TIPS from Jerry Sieve
The following list is just a sample of what I try to get across to the student during a workshop. I will purposely avoid dealing with the obvious aspects that always need to be stressed (depth of field, exposure, etc.).
 BEING AWARE OF LIGHT, ITS QUALITY, ITS DIRECTION: Is the light direct, diffused, reflected? What is the color of the light? What factors will be affecting this light-atmosphere, clouds, fog, vegetation, etc? The direction of light-front light, back light, side light? How will the light be hitting the various elements of the scene before you? How will this change as the sun moves through the sky? LEARN TO ANTICIPATE THE LIGHT DIRECTION AT SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
SCOUTING: Learning how to figure out where you want to be, when you want to be there so your evening or morning image making session is productive and you get the images you want. Develop a shooting itinerary. Without knowledge of the first section (about light), this is impossible.
KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT: Without good knowledge of your equipment you will have a hard time responding to the fast changing lighting and atmospheric conditions found in nature. Get to know your camera at home and get to know nature in the field! If you are shooting 35mm or medium format get to know your film.
Jerry has been a major contributor to numerous state and national publications, including Arizona Highways magazine. Arizona Highways alone has printed over 500 of his images, including six covers. Some of his other credits include Sierra Magazine, Rocky Mountain Magazine, Aloha Magazine and America West Magazine. He has had numerous one-man shows. In 1987 he had a black and white calendar published that sold world- wide. Some of Jerry's corporate clients include Salt River Project, Arizona Public Service, Bank One, Honeywell and McDonald-Douglas.
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