Country Roads ~ Photograph 2

This is the second photograph from my Country Roads trio. Waking early on our last full day in Henry, Nebraska, I wanted to take a slow drive along some of the back country roads we had been on earlier in the week. We had received some rain the night before and there was still a light drizzle during our drive. I was excited to capture the morning light which was soft with a slightly blue tint.

There is something about driving back roads with all my camera gear at the ready ~ always ready to stop and get out for a better look, It was just above freezing with a light rain, the roads, which are heavy with clay became a sloppy mess on my shoes…. So a morning of clay covered shoes, rain covered camera gear and wet clothing to chill me to the bone ~ I loved every minute of it. Don’t make excuses, I have found the worse the weather can give you the best photographs.

This out building, framed with a fence in the front and cows in the back, was a great find for me.

Blessings,

V

Country Roads

Just after sunrise on the Nebraska/Wyoming state line. It was a cold morning with a light rain.

Blessings,

V

Fine Art

Fine art landscape photography is becoming one of my favorite genres of photography. Some people love it, some people not so much. I receive constructive feedback from many people and it comes down to this genre is not for everyone. But it is for me. I just absolutely love it.

I am an artist and when I am out photographing I have a vision of what it is I want to capture. I have captured so many beautiful landscapes of the fall foliage with dirt trails, mountainsides, and lakesides. They are gorgeous photographs. As a photographer, I captured the scene perfectly and I handed it to the viewer to observe.

On this day, I took a photograph of the beautiful foliage with the babbling brook and it was a really good composition. I had a nice mix of foliage colors, the bend in the brook, a touch of the sky. But I couldn’t decide what made it different from all the other foliage landscapes out there? I didn’t think it was going to engage the observer. I think by using “Intentional Camera Movement” I captured the scene as I wanted to.

I have this photograph hanging in my home and I just love it. Autumn in the Woodland

Blessings,

V

Metal Art

I have been very busy learning a few new software programs and learning to operate our LDR Motion Systems CNC Plasma Table.

Metal Art is another way to express my artistic side. I have several designs to offer. I also have enjoyed cutting some custom signs. I will be posting more about those in future posts.

This is one of my stock items that I designed and it I really enjoy it. The burgundy color really makes this a welcomed piece of metal wall art on a porch wall or garage wall near the garden.

Blessings,

Vera

Small Wildlife Photography for Beginners

Chipmunk Photography for Beginners

We have continued to get cold snowy weather well into the spring season. Sitting in my blind in the muddy woodland trying to capture some wildlife photos has been unsuccessful the past week. Yesterday was a fairly warm day and I decided to stay close to home, sit on the patio and photograph wildlife I know will come to me ~ a chipmunk. They are not afraid of humans and eat slow enough that they make a good subject for me to spend a few hours of practicing with my camera.

So a cup or so of mixed nuts were chopped up and set out and within a few minutes this chipmunk had arrived. If you do not live in a wooded area like I do, a quick trip to the park or local university will get you a subject. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds all react quickly if a little food is put out for them.

• The focus point needs to be on the subjects eye. Having a light source hitting the subjects eye is ideal. You may have to move and change your angle, but the result is well worth it. Have your aperture wide open to get that nice blur to your background and perhaps the foreground.

• Take a few test shots focusing on the platform you are luring your little critter onto. If you notice any debris in the foreground or branches in the background take the time to clean it up and move branches. See what colors you are getting in your blurred background. If it is not what you want, take a moment to look around and see if there is another spot that will work better.

• If you are in a park, try to keep man made structures out of the shot. Having a pine tree for your background vs a water fountain gives the natural wildlife feel.

• Compose your photograph with the subject off center, using the rule of thirds is helpful. If you want to really zoom in close, be mindful to leave a border all around your subject.

• Take lots of photographs. I was shooting in burst mode, which helps to capture a mouth open or the light hitting the eye just right.

I did boost my exposure a bit in post processing and cropped each photo to make the chipmunk fill the frame.

Photographing chipmunks (or squirrels) is a really good way to practice. Try different lenses. Try different focal lengths and different apertures. Try using your tripod vs handheld. The goal is to have the experience with the equipment you have. Know your settings. Know how to change lenses and settings and get right back to shooting. If you are doing this at home, after you have taken several shots, go in and download them and see how you have done. If you haven’t done as well as you want, make some changes and go right back out to try again. You will have a better chance of capturing a winning shot out in the field if you know how to use your equipment.

Remember anything worth having is worth working for. Practice is the key to getting better.

