Glenn Euloth Photography

Winter Blahs

2012-02-05T20:15:00.001-04:00

Alright, I'm getting tired of winter already! I hope the Canadian groundhogs are right and it's an early spring as I am really looking forward to spring already.

It's February 5th and even though I've been out shooting on a couple of different days so far I've only taken about 40-50 frames. At this rate I won't likely take more than 300 frames this month. On an average summer month I'll get out and take anywhere from 800 to 1200 frames.

I know, I know. Why does it matter how many frames I shoot in a given month? Well, I really love the act of making images. It gives me joy and the cold grey months of winter steal that joy from me. Part of the problem is not wanting to go out in the cold. But most of the problem is a lack of inspiration in the cold, grey months because I have been bundling up and getting out there but I can't seem to find anything I really want to photograph.

With spring, colour returns to the world and until then, I'll just have to struggle through. It might be easier if we'd get a bit more sun but it mostly rains in Halifax these days.

Happy 2012

2012-01-05T23:39:00.001-04:00

Happy 2012, a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

I was asked to photograph the Herring Cove Polar Bear Dip this year by a friend of mine who organizes the event. He saw the photos I got last year of Rick Mercer and Ron James and all the other people who had jumped and thought I might be able to help out with photographs.

I didn't want to just sit on the other side of the cove and photograph the jumpers again, I wanted to do something different. With the help of my friends at the Sackville Photography Club we set up a "photo booth".

We took a bunch of before the jump shots plus we had 3 people in and around the jumpers and two people on the other side of the cove with long lenses. We covered the event pretty completely. It was a blast. The studio session was so much fun, I'll have to do it again sometime.

You can find the results on Smugmug at http://polarbeardip.smugmug.com/ We kept the costs as low as possible and any profit will go back to the Feed Nova Scotia. I hope people will get to enjoy their photos and make some prints. Everyone wins!

Waiting for his Ship to Come In

2011-10-04T15:06:00.004-03:00

Waiting for his Ship to Come In, a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

This past Saturday found me in downtown Halifax trying to enjoy the Scott Kelby World Wide Photowalk. I say "trying" as the rain really put a damper on my spirits. I was so looking forward to being outside and walking around looking for new and interesting things to photograph.

Instead, we ended up inside the Halifax Seaport Farmer's Market. Now, the farmer's market is a very interesting place with lots of interesting people but it's a pretty small space for a photowalk.

I did manage a trip to the rooftop where I found this fellow watching the arrival of the Queen Mary 2 and I planned this image out in my head and I was quite happy with the result. I'm glad that I at least got one shot that I liked.

Regardless of the weather it was nice to get out with some other photographers whom with I could share my addiction.

Hopefully, the weather will be more cooperative next year.

UPDATE October 23, 2011: Looks like I made out OK. This shot ended up winning the contest for my particular photowalk. :)

UPDATE October 24, 2011: Wow! All I can say is Wow! Just kind of speechless. Apparently, this shot also made it to Scott Kelby's personal favourites list - http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2011/archives/22397

Happenstance

2011-09-05T22:52:00.004-03:00

Chrysler Prowler, a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

My daughter and I took a trip down to the south shore the other day to meet up with a couple of friends, Bambe, Grant, and do some photography in and around Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

On the way back, my daughter and I stopped in to Peggy's Cove and while I didn't really photograph the lighthouse as it's one of those subjects that's been photographed to death and the light wasn't very interesting I did stumble into this Chrysler Prowler.

For some reason the owner had parked well away from other cars; maybe fearing careless doors. Whatever the reason, I turned the corner of the Sou' Wester and saw this very cool looking car with a beautiful ocean backdrop.

You just never know when you'll see something beautiful so Chase Jarvis' mantra of "the best camera is the one that's with you" is so true. I try to take my camera with me everywhere so I always have the opportunity to capture wonderful sights like this.

Finding Your Way

2011-08-14T15:28:00.000-03:00

Wicked Dark wrote a blog post about isolating yourself to one or two types of photography and its relationship to selecting a major in university. Her thesis, triggered by a Google+ post that I started, was that by limiting yourself to one particular type or style of photography you can learn a lot more about that particular type or style and therefore improve a lot more from lessons learned through practice. Go read her post for the details as she explains it much better than I.

