Nature and Floral Studies...

"Just Beginning..."

Our local park will never cease to be a source of inspiration to me. When I can't get away, or only have a small amount of time available, it's my go-to locale to dust off my skills and have some me time.

This study of a new sunflower is from a ramble I took last weekend. This was not done in a studio. This was out in a perennial bed at Gage Park. I love its color and the elegant way the greenery stretches to each corner or the frame. As I hovered near each brilliant flower or bud with my telephoto or prime lens, I noticed a gentleman watching me work as he wandered around the gardens. Finally curiosity got the better of him and he asked if I was busy taking pictures of only the flowers. I always find this question funny... I'm bent down, crawling on the ground at funny angles, aiming into clumps of flowers ...so I'm obviously photographing classic cars. I said I was indeed and his next question was, "why so many?"

Where would I start? Nature studies are intense and fun at the same time? Floral studies demand I pay close attention to clean exposures, tiny details that will draw the eye, and to feed my need for beauty and color? By the time I'm done I always smell nice and flowery?

Instead of attempting to explain myself, I held up the back of my camera and showed him why. This image was on the view screen and he looked at it carefully then said, "That's THIS sunflower?" and pointed to my subject sitting across from us in the sun. I asked why he was surprised. He pointed to the stalk in the sun and asked why in my photo it was only black in the background, but clearly we could see all the bushes and greenery surrounding the sunflower not five feet away from us. I carefully explained that the bush just behind the flower was in shadow, and if I was careful about how I used my settings, I could use it like a dark screen and make the flower pop.

To my surprise, he asked me to take another one in front of him and prove it. I laughed and agreed. I set up the shot again, and then showed him my result in the screen once more. Satisfied, he shook my hand, asked if I had a website, and said he will watch for more photos from the garden.

We parted ways, and it got me thinking about how we intentionally use exposure to provide the viewer with the story and feelings we wish to create in a photograph. Not just because we know it's good photography to have a good exposure, but because it's a way to showcase the beauty around us. The visitor was expecting to see the rest of the garden within the frame along with my sunflower, and instead he experienced something dramatically different. And that's why I love floral studies.

Photography on any level should be able to do that for you too. Keep that in mind the next time you raise your camera to your eye. Have a great week, and thanks for another ramble, friends!

Whatever Makes Your Heart Soar...

"Sunshine in Your Heart"

I am seeing many blogs and articles lately that I suppose are there to challenge the average photographer. Posts about what's long out of style, what's the latest cool look, where the money is being made, where the money should be spent. Some make a living out of sticking their nose up at the learning photographer still calmly mucking their way through the world of pro photography, and some make a point of telling you to embrace every obstacle and seeing where it all leads.

In all of the mumblings, and overwhelming advice, I hope there are those who still encourage all artists and hobbyists alike to embrace whatever makes their heart soar. I mean it. If art is an expression of the artist's vision and purpose, then how important is it to stop emmulating everyone around you and just be you. Don't worry about what the trend is on 500px, don't fret over the fact that everyone else seems to have their act together, and don't sacrifice what only you can bring to your art for the chance to blend in with the thousands of others who are desperate to copy anything deemed the very best. Because at some point, on a whim, the powers that be will suddenly have a new "very best"... and it starts all over again.

As I work on a new business strategy (yep, STILL working on it... but that's okay in my world) for my photography, I still try to retain a grasp on who I am as a photographer and artist. Yes, I strive to grow. Yes, I try to hone my craft. But I cannot do well if my best is someone elses. Sometimes my need to just be me results in wandering through the local park and coming back with an image like the one above. An image to remind me that no matter what else I do with my skills, this is who I really am. I'm not sure we make an effort to know ourselves that well. We're too busy trying to keep up with everyone else and an industry that seems to be gathering momentum faster than a tornado in a trailer park.

Before you do anything else with your craft, make sure you remember to do whatever makes your heart sing. Whether it hangs in a gallery or hangs out on a website (or just hangs out in your craft room at home), make sure it's all you baby.

Thanks for the ramble gang.... and I'll try never to end a post with "it's all you baby" ever again. Well, hardly ever.

