Robotic Snap Snap Snap, or Inspired Image Creation?

It was our regular photo club meeting—well attended as usual.  This, our monthly opportunity to see a slide show of images from the club members while a critiquer comments and makes suggestions for improvement.  As is typical for these meetings, we had two theme categories.  The first grouping of shots taken from our club's monthly outing, which in this case happened to have been the South Coast Botanical Garden.  The second themed group of images were taken in response to the assignment "Low Perspectives".  (the images I've include here were my submittals to this second category)

Our critiquer was a relatively new club member, but a long-time professional photographer--I'll call him John.  John did a great job.  He's kind, insightful, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share, which he willingly and frequently does.  As is often the case with our various rotation of critiquers, John had something positive and encouraging to say about every single image, even those that didn't seem to have an immediate appeal.  What impressed me about John and the way he handled this was his recognition that most people need, want, and deserve that sort of encouragement otherwise they might just quit and not have the motivation to learn, try harder, and get better.  And after all, this is a hobby for most of us, and if it isn't fun, then what's the point?  Anyway, he did include some minor constructive criticism also so they got a little something to go work on.  For the “better” images, he provided some really good feedback, never being cruel, but never holding back either.   His comments contained the information you wanted/needed to hear because with it, you knew you would learn and could improve.

As the evening went on, something struck me about the two themed grouping of images.  Partly because I was looking to validate a theory, and partly because I think it was true, I noticed that the theme of Low Perspectives led to quite a number of forced images--shots you wouldn't have taken except for the need to satisfy the theme.  That’s not necessarily bad, but I think illustrates an interesting challenge that we have as photographers, and that a professional photographer has to deal with day in and day out…

That is, if you're an enthusiast or casual photographer, you have the luxury of going around and only stopping to take pictures if some catches your attention or interests you.  And when it interests you, you're typically in the mood and mindset to make the best image possible and you employ all the skills and expertise you have.  On the other hand, if you’re told (paid) to go take images of something, there's a natural tendency (which you must resist) to simple go out and snap snap snap as if you're picking up milk on a supermarket run.  Instead, you have to be creative, inventive, and imaginative, and approach assignment-photography with the same interest and passion, that is, if you want to end up with stunning and impactful images—whether that’s portraiture, sports illustrated, fashion, products, etc...

Because of that, assignment-photography is one of the best ways to help an amateur photographer get better.  It forces you to think and plan and work a scene in order to create an interesting image--a process which takes practice.  And it's in this active work mode that the best habits are formed, so that when you're out "free-styling", those same skills will be there to go along with your natural interest in the subject matter being photographed.  No more snap snap snap!

Comments or feedback?  Email me at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com  and also feel free to check out my website gallery at www.CostaMesaPhotography.com

Jon

Hey, I Found Out I'm a Photo Stylist Now!!

One of the great joys in photography is seeing one of your images printed, published, and shared.  Next to that is the joy of helping someone else get their image published.  Such was the case this week when a fellow photo club friend of mine had his image appear as a two-page spread in the July 2013 issue of Angelino Magazine.  A nice article accompanied the photograph and credit was given in the magazine to the photographer and to the "stylist"…that would be me!!

How all this started is a fun story.  I saw my friend post some images on social media a couple of months ago from a trip he made to the Getty Center.  One particular image caught my attention as having incredible potential.  It was already a great photo, but I saw some things that I would edit if it were my image,  and I also felt that a black and white version would make for an interesting presentation.  So I took a screen shot of his image, applied my edits, and sent it to him suggesting it as an alternative interpretation.

My first step was to perform all of edits (retaining the image's color).  I tonemapped that image as well to enhance the color saturation, luminosity, and overall tonal range...fairly radical edits.  Once I finished that, I converted the image to black and white and gave it some additional tweaks.  Sometimes people are put off by you touching their art this way, but thankfully he was delighted, and in fact was so happy with what I had done, that he thought the dance troupe might be interested in seeing it.  That turned out to be an understatement.

Once the dance troupe saw the image, I understand they were so excited that they got in touch with the Angelino Magazine editors who also like it and decided they wanted to run it as a two-page spread in their next issue.  Once they contacted me for press-ready artwork, I went back and got the original image from my friend so I could recreate the edits and post processing changes on a full resolution image file.  The rest is history…the image looks spectacular in the magazine, and I was thrilled to have had a small part in the accomplishment of helping my friend get published.  He has been very generous in sharing the spotlight with me--great photographer, great character.

By the way, if you're interested in checking out the on-line version of the July issue of Angelino Magazine, you can follow this link:  http://media.modernluxury.com/digital.php?e=ANGE  The image can be found on pages 24/25 with the credit give to the photographer and the "stylist" on page 12.

As always, feel free to drop me a line at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com  if you have any comments or feedback. 

www.CostaMesaPhotography.com

Photographic Exhibition in Huntington Beach, CA

I will exhibiting photography at the Huntington Beach Central Library’s Windows Gallery as part of the Photographic Society of Orange County (PSOC) 2013 Windows Gallery Show.

