Raw is Just Too Important ~ Telephoto Tuesday

"Flamenco Dancer"

Today's image was brought to you by... shooting in RAW. By shooting in Raw I mean that nothing of this original file was compressed or eliminated by the camera as it recorded each shot, and all the digital information was there when I opened this image in Corel's PSPx3 and proceeded to make some adjustments and fine tuning. Yes it means it was a rather large file, yes it means it took up a lot of space on my computer, yes it means I have to have a program capable of opening it but I couldn't have made this shot without it. So for everyone who has banned shooting in RAW for good because jpegs just seem easier, I have some concerns on that way of thinking. I'll use today's image of this regal Poppy to expound further.

The first reason this image was successful being shot in a Raw format was (drum roll please....) "reds" are difficult. You heard me. Intense reds are extremely reflective in nature. They cause your meters to react in wild and woolly ways. Hard sun and you have blowout galore, losing whatever rich color was present. On overcast days like the one I was out in when I took this shot, the blue cast from the clouds overhead did strange things to the color as well. To get a very accurate poppy red in this image, I needed to be able to tweak color temperature, adjust select areas of exposure where the red became too hot no matter what I adjusted in camera, and I needed to use almost a high def processing to keep the layers of petals from bleeding into each other. Bring in some curves adjustment, some clarify, and some high pass sharpen and I had far more control over this in Raw processing than if I had a limited jpeg to work with, no matter how big that jpeg file might be. All without compromising the digital integrity of the file. Here's the unprocessed version with the best exposure possible that day....

Can everyone say "BLECHHHHH"....? Exactly. Dull, with no oomph.

Here's another reason why after all that editing, shooting in Raw won out. The image quality was never compromised after mucking about in all that processing. I could have done the same to a jpeg, but unless you're working with a killer pro camera who's jpegs are bigger than Atlantic City, you're going to notice the image quality begin to compromise. Excessive noise, edges and once sharp details show degradation, and gone is the possibility of a massive gallery print with impact. (All because of an unruly color.) This is just one more reason I work in Raw. But there's more...

At some point, someone is going to want to use your images! You may not think you're heading in that direction right now, but don't purposely eliminate the possibilities folks. This is where I regretted listening to so many people early on in my photographic journey who said I'd never need large files from Raw images, and didn't look into the major benefit of shooting in Raw. I missed my first huge breakout into the world of professional photography when an image caught the eye of another artist/magazine editor and wanted the image in their personal collection and on their magazine cover... and I couldn't give it to them. The file size and resolution was too small because I thought a fine jpeg setting in my camera was enough. Had I used my Raw menu option in my camera, I could have printed the giant canvas he requested, and also could have had a final tiff file that would have more than adequately met his cover page requirements for size and resolution. I can't stress enough that unless you have a monster camera to begin with... you need all the digital info you can get packed into your images. Shooting in Raw does that. Shooting your career in the foot? Not so fun. Trust me.

My advice to the few of you I've had conversations about this with, is don't let the word RAW intimidate you. Do your homework, work out the differences for yourself as you extend your knowledge of shooting with a DSLR, and big, large, slow files or not, Raw doesn't have to hamper your enjoyment of photography. All you need is to find a Raw program in Adobe, or Corel that suits your budget and your needs and the frustration can disappear as you go smoothly from one workflow to the next. The quality of your photography will know no bounds. And that's just too important to ignore shooting in Raw.

Thanks for the ramble... and have a good one!

Crazy Days ~ Telephoto Tuesday

"Dandie & Penny Forever"

Things around here have been nuts. Between tax season, approaching weddings, kids getting ready for secondary and post secondary education, working on our house, trying to lose weight, starting a new photography portfolio and attempting to maintain my stats in scrabble (vitally important I know), you can start losing perspective on what's important. Every day feels crazy, or busy, or both.

That is, until you wander through the local cemetery one day with the camera. Suddenly what seemed important and what IS important becomes super clear as you stand surrounded by nothing but graves. Dandie and Penny don't get a second chance to switch perspectives. But we do.

Now I'm not going to go all morbid or mushy on you. But sometimes I'll be honest, I get caught up in the wrong things that vie for my attention either work related or day to day. I'll be keeping this image somewhere close to my work area from now on. It's going to be my reminder to strive for what's most important in my family and my work, and to remember that the fluff, the extras, and the frills are okay but should never hinder the journey.

