by tmoffett | May 19, 2010 | Black and White, Landscape, Photo tips
Evening Light
Photography is all about the light. In this image, the low, evening light skims across the surface of the ice, showing every bump and ripple. Instead of blasting into the tree as the early afternoon sun would do, the softer light from the sun on the horizon gently brings out the texture in the bark. Every square inch of the image is packed with detail, helping to create an inviting feeling rather than just being a pretty picture. It is the quality of light that transforms an otherwise ordinary scene into an extraordinary photograph.
by tmoffett | May 18, 2010 | Black and White, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Coastal Fog
I mentioned in an earlier post about my visit to the Oregon Coast, and that we were socked in all week with the marine layer. At first I was disappointed, but realizing that it wasn’t going away, I began photographing it. This is an image that would not have existed without the fog. I love the depth, softness and mystery created by the mist. As I tell my students, there is always something to photograph. We just need to open our eyes and be observant. Having a positive attitude always helps as well. As was the case here, until I decided that even though it was not what I had originally expected, there was beauty here to be captured, I didn’t find it. Attitude, vision and mastery of equipment and technique make all the difference.
by tmoffett | May 17, 2010 | Black and White, Composition, Landscape, Photo tips
Multnomah Falls
The other day I was showing my students a Dewitt Jones video on creativity. He talked about shooting Yosemite Falls, and it brought back memories of when I was at Multnomah Falls in Oregon. I started by shooting the entire falls, very postcardish. Interesting, but not very creative. I felt like it was nothing special. Anybody could do that. So I started looking for what was really interesting, as Dewitt Jones would say, “another right answer.” I found just a small section of the whole image that to me made a much bigger statement. The sharp, crisp foreground placed against the flowing water of the upper falls was wonderful! It had depth. It had mood. It had feeling. It was different.
by tmoffett | May 14, 2010 | Black and White, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Against The Shadows
If you were to take 100 photographers to the same location at the same time, they would come up with 100 different images. We all have our own unique way of seeing and creating photographs. That is also what keeps us improving and evolving. At least for me that is true. I admire photographers who work in different styles than I do. I can understand and enjoy their images but no matter how hard I try, I cannot create photographs like they do. The same is true, I believe, for each of us.
This particular image is a perfect example of what I am trying to say. I was out one fall morning in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with a group of photographers. Steve Winslow was leading the excursion and had been to this very location many times before. After a wonderful morning of photographing, we went to breakfast then went our separate ways. Several months later I met up with Steve at a convention where I had entered this image in competition. He asked me where I had taken the photo. He seemed surprised when I told him that it was that morning in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and he was there. He had not seen this image before, I believe, because we have different visions. Not better or worse, just different. If we truly put our hearts into our work then we will create meaningful images that are uniquely our own.
by tmoffett | May 12, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Evening Waves, Ecola State Park, Oregon
There is not much better than an evening stroll on the beach with the one you love! It’s even better when you have a camera to capture the light skimming across the waves as they crest then crash into the shore. It was a beautiful, cool evening near Cannon Beach where I was captivated by the waves. Christeena and I were out shooting together and having a great time. I kept coming back to the waves. As the sun lowered in the western sky, it just kept getting better and better. Timing the waves to get the perfect lines leading to the rock formations was critical, and challenging. Waiting and watching, that is the name of the game so often in landscape photography. That is the beauty of it!
I love being in the outdoors. I could wait for hours watching, feeling, hearing, smelling. I get all of my senses involved when I am out with my camera and try to capture images with feeling. When successful, the viewer becomes totally engaged in the image. They can see what I see, hear what I hear and feel what I feel. That is my goal. Not always am I successful. When I am,though, it makes all of the effort worthwhile. It is as though I am able to share a piece of my soul with the world.
Technical data: Canon 5D, 70-200 f/2.8L @ 165mm f/8, 1/60 sec., always on a tripod!
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