Now, add to those thoughts, the conversation I've been having with some of the members of one of the Delete Me Uncensored groups on Flickr as a result of my previous blog post. The general thesis of these group members, and I won't assume it is their only idea for improvement, is that in order to improve your photography you must work hard to take great pictures, put them on Flickr and line them up in front of a firing line for the less than perfect ones to be shot down. In this way you will learn which ones are good and which ones are not so good. This, I suspect is expected to help you improve through process of elimination.

Still others will point you to WhatsHisName's training videos, or ThatOne's photography school, online forum, photography club, etc, etc.

Today I was reminded of something my old karate sensei often said, "there are many roads to the top of the mountain but the view from the top is the same." I'm reasonably sure that he did not originate the quote, however, it's one that has stuck with me over the years and since I associate it with him I'll attribute it to him.

Like photography, there are many ways to teach karate. You can select a single kata (or form) and practice it over and over until you have mastered it and then move on to the next kata or you can learn a number of different kata and practice all of them until you master all of them. Learning more than one at a time may make things very confusing but at the same time a move in one may help you understand a similar move in another.

And this brings us back to photography. While I believe Wicked Dark's thesis has a lot of merit as it will help you get very good at one particular type or style of photography, I also believe that everyone has to find their own photographic path. In my case, I really enjoy photographing nature such as birds, squirrels, and flowers. I also love to do street photography, portrait work, and landscapes. I don't think I could give up any of them to pursue interest in any one specific area.

I'm also not sure that I want to hang my photos on the wall for people to throw darts at them in the DMU groups on Flickr. I said I'd never be back again but something keeps drawing me in...and it appears as though I'll give it another try.

The path I take up the mountain may be circuitous but it is my photographic path and after all it's not so much about reaching the top as it is about the journey. I hope this post helps you find your path.

My Second Foray Into DMU Groups

2011-06-14T22:50:00.001-03:00

Sea Smoke Around George's Island, a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

A couple of years ago in November 2009 when I first started sharing images on Flickr I joined a Delete Me Uncensored group as I had heard that it was a good way to get better. The "sales pitch" is that the members of the group provide uncensored critique of the photo which helps you get better as long as you have a bit of a thick skin.

I was very insecure about my photography back then - not that I'm much better now - and so when I got trashed - and trashed hard - I decided that it simply felt too negative and I quit the group and ran away with my tail between my legs.

Fast forward to 2011 and I get an invite to join DMU3, yet another Delete Me Uncensored group. I figure that I've been getting critique for the last couple of years, my images have improved a bit as well, and my skin is a little thicker so in I go for round two.

The group is new and small and it is taking a while for the images to make their way through the pool. A few comments and votes seem a little out of left field and a few seem almost useful so I'm trying to stick with it.

The image above was added to the pool and I started getting comments like "Black frame + loss of details in mist = flush" and "Just the loss of detail for me. Flush."

This shot was taken at minus twenty-six degrees Celsius shortly after dawn causing fog or "sea smoke" on the harbour. How the hell are you going to get landscape detail in the fog? And even if you could, do you want it? I wanted the foggy, misty atmosphere to give it an ethereal feeling which is what it felt like when I saw it live. I immediately pulled the image and myself out of the group.

I'm sure if anyone from the DMU group, who enjoys being part of that group, were to read this blog they would say that I was a wimp and cry-baby. Honestly, life is just too short to put up with people who get their kicks out of insulting people. The reward is not worth the pain of hanging out with that crew. They seem to know and like each other so I'll let them play with themselves. I have many other places to get good honest critique from people who are nice and friendly.

Goodbye, DMU. I won't be back again.

Walking To Work in the Rain

2011-05-20T11:33:00.001-03:00

Walking To Work in the Rain, a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

Rain, rain, go away! After a literal month of rain with very little sun (maybe 2 days) it's getting hard to stay motivated to do anything let alone photography.

I think, however, that photography in the rain can be wonderful even though it's difficult to embrace. Yes, it's true that lighting is difficult with the heavy cloud cover and yes it's true that you have to be careful not to get your gear wet but it's also true that you can get some wonderful shots.

