Essay #75: So this is Christmas

"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, pace, goodwill to men on whom his favor rests."

Peace and goodwill? Have those angels ever tried to find a parking spot at the mall in December?

But as I sit here surrounded by family, snow falling outside, Christmas brunch in the oven, all of the stress and craziness leading up to this point are overshadowed by the simple truth of the angels' statement. Peace on Earth. Emmanuel, God is with us. Arise, shine for your light has come!


1/125 f/5.6, flash bounced of walls behind the camera

Essay #74: Christmas concert

I haven't updated this blog in a while. Sorry about that. I promise I'll have a holiday-themed post or two, but for now, I'll give you this merry little photo from the downhere Christmas tour.

Essay #73: Concert drama

I think that one of the reasons I love concert photos is that they're so dramatic. With all the lights and fog and showmanship, there are easy ways to add drama to the shot.

If the lights are bright, lens flare can be nearly inescapable, so you might as well work with it

The extremes of light and shadow can be a bane for metering, but high contrast makes for high drama

And then there's my personal favorite: the camera tilt.

The third photo is downhere (yes, again); the rest are of the band Rush of Fools. Taken at a concert last weekend.

Essay #72: Fall colors

The trees here haven't changed much yet, but we've no shortage of fall colors!

Essay #71: Spice of Life

 

Peppers were ubiquitous at the farmer's market this week. All shapes, colors, and degrees of heat. 

There was a very interesting article in the New York Times this week about hot peppers and why people love to consume these barely edible little bundles of fire. Pleasure in pain seems kind of masochistic to me. I've never understood the appeal of food that makes you cry, but I've never ventured much beyond medium salsa. What I found interesting about the article was the science of how a vegetable can mimic the sensation of setting one's tongue ablaze. Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers "hot," triggers the heat receptors in the mouth, making the brain think you're chewing glowing coals regardless of the actual temperature of the food. Here's another fact that a spice-wimp like me learned early on: Reach for milk, not water. Water won't dissolve capsaicin or lessen the burn (although the ice may feel good while it's in your mouth), but milk proteins will tame the flame.  

I haven't done this in a while, but here's the specs: 1/60 f/4.4 28mm ISO200

Essay #70: How much is too much?

One thing I'd forgotten about Photoshop is how easily time is frittered away tweaking tiny details that only I will probably ever notice. Yet I'm never entirely satisfied.

For example, I spent about an hour piecing together this photo from three different frames:

And I could have spent more by pulling the obscured bridesmaid from another shot. But at some point you just have to say enough is enough.

This is my love/hate relationship with Photoshop. I like playing with some of the special effects, and I like that I can make adjustments when the original shot wasn't as optimal as I'd like. But it's easy to get sucked into trying to make every shot "better" when my year-long hiatus from software showed me that I was more satisfied with the end product when shooting without the safety net of post-processing. When does it cross the line from optimization to obsession? Ten minutes? An hour? When does it turn from tool to crutch? When I'm too lazy to take a picture right the first time - or worse, forget how?

Oh, Photoshop. Blessing and bane wrapped up in a slick Adobe package.

Essay #69:

Today was the Downtown Festival of the Arts, a street fair for local artisans to sell their crafts.

I was hoping to find a painting to liven the barren walls of my living room, but didn't find any that both appealed to me and matched my furniture. Ah well, the quest continues!

I love seeing the sheer variety of creative talent represented in any art fair. To see others' passion, skill and unique vision expressed in all sorts of media is both humbling and inspiring. Art can be a communication between the artist and the viewer, although a piece rarely says the same thing to both parties. That's part of why I enjoy comments on my own photos, as well. It's always a bit surprising to look at my own work through someone else's eyes.

Essay #68: Make way for ducklings!

The end of July is a bit late for hatchlings, but it seems nobody told the ducks. 

These were actually taken last summer. I was going through some files looking for a concert I shot, and found these. Another case of the forgotten files. It makes me wonder how many of my current photos I dismiss now but will discover later with new appreciation? Sometimes fresh perspective isn't only found through the viewfinder.

