The photos that you will find on this website were all taken using various Canon DSLR cameras ranging from 15 to 20 megapixels, using the aspect ratio of 2x3, which is the native format for these cameras. I make virtual copies of each photo in Adobe Lightroom, cropping them to various aspect ratios. Then I evaluate each version of the photo, choosing the strongest composition for the website. For the photos of birds, I have broken them out into six galleries, each of which contains just one aspect ratio - 3x5 landscape, 2x3 portrait or landscape, 4x5 portrait or landscape, or 1x1 square. The WATERFALL, INSECTS, LANDSCAPES and OTHER WILDLIFE galleries each contain a variety of these same aspect ratios, but are not divided into separate galleries as the bird photos are. All the 1x2, 2x5, 1x3, and 1x4 photos, regardless of their content, are grouped together in the PANORAMAS gallery. For the most part, the panoramas were created by taking a series of overlapping photos in portrait mode and using Lightroom to stitch the photos together to form one photo.
The pricing of the photos are solely determined by the aspect ratio and size. Each aspect ratio is available in four sizes. A summary of all the sizes offered, along with the price for each size is available on the "PRICING" page. The prints are shipped using 3 X 20 inch heavy-duty Kraft mailing tubes manufactured by Yazoo Mills. I charge a flat fee of $5.00 to cover the cost of shipping on all orders under $25.00. There is free shipping on any order of $25.00 or more. Based on the current pricing structure, this means that there is a $5.00 shipping charge when purchasing one photo and free shipping when purchasing more than one photo.
Even the best cameras do not have the dynamic range that the human eye has. In order to address this issue, I shoot all of the photos in "Camera Raw" format rather than JPEG. This allows me to use Adobe Lightroom to interpret the camera's data in the best possible manner, instead of relying on the automatic color processing that is used for JPEG photos. With Lightroom I can achieve the appropriate levels of contrast and detail and the proper color range for the particular image that is beyond what is possible with JPEGs. My goal is for the final version of the image to appear as I remember it, looking as true to life as possible, with the colors being as vibrant as possible without looking artificial. The photos on this website have been converted to JPEGs and downsized to approximately one third of a megapixel, just enough for one to view the quality that the prints will have, but not enough to print anything other than very small photos. The actual prints that are sold are created in Lightroom from the high quality "Camera Raw" files.
The range of colors that a high-end DLSR camera can capture exceeds both that of the monitor and that of the printer. To further complicate this matter, the range of colors that a monitor can display is very similar to, yet not the same as the range of colors that can be printed. In other words, there are colors that can be displayed on a monitor that cannot be printed and vice versa. Since I print all my own photos, I have to to address this issue. To do this, I have an eight-color professional printer, the Canon-Pro 100, and a wide gamut monitor, the NEC MutiSync P221W, which are capable of printing and displaying a wide range of colors. I use a spectrophotometer to create custom profiles for both the printer and the monitor. The printer profile maps the camera's color data to the printer by controlling the output levels of each color of ink needed to produce each color on the particular type of photo paper I use, which is Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II. The monitor profile maps the camera's color data to the monitor by controlling the specific combination of red, green and blue light displayed by the monitor to produce each color. In cases where a certain color cannot be printed or cannot be displayed, the profile will always choose the closest match. The end result is that the differences between the colors of the photos displayed on this website and the colors of the prints I create are barely discernible.
If you decide to make a purchase, you will be directed to a screen where you can choose to pay from your PayPal account or use PayPal's "Guest Checkout", which doesn't require a PayPal account. With "Guest Checkout" you provide your credit card information to "PayPal". Regardless of which method you choose your credit card information is protected by PayPal's security and is entered on their website rather than this one. Another alternative is make a payment by check or money order. However, in that case the photo will not be shipped until I either receive the money order or the check clears.
I have chosen to sell my prints without matting or framing in order to allow the customer to choose the style, color and size of the matting and framing as well as the provider of these items. Since my prices for the prints, as reflected on the "PRICING" web page, and my shipping costs are substantially less than what I would have to charge for matted and/or framed prints, my savings on these items has been passed along to the customer, enabling you to put this money toward purchasing your own matting and framing.