Bob Coates, Author at Infrared Conversions, IR Modifications & Photography Tutorials

Author Bio

Bob Coates

Bob Coates, M.Photog.M.Artist.Cr., CPP

Based in Sedona, Arizona Bob is a professional photographer, author, speaker & educator.

Coates started taking photographs with an SLR borrowed from a friend for a vacation back in 1983. After successfully managing other peoples businesses for fourteen years while photographing on the side, Bob decided to follow the quote "Do what you love and you will become a success."

In March of 1994 he left the restaurant biz and took the leap to become a professional image maker. "In this business the variety never ceases to amaze me," says Bob. "One day shooting jewelry in the studio, the next day creating images for a brochure and yet another standing in the middle of the desert waiting for the light to get "just so." The changes in software and digital imaging continue to inspire me to create new and exciting imagery."

Bob Coates Photography "Specializes in not Specializing" this allows Bob come up with interesting new ways of photographing subjects. Combining the techniques of different types of photography leads to new ways capturing images. People who hire Bob Coates Photography do it not just for the expertise but, for the experience brought to the job.

Certified by Professional Photographers of America, Master, Artist & Craftsman Photographer. Member Arizona Professional Photographers Association & American Society of Photographers.

Published Magazine Articles and Books: Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Shutterbug, AfterCapture, Photo Electronic Imaging, Caribbean Travel and Life, Cruise Travel, Scouting, Porthole, Realtor, New York Daily News Caribbeat, SignCraft, Sailing World, Pro-Lighting Series: Nightshots, Pro-Lighting Series: Beauty Shots, Portrait Photographers Handbook, and others…

Books published by Amherst Media - Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design & Sales, Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design & Sales Second Edition and Strategies & Techniques for the Digital Photographer.

Bob is also a photographer coach and writes a blog called Successful-Photographer with information to help photographers in the art, science, business and marketing of photographic services. Questions or ideas about things you'd like me to address here at LifePixel? bob@bcphotography.com

Lumix GH4 upgrade to infrared

For a few years I have been using a Lumix G6 which had been converted to IR by LifePixel. It’s been great. But, I decided I wanted a pro level camera. As new models came out from Lumix such as the G9 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III I saw my Lumix GH4 starting to […]

Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge

Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge Each year around Thanksgiving you’ll find the Festival of the Cranes in Socorro, New Mexico. If you enjoy photographing wildlife, particularly birds, you will love a trip to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge which is where you’ll find oodles of birds about twenty minutes down the road from Socorro. […]

Pre-visualization & Post Production

Did you ever see something and see the final image in your mind that could be so much more? This happens to me on a regular basis and thanks to Photoshop and post production I can make it happen. I’m a fan of the multiple shapes in nature. Curves, lines, tones and form all play […]

Working a Scene – Multiple Compositions

“I wish I would have…” Hate to have those words pass through my mind. Usually, you won’t hear them unless enough time wasn’t taken shooting options at a scene. It doesn’t take much time and the heartache saved, especially when photographing a place where conditions are very good or it might be difficult or impossible […]

Processing Photo Files – Aurora HDR

“The negative is comparable to the composer’s score and the print to its performance. Each performance differs in subtle ways.” – Ansel Adams Some Thoughts on Digital vs. Film Processing I will update Ansel’s quote just a bit for today’s digital age. The original file is now equivalent to Ansel’s negative. The post-processing is the […]

Time Lapse with an Infrared Converted Camera

I was trying out something just a wee bit different the other day and believe I found a kind of cool learning tool. A friend was passing through town with her IR camera just converted, and she was having the time of her life. She kept wishing she could see in IR all the time […]

HDR Slot Canyons

Slot Canyon Photography – Page, Arizona Slot canyons are an amazing phenomenon. Beautifully carved passageways made over the millennia thanks to the nature of water and the wind working through and wearing away sandstone. In general, slots are much deeper than they are wide hence the name. Some can measure less than one yard across […]

Process images for best results

Making the Best of a Bad Situation Sometimes photography can be about trying to make the best of a situation that is less than stellar for what we are trying to accomplish. We don’t always have the opportunity to set up lighting or place the subject in the best position to take advantage of natural […]

My Infrared proccess

I’m a fan of the more traditional Infrared image. Deep blacks in the sky. White puffy clouds set in contrast against said sky. Deciduous trees that bloom with a white glow. But in the past capturing these images was a bit of a chore. Long exposures. Focusing issues because of the darkness of the filters. […]

My Infrared Journey

Last October I had my camera, a Lumix G6, converted to IR and thought I’d take you along on my journey down the Infrared road. This will be the first of several posts as I go through my trials and tribulations acquiring the IR look that I want in my images. Let’s start back just a bit […]