Essay #67: Summer sunflowers

Sunflowers are such happy flowers. Not that the flowers themselves feel emotion, of course, but that they symbolize happiness and bright, sunny summer days.

I'm not much of a "flowery" or "frilly" girl, but I do appreciate fresh flowers. I'm considering decorating my dining room with sunflower photos to give the space a kiss of summer sun even in the midst of winter. I'm expecting better results with photos than my attempts at keeping houseplants that unfailingly meet tragic ends after a short time in my care. I could make a centerpiece from artificial flowers, but silk just can't replicate the life, character, and perfect imperfection of real flowers.

Essay #66: Fun with Photoshop

After over a year of being without editing software, I now have a new computer and a fresh install of CS4! Woohoo! Being without software did teach me a lot of valuable lessons and made me realize how easy it is to be lazy and take bad pictures with the intent to "fix" them in post-processing. That said, Photoshop does have some fun toys.

For example, I can take this portrait

And turn it into a lovely black and white (which I like better)

Or do some "special effects" 

Although, with this kind of effect, less is more, in my opinion. It works better with small splashes of color than large swaths. 

 Like so. 

Do you have a favorite Photoshop effect?

Essay #65: Fireworks on a windy night

I don't dabble much in the abstract. But fireworks + high winds =

Essay #64: Fun with backlight

Who says portrait lighting has to be traditional?

Yes, those are the bridesmaids waiting patiently in the chairs while I got the bride in position. I wanted to achieve a kind of light silhouette on the bride, so I had her stand on the edge of the stage and I turned around to face the lights. Result?

There's a little bit of glare on the floor in the background, but overall I think it's a cool picture.

Essay #63: Lost in the shuffle

I took some pictures a couple of weeks ago on a trip back up to Wisconsin and dumped them on my hard drive sight unseen. I never do this. I often do stumble across photos I'd forgotten about (in fact, I recently found photos from not one, but two downhere concerts that I never uploaded anywhere), but I've at least looked at them before. Tonight, while putting files into folders, I realized that I need to pay better attention to what I've got and not just dump them and move on. Because otherwise I'm prone to miss things like this, and the learning opportunities that they present.

Essay #62: Peaches

I went to the farmer's market on Saturday in search of fresh spinach to make a salad for dinner. To my great disappointment, there was not a single leaf to be found. However, one vendor had something I'd never seen in a Wisconsin market:

Peaches! Fresh, warm, and juicy. The perfect summertime treat.

Essay #61: Time to play!

Summer just seems more relaxed than winter. It's time for everyone to get out and play!

Take a walk in the grass.

Get started on your summer reading list.

Laugh

And enjoy life with a good friend!

Essay #60: Summer's sweet

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions (and do keep adding them!). A couple of you mentioned trying a summer theme. Summer is in full swing here, and you know what that means: the farmer's market!

Mmm, strawberries...

I decided to explore the area farmer's market this weekend, and I was a bit surprised to find it significantly more stocked with goods than produce - especially since this is, after all, a predominantly agricultural region - and not a single cheese curd to be found. But I did find these gorgeous strawberries, one of my favorite summertime delights. I wonder if there are any pick-your-own strawberry patches around here?

A little help?

I haven't posted here in nearly three weeks. I've been trying to figure out why blogging has become such a struggle for me to keep up with. Yesterday I had a revelation: I'm afraid - though not of sharing parts of myself on the internet or of any criticism a post might inspire. I'm afraid of mediocrity.

Why would anyone follow a photo blog of pictures that aren't creative, or if not entirely original in concept at least aesthetically interesting? I feel like there's nothing in my mundane routine right now worthy of capture, so my camera sits in its bag. If I do manage to take a decent image that I'm not too embarrassed to post, then I have to write something insightful to accompany it. After spending my day as a science writer, teasing beauty from the technical, I fear I have nothing left worth sharing. And so I say nothing.

