Photo of the Week 2020-06-22

Slippers ... slippers ... slippers ...

Spring is a wonderful time on 'the Bruce' with the wildflowers making an appearance to add splashes of colour along trails, in the woods and along the roadways. Special among these flowers are the orchids and their most common variety the Yellow Lady's Slipper. They emerge and delight for only a brief period before fading and ultimately dying off for another season.

Over the last couple of weeks, I spent some time capturing the Yellow Lady's Slippers I see in the area close the cottage, before they wither and disappear for another year.

burgundy sepals

fading beauty

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-08-15

I tried something different for presentation of some images recently, gallery wrap canvas. Gallery wraps simulate the look of painting canvas wrapped over stretcher bars and can provide an interesting presentation for images, but I've found that it quickly became overused. Until now, I've avoided even trying it, holding it in reserve for an image that would benefit from the format.

Since it requires not only printing, but stretching and wrapping then fastening the canvas around wooden bars, I decided to let a printing service do the work for me. I sent ta set of four images to Posterjack because they're Canadian, they get good reviews and they had some great pricing.

All four images came our nice, but one in particular stood out and thankfully it was the one that I had chosen to to print the largest at 24" x 36" . It now hangs on the wall in our guest room.
 

SanGim Flower Shelf - on canvas

The trial confirmed what I had expected, certain images benefit from the format more than others. To my surprise, an abstract image did not benefit as I thought it might. That I will ponder as I sit and enjoy SanGim Flower Shelf.



DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-05-11

I've been experimenting with my image post processing lately. It's all part of the journey. Trying new things is like creative exercise, flexing the artistic muscle if you like.

An approach that simplifies the detail in my original capture causes me to look more at the graphic elements and colours of an image. It removes reality to an extent, masks the flaws that I can become obsessed with causing me to give up on an image.  

For example, in this week's image, there are focus issues. The depth of field is too shallow, caused to some extent by me working hand held without a tripod, but also because I was shooting at a 135mm focal length at an oblique angle across a patch of trilliums, not wanting to step amongst them and cause any damage. Rather than give up on an image that I liked because the foreground and background were not in sharp focus, I decided to process the image with a Photoshop plug-in, Topaz Simplify, and create graphic photo-realistic like result.

In this, I see things that can help my photography, improve the original capture, strengthen my composition. Letting go a bit and trying something different can be a good thing. I'm not worried what others may say or think. After all, it's my journey.

By the way, I've widened the format of the blog post so the landscape format images are no longer cut off a bit on the right side when I post them large. Please let me know if you have any trouble viewing and if you see an improvement.

DJE

Photo(s) of the Week 2012-12-03

 It's all about the blur...

... exploring the realm of macro photography with flowers after an inspiring presentation by local photographer and friend, Don Corby.

DJE