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.

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!

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!

What Do You Suppose... Wide Angle Wednesday

                                         

 Imperial Cotton Co. II, a photo by C.Duncan's Photography on Flickr.

Interesting scene, no? Quite frankly I have fallen in love with the main building of the Imperial Cotton Co. The third floor is one massive space ready to be used for everything from art shows to filming movies, and so full of character. I think I spent more time here during Doors Open Hamilton than anywhere else. This is one of my favorite images from Sunday's ramble through my city. And I think I'll let you decide what's happening in this photo... let your imagination get some exercise.

So, what do you suppose this scene represents?

I'll tell you one thing, photo shoots would be heavenly in a location like this...

Have great day gang, and thanks for the short ramble!

Fish vs Flowers: A Total Surprise

"Water Nymph"

Today's image was a complete surprise. It all started with a trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens located here on Ontario. They had two different features within the main greenhouses. Glass Under Glass and Chocolate: The Exhibition. Both a wonderful way to spend a winter morning to be sure. It's a delightful place anytime of the year! But out of everything I photographed, it was the fish in the Mediterranean Greenhouse that held a challenge and got my creativity going.

I was totally not expecting that. I was there to photograph flowers.

I had to work around extreme reflections, low light, darting fish, and moving water. I kept my camera on continuous shutter mode and just kept taking photos whenever there was a slight possibility the fish would approach me. It wasn't until an employee arrived with fish food that they really began to take notice. The conditions meant I needed my fastest glass, the 50mm prime, the ISO up to 400 to allow the speed I needed at 1/500 of a sec, and in order to keep the noise at a minimum and get the exposure I wanted I also bumped my exposure compensation up another +2.7. The aperture was F/3.2. Any smaller and the shutter speed was an issue, and any bigger and I wasn't sure just how much would be in focus.

This was one of the surprising results. And I love it for the watery patterns and motion it contains. It seems a little fantastical to me, like if you were to look away and then look back, the elegant golden sprite might vanish altogether.

I went for tropical flowers. I wound up with fish.

Who knew so much fun was waiting!

I can't say it enough. Be prepared for the unexpected when you decide to photograph your city and surrounding areas. Surprises are always waiting.

Rethinking The Plan ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"The Long Way Home"

How's your week been? Mine has been one of rethinking. I find it very easy when working for myself to forget my long term goals and start drifting along, content to let things come to me... whether they're really the things I should be pursuing or not. Needless to say, this leads to discovering you're directionless and wondering how you wound up that way in the first place.

I know somebody out there must be able to relate.

So I've been setting aside time once again to pinpoint where I've gotten distracted, where I've veered off course, where I've neglected using my abilities and skills, and what to do about it. I already know I haven't been working hard enough on the right things, and I already know that things I started on a whim need to be abandoned. I need to concede that it's back to picking out the route that best gets me to my ultimate destination (as a certain Canadian photographer would say). You may see changes here on the blog, projects retired before they begin, and whatever else that has to be affected. But that's because detours happen. And then we see our route clearly once more.

Sometimes getting back on track starts with acknowledging what started you on the journey to begin with.

My concrete list of things I love about photography looks like this:

landscapes

city life

great lines

heights

connecting with people

inspiring others

nature

design

perspectives

traveling

instant art

How long has it been since you thought about what's really important to you and what you're passionate about? It'd been awhile for me, so don't fret if you've been feeling the same. Redirect your focus (cough, cough, what? No, that wasn't a photo joke.... ) and find a way to get back to doing what you're called to do. I'm about to do the very same thing myself.

Thanks for the long winded ramble gang! Have a great night!

Got Pets? Sharpen Your Skills!

"Look Me In The Eye"

I love animals. They can add a joyful element to your daily routine. Just go to Facebook and see how flooded pages are with pics of every one's favorite hairy critter. I find the trap for me though, when getting portraits of the animals in my life or a good friend's, is to follow them around and if you get the odd shot that works and is cute, then great. But that's what everyone is already doing! The key to a good pet portrait (and I'm in no way saying I'm an expert on this) is to bide your time, anticipate moments that reveal their personality, and find a way to include their environment so that there's a bit of a story, or even a comical twist.

