What The Hey Day...

Beach Cocktail

When you work for yourself, there's no one to make you tow the line. No one to breath down your neck to be productive. The only person to have that job is... yourself. Bummer. 

 Lost Count

I'll admit it. I'm the worst for avoiding work mode some days. And the other days then become stressful because you try to catch up. All on your own. And then ultimately you forget to inject your day with doing the very thing that inspires all that work in the first place. Sigh.... So yesterday I gave myself a "What the Hey" Day. An exercise in going with the flow. To inject some choice joy into my work.

Shell Game

Yesterday I made a choice to force myself to pick up my camera. To photograph the first thing that delighted me in the very next room. Then I mentioned it on Twitter and Facebook... and others feeling the same thing, responded. Then I went out on a limb and asked said strangers to join me doing the same in their own homes. 

And to post said photos of found objects.
Said strangers become new friends.
Said found objects became inspiration and creativity.

I believe I will now stop saying "said"...

Getting through the self-employed day = deliberately choosing to have fun honing your craft.
Start small.
Gain momentum.
Make friends.

I'd say my "What The Hey" Day was good for the soul. And for the camera.

I think a "What The Hey" week might be in order...

Who wants to join me?

It's Been Too Long

"Opening Night"

I know you're shocked. Or maybe not. No sunset shot today, no towering architecture, no flowers, no historical ships. This is my image for today, and it's been too long since I've explored the streets of downtown Hamilton with the Nikon. It's been too long since I've had something so different to share with you all. I kind of did a little jig when this image demanded my attention!

Joined our local Hamilton Flickr Group last weekend for a photowalk. And I'm glad, very glad, I did. Not only did I get a chance to connect with a fabulous group of people for a few hours, wandering the streets, being inspired by the different things that would stand out to different people, but I was reminded that it's still fun to hunt for those "photographic gems" that are available to us if we care to look hard enough.

Several telephone and hydro poles were sporting this particular poster... for a rave or music event... and the eyes would follow you no matter where you stood. They really got my attention, and the graphic face emerging from the shadows screamed to be photographed. In my experiment to see how far the eyes would follow me, I wandered past the pole, then looked back in the lens... I realized if I got my exposure right, I'd get the "open" sign in the dark window of the dance studio behind it. Take what you will from it, paper vs neon, the solitary vs the city bustle, blue vs red (ha). Is it the most stunning image I've ever produced. Nope. But it was so much fun to take, and I can't wait to print it up. And that's the point.

If it's been too long since that was you having fun, being excited, creating something you can't wait to share, causing you to give an unrestrained giggle of accomplishment, then maybe its time to revisit something you once had time for. Doesn't have to be photography, and it doesn't have to be complicated. Just has to bring you joy. 

Thanks to the HFG for the great night, for John who got us into the local fire hall with our cameras last minute (and to all the firemen out there, stay safe and thank you for all your hard work at all hours of the day and night)... 

..... and thanks for the Ramble here on the blog, gang! Have a good one!

When You've Got The Blues

"Quiet Dusk"

Dusk. Things quiet down. Bird song is amplified. Music carries from the distant pier. The water barely moves. We walk the trail by the local marina and here and there a couple sits on benches overlooking the restful scenery, letting the calm do the talking. I let it call to my camera on this particular night.

Why haven't I used this wonderful low light more often?

We see in colour, we see in black & white, but I have struggled with seeing in 'blues' I'll confess. There are only subtle, gradual changes from highlight to shadow. From one tone to another to distinguish shape and line. If anything, the blues of dusk cause me to really pay attention to the light, where it plays, where it disappears, what and how it illuminates and not as much on good composition to also carry a story.

When you've got the blues that come with dusk's final light, you are forced to sacrifice blatant contrast for more subtle details, in order to preserve mood and perception. And in processing, you have personal considerations galore. Do I remain true to the colour cast? Do I only accentuate the light skimming over the objects in the foreground? Across the water?

I decide it's not necessary to see every bold detail on the boats, we know they are there and that's enough for the image. I decide I love how the light grew intense near the sun's connection to the horizon and keep that intensity. I keep the composition consistent with the lily pads mimicking the clouds above.

When all is said and done, how lovely and quiet the evening was comes rushing back to me. You'll all see something different, which is just as wonderful. It's what I love about the arts period.

Have a great week, and thanks for this ramble in the dusk.

