Hello to all and welcome!
I can't really say what you should expect to see here as I've never before tried blogging or anything similar. It'll have to be a work in progress. I'll probably talk about photography in general (and mine in specific) as well as point out different things that are going on that I find interesting or worth commenting on. If anyone (assuming anyone actually ends up reading this) has questions or suggestions on topics, feel free to let me know.
I'm here you're with me, here at the beginning of all things.
Roger
p.s. Comments and feedback are very welcome.
Photos of the Day - 8/25/2014
Wandering in New York/Central Park - Part 6
I've always liked shooting fountains and statues. They're great to practice almost any type of shooting you want, from portrait to landscape to experimenting with textures in water (and lots else). So, I was quite happy when my wanderings led me past the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.
As you can see from the first image, this is a really nice, large, multi-tier fountain. There is so much to play with if you have the time (and some proper equipment). To begin with, there is a large set of stairs that lead down to the fountain. This means you can get very different angles/backgrounds/perspectives with little effort (compare the first and second images to get a sense of what I mean).
One other thing I noticed while shooting was the way the pigeons roosting on the statue actually improved the image (at least to my mind). This was because they seemed almost like living wing extensions, or maybe extra feathers. The third image tries to demonstrate this effect.
There is a lot that I would do differently next time I have the opportunity to shoot this fountain. First and foremost, I'm pretty sure this wants to be shot early in the day. You'll notice a lot of shadows on the figures themselves. This was after some heavier than normal (for me) processing in Lightroom to open up the image. Earlier in the day the sun will hit the statue more full-on and thereby eliminate a lot of the shadows. Second, a tripod would be really helpful to allow slower exposures (which would smooth out the water). I'm not sure what range of lenses would be best, but a wide-angle zoom and a short (28-105) zoom would be worth having as well (maybe a longer one as well, but I'd have that along for other places in the park rather than wanting it specifically for this fountain).
Photos of the Day - 8/24/2014
Wandering in NYC - part 5, still in Central Park.
When I was planning what to do while in NYC, several people asked me if I was going to visit the new Freedom Tower and Ground Zero. My instant and truthful answer is that I have no interest whatsoever in doing so. I feel no need to visit someplace that I know will make me either angry or depressed or both. So, it may seem strange that oneof the places in Central Park that I did want to visit was Strawberry Fields, the memorial set up after John Lennon was shot over 30(!?!) years ago.
There is a real difference, though, especially when you get there. It wasn't what I was expecting, either. I think I expected some gardens with flowers, maybe plaques with lyrics, maybe people sitting around playing guitars. Instead, it is a designated quiet zone (no loud music or orators allowed). The only memorial aspect is a mosaic with the word "Imagine" at its center (and crowds of people taking their picture with/on it one at a time, very politely). And then what I would call lots of small parks inside the area. Bits of grassy areas with trees mostly around them. Paths for walking around and between the park areas. It is a place to get away from everything for a while and, if you're so inclined, contemplate (or, if you'll excuse the word, imagine) what you are doing or how to make things better for yourself and/or others. If Central Park is an oasis of nature in the middle of Manhattan, Strawberry Fields feels like an oasis of quiet inside the oasis.
And, a fitting tribute to the man it was built for.
and one with a little closer view:
Photo of the Day - 8/23/2014
Wandering through New York - Central Park - part 4
Stupid statement coming: there are a lot of people in Central Park and they tend to be doing a lot of different things. Many of these can make interesting photos. People playing baseball or softball. Kids on the Carousel or climbing on statues (althoguh those are ones you should be much more careful and polite when taking, especially if you plan on posting or selling them...get parents permission if possible). I was in a hurry so I didn't stop to watch and shoot the troop of acrobats/break dancers performing (but the small bit I saw was really impressive and could have made great images).
The below image is a guy blowing soap bubbles. HUGE soap bubbles. The kids by him were enthralled. I was hoping to capture the entire bubble and all the colors it was refracting. It is another one that more time and effort could have improved, playing with the composition, angle, etc. Still gets the point across, though, so I'm happy.
Photo of the Day - 8/22/2014
Wandering through New York - part 3 - enter Central Park.
While I love visiting New York City (in this case meaning Manhattan), I don't think I could ever live there. I find I need trees and open space around me. I'd also never really spent any time in Central Park before. Now that I've wandered around there for a couple hours, I think it would help tremedously (but, in the end, might not be enough).
This is a great resource and one of the best ideas in city planning that was ever realized. There is so much going on, from playgrounds to ball fields to lawns to lakes to everything else. From a photographer's perspective, it is wonderful, with everything from nature to people watching to landmarks. The last few posts in this set will be about some of what I saw and shot.
It probably doesn't need to be said, but there are lots of tall buildings that tower over Central Park. They are what remind you that you are in the middle of a city. One fun concept to play with is to combine the park and the city in a single image. And, it is one that can be played with throughout the park. This image was taken by the lake on Central Park West looking at, I believe, the San Remo. The flowers and water help emphasize the natural setting over which the building looms.
Photo of the Day - 8/20/2014
Wandering through NYC, part 2.
This is really a very mediocre photo. I normally wouldn't bother posting one like this except you can't really discuss shooting in New York without mentioning skyscrapers.
To start, this image was taken from Vanderbilt Avenue looking back towards Grand Central and the Chrysler building. The big problem is that the buildings block the view of the facade, and the terminal blocks most of the Chrysler. The only thing that I can think that might improve this would be to shoot it at night since both buildings light up nicely. It is possible to zoom in tighter, which would let you see the tire-gargoyles more clearly, but that is a different type of shot (and would need a big zoom).
The big problem with shooting buildings in New York is all the other buildings. You can't get a good shot from street level due to the extreme angles needed to see the tops, and if you try from a distance the other buildings block the view. There are two ways that I can think of to get around this. The first is to shoot from somewhere that doesn't have buildings such as Central Park, from across bridges, etc. The other would be to shoot from MUCH higher. Get to a rooftop if you can. If not, the top of the Empire State Building would probably work (but costs money to get there and I've not been there for so long I can't vouch for the view/angles available). Shooting through office or apartment windows would also work (assuming you have access).
So, those are my ideas on skyscrapers. Tomorrow we hit Central Park.