As we like to say in the photography world (and in all cheesiness), "Let's stay focused!"

I think Dandie and Penny would heartily agree don't you?

Don't Miss Them ~ Telephoto Tuesday.

"Nestled In Sun & Sand"

I get an idea in my head and can't shake it. Nothings right until I can make it happen. This was my frame of mind Sunday evening. We're were out for a stroll along the beach at Van Wagner's, and I knew there was a cool little tree way out by the rocks and water further along the trail. I knew the scene should look amazing with the light from the sunset warming it all. I knew that it would look haunting if I waited till twilight too. I knew I wanted a photograph of it.

We got there and the clouds vanished, a murky haze settled over the water as the temperature suddenly dropped, a wind picked up... and my idea went out the window to be continued in better sunset/twilight conditions.

But as we wandered around waiting for the sun to drop before everything went cockeyed, I realised I shouldn't waste the time. There was still lots to photograph. Tucked my telephoto on the camera and started noticing the details. I started getting photos of the way the seaweed (for lack of a better term... maybe lake weed? kelp? someone help me out here) stranded on the winter shoreline had dried around rocks and silt. Details weren't in the cards to begin with but you use what you have. And in the end, it's a good thing I did. I got some images that were studies in texture, shape and sidelight. And didn't mind that I had to return later for the others... and return I will. That little gnarly tree in twilight is still the goal.

But thank goodness I improvised and didn't miss the details either.

Have a great Tuesday gang, and thanks for the ramble!

Don't Despair. Keep Shooting. ~ Telephoto Tues.

"Steel & Steam"

You feel like packing it in. You feel like your passion is growing stale. Everyone seems to be doing it better, with better gear, in better locations, for better money. The dreamer in you feels suffocated. The enthusiast within is limp with worry. The practical personality in your head says, "lets just switch to scrapbooking and be done with it."

Scrapbooking? What? (No disrespect to scrappers everywhere. It's a very serious calling I know.)

If you're anything like me, you've been there. It's not easy finding your particular vein of photography, your style, what you'll bring to the table that hasn't already been done, and most importantly, why and when it'll come together for you. And you want it so badly too. But some days it's like fighting your way through a thick fog. On a roller coaster. After having too many chili dogs. Okay, forget that last part. If you can.

My point... all this really means is that it's time to make the process, or your journey on the roller coaster in the fog, count. Make "now" count for something. Something that will feed into your final destination when you finally decide on where you want to end up. Sounds simple. Sounds cliche. But I've seen it transform my own attitude towards my photography. Even just recently. So don't despair. Keep shooting.

The image above was the result of a desperate jaunt at the north end of the city. If it seems that I've been in an industrial type photo groove lately, you'd be right. I forgot how much I love it. Grit. Smokestacks filtering light on the street below. Odd colors. Rampant decay. Layers of steel. The incessant puffs of steam no matter where you look. I had been bemoaning the fact that I haven't had to work on a location recently. That I wasn't breaking any new ground with any new skills. I was doing a good job of talking myself right into the first seat on the roller coaster in the middle of a hail storm, never mind the fog. What brought the sun back out? What kept me from trading the Nikon for some scrapbooking lessons? I kept shooting. Enjoyed the process only. And this was one of the shots from what I thought would be an exercise in futility. It won't be every body's cup of tea, but that's not the point of the image. The point is realizing photography equals discovery. Now I have a little bit better idea of where I'm headed. And you will too.

I'm not sure who this post is for. I just felt like this was a good time for this benign ramble. That there might be others like me who need to know this happens to everyone. So don't despair. Until you know where you want to go with all of this, keep shooting. The act of taking photographs will propel you towards the right destination for you, whether it feels like it or not. Leave the scrapbooking to the pros.

Tomorrow, join me for Part II... "How To Enjoy the Process". I'm off to find me a decent chili dog.

Thanks, and have a good one gang!  

The City Within ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"The City Within"

Glass. Steel. Brick. Reflection. Blue. Design. Contrast.

The old being crowded out by the shiny and new. The warmth of the traditional surrounded by cool innovation. A glimpse perhaps at that which still stands the test of time, immovable and sure despite the glitz and glamour.

Or a just lucky reflection caught on a citywide ramble?

See what can happen when you look past the obvious? A whole other world is at your disposal before you even press the shutter.

