Exploring the art of painting with light.

Abstract in Sand

February 23, 2012
Abstract in Sand

Focal Length: 24mm; ISO 250; Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/13; Camera: Canon EOS 50D (Click to Enlarge)

A beach is a great place to visit with a camera because the creative possibilities are almost endless. There are opportunities for landscapes, seascapes, abstracts, street photography, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, wildlife…the list goes on and on.

In this case it was a forgotten towel that had been partly covered by the sand with the shifting tides. I shot this at a slight angle to get some minor shadows along with the highlights from the sun. I converted to black and white with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, picking the preset with strong structure. Basically, that is an aggressive sharpening filter. It worked nicely with the textures in the towel and the grains of sand to create a really nice abstract. I also like the markings in the sand left by the receding waves.

Category:

Abstract, Black and White

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Door to the Past

February 22, 2012
Door to the Past

Focal Length: 58mm; ISO 100; Exposure: 1/20 sec @ f/4.0; Camera: Canon EOS 20D (Click to Enlarge)

One of the things that I’ve noticed about structures from the past is that they often seem to be very minimalist in nature. This door is one of the entry ways into Mabry Mill, near Meadows of Dan, Virginia. It was only around five feet high and most men would have to stoop to go through it. I have no idea why it was built this way, unless it was to reduce the opening to preserve heat in the winter, and prevent hot air from entering in the summer. And that is a complete guess.

I like this shot because of the mossy green growth on the wooden door and the texture in the logs that form the walls of the mill. This would probably look better in black and white, but it would lose the impact of the green on the door.

Category:

Architecture, Color Photography

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Split Rail

February 21, 2012
Split Rail

Focal Length: 50mm: ISO 100: Exposure: 1/30 sec @ f/4.0: Camera: Canon EOS 20D (Click to Enlarge)

If I ever get my chance to build my dream cabin in the woods, the one thing that it will have to include is a split-rail fence. The rustic look creates a feeling of a time gone by when everything was simpler. That, in turn, creates a calm and serene feeling for me and helps me keep in mind what is really important in life.

Originally shot in color, I converted to black and white using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.0.

Category:

Landscape

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Tree at Sunset II

February 20, 2012
Tree at Sunset II

Focal Length: 50mm: ISO 400: Exposure: 1/80 sec @ f/5.0: Camera: Canon EOS 20D (Click to Enlarge)

Another tree captured on the same evening as yesterday’s image, the golden tones and the Spanish Moss hanging from the limbs makes this a favorite for me. One of the things that I’m trying to learn is how to evaluate the light, especially natural light, and then capture scenes in interesting ways using that light. The biggest thing I’ve come to realize is that I have to be more patient than I’ve been in the past. Rather than snapping the shutter and moving on to the next shot, I need to wait for changes in the light to see what develops.

If I had photographed this scene even 10 minutes earlier it would have looked much different. The angle of the sun setting behind these trees created the golden tones that are so attractive to me. A few minutes earlier the color was not as warm and was much harsher. That small difference in time made all the difference, allowing me to get a photograph worth sharing.

Category:

Color Photography, Nature

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Tree at Sunset

February 19, 2012
Tree at Sunset

Focal Length: 105mm; ISO 400; Exposure: 1/160 sec @ f/4.0; Camera: Canon EOS 20D (Click to Enlarge)

My youngest son was married in South Carolina a couple of years ago, and the rehearsal was held in the evening just before sunset. The wedding was outside, so we were able to enjoy the light show that developed in the trees around us as the sun went down. This scene caught my eye because of the beautiful golden tones and the wonderful knots in the tree. With all the abstract shapes and the interesting colors, I thought this would make a great shot, and I wasn’t disappointed.

I did very little post-processing on this image, just the minimum to get the RAW image ready to post.

Category:

Color Photography, Nature, Uncategorized

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