by tmoffett | Oct 11, 2010 | Black and White, Composition, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Rocky Shoreline, 408 Trail, Yachats, Oregon
Shorelines is a portfolio of photographs that I have been working on for about a year now. It is all about water and land interaction along shorelines. Both ocean and lake shorelines are included in the series. I spend a lot of time in the outdoors, not only photographing, but fishing and just enjoying nature. I have been intrigued with water and land interactions for a long time. I have noticed both erosion and new life along the lakes I have camped at. Along the ocean I see the changes that happen with rising and ebbing tides. The calm waters in a tide pool or the rough waters of a stormy sea. It seems that the waters of the deep have little change, but at the shoreline the change is constant.
I have visited the same locations multiple times and never found the same thing twice. Ona Beach along the Oregon Coast, for one, in June had some incredible rock formations covered in moss along the shore, but in October those rocks are completely covered with sand. This occurs due to the shifting sands throughout the year. The light on a clear summer day will create a totally different look and feel than I will find on a stormy fall evening.
When photographing along a shoreline, I like to keep a sense of stability by maintaining some element in crisp focus, while letting other area blur with the motion of the water. In this image, the rocks protruding from the water provide that stability to the image, while the fast moving waters create a sense of movement and flow. The busyness of a stormy sea in contrast to the stability of solid rock. I can read the story of my life in the photographs that I create, but instead of telling my story, I want you to see yours.
by tmoffett | Oct 10, 2010 | Color, Photo tips, Photographic Philosophy, Ramblings
Starfish
While on the Oregon coast, low tide was an hour past sunset, so photographing at that time meant improvising lighting. I really dislike using flash as it is harsh and flat. My students all know how much I dislike it, as I don’t allow them to use it on camera. If I was going to photograph the tidepools, I needed an alternative source of light. I opted for a Mini Maglight which is a small flashlight that I carry with me in my truck all the time. This light would produce a warm light (extremely warm if you don’t correctly white balance!) in contrast to the very blue light from the nighttime sky.
After determining composition and setting up the camera, I carefully calculated exposure, and then used the trial and error method to fine tune it. I determined that about 90 seconds would be needed to illuminate the starfish. I set up, opened the shutter and began painting. At about 75 seconds a wave came from nowhere and forced me to retreat! This happens all to frequently on the ocean. You must be ready! When the wave came in, I had just finished painting the starfish and was working on the background area. Upon inspecting the image and the histogram on the cameras LCD monitor, I decided to leave it alone. I liked the dark surrounding and the cooler tones around the fish. It added a little bit more depth to the image. Success!
Students often tell me that it is too dark to photograph. Not true! You just have to look at alternate methods of lighting your images. Often, these alternative methods will produce much more interesting results than shooting when it is light outside. We must, as artists, be creative not only with our vision, but also with our technique. Learning technique so well that it becomes a part of us is so important. With technique under control, we are then able to concentrate on our vision, how we see and present our vision to others. That is when we truly become artists!
by tmoffett | Oct 9, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
Raging Sea
Yesterday was an interesting day, weather wise. It started out cloudy and windy, which led to my capturing this image just off Ocean View Drive in Yachats. Even though the tide was low, the wind was driving in the waves with such ferocity that the rocky shoreline was quite wild. On a couple of occasions I thought I was safe, and next thing I knew I was soaked and standing in heavy water. It was quite an experience. In this image, you can see one wave approaching while another crashes into the shore and washes over the rocks. On several occasions Christeena got after me for getting too close to the “Danger Zone.” I have a new appreciation for the phrase, “Never turn your back to the sea.” It would have been beneficial to have someone watch the sea while my eye was glued to the viewfinder.
In the afternoon the sun actually came out for several hours. It made photographing much more difficult. The light quality diminished as the sun was directly overhead. When it looked like the sun was here to stay for a while, I decided to take a break. We took the kids up to Seal Rock and strolled on the beach while the sun was shining. It was beautiful, just not real photogenic. I like the softer light that creates more mood and feeling. By evening the clouds had returned and the rain started to fall. It is supposed to rain for the rest of the weekend.
Even with the wild weather, the central Oregon coast is one of my favorite places to visit and photograph. The images that I have been working on this week will soon be available at moffettgallery.com. I will also be posting more here throughout the coming days.
by tmoffett | Oct 8, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Nightfall
The evening last night was a very interesting one on the Oregon Coast. Rains fell, the quieted down about 45 minutes before sunset, which we couldn’t see due to heavy clouds. The winds blew which made for some very violent wave action. However, I really wanted to show a more quiet, dreamlike look to my photographs, so I set out to accomplish that. I found a little cove that was somewhat protected from the elements, but the waves still made their way in. As they entered the cove, they washed over these rock outcroppings. By shooting with a very slow shutter speed, the waves were reduced to gentle swells. The blue color adds to the feeling and shows the late hour in which I was shooting, but most of all it adds mood. The technique used appeared to have calmed the violent sea and portray a quiet moment on the ocean.
Being able to create images that not only show and create feeling, but show MY feelings, is a challenge that I desire to always pursue. It is especially challenging when the environment and conditions have and opposite mood and feeling than I have. I have learned, though, that it is not impossible to accomplish. Mastering your craft is a necessity if you are to create personal masterpieces.
by tmoffett | Oct 7, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
Sweet Creek
After a long drive Tuesday night, we decided to stop in Eugene for the night. We then left Eugene long before sunrise in order to arrive at Sweet Creek, just outside of Mapleton, by sunrise. As we hiked up the creek, we were very glad that we added this into our trip. The light was beautiful and the water flow nearly ideal for photography. This is just one of the many images I was able to create before the light became harsh.
I love photographing moving water. I think that is what draws me to the ocean. When I can’t get to the ocean, I search for rivers and streams. Long shutter speeds, soft moody lighting and moving water make me happy! I can feel it, this is going to be a good week, but then any week on the Oregon Coast is going to be a good week.
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