You Just Know ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Keep Me Hanging On"

It's when the light is doing something magical and it shouldn't be. It's when you spot a surprising element in the middle of chaos. It's when it'd be easier to leave all the gear packed away, and you stop for "one more shot" anyway. It's when your husband is anxiously waiting to get back home to his football game, but you know that if you don't take the shot you'll regret it way longer than he will for missing the first 2 minutes.

All are examples of those moments when you press the shutter and you just know it's the one shot that made the trip worthwhile. You know what I'm taking about. It's the discovery of a moment you know you must get or you'll forever remember the "one that got away". It's that simple.

Today's image was that moment for me. Walking the Albion Falls trail in Hamilton, there were golden leaves everywhere, and we walked the whole trail and back taking nice pictures of the paths, and the light, and the trees... and I had packed up the camera heading back to the car, tired but satisfied with the day... until I spied this leaf hanging on for dear life, caught on a low branch in the midst of it's fall. It was neat looking but I was done shooting. It had this fabulous backdrop of chestnut trees and golden leaves but I was done shooting. It had this wonderful texture and color but I WAS DONE shooting. I stepped away from it... and then turned back, mumbling to myself I was probably insane, got out the tripod, the camera, the telephoto lens and set up the shot. The sun suddenly came out one last time and there it was. I got a few shots off, the sun dwindled, and I was done. Packed up the camera and tripod, and emerged from the trail explaining to the husband where I'd briefly disappeared to. He knows me too well to comment.

But I just knew that this was my favorite shot of the day. And it's everything I love about photography. In fact, every photographer I know is driven by the thrill of discovery at some point. It's what gets their adrenaline pumping. Could be a sudden elusive moment in a studio with a model, could be out in a duck blind when an unexpected species wanders by, could be when your toddler suddenly blows you a kiss when she never has before... exciting right? And you just know that's the shot.

Analyse it later, but get that shot now. It's okay to get a shot "because you just know" it's the shot you've been waiting for. You know?

Thanks for the ramble gang, and have a day of discovery wherever you are!

What Do You See? ~ Exploration Thursday!

"And Then They Were Gone"

I couldn't wait to post this image. I felt like a little kid when I discovered the scene, felt like a little kid at christmas when I took the shot, and felt giddy as a little kid as I posted. And why?

Well... what do you see?

Your answer may be a bunch of leaves. And you'd be right. But when I was busy hiking past them and happened to glance over, I saw what looked like hundreds of butterflies launching into the autumn breeze. It stopped me in my tracks. The light was dappled, kissing some of the branches along the very edge of the escarpment, and it contrasted well with the forest floor in the gorge below. I did not think twice. I switched lenses (55-200mm telephoto), and I waited for the sun to come out from behind some clouds while I composed. And I carefully underexposed slightly to make sure the colors were rich looking without loosing any detail to too much shadow.

It felt whimsical, and dramatic, and I couldn't wait to post it. Even my husband, who is very used to my giddy outbursts when I get a shot that thrills me (and humours me by rushing over to give me a "nice one dear") took one look and said, "Whoa. That's cool... they look like butterflies!"

That sealed the deal folks.

I may play with this and do an abstract version as well... but for now it just needed some slight saturation and high pass sharpen applied for added oomph. Oomph is extremely technical jargon I know, but try to follow along. Where was I?

Right. I guess my tip for the day is don't be so boxed in to only looking for one type of shot, that you miss the other possibilities lurking in the middle of the ordinary. Ask yourself when out with the camera,

"Self... what do you SEE?"

Better 'Mum Show Photos ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Floral Waves"

The question has come up regarding what my top advice would be for photographing all the different annual flower shows that happen all year round. The question is well timed, as I just began reviewing my images from my visit to the Annual Fall Mum Show over at Hamilton's Gage Park. So I thought I'd share some tips that have worked for me from day one till now. And as always, you can apply these to much more than flowers. So here we go with my impromptu list:

~No matter what camera or lens, you can always find ways to get in closer. On point and shoot cameras you'd be amazed at how helpful your macro settings are for allowing you to get really close yet still allowing you to focus. And the larger the file (raw or fine jpeg option) the easier it is to crop later in even a simple editing program to give the impression of being closer still.

~With a DSLR it's no secret that a good telephoto lens can be a great substitute for a macro lens if needed. Hence the images posted today. It may require you to stand at a further distance from your subject initially, but it gets you much closer visually. Be very careful to have a tripod when possible though, with tight detail you want the image as sharp as possible. 

