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!

Less About Gear, More About The Moment

Sealed With A Kiss, a photo by C.Duncan's Photography on Flickr.

Someone made a comment a while back that made me cringe. If you take photography seriously, you've probably heard it at some point as well, and it's made you even second guess your skills at times. The comment went like this, "Oh, you should see Christine's photography, it's wonderful. Of course, that's because she has such a nice camera.....!"

Comments like this make it to blogs as a topic of debate all the time, because there's nothing further from the truth and yet, the public seems to think that if we spend enough money, or buy big enough gear, we'll take better photographs than most. I'm not going to rehash this old myth in regards to how camera choice is or isn't a huge factor but I will say I don't have the latest, biggest gear... all I have is continual practice with the gear I have, and the ability to anticipate a worthwhile moment like in the photo above. I have worked tirelessly to hone the ability to compose in an instant and expose for the scene while watching for the sweetest moment possible to press the shutter... all at the same time. And I started out doing it with a point and shoot. It's so over-said by now, but we never say of an artist who creates a great body of work... "wow, he obviously uses the best brushes on the market because nobody paints like that!" Or after being at a restaurant... "hey, anybody would be able to cook like that if we all had a stove that fancy...!" Cause, no matter how nice a stove you give me, I'll never be able to make dinner like Gordon Ramsay... it's the person, not the gear.

For the image above, all I had was my trusty, out-dated but perfectly usable Nikon D80 with it's sturdy little telephoto... and 6 years worth of mistakes and victories, trial and error, till I found my groove, and the perfect moment to press the shutter. And I'm still learning. I'll never stop.

I hope that this is what is more evident to those who look carefully at my body of work. For anyone who works hard at what they love, in fact!

Thanks for the ramble, and have a great week. And tell your local artists this week how much you love how hard they work! They'll truly appreciate it, more than you know.

Flash & The Fiddle ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Waiting On The Music"

(1/60 sec. @ F/4.5, ISO 100, 80mm fl, SB600 off-camera flash bounced off reflector)

(secondary lighting from window diffused with light panel)

Well as promised, I've managed not to smother you all (yet) with peony pics. That's only because I've been waiting for this week's telephoto theme day! Pictured in today's post is my fiddle. Actually, it was graciously handed down to me by my in laws several years ago with the stipulation that I continue to learn how to play the ol' girl. And play it I do, usually late in the day to one of my slower Celtic Cd's on the stereo. Jigs are not my forte. Yet. I've been in love with her full bodied sound, her color, her shape, and her history. So I figured she deserves a much better portrait than what I was able to supply until recently.

I've been waiting for ages to learn how to better use my flash so that I could get a photo of my fiddle in more dramatic lighting. This is my first attempt, and I will continue to tweak my settings in camera till I get the exact look I'm looking for. But this step was big for me, as I finally figured out the nuances of shooting with the flash off-camera. Especially using a light panel to soften available light coming from one direction, and a reflector to bounce the light off of to get light that would skim across the fiddle from near the top down, kissing it's shape without being overwhelming.

It took time, patience, and some experimenting. Especially since the spot I used is in a dark blue room that eats up the light almost instantly. But I knew I wanted deep color and a darker backdrop so it worked out that the one window in the room has an old window seat in deep browns perfect to lay the fiddle on. Low light enabled me to really see the effects the flash was having, and to create an intimate looking still life. To use Nikon's speed light off camera, you have to use your small on-camera flash as the trigger. This meant dialing down that small flash's output as low as it would go so that from the distance I was at with the telephoto it wouldn't give off too much light while trying to get the right light out of the SB600 placed opposite me.

Flash felt intimidating to me for the longest time. But I persisted in watching tutorials online and reading manuals, and playing with light and reviewing the shots later to decide what worked and why. I can already tell you the next time I'll set my light panel diffusing the window light even further back so that I don't get the white shape that's visible in the shot above. In the meantime, I'm happy with how she gleams warmly in the light I used. Like she's waiting to be played....

Thanks for the ramble folks! I'm still swamped with editing but all is going well... hope you're all having a superb week!

Up and Away ~ Exploration Thursday!