Even though it's a grey and foggy day you can see that the blue coat, green grass, and yellow forsythia really stand out and give this image a bit of colour. You have to look a little harder but the shots are there you just have to be open for them and not walk with your head down.

I have a number of shots of the flowers in the Public Gardens (behind the fence on the left) too and while they are not spread open and brightly lit by the sun, they do have a muted, drippy goodness about them which makes them very interesting subjects. Just remember your tripod!

So, just because it's raining doesn't mean you can't go shooting. Put on the rain gear and protect your equipment and head out for some interesting and wet shots.

An Open Letter to Ibarionex Perello

2011-03-05T17:23:00.002-04:00

Squawking Seagull a photo by Iguanasan on Flickr.

A couple of month’s back I stumbled into The Candid Frame and specifically your interview with Joe McNally. It was the first podcast that I listened to that was not aimed so much at the gear and techniques of photography as it was the “journey” of photography. It was this interview that drove me to explore your podcast further and start listening to all the previous episodes.

Each and every episode had something to offer when I took the time to listen. The conversations with various photographer’s about their art, their passion, their lives, moved me in ways I had not expected. No longer was I concerned about f-stops and shutter speeds but I was driven by the need to understand what drove these photographers to create their images and it was all thanks to the amazing way you handle the interviews.

I had fallen in love with photography with my first 35mm film SLR in 1984 when my mother had given me my father’s camera after he had passed away. I had just turned 17 and, while I had used other cameras before, this Canon TX-1 gave me the control that I had never had before with a fixed-focus point and shoot. I bought some film and started shooting. I burned through a lot of film over the next few years and read a lot of books on photography. The cost of buying and developing film soon slowed my passion and the camera sat in a closet only coming out on special occasions.

I now have a digital SLR and shooting thousands of frames costs me just about nothing and so I shoot with a passion. A passion that I don’t understand and have no words to express. I am a geek and not an artistic type that appreciates colour, shape, and texture, yet I still feel the need, I’d even say craving, to photograph.

As I continued to listen to your wonderful podcasts I began to understand more and more about my passion to shoot. When I found the episode where you interview Stephan Oberhoff, a jazz musician, I wondered, what the heck were you thinking when you choose to do this interview? What has this got to do with photography? I am very happy to say I was not at all disappointed. In fact, wow! All I can say is WOW! That episode blew me away and put many, many things in perspective for me.

I don’t throw these words around lightly, I feel that particular interview had a profound impact on me and it also drove me to write this letter. I had intended to email you directly but then I felt that I really should share this with everyone. Your podcasts teach me about my photographic path in a way that no other has done and while I still don’t completely understand what drives me to photograph the way I do, thanks to your interviews, I have better tools with which to comprehend my motivation and I believe you have inspired me in ways I still haven’t fully realized.

Thank you for making the time to create this wonderful podcast and sharing it with me and your other listeners.

When is a Photograph Art?

2011-01-23T15:08:00.001-04:00

Nervous
Originally uploaded by Iguanasan

I was recently asked "When is a Photograph Art?" and it really made me think. What is art? Art, in its raw form, is any work which creates an emotional response in the observer. Someone who cuts hair remarkably well can be called an artist with scissors. A chef who puts together a tasty meal can be called an artist in the kitchen. Even a basketball player can be called an artist on the court. These titles are bestowed upon these people because of the emotional response of the observer of the things they do or create.

A photograph becomes art the moment the photographer presses the shutter button and captures a moment in time. One might ask how this can be since a great painter may spend hours and hours at the easel or a sculptor might spend days in front of his or her clay creating their art. How can the press of a simple button be considered art?

Well, first off, it's not about how long it takes to create the art. The tools of the trade for a painter or a sculptor require a lengthy creation process and while the technology afforded by a photographer allow for a fast and simple capture of the moment, the training of the photographer's eye, the study of composition, colour, lighting all took a lot of time.

Some people create very good art and and others create very poor art, however, it does not make the art any less real or less important to the creator. Whether the art becomes popular or successful depends upon the emotional response created in the observer. If the artist has captured a universal feeling that makes an impression on many who see it then their art will be popular and well regarded.

