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 Week - Black and White
It's a new year, lots of snow has fallen over the past day, and temperatures are below freezing. Typical.
But, that begs the question of what to do photographically until the weather is nicer. Yes, I could go tromping through the snow looking for something photogenic, but I don't really have the equipment for that (meaning boots, thermals, etc.). So, find stuff indoors to shoot or go through old photos and see if there is anything fun to play with.
Last week at my photography club, it was mentioned that one of the keys to good black and white images is having strong contrast in the initial image. Good dark areas, definite light areas, shading and texture between. So, I went and looked for some shots of mine that fit those criteria and decided to see what they look like in black and white.
This is the first image I decided to play with. It happens to be one of my favorites. But, the textures in the rocks and water, the dark areas of the stream and light of the water all fit what I was looking for.
This was actually a lot more difficult to convert than I had thought it would be. The tops of the rocks are a lot brighter relative to the rest of the image, so I had to tone them down a bit. The moss on the rocks on the right are a lot darker than I liked, so I had to bring that section up. Still, I'm happy with the result.
Here's another image I really like in color, especially the contrast between the yellow in the center with the pink petals.
It's surprising how the shades of pink changing to gray makes the petals look like they have much more texture.
Yes, I still prefer the color versions. That said, the black and white does work well and having that as an option means that I have lots that I can play with until spring.
Photos - 2017 Year in Review
Hi all,
As the year flies past us into the sunset of that which was, it is time to reflect on what has been a very strange year in many ways. So, I'll start out the retrospective with a couple of new shots, taken while flying home from DC after Thanksgiving:
Sunset out the Window
Sunset out the Window
In many ways, the best part of the year for me from a photographic standpoint was finding out about Wood Lake. I've lived here over 20 years now and didn't realize this wonderful place existed. And it was there that I captured my first muskrat pictures, lots of new painted turtles, several types of birds, and several types of dragonflies and grasshoppers (you may not be as interested in those latter two, but I'm finding the variations of species fascinating and fun to shoot).
I've not seen beavers up close, but am pretty sure I've seen beaver dams/huts in the area. Because of this I was never sure what the small rodents I've spotted but not captured might be. After stopping in at the visitor center at Wood Lake, where they have taxidermy examples of both, there's NO question they have all been muskrats. Beavers are 10x the size.
Painted Turtles on a Log
Painted Turtle
It has been a couple years since I spotted any painted turtles in the area, so finding them at Wood Lake was a treat.
Hidden Egret
Osprey
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Double-Crested Cormorant
Some of the many birds images I captured at Wood Lake. In order they are a blue heron, osprey, northern harrier, and double-crested cormorant.
The dragonflies/damselflies and grasshoppers below are from Wood Lake and elsewhere. No reason to split them up by location.
Variegated Meadowhawk dragonfly
Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly
White-Faced Meadowhawk dragonfly
Common Whitetail Skimmer (female)
Widow Skimmer (male)
Blue Damselfly
Carolina Locust
Differential Grasshopper
I also managed to add several fun examples to my collection of tree stumps and dead branches:
Moss on dead tree
Mossy Knot
Devil's Tree Stump
I also got some fun shots of Minneapolis itself this year. The first one was at Lake Calhoun and shows a small sample of the number of birds that stop there each spring. The second one was me experimenting with HDR at sunset below the Stone Arch Bridge.
Minneapolis at NightCreated via HDR
Finally, this was the first year I've had a chance to shoot fireworks, so I'll leave you with those and wish you all the best in the year to come.
Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks
Photos of the Week - 7 on the line
I first started playing Ultimate my freshman year of high school. I continued playing all through college, and have been part of the Twin Cities Ultimate League since 1992.
Needless to say, it is something that I've enjoyed playing and watching for many decades now. However, being a player in a team sport doesn't leave a lot of opportunities to take pictures during a game. This past Tuesday, though, I was able to bring my camera with me to the last game of the TCUL summer league for this year.
7 on the line. Getting ready to receive.
Because Ultimate is a fast sport, it is not easy to take good photos. Use a fairly large aperture (most of these were at f8 or wider) and a fast shutter to freeze the action. I also found that I needed to zoom a lot less than I normally do. Too close meant that part of the picture inevitably got cut off. This is one case where cropping in camera was not a good idea.
Thanks to this year's team and all those I've played with in the past and in the future.
p.s. The term Frisbee is trademarked. Since other brands of flying discs are generally used, the name "Ultimate Frisbee" is now just "Ultimate". For more information about the sport, check this: http://www.whatisultimate.com/what-is-ultimate/
Photos of the Week - A walk in the park
Sunday was a good day. I had finally finished going through all my CONvergence photos and decided to reward myself with an easy stroll at Lone Lake.
White Water LilyClick to Purchase
The water lilies are blooming. And, because the lake is much higher than normal right now, lots of them are quite close to the dock and easy to shoot.
Great Blue SkimmerClick to Purchase
There are lots of dragonflies cruising around the lilies as well.
Fishing Green HeronClick to Purchase
I even saw a green heron there. I've never seen one at Lone Lake before, and haven't seen any for a couple of years.
While ambling on the trail around the lake, I spotted some interesting types of fungi.
Moss on dead treeClick to Purchase
I even spotted some new possible additions to my stumps and branches collection!
Unfortunately, none of the photos I took on Sunday came out decent. Many were not as sharp as I'd like. Others were too grainy or shaky. That happens sometimes. It doesn't ruin the memory or the enjoyment of the day.
The above photos, if you are wondering, are ones I took on Monday in order to replace the ones that didn't turn out. The exception is the green heron photos, which is quite older. I did spot the bird again, but it wasn't anywhere I could get close enough for a photo. Again, that happens sometimes.
Photos of the Week - At the Arboretum
I didn't realize until I started writing this that it has been a full month since my last posting here. Sorry about the delay.
Anyway, I went down to the Arboretum a couple weeks ago to see what was blooming and what else looked interesting.
Actually, one of my goals was to reshoot this tree stump. While I like parts of the image, other parts annoy me, like the way the shadows and sunlight fall.
Here's the replacement shot. To begin with, I got really lucky with the weather. It was a bright, overcast day, so no shadows but good light. I also like that there are more plants growing around the stump, giving a more solid contrast between the dead tree and life around it. The texture also comes out better in this shot. Finally, I like the fact that you can see through the stump, which, for me, adds a little extra interest.
Devil's Tree StumpClick to Purchase
I think I'm going to call this the Devil's Tree Stump because the shape and weathering reminds me of pictures I've seen of Devil's Tower.
I spotted these mushrooms growing in the Iris Garden. They are quite small and next to the ground, which made it tricky to shoot properly. I do like the result.
The Wild Calla Lilies were also blooming. I love these flowers. They are so different from the cultivated varieties.