Blessings, V

The Artistic side of Photography

I captured the photograph above as I was walking on a footbridge over a creek in the woods on an island off the coast of Washington. I was heading toward a waterfall I wanted to photograph. It was chilly out, but the hike was keeping me warm. It was a thick deep woods with lots of bright green moss covering everything and the smell was absolutely wonderful. As I stepped up onto the footbridge, I looked down at the creek below and instantly the artist in me saw something beautiful. (The waterfall could wait.) The colors of the rocks below were highlighted by the way the light was hitting them. The creek was flowing at just the right pace to create this mosaic looking effect. It was really beautiful. I stood and watched for such a long time. I'm sure many people walked over that footbridge that day, I wonder how many looked down to see this. I really hope they all did!

So back to this photograph and why I see it as art. A photograph itself is not necessarily art, but if the photographer is also an artist, an artistic photograph can be captured. I think there is a real difference when you see a photograph that is art, verses one that is not. When I am capturing photographs I am going through a process of actually creating a photograph. I have a vision of what I see and what I want to capture and it takes a bit of talent and a bit of luck to get it just right. Capturing the beauty that my eye sees onto a photograph is an actual art form to me. This is what I do as a photographer. Setting my aperture, shutter speed and composing a composition is part of the artistic process. Some of my fine art photographs also go through a more extensive post process, which I absolutely love doing. However, this one did not, as I was able to capture just what I wanted to in the camera. A slight adjustment of the exposure and bit of sharpening was all that it needed.

As I continue to experiment with all the different genres of photography, I am finding myself drawn to fine art. It is almost therapeutic and the results are so enjoyable.

I hope you continue to follow my journey as I grow as a photographer and any kind comments are always appreciated.

Blessings,

V

New York Public Library

I love books. I love to read. I love libraries. There is something about having all those books stacked on shelves all around, rooms full of them, that I truly love. Stacks of books full of fictional characters living out their lives throughout so many centuries all at the hand of such talented authors. To be able to pick up a novel and open to a page and instantly be taken away to 17th Century England or 19th Century Russia ~ it somehow brings me a feeling of comfort. Not to mention all of the non-fiction ~ real life stories, lifetimes of joy, turmoil, wars, hardships, travels and adventures, right at our fingertips.

Whether I enter someones home that is full of books, a library or especially a used book store, I feel very at home. So the New York Public Library was an easy itinerary item on my recent visit to NYC.

But that wasn’t the only reason why I wanted to visit - I wanted to see Winnie the Pooh! I have loved the stories, cartoon movies and books since I was a child. Winnie the Pooh was a big part of my children’s lives.

The original Winnie the Pooh, along with Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger are housed at the New York Public Library.

Pooh was given by A. A. Milne to his son Christopher Robin on his first birthday, August 21, 1921. The rest of the toys were received as gifts by Christopher Robin between 1920 and 1928.

To learn more about or plan a visit to the library, including seeing the Pooh characters visit
https://www.nypl.org/about/locations/schwarzman/childrens-center-42nd-street/pooh

Blessings,

V

Central Park my favorite spot in NYC

As a life long resident of New York, I have seen a lot of this state, but never have I been to the city. Although, I have thought of the photographic opportunities, it still wasn’t on my short term travel list. But this year we decided to visit NYC during the Christmas season to see the decorations and go the New York Ballet to see the Nut Cracker.

That was our decision along with tens of thousands of other people! It was to be expected, but what you see in the movies is definitely not what you will experience today. Barricades everywhere to corral people into Radio City Music Hall, very long lines to enter FAO Schwartz Toy Store, shoulder to shoulder fast paced sidewalks all around Rockefeller Center, barricades everywhere and Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was said with scores of tourists taking selfies with their ball caps on walking all over the Cathedral. We took a look at the tree and the few lights and decorations there were and decided to come back the next morning. The tree may not have been as pretty during the day, but we were able to enjoy it, watch the skaters and shop at FAO Schwartz with the store practically empty!

We spent time in DUMBO eating pizza at Grimaldi’s and walking on the Brooklyn Bridge. I was able to spend time doing some street photography in Brooklyn which I really enjoyed. We had a relatively warm day which was perfect, as the next two days were bitter cold.

A visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum was a must and we were glad we had time to do that.

We had some very nice meals, saw the Nut Cracker, got pretty good at the subway and had a relatively good visit.

On our last day, even though it was bitter cold we decided to spend it outdoors away from the crowds. We spent time in Central Park. It was cold out and our feet were tired, but we really enjoyed seeing the park. We walked quite a few miles, but took time to relax on a few park benches just to enjoy what we were looking at. People walking their dogs, runners, horse drawn carriages taking tourists through the park, made for some great people watching. Then up to Chelsea to walk on the elevated walkway making our way back to our hotel to gather our bags and get to Penn Station for our late afternoon train.