This brings us back to photography. When the photographer has pressed the shutter button he or she has considered the available light and the form and composition of the subject within the frame. If he or she has done this work well then they may create art which elicits a strong emotional response and be considered a good artist. If they have pressed the shutter button without consideration for these things, they are still an artist, however, their results may not allow them to emotionally connect with the observer.

It is always my hope that with every click of the shutter I have captured and can share a moment to which I was emotionally connected. The decision as to whether I was successful will be up to the viewer. For me, I just feel the need create and share the moments.

Planning vs Spontaneity

2011-01-12T22:45:00.002-04:00

I Got It!
Originally uploaded by Iguanasan

I've heard a lot of photographers say that in order for them to improve they had to spend a lot of time planning out each and every detail of their photo shoot before they ever picked up the camera to go shooting. I always thought they were wasting valuable time planning when they could be out shooting.

I mean, what's there to plan? Grab your camera and head out for a walk and shoot whatever interests you. The closest I get to planning is deciding in which direction to walk. It was on one of those walks that I was able to catch the "I Got It!" image you see above. There's no way I could have planned on catching that shot.

Back in December I was talking with some people at my photography club and the subject of the January 1st Polar Bear Dip came up. Wouldn't it be awesome to sit next to Black Rock Beach in Point Pleasant Park and get people's facial expressions as they hit the icy water? Sounded like fun but then I sort of forgot about it.

Just after Christmas I decided I wanted to go and shoot the Polar Bear Dip. What time did it start? How long would it take? Where could I sit? All of a sudden, planning seemed like a good idea. A quick search on Google helped me find http://herringcovepolarbeardip.com/

By reviewing the information on the site I was able to determine that the dip started at 12:00noon on the first and that people were jumping in the water off of the Government Wharf in Herring Cove. Apparently, my memories of Point Pleasant Park were out of date.

I looked up the location on Google Maps and figured the docks on the other side of the cove would be a great vantage point but just how far from the action would I be? Using Google Maps again, I was able to figure out that it would be about 65 meters distance. I compared this to other shots I had taken at other locations to figure out just how far away that was going to be and I decided I could live with the results I would likely get.

So, I packed up my gear on January 1st and headed down to Herring Cove, found a place to park and rang a doorbell to ask someone if he minded if I sat on his dock to take pictures. He said that as long as I didn't fall in I was welcome to use his dock. I thanked him and headed out back to the dock and ended up sitting next to a fellow from the Canadian Press.

Planning was a good thing! Without it, I would never have gotten the shot below. I'm a little slow but it was then that I realized that like everything else in life, a little moderation is a good thing. Plan some shooting events, go random on others. There's room for both!

The Sky Is the Limit?

2010-12-26T17:27:00.001-04:00

It'll soon be a new year of photography for me as we approach January first and I can't wait to get out and learn more about how to take a photograph. This year has been a year of learning. I know there are areas of my photography that have improved and I know that there are many other areas that I have yet to understand. Another thing that truly amazed me as well was how much photography has improved my karate and how much my karate has improved my photography.

Twenty-three years ago when I joined the Atlantic Karate Club I learned how to punch using the karate methodology, specifically, the Chito-Ryu way. It's something you generally get taught in the first few classes. The mechanics were fairly straight forward. Start with your hand in a fist and positioned next to your hip with the palm facing up. Punch straight out at your target being careful to keep your elbow tucked in to ensure a straight delivery. As you make contact, rotate your fist to obtain the best possible penetration. Voila, a Chito-Ryu karate punch.

When I first learned about photography I learned how to take a photograph. Load your film and set the ISO/ASA on the camera. Point the lens at the subject and adjust the focus to ensure the subject is in pefect focus, adjust the dials to make sure you have the proper shutter speed and depth of field selected to create an image with good exposure. Push the shutter release and capture the image. Voila, a moment captured on film.

