Saturday, February 12, 2011

What's in a Lansdscape ?



I am usually a portraits and Black and white kind of guy, but when I decided to try out some color film and shot this photo I fell in love with it. The owner of Bottle Village in Simi valley had in her madness set up this beautiful scenery that passers by had neglected to see. As much as I personally like this shot I couldn't decide weather or not it could be considered a Landscape. After asking around I got mixed responses, some claimed it was a portrait of the figurine and some thought it was a landscape. So my question to you now is this; whats your opinion? Is this a landscape or a portrait and why?

Composition


In my opinion landscape and documentation are up to the photographer. For most people when they think of landscape pictures they think of Ansel Adams, but for others they may see it differently. I don't have a very specific definition of landscape. I enjoy urban landscapes most though.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Cactus Caps



I really have a thing for the unusual image. I am a sinner big time when it comes to the "C" word (cropping) and this pair of images are an example of the extent of my cropping depravity. While I am not a bullseye shooter by any means, I often find the sweeter image in post production. In addition I lean towards the Darth Vader side of exposures as well, so the image 2 is a bit more to my liking because of the pepper tree in the background all ominous looking. The 1st image is more straight forward in exposure and color but as you can see it is cropped to show a completely different flow. Is this enough babbling to qualify for the test post, Wendy? LOL!

Fire Water

Several things have to be right to get a Fire Water shot. The surf has to be up, it has to hit a rock or something and you have to be low enough (without getting wet) to get the sunset angle low enough to illuminate the splash. Again I checked my Google Earth to find a North and South beach so the setting sun is at the proper location.

Sunsets do they ever get old

Shot while down in Puerto Vallarta from beneath the grass covered shade of the open air villa. saying good bye to another day in paradise

Thursday, February 10, 2011

HDR sunset

I used the program Photomatrix Pro3 to do this photo. Using a tripod I set the camera to Auto-Exposure Bracketing (AEB), select the Continuous Shooting mode, make sure the camera was set to Aperture Priority, and select an exposure increment of +/-2 stops.

First I checked my GPS program to see the sunset compass direction and sunset time. Then I checked Google Earth to find a long stretch to photograph the sunset. I’ve found out in the past that I need to be far away from a mountain to allow the sun to set close to the horizon. Too close to a mountain the sun is blocked before it can set far away and show its colors through the atmosphere. This HDR photo was taken just past Piru on the 126 and then left on Torrey Rd. by the bridge.

Sea Biscuit

A cast of hot air thousands during the filming of Sea Biscuit. 12/12/2002

I was the stand in for William H. Macy.

This image, I took up in the Sierras last Fall. It has a lot of meaning to me, it reminds me of that little sense of serenity that truly does exist in such a hectic world we live in. There's something about Nature that really just blows me away. Growing up with parents who love to travel have really made me appreciate Nature, and all of its beauty. Being able to experience the beauty of Nature from not just the state of California, but from every single state on the west coast of the United States; you really begin to appreciate the difference and the individuality every bit Nature has to offer. The impact Nature has on me is greater than any word or group of words could describe. This photo I took just means so much to me.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

dear, los angeles.

I love Los Angeles. I love photographing Los Angeles. I love living in Los Angeles. It's my home. It is a part of me.

The DCH is a puzzler of a building. It sits in the middle of Downtown where modern and classic collides; where the business professionals walk alongside the homeless; where the city becomes interesting.

I enjoy photographing LA because it is unlike any other city in the world, for better or worse. Unless you're a native Angeleno, you're oblivious to the luster of a place that can be both ugly and beautiful. Los Angeles has an amazing urban landscape that I choose to spotlight. I don't care to look at its mountains, trees, or streams. Those elements are not unique; they exist in every environment. But the people and culture in this city can exist only in this city. Thats what I want to show.

THAT PEACE OF MIND

Wishing I was back there again. Shot pool side at Ocho cascade Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Landscape in my eyes


To me landscape is:
Land with something interesting or beautiful....outside, nature etc.

I wish I could post my favorite but they are watermarked with my name and wish to remain anonymous here.

Land and sea scape

I love photography and I am grateful in having the opportunity to take this class with like interested photographers. These are landscape with water.


The only "landscape" picture I have taken that I like, a lot.


I guess I should make this post a little bit longer. I said before I really feel like this blog can get to be something really big, and from the posts below this one now really prove that.
I have a problem stretching what I am used to, and where my "box" is. When I think landscape I think of your typical shot of a mountain or river, but I'd like to be able to think of other things as "landscape". I guess this shot to me is sort of my interpretation of landscape just a few months ago. I hope to expand from this.

PERSPECTIVE


















I like experimenting with perspective using DOF, camera angle and low light conditions. While in Bath, England I took a lot of pictures - most were just ordinary. But I thought this image was interesting because of the depth of field and camera angle. I was shooting with my Canon 40D in full automatic. Since we were touring I didn't want to spend a lot of time adjusting in manual mode.


Montmatre Paris, FR. November 2010

Panoramic View from Montmartre
Once you reach the church at the top of the hill, hundreds of stairs past the carousel and the Moulin Rouge, past Amelie's enigmatic clues, you turn around to see all of Paris below you. It is a sprawling urban landscape shaped by both history and the arts. This was my first attempt at creating and shooting a seemingly panoramic picture using Cs4 (it took 9 pictures maybe?). Shot on my RebelT2i. And surprisingly I didn't use a tripod!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Towsley Canyon



These are all the same photograph taken with my iPhone here at our very own Towsley Canyon. I really enjoy the 5 mile loop when my knee isn't given me problems. This photograph was actually taken on the low lands. It is amazing to find what we have here in the Santa Clarita Valley.


Tourist in my own town




I love to travel but I am currently exploring the concept of being a tourist in Los Angeles. Although I enjoy exploring the world I realize there are plenty of interesting sites right here at home. Last week I enjoyed the New Year's celebration in Chinatown.

When I hear about landscape photography, my first thought is of nature shots. However, I also think it applies to buildings, and urban scenes. All those things that surround us when we are outdoors.

photARTgraphy










I've been really inspired by an artist named Kesh, simply because she infuses all the wonderful qualities of art and photograpy, for example passionate and bold colors, line, repitition, innovative composition, etc. She definately has added to my own personal list of think outside the box in(a)spirations, and hopefully she can inspire someone else.

-tk.