That Quiet Moment ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"She Can Reach For The Sun"

Today's image came from needing a quiet moment. My days have been packed with new plans to put in motion, old plans I never followed through on, editing, business matters, family matters, and everything else that comes with family life while working from home.

Of course, my need to pause during my busy day quickly turned into an opportunity to photograph the Clematis overflowing it's trellis for the first time this year. But it was still the act of photographing for myself, no tricks, no special lighting, leaning over the railing of the deck with my 50mm prime, seeing if I could freeze in the frame what seemed so restful to me.

It was rejuvenating to me, and after only a couple shots, I was ready to go back to the desk and the phone, and work with focus again.

Many of my most quiet moments are with my camera in my hand....

Have a great Wednesday, and thanks for the ramble!

Floral Friday!

"Ready For Anything"

Another peony from my wander around the much loved perennial rock gardens of Sam Lawrence Park, in Hamilton, Ontario. Today is rainy, gloomy, and cold. So I dedicate this image to all of you weathering something you'd rather not. Hang in there. The sun will shine again, that's a guarantee!

Have a great weekend gang! See you Monday!

Why I'll Always Love My Kit Lens

"Where Beauty Grows"

There are some things you'll always love no matter who you are or how you change. Some of my favorite things without question, that I have always loved are old Danny Kaye movies, Anne of Green Gables, the color green, Scrabble, Cortland apples, Patti Lupone, pizza, fresh bread, Spike Jones, the smell of anything drenched in Sweet Pea....and Peonies. Hence today's image, taken over at the Sam Lawrence Park perennial rock gardens.

In regards to photography I have a list of favorite things too. I love towering architecture. I love old architecture. I love sunset light, unique perspective, negative space, the challenge of composing around chaos, and B&W processing. I love Nikons, prime lenses, soft depth of field, lines, contrast, tripods, remote shutter releases and... my 18-55mm kit lens. Hence today's image taken with the most moderate wide angle lens Nikon ever created to accompany a DSLR. But it will always be at the top of my list of favorite gear. Why? Cause it allows me to get photographs like the one above.

Normally I would use a telephoto for a near macro-ish close-up like this, but it doesn't allow me to get the breadth of the massive blossoms while getting up close. Maxed out at 18mm's means I got close and inclusive, the barrel distortion you get slightly at 18mm's means an added depth to this deeply petaled beauty. Every petal stays fairly sharp, this lens doesn't make me struggle with what DOF I can get away with depending on the rest of my exposure like the finicky tele or 50mm fixed lens. And I can handhold this lens in a wide variety of lighting conditions and subjects no problem. That allowed me to get right up next to each peony I photographed and to move around freely, composing on a whim if desired as I framed flowers up in the camera. Tripods are also on my list of favorite things, but sometimes you just don't feel like being held up as your creative flow kicks into gear.

As new and marvelous lenses emerge on the market, don't forget your foundational gear. It's where you are most skilled, where you naturally respond the fastest when shooting, and where your comfort level and creativity feed off each other for consistent results. When it comes down to it... every piece should feel like the equivalent of wearing your favorite pair of jeans, that's when you know each photograph was about what you saw, and not about what gear you used first.

That's why I'll always love my kit lens. It does exactly that every time it's in my hands. What will you always love about your gear? Think about it, and how it adds your photographic process. And have a good one folks! Thanks for the ramble!

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!

Change It Up!!! ~Floral Friday

Rainy Day Magnolias, a photo by C.Duncan's Photography on Flickr.

Every creative person I know gets stuck. Moments where you're in a rut. You have artist block. Nothing seems new. Or interesting. You'd rather bury yourself in a carton of Super Chocolate Caramel Explosion ice cream and watch reruns of Wonder Woman... well... some of us anyways.

Thought I'd share my go-to list of things I do to switch things up and gain new inspiration. If you've been doing photography for many years, these will be old hat to you. But if you've never tried these, it can put the excitement back into photographing whatever comes your way. Here we go;

Set An Absurd Boundry ~ We all know the ideal conditions for shooting inside, outside, whatever. So give yourself a specific shooting condition and only shoot that way. Only landscapes in the rain. Only portraits at twilight. Shoot every day for an entire month only from your backyard, or along a specific stretch of road. Force yourself to get creative. And tell others about your
self-inflicted project so you follow up.

