skip to main |
skip to sidebar
On a Saturday morning outing to a series of trails in the Halton Regional Forest Complex, I was challenged to make an image that captured the essence of the location. With a couple of friends, we hiked sections of the Mahon, Turner and Robertson Tracts. Over the course of a few kilometres, we enjoyed conversation and friendly banter as we made our way through the changing forest landscape. The atmosphere was very calming (save for the constant background hiss of static from 401 highway traffic, a constant reminder of hustle and bustle not far away) and each of us remarked on it with an individual take on what we sensed.
For my couple of hours of tranquility, I came away with a quieted mind and 29 exposures. Upon review back home, the images I had made did nothing to capture the essence of what I experienced. As I scanned again through my images, frustration set in. I was uncertain why I had been unable to create images that reflected what I had experienced. Perhaps I had been too caught up in the conversation, the banter, or maybe it was just one of those times. But the feeling that I had failed set in and somehow stayed with me ...
Sunday, with Lynn laid up because of her back, I decided I needed to get "back in the saddle". It would be a mid morning outing with the sun well up and clear blue skies overhead so I grabbed my IR converted P&S and my EOS M for backup and headed out. I wanted to just take a walk and work through the frustration.
Having attended a presentation by the Arboretum director at a recent photo club meeting I was reminded of familiar trails and the range of photo opportunities, I also learned about some areas on the grounds that I had not yet explored. In one of those new areas, I found a stand of birch and set up to visualize how I would I would process the image to translate the RAW capture into the essence of what I was seeing and sensing.
Here, I've used a strong white vignette to remove the visual distraction at the edges of the frame and direct the viewer to the central portion of the image, simulating the selective nature of our sight. Much the way human vision captures detail in the central field of view and ignores edge detail to a great extent, the vignette manipulates this image.
 |
| "brrrrrrrrr ch" |
... feeling less frustrated ... it's a step in the right direction.
DJE
Not every image is a winner, many, perhaps most, are not even keepers ...
I was reading a photography article online recently that touched on a familiar question. "What is it that draws me to a scene and motivates me to make an image" ? The article suggests that "there is one question you should ask yourself before taking any picture" .
For me it translates to "What am I trying to create in making this image?"
Like the author of the article, most of the time I react to scenes in front of me as opposed to undertaking a detailed analysis before making an image. I've worked hard to quiet my analytical side and allow creativity through to take the lead. I do believe it's a good to keep why I'm making a particular image and what I am trying to say with it in mind along with compositional and exposure guidelines. My reasons for creating an image may be anything from simply "here is a beautiful scene" to "wow look at this, I really need to show this to others".
This week, while I was making the image below, there were no questions, no answers consciously running through my mind, just ... "this is freaking awesome !" Now that I have the image, I do want to share it with others, it is beautiful, it fills the viewer with wonder and amazement and it tells the story of light pollution.
 |
| Orion Rising |
I made this image a couple of nights ago, on a crisp winter night at the cottage, with still winds and the temperature at -22*C. It was 10:00 pm and quite pleasant standing at the shoreline watching the stars, listening to the alien like gurgle-glug-gloog of water moving under the ice. Fortunately Lynn was there to share the experience with me. As a matter of fact it was at her suggestion we decided to head down to the shore in the first place.
Enjoy !
DJE
Five years ago this past weekend, I met up with a small group of photographers and went on a hike to the base of Tews Falls in Dundas, ON. I had known it was possible to hike up the gorge from the point where it meets Hwy 8 in Dundas, but had the opportunity to have someone familiar with the route show me the way.
When we approached the base of the falls, there were intricate ice formations not only from the main falls, but from water seeping out of the rock for a wide area around the head of the gorge. Here I made one of my favourite abstract images.
 |
| Ice Formations |
It is difficult to get a sense of scale from the abstract image.
Here is an ultra wide angle view of the falls from near the base. At 41m, it is only slightly less than the height of Niagara Falls.
It was a memorable view, one that I want to experience again, perhaps later this year. But I need to decide if I want to see it frozen again, or in fall with the splendid colours in the gorge.
DJE
Happy New Year and welcome to 2015
For the 8th time I went in search of first light, answering the call, meeting the challenge of a friend to capture an image at sunrise (first light) of the new year.
For the second year in a row, I was unable to take up the challenge in the company of like minded souls, few that they are. While Alan, Grant, Cathy and Tom, the biggest contingent to date, struck out for locations south (can you call Hamilton south?), I bundled up and walked a full 50m to the shoreline, set up the camera on the tripod and turned it back at the inviting warmth of the cottage and planted my feet to bolster against 50 km/h wind gusts to shield the camera.
My intention was to capture some of the feel from that cold blustery morning, so I used a long shutter speed to capture some of the movement in the trees. This shot was taken at 8:06 am, official sunrise.
 |
| "First Light" 2015 |
... and no that wasn't it. I actually stayed out for about an hour making more images, trying to capture the essence of this first day of 2015 arriving. Following that, it was a walk with Lynn, Cathy and the dogs along the road, somewhat more sheltered.
DJE
