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!

Full Sun & DOF ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Beauty and the Beast"

(1/100sec.@ F/8, ISO 200, 160mm fl, Exp.Comp+0.3, Center Weighted Metering)

Wouldn't you know it? I go out for a simple walk with my camera through Dundurn Castle's gardens and suddenly all cloud cover disappears. When I started out there was this wonderful gauzy cloud cover in the sky, perfect for shooting. Then the minute I stepped out of the car poof! All clouds ceased to exist and I'm left with direct hard light in full sun.

SIGH.

We all know there's a few things we can do to work with light like that. Let shadow and contrast become your subject matter instead, or bring along a ton of reflectors, flash, scrims, anything to battle the light. But this was supposed to be a simple walk for a few garden shots in a historical location. My first inclination? Find the shade!

Around the very edges of the property was a little shade. So I had resigned myself to slim pickings in the way of evenly lit subjects. Till I looked through my view finder.... and saw the sun light in the background! Rich, bright light, that if metered correctly would be a magical foil for anything in the shade. I wouldn't have to resort to full shade after all! But here was the key. I had to use a lens that would allow me to shoot the scene with a softer Depth of Field. I needed a sharp foreground, to isolate my subject (which at this point were these lovely whimsical tiny lilies being buzzed about by busy insects almost as big as they were) but enough compression that a sharp aperture like F/8 would still blur out the sunny distant garden behind. "Hello my sweet little telephoto zoom."

Yes, I could have done some picky post editing and blurred my own background later... but when you can get it done in the camera first, why would you even consider it? I got down close to the ground, kept my subject only in the shade, and moved till the distant row of plants was illuminated behind my target. The farther away the rest of the scene, the better your soft DOF results. But you guys know that. I metered for the subject only and let the scene fill with light. Yellow and gold foliage in the distance kept it from looking blown out, unlike if I had included sky. I got a few snaps off of just the flower, but this was my favorite. The hornet landed just as I pressed the shutter, and his wing position makes him look like he's mimicking the petal shapes... and the one leg dangling off the edge? Priceless.

I couldn't wait to share this image today! And the reminder that full sun and a shallow DOF using a pretty backdrop makes for a magical image without stressing over hard light. So let the clouds come or go! Who needs 'em? Just find a teeny bit of shade and the rest is good to go!

Thanks for the ramble gang! Have a super day!

Let Yourself Be Inspired ~ Mono Monday!

"A Melody In Her Smile"

(1/200 sec.@ F2.5, 50mm prime, ISO 125, late day shade, handheld)

Sometimes I have to break away from my routine and find an example of something inspiring to try out for myself. I usually end up learning something in the process too, which is a delightfully fulfilling bonus. Like the time I was inspired to take up soccer back in the late eighties and discovered not only is it an effective form of exercise if you stay upright, but that I have a natural propensity for falling in molehills when doing drills running backwards. That cast on my arm and I were inseparable for about eight weeks. Ah, good times.

But back to 2011. This weekend I went looking through other blogs that I find inspiring, just to see if I could find something to motivate me to break out of my routine. I thoroughly enjoy a blog called The Pioneer Woman (and no, she doesn't know I'm making mention of her site here but if you haven't heard of her, you have a lot of enjoyable catching up to do) and she tackles the subject of photography along with other various life skills... and I have always loved her laid back approach to photographing people, especially her kids. Needless to say, I've been trying to be a little more laid back myself lately, and also trying to widen my love for portraiture. Let's face it, architecture and nature will be my first loves (er, first and second loves... or tied for first loves...) but there's something to be said for being able to know how to take engaging photos of your family and have fun at the same time, and I'll be honest, portraits (candid or otherwise) usually stressed me out in the past. I noticed how spontaneous and lovely the pics were on the PW blog and decided I needed to practice that more.

So, without having to find a fantastical location or set up any lighting, heck, without having to put shoes on for that matter, I asked my daughter if she had a few minutes to stand around and do nothing outside. And being that she's a teenager and they seem to naturally love to stand about doing nothing, she said sure. So I proceeded to take her out back and shoot her! Hahahaaa... small photographer's joke there folks, relax.

A shot like this is just this simple... I stood on the deck above (interesting vantage point, photography 101) and she stood below with the massive clematis climbing the fence behind her. And I told her that I was just testing some aperture choices with my handy dandy portrait lens so just to bear with me. And as I tweaked my exposure she'd make silly faces (of which she has banned me from showing to the blogging world) and I'd be aghast which in turn would make her laugh... and voila. I ended up with fifty or so very natural candids, fresh looking and still of a professional quality with a shallow depth of field that emphasized her eyes and softened the rest. And many of them make really nice B&W's. A delightful bonus to be sure.

Are you inspired by others in your field? Do you have blogs that not only teach you but change your mind or attitude towards other aspects of whatever you pursue? Break away from the norm, you might just find a love for something new!

Thanks for the Monday ramble folks! Have a good one!

DOF ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Softly She Emerges"

Perhaps my favorite image from the trips I made to the Spring Show is my post for the day. This was the only open magnolia blossom on the branches in the displays, and when I saw it I knew it needed singled out in whatever shot I took. Isolated is perhaps a better term.

Used my trusty modest telephoto zoom, dialed her wide open to an F/4.5 to soften everything but the blossom, spot metered against her white flesh, and got off a series of shots. In the background were banana trees, bird cages, and other visitors but you'd never know it with the depth of field I chose.

Almost as important as what you are featuring in your shots, is what you choose to exclude from your shots. And this is one way of getting that. I am always aware of the background, constantly recomposing around the subject in order to get the best image with the perfect backdrop. My new favorite compositional word is "cohesive". Everything needs to work together.

Thanks for the short ramble folks! Have a good one!