An Epic Ramble

"Standing Tall"

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Been waiting to find time to post this latest image on the blog and on 500px. Taken on an epic ramble through Toronto a week ago with my friend Dave Pratt of Dave Pratt Photography who I finally met in person while he visited here in Ontario. I noticed over the course of the day that both of us had similar styles of exploring with cameras. Ramble along, let something stand out or catch our eye, content to let a detail or subject speak to us, in the midst of good conversation and idea swapping. But that's not always how a ramble with a fellow photographer has gone. And it made me think... obviously we have all have different ways we photograph something, but sometimes we have different exploration styles that lead to the photography itself.

I'm a happy rambler. I like to head in a general direction, without a set target in mind for the most part. I truly like the process of exploring. What feeds my desire to photograph something is catching it at that moment, the way I've stumbled across it, like finding treasure. There were a number of times Dave laughed at me last Saturday because something would get my attention, I'd raise the camera, get the golden nugget in the lens, snap away, and then cackle gleefully. Victory by Nikon. What can I say, it makes me giddy.

Some photographers are more destination oriented though. It's about already having a more "selective objective" in mind. This is me once in a blue moon. A location or subject that spoke to me so strongly that I knew exactly how I wanted to get it in the camera the next time I photographed it. And when the time is right, you don't ramble, and wander, and stray along the way, you zone in on that one objective and work it for all you're worth while you shoot. This is rarely my personal preference when shooting with other photographers... it means every one's photos look slightly familiar at the end of the day because you had one designated spot you all focused on getting in camera. But I will approach a shoot like this once in a while when I'm on my own, setting out with my own goals. It becomes more about solidifying a vision, a set intention that excites you.

Are you a rambler, a wandering explorer like me? Or do you fall into the selective objective type approach more often than not? Neither one is better than the other... but your approach feeds your overall style at some point. Think about it!

Thanks For The Inspiration!

"That All Men May Know His Work"

Gold Mosaic Dome - Royal Ontario Museum

Today's image is dedicated to someone who reminded me last week that no matter what I photograph for a living, lofty perspectives and architecture will always be what excites me the very most, the one thing I can never resist shooting. So much so that this friend, and a band of a few other photographers, now call photographs like the one above the "Duncan shot".

I simply call it "always looking up". My hubby calls it a good way to get a permanent crick in your neck.

So Peter Abbink, this photo is for you today. Your own versions of the "Duncan shot" inspired me to make sure I looked for a lofty perspective this week. And I found it in one of my favorite Toronto locations, the ROM. Can you believe I've never photographed this ceiling yet? That had to be corrected pronto. While on a trip with the family this weekend, I made sure I got a few shots off in your honor.

This is basically straight out of the camera. There was some sharpening to be sure, but I didn't even have to tidy the crop since I used my grid guide in the view finder... and was I ever excited to share it.

What's your approach to photography that's uniquely you? What's your strength, what inspires hands down every time you pick up the camera? Think about, and have a great week gang!

The Need To Breath

"Empire Sandy"

Such a busy month. As I predicted it would be. So today on my work break I felt the need to revisit some images from last summer. This one caught my eye so I decided to share. It's from a visit from the Toronto waterfront, and one of my favorite places to take the Nikon whenever I need to get away from the desk and just breath in something new... new skies, new clouds, new people, new surroundings, new scenes.

September will mark my steady return to our little blog, and I even have a photography trip out east coming up... plus I'm looking forward to showcasing some weddings that have come my way. So keep your eye on this page from time to time this fall! I'm excited!

Where do you go when you need a break from your surroundings? Where's your "need to breath" spot?

Remember To Anchor It!

"Pillars of the Community"

Today's image is courtesy of a little jaunt to the grand and expansive campus that is the University of Toronto. We wandered the grounds for a bit while my oldest child auditioned for their music programme. Since I rarely go anywhere without my camera, I was able to grab a couple images of the wonderful and diverse architecture. And today's image caused me to remember a topic I've been thinking about recently.

How are you choosing to anchor your compositions? ARE you choosing to anchor your compositions?

Looking at the pillars in the photograph it's very obvious what I wanted the focal point to be. Those grand and powerful columns leading up into the sky draw me in, with a slightly skewed perspective so I could include further angles in the peak of the rooftop too. This was a tight little area flanked with and surrounded by new, more modern buildings jutting into my line of sight so I had to be very particular. But the key was to make sure that whatever I did, I had one column within the frame spring right up from the corner. It anchors the frame. Not beside the corner. Not from way outside of the frame. But from the corner, giving it the weight it deserved, and the emphasis it needs to lead your eye into the photo and up and around it before it comes back to where you started. I made a conscious effort to anchor it well into the photograph and the composition. In fact, I know that in a final edit, I will flip this image so that it starts from the left side of the frame instead to give it even better prominance.