"My Blue Heaven"

(1/125 sec @ F6.3, ISO 160, 28mm fl, 18-55 mm Nikkor kit zoom, pattern metering)

Once in a blue moon I catch myself daydreaming. Sometimes I'm craving traveling to distant destinations, often because I've hit on a case of cabin fever. Sometimes I need a change of pace to get motivated, to be creative when everything begins to feel static. Sometimes I peruse all the lenses I could add to my kit, thinking of all the crazy optical options I still need from all the catalogues and sites. Think of the images I could make then! But, it's only daydreaming, because I know great photography doesn't come from the latest glass or gadget or guru. It comes comes from constant learning and never letting something as material as the next new gizmo take the place of your passion. I've known this simple truth since way back in Mr.Shoveller's high school photography class, where he would walk the classroom, orating that the only real tool you needed to hone was "vision" while he waved the broom handle at you that never left his hand while he taught... (on the off chance he'd need to slap it across a sleeping students desk).

So for this post, I once again have dug deep into my files, but have only just edited this shot this week. So technically, it's new. I simply let my daydreaming inspire me! This is an image taken in London, England. This particular building with it's retro patterns and walls the color of sky sits tucked in behind the Tate Modern (think modern art and design on regal display) ... and unless you take the most round-about path you can possibly find to the Tate, as I did (story of my life), you'd never see it.

For me, I'd always wished I'd a had a more creative, fun lens with me that day. After a while, no matter how cool the buildings are, they can all start looking the same. For ages now I've often thought about fisheye lenses. They give you a sprawling view, but in order for that to happen there's this wonderful circular or spherical distortion to your composition. Alas, money never has grown on trees. And in the interim I've begun to play with similar effects but in my editing program. And suddenly, the sky's the limit!

Now playing and manipulating an image is all well and good, but I'm going to say this; you still need a plan. Going in to this edit I knew what I was wanting to achieve. I knew I wanted the perspective to stretch up and out, I knew I wanted it to feel like it could grow right into the sky, unhindered. It's how it felt when I first saw it shining in the sunlight. I also knew I didn't want it looking so fantastical that it wasn't a believable perspective or shape anymore. With all that in mind, I applied PSPx3's simple perspective distortion tool and used the fisheye fx in the drop down menu. It took some playing with the sliders back and forth till I got a sweeping point of view that still utilized the clouds up in the corner, and didn't so badly distort that it no longer looked like architecture. It wasn't difficult, since I had already shot the composition on this angle anyway. I only enhanced it. Now when I look at it, it feels new and exciting. Found me a creative way to be, well, more creative. And so much better than trying to dig up several hundred dollars for a lens... although it's been ages since I checked the couch cushions. Hmmm...

A simple change, but a dramatic one, and now it's got me daydreaming about new possibilities.

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

Public Spaces, Familiar Faces ~Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Waiting"

(1.6 sec @ F/13, ISO 100, 19mm fl, 18-55mm Nikkor Wide Kit Zoom, tripod, remote shutter release)

City life. Inside or out, it gives you endless possibilities to find design, great lighting, and interesting people to photograph. And your wide angle lens is ideal for indoor spaces like this one where you want to include more than just one feature in your photograph. Ordinary people waiting for trains and buses inside the GO Station for example. And when no one will sit still long enough for a long exposure, you can always rely on your family to enter the scene for you. As long as some sort of bribe is involved. For the image above all that the hubby and my son asked for was that I not single them out, let them read in peace, and I was to treat them to burgers n' fries after. Well, I rarely single them out when they're with me on a shoot, and they're so used to me taking my time photographing architecture that they always have a book handy so that was easy. And the burger? I was famished anyways.

I normally don't "stage" a scene like this when I'm out, but I felt the composition called for people in the foreground, near the spot where you follow the path through the image to anchor it. I waited for a bit but no one simply "sat" there in that spot, so enter the family. This worked well since I'm trying to get used to directing people more from behind the camera. I'm known for very solitary compositions that show the architecture "untouched" but sometimes you have to include a human presence when you're photographing such a public place. If you look carefully, there are other people in the background in motion, blurs moving through the station due to my longer exposure. When this is intended, motion blur helps tell the story and adds to an otherwise "static" looking scene. Yes, the design of the space is interesting, and the lighting is definitely cool... but without people in the shot, it looks like an empty shell. Not what I wanted the image to say at all. Plus, much to my hubby's chagrin, he's in yet another photo, since he won't just let me take his portrait. Ha.

