2011-06-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

I have some great news for Tahoe wine and art fans. My "Beauty at the Bottom" series is now available at the Pour House in Truckee, CA! "Beauty at the Bottom" is a series of wine, beer, tequila, and other alcohol bottles, photographed right down the mouth of the bottle. More information on how I created the series can be found on a previous blog post HERE.

The Pour House is a great little wine and cheese shop in Downtown Truckee with daily wine tastings. The owners, Dean and Christa, are great at helping you choose the perfect bottle. And now they can help you pick out some great wine art as well! 8"x10"s printed by me personally are available for $25 but you can order any size up to 30"x40" through them. Stop on by, have a drink, and let them know I sent you. Cheers!

-Scott Thompson

"Beauty at the Bottom: Red Wine 2"- This image is a photograph of a red wine bottle shot right down the mouth of the bottle. A television provides the main light source.

"Beauty at the Bottom: White Wine 1"- This image is a photograph of a white wine bottle shot right down the mouth of the bottle. A television provides the main light source.

"Beauty at the Bottom: Red Wine 5" - This is a photograph of a red wine bottle bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

The above photos are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please click on an image for purchasing information.

New Lake Tahoe Aerial Photos

2011-06-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the week, I was flown from Truckee to San Diego in a private plane to shoot some aerial photos and a virtual tour of an incredible property for sale. We took a slight detour at the beginning of the trip and flew past Donner Lake in Truckee, CA and Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, CA. The weather was beautiful and I was able to get a few new aerial photos I'm very happy with.

"Donner Lake and Truckee Aerial" - Aerial photograph from a plane above Donner Lake and Truckee, CA.

"Lake Tahoe West Shore Aerial" - Aerial photograph from a plane over the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, CA.

"Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Aerial 2" - Aerial photograph of the blue waters of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, CA and Cascade Lake.

I was also able to capture this aerial photograph of Downtown San Diego while we approached the San Diego airport. It was very interesting flying into the big airport in a little 4 seater private plane. We were told to keep our speed up because a commercial plane was on out tail. It was amazing and a little scary how fast it landed after us. I must admit that I'm a little spoiled now, flying home commercially was not anywhere near as fun.

-Scott Thompson

"San Diego Aerial" - Aerial photograph from a plane of Downtown San Diego and the ocean.

The images above are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please click on an image for more information.

New Photos of my Photos... Published in Print

2011-04-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Many of my photographs have been published in different magazines, newspapers, and marketing materials over the years. And for a long time now, photographing those photos used in print has been on my to-do list. Recently, I finally collected a bunch of them, set up my studio, and went to work. It's not everything that has ever been published but I think the new Photos Published in Print portfolio on my website gives good examples of how my images can be used in print:

Photos Published in Print - Images by Scott Thompson

The Scott Shots Photography website has tons of Tahoe, Truckee, and other area stock photography available to license, download, and publish right now like in the examples above. You don't even have to talk to me if you don't want to. Just click on an image you like, click "add to cart", and if it is available as stock photography, you'll see a "downloads" option. Here you can set your terms of use and my price will be instantly calculated for you. Purchase online with a credit card and the image is yours to use under the agreed terms.

Custom photography for your business is also available. I shoot advertising and marketing photos for business's websites, magazine and newspaper ads, press releases, and promotional products. Showrooms, store fronts, products, employees, completed projects, and business events are the type of photos I usually shoot for business owners or for their marketing team. Please view my Photography Services page for my rates and a bunch of examples of photos I've shot for businesses. I tend to work in the North Tahoe and Truckee area but I will travel, talk to me....

-Scott Thompson

(Please notice the list of Stock Photography links on the right hand side of this blog. My Tahoe area stock photography and Truckee stock photography are licensed most often but as you can see, I offer many different types. If you have any questions about licensing stock photography, please comment below or contact me. Thank you!)

New Golden Gate Bridge photos added to the website.

2011-04-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, I had my opening reception for an exhibit at Fancy That, in Marin. I took my son with me as we had a memorial to attend so we would be driving down to LA the next day. But before our drive, I had a mission. I woke my son up at 4:00 am and we headed out to the Golden Gate Bridge to photograph a sunrise.

It was not my son Kane's first time out shooting a sunrise with me but he did make a rookie mistake. He had a flashlight but I guess he was sleepy because as we were heading to our scouted location, he walked right off a 2 1/2 foot drop and splat, right onto the concrete. With the way he fell, I thought for sure we would be on our way to the hospital with a broken arm. But, after some tears, he toughed it out and we were able to shoot an incredible sunrise. I really like the the complimentary blue and golden orange colors in this shot:

"Golden Gate Bridge Sunrise 1" - Photograph of San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise. San Francisco can be seen in the distance. 30 second exposure on a tripod.

It was a bit chilly out there so Kane was pretty happy when this moment happened. The sun rose over the horizon and he could start warming up:

"Golden Gate Bridge Sunrise 3" - Photograph of San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise. San Francisco can be seen in the distance.

We had no deadline to be on the road so I explored the streets around the Golden Gate Bridge and I found an area perfect for morning shots that I had never been before. The warm early morning light was perfect for lighting up the bridge and creating this magazine cover worthy photo:

"Golden Gate Bridge 4" - Photograph of San Francisco's famous golden gate bridge shot in the early morning.

I had spotted the location below on the way to the above location but it was in the shadows at the time. I had hoped it would be sunny when I dove by on on our way back and lucky me, it was! My son, who had not been out of Tahoe since it started snowing this winter, was very happy to see the flowers and green grass everywhere.

"Flowers at the Golden Gate Bridge" - These flowers were photographed in the early morning with San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

More San Francisco photos and Golden Gate Bridge photos can bee viewed on the Scott Shots Photography website. All are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

New "Beauty at the Bottom" Photos added.

2011-03-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday! The popular Beauty at the Bottom series of photographs just got 7 new photos added to it. I've wrote about this series of photos before so I wont go into too much detail, view the previous post here to see how it's done.

I've added some photos of the red reposado bottle of Crotalo Tequila, a blanco Fortaleza Tequila bottle, another red wine bottle, and a Sake bottle made it into the series for the first time. Here are a few of the new ones:

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila Sunrise 5" - This is a photograph of a Crotalo Tequila bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

"Beauty at the Bottom: Sake 1" - This is a photograph of a sake bottle containing unfiltered sake, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila 16" - This is a photograph of a blanco Fortaleza Tequila bottle, shot right down inside the mouth of the bottle.