"Before The Pounce"

I specifically chose three images today that go beyond your typical "beauty shot" per se and instead include an element or two that make the image unique. I could tell you all the basics of good candid photography... get down low, get at their eye level, get action shots, make sure features around the face are sharp, etc... but we know those. What I tried to do with these portraits was include an unusual element, like the point of view up into the cat tunnel, or the bright clean background making our little glossy black gentleman above pop more (and he IS an avid reader, hence the books), and I used an angle that suggests he suddenly placed himself in the shot to have a look right into the lens. And below, even though she is such a beautiful cat, the last look the little calico gave me after retreating to her favorite chair was one of reaching her limit with the photographer. Her expression along with the graphic lines of the chair overwhelming the photograph set the tone, giving it an editorial look, and even adds a touch of humour. This one image says so much more than the classic beauty close-up. Although, those will always have their place too, don't get me wrong. I'll dive more into that on Friday.

"Princess & The Camera"

And one last thing, I did use flash for all of these images, along with my 50mm prime lens for intimate DOF. I had my SB-600 with my Fong Light Sphere attached to evenly flood the space with light, kept the flash on TTL settings and let my camera make most of the decisions in regards to the amount of light so I could concentrate on getting the best moments. I will discuss this further though on Friday...

Till then, get creative with photographing the family pet! Many thanks to my friends Laurie and Josephine for letting me photograph their sweet furry friends! And thanks for the ramble folks!

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.

Bathed in Light ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Incorrigible Path"

I love autumn. The light alone this time of year makes any scene or subject glow. I find it very difficult to stay stuck behind my desk when afternoon rolls around, because the light is magical. In fact right now I'm duct taped to my desk so I can't leave the work I have to finish this week instead of traipsing around the escarpment with the Nikon.

It's painful. You have no idea how it's killing me to be stuck inside right now.

The next best thing is to post images from my latest romp over by Albion Falls. This is how I'll have to get my fix. Both images are centered around how the light looked along the trail. Sometimes we forget to make the light the subject, the star of the show. It seems it'd be easier to remember to use it considering that light is the very basis of any photography. Without light, there's nothing to see.

Sounds simple but you have no idea the amount of comments I get where someone says they want to know what caused me to stop and see a certain subject or scene. My answer? It's almost always the light.

"Canopy of Light"

In fact if you review your own images and find yourself consistently thinking something's missing, you may need to pursue better light. More interesting light. Creative light. Pursue the light and you'll find your photography will improve vastly. It's simple but too many try every other solution first. Instead they just need to return to a scene when it's bathed in interesting light.

All this talk of light and photography is making me fidgety. So I must sign off before I run into the street with my camera yelling "I'm free at last!!!"

The sooner I get my work done, the sooner I can get rid of all this irritating duct tape.

Have a groovy day gang, and thanks for the ramble.

Plane ...And Simple ~ WideAngle Wednesday!

"North American Harvard IV"

If ever there was a subject that benefited from the use of a wide angle lens, it was the winged machines ready for flight and display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. You're forced to get low, to include the actual space in most every composition, and to emphasize shape so as to emphasize power and history.

That wide perspective and slight barrel distortion that comes with 18mm focal lengths, and extended out to 12mm, is seriously advantageous to photographing this space. I may have to rent an ultra wide my next trip over there. I felt like 18mm was the tip of the iceberg photographically. It's a massive space but tightly packed with these rare birds so you have to get creative no matter what lens you're toting. But I'll say it again. It was a high to be photographing these incredible pieces of history. The plane posted today first flew in 1940...and is still in working condition.

Photographers, it sounds simple, but be sure to check out everything your city or area has to offer! Get excited about it! And let it show in your images.

More to come from my exploration of this wonderful spot in the Hammer. Have a good one folks, thanks for the ramble.

Doors To the City ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Sanctuary"

Dug around in my older files yesterday. I am getting ready to do a few portfolio sorting exercises, which I'll share right here on the blog, pictures and all of the whole process. Should be soon. But for now I thought I'd post an oldie, taken a few years back that has always been a personal favorite.

I love exploring the city. You get glimpses of everything within even one hour of walking with the camera. This historical church sits literally up against the sidewalk of a busy downtown street. Makes it a challenge to photograph because of the power lines, street signs, stop lights, a bus terminal directly in front of it, traffic, and huge trees pressed up into it's many vantage points. But really, what's more significant than the doors into the building's main sanctuary? So I skipped getting the rest of the building that day and focused on getting a decent B&W of the door.

