Posts Tagged ‘landscape’

Earth Day

Greenhouse flower - ©TimeLine Media

I am a day late on the Earth Day celebration of our planet and the efforts of the modern environmental movement. Similarly to other photographers, photos of nature from flowers, and landscapes are a popular subjects. Take Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell for example. These nature photographers have inspired and continue to inspire those that are passionate about capturing their world. Moreover, these images are made to preserve scenes for future generations.

Greenhouse flower - ©TimeLine Media
Greenhouse flower – ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms - ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms – ©TimeLine Media

Spring Blooms

Our world needs to be conscious of how we are affecting the natural systems with advances in technology and our growing population. With all the coverage of the missing airliner in the Indian Ocean, the search has been complicated by so much floating trash that confuses humans and satellites that are combing the area. Undoubtedly, there is need to find, refine, and deliver fossil fuels. However, there are impacts to the environment that needs to be managed by companies, governments, and everyone concerned with preserving a healthy planet.

Daffodills blooming - ©TimeLine Media
Daffodills blooming – ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms - ©TimeLine Media
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms – ©TimeLine Media

I admire the many nature photographers that are capturing environment today to help illustrate the effects that we are having on the world around us. With this in mind, John Paul Caponigro and James Balog come to mind. Their images of animals, glaciers, and alien-like landscapes really give you a sense of how diverse, connected, and beautiful Earth is. It makes no doubt in my mind that their work will influence decision makers of all kinds. There has been so much progress in my lifetime, but clear that this is a drive that needs to continue. The continuing observance and support for Earth Day initiatives is encouraging! Here is hoping for more good decisions for a healthier world.

Flowering cactus - ©TimeLine Media
Flowering cactus – ©TimeLine Media

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703-864-8208

Tech Thursday – Snow Melting!

Melting snow with +1 stop exposure - ©TimeLine Media

We are starting a thaw out from last week’s wintry weather! It has taken a week, but finally we are starting to see some grass peeking out from under the snow. While it was falling heavily, I did not have the urge to take many photos. I am sure that there were some spectacular opportunities to do so. However, it just did not happen for me this time. Perhaps it was the preparation for the big ballroom dance event that stopped me from getting out. I have all the cameras and lenses to make something out there but I missed an opportunity.

Adjusting Exposure

Melting Snow - ©TimeLine Media
Melting Snow – ©TimeLine Media

With the shooting of the event now completed, and the warmer air outside, I wanted to get some photos before ALL the snow had melted. Going out there with the Fuji X100s made it easy to illustrate the first lesson that everyone learns when photographing in the snow. You need to “overexpose” or add more light to the scene than you normally would when taking photos.

The meter built into your camera is designed to measure the light coming in through the lens. It will tell you what settings will make for a balanced exposure. Technical photographers will call this calculating the exposure for “middle gray”. In other words, the brightest areas will not be too bright that they lose detail. Concurrently the darkest areas will not be too dark to lose detail. Unfortunately, these settings will make your snow look like “middle gray” as in the example here:

Melting snow with metered exposure - ©TimeLine Media
Melting snow with metered exposure – ©TimeLine Media

Adjusting Defaults

To restore the snow to its pretty white brightness, I had to add 1 stop of exposure, or overexpose the meter reading by one stop to get a nice white from the snow. Either the shutter speed is slowed down by one stop, or your can close down the aperture by one stop. Because I do not care to see any detail in the snow as it does not add to the photo, go ahead and let it be too bright. It is only a base or background for the frame, and does not need to be as detailed as the branches of the tree.

This technique not only works for snow, but works for window light, backlighting, or any other elements that are in your frame, but are not the main subject. They can be blown out, or overexposed without affecting the portrayal of your subject – the one thing you do want to see.

Melting snow with +1 stop exposure - ©TimeLine Media
Melting snow with +1 stop exposure – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Media www.timelinedc.com
703-846-8208

Rule of Thirds – Part 2

A cappella singer performing - ©TimeLine Media

We just watched the new motion picture, “American Hustle” which was a movie heavily focused on character development, and character interaction. In movies, the examples of the rule of thirds is used during scenes of dialog, and other half or close up shots of the actor’s faces. When there is only one face on the screen at a time, the extra space that the other third of the frame gives the audience a space to place themselves, or to place the other character that is not on screen.

Having this space really places you in the scene making the viewer more engaged in the film. If this space was not there, it will be jarring to viewers, and will create a tension – like something is not right. This can be used as a compositional element too whether in still or motion pictures. In these photos, the subject is placed on a third, looking through the long side of the frame.

Event Photography

A cappella singer performing - ©TimeLine Media
A cappella singer performing – ©TimeLine Media
Salsa Bachata Throwdown - ©TimeLine Media
Salsa Bachata Throwdown – ©TimeLine Media

This composition will also work for landscape or still life photos. Placing objects along the grids or having objects “face” the open part of the frame creates a better composition. It works for many situations. Additionally, it can make a great starting point. When presented by a tricky scene try this to make your photos better with your new camera.

Frames Divided into Thirds

Still Life Rule of Thirds example - ©TimeLine Media
Still Life Rule of Thirds example – ©TimeLine Media
Still Life Rule of Thirds example - ©TimeLine Media
Still Life Rule of Thirds example – ©TimeLine Media

TimeLine Mediawww.timelinedc.com
703-864-8208

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