Address: 7111 Goldenwest at Talbert Huntington Beach, Ca. 92649

Dates: June1 to June 29, 2013  Open during normal Library hours.

My photographs being displayed:

1. A Place for Reflection; Air Force Academy Chapel, Colorado Springs

2. Misty Morning Under Bridalveil Falls; Yosemite, California

3. Desert’s Sandstone Rainbow; Antelope Canyon, Page Arizona

I don’t know how many years the club has been doing this gallery show at the Huntington Beach Library.  The first time I even went to it was last year, and that wasn’t during their reception but was on one of the days during the month-long exhibition. 

So last night’s attendance at the reception was a first.  There must have been over 150 people there!  They had deserts and wines (which I knew they would because of the planning at the Board Meeting).  There were name tags for everyone (which we use at our regular club meetings) and also those blank adhesive name labels for guests to put their names on.  The display of the images and the area of the library where this is set up is very nice.

If you have an opportunity to swing by during the month of June, you won’t be disappointed with what you see.

Farewell Yosemite, For Now--Until Next Time...

Beyond the obvious majestic rock formations with names like El Capitan and Half Dome, and aside from the roaring waterfalls with names like Bridalveil and Nevada, Yosemite has a magic about it that is evident almost everywhere you look.  Here are my parting shots from a trip that was long in coming, and too quickly passed.  This small set of photos didn’t quite fit in with other groupings, but if omitted would leave an incomplete sense of the Yosemite experience.  Whether it’s the Yosemite Visitor’s Center, the Ansel Adams Gallery, or the Ahwahnee Lodge, there are many things to do and see—and a few oddities and curiosities along the way.

Take for example the very surprising hiker that was coming up the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls as we were making our way down.  She was in a costume that looked like a cross between a ballerina and circus clown.  I was either too tired (yes) and/or too caught off guard (definitely) to ask her to stop so I could take her picture.  I was mumbling to myself for the next couple of paces at my missed opportunity, one that would clearly never happen again in my lifetime, when low and behold, here come some more colorfully decorated hikers.  I must live right!  Ok, now I’m ready…what gives?  Turns out that one of the hikers has her birthday today and all of her friends thought this would be a great way to start the celebration—and I agree! 

Also to be seen in Yosemite were mountaineers on the face of El Capitan, photographers out in the middle of a foggy meadow, craftsmen (and women) making arrow heads and weaving baskets, and even a bobcat! 

An early morning walk before that first cup of coffee provide an opportunity for a "surprising" shot.  My objective was to see if there was any wildlife out, so my camera was all set up for such a possibility...telephoto lens, continuous focus setting, fast shutter speed, etc...  I'm walking through the woods holding my camera like a hunter...when all of a sudden a rustling and commotion off to my right accompanied by a loud and active quacking!!  Without hardly thinking, I raise my camera in that direction, and with little time to look through the viewfinder, I press the shutter hoping to capture the action.  I got lucky...the duck looks beautiful.

Oh, and coffee?  Well, as nice as the rooms were, they didn’t have coffee makers in them.  Instead, when you checked in, you got vouchers for free coffee at the Lodge’s food court.  I wasn’t going to sound like a commercial with this, but I have to say that this was some of the best coffee I’ve ever had.  And it wasn’t just the first day, or the influence of excitement from seeing a bobcat…no, this was great coffee every single time.  When I got back home, I sent an email to the company that provides the coffee and asked them specifically which of their products they provide to Yosemite.  They were quick to respond and the coffee is commercially available.  If you want more details, send me note (I’m not on commission, but wish I was!!!).

The drive out of the park, through the same long tunnel that had whispered anticipation on the way in, now said goodbye and beckoned a quick return.  It's easy to understand how the early visitors to this area were captivated by it, and much thanks should be given for John Muir's efforts to preserve it as a National Park, and Abraham Lincoln's taking time out from the Civil War to make it so.

I saw a sign once that said, take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints...  The memories I took away will last a lifetime.

To see my entire Yosemite image collection, visit my website at www.CostaMesaPhotography.com

To share your thoughts or comments with me, send email to CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com

Yosemite--Falls and Rivers

Our photography club specifically chose April to visit Yosemite National Park because of the abundance of water from the snow melt and the resulting dramatic gushing over the cliffs as waterfalls.  By summer, the majority of the waterfalls are either dry or barely trickle.  As luck would have it, our visit not only had an amazing amount of water in the falls, but the weather could not have been dialed in more perfectly.  Mornings were crisp in the upper 30s and quickly climbed into the 50s and 60s.  With full sun most every day, one warmed up fast hiking around the valley and climbing trails—layering was the key to all-around comfort.