Here's what has prompted me to visit this topic. I receive requests a lot to visit new photographers pages or flickr streams or websites. And there's a flawed simularity running through many of them when you have a good look. All too often I see images that seem to have no definite subject, or the subject is lost in the surrounding details. In the end the photographs carry no weight. We have a tendancy to pull back, including everything in the shot whether it's nessassary or not, or will manage to fill the frame with something, but neglect to frame it up so that there is a definite point at which we start viewing the photograph. I see crops that aren't drastic enough, and in the end it just looks like they carelessly cut off part of the scene or object by mistake. I've seen compositions that if they had just cropped a little tighter, the perspective would have stood out wonderfully. Find the most powerful or the strongest element, and anchor that sucker! Make sure your composition is intentional!

Of course this all comes down to using leading lines, dynamic shapes, or interesting contrasts to bring importance to one part of your image over the rest of it. It's not hard. But we have to train ourselves to see those elements first, not the actual subject. That's what can prove difficult for the first while. But the results when we do are far more exciting and much more interesting to the viewer.

So there you have it. If you ever wonder why one image is falling flat over another one that seemed to "work" for some reason, make sure you have found an interesting or strong element to anchor the photograph, giving it weight. As DuChemin would say, "What's your intent?"

There's so much more to cover on this topic so be on the lookout for more posts in the near future.

In the meantime, thanks for the ramble today! Have a good one!

Waiting on a Sunset ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

Two Pillars

I spent part of my Sunday standing around at the top of a parking garage with my camera, waiting for the light to do it's thing. The hubby and I were there for about an hour. But I knew it'd be worth it. The sun was going to set behind us, lighting the clouds in sunset colors ahead of us, and more importantly - the two towering condos made of steel and glass.

I don't think I would have taken this shot if the light, the location, and the weather hadn't been so accommodating. It was coincidence we were even on the roof of the garage, it had a level entrance from the street before the street angled downhill and we assumed we were just getting closer to the two beacons shining in the sun. It wound up giving us the cleanest position to shoot from. I wasn't about to pass it up.

We waited for the light to drop and I took various different shots while waiting. But this was what I waited for. I had my exposure ready, having made sure I didn't blow out every highlight along the curves of the buildings. I had this expansive view showing just how well they stand out amongst the rest of the city and how they reach up into that sky. Had the 18-55mm all the way out to 18mm to be sure. Positioned myself where you could see the ripples in the designs, and the ripples in the clouds. With the light disappearing, no bracketing or filters were required.

You can also view a much larger version here.

It was just delightful. I love when everything comes together.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Unfinished"

I love lines. This is nothing new, I've mentioned this before. Primary diagonals or curving, repeating or contrasting, vanishing, vertical, horizontal... they excite me. Have you really thought about the way lines can be used to invite a deeper look at your photographs? The way they can control what the viewer looks at first? What they look at last? The kind of order lines can bring to the chaos of a potential scene.

Remember that show in the 90's "Whose Line Is It Anyways?" Where, without any preamble, the actors were given a surprise scene or significant line and they had to run with it, build on it, and find a way to spontaneously make it workable and enjoyable? That's how I often approach my photographic rambles. Especially when I'm scouting a place I've never been to with the camera. I get to a location, and whatever is at my disposal visually is what I have to work with. I make deliberate choices to size up what has the greatest impact, and I run with it. After doing this for the last five years, I've realized I size up locations very quickly, finding what will be of significance visually or what I really relate to, or what dazzles me, and I begin to build on it. I take the light and the weather into consideration, the other subject matter in close proximity, and then I decide where the most powerful lines and shapes are.

I zeroed in on the stark yellow line of unfinished balconies against the glass of blue sky on this unfinished condo the other day, while visiting a new location on one of my architectural rambles. I knew the colors would pop against each other, helping to define the central theme of the photo. I also knew that placing them on the diagonal in the frame (while often overused) would expand how the eye travelled through the photograph. I chose to place the yellow lines tracking across the frame in the primary diagonal, naturally causing the viewer to travel over and down naturally, with the contrasting blue spaces and lines tracking along the secondary diagonal up and out to the edges of the photo. By the time you're done looking at the photograph your eye has covered the entire image, other little details and items are brought to your attention with an element of discovery in place,  and will come back to rest on the balconies again, grounding a simple scene taken out of context and making it into a subject of it's own.