Use Your Gear... All of It! ~ Use your lenses in creative ways. Wide Angles for portraits! Yep, you heard me. Figure out how to get creative with your perspective and the POV you shoot from and get some cool portraits. Stop reaching for the obvious lens choice. Use your telephoto first when photographing architecture instead of the wide angle. Force yourself to see within a tighter, less chaotic frame. It's simply thinking outside the box but sometimes we're in a comfortable rhythm and can't see anything else, then wonder why our images seem uninspired.

Face Your Weaknesses ~ If you steer clear of macro nature shots because you can't seem to get what everyone else gets in the lens, start exploring what else you can aim a macro lens at. Over the course of a month, those skills will grow. If you avoid portraiture in general, start with a fun project with your family making crazy faces, or only your dog for a few weeks, in different light, in different locations, and hone those portrait skills you were afraid were non-existent. What you learn about yourself you'll be able to apply to what you do love. Or it may open up a new vocation for you completely. And how exciting would that be.

Invoke The Buddy System ~ Invite others to participate. The more the merrier, and everyone stays motivated, feeding off each others energy and experiences. This is what my friend Dave Pratt and I did with our Epic Personal Photo Challenge... we opened it up to anyone who loved photography and every two weeks a new person picks a theme we have to shoot in. We reveal all our images on the same Sunday and discussion runs rampant on what our individual approaches resulted in, and new ways to see a subject. It's fabulous and very inspiring. The fun is injected back into the act of photography, and you can tell by looking at the images each week. You can click the link above to join us if you'd like....

So have a fabulous Friday gang, and let's inject some inspiration back into our photography. Just change it up!

Spring Tide Arrived! ~ Floral Friday!

Just a sampling of Gage Park's "Spring Tide" 2012 in Hamilton, Ontario. I attended with fellow photographer and friend Ronald Barrons to photograph the displays and get our fill of spring color! And the colors are amazing this year! So vibrant! I was in heaven.

The spring bulb show continues until Sunday but unofficially remains viewable until the displays fade throughout the coming week or so. Admission is free. Let the staff know Christine sent you!

Find A Quiet Spot ~ Telephoto Tuesdays

"The Sprites of Spring"

Too many grey days in a row always sends me scrambling for my gear. No more sitting in front of the computer screen at that point, or tidying my work space yet again. On the dull winter days I have to get out. One of my favorite places to haunt on just such an occasion is our very own

Royal Botanical Gardens.

It's quiet, it's bright, and it's beautiful. I instantly relax. I don't even pull out the Nikon right away. There are comfy benches along each pathway through the greenhouses that invite you to stay a while and let all the greens and colors and textures reveal themselves in their own time. My eye begins to notice tiny buds opening, tiny fruit ripening on gnarly branches, and these tiny tiny iris type flowers poking up out of the colorful mulch in the photograph for today. I can find spring here. It's refreshing. And I can photograph it and carry it home with me.

It's lovely. I leave feeling rejuvenated.

I can't stress enough how important it is to find a quiet spot, or a beautiful spot, (a goodly distance from your work place) and let it feed your creativity every once in a while. No deadlines, no emails, no pressures. For twenty minutes, for an hour, for a weekend. It builds YOU back up and gets you to a place where you can go back to all the other things with a better attitude and with purpose. Even just writing about it here makes me feel better!

So, find such a spot this week if you can. And take some time to breathe. Or to be inspired. I know you want to.

Thanks for the ramble gang. If you're ever in Ontario, please make time to visit the RBG too. No matter what time of the year!

Getting Inspiration!

"When I Think of You..."

I needed to start my week inspired. It's as simple as that. Where do you find your inspiration or motivation to jump into that vocation you love, no holds barred as they say? Books? Galleries? Your neighborhood?

I gain inspiration all those places too of course. But when I need an instant boost to the creative juices, I turn to some of my favorite bloggers and photographers. And I thought, why not share them with you! These go beyond just photography for photography's sake. These never cease to make me sit up and say to myself, "Self... when was the last time YOU shot with that kind of obvious passion?"

