Patterns

The latest issue of Popular Photography did not disappoint! This article really gave me some things to think about, especially because I have an upcoming photo shoot in mid-July where I can use this. Specifically, the article focuses on patterns created in nature - mainly asymmetrical. Take a look at these for inspiration:







Of course, patterns don't only exist in mineral/rock formations. Here are some other examples with plants and with abstract elements:





What has always worked for me was to move my lens around and not take what I see too literally. Also, it helps to use a macro lens - all of these except for one required it. Additionally, don't forget your ISO (higher in low light), white balance (Tungsten indoors), and your f-stop (low number for a "blurry" effect, high number to ensure all items are in focus in an even manner.

As you know, my focus has been on stock photography, lately. Are any of these useful from a commercial perspective? I went to one of my sites where my work was accepted, and took a look. The answer is, possibly. Mineral abstracts seem to be promising, but I'll need to scrutinize my work. While not everything I do should revolve around stock photography, it doesn't hurt.

I had a photo shoot last week! Next time, I'll tell you all about it.

My Creative Mojo

I came across this interesting article last week, and had to give it some thought. While it was intended to be only half-serious, most of us are definitely guilty of at least a few of the following:

3) Wait until everything in your life is perfect - this is me to a T. Right now, I'm STILL waiting for things in my job to settle down. Guess what? They never will.

8) Resent the process, your community, and your audience - I wouldn't say that all of this is me, but I have been finding my last few photo sessions somewhat tedious.

9) Resist all urges to rest, play, eat, laugh, or fill your senses - okay, I admit this is me. I haven't actually had fun shooting my work in a while. In the past, every outing was an awesome adventure. Not anymore, sadly.

I've come far in the last few months. I finally have some of my pictures on stock photography sites, and have begun to specialize in a few areas. However, I really miss the fun I used to have taking pictures such as these:





In short, I need to revisit exploring options for my abstract photography. I miss it so much. That's the biggest thing I learned from this article. I am not sabotaging my success, but I've cut off more options than I've needed to. I've overspecialized.

Next time - revisiting abstract photography.

Joining Forces - My Friend

Yesterday, I mentioned that my friend and I took macro and abstract pictures. He had a point-and-shoot (the same one I had purchased a few months ago, actually), and I had my gear with my macro lens. So, how did that go for him?

Here is one example of a picture I took:



This was an abstract of a mailbox. While his wasn't as colorful as mine, it was better composed. It looked more like an abstract painting, in my opinion. His point-and-shoot did not limit him at all, and his creativity made a difference.

I also took this picture:



I had far more control over depth of field than he, because of my macro lens. With his picture, the background was highly visible (some grass). Here, you can only see the plant. Which is better? I can't say, but having more control is a definite plus.

However, these pictures don't tell the full story. My friend really excels at taking "whimsical" pictures. When I say that, I'm referring to the fun, whimsical ones. I don't even have an example to show you, because I'm not good at that style at all. However, watching him gave me some ideas. He learned from me, as far as being creative with mundane subjects is concerned (street signs, fences, plants, etc.). And that's why I like to team up with him - his best pictures don't remotely resemble mine, and we both learn a lot. It's a prime example of how it isn't always the camera - it CAN be the photographer. Till tomorrow!

Adams Morgan, Two Years Later

I mentioned right before Thanksgiving that a friend and I were planning to return to the Adams Morgan area of DC to take pictures together. I was really looking forward to the outing for several reasons:

1) My friend and I are the types to bounce ideas off each other - I knew I'd see things in a different light.

2) It was a sunny day, so I could practice taking pictures under adverse conditions.

3) I wanted to see if I'd actually learned anything in the last few years.

Well, it was definitely an adventure - cold, sunny, and crowded. Some tips I gave my friend:

1) It's the camera, not the photographer (you've heard this before).

2) Quit while you're ahead - if you've taken several versions of the shot and you don't like it, and you can't fix it - walk away. It's okay. Don't frustrate yourself.

3) Don't hesitate to take multiple versions of the same shot with different settings. You never know what you might like best.

My friend got some terrific shots of leaves and reflections. I'm hoping he'll post them and let me reference them in this blog. There was one in particular that I LOVED.

As for me, it was an interesting outing. Some examples:





The first and third pictures are my favorites. The third reminds me of an Alice in Wonderland scene - distorted, strange, and colorful. My friend and I discovered that although we loved this street, we couldn't get a decent picture straight-on. I then proceeded to tilt my camera, something I've done often. He was a little skeptical, but I don't blame him. :)

The first was taken off of one of the main streets in the neighborhood. Here, my telephoto lens came in handy. It worked great, actually.

The second is from a mural in the neighborhood. I took many more pictures. I think I did a better job with these than with the ones I took a few years ago, because there's more of a point to them. Take a look at my older mural pictures and let me know what you think.

Another result is that I've paid more attention to the abstract aspects of architecture. I enjoyed my buildings shoot, and wanted to incorporate some of that into my DC shots. They're not the same, of course - these are daytime shots, and the others are nighttime shots, but that's okay with me. I'm just trying to push my boundaries as much as possible.

It's contest time! Tomorrow, I'll let you know what I've decided to enter. Till tomorrow!

Minerals, Revisited

Before I get into anything, I'll be posting at odd hours this week. Work is really hectic, and I have family in town. I'll do my best!

This weekend, I was really excited. I grabbed my macro lens, and decided to shoot more minerals, as I'd explained on Friday. My idea was to shoot the minerals I own - namely, my jewelry. My efforts saw mixed results, to say the least.

Here's what I mean: My favorite shots were the "futuristic" ones such as these:





The common theme with these is that I was really able to play with the light and the reflections. The first picture was taken using some of my glass and plastic rings. The second was taken with crystal. i think that both are really good abstract shots. I just looked for pretty patterns and reflections.

However, taking pictures of the rings "straight on" didn't look as nice. Here's one exception that I think turned out okay:



It looks like it's on water. I shot it on my glass table on my balcony. However, I prefer the abstract ones.

Surprisingly, what also didn't work out was the uncut emerald. I thought I could get really cool shots up close, but I learned that my older mineral shots were terrific because I had a larger canvas. With very small stones, the approach doesn't work so well - abstract was the way to go.

So, as always, I learned something - go for all kinds of shots - literal, blurry, and try different backgrounds. Don't be afraid if the outcome doesn't match the initial goal. It's how you learn.

I'll post the others in the next few days. Till tomorrow!