The Freeman Effect

"Dreamy Tulip Lights"

My post this week pays homage to a phenominal Canadian Photograher who's work I've found very inspiring and uplifting. Not only does he take some of the most fantastical nature images I've ever seen, but is also very serious about gardening and conservation. So needless to say, I'm a fan. And I'm refering to the one and only Freeman Patterson.

Was reading his book "The Garden" today and he was speaking about how when we submerge ourselves in something we're passionate about (ie gardening, photography) a part of us utilizes the best part of our imaginations... whether we realize it or not. All the things we dream about and imagine on a constant basis. And as a result, the effects of it can be found in the very things we pursue so passionately. It's the underlying current, behind how you compose and take a photograph, or how Mr. Patterson gardens.

This has really resonated with me. As a photographer who loves God's creation and is constantly amazed by it, I tend to see scenes and subjects through my lens that are somehow emphasized by my imagination at times. But I've been reluctant to showcase them for some reason. Because they're rule breaking? Technically flawed? Either way, with this revelation in mind, I've included the above image. I took this just this past spring at the Royal Botanical Gardens here in Southern Ontario... it was their annual Tulip Celebration. The practical side of me tried desperately to expose all morning long for the difficult harsh light that day... and was failing desperately. At one point though, I realised I should pop my portrait lens on the ol Nikon and let it naturally blow everything out with it's super wide depth of field abilities giving everything a less chiseled, more dreamy effect.... and voila. I stopped documenting everything, and started "capturing" the effects of all the sweet glowing light waiting to be seen. It brings to my mind what the gardens in heaven might look like, or a lover's bouquet waiting to be picked. I call it the "Freeman Effect".

Two quotes from Freeman gave me pause, made me reflect on what kind of a "box" I've put my photography in... perhaps they'll make you look differently at your photography too. The first one was, " ...I'm reminded that it's not really the eye that does the seeing, it's the soul". And the other refered to when a compelling image grabs your attention..."it's when the mood is the real subject".

Hope that gives you something to chew on today, and please, be sure to check out the incredible Freeman Patterson at http://www.freemanpatterson.com/

Thanks for letting me ramble on for a bit, and have yourself a good one!

Cityscape Anyone?

"Iconic Harbour"

Summer is truly upon us, and in the midst of my hectic schedule I know I promised a more engaging landscape on the next blog I posted ... but Cityscape anyone? (click on image to enlarge for viewing)

This was taken in Toronto, Ontario last summer. I needed a chance to play a bit one day after slaving away at the computer, so went back through some older images to see if there were any gems I had forgotten about, that I could add a little spice to. I came across this image. I loved the colors, with that hit of red from a harbour tug docking in the foreground. I love the iconic CN Tower in the background, and wait.... are those PEOPLE in this image???? Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Cl... uh, people in this composition. Cityscapes can be so enjoyable to shoot. There's no pressure to pose a model per se, you simply need patience as you wait for the public to stroll through the shot. You always have height and depth, elements of design can be found anywhere, and color and shape is abundant. And there's always the element of surprise as life in the city is constantly evolving and changing right in front of your lens!

Taken with my trusty D80, and my very basic 18-55mm wide zoom, I went into Corel's PSPx2 and used the clarify filter which brings out detail and adds a bit of definition. The retro cross-processing filter adds some zip in the existing color (and the nifty framing).

I still plan on following up with the landscape challenge I've given myself... but thought for now, this would make a decent substitute .

Let me know your thoughts on photoging in the city!

Thanks for letting me ramble on for just a bit. Have a good one!

An Honest Landscape

"Fields Awaken"

I realized looking through my rather sporatic postings, that I had yet to post a photo of one of my favourite genres of photography in a long while.... the landscape. So here's one today that I recently took exploring some back roads in Southern Ontario. It embodies my favorite kind of day. It was early morning, far from the city haze. Most of my fellow photogers that have ever shot with me know how much I love a great lazy sky, jewel toned with a white cloudy depth that evokes all the beauty to be found on such a day. The air crisp, the sun yet to reach it's killer heat of summer. And a ruggedly honest scene, nary a skyscraper to be found. An honest to goodness landscape.

