I'm Jennifer King, ask me anything!

Learning with Experts Ask Me Anything (AMA)
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Hi, I am Jennifer King, and as a landscape and fine art photographer, I find myself in some of the most inspiring locations in the world. I’ve been in the photo industry for over 20 years and nature continues to surprise me. With a fine art and design background, I began my career as a Director of Photography and worked with some of the best photographers in the world. This career space was my classroom and what helped to shape my vision. While this work was filled with incredible experiences, it was my free time wandering through the Grand Tetons with camera in hand that made my spirit soar. So I turned my passion for photography into a career of catching sunrises, with a mission to explore the world and share the adventure with others - teaching as I go and doing my part to inspire others with what has motivated me over the years. Photography is an art, a storyteller and a preserver of time. I look forward to sharing photography with you!

I’m proud to be a Moab Master Photographer, Singh-Ray Filters Ambassador, Founder of pfabc.org and 1 of 15 Amazing Women to Follow by 500px.

While I spend most of my time on the road, I love being home with Karma (my cat and VP of Operations) with whom I have a FaceTime relationship with. In between workshops I spend time teaching and writing about photographic creativity, using my fine art background to help others visualize new creative ideas. I lead a quarterly webinar, Creativity Spreads, to keep you inspired and informed, plus host a monthly Creative Challenge for photographers to keep the creative momentum moving.

If you have questions about my work, my workshops, or anything else, I’d love to hear from you!

Website: https://www.jenniferkingphoto.com/

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Hi Jennifer & thanks for giving us some of your time.

I had a chuckle about the cat. The things we do for our feline overlords, huh? I’m interested in the aspect of using your f.a. background in your photography. The only DPs I know of have to do with filmmaking, was that your role or something different? Assuming it has, could you talk a little about how having been one has given you an advantage with your own work being published, seen and purchased? Did the success or failure of the photographers you worked with influence the direction your own work?

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Hi Jenn. Hope you and your family are well. Did you find anything you didn’t like abour the R5?

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Hello Jennifer,
Thanks for your time and sharing your thoughts and especially for your work funding raising for breast cancer through https://www.pfabc.org/

I am curious about your approach to storytelling with photography. What elements are required to tell a story, whether in a single photo or a series?

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Hi Kris,

Great to hear from you. It seems we are both under the power of our furry ones. I feel that my Fine Art background has given me an advantage with composition, certainly when I first started photography. All of the elements of art and design are so rooted in my brain, that I am able to immediately see how to create flow with the elements surrounding me. I have always recommended that photographers spend time looking at the history of fine art over the centuries to aid them in their pursuit of the visual arts, and photography is a visual art. My DP experience extended through many adventures from film to large still productions. Your comment on having my work published and seen in that industry did have its advantages, but I believe what it really provided was confidence that I had a good eye. Repeated work of any kind helps us to improve our skill, plus the exposure to so many talented photographers, stylists, wardrobe, etc. created an environment that was creative and that is something that is contagious. I cannot say the success or failures of the other photographers influenced my work in the sense of my style or direction, but I did learn from it. I walked away from that world looking for something quiet and peaceful, something that focused on a bigger picture. Nature is good for that!

Thanks for your questions, and remember, Creativity Spreads!

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Hi, @Jennifer_King
It is a great opportunity to see your talent mastering photography, but even greater to see you teaching others to see and compose, what brought you to decide to start the workshops? the travel experience? the sharing experience? other?

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Hi Al,

Great to hear from you! I hope your winter is warming up!

I love my Canon R5, and so far, I have not found anything I don’t like. You know I am not a techie, so the transition to something new with a slight change in button placement had me scratching my head a few times.

For wildlife, the face and eye detection is unbelievable.

It’s also smaller and lighter to carry. I have not replaced all of my lenses. I have the adapter for those lenses, and there is no deterioration in quality. I figured I would wait until I broke a lens before replacing. Luckily, I am clumsy, and replacements will come soon. I did just break my 100-400mm a couple weeks ago, so that lens will be an RF lens.

Always love hearing from you, and hope to see you soon!

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Hi Jennifer! I’m still kind of challenged to get what I think are good sunrise images. What do you think is the key to a good sunrise? What are the key elements you look for to create a good sunrise image?

Thanks!

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Hi Robena,

I have always seen photography as an art, a storyteller and a preserver of time. Photography as a storyteller can stretch into many different genres. The key is creating, or telling, a story. When I approach photography as a storyteller, I usually have something in mind that I want to share.