Imagination Set Sail

"Evenings Companions"

Another image from the Tall Ships that visited Hamilton last long weekend. Grown ups and children alike were excited to see these beauties. If you click on the photograph to enlarge, you will notice all the flags fluttering in the background from the other ships waiting for visitors as well. Some of the festival personnel were decked out in 1812 era gear, demonstrating musket firings and drills, and two of the ships touring the harbor fired "canons" at each other, shaking the pier.

I don't care who you are, but at that point your imagination reminds you of other fantastic vessels you've encountered over time. Maybe from childhood. Maybe from current films. The eerie but trusty Black Pearl from the movies, the glorious danger of Captain Hook's ship from J.M Barrie's "Peter Pan", the Hispaniola which emerges from "Treasure Island" and the delightful mind of Robert Louis Stevenson.

I don't know if this image is my favorite from that evening... but it's the one that causes my imagination to ramble through all the things we love about these fantastical vessels. So I thought I'd share.

Have a great day, explore your own local festivals, and heck, take the camera.... but whatever you do, take your imagination.

Thanks for the ramble! 

Tall Ships and Opportunities Abound

"Sorlandet in Sunset"

One of our long weekends just past, the family and I wandered down to the waterfront to enjoy the Tall Ships event happening in the Hamilton Harbor. The weather was a perfect summer temp, so the entire Pier and beyond was swarming with people there to enjoy the festival. The tall ships don't dock here every year, so the crowds were thick. As were the number of cameras visible. You knew the local photo communities were about to be flooded with sea faring vessels photographed at dock.

Limited access was the order of the day... many ships roped off for special sailings and tours, others simply docked near food and displays... and throngs of people. It quickly occurred to me that there were only so many places and views and vantage points to be had. And that all weekend hundreds of other photographers would use them all as well. But I didn't let that deter me from getting my own photographs of these carefully restored and historical beauties. And sure, I could have returned with dozens of others in the early morning hours in the dawn, to try to get something different and unpopulated but I was also enjoying some added family time.

I guess I'm posting all this to say that I no longer valiantly try to get "the" shot when I'm out on a ramble... one that no one can compare another to... I think over the last little while I've figured out that I'm always happy documenting what my own eye and camera actually see, or interpret, around me. If I'm experiencing something similar to someone else shooting nearby, so be it. Another photographer I know showed up, saw how limited it all was and decided it wasn't worth it. But why not? Why not enjoy what you see? What speaks to you personally is just that, personal. And if it's personal, you would hope there would also be something unique about it anyway.

So many are obsessed with the "it" shot that no one else can get. But the world isn't exactly getting any bigger. Just the opposite. You are going to ramble and explore and get the same scenes or subjects someone else might have had at some point. Does that mean you pack the Nikon away and pick a new career or hobby? For me that day, it meant noticing the way the sun shot beams through the Norwegian Sorlandet's rigging across from where I happened to pause with my daughter. I took a minute to drink in how pretty it was. It meant if I waited in that exact spot, I could compose for a nearby ship to sail into the frame as well, under a golden sky. Getting the image was a creative and personal experience. And after some slight editing, I can say that this photograph is completely unique to me personally, which is the most rewarding feeling to come away with anyway.

In a world overflowing daily with more and more photographers trying to outdo one another, fabulous images will abound on a more personal level. Don't let anything rob you of that.

Thanks for the prodigal ramble, gang! It's been a while I know. 

Have a good one.

Trains From Above

Haven't blogged lately due to workload. Thought it was time to rectify that. Took these photos one lazy evening by the bay front here in Hamilton. Sometimes it's restful to show up with your camera somewhere with no definite expectations and your only goal to photograph whatever suits your fancy... no agenda, no limitations, no pressure to even show them later if you choose not to. Just an exercise in letting your circumstances propel you a bit as an artist. Please click on an image to view in it's best quality.

When WAS the last time I let something simple like the train yards make me feel like I was 10 years old? Excited to watch as the trains exchanged tracks, exchanged cars, and ambled towards the bridge I was watching from? It was so much fun that I even used the fun way to view them... with a tilt/shift effect... causing them to look slightly more miniature. Thinking of tracking down someone who can actually get me into the yard for a day, photograph how it really ticks... now that would be an exciting photo story to dig into!

Happy Earth Day!

"Nesting"

A late post for today, but I finally had time to work on some photographs of our local mama Swan. She's laid one egg, and is watching over it and tending to it carefully everyday. In much the same way we should be tending to and watching over the only world we have. Appropriate for Earth Day, don't you think?
I did everything in my power to ensure she still felt safe with my presence nearby... so the trusty telephoto zoom came in handy. I hope you enjoy. I'll return often, no idea when the tiny cygnet will hatch!