I shot this at 1/200 sec.@ F/8, 55mm focal length, ISO 160, handheld from the side of the road. My trusty kit wide angle zoom, circular polarizer, and early bright light. The only true editing I did was to tweak the RGB channels a tad in PSPx2, and some unmask sharpen.

I personally like the old tracks running through the soil in the foreground... they lead your eye to the grand tree or the tiny shed respectively. And like I said, it represents everything I love about hopping in the car spontaneously, all the windows down, tunes cranked, and wandering the back roads enjoying the simple scenes along the way.

Read an article this week in PopPhoto mag, about another photographer who's landscapes are exceptional... Glenn Oakley whose work can be found at http://www.oakleyphoto.com/. He commented on the way to really "push it (a landscape) further, is to bring people in." He calls them animated landscapes, and for the most part he has someone ready to ride, pose, or wander into the shot.... and I noticed he's right. Makes a difference to what is already a wonderful scene. Having read about this and seen his amazing images, I feel compelled to shoot my next landscapes with an attempt to include people. To give them a little push. (Not that anything I shoot will be as remarkable as Glenn's, and I hope he will not mind that I've included his talent here in my blog. But remarkable photographers will always inspire me to strive harder to take the best images I'm capable of.)

Will I connect with the resulting images just the same, or will there be a refreshing difference? Will you? We'll find out. My personal challenge starts tonight.

Thanks for letting me ramble on folks! Have a good one!

Beautifully Abandoned

I love the image above. For it's simple lines that suddenly collide with the wild ones provided by nature. For the contrasting light. For the texture that the aging and neglected silver wood displays. For how I regret that I couldn't see the interior, left to wonder what these abandoned walls contain. If they contain anything.
This image is from my back roads trek I made earlier this month, in search of old forgotten cemeteries... but I found myself once again drawn to images of other lifeless subjects from that same day. Just thought I'd share it with you.
I've abandoned the notion for now of even posting the actual shots I got of so many interesting country cemeteries... the subject matter I'm relishing at the moment seems to have a much stronger connection with me. I can't put my finger to it exactly, but I just recall how excited I was shooting the old abandoned house, and the forgotten and charred remains of the junkyard I shall post next.
I think part of it is that for artists, there has always been an ability to see beauty in the broken. To enhance the last mysterious moments of what has been... and the certainty that all good things end sometime.
I guess I could say I abandoned my journey, to capture the beauty in the"now".

Thanks for letting me ramble on, have a good one!

Back From The Grave

"Goodbye Goodyear"

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The image above was the result of a 7 hour photo trek of area cemeteries. Sorry, you probably just did a double take and I don't blame you in the least. But it's true. Myself and another wonderful photoger friend of mine were intent on exploring hidden back roads in search of ancient cemeteries in the middle of fields and hidden in pine tree topped knolls ... and we DID explore about 5 or six we never knew existed, full of old stones dating back to the 18oo's. In Southern Ontario, you can drive in almost any direction from a major city center for about twenty minutes and suddenly you're in the country!

What in the world does all of this have to do with the resulting image above?

Have you ever gone in search of something, and instead come back with an unexpected find that makes your day? In our search for forgotten graves, full of history, and a touch of mystery (of which I will post images in future blogs) my friend and I came across another kind of "decay". Tucked behind grassy inclines, or parked in the corner of fields close to the road looking as if they had limped over on their own to collapse one final time... were cars, trucks and old parts that on this day probably excited me far more than my photo partner, who graciously pulled over for every find and patiently explored the rusty ghosts with me on our way to our next grave discovery.

This shot was taken almost mid day, with my telephoto lens at 1/500 sec.@ F4, ISO 100. I didn't mind the harsh direct light (nary a cloud to be seen) for such a rusty, gritty subject as it seemed to suit and enhance the dismal condition of the old van parked in the dirt. And it was the first in a series of shots I couldn't wait to get home to review... and can't wait to post for your future viewing pleasure.

