A Little Black and White Love in the middle Autumn colors....

Haunted Dreams

It has been so long since I have grabbed my camera with the intention of creating anything remotely artistic. I lacked inspiration, motivation or even basic discipline to GOYAS.

I have actually been on a vacation of sorts for the last few weeks. I have spent my time recovering from a wild six months of constant going. I ended up getting sick during this vacation, a cold or two, but have truly enjoyed the down time. So much so that I decided to join my photography group out in the field for a shooting event.

The air was brisk. The mist hung low. The colors set afire. The light of the sun kissed the yellow and orange leaves giving them a sensual radiant glow against the backdrop of the dark evergreens, firs and pines in the area.

So what did I do? I chose to ignore the color at first and focused on shape and form. I focused on the light and shadow. I focused on motion and lines. Well that was at first.

Reflections Along the Line

Once I got my abstract black and white completed I turned my focus to the color at hand.

The combination of the rising sun, morning fog, autumn colors and a train track, I could help myself but to bring all those elements together.

In this shot, I saw the trees reflecting on the cold, hard steel creating a line within a line, both leading to a vanishing point.

I chose the off-kilter composition because the line of the track moves center through the frame to the vanishing point in the upper rule of thirds marker which was important for what I was trying to accomplish.

Finally I threw some post processing filters on to soften the image a bit and give the sense of peace, calm and serenity to the scene, like bundling up next to a cozy fire.

Vacant Seasons

Finally, because it is the season of the witch, I used a couple of props on the tracks to capture the season that is Halloween. Using the masks and the fall colors allowed me to combine the feel of black and white along with color photography to make a stark contrast between the the subjects and the backdrop.

The season is always so short, but beautiful. It feels good to get out and enjoy photography again with my friends.

Free Texture Friday - Forest Trees Abstract

This week's free texture is flaming light abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

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




Download the full res image here.

Free Texture Friday - Flaming Light Abtract

This week's free texture is flaming 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.

Free Texture Friday - Fall Leaf Abstract

This week's free texture is fall leaf abstract pattern.

You can download the full-res version below.

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




Download the full res image here.

Autumn Orchard

The final fall images of the year are in the bag so to speak. I have been working on a themed result this year in the hopes to put together a show for this winter.

So now I am entering the phase of selecting choice images to include in the show. This will likely take me some time as I am brutal in my selection process.

Stay tuned, in the coming months I will be announcing the where and when of the coming show.

Fall Upon Us

Fall Photography

Brilliance

 Fall is upon us. Rain, gray skies and a plethora of yellows, oranges and red.

The above image is a 6 image panorama of the slough, shot in five exposures per frame of the panorama to create a HDR image of stunning visual representation of the scene.

Contrary to popular belief, fall includes some beautiful flowers as well as leaves. All you have to do is look around to find them.

A few weeks ago I hosted a fall color shoot for a photography group I belong to. Minto-Brown Park, along the Willamette River is a gorgeous location for finding beautiful color and interesting patterns. With 800 acres carved with a variety of trails, it is an endless choice of beauty.


Beauty in fall can be found in the littlest of subjects.

Inner Beauty

Softness

Isolation

Watercolor from a Camera

Fall also allows an opportunity to abstract in vibrant colors. Oranges on the ground, yellows and greens in the trees paint a beautiful backdrop for the two ladies walking down the path in the image on the right.

By shifting my camera vertically, I was able to make a watercolor like painting out of the photo. This photo has had no Photoshop, it is out of camera with a little Lightroom work to compensate for camera raw.

I was particularly struck by the detail that is not only lacking due to movement, but that is apparently in spite of the movement of the camera.

I have said it before and I say it here now;

Get that camera off the tripod and create some art.

Adrift

Solitude

Structure

Take the time to look for beauty in the world and you will find it.