"Nesting II"

"Details in Nature"

"Mama and the Egg"

Happy Rambling on this special day, gang! Get out there and enjoy nature today, and perhaps say a prayer of thanks for all we have.

Three Cheers For Inspiring Women!

Happy International Women's Day! Just a quick post today to share how all you ladies out there inspire me. Some of you because you're photographers, some because you're amazing moms, some because you are bravely battling illness, some because you've become incredible friends and mentors. I applaud all of you today! So the following is a list of blogs and websites that I highly recommend, all owned by amazing women! When you have a moment be sure to check them out!

Anne Mckinnell

The Pioneer Woman

This Journey

Jennifer Gilbert Photography

Commit To Fit

Esther Out Loud

Jasmine Star Photography

My Whimsical Little World

Canadian Women Photographers Network

This is just a handful of sites I visit regularly, and find inspiration from... what are your favorites?

Have a great weekend folks! Next week... images from Hamilton's own annual Spring Tide @Gage Park, it's on now until March 17th. If you need a shot of spring, keep your eyes peeled here at the blog.
Happy Rambling!

What I LOVE About Canada - A Chain Blog

Whirlpools at Niagara Gorge, Ontario, Canada

A little while back, fellow blogger Pamela MacNaughtan began a blog post chain. Normally I don't go for these kinds of things, but she's a fellow Canadian as well and she had a great idea... that no matter who you are and what you blog about, that one giant shout out could begin in honour of Canada, in the form chain blogging! Well, she had me sold! Who wouldn't want to brag on Canada? So I've finally carved away a chance to continue the chain... here's my Canadian Ramble:

Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

As a photographer, I have always been excited about what Canada has to offer me. Great wild landscapes, phenomenal architecture, ever expanding communities, and areas swamped in rich history. Anywhere I decide to go with the camera has been rich in subject matter that never disappoints. The above image of Dundurn Castle was taken literally minutes from my house, yet further along today's collection of images is a view of Newfoundland at sunset, accessible via a two and a half hour plane ride from Toronto, also down the road from me... and there's so much I've never seen!

Glimpses of Canadian Pride, Vineland, Ontario, Canada

What I have seen though makes me proud. People who for the most part work hard at leaving a solid Canadian legacy behind for the next generation. Friendly, easy going people. People who will step out their door for a perfect stranger, give you permission to wander their property with your camera, then wish you all the best as you get back in the car, and to say 'hi' to Ralph who has an even better farm to check out down the road... they'll call him to tell him you're coming.

Oh the stories Ralph had. 

Toronto Harbour Life, Toronto, Ontario

The major metropolises have their own rhythm, and so much colour. Eye candy for someone like me. And my family will always tag along, visiting museums, galleries, art crawls, festivals, huge outdoor concerts, air shows, and you can't forget the CNE! Exhausted yet? This is why I love Canada! It doesn't sit still until you're ready for it to sit still.

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

I can't include all the images from places I've spent time with my camera. Quebec, Northern and Southern Ontario, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland... and I have yet to travel across the west half of the country. Trust me, I will. And it'll be just as wonderful. Why?

Killick Island, Botwood, Newfoundland, Canada

Because it's home. It's beautiful, it's diverse, it's true to itself. It's for the CEO in their glass tower in Vancouver, and it's for the fisherman in Cottrell's Cove. It's for the cattle rancher in Alberta, and it's for the indy musician in Montreal. That's cool. And I'm proud of it.

A Frosty Kiss....

Thank you to Corrine over at Have Baby Will Travel for tagging me to continue the chain! If you reside in Canada, keep exploring all the good things we have. Be thankful for them. And if you don't live here, we want you to visit as soon as you can! We'll introduce you to Ralph... I hear he tells great stories.

And so now I pass the chain blogging baton over to Esther, and Peter who each have wonderful blogs and will have fun with this chain post! Have a great day, and keep an eye on the above bloggers for their take on why they LOVE Canada, coming soon! Also, you can follow the progression on Twitter using the hash tag #MyCanada to search for posts!

Happy blogging! Happy Reading! Happy Rambling!

Taking Time Out

"Chipmunk Crossing"

Don't you love it? Took this on the Cherry Hill Gate trail down to the marshes last week with my friendly photography rambler Kelly. Someone working on the local bridge construction definitely had a sense of humour! And questionable spelling skills but I digress. We howled as we both raised our cameras...

How has your summer been friends? I hope it's been full to the brim with vacation days, dining out on patios with oodles of friends, quality time with the family, days spent pursuing a good book in the shade somewhere with a cold Dr.Pepper beside you. Well, something like that...