So, “visit NYC” got written on and then checked off the travel bucket list. For me, unless there is a specific reason, I do not need to return. I made the most of it and really did enjoy photographing the streets and architecture and doing everything we did, but there is a big world out there with so much nature and beautiful scenery, I think I will keep the big cities to a minimum :)

Blessings,

V

Flower Photography

I have enjoyed photographing flowers for decades. Over the years and especially in the past few years, I have been able to improve my photographs dramatically. If you are just getting started and would like to benefit from my trial and errors, here are a few tips to get you started. 

The most important tip is to just go out there with whatever camera you have and find a flower to photograph. You do not need the Canon D1 X Mark II and you do not need a botanical garden - you just need a camera and a flower. So grab your camera and get after it.

My second tip when photographing flowers in particular is getting the proper sharpness, especially in macro shots. If you have one, using a tripod with a remote shutter release or your 2 second timer is going to keep your subject in focus and sharp. No tripod - then shoot handheld, being mindful to hold the camera as steady as possible. If there is the slightest amount of wind you will want to exercise some patience and wait it out until the flower is completely still. If you can hold your flower in place or depending on the flower clamp it into place to keep it from moving - give that a try. Keeping a fast shutter speed will also help to keep it sharp, even if you have to boost your ISO above 100 or 200. Try a few different settings. When you bring your shots up on your computer and you find nothing is sharp it will discourage you. So try a few settings to get your shutter speed up to 1/500 or faster.

My next tip is lighting. The best time of day to photograph outdoors, no matter your subject, is just after sunrise and just before sunset. But that isn't always possible, so I find that with flowers, as long as they are in the shade, midday will work just fine. Midday sunlight creates harsh shadows and ultimately poor photographs. If you are photographing something as small as a flower - you can easily make your own shade. Use your deflector, a hat or have a friend stand to create shade. 

Take a look at Pinterest or Etsy to see what other photographers are doing. What angle are they shooting from? How close are they getting? Are they shading their flowers? Don't worry that you are cheating by copying others. I searched "Photo of Bleeding Heart" on Esty and got 205 results. You won't necessarily be original even if you try. The fact that you have the photograph and you took it is what matters. 

Finally, practice until you achieve the photograph you want. Take your time and get one good shot. Set up the shot, take your time, check your settings, check your histogram, wait out the wind and get one good, in focus, sharp photo of a flower.  If you spend your day just clicking away at every flower you see, you may end up with nothing that is worth keeping. If you spend most of a day and end up with one or maybe two stunning photographs - that is a good day. I spent about an hour with this bleeding heart bush. I had to hold the branch steady and I took about eight photographs. I edited and kept this one photograph and I love it. 

Blessings,

V

Winter Woodland Photography

A day in the woods.....

I am a firm believer that there is beauty in your own back yard. I've recently moved to a new home and although there are acres of woodland, I haven't done a lot of exploring yet.

Taking inspiration from a few of my favorite landscape photographers, I grabbed my snowshoes and decided to do just that - go exploring. The weather was perfect, 26°F and the light was just right. I had a wonderful time enjoying nature; however, I was not able to find a good composition for landscape photography.

The time was not lost though. Scouting for a composition put me in a creative mood. Spending time looking, getting exercise, getting to know my local woodlands was all worth it. I was able to capture this photo of a small babbling brook with some snow and ice on it, which I think is very lovely.

I will move on to a different woodland next time. It is only February so there is plenty of time to capture a snowy woodland landscape.

If you are lacking something to photograph, take a look around in your back yard. You may be surprised what you find.

Blessing, 

V

Rainy Day Photography

Rainy Day

I'm a pro at making excuses to stay in the office if I don't like the weather. I live where it is very cold and snowy five months out of the year. It is February now and I am running out of excuses! For months I have used, it's too cold, it's too snowy, roads are bad, the wind is bitter cold, blah blah blah… We have some warmer weather today but also rain for the whole day, so it's too rainy and wet was on deck for my excuse today.

But the trouble is, some of my favorite photographs from my favorite photographers are taken in the snow and rain…. If I want to have photographs that capture the weather conditions, I have to get out there and get at it.

The advice I hear over and over again is to just get out there and get after it. So I did. Water and puddles are always a good bet for capturing something fun. So I took the opportunity a rainy day provides and went on a puddle hunt. This puddle was under a tree, so the drops were huge. I also worked on my cinematography, capturing some cool b-roll that I will use on an upcoming video.  I'm so glad I got out there.

Blessing,

V