We stayed at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, which is an easy ten-minute walk from your room to the base of the falls.  It was a 5 minute walk to the Merced River that meandered through the middle of the valley and was accessible just steps away from the Lodge.  Convenient (and free) bus transportation looped around the valley floor to all the major stops and destinations.  Another short walk from the Lodge took you to Swinging Bridge which straddled the Merced River.  The shot of Yosemite falls above was taken from the bridge.  From morning until evening, the lighting was constantly changing the way this seen looked.  I was lucky to capture this moment with the late afternoon sun and the abundance of clouds that had built up during the warm day.

Yosemite Falls was mesmerizing.  One couldn’t help but stand there motionless and just look at the water and listen to its sound.  Visible from so many parts of the valley, Yosemite Falls was a constant source of inspiration and beauty.  Bridalveil Falls, another iconic waterfall at Yosemite, was equally exciting to watch, although it was a little further out and not as readily visible.  Bridalveil's excitement stems from the fact that you get a pretty good soaking when you walk up to the base of the falls.  What you experience is being enveloped in a mist so thick that it’s almost like standing in the rain.  For photography, this presented a challenge that I was not quite prepared for.  Nonetheless, the falls and the ensuing streams were beautiful and offered many opportunities to capture their beauty.

There are so many images that I'd like to share with you here, but there isn't enough room--so to see them you'll have to skip over to my website gallery and check out my Yosemite collection there:  http://www.costamesaphotography.com/Northern-California-Central/Yosemite

If you have questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you.  You can get ahold of me at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com

Reflections and Meadows in Yosemite National Park

Of course where there’s water, there are opportunities for reflections—that is, if the water isn’t moving too quickly, and if the air is quiet enough so as to not create ripples.  Such were the opportunities for us last week in Yosemite.  Whether it was shooting Yosemite Falls across the quiet Merced River at Swing Bridge, or gazing up at Half Dome through the reflections in water pools in Cook’s Meadow or up at Mirror Lake, reflections were abundant.  There is something about the symmetry of seeing an object and it’s reflection all at the same time that photographers can’t resist.

In spite of all the water flowing throughout the Park, it was often the meadows that held secrets of beauty for those willing to seek them out.  And with the chilly mornings, there was also a low foggy mist that clung to the ground just long enough to decorate meadows.

It was paying attention though that often had the biggest payoffs.  At one point I’m taking pictures of Half Dome in the distance with a beautiful meadow carpet leading you to it, when I noticed this lone photographer out in the middle of the meadow, tucked up against some trees.  He was sitting in a stool and his camera was on a tripod.  He was camped there, but for reasons that were not immediately clear—for I had a good angle on Half Dome, how could his be better.  It was after I decided to satisfy my curiosity and be social that I started walking out to him.  It quickly became clear why he was where he was.  Because just in front of him was a small pond of water, just big enough to give him a fantastic reflection of Half Dome if you were close to the ground with a low angle.  I smiled at him, patted him on the shoulder, and thanked him for staking out such a great location.  I asked him where he was headed next…he wouldn’t say! 

You can view the entire Yosemite collection on my website gallery at http://www.costamesaphotography.com/Northern-California-Central/Yosemite

If you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to send me a note at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com

Monumental Beauty

As you first enter the Yosemite National Park (if you come from Fresno that you most likely be highway 41), you are surrounded by trees and greeted with winding roads.  Yosemite Valley is at about 4000 foot elevation, but it will be 30 minutes of driving from the park entrance until we get there.  You know that your final decent into the valley is nearly complete when you enter a long tunnel.  It’s dark in the tunnel which all the more increases the anticipation and drama of what lies at the other end.  Directly at the end of the tunnel is parking lot, and for good reason—it’s the iconic view from this point (referred to as Tunnel View) that first takes your breath away and gives hint to what lies ahead.  It’s so amazing and surreal that it’s hard to take it all in and make sense of it.  The towering cliffs, vast valleys of trees and grasses, snow-capped peaks, and gushing waterfalls combine to present a visual fantasy that only the Great Creator could have imagined.  Breathtaking, literally.

Throughout our journey, the different monoliths of granite showed off their size and grandeur from every location around the valley floor.  With famous names like Half Dome, El Capitan, Cathedral Rocks, Leaning Tower, The Three Brothers, Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, etc… there was always a good landmark to help orient you, and amaze you.

The lighting in Yosemite can be a bit tricky for a couple of reasons.  First of all, there isn’t really a sunrise and sunset in the traditional sense where a horizon in the distance reveals and conceals the beginning and end of days.  Because you’re in a valley surrounded by steep geological formations, you begin to see the very tops of these features kissed with sunshine to begin and end each day.  The second reason the lighting is tricky, is that the angles of the sun favor shooting different places at different times of the day.  Some areas are best shot in the morning, others are best shot during the afternoon, and some are even best during the middle of the day when the sun is just right to highlight a feature that is mostly in shade the rest of the time.

You can view the entire Yosemite collection on my website gallery at http://www.costamesaphotography.com/Northern-California-Central/Yosemite-1

If you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to send me a note at CostaMesaPhotography@gmail.com