Is the world ending? No, I'm just sick.
Over the past three weeks, I haven’t posted much or taken that many photographs. It may seem like I am neglecting my duties, but in reality, I have been very sick. Over my life, I have had pneumonia dozens of times. This time I thought I was OK until I wasn’t. It put me down hard. In fact, I didn’t know how sick I was until after I started to get better.
Over the past three weeks, I haven’t posted much or taken that many photographs. It may seem like I am neglecting my duties, but in reality, I have been very sick. Over my life, I have had pneumonia dozens of times. This time I thought I was OK until I wasn’t. It put me down hard. In fact, I didn’t know how sick I was until after I started to get better.
I did try to keep creating. I grabbed a sunrise, practiced focus stacking, and took a time lapse. While these aren’t the most fabulous photographs I have ever taken, I still enjoyed taking the time to do it.
I went out early one morning to Lake Fayetteville and set up two cameras in hopes of getting the marvelous colors that are usually displayed when the sun begins to peek over the horizon. The sky was clear, and the air was quite clean. Two things that do and do not contribute to a great photograph.
Usually, the air in NWA is thick with substantial humidity, making everything hazy. This also refracts the light making the great colors one expects to see across the morning landscape. This usually makes taking a photograph a little tricky, as the haze keeps the colors of the trees in focus, sharp and defined. So it is a trade-off, hazy photos but great colors or, in the case of that morning, bright and crisp with only a few colors. I really didn’t mind too much though, crisp air means low pollen. Something that is a big help when suffering upper respiratory distress. Like I said, I didn’t realize how sick I was, and heavily polluted air probably would have done more damage than I know.
Right now, the dam is covered in hundreds of yellow flowers, some of which are almost perfectly shaped. I have been fooling around with Focus Stacking, so I grabbed a few shots. If you look closely, you will see the old water intake is in focus as well as some flowers with everything in-between having a beautiful bokeh.
Since I was at Lake Fayetteville anyway, I thought I would look around at the docks in the marina. Docks can provide great photographs because of their straight lines that seem to vanish into the distance. I wasn’t disappointed.
The Rowing Club of Northwest Arkansas has recently installed a dock meant specifically for their sport. There are no railings, so it is easier to get in the water boats. It even has a little staging area to quickly mount and dismount the skiffs and vessels without the threat of falling in the water. It is interesting if you find yourself wanting to learn something new, go by and just take a look.
The dock itself had a problem that morning though. It was covered in Canada Geese droppings. I mean, covered. It was the most disgusting thing I have seen in a long while. If you know anything about me, you know I love Ducks but despise Canadian geese. They are the least friendly and most undesirable water foul I know of, and also the most damaging, in my opinion, to any Eco-system. But mostly it’s because they are jerks. Anyway...
I almost did not take the photo of the dock. I knew it would be at least an hour of work to remove all the droppings from the photograph and I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to take on the task, but the dock looked too good that I couldn’t resist.
I have also been fooling around with daytime long exposure, so this was a great place to try it. When you use long exposure, things like water, and it’s waves blend together to make what could be seen as a mist, causing the camera to create some fascinating photos.
After that little trip to the lake, I thought I would go home and spend the rest of my day in Photoshop and Lightroom, creating my art. But I just didn’t feel that great and ended up napping. When I woke, I had lost my voice completely. This was a week ago, and I still cannot talk. In fact, I think I have gotten sicker.
It seems that every time I think I am getting better, the weather does something funky, and it makes me worse again. I am trying to get better, but until this passes, I won’t be able to put out any more podcasts or take any road trips for great photographs.
The perfect location for a photograph
Some of the best portraits you will ever see more than likely could be a great photo without the subject sitting, running, walking or doing some damn thing. Its about the dream, your photograph. When taking portraits for clients it becomes even more important to have that backdrop be something spectacular. So today I was looking around for something that might make some great lines for some wholesome portraits.
As you may or may not know, the setting is as much a part of the photograph as the subject. You can have a beautiful woman or man sitting for a photograph, but if the background is a power plant, well, those photos aren’t going to impress anyone much.
A few decent lines and I can have them stand in front of the caution signs, might be good. Rule of Thirds will work great here.
Some of the best portraits you will ever see, more than likely, would be a great photo without the subject sitting, running, walking or doing some damn thing. It's all about the dream, your photograph. When taking portraits of my clients, it becomes even more critical to have that backdrop be something spectacular. So today I was looking around for something that might make some great lines for some wholesome portraits.
Every now and again, I go out looking for easily accessible spots in town that aren't too secluded. I used to try and take clients to the craziest places I could think of. Why? Because of the background! I would find the best environments I could. With my tastes, it meant that no one else would ever get that same photograph and probably hasn't yet either. The problem is, I may find that pleasing but the regular Joe doesn't or even worse, it scares them to death.
I once had a couple that needed engagement photos for their wedding. I love water being in all my shots, and I know of a place that's easy to get to and secluded enough that it would be a one of a kind. The path is level with the water. Leaving nothing but a clean horizon line full of a lake, BEAUTIFUL.
I took them out there, we navigated the little path made by the local deer population and got right up to the water's edge just as the sun started to hover above the glistening western horizon. It was going to be perfect. I was so excited that I didn't notice the bride-to-be getting more and more nervous. That is until she let out a little shriek.
“SNAKES! SNAKES EVERYWHERE!”
I didn't see them, the fiance didn't see them but SHE SAW THEM, and that was it. We were off to take the engagement photos in my front yard. Lacking anywhere else to take them other than the local museum turn of the century barn and homestead house, I was out of luck and out of scenery.
After that day, I began hunting for that great backdrop that would allow the client to feel like they are getting something beautiful and I didn't feel cheap shooting it.
This is one of my earliest HDR Photographs of the Shiloh Museum Barn
Yeah, I said it, I don't want to feel cheap. However, I get a few drinks in me, and I stop caring for about four hours, but I always hate myself in the morning. Cheap to me are the obligatory barn photos or the hay bale in a field. Put everyone in plaid and pile them against the hay, not my ideal photograph. YUCK! Ok, if you pay me enough and I'll do it, but I ain't gotta like it. Besides, old barns can be an excellent backup plan. Shoot them right, and you get to keep some self-respect.
That's where I went today, to make sure that the backup plan still existed. To my utter horror, my backup plan is completely destroyed. Well, not completely, but close. Sometimes I like to use the Shiloh Museum to shoot the "homespun" clients in front of. They love it because it feels like the world they wish they could return to. You know, the better days when family cared for each other and ate around the dinner table together. (Secret, those weren't the better days. You worked 12 hour days in the field and momma had to do the laundry outside by hand). It used to be a safe bet and friendly enough place for the majority of the folks but now the only thing left is the barn, and it looks like it's going to fall down. Now what do I do?!
I know what I am going to have to do, find another backup “wholesome” backdrop. Yay me…
Pretty Little Pink Flowers are here today, but they might not be here in June.