Monthly Archives: February 2015

Things That Catch My Eye

150224_LionHead_FlaglerCollege_StAugustine by Karl G. Graf. Canon 5D MarkIII, EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 32mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec, ISO 1600

I am always searching for things that catch my eye.  I cannot classify my style as a landscape photographer, an architectural photographer, a portrait photographer, a macro photographer or other genre.  What interests me most are details … things that just pop up and catch my eye.  This image in an example.  I was looking around at the entryway and the architecture of the Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.  I took several images of the overall entrance structure.  But what really caught my eye was this sculpture of a lion’s head on one of the entrance pillars.

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Three Gulls

150223_3SeaGulls_Hilton Head by Karl Graf. Canon 5D MkIII, EF70-200mm f2.8L IS @ 200mm, f/8, 1/320 sec, ISO 800

As I look out the window to a a cold snow covered landscape, I recall the warm South Carolina beach were we spent late February/ early March last year.  My mind went out to the warm walks on the beautiful Hilton Head beach in front of the Surf Watch resort where we were staying.  We hope to be able to return there this  year.

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It’s Red

150211_Red Leaf by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-135mm @ 135mm, f/5.6, 1/20 sec, ISO 400

Today’s message is very simple:  “If it is RED … Shoot!”  So I did.

Lesson Learned:  The image is not as sharp as I want it to be due to the low shutter speed.  I had a lot of room to increase the ISO sensitivity.  I just was not paying attention.  When I am walking around doing “hand-held” shooting, I fall back to shooting “snap-shots” instead of taking my time to optimize the image.  Take my time!!!!

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An Old South Garden

150210_Spanish Moss by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-135mm @ 41mm, f/6.4, 1/800 sec, ISO 1600

Henry P. Leu Gardens are covered with huge ancient southern wild oaks with Spanish moss hanging loosely from their branches.  It was like I imagined an old Southern Garden to be like.  High in the trees the moss looked like fluffy cotton balls.  Up close the moss is very structured.  I took the opportunity to add a little impressionistic water color feeling to the image using Topaz Impression.

Below is a close-up of the Spanish Moss.  It looks like it would be rough to the feel, but it is actually very soft.  I guess that it was used as bedding in the past.

150210_Spanish Moss- Close up by .

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Bamboo With a Different Perspective

150209_Bamboo by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-135mm @ 56mm, f/22, 6 secs, ISO 250

I rounded a corner and saw a massive wall of bamboo.  It was just waiting there for someone to take a vertical pan.  So I did…

Most of the time I use pans and moving multiple exposures to get my creative juices flowing.  They break up moments where I become transfixed just searching for an image to capture rather than waiting for an image to come to me.  This time the pan just appeared.  I did not even take a normal image.

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Fan

150208_Palm Fron by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-135mm @ 110mm, f/8.0, 1/120 sec, ISO 400

Walking through parts of Henry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando was almost like walking through a tropical rain forest.  Light filtering through the various palms provide multiple opportunities to capture interesting backlight images.  Huge palm leaves were like huge fans waving in the gentle afternoon breeze.  I love wandering along garden paths looking up, down, and everywhere.  It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

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St. Augustine Lighthouse With a Little Swirl

150207_St Augustine Lighthouse by . Fuji X-T1, XF18-135mm @ 44mm, f/11, 1/320 sec, ISO 250

Does this look a little familiar?  Sometimes one gets lucky.  This image is a multiple exposure of the St. Augustine lighthouse combined with a B&W version of yesterday’s post.  I thought that that the unknown swirl image posted yesterday would make a good texture background for something.  I combined it with an image taken just a few frames earlier.  Magic happens sometimes.

Lesson Learned:  Take what each moment brings you and cherish it.

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What the ?????

150206_No Idea What This Is by .

What the ???  I downloaded my images from a shoot the other day and found this as my last image.  I have absolutely no idea what this is or when I unintentionally triggered the shutter.  But it is interesting …  Oh well!

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Ponce de Leon Hall, Flagler College

150204_FolgerCollegeInterior2_StAugustine by Karl G. Graf. Ponce de Leon Hall, Flagler College, St. Augustine, FL

Canon 7D, EF10-22mm @ 10mm, f/4, 1/40 sec, ISO 1600

I could not help posting another image of this wonderful architectural work.  This image is a wide angle view of the photo posted yesterday.  Being brought up in the home-building trade and having a love of fine woodworking, places like this intrigue me.  At times I feel like I was born a couple of generations too late.

I remember taking this image a year ago.  I was pushing my hand holding capacity to the limit.  I also remember counting the lights and balancing the tile work in the corners to get a balanced, symmetric composition.  It turned out pretty good for a hand held image.

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