Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Free Wallpaper Wednesday - Black and White Branch Cluster

Download Standard 4x3

Download Widescreen 1600x900
This week's free Wallpaper is a stark black and white of a series of branches. There are two versions offered, one is a standard 4x3 for monitors (800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024) and the other is for 16x9 widescreen monitors (1600x900).

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

From the dark alleys to the neon signs

Urban Textures

Back Door
A month ago I hosted a downtown alley shoot for the photography group I belong to. These shoots always prove to be very popular and very demanding as there is a lot to see, shoot and take in in just two hours.

One of the things I try to do at each of shoots I host is provide some context of what there is to shoot. In this case, a night shoot, in high contrast lighting with bright lights and deep dark shadows, the photographers focus has to shift from what they might shoot during broad daylight.

Focus on the shadows and the lights. Focus on the patterns. Focus on the abstract. Focus on the seedier side of the world.




Zooming In
 In addition to guiding the group of nineteen photographers through the dark, shadowy alleys of Salem, I also gave a brief tutorial on zooming in during an exposure.

In the example on the right, my zoom was limited, 17mm - 50mm, so the effect was limited.

With a lens that had more zoom, like 24mm - 70mm or 24mm - 200mm, the effect is much more dramatic.

Start with the lens at one end of zoom or the other. Start your six second exposure, wait one second, slowly zoom to the other end of the zoom, leaving about one second of exposure remaining. Give it a try some time.

Abstracting
It is always a shame when a photographer leaves a tripod home.

What is more of shame is when the photographer remembers the tripod, but leaves the camera mount for the tripod head at home.

So what does a photographer do when that happens?

Make some abstract art, like the shot on the left.

When was the last time you headed out in the dark. The shadows can be fun.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Free Texture Friday - Multi-Colored Abstract 2



This week's free texture is a multi-colored abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

This photograph was captured in Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem, Oregon.




Download the full res image here.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Free Wallpaper Wednesday - Black and White Abstract Icy Branch

Download Standard 4x3
This week's free Wallpaper is a stark black and white abstract icy branch. There are two versions offered, one is a standard 4x3 for monitors (800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024) and the other is for 16x9 widescreen monitors (1600x900).
Download Widescreen 1600x900

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A Road Trip with My Wife




Diptych 1
Diptych 2
My wife got me out of the house to go "fog chasing" as she called it.
 
Future Ice Wine

Wind Turbine
We found a huge wind turbine on a farm out in the middle of nowhere. To be honest, I don't think I could find this thing again, but here in the middle of the foggy landscape, where visibility is less than ¼ of a mile, we stumble across this giant monster vanishing into the sky.




Winter Oak

Windswept Frost

Hidden Cemetery Outside Sublimity

A day of fog chasing proved to be very rewarding and my wife had a nice bonding time just cruising with very little to actually see as a result of the fog, but what we did see was stunning. Thanks for getting my ass out of the house sweetie.


Friday, February 15, 2013

Free Texture Friday - Multi-Colored Abstract


This week's free texture is a multi-colored abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

This photograph was captured in Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem, Oregon.




Download the full res image here.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Free Wallpaper Wednesday - Frozen Wheat Stalk

Download Standard 4x3
This week's free Wallpaper is a stark black and white of a frozen wheat stalk. There are two versions offered, one is a standard 4x3 for monitors (800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024) and the other is for 16x9 widescreen monitors (1600x900).
Download Standard 16x9

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Modern Therapy

Grass Patterns
Getting out with another photographer is so rewarding. Being able to just go for a walk in the woods, talk a little shop mixed with some conversation about work, family, goals, dreams, etc. is refreshing; it is energizing creatively and spiritually.

Forest Path
The image on the left makes the hike appear very secluded, which it actually isn't, but it appears to be.

On a cold, dark, foggy day a hour before sunset the path through the woods appears remote, secluded and even a little threatening.

The hike was anything but threatening. It was a relaxing, welcome relief from the stress I was going through at the time.

Due to some personal conflicts with my job, I made the choice over my Christmas vacation to apply for a new position at a different agency. I interviewed, was offered and accepted the new position.

All the time during the interview process my stress at work grew to the point that I was losing sleep and experiencing physical symptoms of stress, only getting only a couple of hours of sleep each night. I wasn't creating anything of real value. Two days after I gave my notice to my employer, Nathan called me up and invited me out for a couple of hours to shoot.

Frosted
Hovering











Nathan Smith
Above is a shot of Nathan Smith of PhotoNate.com as he gets his shot. I got to spend a couple of hours with him just meandering through the woods and various fields of Minto-Brown Island Park.

Thin Layers

A three mile hike through the woods is a great way to clear your head of all of the shit that life can toss at you. Work, bills, family, responsibilities... all of these can make life difficult if you don't find a balance. After my afternoon in the woods, I slept better than night than I had in months.

Seven
My headache eased up for the first time in months. My creative juices are flowing stronger than ever.

Thanks N8 for getting me out of the house and just chatting with me as we walked through the cold landscape of Minto-Brown.

If you are ever having a rough go, like we all do from time to time, grab a friend and your camera and disappear into the woods for a couple of hours. Even if you don't grab your camera, you might be surprised how much therapy you can get without paying $250 an hour. Friends can provide an ear that money simply can't buy.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Free Texture Friday - Blue on Green


This week's free texture is a dark wavy light abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

This photograph was captured in Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem, Oregon.




Download the full res image here.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Free Wallpaper Wednesday - Frozen Vinyard

Download Widescreen 1600x900
 This week's free Wallpaper is a stark black and white of a frozen vineyard. There are two versions offered, one is a standard 4x3 for monitors (800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024) and the other is for 16x9 widescreen monitors (1600x900).
Download Standard 4x3

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Winter Wonderland

Triptych 

Restrictions
We have been blessed for the last two week of being stuck in a temperature inversion. What is a temperature inversion? I do not know exactly except that there is a high pressure system hovering above us.

I do know what this means, fog. Lots of wintry cold and fog is what temperature is to a photographer.

Things have been a little crazy for me since about November and I haven't been able to get out much. But now that I have things in my personal life straightened out I have the energy and desire to get out and shoot and the timing has been perfect. The fog creates a mood that can't be recreated and the cold adds a weight to the air that can't be mistaken.  Using black and white conversions are truly perfect for winter-like scenes.
Orchard
I hope you have enjoyed the series. More will be coming in the coming weeks.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Free Texture Friday - Dark Wavy Light Abtract


This week's free texture is dark wavy light abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

This photograph was captured in my own backyard in Salem, Oregon.




Download the full res image here.