Creative Class Assignment 4: Nothing Sharp

It may seem strange, but some of my favorite images lately have been out of focus. Let me clarify. I have methodically selected certain lenses and purposefully thrown the image out of focus. The result, a nice painterly image with vibrant hues and intriguing shapes. I have never learned how to paint, so  I feel this will be as close as I come.

slideshow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/sets/72157617396714515/show/

MT

 

Read Full Post »

Creative: Panorama Excercise

This week for Creative Photography, we had to shoot panoramic images. I have been doing panos for awhile now and continue to love them. I sometimes think back and wish I had done more in a particular area. Not only do yo uget a wider field of view, but you also get a huge file with tons of detail. My Canon 5D has opened up my abilites even more in regards to quality.

My technique for panoramas varues depending on the situation. I try and shoot vertically which allows for higher resolution, but this is not always the case. I find that I line the images more level when hand holding than I do when using my tripod. There is an apparatus that is specifically used for making panos, but it is very specialized and expensive. I of course shoot RAW, and the lowest ISO that is acceptable.

The images below are a mixture of all the above mentioned techniques. Hope you enjoy!

MT

 

Read Full Post »

Valerie

I have to say that I am quite fortunate sometimes.

Today, as  I was driving through Peartle Springs I envisioned a photo opportunity  immediately. The image I saw turned out to be of a lady named Valerie. She is 82 years old and has been a fisher-woman since she was twelve. Originally from Kansas City, she has since moved to the more quiet town of Warrensburg. Valerie fishes at Peartle Springs on a regular basis; I have actually seen her before. Today the lighting was just right for making her image. Her face has such character and when she speaks that character comes out. I sat next to Valerie for close to an hour, talking only when I felt it necessary. She was confident and had a sharp sense of humor. I was enthralled by her personality, she seemed to know why I was there and didn’t mind. Normally when approaching someone with a camera and asking for a portrait I feel uneasy. Valerie was one step ahead of me. I walked up and no sooner had I opened my mouth to speak did she say, “The last man that took my picture made me look ninety-two.” I was sort of stunned. She knew why I was there. After thinking for a minute I said, “No ninety-two year old could cast that far”. We were friends with each other after that.

I feel that I am being led in other directions than I initially thought. Maybe I am supposed to connect with these people. I think I am going to pursue portraits more than I originally thought I would. I feel something completely different when photographing a person compared to a landscape. When I stop to photograph a landscape, I feel in control. I have this sense of weakness when photographing people, but not in a bad way. I feel that they are dictating my actions. I am only recording what they give me. I enjoy it. When I finally get to the point that I feel like I know this person, the image has already been taken.

MT 

Read Full Post »

Creative Photography 3: Great HDR material

Okay, so here are some more HDR images taken with the 5D. I am super excited because I feel that my growing knowledge and experience is leading to some awesome images. It doesn’t hurt to have some cool subject matter as well. This series was done for my Creative Photography class at UCM.

To really appreciate these, click on the image to see a bigger size.

Read Full Post »

New Series in the Making

As I previously posted, there is a new area of photography I recently have explored. It is indoor HDR photography with my 5D and 17-40mm. I knew that  I would enjoy this idea, but until I truly indulged myself in it I did not realize just how much I enjoy it. Yesterday I went into a dilapidated gymnasium, and couldn’t be happier with the results. I do not know what else there is to say except that you should check out the images. One note involving the HDR process: I shot as many as ten exposures since the building had such extreme darks and a few bright windows. This contrast would be very difficult to rein in without HDR. I did use some special effects on the image to further evoke the feelings and emotions I felt, therefore these are not what I would call “realistic HDR” images. I hope you enjoy the sampling here, and go to my flickr account to see the rest I have posted.

Here is a link to my other gymnasium images. http://flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/tags/gymnasium/

Also, here is a link to a slideshow of my Nelson Atkins images. (I have posted a few more, and will continue to do so. This link will continue to give you the newest pics) http://flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/tags/nelsonatkinsartmuseum/show/

 

MT

Read Full Post »

New Venue and New Images

I recently found two new places to photograph!!! I have uploaded some images to my flickr which deserve a looking at. On the right of this page yo ucan find my flickr site. I will upload a link to some slide shows of new images, most likely by Wed.

 

MT

Read Full Post »

Getting Creative

I took some images on Sunday that are somewhat unique but seem to contain artistic value. I hope you find pleasure in viewing them. Here is what I did.

I was in the passenger seat of a vehicle with my Canon 5D and was thinking about how I could make an overcast day exciting. I have done a hundred shots from my car, but they all have looked the same. You have a road with streaking lines and maybe some lights from cars in the image. A pretty typical shot. Well, I mixed things up a little by panning horizontally with objects alongside the road. Slowing the shutter enough to capture motion, but just short enough to contain some sort of sharpnes. I really enjoy the emotion of these images and I hope they stimulate some sort response from you too.

I am off to Kansas City with my buddy William now. I have some real cool ideas that will hopfully turn out how I imagine them. I believe we will be hitting the Nelson Atkins Art Museum, but probably won’t even go inside. The architecture around the museum is outstanding! I highly recommend a visit there. I am thinking we will have to get under some lit up buildings and shoot the lights at night. Be ready for some HDR madness!!! 

