The Light Makes the Image

Elevated Walkway Over the Pond

I thought this scene attractive because of the light reflected on the ice.  The surface of the ice had a soft patina on it enhancing the reflection.  I think that the two major colors are complementary, also.  For me, the light makes the difference between boring and interesting.

http://www.larrysimages.com/



Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 


Feed 


If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Graphic Elements More Important than Color

Thin Ice 1740_02_04

Thin Ice 1740_12_16

These images were captured in RAW as almost all of mine are.  The interest for me was the patterns in the thin ice.  The light direction caused the interesting patterns to stand out, but it also showed things below the surface which detracted.  I later decided that a B&W rendition might be more effective so I made the conversion using a B&W adjustment layer in Photoshop.  I like this means of making the conversion because it gives me lots of control.  I think of shooting B&W in the the days of film.  I never achieved the technical ability to use colored filters on B&W film but I was aware that accomplished photographers did it.  I was able to eliminate some of the distracting elements from view with this adjustment.

 

 

Thin Ice 1740_02_04

Thin Ice 1740_12_16

I think these images have more impact as B&W.  What do you think?

http://www.larrysimages.com/


Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 

Feed 


If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Thick Ice

Think Ice

This shot is captured from the elevated walkway over the pond.  The camera is resting against the rail and hand held.  The white dots are air bubbles encased in the ice.  As I look, I can see that they are at differing levels in the ice.  I can see the thickness of the ice by viewing them.  

I am always concerned about sharpness.  It is the first thing at which I look and this one almost did not make the first cut.  The large bubble in the upper right was sharp the the large one in the lower left was not.  I almost threw it out but I could not understand why it was not sharp.  The sensor of the camera was very nearly parallel to the surface of the ice.  It was held still, otherwise none of the bubbles would be sharp.  I used f/16 which should provide more than enough DOF, depth-of-field.  

I went back the next day to take another look.  The warm temperatures had caused melting and some the air bubbles were gone.  I did realize, as I viewed the scene, that the bubble in the lower left was deeper in the ice and looked out of focus because of that.  I came home and saved the image.  Ascetically, I think that the image would be stronger if both the large bubbles were sharp but that condition did not exist in nature.  What do you think?

http://www.larrysimages.com/


Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 


Feed 

If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Fence Row?

Fence Row

I was hiking through a part of the nature center less familiar to me the other day.  I noticed this line of trees.  You have to be standing nearly into it to see that it is a line.  I was aware that there were some trees in a straight line next to the trail.  I was not aware of how far this line extended.  I turned the camera the other way, 180 degrees, and noticed that it extended in that direction also.

Fence Row

The thing that started my thinking about this was what appeared to be a fence post at one point with a pink flag on it.  I am unaware of any other posts.  The trees are located in an irregular fashion within the line so you don't notice a pattern until you are "in" the line.  This must say something about how we perceive things.

http://www.larrysimages.com/



Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 

Feed 


If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Intimate Landscape

Pond Grasses

I have been thinking of this as an intimate landscape.  It has near range, medium range, and far range subjects.  I am sure that you will notice the defect immediately.  If you do, please tell me and receive a prize in the mail, if you are the first to respond.

It leads my eye out from the shore, through the gap and to the bright sunlight on the other side.  It is such a quick move that I must then come back and examine the ice in the little "bay" just off shore.

http://www.larrysimages.com/


Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 

Feed 


If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Writing with Light

White False Indigo

I have been loving the ice on the pond at Gorman.  Without snow, we can actually see the ice.  The "finish" on the ice has a sheen.  It is reflective though not strongly so.  I have been calling it a "patina."  That feeling motivated me to make this shot.  I arrived there after sunrise.

The next shot with the same plant was created on a cloudy day.  It has a much darker feeling but still shows the patina.  

White False Indigo

This shot works alright but the feeling for me is way different.  My eye likes the leading line of the shore and follows it down to the other end of the pond.  I see the patina on the ice but it definitely lacks the feeling I get in the next one.  This one feels dark to me.  Not exceptionally dark but dark non-the-less.

White False Indigo

This one makes my heart sing.  The sun was still behind the trees on the right and there where clouds in the sky directly across from pond.  They make an interesting reflection on the patina of the ice.  I like this one the best of all of these.  What do think?

http://www.larrysimages.com/



Follow Larry's Images on Facebook. 


Feed 


If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Deformed Rocks for the Decorator

Deformed Rock

This is the other side of the rock I showed you yesterday.  I found myself thinking, "I wonder what Carol would think of this?"  I decided that she would not like the yellow for decorating.  I decided to try an experiment.  It seems that some folks really like a shade of blue for their decorating.  I started thinking out of the box and made some drastic color changes.  

Blue Deformed Rock

I added two color adjustment layers in Photoshop to the first image at the top.  I moved all three sliders toward cyan, green and blue for highlights, mid-tones, and shadows.  I liked the result except for the lower left corner which contained too much yellow.  I added the second layer and made even more drastic adjustments as I watched that lower left portion.  I then masked off the drastic adjustments except for the lower left area.  

I made a 4x6 print and put it on the coffee table without saying anything.  I know in the first few seconds whether Carol likes something.  She does too.  She said that she wanted a large print of it.  I was feeling deceptive at first and eventually started to tell her what I had done.  I decided that if she still wanted the print after I told her, I would make it for her.  She did not seem bothered by the info, but I am not sure she understood what I was saying.  I will catch her in a moment when I have her attention and tell and show her.  I think that I will ask her to help me make those adjustments.  (I did not keep the adjustments after I made the 4x6 so I must redo it with her help.) 

I remember telling you that I have a poor color memory, but in this case I nailed it.  She liked it immediately.

http://www.larrysimages.com/


Follow Larry's Images on Facebook 

. 
Feed 

If you wish to unsubscribe, email to larry@larrysimages.com with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.