Week 8 - 2017 in Photographs

Day 50

 The week began with still life studies in black and white. Then driving back through the Moreno Valley I sighted the elk beside Eagle Nest lake.

Day 51

I am not a wildlife photographer. I leave that to National Geographic and photographers willing to sit in blinds and wait. I am a landscape photographer who sees the wildlife as belonging to the landscape. I have taken lots of pictures of elk but these 400 were in such a beautiful place to be photographed. 

Day 52

Day 53

Day 54

Day 55

Day 56

Variations on a Theme - Creative Process Blog

Rose Bud

I was a film photographer. It was not until college and Photography 101 and 102 which had access to a darkroom that I understood I could have control of my image beyond how I framed the image in the view finder of my camera.

Digital photography and the photo editing programs on computers allowed freedom to shape your image. And it also raised digital imaging up to an art form. But I am also enthralled with digital photography because it doesn't cost money every click you make.  Snap away to your heart's content. I was drawn to the rose against the icy green house window. And I took maybe a dozen pictures of it. Ultimately I like horizontal more because of the light through the leaves and the drops of water I added while misting the plants. But the vertical has the reflection of the rose.

Such details like ice and water drops often show up better in black and white so that was an immediate option I entertained on my computer.

But I also like to try reduced saturation, as in the variation below. It gives the image an antique feel.

Plumera fronds

With this image a crop was necessary first. The zoom lens did not cut out everything I did not want in the photograph. The light through the arrangement of leaves reminded me of an abstract painting and so I tried a more extreme filter.

But the lines and detail look great in black and white too.

Then there is my Butterfly Amaryllis which bloomed again.

The Vertical image in color and then black and white and a radical crop.

Then the horizontal image in color and black and white.

Two flowers and fronds. And the variations you take can change the impact of the image.

Week Seven - 2018 in Photographs

Day 43

 Not dawn but the reflection of the setting sun on clouds to the east.  A variation of always look behind you in photography. The sunset was not that spectacular. 

Day 44

 I usually do not include pet photographs in my weekly roll of pictures but Thicke is one of my favorite subjects and sometimes he just rocks the role. On this day the sun cooperated with his pose.

Day 45

 Orchids are another favorite subject. They are such a great flower. But this photo also heralds a milestone for me. Not only can I make my orchids live beyond the blooms I bought them for but I have assisted them in blooming again. There are 23 buds on this flower spike. This is just bloom one. Stay tuned for the day the whole spray is in flower.

Day 46

I consider myself a landscape photographer but I also enjoy doing architectural and interior photographs. Day 46 is also a photograph of a reflection. I photo edited it to accent the interior which is the focus of the picture.

Day 47

I slipped a photograph of a texture in. But my favorite photo of the week was of this slice of moon in a predawn sky.

Day 48

Day 49

And the sundog in the snow was memorable.

A Day With My Camera

Dawn

The camera is a constant companion even if I am not going on a specific photographic event or trek. So I thought I might be nice to just highlight a portion of the photos I take in an ordinary day.

Dawn, of course, gets chronicled if there are clouds. And two photos taken just a minute or two apart can be quite different. Or if I am the lens toward the southeast or south.

Dawn a bit later

Later the camera came with me to feed some wild turkeys for a friend. I am usually rather unsatisfied with turkeys. Their feathers are designed to conceal them in the woods so they don't stand out except against snow. But I am always trying.

I am always interested in architectural details or pieces of decorative art. Chance still lifes if you will. Not all of them turn out. But you never know until you try. And the advantage of digital is you have not wasted film.

 In the dull months of winter green houses I take care of are a great escape. Bananas are a delight to photograph on so many levels. I think the patterns and shapes are more evident in the black and white. But the shades of green are hard to pass up.

Bananas

And then there was this casual recording of the snow from the day before. Proof I can take one picture and set the camera down. Usually in the studio where I concentrate on drawing or painting.

Week Six - 2018 in Photographs

Day 36

 Just before I came down with the cold from Hell I had a short course in registering people to vote in Raton, New Mexico. We were early and the weather was spring like so we walked around the neighborhood and found a place which seemed to abound in old cars. I had not brought the big camera. These are all taken with my Nikon Coolpix which lives in my purse.

Day 37

 While working as a background actor on the Longmire production in Las Vegas I came to the conclusion I needed a pocket camera. It is 16mp and fits in pocket or purse. I bought a little hard case for it when my sister and I went to the Nickelback concert. It protects it and also gives me space to put in ID and folding money. And as you can see with my photos of cars it does a decent job. My learning curve is to get used to the display as opposed to a view finder.

Day 38

Day 39

 The white vehicle was all finished and in the show room so I had to photograph it through the window which resulted in some interesting reflections and a selfie of me and my purse camera.

Day 40

 I have wrapped the week with flowers in my studio.

Day 41

Day 42