Shadows of tree branches stretching over the entrance gave it a bit of a mysterious feel so I was okay working with the light I had. If I were to go back today, I would wait till late evening when the entire thing is in much better shade, or get it at night with the lamp shining over the door. But for now, the older image speaks to me still.

Doors to the city. Hmmm... perhaps I'm sensing a theme. Another personal project? It's hardly original I know... but it'd be fun. And I love when photography is fun.

Thanks for the ramble friends! Have a good one! Make it fun! 

Sunset Walks ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"Lovers Light"

(1/25 sec.@ F/16, ISO 250, 20mm, Exp.Comp+0.3)

Just enough light. Anyone else ever struggle with how you know you have just enough light? Enough for it to still be a correct exposure, but not so much that you can't follow your creative instinct or vision. And how subjective can the whole dilemma get, since no one can truly interpret how you saw the light for that particular subject matter anyways, or interpret your interpretation... anyone else totally confused now or is it just me?

I fell in love with this light last night while on a walk with another photog addict/friend. It stopped me in my tracks. Literally. My pal Kelly will tell you. She nearly slammed into the back of me. (Well, that could be a slight exaggeration). It was the sun bursting through the trees and lighting a slight curve in the trail. Magical looking. And I could have bracketed this shot so that later in editing I could have layered a few shots together to carefully bring out details in all the darkest areas of the frame... but I felt it would defeat the purpose since I composed to include certain dark areas within the shot so that the light was the subject, not the entire area. This time anyways. Because how you want to represent the light, especially in a landscape, really is subjective. And next time I may very well decide to make the scenery the subject... in which case, I would bracket the shot to get several different exposures that I can combine later to make the most of the light everywhere.

But for now, I like how the path is lit, and slowly fades away... it has just enough light. I think.

Back to work I go, but thanks for the ramble!

Knowing Your Tools ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Lost and Found"

Who here loves to learn? I certainly do. Had a random conversation one day with several other photographers who have begun repeating a sentiment I'm hearing a lot lately. And it goes a lot like this - who needs workshops, teachers, and programs? Just get out there and shoot already.....

I get told this every time I mention a workshop I'd love to travel to, or a webinar I feel the urge to promote to others. People look at me like I'm insane and always state "you're there already, who needs to waste time on something like THAT?" And to a point, in order to discover who you are as a photographer you DO have to just pick up your camera everyday and pursue photography your own way, with your passion, and no one elses. I hear that.

 But.... I personally believe in fully knowing the tools I have at my disposal as well. And I mean KNOWING my tools, understanding what I can accomplish with what I have, and maybe what my needs will be in the future as I grow. My husband can tell you that. Tools are what get you the final result. I shot the interior of the garage this morning for my motivation challenge. He had tools laying everywhere, ready to build something. He knows exactly how to use them all to his advantage, but he had to learn about them first. And I can honestly say I still don't know everything about my own tools of photography, and never will. And if there are ways out there to learn more, and things that will show me to be better with my camera, my lenses, my business, my vision then I'm sorry, but I'll be taking it all in. Why do some folks make it seem like being taught means lowering ourselves? Now yes, some workshops are designed to take your hard earned money and try to distract you with new shiny things so it seems as if you made a great investment in learning... but not every opportunity is built that way, and not everyone is out there to con you. You just have to wisely do your homework.

I never have a ton of money for the big traveling workshops anyways, but if I did, I would find one that combined a dream come true location with talented seasoned instructors. And of the smaller and more inexpensive seminars and teaching webinars I've signed up for, I've come away with more knowledge about photography than I had going in.

Things like A) knowing your reciprocals saves your work at a shoot happening in constantly changing light when your meter swings back and forth on you,

B) knowing how to read a histogram properly so that every shot has skin tones looking amazing, C) finding out that every time you add a flash you double your Fstop, and D) that your website and your blog need to be cohesive, yet fill different needs at the same time.

All these things were things I didn't know, till someone more in the know told me. And they've improved my photography because of it.

Don't let anyone tell you you're past learning. Devour information coming your way... then instead of sitting on it, grab your camera, call your web designer, or whatever it is you just figured out you need to improve your approach to photography and get out there and prove you can do it!

Thanks for the preachy little ramble folks! Feel free to sign in and leave a comment too. And have a super day.

