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Water on Leaves [Canon 5D]
November 12, 2008
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Another exploration of the morning droplets on the field of leaves behind our house.
Ah, the glories of autumn!
Coming this January in Sacramento:
Photoshop for Photographers: The Basics
January 17 - 18, 2009
More information about this class
Silver Droplets [Canon 5D]
November 12, 2008
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I've been really enjoying our land this autumn. Until a few days ago, we had a fine multi-layered carpet of leaves covering most of the back garden area. Rather than jump right in with with raking, we decided to leave it for a while. Our motivation in this decision was no doubt influenced by the fact that finding time to devote to raking up prodigious piles of leaves was difficult to do. But the decision to leave the leaves was also influenced, at least on my part, by the fact that they looked so beautiful.
Upon looking closer one day (something that photographers should always do!) I saw a field of perfect dew drops scattered over many of the leaves on the autumn carpet. Seeing this close-up through the lens was like being tempted with delicious candy. One was just not enough! And so, over the course of several days, when the morning light was low and bright and golden, I found myself kneeling on the wet leaves in an old pair of knock-about blue jeans, and having a wonderful time exploring the close-up landscapes of leafland.
And while these images are wonderful in color, the traditional palette for autumn photography, and I may post some of those in the coming week, they are also quite interesting in black and white. I am always intrigued by interpreting a subject in black and white that would normally seem to be a perfect fit for color. There's a creative challenge there and exploring alternative ways to see the image is very satisfying.
Technical Notes: Although these are close-up views I did not use a macro lens, but instead relied on my Canon 24—105mm image-stablized zoom on a Canon 5D. All of the the processing was done in Lightroom,including some localized work with the adjustment brush to darken the background a bit.
images: © iStockphoto illustration: Christy Winter
The December issue of Photoshop User arrived in my mailbox the other day. It includes the 9th edition of their popular 100 Hot Tips feature. This year they're going with a circus big top theme and calling it the 100 Greatest Tips on Earth. I am returning as one of the tipsters for my third or fourth time, sharing my Photoshop knowledge morsels along with Ben Willmore, Bert Monroy, Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, Kevin Ames and others. This issue also features Scott Kelby's 3rd Annual Gonzo Holiday Gear Guide. If you already subscribe to Photoshop User, then you know what a great magazine and learning resource it is. And if not, then head on over to the NAPP web site and check it out.
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This is the third year that I have put together a calendar featuring my photographs. The previous two years featured photographs from Diana and Holga toy cameras. For 2009 I decided to gather together twelve of my favorites from the ongoing series Artifacts of an Uncertain Origin. These photographs are not digital collages, but are full frame views from a wooden pinhole camera with no viewfinder.
I have been working on this series since August of 2006 and as I write this I have 24 images in the group with ideas for several more. I cannot say when I will be finished, as the creative muse still speaks to me through this channel. And when the creative muse is ringing your doorbell, it's always a good idea to keep inviting her in!
You can find more information, including an ordering link and a preview gallery of all twelve calendar images by following this link.
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Next Workshops
Monterey Workshop in Mid December
It's looking likely that there will be a workshop held in Monterey, California in mid December. This has not been officially scheduled yet, but when it is, I will post it here and on my main web site Workshops Schedule. The class title and dates are:
Photoshop Essentials for Photographers
December 13 - 14, 2008
Sacramento Workshops in January & February
My first workshops of 2009 will be held at the Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento, California. They will cover two levels of Photoshop for Photographers. Here are the pertinent details:
Photoshop for Photographers: The Basics
January 17 - 18, 2009
More information about this class
Photoshop for Photographers: Beyond the Basics
February 7 - 8, 2009
More information about this class
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Newsletter News
The November issue of my newsletter was sent out last night. The next newsletter should go out in mid December.
Machete Ridge [Canon 5D]
Pinncacles National Monument, California – Nov. 2, 2008
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This was taken about two weeks agao on my drive down to Los Osos for my Creative Digital Black & White class. It's a pretty straight forward interpretation. The conversion to black and white and a curve to increase contrast was applied in Lightroom.
