Light and shadow. A never ending dance.
Tag Archives: travel
Back from brief hiatus.
Most of the last couple months has been spent exploring the city. As the weather warms I expect to be down there more and more. The other evening my wife and I were walking to the car past the monuments and the river and I don’t know if it was the evening sun casting long shadows and a warm glow or just the hint of Spring in the air, but we both remarked on what a great little city DC is. Of course we both always felt that way, but sometimes you need to walk down a different street, take a new route at another time of day… change your perspective and you see it all anew.
Friday Photo Tip: Fill Flash
Eastern bluebird. ♂
Don’t be afraid to fish out the flash from your camera bag when shooting in nature. Too often a strobe is used only for lighting up people in dark situations.
Nature should look natural, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enhance it a bit. And that’s what fill flash does. If you want to get those natural colors to really pop and if you want to see a little catch light in the creature’s eye, just throw a little light in there. Makes a world of difference.
I like to expose for the scene and then dial down the flash about a stop and a half. Maybe two stops. Experiment.
Dialing down the flash keeps it from blowing out the scene; keeps it more natural looking.
A male eastern bluebird at the C & O Canal in Maryland.
Disengage
Generation i
I once used my earbuds while on the train into the city. After making it halfway through the song I pulled them out and put the phone away. I couldn’t stand not hearing the world around me. The screech of the steel wheels on the rails. The goofy Metro voice warning the doors were closing. The giggling of high-school girls. The general hum of everyday life. I haven’t used them in public since.
The smartphone generation. Phone calls, texting, gaming, listening to music, surfing the web. Social engagement on perpetual hold.
Interesting phenomenon.
Washington DC with iPhone 5
Back on the streets again. From Capitol Hill to Georgetown. Looking for the soul of the city. What is Washington DC all about? Is there a defining characteristic?
I can’t say I know the answer yet… Even after all these years. I just keep looking.
Capitol Building
National Gallery of Art
In the Dutch and Flemish hall.
Window shopping, Dupont Circle
Walking past Kramer Books in Dupont Circle
Taking flight in Georgetown
Sun setting over the Potomac River
“Action is eloquence…”
But, as my friend Bob Black told me, “Inaction is poetry.” And that’s beautiful.
Surfer at Stinson Beach, California.
Friday Photo Tip: Composition
Separation. Balance. A sense of ease.
I never set out to find it, but every now and then it reveals itself. I’ll walk around for hours, just watching; being an observer. Shooting a little here and there. Feeling things out.
If I find an interesting scene I’ll stop and take a look through the view finder. I don’t start shooting right away, either. Patience, I tell myself. Let the scene sink in. Try to grasp what’s there; what belongs, what doesn’t. If I shift myself or the camera a few inches an OK composition can morph into a good composition.
And you don’t so much see it as you do feel it. When everything falls into place there is a great sense of relief. Even exhilaration. That’s when you shoot.
Be patient. Look at the scene. Really look at it. There’s a good composition in there somewhere.
Friday Photo Tip: “Keep the Sun Over Your Shoulder.”
This is a wonderful, timeless lesson. That high school photography teacher (who also happened to be the basketball coach) really knew his stuff.
I mean, really, think about it. With the sun behind you everything in front of you is so fully and flatly lit. You can see it all. No annoying shadows adding drama or depth. No highlights in the model’s hair. And with family portraits you get the added benefit of squinting eyes! What’s not to love?
And don’t even get me started on silhouettes or soft window light!
Window light #1
Window light #2
Potomac River Gorge. The Book is Here!
I’m very proud to present, after many years of documentation and exploration, the Potomac River Gorge book. A real, actual, physical book to sit comfortably on your couch with while gently paging through the imagery of one of the gems of our National Park Service.
You can click on the link below to see a preview. Then click on the second link to go to the Blurb Bookstore and pick one up for yourself… or for someone you love. Or both!
Many thanks and have a happy holiday season!
Cheers.
Click Refresh
Nothing like a rejuvenating week on the northern California coast. After a long, crazy, stressful year, a little refresh was critical.
Weather was typical. Rain, wind, fog, sun, dry, wet, warm, chilly… pretty much the works. Photographically, every day… hell, every hour a new, more dramatic scene was unveiled. Couldn’t ask for more.
Ready for 2013. Let’s go!
Surfer dude, Stinson Beach, CA.