For example:

A photo journalistic approach can easily capture a story with one image. Usually events that capture our attention already have drama occurring. If we think back through history, there are many images of journalism that come to mind, and stay with us. While we often remember the most dramatic of moments, there are many smaller stories that have a big impact on us and our communities as well. The face of the baseball player after he hits the ball, the face of a new mother holding her child, these are daily stories that impact our lives, and are very special.

We can also create stories that extend past the special moments mentioned above. The way to approach a story is to choose your subject, and try to understand and communicate every aspect of it. Personally, I spend a lot of time in Death Valley, so I have worked on a story about the desert over the years. This is a pictorial story where I try to incorporate the landscape, the details, the weather, and what it takes to survive in this desert. Making personal books about your stories are a great way to bring your story to life, and to share with others.

Thanks for your comment on pfabc.org, and a special thanks to all the photographers that come together to donate their time and gifts to help us raise money for this important cause.

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Hi Sandra,

Great to hear from you! I never intended to start a workshop business, it just kind of happened. I spent all of 2011 photographing across the country, learning to use a camera and just exploring. Shortly after my return, a friend asked if I would take a few friends to the Smoky Mountains. I live near the Smokies, and know it pretty well. I said sure , I’ll take to you there. I contacted the park, got my first permit, and a workshop business was born.

It’s funny how life works out sometimes. I didn’t travel when I was young, but my previous career did expose me to travel, and I loved see new places and new countries. I always wished I could share these experiences with my family and friends. I guess a precursor to loving what I do now.

When I was learning how to use a camera and photograph, it was challenging for me. The creative came to me naturally, but the technical did not. What is an f-stop? Why do you call it an aperture? What the heck? I felt confused, and remember those first steps in learning. I teach with this memory and I think that it helps new photographers to understand their equipment and the basics much quicker so they can focus on the fun part of the adventure, the travel, the friendship and the creativity.

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Jennifer, I’m glad we got to cross paths again in Yellowstone. :slight_smile:

What’s on your bucket list as a photography destination, either something you think you would work as a workshop location, or just to fulfill a personal desire or goal (some places don’t necessarily work both ways)?

Max

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Hi Mark,

Ah, the perfect sunrise. Shooting into the sun, and getting the perfect image has its challenges, but it is possible. One of the best tools I can recommend is using a graduated neutral density filter in the field. I firmly believe that having more information in your RAW file will give you better result.

Bracketing is also a good tool. However, this does not replace the GND filter mentioned above. Why? Let’s break down the reason we bracket shots. We bracket (auto or manual) different exposures so we can merge them into an HDR file (high dynamic range). When we merge 3 or 5 exposures in processing, the software we use blends the exposure (or light levels) to create balanced light. This appearance can sometimes leave the photo looking flat, simply too much light balance in the image. More natural sunrises often show the lights and darks, highlights and shadows that are occurring in nature. We see it with your eyes in the moment, but accidentally remove during processing.

Still take multiple exposures, but add the GND filter for a more realistic light balance in the RAW file. Try to process one image from the field to see if you can achieve the results you are looking for, before resorting to blending multiple exposures with HDR. If you decide to use HDR, no need to use all exposures taken, just pick 2-3 that are in the center of the exposure range. This will allow some of your highlights and shadows to come through.

One other important thing to mention, when the sun is rising, take your photo in the first couple of seconds after breaching the horizon. When the sun is half way over the horizon, it is too bright to shoot into.

Thanks Mark!

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Hi Max, great to hear from you! I always enjoy seeing you in Winter Yellowstone each year. For anyone reading this, I met Max in January 2020 as I was running down the road in Lamar Valley with my 800mm lens, headed for the wolves. I was parked miles away, and when his car came along, I stuck my hand out, and hitchhiked for the first time ever. Max was kind enough to give me a ride. Thanks for not being a dangerous person who locked me in the trunk! :rofl:

I do get asked this question a lot, and I am always looking for new destinations. Yes, some will be great for workshops, but some will be personal. My bucket list locations are: Antarctica, Greenland and Patagonia. I am drawn to ice and glaciers, but want to explore more distant and remote locations. I’m also drawn to volcanoes and lava. I was fortunate to get to Iceland for the 2021 eruption which was one of the best photo experiences of my life.

So many incredible locations yet to explore!