The parallels do not end there as I have learned in both karate and in photography that there is so much more to each of these processes and as you learn each new detail and nuance your skills improve. On the surface they are simple but underneath there are details and complications that have to be explored and learned before you can say you have truly learned those techniques. And if you think you've learned all that you can learn about punching or taking a photo then shake your head as you must be mistaken. I know it's cliche but it truly is about the road and not the destination and I am finally, after twenty plus years of karate and photography starting to learn that concept. The beautiful thing about that is that once you learn that, once you have embraced the idea that there is always more to learn then your skills improve.

I think this sentiment is such a cliche, however, I also understand why it has to be repeated over and over making it even more cliche. It's and easy concept to understand but a very difficult one to actually embody in your day to day life. As a martial arts movie fan I've heard many, many times that one must empty their cup to taste another's tea. I beseach all of you in the photography world to learn from the karate world and to please empty your cup.

Passing By

2010-12-03T23:27:00.003-04:00

Passing By
Originally uploaded by Iguanasan

I went to my photography club meeting the other day and during the meeting we watched a small clip of an interview with Jay Maisel. I had heard of Jay Maisel before but I had not really known much about him and the video really gave me a few insights.

During this short clip he made a few suggestions about the way he shoots and why he shoots. While I had not, in any way, tried to copy him my shooting style was very similar so I tried a couple of his suggestions and today I managed to capture this moment.

I realize it has some technical issues, however, I don't really care. I just love the moment that I captured and I wouldn't have captured it had I not adjusted my shooting style based on the video clip I saw. I am still not trying to copy Jay Maisel but instead I internalized some of his comments and tried something I was previously afraid to try.

I still have lots of work to do to improve my images but I am certainly enjoying the journey. Like these two gentleman it's all about walking the path.

(More details in the comments below...)

Learning to See

2010-11-08T15:31:00.001-04:00

Sunny Leaves
Originally uploaded by Iguanasan

Fall is here and winter is fast approaching and I have just realized that this has been the most phenomenal spring, summer, and fall for me in terms of making images. Arguably, I've created some of my best images ever in these past 8 months and I wonder if I can keep it up or will the soon to be dreary winter months send me backwards in my endeavors.

I believe I will continue and the reason why I think I will continue is that this year I am learning to see. No, I'm not talking about getting better glasses. What I'm talking about is learning to see the world around me for what's there waiting to be captured. Many, many times people walk by something and the reflected light shines on their retinas but they really don't see.

This image is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I took a short walk through the Old Burying Grounds in downtown Halifax on a cloudy afternoon this fall. As I was there the sun was peeking through the clouds here and there and my eyes picked up this leaf on the ground as it acted like a spotlight for anyone who saw it.

Most people would have walked by just another leaf on the ground. After taking thousands of shots I saw yet another image forming in my mind an immediately set to work to capture it. I had to lay on the ground in the cemetery - laying down in a cemetery can be dangerous, thank goodness, it's not an active cemetery - and wait for just the right break in the clouds to capture this one.

Learning to see has been my most valuable gift this year and I think it's something that is difficult to un-learn so I feel safe that this dreary winter may be enhanced by my new ability to see the images that I could not see last winter. Cheers and happy shooting! :)

Birth of a Chestnut

2010-09-16T15:34:00.001-03:00

Birth of a Chestnut
Originally uploaded by Iguanasan

First time using the Flickr blog feature. This will be interesting.

Well, autumn is coming to Halifax. Hurricane Earl blew in on the tail end of the summer months and blew away our 30C (and higher) summer days. We're now around 20C during the day and dropping to 12C and 13C at night. Autumn.

I really love this time of year. Yes, it's sad to see summer go but the crispness of the air in fall is awesome and I love a cool night for sleeping rather than the oppressive humid heat.

The leaves will start to change colour now and present an amazing array of photographic opportunity. Get your camera's out and keep shooting in fall.

Sorry, this post is not a well organized, thought out post but a bit of a ramble. I'm thinking I post infrequently because I try to write an essay every time instead of just blabbing what's in my head. I decided to try the blab for a bit and see how that works. Maybe I'll post more often.

2010-07-25T19:46:00.001-03:00

Busy, busy!

I've been rather busy lately and haven't posted a blog post in a while so thought it was about time to get another one posted. Luckily, I have plenty of shots to work with as I shot about 450 shots yesterday. The morning was the Scott Kelby World Wide Photowalk and the afternoon was the Halifax Pride Parade.