To view all of the new Beauty at the Bottom images, please view the last 7 images in the Beauty at the Bottom Gallery. As always, if you have any questions, please ask in the comments area below. Have a great and safe weekend!

-Scott Thompson

San Francisco online photo gallery added.

2011-03-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

"Golden Gate Bridge 2" - Photograph of San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge.

Recently I started exhibiting and selling my work at Fancy That in the San Francisco Bay Area and this has caused me to travel there a bit. I have also had a bit of free time while down there so I was able to get some photos shot. The images have now been added to a gallery on the www.ScottShotsPhoto.com site.

I remember traveling over the Golden Gate Bridge a couple times as a kid and I remember being fascinated by how long of a drive it was. Now, as an adult, I'm fascinated my what a cool and beautiful design it has. I was able to get a few photos of the Golden Gate Bridge but, big surprise, it was a bit overcast. The location above is only a few minutes away from Fancy That so I'm sure I'll be back for more...

I was also able to drive around a bit and just explore areas I've never been. Thanks to my Motorola Droid GPS, I was never really lost! I found a cool area in Sausalito where I could see the city of San Francisco in the distance. The photo of the seagull below was from this area.

"Seagull and San Francisco 1" This seagull was photographed in Sausalito, San Francisco can be seen in the distance.

Please enjoy this slide show below of other San Francisco area photos (and check back as I'm sure I'll be adding more) If you have any questions or comments about my photos, please use the comment section below. News flash: you can now log into the comments section from Twitter and add a link to your website when commenting thanks to IntenseDebate and CommentLuv.

San Francisco Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

The above photographs are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Gallery added.

2011-02-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

Emerald Bay Sunrise at Lake Tahoe.

After recently adding a few new Emerald Bay photographs to my website, I realized that this special place deserved a Scott Shots online gallery of it's own. Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, with Fannette Island sitting right in the middle of it, is one of the most photographed places in the world, but it's not one of the easiest places to photograph.

I've been out for plenty of sunrise and sunset photos there that end up being duds with no color. It can often be overcast creating more silver looking lake, not as pretty as the deep blue or emerald colors that can be there. Also, the steep mountains surrounding Emerald Bay can hide the sun early in the afternoon, causing the waters to loose their emerald color. Snow can cause the road to close due to avalanche danger in the winter. In the summer, traffic, tons of tourists, and boats can make it difficult to get a good photo as well. But, when everything works out, Emerald Bay can be a magical place that deserves to be on your must visit list.

Emerald Bay Sunrise at Lake Tahoe.

If you're going to shoot an Emerald Bay sunrise, dress warm pretty much all year. It can get pretty warm in the summer months but it can get cold quickly again in the evening. There are plenty of place to shoot from along the road and designated vista areas but there are also some great place to shoot from above Eagle Falls. Even though the best places to shoot above Eagle Falls are only a few dozen steps from the road, they can be dangerous steps. Slippery rocks, small stream crossings, and ice can demand your hiking boots. Despite the crowds that can form, this isn't Disneyland, there is nothing preventing you from falling off large cliffs if you slip too close to the edge.

Emerald Bay Sunrise photographed from above Eagle Falls.

I usually bring my fully packed big Lowepro bag with 2 camera bodies and multiple lenses but I usually just use my 24-105mm or my 17-40mm wide angle lens. If you're looking to zoom in on Fannette Island only, you'll want a more powerful telephoto lens. I find I always use my tripod at Emerald Bay except for a couple photos I shot from a small boat.

If you have any questions about photographing Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, please ask/comment below. More information about visiting can be found at the California State Parks website. Also, please enjoy this slideshow of more Emerald Bay photographs.

-Scott Thompson

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Click on any of the above images to view more information. Available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

Scott Shots Photography now exhibiting at Fancy That in Marin, CA.

2011-02-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

"Beauty at the Bottom: Red Wine 2" - on exhibit at Fancy That.

It's official. Yesterday I drove to San Francisco and dropped off a bunch of my Scott Shots Photography prints to exhibit and sell at Fancy That in Marin. They are "The Place in Marin for Arts, Gifts and Accessories" and are located at The Market Place at Tamal Vista in Corte Madera.

I'm excited to have another location carrying my work, and I'm especially excited to now have a Bay area presence. People have been telling me for years that I need to be selling my "Beauty at the Bottom" photos in the Bay area and that is exactly what they are exhibiting. There are also a few of my Tahoe area landscape photos available. Fancy That is carrying mostly 8"x10"s but a couple framed 16"x20"s are on exhibit and for sale as well. Fancy That will also take orders of any size prints that are printed by me, from 8"X10" to 30"x40". They will be selling the prints for the same price that I do on my website but you don't have to pay shipping and you get to see the prints in person before you buy.

We are planning on having an exhibit opening party on April 7th from 5:30 pm - 7pm. I'll of course be there to celebrate and answer any questions about my photography. Hope to see you there...

If you stop by Fancy That to check out my work, please let them know I sent you. Thank You!

Event page on Facebook for more info - CLICK HERE.

-Scott Thompson

(Update: Scott Shots Photography is no longer exhibiting at Fancy That.)

Scott Shot Skins now available for your iPhone, iPad, and laptops!

2011-02-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

New products were added to the Scott Shots website today. SKINS!!! You can now decorate and personalize your iPhone, iPod, iPad, or laptop with a Scott Shots photo skin, also know an "eCling". They are made from 3M adhesive vinyl and matte laminate and they're easy to apply and remove.

Screen capture of the Scott Shots Photography shopping cart.

The price is $25 for iPhones and iPods; $35 for iPads, 15" and 17" laptops. Just find a fine art photo you like on my website (or a commercial photo I shot for you or your business), click "add to cart", click "products" and you will find the options and prices. You will be given the option to choose your crop, I would suggest doing this as the iphone and ipod skins are taller and skinnier than most of my images.

I'm excited about this new edition to my photo product line, what are your thoughts on it?

-Scott Thompson

New Donner Lake Photo Gallery

2011-01-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

I recently noticed that I had a bunch of Donner Lake photos and that this incredible lake less than a 10 minute drive from my house in Truckee, CA deserved a "gallery" of it's own. So I did a little rearranging and created an online gallery for my little local treasure.

Many great family moments have happened along various Donner beaches and docks over the years, fishing, kayaking, camping, bike riding and West End Beach parties, most unrecorded by camera, only by the brain. I hope my son remembers a bit of the visits in the same way I have flash memories of my favorite childhood lake visits.

