A Certain Texture

"Exploring Sleepy Cove"

*Newfoundland, Canada*

If it seems as if the blog has been in limbo lately, you'd be right. Life seems to go from one extreme to the other. One minute business is slow, the next, I have work piling up around me. But I'm not complaining.

I'm embracing the various textures that are making up my life lately. A little travel, adventures into newer job descriptions, a little expanding, facing some personal fears, approaching some personal weaknesses... and absorbing the things each item brings to the table of life.

And having life textured by so many different elements can only mean one thing. It's bound to show up in my photographs. Whether I want them to or not, the things being absorbed by me every day have the ability to pour out of my images too.

Why is this important enough to mention today? Cause I've realized in the past I've tried to shield those things from seeping into my work. And did myself a disservice each time I did. In an attempt to strive for a certain look, or expression, or ideal, or vision, I shucked my ability to use what was going on around me to take my photography to a new level.

Funny that the tag line on my website is "Show The World Who You Are"... and I was avoiding that very thing myself. Let's change that.

Don't Miss Them ~ Telephoto Tuesday.

"Nestled In Sun & Sand"

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

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

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

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

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

Merry Christmas To All!

"The Christmas Hearth"

Visited the Tropical Greenhouse over at Hamilton's Gage Park the other day and amongst the banana trees and tropical ferns was their lovely Christmas display... a Christmas tree and fireplace decked out in poinsettias and amaryllis, so very sweet and homey. This is one of my favourite times of the year. I love watching loved ones open their gifts in surprise, I love reading the true Christmas story, I love the food and the friends.

This is a shot of the wreath over the fireplace... and if you ask Ron, my photography partner in crime for the day, he'll confirm that the minute I lay eyes on it, I knew I wanted this close-up. The colors and the textures called to me. And there's some great lines on the background from the mantle and windows nearby. And I knew I'd wait and share it today, my last post before the Christmas celebration begins in earnest.

I do wish you all a very blessed Christmas, and even if it is not your religion or holiday of choice, I hope you'd not be offended that I send you all the best my own seasonal celebration has to offer. If the tables were turned, I'd be touched that you'd extend the same. And many of you in other cultures have already... I'd never consider it to be anything other than an honour. Whatever you celebrate in the coming days, my prayer is that you be surrounded with family and friends, that your coming year abound with adventure and blessings, and that the peace extended to us in the gift of a babe in manger permeate the entire New Year and beyond.

Merry Christmas friends. See you on the flip side!

Photography, No Matter What!

"Curious Little Fungus"

I can deny it no longer. The crazy schedule I have right now due to the Christmas season means I may not be blogging daily for the next while. And I don't mean my work schedule, although that was busy for a bit too... I mean my personal schedule. I love Christmas and this means I make time for family, friendly gatherings every other night, and all the special activities I can't do without.

However, I DO find time to photograph SOMETHING through the week. No matter what! And so today's image is from a jaunt we made last week to try out a new hiking trail in the greater Niagara area. One we'll definitely be visiting often over the coming year. The Short Hills Provincial Park is one I've been wanting to visit for a while. Three major trails prevail, loads of birds of every color and size, deer and coyote... and I can't be certain but we think we saw fox tracks too through some mud.

I spend much of the time on new trails or locations just getting a feel for the area, the possible conditions we'll experience, the amount of time we need to experience it all, and what times of day would be the most ideal to visit. Also the history of the area. I don't do a ton of shooting my first walk through. But I do bring the camera on the off chance I need to remember what I love about the trails, and to photograph the odd scene that grabs my eye.

We were in a darker part of the woods when I spotted some fungi I had never seen before on the Bruce trails in the Hamilton area. Tiny, tiny, white with ruffles and tinges of green throughout. I loved the texture, but hated that I had neglected to pack my tripod, which I didn't really want with me this first time through. It was super bright out for the most part with harsh light and I wasn't thinking about how thick and dark the canopy of trees can be even without their leaves. So this one was taken with the ISO jacked up to about 500 to avoid any camera shake. The rock bed I stood in was not too sturdy either and I couldn't find a secure spot to place the camera on a support of any kind without it getting wet. So this is the best I could do.