This shot is from the parade. I saw these two sitting on the float and I was snapping away trying to get as many good shots as possible. I saw her lean into him to whisper, held my breath and caught the shot. I am rather happy with the result. I continue to bemoan my lack of a decent lens as the kit lens just really didn't get the detail I would like but I do the best I can with what I have while I try to save for a new lens.

I really enjoyed being out with a bunch of other photographers on the photowalk. I ran into an old friend and I was also invited to become a member of the Sackville Photographer's Club and I am considering joining. I poked around on the web for the Halifax version since I live in Halifax but the Sackville club seems more alive and active. Also, Wednesday's work well for me :)

2010-05-26T19:37:00.000-03:00

Interesting Angles

Went for a walk the other day and found some train wheels sitting in a pretty row. Got a few interesting shots. This one was inspired by my friend Jim who reminded me that you do not always have to have a straight horizon.

While I took a few shots the way I would normally have taken them I also added in a couple with a deliberately skewed angle. I was happy with this one as I liked the convergance of the parallel lines but I'm still not 100% happy with it. I think
shooting in this manner has possibilities, certainly Rick Mercer has used it quite well in his rants.

2010-05-04T22:29:00.000-03:00

Well, I've seen many pigeons over the years but when I saw this one in the tree I thought to myself that I don't ever remember actually seeing a pigeon in a tree. I've seen them on the ground, I've seen them on buildings and statues. Walls, fences, power lines. But never a tree. So, when I saw this pigeon just sitting there daring me to shoot I had to shoot it.

I've noticed a little change in my photography lately. I still have a long way to go but I notice that I can see many issues before I take the shot and not after. And as GI Joe said, "knowing is half the battle". I find that most of the shots I screw up happen when I try to rush through the shot.

I'm also learning more about the "magic triangle" and why it's not really a triangle. While adjusting the settings to balance the light with thought to a triangle is not completely inaccurate it's not as straightforward as that as adjusting the settings effect more than just the amount of light hitting the sensor. This image, for example, had to have an aperture large enough to ensure the entire pigeon was in focus. Opening up to f1.8 would have been great to let more light in but it would have caused half the bird to be out of focus.

2010-04-13T23:28:00.000-03:00

Been a while since my last post but wanted to post another so I don't let my blog get too stale. I've really been enjoying spring. Images of the flowers that have been poking their heads through the soil much earlier this year than in past years have been a source of inspiration to me this spring. That combined with the warmer weather has gotten me out the door more often with my camera in my hand which has helped my photography more than anything else. If you want to get better, you gotta shoot!

I've been discovering a few new technical bits which I knew but didn't know. Wait, what? Yeah, I know, it's confusing. I know that DOF is controlled by focal length, distance, and aperture, however, I kinda forgot about this as I was doing a lot of shooting lately. I think my images have been a bit soft because my DOF was too shallow. Another issue which seems to have cropped up is focus. I think I can manually focus better than the auto-focus. I haven't done a scientific type test of this problem, however since I've been paying closer attention to DOF and focussing manually I've been getting some nicer shots. Really, though, I think it's all about shooting more and more.

The weather in Canada is getting nicer. Get out and get shootin'!

2010-02-17T22:30:00.002-04:00

Signs of Interest

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs. Blockin' up the scenery, breakin' my mind. Boring signs suck. They block the view and are generally annoying when you have your camera in hand. There are exceptions though and these exceptions are reserved for signs in which people have put some thought. I really like those signs. Ones that catch your eye and make you look a little deeper. We seem to have quite a few around Halifax which is not a big city. If you visit my Flickr photostream you'll find a few of the ones I've seen around town.

The one you see here (above) is one I stumbled across on Tuesday while out for a lunch time walk. It's a small sign but you can tell someone has put some heart into it. Strange Adventures is a comic book shop here in Halifax and this sign found on the front of their store makes you look twice. The colours are nice and the image makes you think a bit. I also wonder if they have one like this on the front of the Fredericton store.