The Pinnacles is a pretty amazing place. As the title of this post suggests, the massive rock formations are the remains of an ancient volcano. And if that's not trippy enough, about 23 million years ago massive earthquakes and plate shifting caused by the San Andreas fault split the volcanic remnants in two and carried what is now the Pinnacles north. Over millions of years the two halves eventually became separated by more than 195 miles!
I had a very enjoyable hike along this trail, which eventually led down into a talus cave at the bottom of Machete Ridge, the large rock formation you see in the image above. Flashlights were required, but other than that it was a pretty tame route. Furry bats clung to the walls as I made my way through the darkness. After my hike I took some pinhole photographs for my Artifacts of an Uncertain Origin series. A week later I stopped by again on the drive home and made some more pinhole images. Those will be posted here at some point in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!
Lines [Canon 5D]
November 6, 2008 -- Morro Bay, California
I recently returned from a week down in Los Osos, California where I was teaching a workshop on Creative Digital Black & White at the Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging. If you've never taken a class there I encourage you to consider it! It has one of the best classroom/computer lab facilities that I have ever taught in and the owners Victoria and Hal Schmitt do a wonderful job at making sure that everyone has a good workshop experience.
This image was taken on board the Niña, a historically accurate replica of one of the ships that Columbus sailed to the New World in 1492. I was surprised at how small it was. The original crew would have been only about 26 men, and even with that number it would have been a crowded voyage. As I was photographing this and talking with one of the students from the class, I referred to the subject matter in this image as "ropes". A zealous nautical type (a visitor to the ship, not one of the crew) overheard me and interrupted to correct my land-lubber terminology faux pas: "They're called lines on a ship!"
Newsletter News
The next issue of Creative Digital Darkroom News will be sent out this week. I thought that I would have the time to finish it while down in Los Osos, but it was not to be.
New Workshops for 2009
My 2009 workshop schedule is beginning to take shape and I am excited at some of the new classes that I will be offering. Forthcoming classes include the return of two popular weekend classes, Photoshop for Photographers I: The Basics and Photoshop for Photographers II:Beyond the Basics. These will be offered at the Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in Sacramento, California. Dates are still pending but it's looking like they will be offered in mid-January and early February.
Other upcoming classes include...
The Art of the Photographic Collage
February 19 – 22 Mesilla Digital Imaging Workshops
Mesilla, New Mexico
>>Click here for More Info
Hawaii Workshops
April 2 – 5 Pacific New Media
University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii
>>Click here for More Info
The Creative Eye:
Digital Photography & Digital Darkroom Essentials
April 27 – May 1 Santa Fe Photographic Workshops
Santa Fe, New Mexico
>>Click here for More Info
Radiators [Canon 5D]
Old Idaho State Penitentiary – Boise, Idaho October 13, 2008
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This image was taken on the grounds of the old Idaho State Penitentiary in Boise, Idaho. My brother and I stopped by on our last afternoon in town, but were disappointed to find it closed due to Columbus Day. We had both visited this place many years before and were looking forward to seeing it again. But even though the doors were locked, we prowled around the areas that were accessible and I found a pile of these old radiators in an open shed outside the prison walls. I also took the opportunity to finish up a roll of 120 film in my pinhole camera so that the film could be hand-inspected at airport security.
Off to Los Osos...
I'm heading down to Los Osos and Morro Bay on the central California coast today to teach a 5-day workshop on Creative Digtial Black & White at the Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging. I have taught at many workshop venues around the country, and the digital classroom at the Lepp Institute is one of the best (and it is the only place I have ever taught at that has stadium seating to ensure that everyone has a great view of the screen). There's still room, so if you're interested, click on the link below to learn more about this class and to sign up.
Creative Digital Black and White
Lepp Institute of Digital Imaging
November 3 – 7, 2008
Los Osos, California
Newsletter Update
The next issue of my free newsletter, Creative Digital Darkroom News, will be sent out sometime in the coming week. You can subscribe using the sign-up form above left.