Anyway, here's a few photos and a slide show, that honor this family fun recreation spot. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Donner Lake, do so, and contact me while you're at it! I'd love to meet up for a coffee or drink...

"Alpenglow at Donner Lake 2" - This alpenglow was photographed above Donner Lake and Truckee, CA.

"Sunset at Rainbow Bridge"- Rainbow Bridge is located up Old Hwy 40, west of Donner Lake. Donner Lake and Truckee, CA can be seen in the distance.

"Boy Kayak Fishing on Donner Lake" - This young boy was photographed kayak fishing on Donner Lake, CA.


"Donner Lake Morning 3" - These foggy lake and snow covered mountains were photographed at Donner Lake in Truckee, CA.

Donner Lake Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

The above photographs are all available as fine art prints, gift items, and stock photography.

10 Best Photographs of 2010 by Scott Thompson

2010-12-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

2010 was a great year for Scott Shots Photography. Perhaps one of the biggest positive changes was the remodeling of my website, I love the new look and it should be easier for you to navigate. I've been very busy with my commercial photography services and many of my images were licensed for use in magazines and websites. Print sales have been a little slow this year but I didn't do any art shows this summer so it's to be expected. As planned, not doing shows created more time to get out and shoot more photos, and boy did I get some good photos this year. I wanted to share what I feel are my top 10 photos I shot in 2010. I hope you get as much enjoyment from viewing them as I got from shooting them.

I had a lot of fun this year shooting from my kayak, above is one of my best. It's currently featured on my website's home page. I want to get out and paddle every time I see it.

This reflection of aspens that turned out to look like a painting was shot during a long hike to Marlette Lake. My art training started with painting and drawing and I've always been attracted to photos that look like paintings.

I've been trying to get more photos of the historic town I live in, Truckee, CA. Here's a nice one in fall that needs to be on the cover of a local magazine...

I've been getting back into doing more "abstract" fun shots. This one is part of a series shot in Reno entitled Painting Reno with Light. See what a couple shots of tequila during a shoot can do to a photographer?

I added more photos to my very popular series, "Beauty at the Bottom". This one of a Casa Noble tequila bottle spread like wildfire all over the internet. It was a big hit among my tequila industry friends.

One of my all time favorite photos, this one was shot while loading up my friend's boat after a fishing adventure. I turned around, saw the moon, grabbed my camera, and left my friend to load the boat by himself... (sorry Pete.)

This lupine patch near Tahoe City rarely lets me down. I visit here every year and this time, I got an incredible sunset above Lake Tahoe with the flowers. Maybe one year I'll remember to bring bug spray...

Another cool photo from my Kayak. I brought my son out with me to catch this sunrise on Lake Tahoe. Although he originally didn't want to go, he said he had a great time seeing the sunrise on the water. (I might have left him there if he didn't enjoy seeing the scene above...)

Ahh, my most viewed image of the year. This special lunar eclipse happened on the Winter Solstice. Links to it quickly spread through the internet, it was posted on a popular photo blog, and prints sold. I was amazed at how well it was received by viewers.

This one just made it, shot it yesterday morning. I've been wanting to get a nice snow covered Christmas tree photo for quite some time but I'm usually too busy this time of year or I avoid the roads as much as possible during the big storms. It was photographed in the town I live, Truckee, CA.

Well, there's my top 10 photos for 2010. I shot many other great ones, perhaps I missed your favorite... If I did, please comment and let me know. I hope 2011 brings me many more great photographic opportunities, and I hope I can continue to entertain your eyes. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts and for sharing links to my photos on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy New Year! Cheers to an even better 2011!

-Scott Thompson

Total Lunar Eclipse on Winter Solstice photo 12-20-2010

2010-12-21T01:40:00.000-08:00

It's late, my toes are still cold, but I got an incredible photo tonight of the Winter Solstice lunar eclipse. All day I thought I was going to see clouds and snow instead of the moon so I didn't bother leaving the house tonight. But I got lucky at the last minute, the clouds cleared, and I saw the whole eclipse happen from my driveway. I feel very lucky to have seen it as I have noticed on Twitter and Facebook that a lot of my photographer friends saw only clouds. It was the beautiful red color I had hoped to see. A pine tree made a good foreground and it helps show the actual color of the moon is indeed a reddish orange. Well, here it is:

"Total Lunar Eclipse on Winter Solstice 2" This very special total lunar eclipse was photographed on 12-20-2010 in the Tahoe Donner area of Truckee, CA.

CLICK HERE to view print purchasing options or to license, download, and use the image right now.

UPDATE:

Wow, this image has gone viral and has quickly become the most viewed image on my website. A big THANK YOU to everyone who shared it or "liked" it.

I've been asked for the technical information on the shot, here it is:

Photographed at 11:52 pm pacific, on a Canon 5D Mark II with a 100-400 lens set to 400mm. The camera was on a tripod, using mirror lock up and a shutter release cable. Settings were ISO 800, aperture set to f16, and it was a 4 second exposure. I used a flash set to manual, full power, to light up the snowy pine tree a bit. Processed with Adobe Raw, with minimal and normal adjustments, the eclipsed moon really was that red.

Tip: I found that any exposure longer than 4 seconds did not work well. The moon moved too much and it looked blurry.

If you have any other questions about the photo, please feel free to ask!

More photos of the eclipse:

Lunar Eclipse on Winter Solstice Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Beauty at the Bottom - What is it? The story. And a bit of "how to".

2010-11-15T20:29:00.000-08:00

"Beauty at the Bottom: Red Wine 2"

The above photograph is one of my best sellers of all time. When people view it, they either know exactly what it is and smile big, or they ask "what is that?" If you need a little help, think of the view your tonsils would get if you took a big swig straight out of your favorite wine bottle while watching television. Still confused? What you are looking at is a red wine bottle tilted on it's side with a little bit of the beverage still in it. The camera lens is small and is looking right down inside the mouth of the bottle. For this shot, a television behind the bottle provides the main light source, creating a magical colorful kaleidoscope-like view of a magical beverage.

The whole "Beauty at the Bottom" series has made me a decent amount of money, but it also gets me involved in many fun conversations. Once people get past the "what is that?" guessing game, they always want to know how I came up with the idea. Photographers always want to know how I shot it. So, I thought I'd share...

It all started back in 1997 when I moved to South Lake Tahoe for a winter to live with my sister and to work as a photographer at Heavenly Ski Resort. When I first moved and arrived at her home in my car filled with all my belongings (not much), she was out of town so I had the place to myself for a couple days. I didn't know anyone in town yet so after I settled in, I picked up a 6 pack of beer and turned on the TV. After about the fourth one, for some reason I looked down inside the almost empty bottle. I saw the light from the television dancing around, reflecting off the glass and liquid, creating psychedelic colors I had to capture.

