B&W
Considering the Next Move
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With the look on her face I can’t help but wonder, what was she thinking at the moment this photo was snapped.
This image was taken during an afternoon with family in Ohio. Our granddaughter was away from the group, exploring the surroundings at a park. As you can see, I was keeping my eye (and focus) on her and snapping photos.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. (I’m not sure why you would want to purchase this one unless you were family, but I invite you to check out some of the others on this site.) If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Cruel Intentions
One person’s weed is another person’s flower. This one (a dried up thistle in the wild) just seems evil.
I snapped this photo on a recent hike thought the woods to find some autumn color. It wasn’t colorful, for sure, but I thought it was interesting – in gruesome kind of way.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo by clicking on it. When you do, a new browser tab will open with a full-screen view.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Evening In Duluth
The renowned Aerial Lift Bridge of Duluth, Minnesota is the prominent feature when overlooking the city at night. Well, anytime of day, for that matter.
This is an image I took from Enger Park, high on a hill overlooking the city. I had scouted out a place to catch some good shots of the Duluth Canal area. I knew they flood the bridge with lights at night and decided to try and capture the scene. It was a mildly-cool evening on July 16, 2017 and a bit breezy.
Now the rest of the story…. Earlier that day, my wife and I took a ride up the scenic coast to visit and photograph some waterfalls and lighthouses. While working on shots of the Split Rock Lighthouse, standing on some rocks along the shore, my tripod-secured camera tipped over. When it hit the rocks the lens broke off and went one direction, the camera went another direction and took a quick dip in the water.
I scrambled to grab it and believe I kept it from being submerged but it did get quite wet. Without the lens attached, the sensor area was open and had received some moisture. I quickly did my best to dry everything. I don’t have cameras to spare…or the money to buy them…so it was a hugely, disheartening event. It put quite a crimp in the fun weekend we were having.
The more I examined the camera insides, the more water I could see. With a soft dry cloth, I rubbed the mirror element. I thought it was made of glass, and it may be, but it has some sort of plastic coating on it that I damaged. In the right light I could see a definite “L” like line. The camera body, itself, was also jacked up.
Surprisingly, with another lens, I was able to get the camera to turn on and used it to take more photos there. It was having hiccups now and then – displays weren’t working right, occasional errors writing to memory, etc. Still, I was happy it still showed life and was hoping it would dry out and function; albeit with some nasty scars.
It wasn’t until later, when I downloaded the photos to my computer that I could see the seriousness of the mirror damage I caused. In a normal DLSR the mirror flips up, when you press the shutter, to expose the sensor to the image. My Sony, mirrorless model, has a “translucent” mirror that reflects the image up to the viewfinder, but it doesn’t flip up to expose the sensor – the light actually passes through the mirror to the sensor. So any damage to the mirror will effect each image taken.
I’m sharing this long, sad, story to point out the flaws in the image I’ve posted here. You will notice the long light streaks on the right side of the bridge. Those are a result of the damaged mirror. Also, the mushy bunch of lights just to the left of the bridge are from the damaged mirror. The lights to the left should look like clear, individual dots similar to the dots inside the bridge frame.
The distortions were not so noticeable on the camera’s screen when viewing bright, daylight images. It’s painfully obvious with the night scenes. This could have been a very nice image and, I’m sure some will still like it, but I’ll always focus on it’s flaws. I debated with myself whether to post it and, of course, I decided to. I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone would comment on the flaws…who picked up on them without reading the details of this post. I wonder how many people might think it was some artistic effect.
As far as the camera goes, I had to replace it. I believe it would have cost more to repair than it was worth. I purchased the same model camera body (Sony A77) from a seller on eBay for half what a new one would cost. I had hoped to upgrade soon, but this unexpected expense will delay that for awhile. I was also able to order a part to fix the lens that was broken. It was a lot harder to repair than I thought, but I got it done and it’s working perfectly. It was a favorite lens, so I’m glad I didn’t have to replace it.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image – flaws and all – by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Brooding Virtue
This is a white tulip. By converting it to a monochrome image, it becomes a moody collection of light and shadow, texture and form.
I’ve been working on tulip images that I shot a couple years ago. This was a nice macro shot of a white, tulip bloom. It was a nice image, in color, but I thought it became a much more interesting image in monochromatic form.
You can view more of the finer detail by clicking on the photo. When you do, a new tab will open with a full-screen version.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Strolling Through the Weeds
A young boy, with a contemplative look, strolls through the tall grasses and weeds of an rural farm field.
I don’t often get to shoot photos of people, but when I do, it tends to be close friends or family. I just don’t have the time in my schedule to set up portrait sessions and the work of post processing. In this case, I got to spend some time with this three -year-old cutie – my grandson. Just the two of us took a little walk in the country…with my camera, of course.
I wasn’t really intending to grab a shot of him. We were just out for a stroll while Papa (what he calls me) looked for interesting things to photograph. We looked for birds and pretty leaves, talked about, walked over a dry creek bed. The perfect subject eluded us.
It was a tough time to shoot – mid day, under a bright sun. I didn’t find much that caught my eye. So, naturally, on the walk back I turned the camera on the most interesting thing I could find.
Because of the overpowering contrast created by that bright sun, I thought the best treatment for this shot was to convert it to a monochrome image. I think it turned out well. In fact, one of my all time favorites. (Of course, that’s from the Grandpa in me as much as the artist.)
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Star Power – B&W
This exceptionally colorful flower takes on a whole different persona in black and white. Take a look at the full color version and compare the two: Star Power
When comparing, be sure to view the large size by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Pere Marquette Park Gazebo
Calm prevails over the Pere Marquette Park gazebo in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was taken on a calm, evening stroll along the Riverwalk.
Spending time in Milwaukee recently, I was able to join a photographer friend for a little night photography. I don’t often get into the big city, so it was fun to capture big city lights. I thought this image was best suited for a monochrome treatment. I hope you think so too.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Attention Grabbing
Something’s captured her attention. This is our granddaughter at the age of wonder and development. She’s learning more about the world around her and how to navigate it. At this stage, she was just learning to sit up on her own. I love the stabilizing grip she has on the afghan behind her.
You can get a better look by viewing the larger version – available by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Sensory Satisfacton
Beauty, noun – a combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.
This rose started out yellow in color. I thought I’d experiment – removing the color, adding some texture and a touch of mystery. I like the result better than the color version.
To view a larger version, click on the photo and another browser tab will open, giving you a full-screen look.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
A Light Caress
The subtle tone and texture of this rose is accentuated by the soft light from a near by window.
It will be awhile before the flowers begin to bloom this spring. In the interim, I picked up a few flowers from a florist to photograph.
This rose is actually a vibrant, two-toned, orange and yellowish color. Ironically, the color made it an excellent candidate for a monochrome treatment.
You can get a better look at this image’s details by clicking on the photo, which will open a larger version.