Have you been playing with camera settings yet? Trying slow exposures? Getting any street photography? Thinking compositions and scenes through, then shooting! And don't be afraid of the public. Folks will let you know if they're bothered by you possibly including them in a shot. Stay tuned, in a couple weeks I'm going to address photographing the public for portraits and how to approach people. Meanwhile, I'd love to see the results if this is challenging beginners and hobbyists at all to get out there with me and keep shooting. You can do it!
Thanks for letting me ramble on folks!
And have a good one!

Sunshine ~ Floral Fridays!

" Sunny Bougainvillea"

(1/30 sec @ F/7.1, ISO 100, 100mm fl, 55-200mm Nikkor Telezoom, tripod, diffused afternoon light)

Happy Floral Friday one and all! This will be a quick post for me today, the sun is out and the temp has risen above 0 degrees here in Ontario. Naturally, this means I'm heading out with the Nikon!

Today's image was taken at the Tropical Greenhouse at the Royal Botanical Gardens. The ceiling and displays have these trailing bits of sunshine climbing everywhere inside. Like the greenhouse was sun kissed everywhere you look. Bathed in light. Ahhhh. It lifts the spirits and assures that spring is wanting to arrive soon! Just the color yellow will do that, no matter where it is. It energizes and inspires.

A quick tip. Be careful when photographing at the local greenhouse. If the sun is out, all that glass will make it difficult at time to get killer shots. Everything starts to get washed out, and metering for a more even exposure can drive you mad, highlights either go off the grid, of the shadows from underexposing swallow up select areas. I know for this image, even though it was overcast, all the light coming into the greenhouse was messing with an overall metering of the composition I had decided on. So I made the decision to use a more selective type of metering in my dial/menu options, so that my meter actually metered more from my subject which was essential for the shot than the rest of the area in the frame. When I checked my histogram (the graph feature on your camera for where your lights and darks are balanced in the exposure) I realized the overexposed highlights were allowable this time since they were essentially the backdrop, and not the flowers themselves. Instead of this looking like a poorly made decision, it now looked high key and so I kept the reading and made the shot.

Also, this meant I had to take into consideration the lens I was using. It was my telephoto, which compresses the shot from foreground to background, so even at F/7.1 it had a considerably shallow depth of field where the light and plants in the background blurred out nicely. If I had stopped down to much more narrow aperture of F/11, and adjusted my shutter speed, the blown highlights would have then been a problem again since you'd be seeing a very definitive overexposure problem.

All this was of course shot manually. Auto modes can be handy for shooting quickly in certain situations, but in a semi-auto mode the camera would have tried to correct everything, giving me a very mundane, dull image. In manual mode, I chose every setting myself, and could manipulate which things were more important for me, and get creative with the rest. This is key. Take the plunge all you DSLR owners with your settings on auto. Start learning how to expose. It opens the floodgates of creativity... and allows the sun to shine in.

Have a fab Friday all, and thanks for letting me ramble on! See you all Monday!

Something New ~ Exploration Thursday!

"The Window of Possibility"

(1/60sec @ F/2, 50mm fl, ISO 100, 50mm prime lens, pattern metering, overcast light, handheld, late afternoon)

I do believe this is the first time you will have seen this type of photo from me here at the blog. A portrait. The act of posting this means I have no trouble being transparent with you all. For the fact of the matter is this: portraits stress me out. Big time. I'm in awe every time I meet a full time portrait photographer because they balance their understanding of human beauty and emotion with art. If they're really good at what they do, it captivates. But for me, it is probably my weakest area, so every once in a while I decide to play with whatever light there is and a family member/volunteer. And I explore and pinpoint what I have trouble with so that it's not a wasted skill.

This portrait of my daughter was taken in preparation for an exercise in available light. This means I didn't use a flash, and did not set up strobes or studio gear of any kind. Just the light coming through the window. I played with distances from the window, my Depth of Field, and different parts of the scene to meter from. I am also trying to finesse how to direct the model better. If I were totally honest, I'm so used to sizing up ready compositions before me in architecture or city scenes and landscapes, that I forget to slow down and really direct the model. I need to work on this. And the results are getting better as I go along.