So, I got out my trusty old camera and had some fun shooting down inside the bottles for a while. A few 8x10's of those original images are out there somewhere but they are no longer available for purchase. I hand held the bottle for those photos so they were slightly out of focus and they no longer make the cut. Lesson learned...

That brings us to the "how". Most of the beer and wine photos in the series were shot in 2002 on 35mm Fuji Velvia slide film with my Olympus OM-1. Most of the new tequila photos were shot on my Canon 1Ds Mark III, a digital camera. But the one thing all the photos in this series have in common, and the big secret, is the lens I used. It is an old Quantaray macro lens that my Grandfather gave me, 55mm 1:3 with an Olympus mount. I now own an adaptor for the lens so I can use it on my Canon digital cameras. The thing that makes this lens work is the size of the glass on it, which is about the size of a quarter. It butts up perfectly with the mouth of the bottle and I can photograph down inside it. All of the 2002 and older photos in this series were photographed with a television behind the bottle to provide light and color. The new ones have a variety of backgrounds like poster board, computer monitor, fire, and snow with a variety of lighting types. Pictures are worth a thousand words so here's a few of the set up.

Photograph using an El Ultimo Agave tequila bottle. CLICK HERE to view the result of this set up.

Photograph using a Fortaleza tequila bottle. CLICK HERE to view the result of this set up.

Photograph using a Corralejo tequila bottle. CLICK HERE to view the result of this set up.

As you can see in the bottom example, I use two tripods for these photos. The exposures vary and can be anywhere from a fraction of a second to thirty seconds long. Taping the bottle to a second tripod or stabilizing it by some other means is a must if you want sharp photos. I also use mirror lock up and a shutter release cable for even less camera shake and therefore sharper photos. The aperture settings also vary as different depth of fields can create a very different look to the same bottle and setup.

Oh yeah, another common question is "Did you use photoshop to get those colors?" Although I do use Photoshop to process my raw digital images or scanned 35mm slides, I make only very minor adjustments to the contrast, color, and other basic settings to match the slide or what I saw. If you were to look down inside the bottle with your eye, you would pretty much see the same thing that is on the final print. Disclaimer: Do not look down inside your bottle of alcohol, alcohol burns when it spills on your eye, not responsible for any damage to your eye or to your camera should you try to recreate these photos....

"Beauty at the Bottom: Tequila 8"

Most of the backgrounds and lighting I use are all about getting a certain color I want. But the image above is a little different. Casa Noble Tequila is an organic tequila, so that inspired me to use organic lighting and background colors. This one was shot outside using natural sun light and some snow covered rocks behind the bottle were used to add a bit of color to the light blue bottle.

So, there's a bit about some of my most fun images that work great as conversation pieces. I hope you enjoy the photos and the story. If you have any questions about them, please post a comment below and ask. Here's a slideshow of the whole series, CHEERS!

-Scott Thompson

Beauty at the Bottom Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

For purchasing information, please view the "Beauty at the Bottom" gallery and click on individual images. Available as large fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

Fall Color Photography in the Tahoe and Truckee Area.

2010-11-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Despite having an rough start to my fall photography season up here in Truckee, CA, I'm pretty happy with it so far. It started out looking like it was going to be a great year but before the yellow colors in the aspen and cottonwood really peaked, we had high winds, heavy rain, and a little snow storm. This knocked off most of the yellow leaves around the Tahoe area. I was bummed but the little bit of snow we did get mixed with the little bit of yellow did make for a decent photo:

"Shack near Brockway Summit 2" - This old shack was photographed along Hwy 267 near Brockway Summit, CA on a snowy fall morning.

It took a while for the green leaves that were left on the trees in the area to yellow up but they eventually did and I got out for a hike to an area I've wanted to go to for years but never have. John Staab of A Day In Your Life Photography and I hiked up to Marlette Lake from the Spooner Lake parking area. The hike took a little longer than we thought it would but it was well worth it. Most of the area's aspens had lost their leaves as well but there was a pretty large patch still looking great. The wind and water were calm so I had some fun shooting aspen reflections on the surface of Marlette Lake. I think they came out with a very "painted" look that I'm very pleased with:

"Aspen Reflection on Water 4" - This is a photograph of an aspen reflection on the surface of Marlette Lake.

"Aspen Reflection on Water 3" - This is a photograph of an aspen reflection on the surface of Marlette Lake.

The highlight of the Marlette Lake hike happened right as I was feeling like I had got all the shots I wanted and was ready to call it a day. All of a sudden John noticed a beaver swimming away from the shore, not too far from us. I got to see the beaver swim across to some younger aspen, bite off a chunk of the tree, and swim it back to his home:

"Beaver at Marlette Lake 1" - This busy beaver was photographed moving a piece of aspen at Marlette Lake, Nevada.

A couple days after the Marlette Lake hike, I wanted to get some good shots of Downtown Truckee in the fall. I live in Truckee and this is another subject I needed more photos of. I drove around to different spots but I didn't even take out my camera, the leaves in downtown had not peaked just yet. However, yesterday I got out to Downtown Truckee again and I was much happier. The clouds made it a little difficult as the yellows don't pop as much when they're in the shade. But patience paid off, the sun peeked through a few times, and I got some great photos of the town I love:

"Downtown Truckee in the Fall 2" - This is a photograph of homes and buildings in Downtown Truckee, CA in the fall.

"Truckee River in Autumn 2" - These cottonwood trees were photographed in autumn at the Truckee River in Downtown Truckee, CA.

All in all, I've had a pretty good fall photography season, and there's still a little bit left. We're expecting some bad weather later this weekend so I may have to get out again tomorrow before it all gets blown away until next year.

-Scott Thompson

The photographs above are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please see www.ScottShotsPhoto.com for more info.

Trails and Vistas 2010 "If Dreams Were Clouds" Photographs

2010-10-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

There is a magical art event that occurs in North Tahoe every year and I have been lucky to photograph it the last two years. Trails and Vistas is a collaboration of visual art, musicians, performers, and mother nature. It is currently my favorite art event in the Tahoe area.

Only a few photographers are allowed access each year. I really don't have much advice to offer photographing this event since cameras aren't allowed for the general public, you probably won't be shooting this one. The organizers want you to be fully immersed in the art, performances and beautiful scenery.

I'll keep this post short and share a few of my favorite photos from the events.