I get a week off next week and I find myself trying to decide what small photo project I want to set for myself as we take our family hiking, and on day trips into Toronto or Niagara... getting images of the family hanging out before one goes off to university and the other starts high school... and before my August bookings take over. I'm thinking I will keep my eye out for all things humorous... it lifts you up, giving you the chance to take a breath, and feel good. If the rest of my summer felt like that... I'd be laughin'! (Literally and figuratively... I know, I can hear you all groan...)

So enjoy your summer days... I'll be back with some new things on the blog in a week! Thanks for the ramble!

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.

Where You Live ~ Exploration Thursday

"The Departure" Panorama

When life permits, I'll one day be able to really travel. I spent some time yesterday looking at travel photography and I know it's a challenge I want to face one day. But for now the timing is wrong, and I'm okay with that. I need to be here for my kids, both starting new journeys in school this fall, and for my hubby as he takes on extra work, and you'll see a new section soon to the blog for portraits.... something I need to work desperately for the next while.

But when I DO have that hankering (sometimes daily, let's be real here!) to shoot interesting vistas, wonderful scenery, or curious subjects, I have everything right here. Where I live. If I time it right, if I look hard enough, if I'm patient and open to possibilities, I can fill that need and get images that still test my skills.

The panoramic shot above was taken at a local marina, one of my go-to places for landscape hankerings. To see it enlarged just click on the image above. I have never tried pano's before, and thought I'd give this scene a try. The last golden light of the day was quickly departing (hence the title) and I liked the cloud cover over the entrance to the boat launch, with equipment standing at attention, ready for the next day's boats to launch out of dry dock. I badly wanted all that sky contoured in the last light. And suddenly I heard the voice of a good friend and mentor, saying, "For heaven's sake CD, make a multiple image panoramic already".... so I did. He's been trying to get me to do this for the last year or so, so Bob - this is for you! This scene has four images stitched together and processed to tweak the light in the photo, allowing me to get from one end of the launch to the other within a single frame. And get all the sky over the whole scene. I was so excited to see this done, that it felt just like coming back from an adventure elsewhere. Now four shots combined isn't genius or anything, but I feel good for my first attempt. That's one for the bucket list!

My point? I will never stop photographing where I live. It is training me now for the places and sights I'll photograph later... that's just too invaluable to ignore, or to sit around wishing I was somewhere else all the time. I hope the scenes I post through the blog inspire my readers to explore where they live, with or without a camera.

Drop me a line and let me know where you live! My stats say that some of you are away across the pond, some away across the world... would love to actually hear from you!

Thanks for the ramble... hope you're rambling about where you live too.

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!

What I Know About Sunsets...

"At Evening's Bay"

Photographing in sunset light will always make you a better photographer. That is not disputed. That magic golden hour will challenge you, motivate you, excite you, and work you hard. Now that my little family is growing up, I'm finding I have more time for sunsets and I thought I'd share what this means in the camera and to a photographer for those of you just getting started working around sunsets or have been struggling with understanding it's rapidly changing light.

1. You think you know your camera! Photographing at the pace it takes to catch all the different light in the sky from the setting sun means over time you'll be forced to instinctively know where everything is on your camera without checking. Obviously this frees you to concentrate on being creative and frees you to notice the light on your surroundings or subjects instead of fiddling with the camera. And this skill is needed in many types of photography. Just yesterday I photographed some rescued birds... I had to move quickly with them, and never once looked down at my dials and settings. And I believe your manual setting is the way to go. You'll have total control over what the camera records and forcing yourself to use it means you'll understand your camera that much faster, especially if you make a practice of reviewing your results.
2. Your meter isn't always your best friend. Or at least that's what I always thought when shooting sunsets till I realized I just needed to understand it's function. And again, this really applies across the photography gamut. But the low light and direction you decide to photograph in during sunset can really mess with your meter. Facing the sun's light, no matter how low will mean straying from 0 on the meter... I find I need to bracket my exposures and have some underexposure so there's color in the brightest sections of the sky but loosing detail in shadow, then swinging the exposure the other way and overexposing to keep shadow areas a little brighter and allow the sky to be blown out slightly. I place them all in processing as layers and pull sections from each to blend the exposures. Even when I'm facing away from the sunset to catch light on certain subjects behind me, I may start at zero but have soon strayed from it into slight underexposure/overexposure to get drama in the colors, rich dark tones and highlights that don't disappear. Know whether you need matrix or spot metering too. Your meter probably won't sync up with your vision at this point and you need to understand how to make it work to your advantage. 
3. You can plan all you want, but be prepared to go with the flow! If you shoot outside for anything then you know this. The sky and the weather will do their own thing. And over extremely short periods of time. You can hop in your car with great bodies of clouds to filter the sun, then get to your destination 5 minutes later and by then the clouds have gone completely and a haze has set in. Or rain has begun. Or the Extreme Kite Flyers Association has taken over the location and the sky is filled with random shapes instead of the setting sun... in which case GET PHOTOGRAPHING. 
4. Give your sensor enough time to get it all! Have a tripod please. Have a remote shutter release (or use your timer) for zero camera shake. And get comfortable with long exposures. All these things alone or together give you the means to get the beautiful light lingering in the sky... especially the light still there when the sun is gone.
    