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Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for taking the time for this AMA! I’m curious to hear about how you determine when editing your images are “finished” - if you go on instinct, have a prescribed workflow you follow most of the time or ??? I see your work is both color and B&W, do you see them in the field as one or the other? Sorry, I guess that’s 2 questions.
Larry

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Well, you did say “ask me anything”…so, as a leader of photography workshops, what has been the funniest situation you have found yourself in while leading a group of photographers?

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Hi Larry,

When it comes to editing, I do have a certain work flow, somewhat different than others. For culling my photos, I use a color enhancement preset that I created so that when I am looking at RAW files, there is more color added. My Lightroom preset is simple, but it adds the extra color needed to choose the better photo from the filmstrip. Contrast 25, Vibrance 15, Saturation 5.

I use the old school method of selection, which is based on a process of elimination for choosing the better image. This is a technique that is used in the visual arts world and is method based on studies of reaction time. I go through images in batches, for example, a sunrise session. Instead of going through the film strip and saying this image gets a 1, and this one gets a 5… I revert back to my training.

Reaction time to a photo or any visual art, is less than 1 second. If you go through your images and look at each one for 1 second, and you do not respond, pass it up. If you stop and like it, give it 1 star. Once you go through your images, you will see that you eliminated probably 50% of the photos you took that morning. Next, view only your 1 starred images, and proceed to round 2. I actually go through 5 rounds before choosing which images to process.

In Lightroom, I begin with composition and framing if necessary. Then, I move down to the tone curve and use the sliders to balance the highlights, lights, shadows and darks. From there, I go back to the basic menu and make adjustments to temperature if needed. Once my global edits are complete, I go to localized edits using the masking tools. I keep my processing simplistic, realistic, always making minor adjustments. I like a realistic look to nature for color photography, so every step I take in processing is a small step.

My approach to BW is completely different, both in the field and in processing. I consider this my fine art. I go out in the field with the intention of photographing black & white. This allows me to photograph by light, shadow and shapes. I do not cross over to color when I am mentally in this mode, even if the sky is on fire. As strange as it may seem, I take more time with BW in the field. I look with my eyes before looking through the lens. Once I see the art with my eye, I then decide which lens to use. Processing BW for me is much more involved. While I still begin with the tone curve, I will do many more localized edits to create what I envisioned in the field. I don’t convert black & white photos, I create them. This is a good approach for anyone looking to expand their BW portfolio.

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Well Mike, you must be referring to the rumors that I am clumsy. With that being said, I have a lot of stories to tell.

One of my funniest displays of grace occurred early on in my workshop career, but still holds the record for the most glamorous fall. It was 2015, and we were in the Grand Tetons. Oxbow Bend to be exact, and it was for a sunrise shoot. The sunrise was almost up, and one of the participants forgot her graduated neutral density filter, so I said I’ll go get it. I turned and ran towards the parking lot. Before I knew it, I was airborne with my arms stretched out in front of me, kind of like Superman, and kind of not. Then came the thud heard around the world, yes, I laid flat on the hard ground, I think I groaned, and after a split second, I began to roll. Yes, I rolled all the way down the hillside just to the edge of the Snake River. I did get wet, but luckily did not submerge. I did, however, pick up a lot of leaves and twigs that stuck to the mud that decorated my clothing from head to toe.

I did get to the parking lot to get the filter for the participant, and got the filter to her just in the nick of time. Of course, I did look a little different!

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Jennifer,
I have the opportunity to make a return visit to Antarctica next February. I was there in 2008 and I’m wondering how to think about ways to approach the visit and not just end up with the same pictures I took 15 years ago.

Mike Abbene - St. Louis

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Hello Michael,

Great to hear from you. I think the last time I saw you was at MoNEP in 2019. Hope you are well!

Photographing locations we repeat does often result in images that are similar. When I travel to locations I have been to before, I make a plan to photograph differently.

For example:
Day One - Photograph in Black & White only. In your menu settings, you can select to photograph in Monochrome. This is a great tool for visualizing in BW. If you are photographing in RAW, your files will still import with color, but visualizing in BW assists in the field.

Day Two - Only use 1 lens. One maybe you have not used before on your previous trip.

Day Three - Abstract or motion blur all of your photos.

Day Four - Photograph like you did before. You have probably gotten better over the last 8 years, and while your images may look similar, photographing at least one day like this is a good thing.

Other ideas for subsequent days would be:
Photograph with your longest lens only
Purposely photograph behind you, and not in front of you
Photograph using backlight only

Get creative with your ideas, and create a plan that will keep you photographing differently. Have fun, and be sure to share some photos!

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