So here are the go-to sites I choose specifically when I need to be inspired:

* Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

* Cranial Aperture

* Naturally Beautiful Photography

* Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

* PixelatedImage

* Dan Jurak's Alberta Landscape Photo Blog

* Daniel Casares Roman (Color Humano)

I poked through all of them today, and what do you know? I feel fired up and ready to photograph and explore in a way only I know how! That's how inspiration works. Find the one thing that will get you excited about your tasks today, and let's all get crackin'....

Happy Monday gang!

The Lilly Sessions

"A Star is Born"

How do you feel about flash? I can tell you that up until recently I was not a big fan. Unless you learn, play, read up on, compare and experiment with what you can do to control the light it can often be a disappointing mess of weird shadows, hot spots and that washed out look to everything in it's path. It becomes that dreaded last resort when you need light.

You missed it just now didn't you? Read back. Do you see the key to learning what a powerful tool flash can be in your world of photography? Let me ask you this: when you're out somewhere and you see a scene that speaks to you, and if you are intentional with your exposure, you take what light you have and using a deliberate exposure you control how much light to give the camera's sensor and you take your shot, right? In your camera you've controlled the light.

Wait. What? I thought we were talking about flash? Flash is just another means of controlling the light available to you. This isn't a new concept. So why are we always afraid of it? Why was I afraid of it? I think because we see light as being beyond our control. That flash is just going to go off, blind everyone in the room, and it changes everything I know about my camera... right? And we always assume the light is the big problem, so to make matters worse, we find a way to dial down our flash to non-existent levels and voila, now the subject looks like it should belong on some Halloween set. Do you know how many photographs I've trashed that way? Too many.

Here are some things I learned last year about flash that I think I may do a series of posts on in the next couple weeks. Things that took the mystery out of speed lights for me. (Heck, we could start with the fact that "speed light" is just another word for flash...)

1) The closer the light to your subject, the better chance it has of enveloping your subject properly.

2) Diffusing the light from the flash with a scrim, with a light panel, or with even something as simple as a light sphere will get rid of those hated harsh lines. You know the term "Bathed in light"? Yeah, that.

3) Your flash can override all the light available in the room, or it can accent it. Decide which is more appropriate to your vision, and then expose for it.

4) The flash really does need to come off the camera, to allow you to be the creative photographer you want to be. It's simple, you just want to harness the light that can be available to you. Google YouTube tutorials on triggering your flash... then go for it.

The image today was created with my SB-600, off the camera, sitting to the right of the subject on the same table top, at full power and zoomed out manually to it's largest flash length, triggered by my pop up flash on the camera which was dialed all the way down to non-existent so as not to affect my real flash exposure. I had a simple light sphere attached to the flash to disperse the light evenly, and had two reflectors to bounce light up under the subject, and down into the subject. My exposure in camera was adjusted so that the only light that mattered was my flash. Basically my test shot without the flash was a dark screen. Then I chose my flash exposure according to how I liked the lilly to look in the light. Basically, a few minutes of playing. And this was the result. And the more I do it, the more I get it. It's just another way of controlling the light.

One of my motto's for the new year is "Remaining static is not an option." For too long I've let things that give the impression of being hard hold my photography back from being everything it can be. Not anymore.

Thanks for the ramble, and have a super Wednesday!

The Little Things ~ Floral Friday!

"Curly Vine"

Without any naval gazing whatsoever today, thought I'd post a random list of all the little things that I've learned to remember whenever I'm out photographing flowers or anything for that matter. Here we go;

1. Keep a sense of adventure.

2. Use my Exposure Compensation button more. It's my friend.

3. Watch my histogram. NOT my LCD screen for accuracy.

4. The light dictates my technique. The subject in that light dictates the story.

5. A tripod slows me down. Sometimes this is good, but sometimes bad.

6. The flash comes OFF the camera. I get better photographs every time.

7. I need to continue learning about my flash.

8. I always look up. Way up. There's always something above you to see.

9. The right half of the right half of your Histogram is crucial to knowing if you have a photograph with the largest amount of information possible.

(Thank you David DuChemin for this one)

10. My telephoto will always require a tripod in less than brilliant light.

It's just a slow lens.

