Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

Topaz Tuesday - Aermotor

Canon 5D Mark II, 70-200 F/4.0L, f/6.3, 1/250, iso 100

While driving along Highway 1 last week in San Luis Obispo county, I came across this scene. After about two or three minutes of driving past it, I stopped, turned around, and came back for this shot. That's Morro Rock in the background, a famous landmark and object of photography.

I was fascinated by the windmill. I had seen several of them. Turns out they are working windmills, from the Aermotor company (since 1888!).

Topaz Adjust 4.0 did a very nice job on this image. I started with Details Strong preset, and then a few tweaks from there. Back in Lightroom, I added a GND at the bottom, and did a small curves adjustment (typical S-Curve). Just made the scene a little more dramatic.  You'll see what I mean when you click on the Continue link below for the original image, which was taken in very flat light.

Christmas Wish List: Think Big!

Canon 5D Mark II, 15mm F/2.8 Fisheye, f/4.0, 1/125, iso 200

Doesn't she look so pretty with a big bow and all? The Audi R8 is one of those "super cars" billed as practical enough to be a daily driver. I do not think I'll personally be finding this out, but its nice to have dreams!

When I was a boy, the big event before Christmas was the arrival of the Sears & Roebucks catalog. I remember poring over those pages for hours and hours, looking at all the toys and camping gear and such. Life was a bit simpler then, eh?

What's on your Christmas list this year?

 

Hoping to Meet You

Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70 F/2.8, f/5.0, 1/400, iso 320

Regular readers of my blog know that I'm a fan of, well actually I'm kind of obsessed with, Thomas Hawk's great titling of his images.  On the link at the left, scroll down to "Immeasureable" and you'll see what I mean. Thought provoking and creative.

When I chose this image for today, knowing it was a TH kind of image, I tried to think of a TH style title, but nothing was coming to the brain. Finally I just stared at it until something did enter the brain, and "Hoping to Meet You" was it.

Maybe Tom will visit and enlighten us with an explanation of his titling mastery!

First Snow

 

Canon 5D Mark II, 180mm F/3.5 Macro, f/9.0, 1/320, iso 100

With the West Coast getting its first snowfalls, I thought it was time to break out a snow image myself.  I have had good response to several of my "simple" images lately, and this is another in that vein.

When I came upon this scene, the light was night, not too harsh. I could see these sensuous forms in the snow.  I shot numerous compositions, that I hoped would be pleasing, of just the snow forms. Alas, looking at them on the computer screen, they didn't knock me out. I had a few frames of the plants though.

I liked this one. One more snowfall and he's tucked in for the long and cold Winter. Nature amazes me. I converted to B&W, and then used Clarity and Contrast to make certain I could retain the texture and shadow in the snow forms. Should be a lot of good shooting this Winter!

 

Fly Away Home

Canon 1D Mark III, 180mm F/3.5, f/4.5, 1/1250, iso 200

Fly away home... that's what we are doing today. Leaving San Luis Obispo county for home. This image was taken at one of my favorite areas here in SLO, Montana De Oro state park.

If I was a bird, a pelican would be just fine. And I can think of no finer place to spend my time fishing.  Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Travel safely!

Thanksgiving by the Sea

Canon 5D Mark II, 70-200 F/4.0, f/5.6, 1/1250, iso 100

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the blog world. I just don't have any turkey images, so I'm going with a peaceful scene from Morro Bay, CA. No coincidence this is where we are enjoying our Thanksgiving holiday. This was a regular "blue sky" day image, which I hit up with one of my B&W presets, and I just love the way the layered hills look. 

All the pretty girls lined up. The Pacific and some of her girls. My idea of a great day. Hope yours is wonderful!

Wordless Wednesday

On Wordless Wednesday, you tell the story...

Topaz Tuesday - View Camera Twofer

Canon 5D Mark II, 85mm F/1.2, f/2.2, 1/4th, iso 200

At the Gladding-McBeane pottery factory shoot I featured last month, several people were using medium and large format cameras, featuring (egads!) film!

I chatted with a very nice view camera photographer that setting up for a shot. These cameras are pretty fascinating. His camera (that big wooden thing with the fabric bellows attached), an Ebony, is sort of the Mercedes Benz of view cameras. Made by a small company in Japan. No mass production here though. Handmade out of the finest materials. Most of the metal is titanium. It was a joy to see such craftsmanship.

At one end, you pop on your lens of choice. His newest one was 20 years old. Look at the window reflections in the front element! A work of art. At the other end is the "ground glass" where you see what the lens is seeing. The "scene" the lens is seeing is presented on this lens upside down and backward.

[He said that was one of his difficulties using a digital camera, the image is presented in a strange way, just the way you see it. I think high end digital cameras should have a switch to turn the LCD image upside down and backwards to help these guys out.]

In the image above, I was about to take a shot of the camera, when he began positioning the camera. I liked the resulting image, it is sort of ironic, that the hands are moving so quickly, because nothing is quick with these beastly devices!

Much of the focusing/moving is done looking a the ground grass, with a shroud over your head. There are numerous adjustments on the camera and tripod, and you have to know them all by touch. Once he got it all set, I asked to take a look "under the hood."  It was like sticking my head into a jar of vaseline. I could not make out anything of the scene.

He then loads in his film, yes, 8 inches by 10 inches (what would that be in megapixels, like 800 or so?) and exposes the film with the shutter release.  On a good day, he is able to manage about 8 images.  I can accomplish this in 1.5 seconds, holding the shutter down, but evidently his method is much more satisfying.

He loves this style of shooting, and the images he gets. It's really a different world. Very interesting to watch and speak with him. He remarked "we are a dying breed." Maybe so, but I'm glad he is able to enjoy it.

My topaz processing was pretty straightforward - just hit it with Spicify, then some saturation. On the continue link, you can see the original, and we have a bonus twofer image today as well!

Model Monday - Hardbody

Canon 5D Mark II, 14mm F/2.8, f/4.5, 1/15, iso 800

Took this shot on the recent visit to the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento. This is from the original gallery, not the fancy new one. I failed to read the story on this gorgeous thing, so I cannot give you the background. I just loved all the various elements in this scene, the staircase, the other sculpture, the wall and ceiling detail.

What's that you say? There are breasts in my shot? Oh heavens! I have just now noticed them myself. Well, I hope no one is offended. Feel free to express your opinion on my image today, offended or not!

Abstract - Pathways of My Mind

Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70mm F/2.8, f/4.0, 1/15, iso 800

The day I made this image, I was in kind of a Thomas Hawk frame of mind. Many of the scenes before me were the kind that he does so well, and then names them with the most unusual, but always appropriate, titles. Thomas and I have never shot together, but we will, one of these days!

When I began processing this image, I didn't reeally know where I was going. I tried some crops, and some LR presets. It came to me that these were paths, very organic and important. But I also felt this image has a "sea" type aspect to it. I thought of perhaps waking up under the water, and this is what I would see...

But I was stuck with the mind pathways idea, and I realized that if one could peer into my mind, hopefully it would look a lot like the ocean, since the ocean is my element.

And I chose to display this image today because my family and I are on our way to the ocean, the Pacific, which is my favorite. This time it is just a vacation, but one day I'm going to live next to her.

Click on the continue link to leave a comment if you wish, and also I have decided to post the orginal image just for fun. It doesn't look anything like this!