Nature Light Photo

Why Photography?

I look at photography as a means of expressing the world as I see it. I like to see an image in my mind and know that I know how to capture it in camera. Or at least know that I can and that the challenge is to figure out how to do so. I think that a photograph is just a moment in time, frozen for others to hold it and view it at their own pace.

Photography is like model building, slow motion video, and maps. It allows people to view the world in a way that they can’t in real life. To be able to pick up a model of a cell or the space shuttle is something that we can’t do normally. To watch a balloon burst in slow motion and see the latex tear while holding it’s shape can’t be done with the naked eye. And to be able to see the relationship between the location of your home and place of work with all of the different streets, parks, and other landmarks nearby isn’t something you can do while walking down the street.

Photography is the same thing. It freezes that moment in time and allows you to hold it in your hand, allowing you to take the time to fully examine it at your leisure. It freezes a waterfall to the point that you can study the individual drops of water or take that same waterfall and allow you to see how the water the flows in a silky blur.

A photograph can make you laugh. It can make you cry. It can make you hate. Or it can make you care about something you didn’t know about. People say that video is the future. I don’t think so. You can’t hold a video, you can’t put it on the wall and make it part of your life. You can only do that with a photograph.

A painting or drawing brings into play the “interpretation” of the artist. Something can be added or taken out of the scene. Or the scene can me completely made up. Ok, you can change a photograph in Photoshop or manipulate it in some other way, but the bottom line is that  it captures what is in front of the camera at that time.

I am not trying to take anything away from video or any other form of art, but to me photography is truth. It shows the world. The world at that one moment in time.

That is why I don’t like over manipulating an image. Yes, I sometimes remove a post or a piece of trash and that probably makes me seem like a hypocrite. I didn’t say that I objected to the artist’s manipulation, but I think it should be overwhelmingly truthful in it’s presentation of the scene. Not to the point of journalism, which MUST, by nature of honesty in reporting, not have any photomanipulation in them at all. But I try to capture what I see when I press the shutter button.

When I see the scene, I don’t see the trash or the pole, thus I can take them out of the final image without feeling like I have betrayed the purpose of taking the photo in the first place.

This is not a judgment on other people’s works, but an explanation as to what I like to see in my work and what I look for in other images. I know art and every other creative process is subjectively different to every individual, but art is supposed to make you think and even be controversial, therefore, those are my thoughts.

iPhone Photo #7

Shadow of a fan. I liked the texture of the ceiling and contrast and shape of the shadows.

iPhone Photo #6

Ok, I’ve been away for a while. It’s not easy developing a habit.

I hope this is the start of a more solid habit.

I saw this outside a health clinic. The peace sign caught my eye. Yes, it’s a surgical glove, but it was on the ground in an interesting pattern. And as I look at it, I see a bunny rabbit more and more.

I think you have to be able to see patterns like this.

Ansel Adams I’m Not

During my recent trip up highway 395 in the middle of August, I stopped at the Manzanar relocation camp. I have stopped here before and after my first visit, I looked into different photographers takes on the camp. I was  surprised to find that Ansel Adams had spent considerable time there and took one of his more well known images there.

The cemetery monument. Here is his image from the Library of Congress.

Ansel Adams' Cemetery Monument at Manzanar

When I went back this time, I remembered his image and tried to capture the same type of thing. It wasn’t an attempt to copy his work, more like an exercise in seeing like a master. It took me some time to get the camera angle and the clouds in a position that I liked, but it was fun and challenging to do so.

Here is my image.

There are differences between Adams’ image and mine. (Other than the obvious that mine will probably never be considered an iconic image or be in the Library of Congress.)

His is black and white. Mine is color. I don’t see in B&W and prefer color for my images. I used a different angle than he did and my sky has clouds and his doesn’t. I’m not sure that I like the empty sky in Adam’s image.

Also, the trees that were there in the background when Adams made his image are very different and I didn’t use them in my image because I wanted to include the clouds in the sky. And he actually made a great print in the harsh mid-day sun. I can’t do that to save my life, at least not yet.

I think it is important to try to emulate the masters, it is a great exercise in seeing different images and techniques in capturing what you see. The exercise is good because you can compare your final images to those that are universally accepted as being good.

My result? All-in-all, I think I did a good job. I’d really appreciate your feedback.

My Cards Arrived!

They’re here!! My mini-business cards from Moo.com. No two are alike on the front and each of them is VERY colorful. The back is simple and gives my websites. I think it’ll be a good addition to some of the networking events I plan to attend.

I like the fact that are unique and get attention from those that I have shown so far. If you are looking for inexpensive, unique cards, I suggest you check out Moo.com. At under $20, they are a great deal. For an extra $7, you can get the felt card holder.

iPhone Photo #5

Three doors. It’s kind of a window in a window thing. Our school has really long hallways and an interesting indoor/outdoor design.

iPhone Photo #4

Sandals. The two different feet with the same sandals on them was interesting. She wouldn’t let me take a picture of her right foot.

iPhone Photo #3

Sitting at my desk, looked down, and saw this. I liked the lines.

iPhone Photo #2

I liked the window effect with the clouds in the background.

iPhone Photo #1

This is my first upload on my daily challenge. Again, this was ALL done with just my iPhone. Taken, enhanced, and uploaded. The only thing I do from a computer is add the tags/categories.

I saw the patterns of the table top and the shadow and liked it. Plus the blue against the grey is nice.