Editorial: Portfolio

In no particular order is a collection of my best work from the spring semester. I hope you enjoy and check out my slide show on flickr for more images.

MT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/sets/72157617798905004/show/

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Creative Class 6: Landscapes

Landscape photography with my Canon 5D has opened up new doors. Primarily I have a true 17mm wide angld field of view. This came in handy when photographing the Rockies. Secondly, the resolution and low noise is great for those times when you don’t have your tripod ready. I always try and use a tripod, but its good to know you can crank up the ISO a little and still have a great file. I am consistently looking for new gear to better my abilities of capturing the best landscapes presented to me. Inevitably it boils down to the photographer and the lighting. That is why I am always trying to be out in the woods, more than I am already.

slideshow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/sets/72157617691856079/show/

 

MT

 

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Editorial 4: Fly Fishing in the Ozarks

Fly fishing in the Ozarks is an awesome experience. With the clear, swift, and beautiful trout streams combined with the steep bluffs, crystal clear water, and the wildlife that abounds on the lakes, there is nothing better.

Recently I went with a good fly fishing friend to the North Fork of the White River in the pursuit of a good time and good fishing. We were successful at both. The trout fishing was awesome! I caught over 30 fish that day, while Kevin caught the largest fish: an eighteen inch Brown trout. After a day of fishing the river, we decided to head to the lake for some warm water fish. Taking my Dad along was a good idea since he was most successful and provided a dinner of fillets. White bass, small mouth bass, Kentucky bass, and walleye were among the species caught that outing. Below are some photos that I found especially good. Click on the link to see all the images from the weekend in a slide show.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsphotography/sets/72157616427517998/show/

 

MT

 

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Evening Convergence

Finding a calm palce to stand in the water, I set my tripod and began capturing the convergence of lines and colors.

As the sun sets the colors begin to transform, blend, and create a serene scene.

MT

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Hasty Photo Trip

After working all day, I was ready to get in a few images before the end of daylight. Heading down to the lake, I saw numerous opportunities for image capture. Always one for a good reflection, I used varying angles to achieve the most aesthetically pleasing image. I hope you enjoy.

Oh yea, as I was making this image a Bald Eagle flew over so close that I could hear its wings flapping through the air. Awesome.

MT

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Entering a World of Sepia

Having not posted in awhile, I figured it was time for some new stuff. Something maybe out of the ordinary. I have enclosed a collection of examples of my new favorite digital post processing technique: sepia.

The use of sepia has become more of a genre idea instead of the commonality it use to serve. Many say that sepia gives photos a sense of elegance or artistic quality. I found one website that regarded sepia as the tonality that makes everyday scenes into art. Well, I am all about taking ordinary scenes and turning them into art. I do go a step further and capture scenes that are common, but not ordinary. They are not ordinary because most people do not take the time to see them.

I hope you enjoy these images. I usually shy away from  extensive photo post processing, but I feel that I was not excessive. In order to enjoy some artwork, you must first put aside preconcieved ideas on how something should look.

MT

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Catching Up

I apologize for the delay in output of images. I have had a busy and at times stressful weekend and therefore had to prioritize. I now will upload a few images that were taken this weekend. The colors are great and the weather was great, no need to say more.

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Uber Excited!!!

Okay, so I am jumping out of my seat with the excitement my last batch of images has brought me. Not only did I get to be in the woods this weekend and witness magnifcent (and cunning) Whitetails, but I got to enjoy a float on the river. It was beautiful and I did all I could to cram the beauty in my small viewfinder. It would be comparable to if I was a painter, I would need a canvas that I could run along and paint every detail I saw. No image can bring the happiness of actually being there, but to those who weren’t experiencing God’s marvelous creation this weekend, here is a little of what you missed. Too busy admiring my work to write more. Enjoy.        Oh!!! One more thing. Go out and enjoy nature, it changes every day.

MT

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Backlit Pasture

Walking amongst a green field this weekend just before sunset, I saw this configuration of trees before me. It was so beautiful and peaceful. The air was getting cooler, and the sunlight was getting warmer. I set up my tripod, composed, and exposed this image. I just love the way the light reflects off the leaves and the colors are so vibrant. I believe that the tree on the right gives the image an intriguing value, while the trees to the left solidify the image. It was an awesome moment that my photograph can only attempt to be a model for the feeling in real life.

MT

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My Unforgettable Day

 

We all have days in our lives that are unforgettable. Yes, some are ones that we wish never to remember, but the story I have today is quite to the contrary.

Its evening on the North Fork of the White River, the river is warmly lit by the receding sun. I am fishing with my brother and my father, two men I love and respect. What could be better, we had caught some fish, nothing great but we were together; anymore an accomplishment in itself. I was anxiously awaiting the next riffle, a spot that historically holds some big fish. I was too impatient to wait so I began fishing as we drifted down. I soon hooked up with a brown. Landing it, I turned the boat around for another shot at the same spot the preivous fish came from. I ended up landing another, and another at the same time as my Dad landed one. Great spot! “I’ve never caught this many fish out of this spot”, I said.

I was pleased with the day, I had just landed half a dozen fish in one spot. Well, I got greedy and wanted to catch more. I knew there had to be a bigger one in there. I just knew it. The line fed from the my hand, the line resting on the surface, the size #8 Pat’s Stonelfy bouncing along the river rock. The trout, as if on que takes the fly, the indicator shooting upstream. This was a fish. “Big Fish”, I said! I knew from the initial headshake and flash, this wass no average Brown. 

I fought the fish in the current, he was relentless. I could not turn him for many minutes, even with the SAGE six weight I was using. He began esing into the shallows. I could see his thick shoulders. Nice fish. My brother and my Dad watched as I played the fish, not know when he would give up. WHen he finally did, my father was there with the net. Swoosh! The net did its job. The fish flopping in the net like a beached whale. WHOAA! This fish that “flopped like a whale” according to me, was 23″ with a big hooked jaw. What an impressive male Brown Trout. I got on my knees in the water, holding the fish in the shallows, took some photos, and then began the reviving process. He was a strong fish, not very long and his tale was pulsating, ready to swim away. He was beautiful, something to remember. He was the chief of the hole, he was the boss. He slowly slipped from my hands, gliding along the bottom. I shook my Dad’s hand, he was proud. No one was more proud than myself. My best fish, with my best friends. Awesome.

I clipped the fly off my line, took the indicator off, and reeled my line in. I was done, for the day that is. Nothing could compare. I was not that greedy to try and get a bigger one. I knew God had truly blessed me, the fish was mine for a moment, but even the fish deserves to have his glory.

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