« December 2005 | Main | February 2006 »
I decided that I liked the 'grungy' waterlilies so I made another one tonite. This is a waterlily shot that did not make the cut to post but worked with the struggling maple tree shot from Golden Gate park.
I found Carl Root's photography on Photo.net. I really like his work particularly the rhythms portfolio. You can view the work here.
Another grab shot from Golden Gate park. If I had had more time, I would have waited for pedestrians dressed in something besides white. I had to do a lot of burning to hold back their coats from blowing out.
Today, had a full photo day. First, I went up in the city to catchup with Aaron and Kevin. I had met them during a print class at San Francisco Art Institute this summer. While hurrying back to my car, I made a quick grab shot. I was rushing because I was overtime in my parking space and wanted to avoid a ticket. Then, I rushed back across the bay to the photo center for my re-done slides (converted from digital). This time the slides look really good. Finally, I went to PhotoCentral to meet with the photographer's critique group. A good day but this was a weekend without any photo adventures.
This is a composite with a macro of leaves and a water lily blossom. The toning comes from the Nik Duplex filter.
This is a rework of an earlier image. I was happy with the result but not thrilled. This afternoon, I visited for the first time a group of photographer who meet once a month to review each other's work. I decided to show this image. One man, Monte Hartman, did a critique and thought this was 'almost, but not quite'. After a discussion, there was consensus that the lightness in the lower right corner was drawing the eye out of the image. I re-worked a little to darken that area and make the bridge on the right-half stronger. I think this works better. Another suggestion was to mirror the orchid buds and try that as a composite. I kept a layered version but cannot decipher my compositing process enough to redo. Hmmm. Memory is fleeting.
Turns out that Monte has been teaching a composition course for 30 years and has an amazing eye for compositioin. I am taking the class starting on February 9th.
This is another image in prep for the Photoshop creative class. This a classic sandwich approach. I worked it the first time and Photoshop hung crunching and crunching. I waited an hour and half and aborted. Naturally, I had not saved so I started over.
I am working on a creative Photoshop class for friends. This is one of the examples that I was experimenting wth.
On a different note, I found an excellent camera repair shop, Kamera Korner. They took care of replacing the focusing screen on my Digital Rebel while I waited and for half the estimate.
Another from the Conservatory of Flowers. I needed to raid the archives again. Hopefully this weekend will be productive.
Another raided from the archives. This is an infrared shot of the rocks and leaves along Alameda creek.
Another from the archives because I have not been up to going out shooting. Hopefully this weekend I will have some fresh images.
Went into the archives. This is from the Conservatory of Flowers from a few weeks ago.
One more from my visit tonite to Coyote Hills. I had a great white egret standing in the reeds but the white blew out everything else so out it went with a crop.
I had big plans for the weekend. I was going to go out shooting all over. Instead, spent most of the weekend in bed napping which was almost as good. Hopefully, my allergies will calm down soon. I did manage to get out to Coyote Hills late in the afternoon. Tonite was the first time that I saw a skunk. He was foraging around near the path on the hillside and did not seem to care about me at all. I did not have enough reach for a shot.
Since I have not been out shooting for a while, I dug into the archives and found this one. It is one of the textured, colored rocks found out in Sunol along Alameda creek.
This image has been cross processed which popped the blue in the background. The real background for this shot was my LCD monitor that was turned off.
Another looking down on the Calla lily bouquet.
Another looking down on the Calla lily bouquet.
Another shot (pun intended) at taking a nice image of my pink Calla lily bouquet. I was holding the blooms together with one hand and holding the camera with another.
Played with a few shots of a calla lilly bouquet.
This portfolio is still under construction. It is color images of nature and landscapes taken around the San Francisco bay. Click here or the image to enter.
Another from my Trader Joe bouquet.
After even more struggle, I have updated my infrared portfolio and named it Woodland Quiet. Please click here or the image to see the portfolio.
A very simple image from the Conservatory of Flowers. I just liked the colors.
This little maple is struggling at the edge of the sidewalk. It reminds me of the little places of wildness described in novels by Charles de Lint. He writes about urban settings but there is magical happenings at the small wild areas located throughout the city. Moonheart is my favorite novel by Charles de Lint.
From my recent visit to the Conservatory of Flowers. I am undecided but think it is good enough to post.
After visiting the Conservatory of Flowers, I made a quick visit to the de Young Museum. The museum was a zoo with tons of people crowding everywhere. I took a quick detail shot of this bouquet at the entrance. Then, I heavily fiddled it for this look.
This is a tree fern forest close to the Conservatory of Flowers. I took the shot handheld with my new Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I had read that prime lenses provide better image quality but I was blown away by the detail and clarity of the image right of the camera.
This shot reminds me of an exotic bird coming down to land on a perch. I missed the focus on what would be the head of the bird. So for the web, I fudged a little. I added a little grain and selectively sharpened that area to make it look more sharp.
Another from my Traders Joe's bouquet. This is a chrysanthemum seen from its side.
This has been a long difficult week for at work with health problems. I decided to treat myself to a bouquet from Trader Joe's. I had bought the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens a few months ago and never got a chance to try it out. Tonite, I left the lens wide open and played with various shots of the bouquet.
Tonite, my hard drive was to full. I have all my images backed up to an external drive so had to do housekeeping on my internal drive. I found this during my cleaning and decided that it is a keeper.