Hittin' The Trails ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"It Ran Downhill"

(1/50 sec.@ F/10, ISO 200, 18mm fl, diffused sunlight, late day, handheld)

Considering I'm trying to finish one photo session and begin editing two more, I'll keep today's post short and sweet. Do you hike? Our family loves to hit the trails with a good walking stick or two... and the Nikon. Sometimes we spot deer, fox, woodpeckers. Sometimes we spot poison ivy and keep moving. I just love how quiet it gets, how the forest whispers in a breeze, and how if you look carefully, the trails tell you a story.

It's the story I like to try to photograph.

Here's the deal with the image above. Think late spring, new leaves not yet mature enough to block out the sun, plenty of natural debris on the forest floor for little critters to live in and under. Heavy bright green moss since there's been so much rain... and what's this? Down between the rocky karst, the remnants of a creek bed gone dry. I love that it once ran downhill towards me as I wandered off the beaten path, but that if you look carefully you can see that the whole scene runs downhill off to the left of the composition. Uncanny.

I've photographed this trail, the Hermitage Trail, often and my goal is to shoot it year round in 2011. I've wandered it alone, with my family, and with my good friend Kelly (and lovely photographer in her own right) many a time. But this will be the first year I attempt to let it reveal it's stories while I shoot... to see what the end result may be when I put them all together.

Frequent a favorite location with your cameras folks. You'll never run out of photo opportunities. Trust me.

Thanks for the ramble, and have an awesome day! And if you'd do me the honor, please click on the voting badge from Circle of Moms for me? Only 7 more days for me to try to stay in the TOP 25 Photog Moms! For those who have diligently voting, a huge thank you!

Repeat Performances ~ WideAngle Wednesday!

"Aging Gracefully"

(1/200 sec.@ F/9, ISO 160, 20mm fl, 18-55mm kit zoom, bright hazy light)

I've spent a lot of time photographing this public park. I won't lie. I've been photographing Gage Park for over 5 years. And I keep returning. You'd think I'd have covered it all by now. But things keep changing, growing, dying off, weathering more storms etc... and the challenge of seeing something new in such a familiar place is one practice I continue, it makes me a more observant and creative photographer.

The apple tree above is a perfect example. I've always shot the flowering trees lining the rose beds from a vantage point that shows their color. They're the epitome of spring for me. But this year the weather had delayed their blooming and now they're already dropping petals and color in the harsh sun and strong breezes we're suddenly getting in Ontario. The display did not last long. Knowing I needed a new approach anyway, I started to focus on the trees themselves. Twisted trunks with withered bark, gangly limbs that spread out low, looking at least 100 years old and very wise.

I began to drop down low, shooting wide and upwards using my wide angle to accentuate the spread of the old trees. My point of view gave me a different perspective on why their so interesting, so full of character. And they transform into a scene that could be out in some old orchard instead of a park in the heart of the city.

All this took in editing was the Nik Efx plugin called brilliance/warmth and a slight adjustment in curves to bring out darker details on the trunk which the bright sun light was washing out a bit as it got too high in the sky.

I believe I'll return to this same spot at sunset and see what the light coming from the opposite side does.

The more you revisit a spot, the better you can envision what might be aesthetically interesting. And the more you use a particular lens, the better you'll know what it's best features are for what you're shooting. Repeats and revisits are never a waste.

Thanks for the ramble ladies and gents! Have a great day... and put that camera in your hand!

The Power of Shape ~ Wide Angle Wednesday!

"Stratosphere"

Reading primarily about the building blocks of a composition right now. More specifically, how the combination of light and shape determine how an image feels. And perhaps even more importantly, how to stop giving labels to the subjects around us and instead photograph them as abstract forms.

The great Freeman Patterson likens it to going back to having the mind of a child. In other words, dust off those imaginations!!! You have to stop seeing a thing as it's label, and begin to look through the lens as an explorer.

In design, primary shapes are powerful, and represent structure, rules, and indestructibility and order. Primary shapes get your attention! These would be any subject that resembles a circle, square, or triangle. They really get your attention when one shape is the theme throughout. Look at the image I posted for you today. When you look at it, do you only see a hydro tower? Or are you seeing the myriad of triangles? In fact, the entire composition of smaller triangles when looked at as a whole, is one giant triangle or pyramid... do you see it?