~When you can, wait for great light. This is hard to anticipate, but once at the location assess what kind of light you're working with (or against in the case of dark interiors with florescents). Greenhouses are ideal, you know whatever the light is doing outside will be infusing the interior as well. But I have found cloudy weather, though great for even lighting, is still dark enough in a greenhouse that I either need to use a tripod again to use longer exposures with sharpness, or I need to use a combination of subtle flash and a higher ISO. Light in the autumn season is the most wonderful light to work with, even when it's full on sun. It's still warm and no matter the direction, it wraps around a subject. I waited for a sunny day to visit the Mum Show and the wait paid off in really rich light bathing the flowers.

~Stop looking for "flowers" per se, and start looking for engaging shapes, forms, and color patterns. It can be overwhelming to step into wall to wall award winning chrysanthemums, tulips, or orchids and then try to figure out what to actually zero in on. I'll often single out the largest or most boldly colored blossoms and aim my lens at those first. It gets me warmed up, and I start seeing things more creatively. I always look for the petals that might still be holding water drops, that are unfurling in unique patterns, and contrasting colors of petal against others beyond them. Clusters of perfect blossoms can be very dramatic if your exposure is set to maximize deep color.

"Sweet Baby Jane"

~ Change that perspective PLEASE. Many displays are at eye level, and it's easy to forget to change your vantage point after a while. I can always pick out the more intense photographers at a show because they're the ones getting beneath the flowers shooting up, tucking themselves against displays shooting across or into rows of fabulous flowers, or finding the stairs or balcony of a show room and shooting over top of it all. Heck, I've been know to hold my camera way over my head and hope the auto focus does it's job while I shoot blind over the heads of a group of flowers. Or nearly set it on the floor, just as blindly pointing the lens up into identical groupings for impact. Zooming into the middle of a large bloom on a long exposure setting can be magical too!

~Finally, pay attention to your Depth of Field. Understanding how to use a shallow DOF (keeping your aperture wide open, F/2.8 for example) and how it works in relation to the lens you're using, the distance you're photographing at, and what the purpose of the shot is, is key. Dramatic, creative images can be enhanced with a wider aperture. But later when you photograph an entire display with layers of fabulous flowers, you want to close down your aperture to use a narrower DOF to your advantage, getting the whole scene in sharp focus. And be aware if you're not using manual focus that you are choosing a focus point in your viewfinder that allows you to get the most out of the available hyper-focal distance. For landscape format compositions, this can mean being careful to focus a third of the way into the scene so that everything beyond is also continuously full of detail. And pump up that DOF if your goal is to have every petal in the close-up sharp too.

Whew, a lot of writing today. But I find it difficult to dissect what happens every time I consider photographing flowers... I hope this was helpful?

Have a great day gang, and thanks for the instructional ramble!

Heralding in Color ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Herald of Autumn"

They are my favorite fall creature. Monarch butterflies are stunning in color and form. And as they begin their yearly migration, they find our gardens and parks, and if you know where to be, you can witness a beautiful display of how much care the Creator put into these tiny works of art.

"Delicate Acrobat"

One can get wonderful images with even a decent point & shoot with a manageable zoom factor these days. These were taken with, what else, my go-to tele zoom mounted on my trusty D80, a 55-200mm VR. With a more sensitive ISO dialed in, the slight breeze was ignored, and keeping my aperture wide open meant selective focus on these dazzling critters.

"Clothed in Beauty"

Until I hit the roads tomorrow for some official fall color with my favorite photo buddy, I thought I'd post these captures of living fall color for you all today. They are the perfect subject to herald in the Autumn color beginning to burst forth all over the province. So get those cameras ready gang! It goes fast! Where's your favorite place to photograph in the fall?

Thanks for the ramble! Have a good one

What Pleases The Eye ~ Telephoto Tuesday

"Habour Sailing"

There's always going to be a trend to follow. We're bombarded with trends. Individuals start them, corporations start them. The photography community is no exception. Trends in gear, trends in locations, and trends in processing.

"Web of Rigging"

And I'm not talking about making improvements, or growing in skills. I'm not talking about having a niche you specialize in, that your unique style utilizes. I'm just talking about the "band wagon" effect. I learned a valuable lesson very early on about remaining true to yourself, and not molding yourself to what you see being presented around you.