For some reason, this reminds me strongly of my goldfish begging for dinner. I think that the center of the blossoms remind of the goldfish mouths open ready for food.
Another from the Conservatory of Flowers. I cannot remember if this is the same purple waterlily from the previous shot but slight changes in position could make radical differences in the color of the water.
The last image from our recent visit to Coyote Hills. Just beyond the hill is the parking lot.
This image was actually taken about 15 minutes before the previous entry. The exposure was multiple seconds so there is a lot of movement in the reeds and bushes along the hillside. The color is accurate. Over the summer, this entire marsh dried out and all the reeds died back. They are just starting to green up with the winter rains. The ripples in the water were actually caused by coots and Canada geese that were patrolling. They disappeared but their wake remains.
Tonite, Chip and I took the dogs to Coyote Hills for a short walk. I was hoping to take a reeds shot but of course, I saw something better. The light was beautiful so I took this sky shot as a high-dynamic range image. While I was shooting, a lady stopped and asked what I was shooting. I replied "The colors in the sky." She said "Oh" in a disappointed voice.
I really struggled with trying to compose this one. I felt that all the ingredients were there for a good image but it is a near miss. I am hoping to return and try again.
I have been getting a few more portfolios ready. I am hoping to join the Bay Area Photographer's Collective. They have asked to see a sample of my work. So I have been working on a nature portfolio of the bay area. I found this shot last nite looking through the archives and had completely forgotten about it. It made me smile.
Another waterlily shot from the Conservatory of Flowers. This one is virtually the same place and composition as my earlier shot. I am amazed by the difference in the colors of the water.
My last image taken at the Conservatory of Flowers. This was in the lobby which felt wonderfully cool in contrast to the steamy heat of the greenhouse. This was a lovely bouquet in the lobby.
Here is something a little more graphic from the Conservatory of Flowers.
Another from the waterlily garden from the Conservatory of Flowers. I have had such a good time there the last few weekends that I am thinking of returning again this Saturday. Our camera club is having a field trip their this Saturday.
Posted for Photo Friday - Vanity topic. This shot reminds me of a Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) flaring his fins.
This one looks a little like a still life but it is actually a cluster of flowers on a vine growing along the window glass.
Another from the same section of the greenhouse where these vines are glowing along the glass.
This is a small plant detail of the leaves growing against the glass in the Conservatory of Flowers. They have their own urban jungle in the greenhouse.
This is the main concourse of the de Young museum. This portion does not require and entry fee.
This is a view of the front entrance of the de Young Museum. This is the copper plating from the back side. I took serveral shots with various people strolling. This one has three folks in it but you have to defocus your eyes a little to spot it.
This is a shot of flowing water in the creek. The hillside was reflected into the creek and the shade provided the blue hue. I expanded the tonal range and the colors popped.
Today, went down to Henry Coe State park at the Hunting Hollow engrance. This trail is fairly level for Henry Coe which has EXTRAORDINARILY steep trails. I was going to shoot color but ended up with infrared. While taking this picture, a couple came by on horseback. The one chestnut mare was clearly very concerned about me standing in upstream from the crossing. The man managed to soothe her and cross the stream. The wife says "Sorry, you look like a big, black evil thing." Thanks for the reassurance, ;)
This is the side entrance to the de Young Museum. Although it looks manipulated, it is a straight shot. About 3/4rds of the image is a reflection with wavy glass.
After visiting the Conservatory of Flowers, Aphra and I strolled over to the De Young Museum for lunch. The De Young is newly renovated and recently re-opened. It is clad in cover which is dimpled and cutout to resemble a tree canopy. The copper is going to patina to a green but from this shot it is not there yet. Right now, I admire the concept but it does look a little like a battle ship. If you are a photographer bringing your camera to the museum, do not bring your photo backpack. You are allowed to enter the museum but must carry down at your side (making it difficult to hold the bag and shoot the camera).
After shooting for a while at the Conservatory of Flowers, I suddenly started to feel hungry and tired. Turns out that we had been shooting for about 4 hours. So I sat down in a chair to regroup and decide on what else I wanted to take a picture. I decided to switch to my telephoto 70-200mm lens with an extension tube. I practiced taking a picture of the vase on the table containing some cut orchids.
Yes, another from the Conservatory of Flowers. The green haze is because there was a hanging basket and a piece of foliage was pressed against my lens.
Here is another from the orchid show at the Conservatory of Flowers. This one I put on an extension tube onto my 70-200 lens.
Today, Aphra and I went to the Conservatory of Flowers for the last weekend of the orchid show. This shot was a mistake because my lens fogged entering the aquatic area but I like the effect.
Yes, another from visit last weekend to the Conservatory of Flowers. Since I am returning tomorrow, there will be more next week.
(click on image for full size image)
Tonite, Chip and I went out to Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge. The sunset was glorious but all the golden light was gone before we arrived. Instead, we found a beautiful, calm bay with the reflections. This is the Dumbarton Bridge (Hwy 84) which I have crawled over many a time commuting home.
This is a serious crop of my original image. I wanted to focus on the reflection of the hanging basket. However, I could not get close-up so knew I would need to crop later. I like the idea of this one but do not like the foreground lily pads which pulled out of focus. I am returning this weekend hopefully and can try again.
Dug into archives for this infrared taken of Alameda creek.
This is another fiddled image from the Conservatory of Flowers. I started with a conversion to infrared color using the Nik filters. Then, a lot of fiddling for the final look.