A special shout out and thanks to my photo buddy Kat for our fun adventures yesterday, you rock. Link to Kat's gallery to come...

Leave comments by clicking the comment option below this post :-)

Thanks for letting me ramble, have yourself a good one folks!

The Familiar Explored

"Downtown Upstairs"

I've been photographing my city for a couple years now. It provides no end of interesting subjects. And although I know I'm overly familiar with it, I always come away with fresh views caught in the lens that I hadn't anticipated.

The image above was taken the other week, and although I've longed to photograph this subject really well for such a long time, THIS time it finally seemed to work. I looked at this familiar scene, and realized that I had all the right elements... great light that day, a light rain added a grainy affect, I had my tripod (which I normally won't take downtown since it screams "lone woman wandering the streets with expensive equipment") which allowed me to tighten and straighten a better crop than handheld, and good position. Whew. Needless to say, I was excited to convert this image to B&W and see how gritty and truthful an image it was.

I have mentioned I'm beginning to wander back through some of the masters or pillars of photography... right now I have been really looking hard at the work of Berenice Abbott, an American photographer. Her work largely takes place in the 30's and 40's.... but such work!!! Her images of New York city on the cusp of exploding development and city growth, the first skyscrapers and bridges being built, the population growing almost overnight... incredible! And I was taken with a quote at the beginning of a book on her work called "Berenice Abbott, American Photographer" by Hank O'Neil, that says this about

her work;

"Berenice Abbott is a photographer who is exceptional in her determined avoidance of subjects whose inherent interest - their unfamiliarity, their bizarre nature, their startling juxtapositions, their exceptional beauty- would arrest the observer's attention even without the benefit of isolation and emphasis a good photographer can supply. An artist whose eye is the super-eye of the camera."

When you view her work this is very evident. "Images unmodified by tricky exposures, eccentric and overused angle shots, removed from any clever device."

The image posted above was inspired by reading about and studying Ms. Abbott's work....

and it motivated me to spend the day exploring my own city as she had, documenting much of it just the way it is, exploring the familiar.

What part of your passion do you need to re-explore today?

Thanks for letting me ramble,

have a good one folks!

Staying True

"Roots in Raking Light"

When I first began really putting my roots down in the photographic community, I was so green it wasn't funny. In fact, in a lot of areas I'm still pretty green... but I'm okay with that. Everything will come in good time. I started out being certain of three things though.

1) That composition was my strong suit. I had come from a background in fine art, and elements of design had been ingrained in me at a very early age.

2) That I loved the classics. B&W photography to this day moves me in ways that color, digital composites, and manipulated abstracts never will. Not that I don't admire many photographers that can blow me away with their Photoshop skills, and not that I don't shoot in color (cause I do, obviously).... it's just not the same for me as a dynamic B&W.

3) That I couldn't wait to show the world what my world looked like through the lens.

Over the last while though, I think I had come across and connected with so many different photographers, and styles, and opinions.... that it was being reflected in my work. And I began to realise that the only influence that wasn't found in any of my resulting images was me! Yes, learning, growing, and expanding skills are all great. But I was forgetting what MY photography looked like. And that no matter what, there are always going to be well meaning artists that would want me to keep tweaking every photo... just a little more.... and a little more...and...

The above photo may not be perfect (don't look too close eh, just trust me. It's not, lol) but from all my images in the past two months, it most accurately reflects THIS photographer. I almost didn't post it. Which is wrong, cause I love it. And you may not agree with all of it's qualities but I'm down with that. That's why I love photography in the first place!

Over the next while you'll see me referencing some of the greatest photographers of history, mainly because it's important to recognize who's images and styles you relate to... not just the latest editing trend (and some of them are SO cool... but again, they aren't quite for me). These will be people who left their mark, their style is very unique to them. Influences, and inspiration are great I think as long as it emphasizes who you already are! So hey, if digital darkroom is totally your thing, then go for it. If you only enjoy shooting with your iPhone, then do it! If you love, love, love film and refuse to switch over to digital, then that's who you are! And for the most part, stay true to it. Show everybody who you are.

Thanks for letting me ramble!

Have a good one!