"Eastward Bound"

As a photographer, I first and foremost go with what pleases my own eye. And then I hope how I complete the process of taking the photograph will also draw your eye, and whatever your process of relating to it is.

I'm hearing too many new photographers talk about the things they're chasing, and not enough about what they're personally invested in and building towards on their own steam.

Today's series of images don't strive for anyone's latest standards but my own... is that wrong to say? I don't think so. In the midst of new apps, new actions, and new trends, be sure you can still spot something of yourself within the results.

Thanks for enduring the soapbox ramble gang. Have a good one!

The Candy Store Effect ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Roped Against the Mast"

You must know the feeling. A delightful subject awaits and you have no idea what to photograph first. Nor do you know how much time you'll have to get everything you'd like in the lens. And there's so much subject matter that you immediately feel elated and stressed at the same time. Where to start? That tick in your right eye pulses slightly. What to do? You start to sweat. Wide angle lens? Telephoto? Go big? Go close? Include people or wait?

Or maybe it's just me.

It WAS me two days ago. We went down to the Hamilton Harbour to see the tall ship that docked for the weekend. It was beautiful. And I was struck with that "kid in a candy store" feeling. And I've been photographing for long enough to know to breath, assess the location and light, and decide what's a must-get shot and what's a "bonus if I can get around to it" shot. But I still felt giddy with such a lovely subject to feast on through the lens. Luckily my intuition finally kicked in. Whew.

This is when I love my telephoto lens. I got the big all-inclusive shots with the wide angle out of the way, trying to strategically compose around the masses of visitors on the pier, then I got serious. My telephoto got me past the people, into nooks and crannies, and up against details without even stepping foot on the ship. (Although we did climb aboard for a tour) And suddenly everything in the "candy store" was fully accessible.

Today's image stood out to me in editing as a definite post. The light is hard and bright but is perfect for the canvas folds in the sail. Slight sidelight as the sun was moving into the west gives highlights to the texture in the ropes. The wood gleams. It's nautical, and it's cliche and I still love every element used within the image.

This is preaching to myself as much as anyone, but you can't deny it. Know what your tools are instantly capable of, be aware of the light around you at all times, and be drawn in to the subject matter the way you hope your viewers will be drawn in. Oh yeah... and be aware of that candy store effect.

Thanks for the ramble... wide shots of The Pride of Baltimore herself coming up tomorrow! Have a good one till then folks!

Vintage With Meaning ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Memories of Papa's Garden"

Today for Telephoto Tuesday, I felt like going back in time. I have always had a very strong connection to gardens and flowers, and it's in part because I'll never fathom how the Creator began to design such varied beauty down to the tiniest detail for us to enjoy, and also because I've been told I spent my earliest years out in my Papa's garden watching him coddle and prompt various wonderful plants into bloom long before I could even pronounce their names. Indeed, there are quite a few pics of me as a toddler sitting amongst the garden ornaments of little ducks or with the cat, Papa's flowers in profusion behind.

So the other day, when out photographing my garden, the light seemed flat no matter what I did in camera. A very flat grey sky was all I had to work with. But after some thought on what I'd want to accomplish in editing, I decided one approach would be to do a little digital darkroom playing and try to add some age or retro effects to give it some life. So I photographed with that goal in mind, using the telephoto lens to get shallow DOF, selective focus, and solid groupings of flowers that would lend themselves to a 70's treatment.

I've been especially wanting to find the right use for the Monday Morning Violet filter from Nik Color Effx. Whenever I see the results it takes me back to those old photos of me in my sunbonnet with my grandparents in the garden... so in Corel I brightened the original shot for today's post in an adjustment layer before putting it into the Nik filter, adjusted to retain highlights and shadow, then used the clarify option to add some definition. I also duplicated the layer, and subtly added an old paper texture, using the eraser tool to erase the texture from the flowers so they aren't overwhelmed and stand out.

The framing is a Corel picture frame filter added last. It makes it feel like a photo you can pick up and hold... unlike today where it seems no one actually prints their photos anymore.

I look at this and automatically am transported back to having "real" tea parties that always ended in a game of hide and seek with Papa, or a game of chase - Papa chasing the cat out of his flowers for the fourth time in an afternoon. He passed away while I was still very little, but if I think hard enough I can see his large hands and his huge work boots... and every garden somehow makes me think of him.

