How To Groove

The magnolia, ancient and mysterious, always has something to offer the curious photographer. Often, when I am trying to warm up, to find my groove, I look to the magnolias that are so plentiful around here. There is usually a composition to be found, an interesting stage in the life cycle of the plant to document. These shots in the bag, I find I am usually in the proper mindset to continue photographing. Over time, we all develop our personal warm-up routines. 

Morning Still Life With Pears

This scene was illuminated from two sides by natural window light. Direct morning sun was coming in at a low angle from the right hand side and diffuse northern light from the left. Natural cross lighting you could call it. It made for a rather pleasant visual experience while preparing the coffee this morning. Fortunately, there was a decent camera nearby that I could grab and capture the moment. Fortunately because the pears aren't going to be around much longer.
 

Do The Work That Only You Can Do

Based on my very limited observations, I'd say that every gardener has their style. This individual would appear to be pretty fastidious, to my eye at least. Even though this little shed looks to be constructed from materials at hand, it is all very tidy indeed. I can't even imagine what wobbly little disaster I would have cobbled together from the same pile of stuff. 

Blame It On Wordsworth

By this point in human history, most would probably consider the 'lonely cloud' a tired trope, downright corny even. Not worth a click. Indeed. These days a cloud needs to be pretty special for me to consider photographing it. The other day, however, I was gazing out a window -- taking a little visual break after looking at a lot of art that didn't particularly resonate with me. At that moment, this little cloud looked pretty sweet and captured my mood. It's corny for a reason, I guess.

When Photography Is Not The Main Course

Yesterday was all about a drive through the countryside on back roads, spending some time looking at art, and enjoying a good meal with friends. I did bring a camera, a small and unobtrusive one, but I only took it out once or twice. You see, I don't like being 'that guy' with a camera. If you don't know the guy, you've seen him, I'm sure. But at least I did get to try out a feature that simulates having a neutral density filter on the lens. I have to say that it works pretty well. Although I still need to practice with it a bit, I can at least understand how such a feature could come in handy one day.

Brightening Someone’s Day

It doesn’t have to be about you all the time, does it? Photography, I mean. Sometimes it can be okay to grab a photo or three that you know will bring a smile to someone else’s face. Just every once in a while. And frankly, getting a butterfly shot in decent focus can be rewarding even if you aren’t a bug person. That’s how I felt as I was chasing this little fellow. And, it works another part of your brain and confirms your ability to operate a camera.

Good light this weekend, fellow traveler.

The Man With the Golden Assam

Confession: I don't do golden hour. The experts tell us that's when the light is at it's warmest, complemented with beautiful extended shadows due to the low angle of the rising or setting sun. Fair enough, I'm not here to argue. Candidly, I'm generally enjoying a cup of coffee or tea at that time. You could say I prefer my Golden Assam to golden light. And the thought of getting up at four o'clock in the morning when it is pitch dark outside to drive to a location in time for sunrise, it would have to be very exotic indeed. So, over time I've slowly come to embrace the notion that I am a high noon photographer, a tea sipping cowboy with a camera. By the time we rolled up to this project site, it was almost 11AM and approaching 90 F. Thankfully, the humidity has dropped a bit and the quality of the light was still pretty great. And I got my grid.