Whew! See what a little forethought concerning simple lines can do?

Thanks for the ramble folks! Now get out there and use lines to build engaging images, no matter what the subject matter!

And if you'd like to view this image slightly bigger, you can click on the image above or see it here.

Have a good one! 

Massive Architecture On The Brain ~Mono Monday!

"Union's Majesty"

Oh what I wouldn't give for a decent fisheye lens, or ultra-wide angle right about now. Because when I think about photographing massive architecture like the powerful looking and massive Union Station in Toronto, I always want to include as much of it as possible. And it's hard to do with a modest, run-of

-the-mill wide angle. Even a Tilt-shift lens would have been doable.

But I gave it my best shot. Those other lenses will come in time.

The other obstacle in photographing this grand terminal is that it sits right up against the street... and I don't know about you but it's never fun being run over by hectic Toronto traffic while on a photowalk. Maybe that's just me.

As I worked on photographing Union Station, I decided if I couldn't use the actual size of the entire building to create a sense of power, then I would have to rely on wide lines, distorted perspective, and a sense of symmetry to convey the same feeling. The strong visual lines up and across engage our sense of space, allowing us to understand the possibility of a bigger picture. The perspective influences our perception of height, and we reason that it's towering over us, as opposed to in front of us. And symmetry seems to add weight to a photo. It worked in this case because the sculpture itself is symmetrical in shape and in it's placement on the grounds of the property. It's okay in this instance for the eye to continue returning to the center of the image, there is engaging subject matter there and makes sense.

Converted to a classic platinum B&W in Corel with some slight tweaking in curves and such, and I think I'm content with today's image.

But the minute I have a wider lens, you'll know. I won't be able to help myself. I'll always have architecture on the brain. 

Something from Nothing ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Converging City"

(Toronto's ROM which hangs out over the sidewalk, taken during Nuit Blanche)

It's a blustery day and I haven't left the house except to walk the pooch. So in keeping with the chilly weather, thought I'd post the only keeper image from my night in Toronto for the art festival called Nuit Blanche, which could have been retitled The "Every street in TO is a wind tunnel, where did I put my long underwear, people must be crazy to wander around the city at 3am looking for hidden art, because all the streets have been sectioned off for the festival" Festival.

As you can gather, it was a less than perfect night.

The wind was so strong, that the tripod still wobbled after I lashed my two teenagers to it. It was so cold, my hands stayed in the shape of the camera even in my pockets. And the set up was so confusing we wound up at one point in front of the Parliament buildings...in Ottawa.

So, I made one shot count. I was determined. I found a nice corner tucked out of the wind up against The Crystal addition of the ROM, composed to get a tidy convergence of shapes and forms, and even caught the odd star burst from the lights. My wide angle lens bowed the scene inwards to emphasize the way the ROM leans out over the street defying gravity... and then we hightailed it back to the car, shivering and complaining.

 A great night was had by all. Sort of.

Not really.

Moving right along. So... any location disasters that taught you to work fast for one doable shot? Or are you trying not to remember, like me?

Have a great day, stay warm, and thanks for the ramble!

Manufactured Patterns ~ Exploration Thursday!

"City of Glass"

I love exploring Toronto. In fact, any big city will do when it's populated with the kinds of condos and skyscrapers that draw the eye all over the crowded skyline. Toronto has some especially cool modern architecture, and it calls my name frequently.

This was taken quite a while ago but remains a favorite. No the building was not on a tilt, that's me... but it was curved, nary a straight wall to be seen. The design established with this towering condo begged to be photographed. The patterns are like candy to the photographers eye. The fact that it's also unified in color due to all the glass reflecting the sky blues and water blues it looks out over, and in complete even shade made this shot a no-brainer. I remember how excited I got over just this shot. Which brings me to a story.

Taking this shot, I was standing inside the courtyard entrance of the building. People were coming and going, and some stopped to turn around and look up to see what I was getting shots of. Most went on their merry way. But one lady with her 7 year old in tow stopped, came back to me and asked if she could see what in the world I found so interesting. I told her I was a photographer, and that the city was full of these fantastic designs. My subject for the day was manufactured patterns. I showed her this shot I was already dying to get home and see enlarged and her comment was "I don't get it." She began to walk away, but the little guy with her took a final look at my screen, looked back up at the building they were going to enter, looked back at me and called out, "That's cool lady!"