Thanks for the ramble back in time folks, and have a good one! Find a memory you have always loved, and then find a way to honor it in a photo by you!

Deliberate Photography ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Sweet Summer Susans"

(1/50sec.@ F/9, ISO 125, 20mmfl, 55-200mm zoom vr, late evening light, tripod)

I need to slow down. I get out on trail, and see all the potential images before me and I go into overdrive. In the back of my head I want time to stand still so the light stays exactly the way it is so as to get every shot and not miss anything. If anyone has created an app for this, please let me know. I'd be your biggest fan.

Anyone else wrestle with this? In my heart of hearts I know that if I slowly explore an area, and take some time adequate enough to properly set up the shots I'm seeing, I'm rewarded with images I love and lessons that impact me. Scouting a trail before hand becomes an important part of this more deliberate approach, and using my tripod also makes me a deliberate photographer. Simple things. But things that leave my head completely in all the anticipation of shooting a wide variety of subject matter in a designated area.

 I'm learning to not just become familiar with a location, but to allow it then to reveal itself in new ways... which always happens when I'm willing to slow down and let my eyes adjust to the way a location really functions. What's hidden in the shade, what catches the light differently, what moves in a breeze, what flourishes near a fallen tree... then finding a way to interpret it the best in camera.

The image above is of Black Eyed Susans growing wild in a field of dense tall grass. I dropped down to position the telephoto close to the grass and peer through. The result was a dreamy see-through green as I focus through the moving grasses and on the flowers. And it was all done deliberately. Guess I'm learning after all.

Have a great day folks, and thanks for the ramble!

Just a Shape? ~ Telephoto Tuesday

"Emerging Hosta"

Just a quick post today. I was really drawn to these giant hosta leaves in the garden the other day, especially as they're tucked way back in the shadows for the most part. But I love how easily shape can be defined, or heightened with just a little light to rim it. And I love how contrast causes us to pause and see the form and beauty in a single hosta leaf.

Nature is all about shape. And the Creator even knows how to light his own subjects the best... no help from this humble little photographer required. All that was required of me this particular morning was to click the shutter. And see it as more than just a nice shape.

Have you picked up your camera today? What, exactly, are you waiting for?

Thanks for the tiny ramble folks, have a good one!

Satisfied With Simplicity ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Summer Greens"

(1/60 sec.@ F/8, ISO 160, 110mm fl, Nikkor 55-200mm zoom VR, early morning light)

I greet my workday feeling.... refreshed. The first morning of my personal challenge to be creative and photograph something, anything, not work related has me ready for my day. Did it require fancy filters? Did I need all my gear? Did I have to travel across the city? Did I search high and low for gritty, dramatic, newsworthy subjects? Quite simply, in a word, no.

In fact, the theme I kept in mind while wandering about the neighbourhood was simplicity. I wanted to stop looking for any over the top wowness (such a fun word to type by the way) and go back to what makes photography enjoyable for me. Simple color filling the frame. Directional lines, giving the basic feeling of movement and nothing more. Patterns found in nature, streamlined and dressed down. A simple beauty.

I kept it simple, and came back with a few surprises. How easy it was to feel satisfied so early in the day. Perhaps I've been complicating things for too long? Regardless, the simple act of wandering about for an hour this morning leaves me ready to start more serious work knowing that I do not have to go to great lengths to be happy with my photography.

The ornamental grasses in their prime leaning towards the morning sun have had very little altered from my original Raw file. I quickly used curves in PSPx2 to emphasize true shadow and highlights, and sharpened slightly. A slight crop was included. It was that simple.

Wonder what I'll spot tomorrow morning? What did you guys get today? Send me a link so I can see! Thanks for the ramble gang! Have a good one!

Exploration Thursday!

"The Red In The Rubble"

Nothing overly bizarre done to today's image. Not that I do anything overly bizarre to any of my images, but it IS Exploration Thursday. Instead, I've posted this simply because exploring the city has always provided some interesting material. Older buildings in several stages of urban decay, getting a chance to be rebuilt and saved for new purposes interest me. Taken back to bare bones gives us a glimpse we don't usually get into the innards of a building. Surprises lurk within. Like the red door.

