by tmoffett | Dec 6, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Snowed In
The other day I was spending some time out at the lake after a snowstorm had passed. It was a beautiful sight. The lake was starting to freeze over and the terrain was covered in a blanket of snow. It was quiet and calm. A perfect day to spend thinking and pondering… and photographing.
While many times I go photographing with others, this day I was alone. Just me and my camera, and the lake. Normally I work quite slow. I see something, I think about it and then photograph it, after I have determined what it is that has drawn me to the subject. When I am alone I work even slower. I really like to soak up the environment and feel my surroundings. Then I attempt to photograph my feelings. On this day, in the bitter cold there was still a warmth in the environment. I love the fresh fallen snow and could feel the warmth exuding from its depths. As I walked the shore of the lake I was drawn to individual, isolated brush and leaves protruding from the depths of the snow along my path. It was this that I chose to photograph. The warm, yellow brush extending beyond the surface of the cool blue of the snow showed a clear visual of exactly what I was feeling. Even though the color in this image is very subtle, it is necessary.
by tmoffett | Dec 4, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
McGowan Peak
When I don’t have a lot of time and need to get away, Stanley Lake is my favorite place to go. This small mountain lake nestled at the base of the rugged Sawtooth Mountains is the perfect, quiet getaway, and a great place to make photographs! I don’t think I will ever tire of visiting this mountain retreat.
On a recent stop at the lake, Christeena and I photographed until dark and then decided to cast our fishing lines for a few minutes. Before long we had a couple of fish on. We headed back to camp, fried up dinner and watched the stars until we fell asleep. It really doesn’t get much better than that. Before sunup the next morning we were up and headed toward Stanley. We stopped and photographed Valley Creek then on to Little Redfish Lake. There is so much in this area that a person could spend a lifetime exploring and never see it all.
by tmoffett | Dec 2, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
Solitude
Yesterday was a snow day at school. We had the one of the top ten snowstorms on record here. It was wonderful! I realized how much I miss the snow… real snow. I grew up on the Wasatch Front where lots of snow was the norm in the winter. I lived in Upstate New York where snow and ice was expected. Then I moved to Nampa where the norm is to snow in the morning and rain in the afternoon. The snow doesn’t last long here, so when given the chance to photograph fresh fallen snow yesterday I did not hesitate! It was great to get out in the cold and tromp through the snow with camera and tripod in hand. It was quiet and peaceful and cold, but so worth it.
I have a very simple style, but even more so in the winter. When everything seems to be quiet, I think it really rubs off on me while I am photographing. I see things in a very simple way. This image is a great example of that. While I was walking along the shoreline of the lake I noticed several leaves partially buried in the snow, and then I came across this one. It must have just fallen as it was completely on the surface. The soft light allows the intricate detail in the leaf to be recorded, as well as the texture of the fresh snow. It seemed as though it was just waiting for me to come by and photograph it, and I did. The warm hues of the leaf against the coolness of the snow just seems to speak to me. I hope it does for you, too.
by tmoffett | Nov 25, 2010 | Color, Family, Ramblings
My Pride and Joy!
Today is a great day to pause from everyday life and give thanks for everything and everyone that is important in our lives. My family puts up with a lot to allow me to pursue my dreams and aspirations. It is not easy being a photographers wife or a photographers child, so to those most important people in my life, I give thanks! To all of you who support me and give encouragement when needed by reading and commenting, or even purchased a print or two, I thank you. It is the people in my life, not the things, that make life rewarding. Without you, everything I do would be of no worth.
I have the most wonderful family. The kids keep us busy, that’s for sure. Football and basketball games, marching band and wrestling, dance and voice lessons, boy scouts and church activities, and the list goes on and on, but it is so worth it. This portrait was taken just 2 days before our oldest son left to serve a two year mission for the church. It will be a lasting reminder of who we are as a family while he is away. I couldn’t be more proud of all of my children and their accomplishments. My wife has raised them well! To her I give thanks. For her countless hours of shuttling kids around and making sure our schedules are kept, cooking meals and cleaning house, the never ending laundry, grocery shopping and on and on. I am forever indebted to her. I could not do what I do without her support. She is also my biggest fan.
Let us all remember on this Thanksgiving day what is truly important and remember to give thanks!
by tmoffett | Nov 24, 2010 | Color, Composition, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy, Photographic Technique
Autumn Breeze
One of the keys to great photography is to isolate your subject. So many times I see images that have numerous main subjects. They are confusing to look at because I don’t know what I am supposed to look at. It seems that the photographer has “taken” a picture without thinking before pressing the shutter. When creating a photograph (vrs. taking a picture) I am always thinking while I am working. I work slowly so that every detail is considered. The first thing I consider is what the main subject really is. Are there conflicting subjects? If so, how do I resolve the conflict? Would the photograph be better by eliminating part of it? Maybe there are multiple photographs to be made instead of just one.
The second thing that I consider is how to isolate the subject so that there is no question as to what the viewer is to look at. Do I use a wide open aperture so that the background blurs out or is the background an important element of the image? Can I change my camera angle so as to isolate the subject against a non-distracting background? That was the case in the photograph above. The sky was dark enough to not distract yet had some texture in the clouds for interest. The bluish tint in the sky perfectly complimented the golden color of the dry grasses, making it an ideal backdrop for the photograph.
Taking time to think while photographing can make all the difference between just taking a snapshot and really creating something nice! I would much rather return from photographing with one really nice image than a hundred mediocre snapshots.
by tmoffett | Nov 23, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
Reflections, Lake Cascade
This happens to be one of my favorite images from Lake Cascade. There are a lot of things I like about the image, but my mind is drawing a blank as to what to write today. It is my first real experience with writers block. I have experienced something like this photographically, however. On occasion I just don’t feel like making photographs. “Where should I go?” “What should I photograph?” “I really am not feeling it.” These and other comments and questions enter my mind. How do I get over them? I photograph. I force myself to get out my camera and I go looking for images. Sometimes days like this lead me to my best photographs. Laziness breeds mediocrity. Perseverance leads to success. Times when I don’t feel like working or creating are the times when I MUST create. If I do, I grow more as an artist and reap greater rewards, both artistically and personally.
I have heard many times others saying, “I wish I could photograph like you.” You can! However, it takes work. I read. I study hard. I look at photographs of those who inspire me. I am out at the crack of dawn on cold winter mornings packing my camera and tripod, even on mornings when I don’t think I feel like it. I work hard at what I do, learning to feel the image. Trying to create what I feel inside. And then it happens. I let go of my doubts and begin to see. The image on the ground glass or in the viewfinder matches the one in my heart and mind! Success. It makes the work all worth it.
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