Ideas and Imagery #44

How many visits to the same spot does it take to distill a shot from something that doesn't quite work to something that far exceeds your expectations?  In my case with this location, at least 20.

I have in my library the 20+ shots to prove that it pays to be persistent.  So what was the difference this time you might ask.  The difference was shifting the focus from the falls to the tree branch.

In all of my previous shots, I tried to make the falls the subject.  When I made the tree the subject, this shot finally fell into place.  It pays to be persistent.

Ideas and Imagery #43

If you continually put yourself in situations that are likely to yield interesting subjects, there is a higher chance that you will be presented with a shot that is truly unique.  Every day I have my camera with me and I curse its weight and bulk.  But shots like these more than justify the effort.

On the day I took this photo I hadn't envisioned this shot, but I was there with my gear searching for a good shot of birds near Willamette Falls.  I haven't seen Herons at the Falls very often, in fact this may have been the first time.

I was tracking one through the sky above and as such I was getting some OK shots with the gray sky as a background.  But when one banked toward the Blue Heron Paper Mill building and logo I began to hope that getting them in proximity might be possible.

I was fully extended at 300mm, so with my ISO at 800 and aperture at f8, I was shooting at 1/640th of a second.  I tracked the heron as he flew toward the sign and fired off some shots that I hoped would be in focus.

I took four shots of this fly by, and while the first and the last were just a bit blurry, this shot and another were great, and I had myself a unique picture that often reminds me to have my camera ready, especially where there are subjects worth capturing.

 

Ideas and Imagery #42

I spent at least an hour before sunrise trying to get a shot of this bridge without cars in it.  I would go to the center of the road, set up my tripod, and as soon as I was halfway through my 15 second long exposure, I would see headlights emerge from the fog.

This can be a frustrating experience when I have a shot in mind, but factors outside of my influence are getting in the way.  The cars were relentless, and for the hour I was there, I felt cheated a bit on this shot.

That all changed when I got home and started to process images.  The light from the car added a level of interest that I don't think the shot would have had otherwise.

I think that the key to my photography is remaining open to possibilities and allowing my vision to be guided by what I am seeing.  Had I stuck to my original plan, this shot minus the headlights would have been all I would have brought home.  However by taking pictures anyway, regardless of if they were a perfect match to my vision or not, I was able to bring home something I think is a bit more enjoyable.

I'm thankful for happy accidents

Ideas and Imagery #41

It's really hard to beat morning light right around sunrise.  It's amazing that the color and intensity of light can change so much throughout the day. Not more than an hour later at this spot it was so sunny and harsh that it would have been impossible to get a softly lit image.

I love how the reflection of the warm light off of the rocks adds a splash of orange to an otherwise limited color display.  The reflected light almost steals the show from the horse, who sneaks into this composition at the convergence of the leading lines of the stream banks.

Ideas and Imagery #40

Leading lines can be a very strong compositional element.  I had passed this location every work day for over a year, and this old "Clipper" had been out on the street 90% of those days.  I struggled to be creative in shooting this car, however I always felt there was a shot there.  I just couldn't find it.

One morning I drove past this great car, but for whatever reason, I also looked at it in the rear view mirror.  The image above is not far from the scene I saw in the rear-view mirror.  After this scene materialized, I pulled my car over and shot some pictures.  I was relieved to finally have found a composition that worked well  with this car.

Ideas and Imagery #39

I love the dramatic feel in this photo.  I intentionally underexposed the image to make the foreground a bit more mysterious and foreboding.  I like the contrast between land and water, and the fog add a soft quality to the photo.  This is a moody shot that has really grown on me.

Ideas and Imagery #38

You may find if you visit my blog over time that I have a bit of a fascination with farming and rural areas in general.  I have spent a great deal of time over the past 12 years working to conserve farmland, and in that time I've gone from not thinking about where my food comes from at all to having a great appreciation for those trying to put good food into the world.

Farming isn't really one of those things you try out part-time to see if you like it.  There has to be a conscious effort to learn and adapt to keep ahead of the weeds, markets, and cost to produce a crop that is worth what it took to grow it.

This was a shot of a tractor taken near Eugene, Oregon in the spring.  It was finally dry enough outside to get some work done.  I hope he is still out there putting food on our tables.

Ideas and Imagery #37

When I take pictures of strangers it's always difficult for me to get over the feeling of prying.  I generally try and take photos in a way that masks identities not only to be less obtrusive, but because it allows the viewer to imagine themselves in the photo you are talking.

Another reason I try and go unnoticed is to try and capture people before they see the camera.  Once they do, any chance at something honest or candid is greatly reduced.  Most people instantly change their demeanor when they are aware of being photographed.

My favorite photos of strangers are those that seem universal or evoke a common feeling or situation.  This photo of a couple on the pier in Seattle made me think of being on a date and quietly enjoying a conversation.  People generally project their own situation on a photo and I can see my wife and I enjoying the last few minutes of a sunset over a hot drink and brisk air in this photo, and it makes me want to go there.

People add so much to photos, but it takes courage to try and include them.  I'm still developing mine.

 

Ideas and Imagery #36

Pressure on pollinators through herbicide use and other factors has threatened a process that is critical to food production.  Pollinators come in many different forms, but the bumblebee might be the most recognizable of them all.  Bumblebees are generally not aggressive and are fun to try and catch a shot of.  This shot was taken at f7.1, 1/1000 sec. at ISO 800.  They move fast, so it's important to have a fast shutter speed.  Next time you see a bumblebee, give it a break and let it do its work.

Ideas and Imagery #35

There are times where the right light can make any subject photo worthy.  For instance this dock in full sunlight from sunrise to late afternoon looks very uninspiring.  However, the golden hour light came in late in the afternoon and brought the dock to life.

There are multiple things going on in this photograph that make it interesting to me.  The reflections in the water are one component that draws my eye to explore in more depth.  The towering piers in the photo add an odd pattern to follow and give the photo some dimension.  There are great lines happening as well.  However none of it would be interesting if there wasn't great light to illuminate the scene.

You might ask how I know that to be the case.  Seeing as I have a few shots of this dock in bad light, I feel comfortable asking you to trust me on that one.