An Old Complaint (Two Photographs)
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It used to be that the phrases “time is money” and the “customer is always right” had meaning. We didn’t toss things out that worked for other things just because they were shiner and newer. Clients were not made to work harder for a not quite the same result. Help lines and complaints were listened to and not downplayed. But as corporations grew, seeing innovation as a mark of progress and their clientele grew into large numbers, only the corporation’s time mattered, only the corporation’s concerns mattered and those who had problems became whispers in the dark talking to help centres that could do nothing but parrot the corporate line.
At the end of 2021 unless WordPress keeps the old editor I will end this blog. I have better things to do than rail at a windmill.
The Alley (Two Photographs)
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Alleys have a special place in the urban environment. In many cities they provide great opportunities for photography and are such popular subjects that it is rare to be the only person in an alley with a camera.
Numbers (Two Photographs)
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I have done more than one series on numbers, I might collect them into gallery. Numbers are a great theme for street photography, they may be the focus of the shot but the frame is often just as interesting.
Old (Two Photographs)
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These were taken outside an antique store. The objects are much bigger, but I have chosen a closer look. When the owners permit, any antique store can make for a wonderful photographic safari, just erase the price tags.
Banal (Two Photographs)
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The word “banal” is more substantive and positive sounding than boring. The banal sights around us sometimes need to be captured by artists not just for historical reasons, but because we forget the complexity of modern life. The hydrant goes down a story underground to meet up with water pipes but all we see is a colourful and functional tool.
Who Let the Bird Out (Two Photographs)
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These are two more photographs of things found on one of my walks. It’s a big question if this will be something I will be able to do this summer. Covid -19 has really put a brake on a lot of the best of life. Yes, the title applies to the second photograph).
Intimate Urban Landscape (Two Photographs)
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I do not remember when I first heard the phrase “Intimate Urban Landscape” used to describe photos of bits and pieces of what we see in the urban landscape. I like it, it captures the subject without making us misuse titles like street photography or architectural photography.
A Walk (Two Photographs)
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I have walked this route more times than I can count, and taken almost as many photos. Today I’m wondering when I will get back there with my camera. We live in uncertain times. All is well at my end and I hope it is at yours as well.
Windows (Two Photographs)
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There is an endless number of variations on how windows (with or without reflections) make for great photographs. Depending on how you process window photos you will be surprised at what is in the reflective portions. Sometimes you can mix the surreal, abstract and reality in one shot without compositing, often just by adjusting shadows and contrast.
Concrete (Two Photographs)
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In my view minimalist photography is all about the placement of the subject in the frame or the perspective you take. These two shots illustrate some of the possibilities. They say a good photographer has an eye for photography, but it is equally possible we learn from example.
Home (Two Photographs)
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When I wonder about town I often find myself in residential areas and there is plenty to photograph. I like shots that make you wonder about the design or who lives there, their circumstances; you let your imagination go.
Unexpected (Two Photographs)
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I took this thinking the subject was a bent vent. It was only when I got into my digital darkroom that R2-D2 showed up. It’s always possible I stumbled on some new dimension/episode of Star Wars – who knows it was just there.
Pets (Two Photographs)
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These photographs were taken the same day going for a walk in a new district. Just things I stumbled over on my walkabout. I tend to stay close to home with my photography and there always seems something new to shoot. Marvels never cease.
It is it legitimate? (Two Photographs)
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Is it legitimate to photograph the work of others and take credit for the resulting photograph? This question applies here and to another set of photos later this week. In my view, if the approach taken in the photograph is distinctive then the taking of photographs of graffiti and outdoor art is legitimate. Equally true if more than one artist has been involved in the final product. Finally, if there is context or only a portion of the art is visible, I believe the photographer has the right to call the work his own.
Intimate Street Scapes (Two Photographs)
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Long time readers of this blog will know that I love a good walk in the city with my camera, weather permitting. There seems to be some new detail around every corner, things well worth capturing.
Hat in the Air (Two Photographs)
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Shooting indoors without flash often means lower shutter speeds and more shadows. However, I was surprised at how much dark shadow I could remove to get detail in the top hat, another reason I like my Fuji XT-3.
Vintage (Two Photographs)
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There are many ways to age a photograph, and certainly a lot of presets to do that. Here, however, I took the colour picture and working with contrast, detail enhancement and white balance succeeded in getting a vintage, near grunge effect that I liked in black and white.
Patio (Two Photographs)
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I was walking through an area with a lot of restaurants and this patio jumped out because of the chiaroscuro lighting. The flowers framed by the darker background just caught my eye. The choice in the end is high contrast black and white or a more colourful and muted shot.
Drama (Three Photographs)
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Nothing like a little drama. Muting colours, adding contrast, luminosity masks, all add a touch of drama to an overcast and other wise indifferent day. Shot with a Fuji XT-3, 18-55 lens, exposure bracketed shots, HDR in Photoshop.
Contrast (Two Photographs)
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When I was just starting out in photography I learned that out of place objects made for great photographs, to use the technical term finding contrasting objects. At the time I could not afford two camera bodies – one for colour and the other for black and white film. Colour to black and white conversion was possible but again then out of my league. It was clear to me that colour often overwhelmed the subject and that black and white had more subtly to it. This is a perfect example.
Contrast (Three Photographs)
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There is one thing I look for when doing city/street/urban landscapes and that is contrast. Contrast means I have a choice of colour or black and white. It makes the photo stand out that much better. In my view, color contrast, contrast between objects etc. make for great photos.
Street Photography (Two Photographs)
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My street photography has lacked a human dimension, by that I mean people. But I hope to change that and borrow some techniques I have seen used by other photographers. In the first the dutch tilt makes it look like the camera is grasping at meaning, and in the second leading lines direct the eye to a rather fuzzy conclusion.
City Quirks (Three Photographs)
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I have had a great deal of fun taking photos like these, call them intimate urban landscapes. They lend themselves to a bit of creativity and thought. They also permit some creative editing (removing the odd poster or an out of place paint streak).
Quirky (Two Photographs)
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Because the leading lines go in the opposite direction than doctrine would suggest, the photograph is somewhat quirky. The idea in my mind was it illustrated that whatever is deposited goes into the unknown.
