Canon 7D, EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS with 1.4X extender @ 280mm, f/11, 1/90 sec, ISO 200
This was one of Chuck’s stops. He even put down his tripod to take an image. What caught my eye was the contrast between the smooth dune face and the ripples on the down hill side. I also liked the “scallops” on the dune’s edge.
Canon 7D, EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS with 1.4X extender @ 98mm, f/22, 1/4 sec, ISO 200
This image was taken along the trail of Chuck Kimmerle’s footsteps. He did not stop here, so must have not thought it was interesting. The mini-scene reminded me of a set of waves rolling into shore. I worked the scene from multiple angles and came up with this as the view that most depicted waves. I actually was thinking B&W when I took this image. The shadows and early morning light provided the sharp contrast along the sand ripple edges.
Canon 7D, EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS with 1.4X extender @ 280mm, f/22, 1/2 sec, ISO 200
First light across the dunes was a dramatic sight. The dune directly in front of me caught the brilliant first light of day, while the dune behind was still in shadow. This moment lasted only a few seconds. If you look hard at the background dune, you can see traces of sunlight on the tops of the ripples. A moment later everything was in bright sunlight. I was lucky to be set up and just waiting for the sun to break.
I experimented with this image to create a B&W version. I felt that the bright area was just too much in the B&W version. I like the warm tan sand contrasted against the grey background shadow in color version. Below is the B&W version. Choose for yourself.
Strolling down a walkway in Balboa Park, I saw this pattern of shadows from the late afternoon sunlight. Experimenting with Snapseed, I converted to B&W and applied a little grunge. The following is the original for reference.
There is always something interesting wherever you are. It was a bright, but hazy afternoon as I was overlooking the LA Harbor. Nothing looked interesting in the harbor. I looked up and saw the warm afternoon sun highlighting the fence surrounding the overlook. The repeating curved arrows added to the interest.
Welcome Summer! This Spring has been very interesting … periods of heat, cold, wet, and dry conditions, all mixed together. Right now we are between periods of rain and warm days. It is hard to tell which is growing faster, our flowers or the weeds. One thing for sure, our knees are getting their workout separating the two.
This image is a multiple exposure created by simultaneously rotating and zooming around the center flower. Karen’s garden creates an abundance of photographic opportunities.
More of the Fonthill Study coming …
It was high noon on a cloudless day when we visited the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, VA. The Memorial is 270 feet high and appears to be soaring. Its array of arcs against the sky evokes a modern image of flight by jet and space vehicles. At the same time, it enshrines the past in permanent remembrance of the pioneers of flight who came before, and pays homage to those of the future.
The number three in the vertical design of the spires signifies several elements. “Three” is resonant with significant associations for the Air Force, including the three core values of today: Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do. It is also the smallest number of elements needed to define and enclose a space. The spires also reflect an exploding bomb burst as well as the “Missing Man” maneuvers. The spires are asymmetrical and dynamic. Each is a different height, causing the view of the Memorial to be different at every angle.
Images of the Lincoln Memorial are abundant everywhere and so are reflections. I just had a few moments to “grab” a quick reflection as our group headed back to the van. It’s a little different .. but not too creative … just another perspective.
I was experimenting with swipes and pans on this Redbud tree to create some interesting images for backgrounds. While I had my camera set for a blur (f/32, 1/4 second, ISO 200), I let the wind create a little magic on its own. I just held the camera still, waited for a gust of wind, then snapped the shutter. It’s pretty amazing what nature can do!
This is a different perspective of the curved road in my prior two posts. Once I see something that catches my eye, I tend to focus on that element from different perspectives. This image is a horizontal pan of the bending curve. I tried “S”-swipes, “C”-swipes. and horizontal pans. A gentle horizontal pan gave me the balance between blur and detail that I was looking for. The image was processed in NIK Silver Efex Pro. I focused on highlighting the shadows and the shape of the curve. I chose sepia toning with a soft blurred white vignette to represent the feeling of the image in its natural tone. It is no longer an image of the landscape, but an abstract of shadows and curves.