For more information about the 2010 Trails and Vistas "If Clouds Were Dreams" please visit www.TrailsAndVistas.com

From Trails and Vistas 2010

From Trails and Vistas 2010

From Trails and Vistas 2009

From Trails and Vistas 2009

For the full Trails and Vistas photo galleries, please visit:

Trails and Vistas 2010 - If Dreams Were Clouds
Trails and Vistas 2009 - Terra Caeli

These images are available as fine art prints and greeting cards.

My Kayak, What a Great Photography Tool.

2010-09-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Scott Thompson fishing and shooting on Lake Tahoe. Photographed with a Motorola Droid.

Last summer, my wife and I decided to spend a few hundred bucks and buy a tandem sit on top kayak for the family. The purchase was supposed to be about family fun and fishing, it has held me, my wife, my son, and my 85 pound Labrador all at once. "The Orange Peel", it's nickname, has been well worth the money. But I have also found it to be an incredible addition to my camera bag.

The kayak is an Equinox 160T from Costco. The price was way below anything else I had been looking at online. My expectations weren't very high but I have found it to be perfect for my needs. Very stable and a whole lot of space for family and/or camera gear. The front seat has held my big fully loaded camera bag in a large dry bag and I've even stood up in the kayak for photos. (Note: Dry bags are a MUST if you plan on bringing a camera you value onto small paddle driven boat, drips happen, many many drips, oh, and don't forget splashes and sloshes. A small towel is also recommended.) The kayak comes stock with a small covered hatch that keeps things relatively dry but water has unexpectedly gotten in there when the family was using it for play. If you own this kayak, don't trust the hatch for H2O sensitive camera gear. Also, don't plan on winning any kayak races with this beast, slow and steady wins for photography purposes.

I've customized my kayak a bit. Online I found two flush mount fishing pole holders and a 4" hatch to provide a little more entertainment value and access to the large interior of the boat creating more storage. These inexpensive additions have been priceless. Trolling for fish on the way to photography locations is a great way to make good use of work hours.

Scott's son Kane kayaking and fishing on Donner Lake.

When I'm with the whole family, wife and dog included, I skip all cameras but my cell phone. When fishing with just my son, I bring just one camera body, one lens, flash, and polarizing filter. As always a dry bag is a must but I skip the tripod and additional gear. Space is limited and my attention to photography is also limited. But when I'm by myself, this kayak provides plenty of space for all my outdoor gear, 2 Canon bodies, 4 lenses, flash, tripod, and a whole lot of random accessories I rarely need until I don't have them. I own three dry bags of different sizes and I use the smallest I can get away with.

The low angle you get when you shoot from a kayak can be a good and a bad thing. It can provide some incredible photogenic angles but the glare and/or reflections on the water requires a polarizing filter most of the time to remove the glare. When you use a polarizer filter you lose a lot of light (kind of like sunglasses for your lens) so shooting from the boat handheld can be a bit more of a challenge. I usually use an ISO of 400 and a shutter speed no slower then 1/160 of a second. Later in the day when more gasoline powered boats get out and about, the waves can really pick up. This can require even faster shutter speeds. It can also require you to ditch the shoot and quickly toss your gear into your dry bag. Safety of camera gear first, I can swim.

Lake Tahoe has 71 miles of incredible shoreline but much of it is inaccessible by foot due to private property or rough/steep terrain. Although I haven't kayaked all 71 miles, I have accessed a whole lot of areas I could never have dreamed to get to without it. Getting in close and bumping rocks is no problem either like it would be on most other watercraft. Quickly beaching it in rocky areas and setting up the tripod for a shot has been great as well.

Photographed from a kayak with a polarizer filter.

The kayak has also proven to be great with helping me photograph birds. They seem to let me get a whole lot closer on water than on land. Getting out early can provide some incredible fog on the water images like this:

Canadian Goose and fog photographed from a kayak.

If you are a photographer or just want to get a better look at mother nature, I would highly recommend purchasing a kayak. After much use, the Equinox 160T gets two thumbs up from me. Kayaking is green and good exercise as well.

Please enjoy this sideshow of images that I have photographed from my kayak or from shore line that I kayaked to. Click the full screen icon for a better view. Are you a kayaker? Please comment and/or post a link to a favorite kayak photo of you or that you have shot, or a favorite kayak photo story. Have a question about one of the images, ask me.

Photography from a Kayak - Images by Scott Thompson

These images in the slideshow above of Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake and Prosser Reservoir were all photographed from my kayak or from shoreline that I kayaked to. All are available as large fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

-Scott Thompson

Fishing and Photography on Lake Tahoe

2010-06-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

Fishing and photography go great together, and when it's on Lake Tahoe, well, just view the slide show below. I'm lucky to have a friend with a small aluminum fishing boat and an addiction to trolling for Mackinaw. He gets out a ton and I've joined him a couple times this spring with my fishing and photography gear. Both trips left me with no fish but plenty of photos. He has caught a Mack on both trips...

Fishing Lake Tahoe - Images by Scott Thompson

Not only did I get some fun photos of fishing poles and of the boat, but I shot a bunch of landscape and stock photos while trolling along the West shore of Lake Tahoe. The quickly changing shoreline can be a lot of fun shooting from a boat.

Lake Tahoe from a Fishing boat - Images by Scott Thompson

When shooting Lake Tahoe from a small fishing boat, weather resistant gear is highly recommended. I bring minimal gear, my Canon 5D Mark II, a 24-105 L lens, a flash which I've never used out there, and a polarizing filter. The small camera bag fits into my small dry bag, which gives me peace of mind when I'm not shooting. Both times I've been out this spring it has snowed or hailed on us. The weather can change fast but can provide some beautiful scenery. Dress warm with layers and a waterproof jacket if you suspect you may encounter some weather. I'd also recommend bringing a rag to wash and dry your hands between fishing and shooting for obvious reasons.

I wish I could give some great fishing tips, but as I mentioned, I got skunked both times. My buddy caught his big Mackinaw on our first trip with a red and blue pattern Rapalla in about 15 feet of water. The waves were a bit too big for his boat when we came around a point so we had to U turn and head back to the calmer waters. Right then he snagged a "rock", we turned around again to save the lure, and when we got closer, he realized he had actually hooked a huge fish.

Photographed on a Motorola Droid

The second fish was caught on the second trip with a big lure attached to a new down rigger in fairly deep water. It started snowing/hailing on us and just as we were about to call it a day, he landed another Mackinaw. Then we called it, we'll have to bring waterproof pants next time...