I'd lost sight of my reasons for blogging. I started this blog to challenge myself to see my unemployment situation in a new perspective: possibilities, not limitations. I need to approach this new phase of life in the same way. Because if photography has taught me anything, it's this: If you decide that there's no wonder in the world, you'll never encounter it; but if you go out expecting to meet it, it will greet you from even the most ordinary places.

Here's where you, dear reader (if you're out there), can help me out. Remember when I had themes that spanned over several posts? I'd like you to throw out thematic challenges for me. Song titles? Abstract geometry? Feet? Hopefully the exercise will lead me to explore and appreciate this strange new place. 

Essay #59: Acoustic Storytime

The fantastic Jason Gray, an incredible singer/songwriter/storyteller. This is a combination I truly appreciate. For me, there are two categories of music: There are catchy little tunes that make nice background noise, and then there are the songs that spin stories that draw you in and invite you to stay a while. Every time you visit, you see something you hadn't noticed before, and as you look around you glimpse your own reflection. And suddenly you're not quite sure if you've entered into the song's story, or if it's become a thread woven into your Story.

Thanks for sharing your stories and songs, Jason.

Essay #58: Japanese gardens

Botanical gardens are havens for still-life photographers, but Japanese gardens have a flair all their own. Meticulous yet relaxing, they seem to strike the unattainable balance between sun and shade, man-made structures and nature's wild elegance, bright colors and muted neutrals. And they somehow always have something blooming. Plus, bonsai-pruned trees. You know the lame personality question, "If you were a tree what kind would you be?" I would be a bonsai tree.

Essay #57: Play ball!

I've written before about my enjoyment of live sports. My favorite is baseball. I don't have any interest in televised baseball, but I love going to games.

Baseball can be tricky to photograph. There's a lot of waiting between short flurries of action, and you never really know where the ball is going to end up so it's hard to set up a shot ahead of time. If it's a brilliantly sunny day, the shadows preclude certain angles.

And yet, I'm a sucker for it. Especially those daring moments of stealing bases or racing for home even as the ball streaks toward the catcher's mitt. It's all about patience, persistence, and strategic timing--much like photography.

Essay #56: Tulips

Spring has truly overcome winter when the drab, gray ground suddenly bursts into riotous color of all shades and sizes: Tulips!

I think that tulips may be one of my photographic muses. A patch of big, tall ones--like these red and yellow beauties--simply demands to be explored. Each new perspective unveils new beauty. Photographing tulips is truly a study in color, light and shape. They inspire me to explore other scenes and subjects from new perspectives as well. A tilt of the camera, an upward angle, direct lighting versus side lighting...so many possibilities!

Essay #55: New life

Spring has come! It's bursting from every branch.

 When I watched winter drape it gray, snowy blanket over autumn's faded glory last year, I never suspected that I'd be watching spring's renewal 250 miles from where I stood.

I'm starting over, too. After a long winter of waiting and wondering, I feel much like the leaves tentatively unfurling, tasting the warm air to see if it's good before fully opening up. I feel sad knowing this growing season won't be like the last, but hopeful that it will be vibrant and full of surprises.

Still here

Hello dear readers!

This is a little update to let you know I have not abandoned this blog. Life has just necessetated a break from the online world.

In the last weeks, I have bid adieu to life as I knew it and moved to a new state to start a new job. I plan to resume blogging soon, chronicling my new adventures. However, it will have to wait until my camera is unpacked and I have internet installed in my new digs.

Stay tuned!

Essay #54: Snowy portraits

Winter's dreary and often inclement weather can be far from ideal for outdoor portraits. However, fresh snow and a cute couple can make for a fun session.

Exposure is the key to snowy portraits. The white of the snow can cause the camera to overcompensate and capture everything as gray, so to make sure the subjects were properly lit, I had to overexpose two stops.

Essay #53: Chocolate, anyone?

What makes European chocolate taste sooooo good? I think this might merit a bit of research. Stay tuned!