They've been peeling back the layers of this old defunct building for months. Nothing unusual for Hamilton. Lots of revitalization being bandied about, and some of it gets the go ahead. I keep an eye out for the tear downs, there's always something to photograph. This building hadn't shown me much promise until last week. Then, out on a photo walk, I glanced up and noticed they'd knocked back more walls and whatnot, and I had a red doorway staring down at me. There was only one. I pressed the shutter and felt relief. I wanted to photograph something on the work site. Had hovered around it on more than one occasion. There's a feeling of great satisfaction that comes with finding the approach to a shot you want. And then getting it.

All that happened with this midday telephoto shot was to make adjustments in curves back in PSPx2 and some highpass sharpening to make detail in the shadows more visible. Am wondering if I should convert this to B&W and do  selective color just on the red doorway. That may be a project for later, as I prep for some session work next week and will be lucky if I can just blog images already finished and ready to post. So we'll see.

Thanks for the Thursday ramble folks! Hope you're having a lovely one!

Signs, Signs... Telephoto Tuesday!

"Blended Right!"

(1/125 sec.@ F/7.1, ISO 160, 55mm fl, 55-200mm tele zoom VR, late morning light)

Right here in Hamilton I'm surrounded by art. Obviously we have art promoted to the masses, through the AGH or the James North Art Crawl to name a few. But wander down the right street or alley and you're faced with art on a larger scale and with definite purpose. Ads painted on the sides of retro cafes, old factories, and mom & pop shops will always stop me in my tracks. Always. Think about all the design work and branding, the use of color to draw your eye up way above the street, shapes that cause you to slow down to take it in better, and perfect text and wording to make you remember it long after you've moved on. Art at it's most practical, but art none the less.

And sometimes it's tricky to get the right shot of it. Usually the buildings are very close together in the downtown core, lighting is either harsh or almost nonexistent due to all the tall office buildings crowding out the sky, and if you try to shoot from across a city street you've got power lines and stop lights galore. You either find a way to make it work, or you walk away.

This was my dilemma last week when I was out on a walk downtown. I loved this wall. Who wouldn't? Great texture, great color, and aging nicely. But the street is tight, a fence keeps you out of the side alley, and the trees that shade the stores in front keep you from getting the entire sign when you move back. These are the days I wish photoshop applied to real life, cause I'd cut an' paste this sucker into a much easier location to shoot from if given the chance. Maybe there's an app for that?

Anyways, as I stood there trying all sorts of things to get a unique enough shot in the small amount of time I had, people passing me started slowing down to see what I was staring at, and so to avoid the unavoidable, "hey, you wanna take my picture sweetheart?" that always comes from some guy or other sitting on a step having his first drink of the day, I aimed the camera from down at my side having already set my exposure and shot part of the sign at an angle. Looked into my view screen, liked what I saw and moved on. Being female, and often out on my own, I've become very skilled at moving on. Not drawing attention to myself or my gear. Not taking very long to work a shot. Assess the subject, think hard about what I like, and get the shot.

And what do you think? Think it worked okay? I like it. In fact I may do a series, as this is not the first signage I've shot. This shot taken a couple years ago remains one of my best sellers. And I'm very much in city mode lately. Not sure why. But I like it.

So Google, Yahoo, Apple, and the rest of you... wanna get crackin' on that location transportation device app for photographers? Thanks. I know it'll be the next big thing eh.

Thanks for the ramble, and have a great Telephoto Tuesday folks!

Limitless ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Locked In"

(1/320 sec.@ F7.1, ISO 250, 100mm fl, 55-200mm zoom vr, bright morning sun)

I love photographing the city. I've said that before. So when the chance came this week to head out with the camera I made a decision to leave my wide angle in the kit, and only use my telephoto. No matter what. Why? Because limiting myself to one lens forces me to look at things differently. That limitation brought me limitless opportunities to be creative. It was energizing!

My wide angle is my go-to lens for so many subjects and scenes, that I sometimes forget I have other lenses in my bag. I get comfy. Or perhaps more accurate is that I get lazy. So once in a while, to break out of the routine I keep placing myself in, I try exercises like this one. I either limit myself to a type of gear, or I limit myself to a central theme. I should know never to be surprised at how fun and varied the results are.

The shot above had all the things I like in a details shot. Rusty, weathered iron gates across a defunct storefront. A big ol' lock that would never turn now for a key, and difficult light adding to the urban decay feel. I pumped the color cast a bit in Nik Effx plug-in Brilliance/Warmth while in PSPx2. Then it was done. And I'm pretty pumped about the other gems I'll have for the coming weeks too.