Having difficulty finding things to aim your camera at? Turn off your analytical brain and start seeing things in a different context. The context of shape.

Thanks for the ramble today... I dare you to head out later with the camera and find some cool shapes to explore!

Big Big Skies ~ WideAngle Wednesday!

"Swept Away"

(1/320 sec.@ F/8, ISO 160, 18mm fl, pattern metering, handheld, overcast evening light)

Braving the elements. That's what it takes to get skies like this. At least, that's what I kept telling my husband as we wobbled around on top of some sand dunes in some chilly, blustery weather a couple evenings ago. He was not impressed, especially when wet sand kept crunching about inside his work boots. But I knew the skies wouldn't wait, so as soon as he was in the door from work we flew right back out it with my kit bag and some rain coats, sweaters, and gloves, and drove like mad over to the beach. As a thank you I made him a very nice supper afterwards... but oh the things we do for the people we love that love cameras. Right dear?

It was overcast enough that when the light did anything at all, it was only for a few seconds. Then it would change or disappear. I thought my hand was going to be permanently frozen to my camera. And the sound of my hubby's teeth chattering was scaring off gulls from the next beach over. And wow were those clouds moving along. 40km/h wind conditions (minimum) meant a) the sky felt like it was flying past you pulled along by some massive unseen hand and b) there was no way I was using a tripod, even weighed down with a bag of sand, that puppy was just as blown about as we were.

But you know what, I was happy as a clam. Like the gull hovering in my photo. The gulls would hang in the air, facing into the wind, delighted to swoop once in a while and get swept away. And for a moment the light became nice and warm. And I was ready.

I may post some other shots from this outing, but the light is more stormy and green, very cold looking. I'll have to play with them to see if I can enhance the greens a little, make sure they really will look menacing. The image above only needed the contrast and saturation levels adjusted in Corel, and the Nik Color Efex Graduated Blue Filter applied last to emphasize how dark the clouds overhead were.

My husband mentioned how nice it would be if one of these days I could find a nice still pond to photograph, preferably one located beside a coffee shop or a Home Depot. Next stop: google maps!

Have a very non-blustery day if you can folks, and thanks for the ramble!

Night Lights ~ Wide Angle Wednesday

"Marina Magic"

(4 sec.@ F/8, ISO 100, 18mm fl, tripod, remote shutter, late dusk)

I love evening strolls. It's where I decompress, and become reflective. When the weather's just right, I like to come down to the bay front with the hubby or a friend... sometimes I have to make sure I don't have my camera. I know, can't believe I said that either. But it's true. If I have it with me, I can't always relax and walk, I'm so busy seeing shots that I can't pass up. But then sometimes if I don't have it I can't relax, cause I see all the things I should be getting if I only had the camera. Must it be so complex? 

This was taken on a true photo night, when my photo rambling partner Kelly and I set aside time to ramble and shoot the bay at sunset. And it's the best of both worlds... I relax AND get cool night shots.

The more I photograph at night, the more I'm learning about the capabilities of my camera actually. Anyone who knows me knows I'm more concerned with composition, lines, and design than calculating hyper-focal distance off the top of my noggin. But I also know that in order to effectively portray those elements I also need to understand how best to use my gear.

I've discovered I learn about my camera best at night. I take for granted how to photograph daytime scenes in most cases. In ideal lighting, I can anticipate how little the camera will need to work to get a shot. I know how to meter, adjust, shoot and feel confident I got it. But for the image above, it makes me take my time. I begin to understand how aperture affects the lighting, creating blazing flares or star burst effects. How no matter how low my ISO is dialed down, if my exposure is unnecessarily long, I'll get more noise or less detail, so finding the right shutter speed is a precarious balancing act. And for years I had no idea I needed to turn off the one feature that is supposed to help with camera shake or any movement if the camera is on a tripod... the Vibration Reduction feature on long lenses. Simply because it'll want to fight against what's anchoring it. It's meant to give you better control handholding. And not for anchored exposures.

The image above just seemed quiet and a bit romantic. The type of setting I like to stroll through. I made sure I kept the winking lights warm to complement the deep blue. And the extra sky gives a feeling of vast open space surrounding the marina.

For some excellent night photography tips I'd check this out once you're done reading today's post. I know I'll be getting to know my camera better all this year.. out in the dark. Relaxing AND doing what I love.

Thanks for the ramble folks, and have a good one!