Photographed on a Motorola Droid

The Lake Tahoe photos in the slideshows above are available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Click on the slideshows for purchasing information. Thank you.

How my Motorola Droid smart phone makes me a better photographer.

2010-05-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

I love my Motorola Droid! AT&T has poor reception where I live in Tahoe so an iphone is out of the question, Verizon has the best as far as I've experienced. A few months ago, I stepped into the world of smart phones and I couldn't be happier with my decision. I feel that my Droid has been one of my greatest new additions to my camera bag, it has proven to be an incredible tool that has helped me get more great photos than I would have without it. My favorite Droid apps that I feel help make me a better photographer are (all free, just search the titles in the Droid app Market) :

Google Maps- I feel like I have a helicopter's view of what's around me when 4x4ing the Tahoe trails. "Oh, there's a small lake right over there I didn't know about and would have never seen from the trail!" I don't always get reception out there but I am often surprised at how often I do.

Maps (-) - This app lets you view and save maps when you do have reception, then you can bring up that map when you don't have reception. Bye bye paper maps.

Google Sky Map- You can judge where the sun and moon will rise long before they do. Great for picking out a location when shooting the sunrise or moonrise. I feel like I can look into the future.

GPS Status- You can tag your gps location and email a link to yourself containing the google maps location. Great for sharing location info on blogposts later. (see previous blogpost about the Tufas of Mono Lake)

MoonPhase- A widget that shows what phase the moon will be on every day for the next month. Great for planning full moon shoots.

SunMoon- Computes the rise and set times for the sun and moon based on your gps location. Another great tool for shooting the sunrise, moonrise, and sunset.

The Weather Channel app - 10 day, 36 hour, and hourly local and far away forecasts in my pocket. Many benefits to this one.

Camera- I like taking a picture of my real camera or a self portrait next to my real camera with nice scenery in the background and posting on Facebook while out in the field. I like to think it gets my "fans" and friends curious about what the final images I upload to my website will look like. (see photo below)

DroidLight- LED flashlight app. I've gone out on hikes thinking I'll be back before sunset. Then I decided to shoot the sunset. This one has helped me get back to my truck when I didn't plan ahead properly.

ScannerRadio- Police and Fire scanner. I actually don't use this one as the closest city on the app to me is Reno. But I see how it could be a great tool for photo journalists looking to be first on a scene.

SmartPark- You can tag the location of your car. This is great when 4x4ing way out there and then hiking way away from your vehicle.

Google Translate and aCurrency- Great while traveling. Know what you're saying and spending while shooting in far away lands.

So, my only complaint about the Droid is I can't find a model release app. Anybody out there know of one? The iphone has one...

Also, if you have any apps to add to the list, I'd love to hear about them, iphone or Android. Please leave a comment.

Self Portrait shot with a Motorola Droid.

Tufas of Mono Lake, California Photography

2010-05-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

This last Sunday, May 2, 2010, I was driving back home from Mammoth Ski Resort and I realized that I had time to stop at Mono Lake and get some photos of the tufa towers. I had been wanting to shoot this area for years but I'm usually in a hurry when driving by. This weekend wasn't supposed to be a photo trip but I got lucky and made it one.

I fired up Google Maps on my Motorola Droid and I easily found the South Tufa area. Here's a link to the location I tagged with my Droid. (I plan on writing a post soon on how my Droid and it's great apps help make me a better photographer, stay tuned) For more information on visiting Mono Lake, please visit www.monolake.org

I had a great afternoon and evening running around like a kid in a candy store shooting the giant tufa towers. There are plenty of trails around the tufas, and there are signs posted to not climb on them or remove pieces. I saw why. There were about ten other photographers out there but I saw one of them try to climb up a tufa tower to get a better angle. I was thinking "that's lame" when all of a sudden a chunk the size of small ice chest broke off and came crashing down on the guy. He was obviously very embarrassed but he was proud he didn't get hurt or break his camera. I wasn't impressed.

When you follow the trail from the parking lot to the South Tufa beach area, you can go to the right at the beach and keep your shoes clean. But if you go to the left, expect to get your shoes muddy this time of year. I veered a little off the trail and stepped on what looked like solid ground but I broke through the thin dry crust and ended up past my ankle in green stinky mud. Oops.

I didn't have my big camera bag with all my gear, only my Canon 5D Mark II and a 24-105 L lens. I also had my graduated neutral density filter and I saw other photographers using theirs, but I opted not to use mine. The tufa towers break the horizon too much in my opinion to use it. I also didn't use my polarizer filter but I kind of wish I had when I shot the very green water, I would have liked to cut down on the glare a bit more. I occasionally used my flash to help fill in the shadow areas of the tufas with some light and also during late sunset when the tufas would have all been silhouettes without it.

I would highly recommend using a tripod out there. Most of my shots were at f22 in order to get the tufas in the foreground and background in focus. This made the exposures too long to handhold, especially at sunset. Bumping up my ISO would have helped but I prefer a low ISO when I'm planning on making large 30"x40" prints.

All in all, I was very happy with my Mono Lake photo experience. Easy access, no need for my 4x4. Very unusual and bizarre subject matter. The sunset was incredibly beautiful and seemed to last a very long time. My only complaint is that I didn't get to shoot a sunrise, good excuse to go back. Here are the photos from the shoot. What are your thoughts?

Tufas of Mono Lake, California - Images by Scott Thompson

To view larger images, click on the "full screen" icon on the slideshow.

All photos are available as stock photography and fine art prints.

Facebook Fan Page

2010-03-17T12:11:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Scott Shots Photography now has a fan page? It's true! Please join me at www.facebook.com/scottshotsphotography for the latest Scott Shots news. I usually post info about new photos added to my website there first. Fans can also use the coupon code FACEBOOK on the ScottShotsPhoto.com website when checking out for 10% off any one item, Fine Art Photos or Stock Photos!

Scott Shots Photography also has a Twitter page. You can follow me there at Twitter.com/ScottShot

Many new photos have been added to my website since my last blog post, here are a few:

Thank you for looking, have a great day.

Puerto Vallarta Photography

2010-02-05T16:27:00.000-08:00

I was lucky to spend Christmas 09 and New Years 2010 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico this year. The photography opportunities there were fantastic. I had a lot of fun and shot thousands of images. Many have been added to my website, here are some:

These are photos of agave plants and tequila distilleries outside of Puerto Vallarta-

Mexican Agave - Images by Scott Thompson

Here are some photos of interesting doors, walls and windows from San Sebastian, Puerto Vallarta, and Yelapa-

Doors, Walls, and Windows - Images by Scott Thompson

Here are some photos of El Panteón Cementario, also know as Cementario Viejo or old cemetery, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Lots of above ground graves and statues of Jesus, the Crucifix, and angels. I stayed at Angels Rest Bed and Breakfast and this cemetery was about a block away.

