Inspiration And Assignments: View From Above

I have been wanting to use this photo in a blog post for quite some time but was at a loss for words. Well it appears timing is everything.  A few weeks ago a good friend of mine came across a quote that she felt would be perfect inspiration for one of my blog posts. She turned me on to the quote and it turns out she was right on the money with this one.

“It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.”

Henry David Thoreau

In many more words than Mr. Thoreau used, this has been my mantra for years. 

“I think that people will too often look and not really see. And if I can see for them, to show them what fascinates me about a single leaf floating in a creek, or the morning light highlighting a stand of trees or the seemingly random pattern in a pile of rocks…then I have shared that single experience, that split second in time with them. And if I can give them the opportunity to enjoy that one moment, then I have accomplished what I set out to do.”

Try to take the time out to “see.” It will make a world of difference in your life, and in your photography.

By now you are probably wondering what the subject matter is in the above photograph. I’ll give ya a few hints. It’s not a photo of a mountain range or of a river delta taken from a window on the International Space Station. I’ve never been invited to go up there.

 

 

 

 

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IN THE FIELD: Well Wadda Ya Know

 

I walked out my front door this morning and looked to my left and this is what I saw! Just a few hours ago this was a bud waiting to open.

The back story to this Iris is kind of interesting. My Mom had acquired this variety of heirloom Iris many years ago. When she moved from her home to a town-home, we dug a bunch of the rhizomes from her garden and planted them in her new garden. About ten years ago we divided some of them and transplanted them from her garden to ours  at our old house. About two years ago when we moved to temporary digs while our new house was being built, I dug as many of the rhizomes from our garden as I could and put them away in storage. Apparently I didn’t tend to them properly and they all dried up. Drat.

Mom to the rescue again. Last fall I was digging Iris rhizomes again and transplanted some from her garden to our new garden in front of our new house. The results have been amazing. I think I have found the perfect spot for them to flourish.

IN THE FIELD: Coming Soon!

It’s been cold and snowy for a lot of folks this season. After all, it is winter. We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground and according to the calendar, Spring is right around the corner.

As much as I enjoy winter, I really can’t wait for warmer weather. So I decided to look through the archives to find a reminder of the up and coming season. I chose this shot which I had taken while on a shoot for a local country club last Spring.

f 8

1/80th

ISO 100

cloudy WB

 

IN THE FIELD: Winter Wonderland

This certainly has been quite a winter for some folks. It may not be the snowiest as in years past, but the storms sure have been frequent. Another storm blew through this past Sunday night thru Monday afternoon and deposited nine more inches of snow. Last night was a night of freezing rain and snow…and guess what? There is more winter weather predicted for this weekend. The area around here is beginning to look like the Great White North.

I’m not complaining because I really enjoy the winter season…I just need a break from the outdoor gym (shoveling).

Yesterday I ventured down to a nearby small creek for some scenic winter photos. I was surprised to see the water flowing at such a high rate. I thought the water would have been frozen solid since the temperature has been below freezing since…well, I can’t remember when it wasn’t.

Here is a shot I took looking upstream. It was late afternoon and there wasn’t  much sunlight at this location because of the hillside on the left was blocking the setting sun.

After viewing the image, I decided to de-saturate it to see how it would look. I like the color version because the brown leaves add some interest. I also like the monotone rendition for the really cold feeling in conveys. I think I’ll keep both.

f 6.7

1/250TH

ISO 200

cloudy WB

 

IN THE FIELD: A Little Splash Of Red

IN THE FIELD: Gold Or Silver B&W

Referring to my previous post, I photographed some jewelry in a store with just the available light.

It was suggested to me to try a B&W conversion of the photo by a fellow photographer/blogger. http://zarabu.wordpress.com/  I highly encourage you to check out Abu’s blog. His photography is  a wonderful mix of scenics, street photography, and portraiture. He truly understands good composition.

It never occurred to me to see what this shot would look like as a B&W. I have to say I do like it, but I’m still undecided which version I like better.

f 2.2

1/80th

ISO 200

cloudy WB

IN THE FIELD: Gold Or Silver

A few weeks ago I was out doing some street photography in the shopping district of a nearby town. I got some shots of the local architecture, storefronts, construction workers, signage, and people milling about town.

As I walked past a shop filled with jewelry and beads from around the world, something shiny in the storefront window caught my eye. It was a small display of hand hammered sterling silver scarf rings.

I liked how the light reflected off the facets in the metal. Getting a good photo looking through the window proved to be nearly impossible. So I went inside and asked the owner if I could get a few photos of the display, and she said, “have at it.” I decided to photograph them using the available light in the shop rather than using a flash.

The natural daylight and the overhead halogen lights combined with the cloudy white balance setting I was using, turned the silver a warm golden color. And while it does not reflect the true color of the piece, I like the mood it sets.

f 2.2

1/80th

ISO 200

cloudy WB

IN THE FIELD: Close Encounters

This is one of my favorite photos of early spring bloomers taken this year.

f 11

1/320th

ISO 100

cloudy WB

IN THE FIELD: Immerse Yourself In Your Subject

Over the years I’ve heard a variety of humorous sayings regarding outdoor photographers.

“If you’re not sitting on the ground, you’re not a photographer.”

“You can always tell a good photographer. Their clothes are always dirty.”

Uhhh yup…folks often do look at me a little funny as I sit or lie down on the ground with camera in hand. And that’s okay because I’m creating an image that is uniquely mine. By changing my perspective or viewing angle, I feel I’m likely to create a more compelling image. And of course, there are times when I may get my pants dirty. But who cares about a little dirt anyway. Soap was invented a long time ago.

I took this photo at Longwood Gardens two weeks ago during the Celebration Of Spring Blooms.

f11

1/1000th

cloudy WB

ISO 200

IN THE FIELD: Revisiting Familiar Places 2

In the previous post I mentioned how revisiting familiar places often will bring new discoveries. I found a few more during my latest visit to the Hopewell Furnace Historic Site.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I have walked past this doorway to the company store. But I never experienced what I did that morning.

As I peered into the room, the early morning sunlight was streaming through the old window. It may have been the time of day, or the time of the year, but the aged wood was aglow with golden light.

Ambient light from the window was the sole light source in this photograph.

aperture 7.1

shutter  1/25th

cloudy WB

ISO 200