The Winter Landscape

Thatcher Park.  Our winter snow storm!!  Up and excited early this AM, I went to the Helderbergs where there is usually more snow and great winter landscape potential.  I used my Maxxum 7D with a Tamron 11-18 lens, ISO 200.  f8 and 1/125 second for most shots.  I fine tuned the white balance in iPhoto and with the second image I did a little "dodging and burning" using the blend modes, Screen and Multiply.  Enjoy, Jeff

 

Thatcher Park

Thatcher Park

 

Photojournalism

There is Occupy Wall Street and then there is Occupy Albany, a smaller version. Here in Academy Park was a mix of young activists, socialists and various folks discontented with things as they see them. Take from the rich and give to the poor.

I used my Maxxum 7D with a Tamron 11-18 lens on P mode, ISO 400. Interesting time! Enjoy, Jeff

Photojournalism

I liked the opposition of this protestor and the police car.

Photojournalism

There were food and clothing stations at the protest. I was impressed with the friendliness and peaceful intent of the participants.

Photojournalism

Pitched tents, families and little kids are involved in the protest.

Photojournalism

A Vietnam veteran who opposes the Occupy movement as anti-American argues with two police officers. He wants them to clear the park of the protestors.

Western Digital Washington Square, NYC Photowalk and Model Shoot

I was very fortunate to be one of the eight photographers selected to participate in a teaching Photowalk with Bruce Dorn. (Google him and you will see how famous he is!!)

Western Digital, Lexar and Lowepro sponsored the contest. We met in Washington Square yesterday and spent 3 hours learning from Bruce and photographing this beautiful model, Rebecca Leigh West ( Google her too!). Bruce went over the basics of exposure, depth of field, ISO, shutter speed and was with us setting up shots in pre-picked locations in the park. He reviewed and used reflectors and how to use them, best lenses for different types of environmental portraits, depending on the background and effect desired. We each had 15 minutes one on one with the model. Bruce was there and really shared a lot of knowledge with me, when my turn came. For this image, I used my Maxxum 7D with a Minolta 2.8 50 mm macro lens.

After the shoot we went over to Amity Hall, a nice pub for some good food, beer and swapping photo stories.

Despite my 40 years of serious photography. I learned a lot. Much thanks to this lovely model, Rebeccca. She was a professional, very patient and knew how to pose in any light. Enjoy the following images. Jeff

Rebecca West

In this image a warming reflector off to the side filled in the shadows a bit. Note the hair-light created by the low sun. Bruce chose this location for that effect. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 100, f3.5.

Rebecca West

A colr shot edited to create a slightly bleached high fashion look. I used Iris Photo Suite and then Snapseed. Shallow depth of field was created by shooting at 70mm with an f-stop of 3.5.

Rebecca West

Bruce picked out this location, noting the benches curving out to the left. The light pole creates balance and anchors the frame. Another monochrome conversion gave a nice appearance. Like the image below, I used Simply Black and White, an App that allows you to see the effect of filters on a monochrome image, as if you were placing colored filters on your lens of a film camera, shooting in Black and White. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 400, f3.5.

Rebecca West

Here Bruce suggested using the iron fence and columns on the left and the vanishing sidewalk as a good spot to pose Rebecca. Since she was wearing a black coat and I felt a monochrome conversion would be best. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D DSLR, Sigma 28-70 lens. ISO 400, f3.5.

Fall and sunlight glare

Sometimes light glare can enhance the mood of a photo. I think this is the case here. Lens spots from the low sun add to the warmth and color of this Fall image. A mood is created that makes me long for apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts!! Enjoy, Jeff

Simple Treasures

Just going for a Photowalk can yield satisfying results. There at dusk on west Commercial St. in Provincetown was this little cottage tucked away between two condos. I was struck by its symmetry and Americana. Shot with iPhone 4 and edited in PS Express and Photoforge. Enjoy, Jeff

Mystical Passage

I am intrigued by these little dark paths that present themselves to us. They represent mystery and the potential for newness. Would you take this one?

Enjoy, Jeff

Digital Painting

Using Artists Touch software on my iPad, I am finding that changing a photo into a painted image (digitally ) is very satisfying. Artists Touch is great for the iPad and allows a myriad combination of brushes, opacity, tints or the colors of the photo to create your work. It is soothing. Enjoy, Jeff

Fall leaves with iPhone4

Ordinary red maple leaves outside of my office shot today. The original image was a traditional nice shot Of course I wanted something that felt different and that is where Snapseed came in. This terrific editing and effects App really shines to create a more abstract image. Enjoy, Jeff

Painting Photographs

Turning photographs into a more abstract form has lately intrigued me. I use my iPhone at time of capture and then creative apps after to achieve that effect. I have been searching for a painting app for my iPad and thought this one, Artists Touch would be a good try. This was a photo of some fall trees near Lake Placid shot with a DSLR and the rendered painterly in Artists Touch on my iPad. I will tell you, it is great fun and very satisfying. Enjoy, Jeff

The Focused Portrait

In this photo, using my Maxxum 7D DSLR, I focused on the young woman and slightly de-focused on the gentleman by choosing a more open f-stop on my 50mm Minolta lens. I used f 3.5. This technique is called selective focus. Use this to emphasize the main or important part of the image. Otherwise visual competition diminishes the interest of the image. Enjoy, Jeff

The Edited Portrait

This is Jean, a nice lady in Northern Vermont that tired of me bugging her for a portrait. I found her sitting on her porch, struck up a conversation and with her permission shot her while chatting. After a while she said something like " okay bud, that's enough".

I wanted to try Snapseed with it's various filters and found it a good editing program for what I was trying to create. My goal was to edit the image reflecting her mood at this time, the old porch and setting. Taking an environmental portrait can be enhanced by the "developing" process. Enjoy, Jeff