Monthly Archives: November 2017

Brilliance: Light and POV

Glass Sculpture in Early Morning Sunlight

I was doing some “homework” for Dave duChemin’s “Compelling Frame” on-line course when I stumbled on this opportunity.  I was working this sculpture from multiple angles when a bright blast of light flashed in my eye.  The light was coming from the rear right of the frame.  It entered the sculpture from the rear right angle and reflected on the rear left internal face.  It blasted back out at me at approximately a 270 degree angle from which it first struck the sculpture.  I took several minutes to capture the bright reflection.  Camera movement of only a few millimeters impacted the reflection.  At the same time the sun was moving slightly.  After several unsuccessful attempts, I caught one that was a “keeper”.  This was an excellent lesson and how an intentional point of view (POV) made the image.

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How Van Gogh Would Paint a Boat

Boat Graveyard & Repair Facility – Charleston, Oregon

I spent a couple of hours exploring an old boat graveyard in Charleston, Oregon,  I was fascinated with all the chipped paint on the old boats from a by-gone era.  They had seen a much better time.  I can just imagine the stories these old boats could tell.  I picked an image at random and played with it in Topaz Impression.  I applied a Van Gogh painting style as an overlay.  Today I needed a break from reality

 

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Beautiful Way to Start the Day

“Looking Out My Bedroom Window”

I received this beautiful gift yesterday morning.  The combination of a brilliant sunrise reflecting off beautiful lenticular clouds … I couldn’t ask for a better way to start the day.  It inspired me to get out and spend several hours walking around my yard taking remnants of the fall colors with my macro lens.  It was a wonderful morning, full of discovery and exploration!

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Soft Light, Soft Tree

Entrance – Seattle Japanese Garden

The soft early morning light highlighted this scene.  The maple tree, grasses, and pine shrub appear very soft. I enhanced the softness in post processing.  The image was exposed to highlight the soft leaves of the Japanese maple.  The background was in shade which created a nice dark contrast to the light maple.  The image warms me all over.

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Raking Light

Tea House Roof – Seattle Japanese Garden

Continuing with Dave duChemin’s course, I found this raking light on a gazebo roof in the Seattle Japanese Garden.  The sun had just broken over the ridge of the adjacent Washington Arboretum.  The soft light raking across the roof lasted for just a few moments before the direct sunlight engulfed the roof.  I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time.

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Red & Yellow

Red Maple/Yellow Ginko – Washington Japanese Garden

This is what fall color is all about.  I was able to photograph in the Washington Japanese Garden almost at its prime this fall.  Colors were gorgeous everywhere.  This particular scene caught my eye contrasting the brilliant reds and yellows,

I am taking an on-line course, “The Compelling Frame” by Dave duChemin.  My focus for this excursion was to explore how different types of light created different effects.  Here, the soft mid-morning light set the colors of these trees on fire.  I am always searching and exploring ways to help me progress through my never-ending journey in photography.  I strongly recommend Dave  duChemin’s course.

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Contemplating Back in Time

WWI Soldier Grotesque – Smith Hall, Univ. of Washington

This WWI soldier grotesque has intrigued me since I first attended the University of Washington in 1968. It is located on Smith Hall in the University of Washington Quadrangle.  The figure commemorates WWI complete with the gas mask.

Over the years, I have photographed this grotesque multiple times.  For some reason, my images have not turned out:  out of focus, too light, too dark, or branches/leaves cluttering the image.  During my last visit, I was determined to get an acceptable image.  I was lucky that it was an overcast day.  The soft light on the soldier was relatively even without deep shadows. I walked around to get a perspective that gave me the most eerie mood.

 

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I Need a Little Brightness

Portland Japanese Gardens

Today is an overcast dark day.  I need a little brightness!  

Yesterday I visited the Portland Japanese Gardens.  Even though the day was overcast and a bit drizzly, the bright fall colors of this Japanese maple brightened the surroundings and captured my eye.  The fall color was past its prime.  But, there was still quite a bit of color patches.  I thought the gardens were beautiful and can just imagine what they were like during their prime color.  Next fall I will return during the peak.

P.S.  I was practicing working with light and found this brilliant reflection.

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Great Memories

“The Columns” – Sylvan Theater, University of Washington Campus

A couple of weeks ago, I spent several hours walking around the University of Washington campus.  I had not been there for about 15 years.  How much things have changed.  My old hangout, the EEB (Electrical Engineering Building) has been completely remodeled and enlarged with a large new section for Computer Science..  When I was there, Computer Science was just a small part of the EE Department.  Now it is its own Department with over 1300 students.

During class breaks, I use to go to the Sylvan Theater and the Columns just behind the EEB.  It was a wonderful peaceful place to sit and wonder about what the future would bring,  The Sylvan Theater was just about the same as I recall it was 50 years ago.  However, there were several students there with hard hats, surveying equipment, and tape measures.  They were taking measurements to design a new courtyard to replace a good part of the grass.  I feel a little sorrow to see my old memories change.  But I guess it is for the best.  Those memories are great ones!

 

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