by tmoffett | Sep 12, 2010 | Color, Composition, Landscape
Horizon in Blue
This is one of the first successful images I made using the techniques I have been using for my Horizons series. The abstractness of the water created by the motion of the waves coming ashore while keeping the horizon line sharp creates an interesting feeling and mood that changes according to the color scheme of the image. The series started as an abstract study of color and has developed into a full portfolio that stands on its own. The mood created by the motion and color combination is unlike anything I have I have done in the past.
Horizons, the portfolio, began as an abstract study of color and motion on the sea while on an anniversary trip in Kauai. As I captured the motion of the waves as they came ashore, I became very interested in the feeling that a still image of moving matter created. The reflected colors from the sky in the water added to the emotion of each image as well. With all of the motion going on, the real challenge for me in this series of images is to maintain a crisp horizon line. By maintaining a sharp horizon, a reference point is made that helps to keep each image real, kind of dreamlike, but still grounded in reality. It is a feeling that I have not been able to recreate any other way.
by tmoffett | Sep 11, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Vortex, Shoshone Falls
Normally I like to blur my photos of running water, but on this occasion I changed my mind. The water flow was so high that blurring the motion of the water going over the falls caused the whole image to look mushy. With streams and waterfalls I prefer a lower flow rate as that will create a nice ribbon effect with the bands of water. When slowing the shutter down with this much flow, the ribbons of detail disappear and everything becomes white. With this in mind, I decided to speed up the shutter and freeze the motion of the water as it went over the edge. I thought it was an interesting perspective, one that I have not seen before.
by tmoffett | Sep 9, 2010 | Color, Composition, Landscape
In Search of Bass
Yesterday I posted a little bit about black and white. While I do love black and white, I have been into color a lot more the past couple of years. Much of my color work, however is monochromatic in nature. I just can’t get away from that look. One color, great tones, it just works.
What I like about this image is the fishermen. Everything is green except them. That draws the attention to them and breaks up the color just enough to make it work. Without them, this image just does not work at all. Along with the monochromatic color, repetition is at play here. Again, it is the two fishermen that break up the repetition enough to make it interesting. I was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time to capture the image.
by tmoffett | Sep 7, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy, Ramblings
Morning Calm, Lake Lowell
I had not been out to photograph just for me in a couple of weeks. I had a need to get out and make some exposures. Anywhere. It didn’t even matter if the photographs were very good. I get that way sometimes. I feel that I need to do something, so I do it. Saturday morning was that day. I arose at 6:00 and grabbed my gear and went. I ended up at the lake just before sunrise. It was beautiful. When I arrived, I could only see one boat on the water, and it sat motionless. Must have been fishermen. There was not a wave on the water. The only disturbances were a few fish jumping just off shore. The water and sky were filled with subtle pastel colors. I soaked in the feeling. It was refreshing to the soul. I walked and thought and meditated. I photographed. Life is good.
Not long after shooting this image, more boats arrived and the water got choppy from all of the action. The noise level increased dramatically as people arrived for the holiday weekend. The sun rose and the light quality diminished, but I had my fix. I beat the rush. I made photographs. I cleared my head. I am now ready to tackle whatever life throws at me, and if it gets tough, I’ll go photographing again. It is my therapy. I love life.
by tmoffett | Sep 6, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photo tips, Photographic Philosophy
Cloud Formation
Remember the days as a kid spent laying on your back watching the clouds blow by? Those were the days! Not a worry in the world. Just kick back and enjoy the summer. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days. And then I think again. I like where I am and where I am headed, so I guess I wouldn’t change a thing. Life is good.
Photography is my outlet. I say what I feel through my images. I have learned to manipulate the camera to capture feelings along with the image, or should I say embed in the image. To some viewers, it may just be a picture, but to others it exudes feeling and meaning. This happens because I shoot from the heart. I don’t think when I photograph, I feel. I have tried to make technique a part of my nature so I do not have to think about it when I photograph. It comes naturally. I focus now on interpretation of a scene. I find that if I think too much, then I end up with boring images that have no meaning, to me or anyone else.
Learning technique takes time. It takes practice. I remember taking a Zone System class in college. Everyone seemed to hate it because it was too technical. It did not allow for the art to come through. It was difficult and grueling. We photographed towels and analyzed the density of the film and prints. It was boring. I stuck to it and learned. It was all about technique. Looking back, I don’t think that I learned more in any other class or workshop that I have taken since. That class is where technique became second nature for me. It allowed the art within me to be released. As a landscape photographer that is critical if I want my images to have meaning.
I guess what I am saying is this:
Learn the technique.
Pay the price (time and practice).
Enjoy the result.
by tmoffett | Sep 5, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Ramblings
Rising Mist, Stanley Lake
The cool summer mornings at Stanley Lake are quite refreshing. There is nothing better for cleansing the mind and getting a fresh start. It seems that when I get out like this I can put the stresses of life behind me and just enjoy the beauty that this world has to offer. When returning home I am then ready to tackle the challenges thrown my way.
When out in the wilderness, I like to arise long before sunrise to get ready for the day. I will then photograph the sunrise, return to camp to cook breakfast for the family and then spend the day hiking and fishing, making sure to be back about an hour before sunset to photograph again. It makes for a perfect day! I only wish every day could be as good. This particular morning I didn’t even have to leave camp to make this image. The sun had just come over the horizon as this fisherman headed out from the dock. Beautiful morning light and a little mist rising from the water. I couldn’t have asked for much more. Because I stayed around camp, the kids got an earlier than usual breakfast. Everyone were happy campers that morning!
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