11. If my exposure is dead on in camera, or darn near close to, my higher ISO isn't going to ruin a photograph.

12. I do my best work in Manual mode. A total 360 from four years ago, I was terrified to leave Program mode. Total control in manual is so freeing.

13. It's okay to take sucky photographs. I learn from them. Every time.

14. Photography is hard. It's hard.

15. It's hard.

16. Keep a sense of adventure.

It's Glorious ~ Floral Friday!

"Bloomin' Sunshine"

I love a challenge don't you? Right now I'm preparing to try some new avenues within my photography for the coming new year. I'm reassessing my skills, deciding what needs an overhaul, where I might be wasting my time, and how I want to present it all. It excites me. It intimidates me.

It's a glorious process.

I'm going to try to include this process here on the blog... my attempts at change, what I'm getting inspiration from, what I fail at... all of it. My hope is that it'll help someone else out there step out of their comfy zone and embrace a different approach to whatever their own passion is. And as always, I'll keep posting photos!

Anyways, that's my plan over the next little while... just in case you see some changes! Have a groovy Friday gang, and thanks for the ramble!

The Muse ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Cascades"

What do you use as a muse, to allow yourself to be inspired? Something colorful? Your favorite subject? Your favorite location? Interesting weather? Music? Literature? What talks to your creative side so thoroughly that you then have to grab your camera, your pen, your paintbrush and fill that desire no matter where you are or what you felt prior to.

Tomorrow will be my Remembrance Day tribute on the blog, so I thought I'd post Floral Friday early and ask these questions of you today instead. Why? Well, here's the thing... I asked a talented beginner photographer these questions in a conversation not that long ago, and they couldn't answer me. No definitive reason why they pursue photography. Or what they use to gain inspiration.

It doesn't have to be a complex reason why you love to photograph anything, or pursue anything. I think one of the best reasons to do what you love is because it brings you joy. Simple right?

The rush of color, the tangle of shapes, and the sweetness of the subject in our photo for the blog today is enough to make me anxious to pick up my Nikon right now and find a subject to enjoy and share.

So, think about it? What's your muse?

For Colors Sake ~ Floral Friday!

"The Sweetest Blush"

I'm in love with the subtle range of hues in this image. Until the Annual Fall Mum Show last week, I had no idea 'mums could be grown in such elegant, rich color pallets. Not only that but they are enormous in size. Think blooms the size of a bowling ball and you'll get the gist!

I suddenly have the urge to go bowling... In a garden. Huh.

I pay very close attention to color when I'm shooting nature. I'm always making sure that for the most part I'm not relying on it alone, in place of finding better subject matter, to dazzle the viewer. That's lazy photography in my opinion. BUT... there are times when it's a crucial part of the image, or perhaps color even becomes the subject matter itself. Then it becomes another tool in your arsenal of imagery.

I saw these 'mums and decided that I needed their color to fill the entire frame. That, paired with the repetitiousness of the petals and enhanced by the deep shadows I exposed for, made sure the colors would be the impacting visual factor. And isn't that the reason we even take photographs? Because something made an impact? And we're driven to provide the same visual experience with others? I know that's why I do.

I chose an exposure, I chose a vantage point, I chose a subject, I chose a composition, and I chose my processing approach ALL for color's sake. That's a pretty powerful element when deliberately and carefully put to use.

Skip bowling. I think I'll go find me something colorful to photograph.

Pure Joy ~ Floral Friday!

"Crowning Glory"

When was the last time you took your camera out just to explore? No daily quota, no must-have money shot, no pressure to perfect technique.

Just to allow the camera to be guided by your eye. By whatever delights you. By whatever intrigues you. By something pretty just for pretty's sake. Experience the joy of photography at it's most simple.

Set aside the expectations that we artistic types are always placing on getting "the" moment and just go with the flow for a weekend. Then try it for a whole week. I dare ya to try it for a whole month...

Dunno why I had this thought today... but some of us are trying SO hard that we've forgotten how to enjoy the process. Get your eyes off the results, and put your heart and soul into the "doing".

Start this weekend. Make it a good one.