2010-01-26T00:38:00.000-04:00

Frozen Edge

I went for a walk on Sunday past as the weather was nice and I was getting a bit stir crazy, plus I hadn't really gone shooting for a few days. The winter weather kinda puts me in the doldrums and my photography suffers because I'm not as interested in the monochrome world of snow and dirty snow. I prefer the bright, cheerful colours of spring, summer, and fall.

It was a nice and beautiful day for a walk around Sir Sanford Flemming Park. The woods were warm but the wind coming in off the Arm was fairly brisk. I headed along to the little waterfall for a few shots a couple of which you can find on my Flickr page. On the return trip I noticed the large triangular chunks of ice at the border between the deeper water of the arm and the ice packed beach front. I thought they made an interesting pattern and had to take a shot.

I've been thinking a lot about my photography muse. I often read blogs or hear podcasts about improving your photography and people talk about photographing the things you are passionate about but, honestly, I can't seem to find that passion. Don't get me wrong, I love to take my camera out for a hike as I did on Sunday but I don't know if I'd say I'm passionate about it. Is it nature photography that I prefer or have I just not spent enough time trying different kinds? Nature is easy because the subjects are so cooperative. Could I be a good people photographer? Wedding photographer? Something else? I just don't know right now. For now, I'll continue the journey. It's not about the destination after all, it's really about the journey.

2009-12-29T12:15:00.001-04:00

New Toys

Happy Holidays, Everyone! It's the 29th of December and I'm in the middle of a one week vacation so I'm relaxing at home with my family. For Christmas I received some new photography toys. The image here is the result of the new "nifty fifty", a 50mm f1.8 prime lens, which has great clarity and sharpness. This image is a shot I took when I went for a walk in the neighbourhood yesterday. I have to play with this lens for a while to figure out how to make my images sing but I think you can see that it has a lot of promise.

I was a bit disapointed in the other two gifts. A circular polarizing filter and a UV filter. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate them immensely, however, I had asked for and receieved 58mm filters but the new lens is a 52mm mount. The 58mm filters fit my kit lens which is very handy but I can't use them on my new lens. Maybe this is a common problem in the lens world but I'm still kind of disappointed - it makes me choose. Clarity and sharpness but no filters or filters on the kit lens which is very convenient since it's a 18-55 zoom but not as sharp. I'll just have start saving for more gear I guess. Photography is such an expensive hobby!

2009-12-08T23:01:00.000-04:00

I took my camera and went for a walk in the woods on Sunday to get my first look at winter through the lens of my camera. Despite the cold wind and snow on the ground, it was a beautiful day in the woods. The trees kept most of the cold wind at bay and the sun offered up a bit of warmth.

Thick clouds were playing hide and seek with the sun which made shootin' a little tricky as I would set up a shot with the big softbox that is a nice cloudy sky and the sun would come out and drown me with light. Or I would set up the shot with bright sunlight shining through an icicle and before I pressed the shutter a cloud bank would turn the twinkling ice dull.

I did manage to get a few shots on Sunday that I am happy with and the one to the left is one of them. I loved the the way the snow clung to the tree branches and how the white contrasted with the bright blue sky. This shot shows some of the beauty of Halifax. Even though you are in the "big bad city" you can always find a piece of nature nearby to appreciate.

2009-11-27T20:58:00.000-04:00

Well, the Halifax Public Gardens will close for another season on Monday. This week, before it closed I decided to take a walk up to The Gardens for one last photo expedition before it closed. It was a wet day with a light mist but I went anyway thinking I might catch some interesting shots with water involved.

When I saw the water drops on the leaves of the few trees and bushes that still had them I was hopeful. Lunch goes by so quickly but I still managed a few shots and this one was, I thought, the top of the heap. I find, even with the viewfinder and the wonderous instrument that is the histogram you never really know how good the shot was until you see it on the computer screen.

I'm certainly happy with the result. I hope you enjoy viewing it.

2009-11-19T20:16:00.004-04:00

On the Way to Work

Heading to work the other day I pulled out my camera for a walk along the waterfront. I'm always looking up, down, and sideways for that shot that others miss. I'm sure I still miss plenty of opportunities but I also find a lot more than I used to find. This is one of them. I really liked the reflection of the downtown Halifax "hamster-tunnels" in the puddle on the red brick walkway. The only problem was that it was still missing something. I paused and waited for someone to walk through the tunnel and voila! The image was complete. Keep your eyes open while you are out for a walk. There are lots of interesting things going on in the world that we often walk past without noticing.