Mexican Cemetery - Images by Scott Thompson

And finally, some more random photographs of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and it's surrounding areas.

Mexico - Images by Scott Thompson

My tips for photographing Puerto Vallarta,Mexico:

-Travel light with your camera equipment, plan on walking a lot. One camera body and a 24-105 mm lens was all I ever needed. I never felt unsafe walking around with my gear, very friendly locals.

-Bring a portable surge protector for your electronics like your laptop and battery charger. The electrical spikes can be high, if you can bring a UPS unit that handles spikes in power, do it.

-I brought a dry bag for my gear for when I took a water taxi to Yelapa. But it really wasn't necessary, a little spray but not enough to soak camera bags. Snorkeling around Los Arcos can be great, if you have a waterproof camera, bring it.

-Have a pocket full of pesos for tips. Most locals are friendly, they love to pose but a smile and a tip will get you far. And tip jars are at all of the sand sculptures and many other places.

-Check out the local zoo, the botanical gardens, El Cementario Viejo, the Malecon, San Sebastian (a small mountain town about an hour away) and my favorite place down there, Yelapa, for some great photo opportunities.

If you have any Puerto Vallarta photography or travel questions, please feel free to ask me here.

2009-11-26T11:57:00.001-08:00

I've been adding a bunch of new images to the Scott Shots Galleries lately, here's a few:

"Downtown Truckee, CA" - This abstract photo of Downtown Truckee, CA was achieved by zooming the camera's lens during a long exposure.

"Eerie Tahoe Sky"- This eerie Tahoe sky with a sliver of a moon was photographed at sunset near Martis Peak, Tahoe.

"Downtown Truckee Tracks"- These railroad tracks were photographed in Downtown Truckee, in the early morning.

The evolution of Scott Shots Photography

2009-09-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Many great things have been happening with my photography business this year. Here is a few:

-Added 2 Canon 21.1 megapixel cameras to my arsonal and a few new lenses. The 1DS MarkIII and the 5D MarkII.

-Added more services like Real Estate virtual tours.

-New shopping cart solution, you can now order gift items, like beer mugs, with my images on them. You can also license and download my images for advertising and marketing purposes (stock photography). Check out the new slide show on my profile and click on the link to check it out.

-New Macbook pro to take advantage of 16 bit printing on my new printer.

-New printer. My 44" wide Epson 9600 broke down for good so I am replacing it with a new Epson 9900, Epson's latest and greatest 44" wide printer. 11 inks! for a larger color gamut.

Business has been good this year and I'm very excited about the evolution of Scott Shots Photography! If you need any photography services in the Tahoe area, please consider me. Thank you.

Scott Shots Photoshelter Site

2009-09-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

You can now purchase my images at the Scott Shots Photography Photoshelter site! There you can order fine art prints printed by me, less expensive prints printed by 3rd party printers, and gift items like keychains, playing card, and mousepads. You can also easily license and download my images for stock or advertising purposes. Many of my images have been added, many more to come. This will soon be embedded into my http://www.scottshotsphoto.com/ website. I am very excited about this new purchasing shopping cart and I hope you enjoy your experience on the site.

Search my Photoshelter site here:

Good Things to Come

2009-08-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

I have been working hard on getting a new shopping cart solution on my website. You will soon be able to easily order scottshot prints from me or a third party for less $. You will also be able to licence and download my photos from my website. It is not up yet but here is a slideshow widget that photoshelter.com offeres with an account.

Tahoe area scenics - Images by Scott Thompson

Q&A - What's a good camera for shooting artwork?

2009-06-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Question:
Hi Scott, I am in the process of getting a new camera and hoped I could impose on you for an opinion. I'm looking for something I can use to photograph my paintings to produce high resolution images for publications (i.e. at least 8"x10" at 300 dpi) as well as to use for source photos. I currently have a Nikon D70 that I've been pleased with but it has only about 6MP. I'm considering the Nikon D90 (12.3 MP). Any thoughts or alternative recommendations off the top of your head?

Thanks for your thoughts.
-Don

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Answer:
Hi Don. The Nikon would be a great choice, and you already have a Nikon lens. I also like the features of the new Canon Rebel that does HD video capture. More important than the camera body though, is what lens you are using. You may want to consider using a quality prime lens, or a lens that doesn’t zoom, in the 50, 85, or 100mm range. You will get less barreling or pin cushioning on your images. In other words, the edges of the paintings you are photographing will be nice and straight and not slightly bowed or curved in or out. Hope that helps.

Have a great day.
-Scott

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Thanks for the input, Scott. That is helpful.
-Don

Scott's Summer 2009 Exhibit Schedule

2009-05-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

It is time for Scott's Summer Shows 2009! Please see the schedule below to visit Scott and to see and purchase his work in person.

May 23, 24, & 25 - Beth Weber's arts and crafts fair. Located at the Kings Beach Plaza between the State Beach parking lot and the Coon St. Signal. On Hwy. 28, Downtown Kings Beach. Overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fairs are free to the public and open 10am to 5pm.

June 26, 27, & 28 - Beth Weber's arts and crafts fair. Located at the Kings Beach Plaza between the State Beach parking lot and the Coon St. Signal. On Hwy. 28, Downtown Kings Beach. Overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fairs are free to the public and open 10am to 5pm.

July 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, & 19 - Tahoe ARTour 2009 - Join Scott and 31 other North Tahoe Artists for this wonderful open studio event. More info can be found at North Tahoe Arts or the NTA facebook page. This is the one time a year Scott's studio is open to the public without an appointment. Scott's studio can be found at 12297 Schussing Way . Join Scott to learn about his processes and equipment he uses to produce his fine art photographs.

July 31, August 1 & 2 - Beth Weber's arts and crafts fair. Located at the Kings Beach Plaza between the State Beach parking lot and the Coon St. Signal. On Hwy. 28, Downtown Kings Beach. Overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fairs are free to the public and open 10am to 5pm.

August 7, 8, & 9 - Beth Weber's arts and crafts fair. Located at the Kings Beach Plaza between the State Beach parking lot and the Coon St. Signal. On Hwy. 28, Downtown Kings Beach. Overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fairs are free to the public and open 10am to 5pm.