And thanks for the short ramble friends.

Faded Can Be Beautiful ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"She Bowed Her Golden Head"

Autumn is on our doorsteps. It makes me ecstatic! I love this time of the year. Colors deepen, textures emerge, light gathers dramatically. Everyone wears their favorite sweaters. Fall fairs are flooded with apple cider and the people who drink it. My dog gleefully tracks mud and leaves into my kitchen while I start up the baking of the pies once again. Good good times are just around the corner. Love it.

It also means that nature begins to fade into it's pre-winter cycle. But often those plants that were so vibrant all summer present a different kind of drama in the cooler weather of autumn. I love the challenge of trying to capture the unusual beauty that can be Fall.

This sunflower could no longer fight the approach of autumn. I came across her lovely textures and color, and veil of crisp leaves last September at Hamilton's Dundurn Castle's Working Garden. And if you click to enlarge the image you should be able to see the tiny lady bug companion resting on top of her, peaking from behind the shelter of leaves. Despite her diminished petals, and the crumpling of her golden crown, I recognized that I needed to capture this new stage of beauty. The slow sweet fade that overtakes our gardens in the coming weeks provides unusual subjects. Look close enough, there's still beauty to be photographed.

Explore the approach and arrival of autumn with new eyes friends. You won't be able to put the camera down.

Thanks for the ramble! Hope you all had a marvelous long weekend!

World Photography Day! ~ Floral Friday!

"Bold Whimsy"

It'd be a shame if I didn't actually post on the blog today, seeing as it's world photography day! So here I am, a little later than usual but it's a post none the less. I saw quite a bit of activity today in all sorts of photo communities, celebrating World Photography Day. And if you didn't actually take a photo today, I hope you were able to appreciate some instead.

Needless to say, there have been some amazing people who have mentored or befriended, or encouraged, or supported, or inspired me on my own pursuit of better photography. If I named everyone, we'd be here all weekend. But you all know who you are. And my thanks knows no end.

You've been the ones that corrected my skills, and sometimes my attitude. You've applauded my efforts, and prayed for my future. Some of you have provided direction, some of you have provided honesty. Many of you have stoked the fire for my love of all things art, some of you have succeeded in stoking my determination at being a better business manager. Many of you have come with cameras and shot alongside me for an afternoon. Many of you I've never met but you've been my life line at some point. And many of you I've admired from a distance, gleaming wisdom from your books, workshops and blogs. And most important, you've extended your friendship or supported me as family.

World Photography Day! I'm so happy to share it all with YOU.

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!

What's The Plan? ~ Floral Friday!

"The Peony And I"

I find myself wondering what my next direction is in my pursuit of photography as a vocation. Sure I have some small projects on the go, and some sessions coming up. But as the fall season approaches and the lazy days of summer dwindle, I feel compelled to have a game plan. And so far? I don't mind being honest...I'm stumped.

The social connections around the Internet have made it very easy for folks starting out to find information, support, education... everything that can jump start your career. But sometimes all I see are very talented people with cameras spending every waking moment maintaining profiles, threads, and streams, and I wonder - All these photos, all this talent... is anyone actually printing them? Selling them? Pursuing something more? Is anyone venturing out of web land long enough to really be a photographer? Am I?

Not easy answers to find, and never the same answer for everyone. All I know is I need a plan, a road map. And then I need to supply myself with everything I need to endure the journey. I have the feeling I need to seriously up my game. The question becomes how?

I posted this image today and thought about the simple act of getting a great peony photo. It wasn't that simple. It was actually a process. I must have wandered around getting shots of every peony I owned, started with simple compositions, typical close-ups with the bursts of petals only, and then the approach evolved. I had to watch my perspective, get creative with the composition, and be aware more of my gear possibilities. Wait for light to soften, time things well, and change how I saw the blossoms all together. And when I got the above shot, I knew.

I guess I just answered my personal "how". I need to change my perspective, try a new approach, be ready with my gear, and use what I already know. Timing will be important, wait for conditions to be right, and stop thinking inside the box when it comes to my pursuit of photography. Huh. A good starting point anyways. After that? Who knows.... I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for the thoughtful ramble gang. Have a good one.