This was taken with one of my favorite lenses in my kit. In fact, there's only three that stay in my kit at all times, my 18-55mm wide angle zoom, my 55-200mm telephoto zoom, and this lens used here, the 50mm prime lens (or fixed lens). No fancy zoom feature, very little perspective distortion, and a very fast piece of glass at F/1.4 which allows for low light, very soft, handheld portraits. I've been known to use it though on everything.

This was one of the first results, and although most people would show you the finished shot or the best, I thought I'd save that for later. Because a good photographer doesn't just rush ahead, a good photographer also studies the results that needs some improvement. Mistakes are never a bad thing, you study them so you know what NOT to do next time. And next time I know I would shoot on the vertical, fill some of the darker areas of her hair and face with some reflected light bounced back into the shot, and get the model to tilt her head slightly to the right, like she's really looking for something, or someone. Lot's of possibilities, lots of things I know I need to consider for the final shot. I'll let you know how it goes. And there are things I do like about this one, don't get me wrong. Her placement of the hand on the sill, the overexposure washing out everything but her so that she's the focus, and a tight framing so that nothing else in the room distracted.

There you have it. Never be afraid to conquer something new or intimidating.Yes, there's a possibility that you'll fail. But with that possible fail comes an opportunity to grow. Sounds idealistic? Maybe, but it's working for my photography. How about you? Taken on any huge challenges lately and been surprised at how well you adapted? Shows you aren't afraid to learn. And that's exciting.

A special thanks to my beautiful daughter who has a light all her own that shines! Thanks for being up for a spur of the moment shoot to help your crazy photog mom! And...Thanks for letting me ramble on, and have a terrific Thursday folks!



Accidental Reflection ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Reflections of St. Andrews St"

(1/640 sec @ F/5.3, ISO 200, 160mm fl, 55-200mm telephoto zoom)

My first "Telephoto Tuesday"! I've decided for the next while to use themes here at the blog. Just to challenge myself, with my shooting, and my blogging. This way I'm not stuck in a rut at some point always using the same lens or the same style of photography. It keeps the creative juices flowing.

When I first started in digital photography, it did not take me long before I fell in love with my telephoto lens. It's a Nikkor 55-200 mm zoom with an adequate range, adequate F-stop and the much needed VR (vibration reduction) feature in case you're handholding with this heavier type lens. But the technical is not what drew me... it was the ability to get in tight on any subject. I love to take one key element, and make it the entire image. My tele zoom does exactly that. And that makes me a very happy photographer!

I chose the image above to kick off this Tuesday's post because it epitomizes why I will always keep my telephoto lenses close. REALLY close, as in sitting ready in my front pocket of my kit bag or jacket, right next to my elbow close. This image is the reflection of an abandoned red brick building in downtown Toronto, and the street sign in front of it in a warped window front. I had my trusty little Nikon D40 with me at the time, and we had just left a tour of Castle Loma. I always like to keep my camera in my lap when driving through the city, even when I think I'm done for the day. And it's a good thing I did, because there we were sitting at an intersection waiting for the green light and I turned to look out my window. Voila! I was met with an entire warped windowed wall of an old storefront across the street from me, and it was reflecting this bold red in it's framed sections. I leaned out the window and snapped this shot right before the lights turned green and my husband pulled away. No time for settings, dials, or adjusting the shutter speed... just zoomed in to crop a section with the most interesting part of the reflection, and then we were gone. This was the first image I rushed home to see. Never mind the glorious castle I had spent all day shooting... I knew this was the shot of the day. It's funky, bold, and abstract, yet for me, still smacks of the everyday ordinary city living.

This is what photography should do for you! It should excite you, it should grab you, it should bring unique details to life. A telephoto point of view can do that... it'll eliminate all the clutter, give you a bit of "tunnel vision" if you will, and make you stop and really look at what's around you. There's some cool stuff out there... even at the crowded intersection downtown.

I look forward to bringing you a new telephoto shot every Tuesday, keeping my eye trained to look for opportunities like this every week. I'd love if some of you did it with me... and if you have a shot you're particularly proud of as a result, I could ask you to let me arrange to post it here, and we can ask you how you did it too! You never know!

As always, you folks reading along with my ramblings are the best! Hope you have a great week....