I still like the image and it speaks of the future photo possibilities awaiting me the next time I return. Possibilities I'll be able to anticipate and try to be prepared for. But it's a fabulous park and the walk with the hubby was wonderful regardless of what little material I came back with this first go round! How about you? Do you always scope out a new area before trying to spend hours photographing it? I highly recommend it. No matter what.

Vintage With Meaning ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Memories of Papa's Garden"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Closing In On Design ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"The Single Rental"

(1/320 sec.@ F/13, ISO 400, 200mm fl, Exp.Compensation -0.7, late day sun)

Whew. Where to start today? 'Cause I've been challenged to take on a big topic! Composition. Now, I wasn't exactly double-dog dared or anything quite that serious, but when I say I'll do something, I like to follow through on it. So here we are, on my 100th post no less attempting to share my thought process when I'm considering composition. This might be one wild ride. Here we go.

Because of my art background, Elements and Principles of good design have been lodged in my brain from an early age. And you should become familiar with them at some point, you'll see your images improve. I tend to lean towards looking for good line, shape, texture, and color automatically as I look around me for subject matter or interesting scenes. These are the elements that people are most familiar with whether they know it or not. The other elements (to be broached tomorrow) are size, value, and form. The image today has the first four elements prominently used here. Repetitive shape immediately gets your attention, then you'll notice lots of lines taking your eyes up, down, and across respectively. Those lines on the roof allude to smooth cool textural details, and we also see texture in the wire over each dove cote, not to mention the single cote with the texture of the only nest inside in the bottom right corner. Wow, those elements are really hard at work already... and this is why. Combined, they contribute to principles of design needed to make your composition work on a new level.

You mean to say there's Principles of Design too? I warned you this could get wild, *wink*. Look again at today's image. When you really look hard do you also see balance, contrast, harmony, and rhythm? If so, that means that the combination of lines, shapes, colors and textures have worked together to utilize principles of design. Didn't see that one coming did you? You did? I knew you would.

The pattern created by the rows of dove cotes, each one the same color yellow against the slate blue/grey, gives the composition a sense of harmony and rhythm. Not to mention balance since I chose to emphasize the symmetry of the roof top, every dove cote evenly spaced. The image pops with contrast because of the shapes dotted out across the composition, and the black of the mesh fronts against the yellow. The yellow also contrasts enough against the blue roof. And the textures also contrast nicely, the roof looking smooth and cool, and the cotes textures looking more rough and warmer in hue. Tomorrow we'll try to include the other two primary principles - center of interest, and movement.

Still with me? Gosh I hope so. All of that was to say this; most of these things your eye can pick out every time you assess a scene in front of you. Why, because these are things the human brain desires and uses so it can make sense of whatever you look at. When I looked up at the roof of Dundurn Castle's tower, my brain registered that this was the prominent feature for very practical reasons... and the artistic side of my brain took over, assessing if it was aesthetically pleasing to look at over and over. Certain things began to assert themselves and I was careful to compose around them in the best way I could. Of course, you don't have to concretely think these things every time you raise your camera... after a while, from shooting and composing long enough, this all becomes second nature. The more you look around you, the better you'll see engaging compositions no matter what the subject matter or where you are.

I recommend always taking time to look through your picture files. Single out the images that stand out as being stellar compositions or just seem to have a wow factor. Compare what elements worked together well. Decide which principles had to be used to make the composition come together too or best portrayed your personal vision for that photograph. It's your personal vision that brings it all together and makes it meaningful by the way. In the end, perfect composition can only do so much. There needs to be some soul poured into each image too... perhaps more important than all the rest.

Hey, we did it! Day one on composition is done, with day two to come! Thanks for the very specific ramble gang! Hope I didn't let ya down! Have an awesome day folks... now get out there and think about seeing great compositions wherever you are.