By the look on his face, one could tell this particular ring bearer meant serious business.
The Ring Bearer
Shallow Creek Reflections
May 13, 2013 by
Developing Your Ability to ‘See’
Nature preserves are great places to explore and photograph. The variety of subjects to be discovered can provide tons of photographic opportunities, all one needs to do is slow down and ‘see’ what surrounds you.
I say ‘see’ because it is one thing to just walk around and scanning your environment, but it is another to actually take the environment in visually, examining different angles. Becoming in tune with your visual senses allows you to find details that remain hidden if you were to just glance around.
The single most effective way to develop your seeing ability is to simply slow down and take your time. Whether you’re in the middle of a bustling city, or taking an afternoon stroll through a nature preserve, let your eyes and your mind take in the details. Take notice of textures, shadows, and reflections. When something really grabs your attention, explore it further from different angles and perspectives.
When you’re ready to compose your shot in the view finder, pre-visualize how you want your final image to look like, make the necessary adjustments to your camera, and fire away.
The image featured below was a result of using the above exercise. The barren trees seemed too busy when looking at them straight on, however, looking down at the creek presented some possibilities. I found the angle I wanted only after fumbling around trying to balance myself on the slick rocks along the shore. Only after I was confident everything was just right, I deliberately pressed the shutter button.
If you find yourself unable to slow down, the second most important thing that will help you is bring (and use) a tripod. The act of setting up the tripod for a shot inherently forces you to slow down your shooting process; hopefully enough to allow your brain to fully engage in composing your images.
Forest Reflection
I hope this little tip helps you with your own photographic adventures. What techniques do you employ while in the act of creating your own works of art? Sound off and leave a comment or two.
A Portrait In The Park
May 11, 2013 by
Katie reclines in a tree for this beautiful portrait in the park.
Katie I
Shot of The Day – Peter Christian
May 10, 2013 by
Today’s shot features Peter Christian at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California.
Rough and Edgy Portrait
Evergreen Cemetery Portrait – Breaktime
May 9, 2013 by
Here is a shot of Linda taking a little break from an all morning shooting session at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Smoke Break
For The Love of Abandoned Photography
May 6, 2013 by
I knew I was going to be hook on Abandoned Photography with the first click of the shudder. Of course spending over a week with great friends scouring the countryside looking for places to shoot helps. I have to thank my friend Abby for being such an awesome host (and muse). She exposed me, no, threw me into the world of abandoned photography, adding yet another level of passion to the craft of making images. Over a year later, I am still processing images from that whirlwind of a trip, and loving every minute of it.
There is nothing like exploring an unknown (to yourself) location and photographing various states of disrepair and decay. There is a morbid kind of beauty in the peeled paint, rooms with graffiti and broken furniture, and if you’re lucky, the occasional deceased large rodent or two.
Here is the latest image from that trip to roll of the assembly line.
Floor Lamp
What type of photography gets you all fired up and inspired? Sound off and comment. I’d be interested to find out.
I Think I Bit Off More Than I Can Chew
April 3, 2013 by
Off To A Great Start…I Think
Have you ever jumped into a project nonchalantly, only to discover your little project has become a beast that will test your tenacity all the way to the bitter end? That’s when you know you’re off to a great start. Just a little over two weeks ago I started compiling images for a book project I’ve been meaning to get off the ground. I didn’t foresee how fast this small idea would gather momentum and get away from me. After a few days of hunting for the pin-up and boudoir sessions I wanted to showcase in the book and wrangling them all into a single location, I hunkered down to the task of refining the images for print, and possibly electronic distribution in the form of an Ebook. I haven’t figured out all the nuts and bolts for the latter just yet.
The real task is going to be the overall layout and design of the book, and figuring out which tools I can use to give it a nice clean and elegant feel. This project is still in it’s infancy, and it is taking on a life of it’s own quickly. I needed to take a break from processing, and organizing my images, so I figured I’d give you a sneak peak…or two.
Boudoir Reflections
The Attraction of Opposites
Thank you for dropping by. While you’re here, take a moment or two to leave a comment, or share this post with your friends and family.
Backroad California Treasure In HDR
April 1, 2013 by
California’s varied landscape is a veritable treasure chest for photographers. From beaches to mountains, and everything in between, one doesn’t have to travel too long for a change of scenery. I was doing some cloud chasing one winter day, and got lost on a country backroad when all of a sudden the sky exploded with texture just as varied as California’s vast landscape. It was about an hour and a half before sunset, and warm hues were just starting to grace the sky.
I pulled off to the side of the road, and trudged through the roadside tundra towards the barbed wire fence, and stood in awe at the scene before me. I fired off several shots with my camera, and happily drove home.
Whenever there are clouds in the sky, my shutter finger starts twitching, and the urge to drop everything, grab my gear and hit the road is almost unbearable. Especially when I know that somewhere not to far away are scenes just like the one below waiting to be admired, and captured.
Field & Sky – HDR