I hope he gets a camera for Christmas.

Patterns in the city. They inspire me to look waaaaay up, for crazy lines, for great shapes, for elements of design that shine. And when I find the perfect mix of those requirements I snap a photo and say quietly to myself,

"That's cool lady."

It's one of the easiest ways to learn more about your style, your way of seeing, and your camera, so get out there with those cameras this week gang. Send me a heads up if you get something cool and we'll feature your shot here on the blog!  Seriously. For real. Ya wanna?

Have a good one folks, and thanks for the ramble!

Reminder to Do Better ~ Exploration Thursday

"Legislative Halls"

(1/25 sec.@ F/3.5, ISO 640, 18mm fl, indoor low lighting, Ontario Legislative Building)

A quick post of a quick edit. Will be using this shot as a personal reminder to revisit Queen's Park in Toronto soon, since the day I took this I was forced to handhold a camera balanced on a railing to get a halfway decent exposure in such low light. Tripods were not allowed the day I was visiting due to the volume of people traveling through on tours. But return I will. Why? For a better shot of the rich and historical interior of the Legislative Building. It's quite stunning. And this photo really doesn't even begin to do it justice. It's alright, but it's not the best I can do... am I allowed to say that?

You've had this experience I'm sure. If only you had the right gear with you, if only you had a camera with better ISO quality above 300, if only there was better light, if only the security staff would send everyone but you home so you could get "the money shot" sans tourists. But the reality is, not every location or subject that takes our breath away is an ideal photo op. And I'm the first to cringe when a vision I have for a image can't be pulled off without better preparation or a return visit... or two... er, three...

But I always make a point of returning, a little more prepared, a little more aware... dare I say even a little wiser (wiser? more wise? do we have an English major in the audience?) This is the joy of photography for me. I don't have to sign up for workshops (although if I had the money, there's an African safari shoot with photographer David DuChemin next year I'd be signed up for quicker than you can say "Bob's yer uncle!"), I don't have to go to school, I don't have to disappear for years to follow a photo guru to the corners of the world... I can make myself learn. I can look at this picture and if I use my noggin, I can see that I need to find a way next time to lower my ISO, use a faster lens instead, aim for visiting on a sunnier day with the glass ceilings letting in more light. That's just the tip of the ol' ice burg.

If you're struggling with getting better shots and don't know where to begin, look at what you have taken. Common, really LOOK. What's missing, what would work better, what didn't you have? And look at everyone elses work online and in books. Compare them to yours. Then decide to learn what it will take for you to get it next time. I'm a huge fan of libraries... photography books you can devour at no cost. And then... you pick up your gear, and you get back out there.

I may not always post a winning shot, but if I let that be the criteria for being a photographer I'd never take another image. And that's not an option for me... now where's my own gear? I need to take some photos, and learn a few more things. I need to explore. It is after all, Exploration Thursday.

Have a great long weekend Canada! And to our American friends as well! While you enjoy it, pull your cameras out and have fun learning what not to do! Thanks for the ramble gang!

Inside Looking Out ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Where Politics Meets Art"

Do we see a theme this week? Lot's of stone, walls, windows, doors... I'm going out on a limb and hoping you're not too tired of the Doors Open TO series I've been working on. If you are, relief will be on the way in the form of trusty ol' Floral Friday tomorrow. But in the meantime, here's one more B&W I was wanting to post.

This is a view of the Ontario Legislative Building that you may not normally see when at Queens Park. Or you may see it but only give it a passing glance. I did. Then I got to the end of the hall and went back. This is where two slightly different parts of the building's architecture come together in the rear of the property. And if you look carefully you'll see this was taken looking out one of the windows in the hall right along the side of the building that stretches out in a U shape from inside.

Quality-wise it's not the cleanest shot. The windows facing this more remote part of the building were a wee bit dusty... and you can see it where the image softens along the edges where the light was starting to reflect off it. But I like the shot none the less. It's simply an interesting perspective. I suppose because I rarely get to shoot these buildings from anything but street level that this seemed like a nice opportunity. So there it is. And in a platinum B&W in PSPx2.

