Where did the summer go?

All decked out for the 4th of July baseball tournament.It went swiftly in a rush of introspection. It went advancing the goals of our studio, and yard work, and playing with photography, a little travel, teaching, learning and wasting time thinking. And a bit of golf.

 It also apparently went to neglecting this blog. But I don’t think that upset anyone. So let’s try this again.

 Here are some of my favorite iPhone photos from over the summer.

Apple by apple

Back on November 1, 2011, I entered a somewhat maudlin report relating to a photograph I had made near an old train station in Salamanca, N.Y. (photo above).

When I took it, I thought it had promise, but wasn’t sure what the final result would be. So I toned it up nice in Pshop and posted it.

A few weeks ago I took another look at it and saw a different image. I saw potential. And I saw a lot of Pshop work. So I thought about it. Cropped it a little closer and then went to work. First I desaturated the image, so the leaves took on  a nice dead color. Then I went back in to put color back in the apples. Apple by apple.

I was using an old Pshop technique to lasso each apple so I could revive them. Proud of my work, I showed it to a 16-year old high school junior who is working with us. I asked her, knowing she had Pshop experience (self-taught), “how would you have done it?” as a teaching moment for her.

She told me how she would do it and it was an amazingly simpler method that provided more accuracy. I knew it, had used it, but it had never entered my mind. I had always used the lasso tool.

I slapped my forehead and uttered the famous Homer Simpson line, “D’oh.”

Humbled, and with a renewed effort, I restored color to the apples, then carefully finished by desaturating any color (other than B&W) from the tree branches. I then added a very light Dry Brush filter to it. Final result below.

I printed it (about 13 x 20 inches) and had it framed real nice, and entered it in the local arts centers annual juried contest (along with another photo). It was accepted, the other, an iPhone photo was not. I think size mattered.

The show opening is Friday night. I’ll try to lurk in the area of my print and overhear what folks are saying. Will report later.
 

The desaturated season

A Dogs DecisionI do not care for the type of winter the northern United States has to offer. Perhaps it's because I lived in the southern states for so many years. As a child, I lived in the land of the Lake Effect in Western New York. I A Winter Walkthought 200 inches of snow a year was normal. I never learned to ski. I could only wobble across the ice on skates. Cold, snow, sleet, ice and slush are not my friend.

But I can endure them, and I do, so I can go on walks this time of year. I’m not a power walker, usually just a bit faster than a stroll. That way I can observe and watch and wonder.

The best part of winter is that fresh snow transforms the landscape, converting the world to grayscale.  TurnaroundThat is something I am comfortable with, having photographed nearly exclusively in black and white the first 20 years of my career. When out in the snow I imagine my camera is using Tri-X or Plus-X instead of pixels.

Patterns emerge, curves are more defined, and contrast rules the landscape. And, you can see what has gone before you. Footsteps are a winter thing (sand and mud excluded). What Is Composition?And it surprises me I don't see more photographers out and about.

So I look for the symmetry, the contrast, the curve and the footstep.

Note: All photos taken with an iPhone 4.

The Holidays begin

I know, it's not a great photo. Pretty average, in fact. But it reminds me of the time of year when we enter the dormant season. The trees have offered their fruit, but in this instance, in a location removed from deer, fearing the "urban" conflicts.

Colors are muted, we're past the oranges and reds and yellows. Now it's time for browns, until the snow comes and covers it all.

It's a time for Thanksgiving, and preparing for the coming months in this part of the country.

Give thanks, take photos.