MT

Read Full Post »

Knob Knoster Sunrise Day 2

Going out a second time to Knob Knoster turned out to be productive once again. I went out yesterday morning and snagged this HDR image of the sunrise. I love taking photos of the sun shining through the tree tops. Something about the emotions it can evoke always has interested me. I was going to go out this morning but the weather was less than pleasing. I don’t mind cold and I don’t mind snow but when it is cold and there is no snow as well as no interesting sky, I seem to value sleep more. So I sip my Espresso blend coffee and enjoy the climate controlled environment.

Check out my new page I added last night. Click here to see what gear I use. Also, you should see my latest photos on flickr. I apologize, but many of the images are also seen here on naturallycomposed. This is done so that when you click on the image, you are sent in a separate window to flickr. If you experience any problems on my site, please notify me so I can fix them. Have a good day.

MT

Read Full Post »

Pisgah, IA: Part 4

When shooting in Iowa this last weekend, I was surrounded by black and white photographic opportunities. There was enough snow to create harsh contrast, but not enough to create excessive contrast. The snow accentuates the textures and shapes in a landscape and especially a close up shot. A great characteristic of black and white photography is its innate ability to exhibit detail. Eliminating color is one less step our neural network must process when viewing an image.

If you look closely at the image to the left, you can see every granule of snow and every speck of dirt. The middle image has excellent contrast between the shadows and the highlights, characteristic of black and white. The image to the right has examples of the previously mentioned traits of black and white. Why am I discussing this? I am pointing out in a round about way that snow is an excellent element for photographers, especially combined with black and white processing. The thing to remember with snow is that it is not easy to photograph in. When done right, it is great. But when done incorrectly, it can wreak havoc on our memories of how we saw the scene. Here are a few guidelines to follow.

1) Overexpose: You must remember that with any camera whether it be a piont and shoot or a DSLR, the internal meter attempts to create an overall equal exposure. In a more technical explanation, the camera tries to create an 18% grey exposure. We all know that snow is white, therefore grey is unnatural. In your menu settings there is a setting usually labled “EV compensation”. When shooting snow I would set this to +1.0 to start. Many modern point and shoots have built in modes including a snow mode. I would experiment with both.

2) Work the angles: With water in any form, there will be angles that display more or less relfectance. Use this to your advantage. You might be able to get some refraction images if you are lucky. In other words, colors refract all the time and its up to you to find them. Here is a little info on getting rainbow shots. Fun fact: rainbows are located 42 degrees off the axis of the sun.

3) Minimalism: Many of the best shots we see are ones that have a single subject and minimal distractions. Look for the single twig, or the lone tree on the horizon. Remember, with black and white the details really “pop”. Keep it simple and intimate and I know you will get some winners. This applies to any camera and any photographer.

Well, I hope this has helped at least one person. I will say one last thing: This last weekend in Iowa was a successful photographic trip for me. The main reason being that I was out searching for images for hours every day. Light is changing every second and therfore creating new opportunities constantly.

MT

P.S. Sorry that this not dicuss my Iowa trip in great detail, I had some things on my mind and now they are in words. Thanks.

Read Full Post »

Pisgah, IA: Part 3

Good afternoon to all. I had an excellent weekend in Iowa as many might who have been following along with my posts might have seen. I am almost completely finished editing the 576 images from Friday to today brought me. Obviously many of the images were thrown out, but I feel my success rate was very good this weekend. I believe that the confidence I have in my Canon 5D may have a play in my success. Using the camera has allowed myself to focus on capturing images and less on worrying that I might miss the shot before me.

Starting in chronological order once more; the first image is a prime example of keeping compositions simple. This was taken in extremely overcast conditions with a Canon 70-200mm f/4L telephoto. I picked my shots wisely with such a bland sky, and sometimes eliminating the sky from view completely. I enjoy minimalistic subjects because they enable the viewer to really focus on the detail present. Many landscapes I photograph are sometimes overwhelming I am sure. Further reducing the distractions, I converted this image to black and white in Photoshop CS3. I always shoot color and if need be, convert to B&W in PS.

 The next image is a landscape captured on top of Murray Hill, near Pisgah, IA. Murray Hill is a steep hill with numerous draws and spurs along both sides. The view from the top is outstanding and very peaceful. I was dumbfounded at times by the steepness of the Loess Hills. It was an excellent surprise to visit these hills as well as photograph them. I am told that the Loess Hills are rare in that there is only one other place in the world with these type of geographic features. I will research more on this and get back to you.

 

This next image was a must in showing the sites in Iowa. Windmills have long been used for generating power as well as for pumping water. If you feel so inclined, more information can be found here. I personally find the most use out of a windmill by photographing it, but I know that thousands of individuals use these still to this day.

 

The final image is one that I am quite proud of. I spotted this 65 foot tall building on Friday afternoon in Rock Port, Missouri. Due to the weather conditions and my “photographer’s instinct” I chose to wait on this photographic opportunity. Today however, the stars (or in my case, the clouds) aligned for a great image. Shelton Fireworks are seen in many states and consistently claim to be the largest warehouse fireworks provider. I believe them with a building this size. Using my tripod and my 17-40mm lens, I bracketed for an High Dynamic Range image. I was fortunate enough to be the only vehicle present, therefore adding to the ominous size of this geometrically appealing building. I hope you like it as much as I do. I must mention another photographer who captured a photograph of this same building. One of my photography professors, Wilson Hurst, has a great site that I check regularly and you should too. Here is his site. Search “Shelton Fireworks” to see his interpretation.

I hope you have enjoyed this installation of images. Rest assured, more will soon be on the way. Now I must go play secretary for Photo Society here at UCM.

MT

Read Full Post »