Our Grandson has plans to eventually become a photo/video/sound professional and is developing his technique in that regard. He recently showed me some of his work, and I was impressed by how much he’s learned over the past year. I especially like his use of lighting and perspective. I asked him if he’d mind me posting some of his work on my blog, as an example to others learning. He understands today’s challenges in this field, but with determination and drive I think he will make it.
A neighbor of ours set up this peaceful, shady spot in her front yard … a place that held more attraction for me from a photographic standpoint than the potential to sit and relax. The contrasting red cushion in the midst of all the summer green is nice to look at. And further down the street was another yard attraction I liked. Again, from a photographic standpoint.
Summer is definitely here, as the colors shown above can attest. The fact we’ve had a recent spell of mid-90 degree temperatures makes it even more apparent.
Once in awhile I like to step away from my usual photo techniques and have a little fun. Like here. Compare and pick your favorite.
When I looked out a back window of our home early this morning I spotted something small moving in our overly deep yard grass. Looking closer I saw it was a very small, alert fawn, huddled down low. I quickly got my camera with 200mm lens and made the following photos.
The deer definitely saw me but didn’t move. At first I wondered if it was sick or wounded. Or if it had been abandoned by its mother. It was interesting watching it “watching” not only me, but also squirrels and birds nearby. After I made the last image below I decided to walk a bit closer to see if there was anything wrong. As I approached, the Fawn jumped up and ran into the woods next to the house next door.
I found out later this sort of thing is very normal. For those less than three weeks old, a doe will often place its fawn somewhere “safe” knowing it can’t keep up with the older deer. I just found it before the mother had a chance to come back. I also read that attempting to “rescue it” is illegal in some areas. Any doubt, call animal control.
I’m glad there wasn’t anything visibly wrong with the fawn, and if all goes well, soon it will be munching on vegetation just like all the rest that live in our neighborhood. Too many actually, but photos like these make me more sympathetic to that situation. How can you not love that face!
Last August while taking a day cruise through a portion of Prince William Sound in Alaska, during a period of low, overcast skies, we passed this small island that caught my eye.
Conditions were not that good, although it improved dramatically the further we went, so I figured the image I made would not be a “pick.” And so it sat on my hard drive. Until today. I downloaded a MACOS version of Tonality, designed to convert color images to B&W, and then to be able to make a large number of adjustments which made my original really pop out, to what I now conclude to definitely be a “pick.”
It’s taken several years from the time they were planted to have one of our two Hydrangea bushes bloom as they are now. With all the rain and unseasonably warm weather I suppose that has been a factor. The pastel colors are beautiful.
My favorite type of photography involves landscape compositions. In that regard “location” is often key. Not everyone can make photos in places like Alaska, where I made the above photo last August, and where landscape opportunities are just about everywhere one looks. However, I didn’t have to travel that far to get the next two photos, in the Blue Ridge Mountains about an hour’s drive from home, but I did have to look harder than in Alaska to find what I was looking for.
There are numerous photo editing programs to adjust and merge/blend photos. One of our grandsons is in the U.S. Coast Guard. He sent me a photo of the ship to which he’s assigned, docked in Kodiak Alaska where he’s stationed. I took his original and merged it with a flag-themed brick wall painted mural I found in Martinsville, Virginia and got this patriotic result.
I don’t do this sort of thing very often, nor so I have any desire to test the limits of “artful expression.” I just like to have fun with photography.
I was excited after I looked at these photos I made, using the articulating LCD on my Panasonic GX7 camera with 25mm lens attached. I was able to place the camera at a low angle to get the flowers and the nice sky in the background. Other images were equally nice I thought. Without the articulating LCD I’d have been laying in the wet grass and mud nearby. Impossible to do, because I’d never have been able to get back up, old legs and all.
Here’s a series of the transformation of a Magnolia Tree flower. I especially like the soft look to the large flowers. The last B&W version is just for fun.
