Photo Phans Newsletter
September 2008

This is the second edition of my newsletter. My goal is to share information about Bob Shank Photography and photography in general. I will share another favorite photographic link and you will find updated information here about my website, such as new photographs that I have posted in the Galleries. I will keep you updated on various events that I have photographed and share information about upcoming Photo Trips. A photo tip or suggestion will also be included. If you prefer to be removed from this periodic newsletter, please email me at bob@bobshankphotography.com and I will remove your name from our list. I hope you enjoy this edition of my newsletter and let me know if you find this interesting or helpful. Also, please help me to get this newsletter out to your friends, family, and colleagues. Feel free to forward this link to them. Thanks and remember that the photograph of a lifetime is only a click away!

There is still room for the September PA Elk Photo Trip. If you or someone you know might be interested, you can find more information here: PA Elk Photo Trip
There is still time to sign up for the September Elk Photo Trip, so check out this link to find out more information. We do thank those who are helping to get the word out, as word of mouth is definitely the best advertising! You can find more information about these unique photographic experiences by clicking on the “Photo Trips” banner to the left. Sign up today!
john shaw photography
My “Favorite Link” for this edition of my newsletter is www.johnshawphoto.com This is a great website for photographers. I particularly like Mr. Shaw's galleries, which offer great inspiration! I have enjoyed his book, Nature Photography Field Book, and highly recommend this website to you. There is a lot of information for beginners as well as seasoned photographers. Mr. Shaw's photography is top notch and his helpful hints and suggestions are some of the best you will find. Check out this link and let me know what you think.


I had the opportunity this past weekend to try my hand at photographing a field hockey game. My two nieces are on their high school team and we went to watch their game. It was raining off and on but my persistence paid off as I was able to get some very good action shots. You can see the results by clicking on the photo to the left to access all the photos of the field hockey game. The username is bears and the password is fieldhockey. Take a look at the photos and let me know what you think.

The Lehigh Valley Baseball Academy Stars, recently played in a tournament in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. We all had a great time combing some time at the beach with playing or watching competitve baseball. The boys did a great job and won the first two games. Throughout the weekend they played probably the best they have played all year and only lost their games by one run. It was a great weekend! You can view photos of this speical weekend by clicking on the photo to the left. The username is lvba and the password is stars.
The whitetailed deer is one of the most beautiful mammals in my humble opinion. There are plenty of other animals that get my attention to be sure, but the whitetail has a way of attracting my interest. Recently we had a family of deer in our yard. The family consisted of a doe and her two twin fawns. You can see more photos of them by clicking on the photo to the left and then scrolling down to the bottom of the gallery. The younger deer have grown considerably over the summer but they still had their spots and it was a joy to be able to take a portrait of this family! I don't think I will ever tire of shooting deer with my camera. They peak my interest every time I see them and I don't see this changing any time soon. There is something special about the whitetailed deer!

Nikon has recently released 3 new digital SLR cameras. I confess that I am a Nikon user and I am proud of it. I realize that it is not the camera that makes the photographer, but the Nikon products certainly make getting photographs easier these days. I especially like the responsive shutter button on the Nikon cameras. Do you remember back when digital photography was in its infancy? You would press the shutter and then wonder when the camera was going to respond to your action. Many of us missed the action because the shutter release happened long after we pressed it! Thankfully, our equipment has improved over the years. What is your favorite camera brand? Why? Tell us what you use by emailing us at bob@bobshankphotography.com
Wildlife Photo Tip of the Month

Wildlife photography is difficult for many reasons, but one reason is because our subjects are camoflauged and blend in so well to their backgrounds. This makes it very difficult to create a photograph of them. One technique is to use a shallow depth of field so that only the subject you are focusing on is clearly in focus. The rest of the photograph is thrown out of focus. To do this you will need to use a wide open aperture and then carefully focus directly on the subject. Most often while shooting wildlife, I use the aperture priority feature on my camera. This allows me to choose the f-stop I prefer and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed to produce the correct exposure.
I like to shoot wide open at f/2.8 whenever possible because this gives me a very shallow depth of field. Distance from the subject plays into this as well, but if you want to make your subject stand out and be more visible, consider shooting with a larger aperture.

Contact Us

Website: www.bobshankphotography.com

Email: bob@bobshankphotography.com

 Feel free to pass this E-newsletter along to friends and colleagues who have a passion of photography and send me their email address. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and please send us some feedback.

Keep Shooting!

-Bob Shank