August 28, 29, & 30 - Beth Weber's arts and crafts fair. Located at the Kings Beach Plaza between the State Beach parking lot and the Coon St. Signal. On Hwy. 28, Downtown Kings Beach. Overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe. Fairs are free to the public and open 10am to 5pm.

Tahoe ARTour 2009

2009-05-11T16:48:00.000-07:00

Come explore the backstreets of the North Lake Tahoe / Truckee art world! The 16th annual Tahoe ARTour offers free self-guided tours of 31 art studios in the region. The juried open studio tour is a chance to meet individual artists and view or buy original art. This popular cultural event is sponsored by North Tahoe Arts, who will kick off the event with an artist's reception July 9 from 5-7pm at their gallery in Tahoe City. The ARTour is being held on two consecutive weekends: July 10, 11, 12, and 17, 18, 19, and the artist's studios will be open to the public Friday to Sunday from 10:00am - 5:00pm. This event is free to the public and is a great way to get to see art being created in the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee area. Original pieces are for sale directly from the artists, and artists will be discussing and demonstrating their techniques. A variety of art mediums are featured, including oil, acrylics, watercolor, ceramics, printmaking, photography, glass, woodworking , weaving and wearable art.

All the artists are juried into the Tahoe ARTour to insure the quality of work will be excellent. Seven new artists will be joining 24 returning artists this year to create an exciting new ARTour gallery exhibit at the North Tahoe Art Center at 380 North Lake Blvd. in Tahoe City. The artist's reception on July 9 will be the public's opportunity to meet the artist's in this year's tour and view an example from each of this year's 31 artists. The gallery exhibit will run from July 1 - Aug 2. Call 581-2787 for more information.

Last year, ARTour successfully expanded to include 2 weekends, allowing ARTourists the ability to see more studios and not feel rushed. Geographical areas of the tour include Tahoe City, West Shore, North Shore, King's Beach, Incline, Truckee, Tahoe Donner, and Glenshire. Free ARTour brochures include detailed maps to the studios, photos of each artist's work, and short statements by each artist. In July, the Tahoe ARTour brochures will be distributed through many locations including North Tahoe Arts, 380 North Lake Blvd.,Tahoe City (next to the fire station), the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, (in the train station in downtown Truckee), and at participating art studios. You may also download a brochure with maps online at http://www.northtahoearts.com/artour.php For more information, please call North Tahoe Arts at 530-581-2787.

2009-04-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

ALRIGHT!!! Here are all the photos from the Minus 7 Melee contest at Donner Ski Ranch!!! If you participated in this event, e-mail me so I may give you the password to your photo album. Enjoy...

Minus 7 Melee Snowskate Contest 2009

The Minus 7 Melee snowskate contest made it to the local paper. And they used my photo! Check out the article here at the Sierra Sun.

Do you Snowskate? Check out this website: www.Snowskate.tv

Photos from Minus 7 Snowskate contest.

2009-04-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

I had a great day Saturday shooting the Minus 7 Snowskate Melee contest at Donner Ski Ranch, CA. Many competitors showed up to race and show off their park skills. Local radio station KTKE showed up to announce the event. The snowskaters there are bringing the sport to a new level. It was a whole lot of fun, even got to ride the course on my snowskate after the melee was over.

Shooting Minus 7 Snowskate contest

2009-03-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, Kurt Zapata of Minus 7 snowskates, is putting on a snowskate contest at Donner Ski Ranch, Tahoe, on Saturday April 4th. I'll bee shooting the event. Great times to be had by all. http://www.donnerskiranch.com/

What's a snowskate? Check out this youtube vid:

I love my snowskate, but I'm no where near as good as the guys in the vid. They're great for backyard jibbin'.

Scott Thompson's Bio

2009-03-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

Scott Thompson, born 1976 in Van Nuys, California, has always had a love of art. His formal training began at Humboldt State University, where he took many drawing and painting courses. Later he moved to San Diego, where he was given an old Olympus OM-1 by his grandfather. Scott decided to take a black and white photography course at Mesa College and was immediately hooked. He started working at a camera store and continued to take courses in photography. Scott has also served time in a 1-hour photo lab, worked as a resort portrait photographer, and has done some band photography while living in L.A.

Currently, Scott is living in Truckee, after moving there April 2002 with his wife and son to live the mountain lifestyle. Living there has allowed nature photography to become his primary art focus. He loves to get out and explore the beauty the Tahoe area has to offer.

Scott Thompson photographs with a variety of cameras and film. With one of his methods, he uses his Canon EOS3 and Fuji Velvia 35mm slide film. His film is processed by a professional lab and sent back to Scott where he takes it to his digital darkroom. This is where Scott becomes what has been called a hybrid photographer. Meaning he mixes traditional shooting with digital printing. Scott scans his film into the computer by using a Canon Canoscan FS4000US run by VueScan software. Next he color corrects the image in Adobe Photoshop to match the original transparency as best as possible.

Scott’s newest method is purely digital. Scott owns and uses a Canon 1DS Mark III, a 21.1 mega pixel digital camera. Even though Scott has mostly gone digital, he still tries to keep a traditional look and feel to his photographs and prints. Scott prints on an Epson Stylus Pro 9600, one of Epson’s 44” wide archival inkjet printers. The paper he uses for his limited edition prints is a fine art, 100% cotton, and acid free paper.

Q&A

2009-03-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

I've been a pro photographer now for many years. I used to work at a camera store and at a couple photo labs. If anybody has any questions about equipment, techniques, locations, or anything else photography related, please ask.

I currently own a Canon 1DS Mark III, Canon Eos3, Olypus OM-1, Epson 2200, Epson 9600, Canon Canoscan FS-4000US, CH Advantage Pro mat cutter and a whole lot more.

Scott Shots Photography Services

2009-03-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Scott Shots Photography provides fine art photography and photography services.

Fine art Photography- I can help people, businesses or art galleries with blank walls. My large fine art photography prints can help fill in your blanks.

Real Estate Photography- I can help Realtors, rental property owners and home owners who need high quality real estate or architectural photography. Let me capture your home in its best light.

Advertising/Commercial Photography- I can help businesses with advertising, commercial or stock photography needs. Weather it's for a billboard, magazine ad, or website, I can provide you with a picture that is worth a thousand words.

Family Photography- I can help families in Truckee, North Tahoe, and Reno who desire large family photographs in a location of your choice. Why use a studio when our backyard is the perfect backdrop.

Custom Printing- I can help other photographers with fine art quality printing needs. Get your work off the computer and onto the wall.