2009-11-12T22:46:00.005-04:00

Reflecting at the Park

Got lucky with this one. Had gone downtown to re-shoot Charmichael St. from the Parade Square in an attempt to get a decent shot for the November Photography.ca assignment.

Not having any luck I decided to go home and on the way I wandered past the Public Gardens and noticed the way the sun was streaming across the park as it was starting to set. I parked and went for a stroll in the park where I spotted a gentleman sitting on a bench in the sun. I noticed the reflections in the water and the man reflecting on his thoughts. I thought the two fit together nicely and framed up the shot.

There was a fair bit of luck involved in showing up at the right time and the right spot but there was also a fair bit of artistic vision when the opportunity arose. Keep your eyes open and keep shootin'. If things aren't working out the way you want then go for a drive and maybe a new venue will present new opportunities.

2009-11-10T08:20:00.002-04:00

Did some shooting yesterday morning. Perfect opportunity for some great shots - the sun was rising, the air was quite warm for November, and the light was kinda cool. Checking them out last night and noticed that they all seem a bit noisy. That's when I noticed I had left the camera on ISO 800! D'oh! My checklist wasn't working so well for me. I did better this morning. I changed the ISO and got a couple of decent shots which might work for this month's photo assignment at http://www.photography.ca/ - portrait landscapes/cityscapes.

Hoping to get out shooting for an hour at lunch. Not necessarily the best lighting conditions but it's a great time to go shooting otherwise.

2009-03-03T20:57:00.000-04:00

Went for a walk today and found this interesting door knocker on someone's door. Thought it made a good shot. I really like all the blue colour. Of course, the first few shots I took (some back stairs of a building) were done with a screwed up white balance. I really need to come up with a mental checklist of settings. There really aren't that many but I always seem to forget one.

The other thing I noticed is that with the lens I have it's really hard to get a narrow depth of field. It's a P&S so I guess I shouldn't expect much from it but the only way to get a narrow DOF is to shoot in macro mode which means I have to be close to the object. Can't wait for my DSLR!

So, my checklist should consist of:
1) White Balance
2) ISO
3) Aperture
4) Shutter Speed

There are other settings but those are the big 4 which I find I change the most and mess up the most.

2009-02-21T00:19:00.000-04:00

The artist in me? It's weird. I have never really considered myself an artist yet I have this desire to use my camera to create art. I'm not really sure if that counts or not. Artists to me were always a different breed. I'm a geek and very science oriented and I've always felt that art is something separate and different. Instead of a simple shot of city hall I take this one which is a picture of the building reflected in one of the large Christmas balls adorning the city's Christmas tree this past Christmas. I do this because I think it's artistic. Does that make me an artist?

2009-02-20T09:50:00.002-04:00

Wow! I cleaned the space for use and then promptly forgot about it! Doh!

Snapped this one after a trip to Sir Sanford Flemming Park. I was driving my shooting partner back to his house when I caught this group of ducks squeezed into this little stream. This could have been a good photo but it isn't. Here's why:

1) The shadow in the foreground really messes up the view. It takes up about 1/3 of the photo but it's not showcasing anything. There's no reason for it to be there. It just is.

2) The ducks are so far away that you really can't tell what they are. Ideally I would have been down on the bank of the stream and got a nice close up of some of the ducks with the rest of them trailing off into the distance.

3) Exposure is off. The left hand side is clearly over-exposed.

All in all, a great photo opportunity wasted. I know what was going through my mind at the time. I'm parked on the side of the street and my shooting partner is sitting in the car and I stopped to just take a quick shot. I recognized the possibilities as I was driving by but never took the time to do it right. I really need to slow down and take my time. Work on composition more. Double-check exposure. Once I get better at that these quick shots will be better.

2009-01-06T11:11:00.003-04:00

Cleared the space and made it ready for my first post. Will post tonight when I have time to think and a photo to discuss.