This is just a colorful picture that catches and holds the eye. There is so much to look at that the eye has no place to rest. The stained glass border at first attracts, and then pushes the eye back into the center. After a little detective work you can read “Welcome Friends” in the window. To me, that cements a peaceful feeling into the photo. Canon 50D, Tamron 90mm Macro lens, 1/25 sec, f/9.0, ISO 500, Tripod used, 9/24/2013. In post processing I had to clone out several price tags. Back in 2013 I was using Photoshop Elements software and they didn’t have content aware fill back then. Matching the translucent glass color was a pain. But the results were worth it.This was taken at Hot Sam's Antiques and Big Weird Junk in Lakeview, Minnesota. Hot Sam’s is worth a short detour off of I35. (They do charge a Photo Fee.) I have several good shots from there. This one shot has a funny story with it. I was with a professional photographer that day and when I showed him this picture he ran back and shot it himself. About a week later I saw it on his web site for sale. (Mine is better. No distracting price tags.) I think that is a good affirmation. I wonder if he sold any?
Sue and I were staying in the camper cabin at Savanna Portage MN State Park. One frosty morning we had to get up to use the "facilities". The sun was just coming up and the lake was covered with a soft fog. Great photo op... forgetting about the facilities I ran back and got my camera, tri-pod, and graduated filters. In my pajamas and slippers for the next 30 minutes I sat on a bench facing across the lake composing all sorts of images into the rising sun . All of them looking wonderful in my brain. (Some did turn out kind of "nice" but not worth printing.) Eventually Sue got dressed and came back to see how I was doing. She walked out onto the fishing dock and faced away from the sun and called me down to see this beautiful scene. I snapped two pictures and this is one of them. I absolutely love it! It's good to have an extra set of eyes. Thank you Sue.
This is an iconic view of downtown Minneapolis taken from the old 24th Street Pedestrian Bridge over I35W. The streaks of tail and head lights point to the awaking city. Their leading lines pull you into its heart. I like the balance of tonality. The softness is the calm before the morning meetings start. Right now it is peaceful. I can smell the coffee brewing.
Supper is on the way!Mallard Island the home place of Ernest C. Oberholtzer, wilderness advocate. Ober lived here for about 40 years, from the early 1920s to the late 1950s, and he developed the island for guests and shared it with his friends. More can be learned about this wonderful place and Ober’s legacy at [ www.eober.org ]. The “Wannigan” called “Kitchen Boat” by Ober was brought in about the time that Cedarbark House was moored along shore, so that he, Ernest Oberholtzer, and his mother would have some place to cook.This small dry-docked boat holds the kitchen for teams staying on Mallard Island. Two or three people each day are assigned responsibility for dinner. We agree on a menu and purchase the ingredients before we arrive at Mallard. -0193 is a picture of the vegetables for a night’s dinner. After lunch I saw the team gather their vegetables. The colors and wholesomeness of all the fresh vegetables shouted to me. I came back with my camera and tripod to photograph with the midday light coming in the window. I set my tripod up on the table to shoot down on the vegetables. I showed Will my first shots and he suggest I crop it closer. I repositioned and rearranged some of the vegetables and utensils. It still looked too “dead”. I cut a cucumber to bring some action into the scene.
Hot Sam's Antiques and Big Weird Junk in Lakeview, Minnesota is worth a detour off of I35. (They do have a Photo Fee.)
Fly Agaric mushroomI take a lot of mushroom pictures. This is the most pleasing. The poisonous Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom has such a lovely yellow orange glow. The bumps on the cap give it character. I like the way the mushroom is slightly off center. The green moss is a complementary color that makes both colors pop off the page. I like the smooth spot on the cap, it draws me to it every time. I like the way the focus grows softer as you move deeper into the background. This mushroom popped up right next to our camper. I took my time with this set up. I had to drop my tripod down to the ground level. The camera was hanging upside-down. I was laying down with twigs and brush poking me. I composed and recomposed (and maybe decomposed). I carefully focused (I nailed it, the image is tack sharp!). I set up a 30" diffuser to soften the light. I tripped the cable release (several times with minute changes). I got up and opened a beer. Aug 2014, Fundy National Park located on the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick.
St. Louis River rapids from the swayback bridge in Jay Cooke State Park MN This is my second choice for ‘best of class’ in the landscape category. I love how the water flows. The rocks are tack sharp and their crisp texture complements the bleakness of the sky. The warmth of the forest promises some shelter from the raging river and the storm. It is the post processing and presentation that make this picture so striking. In Lightroom I created the HDR and then played all my games in image enhancement: crop; sky enhancements; trees/center brightness, clarity, some contrast; sharpen the rocks and this time the trees too; soften the water and clouds; and clone out imperfections. I printed this on 16” x 24” polished aluminum. On metal there is less ink in the lighter areas. More light is reflected off these areas making the image “shine”. As you move around and the light source moves the water dances and flows. You can’t see this on a computer display but you should see it in person. I get tingles when I look at it. (Okay, I hear you, get a life Dick.)
When I look this photo of Christine Falls in Mt Rainer National Park, I see the technical details that went into it and I am pleased with the results. I like the way my eye is drawn into the scene, how the vibrance makes the image jump off the screen; but then I feel a peacefulness, I want to walk into the Falls and feel the spray (I didn’t risk the climbing down, some people did), I feel a love for the beauty of nature, an appreciation of the beauty of our world, I am at peace.
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