The Three (Two Photographs)
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There are three things you can count on year round in our reserve, chipmunks, chickadees and canada geese. When all else fails they are subjects for photography. The geese look more noble on the water than their habits on land would suggest. Both the chipmunks and chickadees move so fast it’s often hard to get a good shot. All will accept handouts.
Floral Composition (Three Photographs)
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Taken in a city garden with my Fuji XT-2, 18-55 mm, 2.8. These illustrate something that I learned early on and which I think is an important part of my kind of photography. In composing in the camera, there are two factors: imagining the final crop, usually smaller than the screen as you see it in camera (e.g. 8×10) and taking multiple photographs of the same thing from different angles. Different angles give me a chance to pick the most dramatic or interesting composition.
Antique Finds (Two Photographs)
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I took these shots with my Fuji XT-2 at an antique fair in an old barn. I have seen quite a few photographs like these, especially kitchenware in museum collections – simple, detailed and concentrating on shape and form.
Forest Light (Two Photographs)
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The lighting in forests is extraordinary. Because there is a canopy that only lets in some light there are various effects that mimic studio lighting. For example, rays of light that break through the canopy and act as spotlights which is the case here. Photography is all about light and we have several options in nature – time of day, shadows, spotlights, overcast soft lighting. All worth exploring. One trick is to bring down the highlights and exposure in processing to emphasize the lighting, a better solution than a vignette in my view.
Halloween? (Three Photographs)
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The stores have been preparing for Halloween since August, so I guess it‘s never too early for a few spooky shots. A gnome in a garden and an outdoor veranda for a bar, life made spooky. Though I will freely admit these scenes looked less spooky before I processed them.
Grackle (Two Photographs)
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The colour photograph is here only for comparison, though some may prefer it. I did not see many grackles this summer, so when I saw one hidden behind some branches I had to give it a go. Most of the shots were marginal with the bird in soft focus, and they were all noisy. But I decided to try this on and I think it looks rather dramatic in black and white.
Almost Abstract (Three Photographs)
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I was not sure how to title this, but the results are almost abstract. These photos illustrate an issue in photographic composition and the engagement of the audience’s eye. Simply put we are attracted to the brightest spot in a photo. Which is unfortunate if it’s not your subject. In these photographs my technique, besides knowing I could crop some of the brighter spots out, was to make sure my subject was front and centre. Sometimes you have to use more complex techniques in Photoshop, but the approach I have used worked well for me here.