5. Know that some locations are more logical than others. We have a wonderful beach not far from our house, but I'll never really have the setting sun in those photos ever... simply because the shoreline faces east. What I can get on that shoreline is the glinting waves from the sun opposite, or the trees on the shore with a sunburst through them if I stand in the water a bit. Or sunrises... and sunrises are for another day. The location seen above however is one I frequent because no matter where I stand in it's open spaces I can get great light. Either the actual setting sun, or the light from it cast across the park and marina behind.

This is just skimming the surface, but for those who have been wanting to photograph a sunset it's about trial and error, and becoming familiar with your personal style, and knowing how to begin approaching the rapidly changing and beautiful light that is a sunset. And with anything, the more you do it, the better you become.

Thanks for the ramble! I know how many of you are beginners, and are frustrated with this topic... I hope this will allow you to dig further into this area of landscape photography.

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!

And Then There Was This....

"Solitary Elements"

First there was the lost sunglasses for the third time that day. Then I got chatting with a neighbour and missed the first bus. The driver was heavy on the brakes in short spurts and the man sitting beside me reeked of pot. When I finally arrived at my destination to photograph the sunset in one of my favorite locations, the park was closed off for a water festival (in the middle of the week people?) and I had to hoof it all the way around to the other side, taking up nearly another half hour of my time while the light began to wane....

And then there was this.

My first action in the midst of all my frustration was to launch myself at a bench and have a gripe-fest in my head or out loud to the many Canada Geese lounging nearby. I hadn't decided which yet, when I realized the soothing scene before me. All my frustration leaked away and I got the camera out as I marveled at the serenity and colors the Creator had waiting for anyone who chose to see it. This is why I love what I do.

The first in nearly two hours worth of sunset photographs gleefully taken last night (which I will post in the coming days), I gave it some basic tweaking and posted it for today. A reminder that past the daily obstacles, there's so much waiting for us.

With that in mind, have a fabulous day and thanks for the Ramble...

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!

No More "Stealth" Candids! ~Wide Angle Wednesday

"Waiting Game"

Another image of my crazy and beautiful dog Rally. And they really can be few and far between because she avoids the camera like the plague. Actually slinks away if she thinks I'm going to aim it at her. She's really tested my skill at "stealth" candids. You know, when you have to pretend you're innocently taking pictures of something like your laundry instead, from the other side of the room, whilst and at the same time, humming the Mission Impossible theme song, then suddenly swinging the camera over at her and shouting "got you!!!" Meanwhile all you get is a blur of one ear and a tail while she runs from the room. And a very detailed study of your wrinkled laundry.

I'm not fond of "stealth" candids. You might get good light. You might not. You might get a great expression. But you might not. You might have a decent composition.... well, you get the picture. So it's time to photograph smarter. The one thing Rally cannot be distracted from is activity outside the house. She will sit at a window and watch for her despised enemy the squirrel, for ages without blinking. Or birds. Or ants. Or microscopic dust particles on the wind. Tiny atoms floating by. Just look at that concentration, people!

The approach became so easy. Sit with my camera by the window, wait for her to take up her post (which wasn't long because the border collie in her wants to go where you go) and then take my time composing the shot. The window light (what am I always saying about getting window light?) was perfect, no flash needed, it gave some slight rim light around her profile, made her eyes pop and wham! One portrait of her beautiful face while she sat absolutely still. And the whole composition tells you a story of sorts. She's watching for something, she's longing to go outside, she thinking deep thoughts about those floating molecules mentioned earlier... well, again, you get the picture.

So, having trouble photographing your best furry friend? Find the one thing they do well, or stay put for. Find a way to do it near some great light as well. Use your most flexible lens in that situation. And you'll be able to avoid those "stealth" candids once and for all.

Thanks for the ramble, have an awesome day friends!