D-325 "Forgotten"

The daily shoot:
#ds372 Make a photograph dominated by horizontal lines or compositional elements that go all the way across the frame.
I used a flash light to give the teddy a "spot light" effect.

•Moving on is simple, what you leave behind that makes it difficult.


This Teddy is approximately 27 years old. I found it stored away with some old stuff. He kept my oldest company for many, many years. Prayer bear.



I used a flash light to light him.

Viewed images from Free Photo Resouces

D-322 TGIF - low key image

The daily shoot and project 365 facebook challenge today are "curves" and low key.
Yesterdays image would have been perfect for today's challenge but oh well . . .

Wikipedia: Low-key lighting (or ambient lighting) is a style of lighting for photography, film or television. It attempts to create a chiaroscuro effect. In traditional photographic lighting, three-point lighting uses a key light, a fill light, and a back light for even illumination. Low-key lighting requires only one key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector.

Low key light accentuates the contours of an object by throwing areas into shade while a fill light or reflector may illuminate the shadow areas to control contrast. The relative strength of key-to-fill, known as the lighting ratio, can be measured using a light meter. Low key lighting has a higher lighting ratio, e.g. 8:1, than high key lighting, which can approach 1:1.

So although most images low key are black and white - they don't have to be.



I got these in the mail today, a gift from Alexis, thank you so much!

That little dino came with it too.
and I used it too

the Nikon is mine.
I was doing the laundry from vacation and Twix wanted to make sure we didn't leave her again - so she jumped in the suit case. This is where I found her this morning.



I'm trying to catch up and go over to my friends blogs. I'll get these soon.
Still reading my camera manual

Have a great weekend.

Viewed images on google low key

D-229 Low key

The daily shoot today is:
Make a low key photo today with lots of dark areas. You might need to use exposure compensation to make it work.

I found this article that talks about low key lighting.
Low-key lighting requires only one key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector. This type of setup is usually shot against a dark background.
I used my Nikon D-700, Macro lens, one studio light with a snoot on it pointed directly at the flowers, a reflector to the side of the flowers. Very little Photo shop work just adjusted levels and sharpened for web. Created the storyboard in Photoshop elements 7.



Read Nikon D-700 Users Manual pgs 129
Viewed images: J & D

D-144 Abstract

Going out of town so I had to do a quick shot today
This one might make a nice canvas. What do you think?



Have a great weekend.

No reading yet
Rangerfinder Magazine May 2010
Practical Photography read on "Creative nature"

D-143 Peony in full bloom

TGIF!
Low key - lit with only a snoot.
Peony is the Indiana State flower! The glass jar is an antique that I found burried in the garden.



My Reading corner:
Nikon D-300 User's Manual Pages 122
Getting Things Done by David Allen Pages 179

Images viewed: The book Gold Book Photography

D-140 Inspiration . . .

Where does your inspiration come from?
I've always been told to study images that you really like. To pay attention to the details. I look at the lighting, the composition, the color. I find what it is that attracts me to the image and I study what "it" is.
However, on Scott Bourne Photofocus Blog there is an article byTamara Lackey, she says "In my experience, though, I actually find that doing the opposite actually helps me to better crystallize what, exactly, I am drawn to, simply by better honing in on what is not of interest to me."

Interesting concept, I'll have to try and study the images I don't like. How about you where does your inspiration come from?

My image today is in response to The Daily shoot "#ds191 Focus the viewer's attention. Make a photo of a single subject with as plain a background as you can."


Don't forget it's Twitter Tuesday over at Tasra Mar's
My Reading corner:
Nikon D-300 User's Manual Pages 118-155
Getting Things Done by David Allen Pages - 129-155

Images viewed: Douglas Dubler

D-128 Excellence . . .

"Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way"

If you haven't had a chance to visit Tasra Mar 365 blog you should do so. It's really a treat. She has a challenge for photographers (amateur and professional). Go take a look.

Are you working on Excellence? The work I'm trying to "excel" in is in my photography and photography business. That's why I'm reading, studying and practicing every single day.

Today's Theme challenge is "Worn"

My very old, very reliable Harley Davidson Riding Boots.



Images viewed: The Art of Digital Photography by John Hedgecoe I highly recommend this book. What eye candy and education to boot!
My reading corner:
Nikon D-300 User's Manual Pages 36-43
Getting Things Done by David Allen Pages 86-87
The Nikon Creative Lighting System by Mike Hagen Pages (none)

D-123 What's Your vision?

"...the focus we hold in our minds affects what we perceive and how we perform. Focus creates new ideas and thought patterns. Even your physiology will respond to an image in your head as if it were reality."
Getting Things Done, David Allen

So what's your vision? Where's your focus?
That passage reminded me that I need to re-focus and get things done.

Today's image has nothing to do with the previous passage. My daughter was packing her bags and when I saw her uniforms neatly stacked up and her worn boots, it touched me. She's been activated state side and will be leaving us and her daughter for a year.


this one shows her name and rank.


My Reading corner:

Reading Nikon D300 Manual Pages 12
The Nikon Creative Lighting System by Mike Hagen 50
Getting Things Done by David Allen 56-68

D-116 Learning

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. ~Henry L. Doherty

Photography has been a continual learning process for. I am constantly on the search for making my images better, more creative, more interesting and so on.
I am currently learning more about lighting. I am reading and practicing and looking at other photographers images to learn.

What are you learning about? How do you go about learning? What works for you?



When the student is ready, the master appears. ~Buddhist Proverb

Reading The Nikon Creative Lighting System pages 20 - 28

Have you ever heard of Thomas Hawks $2.00 portrait project?
What an interesting subject and creative way to get images! I'm not sure I'm bold enough to try this yet but maybe next time someone ask me for $$ while I'm in the city I'll be prepared.

Here is a flickr group dedicated to the $2.00 Portrait project.

D-115 {A princess and a drawing}

I was trying to take a few pictures of flowers in the studio and she came in and insisted that I take her picture with her crown - right before bed time.
The studio was set up for flowers not little people so the lighting is not spot on but I like it.

While she waitied for me she drew me this rainbow and in the upper right hand side, she says it reads "Rain, rain go away, come back another day."



She was feeling generous and loving and she said I could have this for "me"


How could I not be totally taken and in love with this child. Oh boy, she's got my number.

Images viewed: I visited this blog It's a greyt day

Day 114 {Stamen}

Macro details of an orange Lily. This is one from that beautiful bouquet I received from Elli.

Macro shot in my Studio using low-key light set up. Also used a snoot in place of the hair light.
Nikon D-300, F13, SS 1/125, 28-105 @92mm

Looked at images on Flickr

Day 113 {Breast} Cancer Sucks

If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell. ~Lance Armstrong

Hope


new Fight like a girl tattoo! Bad ass
Low Key Studio work
Nikon D-300

Looked at images from an old photography catalog.
Read yes I read today.