Canon 5D Mark II, 180mm F/3.5 Macro,
I just love having a macro lens. This subject is really tiny. maybe a half inch across at the widest. Macro lenses take you into the smallest worlds.
This was a pleasing image in color, but I thought going B&W would give it some extra pop.
I found a preset in Topaz B&W called "warm tone II smooth" that gave me just what I was looking for. As always, check out the original image on the Continue link below.
Panasonic GH2, 100-300mm, f/5.6, 1/160, iso 160
I'm continuning my search for tiny landscapes. I usually don't have much of a feeling whether they will be liked by others or not. I found this big piece of driftwood that had collected beach stones in several different areas. I thought the compositions I made with three stones would be the best, but I ended up liking this one for the pureness and simplicity. Wood and stone. I liked the feeling that the wood was cradling this egg shaped stone, like precious cargo.
Panasonic GH2, 100-300mm, f/5.6, 1/800, iso 160
Continuing my exploration of tiny landscapes... I take the Panasonic with me on our walks, and sometimes we'll take a break for beach glass hunting (her) and tiny landscapes (me). Driftwood often presents interesting subjects, as in this one. I first noticed the patterns of the eroded bark. Working some different angles I found some interesting compositions.
What does this one say to you? I see a whirlpool. Then again maybe a body part?
Canon 5D Mark II, 70-300 F/5.6, f/5.6, 1/320, iso 160
As I mentioned in this post last week, I am trying my hand at "Tiny Landscapes." The goal is to find pleasing and creative compositions, naturally as found. The beaches here on Bainbridge Island are not sandy, they are rocky. There are any number of items that wash up on the shores. I'm not sure where this metal plate came from, but most likely it has been here a long time.
I thought it interesting how the metal had rusted away in this pattern, and then the rocks filled in the space. I was very drawn to the metal itself, and wanted to feature it too. Thus this composition, kind of a "negative space" approach.
What do you think?
Canon 5D Mark II, 70-300mm F/5.6, f/6.3, 1/500, iso 500
Last year when I was visiting John Barclay he showed me some prints done by a friend of his - tiny landscapes. Not macros, which are closeups of a given subject. These were very small areas, with intresting features, and the compositions were just stunning. This man had been a patternmaker in the clothing industry, and as such had an extraordinary ability to see the compositions in real time.
I have been intrigued by this genre ever since. I'll see what seems to be a suitable tiny landscape subject and shoot some images. Looking through the viewfinder I think perhaps there is a compelling composition here. But most of the time when I later look on the screen I'm not too impressed.
I do like this one however. Help me out, would you? Is this one any good? Or just a plant on an old piece of driftwood?
Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70mm F/2.8, f/18, 1/20, iso 200
Had the opportunity yesterday to visit the North Fork of the American River, on some private property. It's an amazing location, first discovered by gold miners. But unlike some other mining sites, this one is pristine and there's no evidence of large scale mining.
Challenging to photograph though, with a huge amount of white water and brilliant sunshine. Even without a camera it was a beautiful spot to simply enjoy being alive and feel nature seeping into my body.
In the rocky area aside the river was a series of small pools, mostly a foot wide or less, carved by centuries of waterpower. Much like I'm fascinated by the continual pounding of surf on land, this slow carving of rock is also a wonder. The water in this pool is definitely rainwater. But the rock has surely been sculpted by huge winter flows over the eons.
I suppose the last time the water was this high these small stones were being pushed around the surface, and found a home here in this unusually shaped pool, most of them being round. It was a tiny bowl of jewels, to me, amidst a larger landscape of extreme beauty, among the best the Sierra have to offer.
I'll share a couple more images in the next few days.
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