Put a limit on how you shoot, and force yourself to think more creatively. The possibilities for great shots that express how you see things around you are limitless!

Me, Myself and My Lens ~Telephoto Tuesday !

"As If Out of a Dream"

(1/200 sec.@ F/5.6, 68mm fl, 55-200mm zoom vr, ISO 100, fill flash, bright sun)

Bright light is a must if using the telephoto lens I have if there's anything even remotely close to a breeze. And Ontario seems very windy this spring. When zoomed in close on tiny flowers, I do all I can to make it work fast enough to eliminate blur because the closer and tighter you get to your subject, the longer it takes to get the shot, even opened up to a wider faster aperture.. It is not a very fast lens. But you work with what you have right?! Last week gave us some sun, and so I specifically went out to get cherry and apple tree blossoms at the nearby park. And my telephoto lets me get the prime blossoms farther up into the trees. The shot today was one of those perfect blossoms, totally isolated from the rest.

What I do love about my rather mediocre telephoto zoom though, is it gives some lovely DOF at it's larger apertures, even in bright direct sun. I can open her up to an F/5, and get a perfect soft background. And instead of blowing too much of the shot out, things have a glow where the light hits. Then the only trick is to watch the breeze, and when I sense it dying down before another current comes along I steady the camera and snap the shot. For this one, since the light was more or less behind the blossoms, I also used some fill flash. It helps to freeze any motion from the slight breeze and balanced out the light underneath the flowers.

There were a lot of tries before this one worked. We'll leave it at that.

And since I have other purchases as top priority, a fast telephoto (gosh, most priced for an arm, a leg, and your first born) is at the bottom of the list for now. So, it's a case of working the best with what I already own, knowing it's quirks and flaws like the back of my hand, and still producing images that will excite me, and hopefully others as well.

I guess what I want to say is know the limitations of whatever gear you have and work with it. It'll make you a better photographer. Usually more than replacing the lens will.

Thanks for the ramble folks! ... And have an amazing day.

Great For Critters ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Keeping My Eye On You"

(1/250 sec.@ F/9, ISO 160, 200mm fl, shade, 55-200mm Tele Zoom VR)

Growing up, I always thought I'd be a veterinarian. That's how much I loved animals. Then I discovered being a vet has nothing to do with cuddling them all day and everything to do with working more on their insides... and suddenly being an artist looked real promising.

Today I thought I'd share something fuzzy and sweet though. Compliments of (insert fanfare here...) the telephoto lens. I was down at the Pier the other day, and there huddled on the lawn near the yacht club were five goslings and Mother Goose. I have a lot of respect for wildlife photographers by the way. I mean, even just to get these shots, I had to approach only when the mother looked the other way. I had to get down on all fours (in public, ahem) and I had to find a way to quickly find an uncluttered composition while metering and choosing my exposure. I can't imagine all the work that goes into photographing grizzly bears, or elusive birds of prey. These were just geese for heavens sake!

"All Eyes on You"

(1/250 sec.@ F/9, ISO 160, 200mm fl, Center Weighted Metering, handheld)

The thing is, my telephoto is really a modest lens. It's only an f.4.5 55-200mm Nikkor zoom. It's not lightning fast by any means, Nikon makes better telephotos now that reach to much nicer lengths at much faster apertures and shutter speeds. Since I wanted a decent aperture, I had to put my ISO up to 160, which is actually the perfect setting for the D80 giving no noise in lower light or shade I've discovered after using it for 2 years. The shutter speed was not ideal for rapid movement, but everyone remained fairly still in the short amount of time it took to shoot before they got tired of me. I also knew that as I moved about in the shade to recompose, my lighting would change slightly, so I kept my histogram up on my view screen which shows me which channels are exposing properly. I didn't worry so much about the green channels as I did about the blue and red channels being properly exposed due to the cool cast the shade light was giving.

Working in RAW allowed me to add a stop of light if needed, and I used curves in PSPx2 to brighten the contrast a bit while keeping the color hues true to outdoor settings. Slight high pass sharpen, and the photos were done.

Wasn't sure which one I liked more, so I posted both. Spring means all sorts of fuzzy critters are out and about. Try photographing some this week. And thanks for the ramble folks! Have a good one eh!