Behind The Action eBook 

Behind The Action

It’s All About The Method

Over the years, I’ve learned that great images are not just plucked out of the air as you pass through a scene. They’re crafted with a blend of vision, technical skills, a bit of luck, and a specific approach that’s unique to each photographer. Essentially, it’s the method that makes the image.

Through my own learning process, I’ve come to understand that more than anything else, studying the methods of photographers who you admire is one of the best ways to advance your own skills and creative techniques. When I first started shooting, I spent hours poring through books and studying the methods by photographers like Galen Rowell, Bryan Peterson and Nevada Wier. What I found most useful was when I was able to read about the specific insight, the creative ideas and the technical approach that went into each photograph.

Years later, I can look back and see how vital those tools were for my own development, which is why I decided to write this book.

Learn By Looking Over My Shoulder

Behind The Action is all method. It lays out the exact step-by-step process for 12 specific adventure and outdoor type images. Essentially, I take the reader along with me on a number of shoots and let them look over my shoulder as I scout the location, gauge the light, choose my equipment, come up with an approach, execute the final image and reflect on how it all went down. I even show you a number of outtakes so that you can follow along and see how the final shot eventually came about.

In short, Behind The Action is the closest thing you’ll ever get to actually being there on the shoot with me and watching me work. Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to teach you how to become a better photographer aside from bringing you on as an assistant. Even if you have a solid understanding of photography and equipment, this book will show you the nuts and bolts of how to put it all together when you’re out there on location and the dust is flying, the light is changing and your scene is quickly unfolding.

What You’ll Learn

For each of the 12 images that’s featured inside the book, I detail the following:

• Concept: The basic idea behind the shoot & what I was hoping to achieve in a final shot.
• Gear: An exact inventory of what gear was taken along with me and what gear was used.
• Light: My assessment of the light and the challenges that each scene presented.
• Approach: My own unique ideas on how I planned to tackle the shoot.
• Execution: What ACTUALLY happened after all the planning.
• Final Thoughts: Reflections on what went right and what went wrong.
• Post Processing: Exact notations of how I adjusted the image in the digital darkroom.
• Quick Tips: Thoughts and advice on how to get these kinds of results for yourself.

This is not a “Best of” collection, but rather a selection of photographs that represent a variety of shooting conditions and styles. Some of them were made “on the fly,” while others were born from a specific idea and the time it took to transform them from idea to actual image. Most of the images were shot within the past couple of years, but they all utilize the techniques that I’ve developed over my 16+ years as a working pro photographer.

None of the shots in this book required any special or expensive gear, it’s all done with what would be considered a normal outdoor photography kit, because that’s how I operate in the field. Most of them are images that you could even recreate yourself.

Behind The Action – Creating Adventure Imagery, Step By Step is an adventure photography how-to manual, but it’s not designed to make you shoot just like I do. Instead, it shows you some time tested techniques and methods that you can use to create your own dynamic and exciting imagery in the outdoors, no matter what style or outdoor subject matter appeals to you.

Finally, I’m excited to be working with Light Stalking on this book. They not only share my own excitement and enthusiasm for photography, they also work hard to inspire and help other photographers become better and more accomplished shooters.

Think of all the ways you can blow this kind of money and still have nothing real to show for it. Heck, a decent lunch barely costs $20, and I know some people who spend that much on turnpike tolls in a week. Here you get a huge collection of real world photography ideas, tips and techniques that you can put to use right away.

These are the very same techniques that I use when shooting for my top professional clients. Not the watered down versions, mind you, we’re talking the exact same methods that I use when I’m shooting assignments. In fact, these methods are what actually go me where I am today and I’m sharing them with you for less than the cost of a single dinner out.

100% Guarantee

As with every Light Stalking guide, Behind The Action comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. We both stand behind this book and we think it will help you learn. If you pick it up and you don’t agree, just contact me and we’ll give you a full refund.

Behind The Action Testimonials