Shooting inside looking out seemed ideal for Thursday's post where I try to mix things up a little somehow. Next Thursday I'll have a new guest on the blog and I'm looking forward to picking their brain a wee bit and exploring photography through their eyes! But in the meantime, I'll try to have some new subject matter for you all next week. Pinky swear.

Have a great day gang, and thanks for the ramble! If you get a chance, please click on the voting button on the right hand side of my blog and let's see if I can't get to the Circle of Moms Top 25 photo blog list! I only just signed into Circle of Moms, a great online community for moms who blog and more, and I'd appreciate your vote as one of your favorite blog sites! Thanks so much to all of you who have already taken 5 minutes out of your busy days to do so! Have a good one folks!

Begging To Be Photographed ~ Mono Monday!

"The Beckoning"

(1/30 sec.@ F/9, ISO 250, 18mm fl, Exp.Comp+1.7, shade)

I do believe this may be my favorite shot of the year so far. And I wouldn't have even gotten it if not for some prompting from someone else. Friends and fans suggest locations to me all the time. Something they think would be worthy of a photograph. And sometimes they're right, and other times it doesn't work out. But my own brother has a great sense of design, and when he can't stop raving about a location that's a pretty strong indication that I need to explore it further. And he would not stop talking about this door.

He didn't just talk about it, he phoned about it, he texted about it, and I'm sure if they still had carrier pigeon, he would have used that to drive home his point. Under no circumstances while in Toronto for Doors Open was I to miss the University of Toronto campus... and this door!

I gotta buy that boy dinner.

This is the massive and ornate entry way to the Arts Centre on Kings College Circle. I will return and shoot this building repeatedly, I can tell you that right now! There's so much architectural detail, and that's putting it lightly. The entry way boasts very detailed and ornate designs from the Romanesque period, arches inset into more arches, and finally a solid and heavy wooden door surrounded by gates on a brass or copper track set into the stone steps. It has been saved as a National Historic Site, and the entire property is regal and powerful looking. I knew though once I located it, that just the door itself was beautiful enough to be photographed. So I worked around other folks posing for cameras in front of the massive entrance, and took the time to decide how to compose around the other obstacles and the close street proximity as well. I got low, I half straddled a railing that runs up the center of the steps approaching this shot (classy looking I'm sure) and centered this puppy as levelly as I could when the crowds dispersed.

Voila.

I knew this would be B&W. I do have a color version up in my galleries on my website, but the monochromatic version is the winner hands down. It allows all the detail and texture and patterns to take over. I converted the raw file into a platinum B&W in Corel, I find anything with stone looks stellar in this effx option in PSPx2 or x3. I applied some curves to it to make the dark areas more rich and the lighter areas brighter. Then modest highpass sharpening. And there it is. Like I said, I believe this may be my favorite of the year so far. I knew I had to share it with all of you.

Thanks to my brother who's keen eye spotted this gem, and for convincing me to seek it out. When I spotted the massive entrance across the field at the center of Kings College Circle, it immediately beckoned to me. I understand his insistence fully. In fact, I'm hooked on the whole campus.

Thanks for the ramble and the unveiling of this image I'm so excited about. Have a super day folks!  

Queens Park ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"Light From On High"

(1/25 sec.@ F/3.5, ISO 640, 18mm fl, low light diffused, handheld)

Another post from the Doors Open TO Event. This is the Victorian style lightwell that shines down on the east wing of the Ontario Legislative Building at Queens Park. It was beautiful. It was regal. It was the only light source that made it possible to photograph the cavernous space full of tourists and photographers on Sunday. I'll say this for the rest of my life... interiors are very tricky.

Tripods were not allowed, and I cringed as I took each shot because with the surging crowds of visitors I had no chance to balance the camera on something like my kit bag or a railing to use a lower ISO and slower shutter speed, and no offence Nikon, but unless you're using a more expensive body, Nikon's higher ISO's (starting at 250) become very noisy/grainy. And the more I have to fix that in PSP, the less detailed it becomes. And that's working in Raw. Guess I'll see how she prints.

Knowing that my high ISO was going to cost me, I chose subjects that were fairly architectural with nice perspectives and interesting light. And in areas where I could lean against a pillar or railing for a few seconds to steady my shots since I had to be tripod-less. And I'm sure there's tons of similar shots being posted to flickr and such right this second, but I still needed to try my own approach to this anyways. If you don't shoot, you don't learn, and you don't improve. And trust me, I still have so much to improve!

Thanks for the ramble today folks! Hope you're all improving your craft too!

Have a super day gang! See you all tomorrow!

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....