by tmoffett | Aug 25, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Multnomah Falls
When arriving at Multnomah Falls in early June on our way to the coast, we found it utterly chaotic. As if the swarms of people from all over the world weren’t bad enough, a wedding party had just arrived and were preparing for the arrival of the bride. We fought our way through the crowds to find the base of the falls. As we arrived at the viewing area we found more people as well as a terrific spray from the falls. I had never seen this much water coming over the falls. It was a pretty awe inspiring sight.
Fighting the crowds and the water were draining. I sat back to get a feel for what the falls said to me. As I relaxed for a small moment I saw this bush on the side of the mountain protruding toward the falling water. It seemed as the sun peeked through the clouds and vapor just enough to highlight it and the cascading water behind it made for a perfect background. It was as though I was being told what do photograph. Nature was speaking loud and clear to my mind. While the world is full of chaos, if we slow down, sometimes just for a moment, we can find the simplicity that allows us to relax and enjoy life.
by tmoffett | Aug 24, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Waves, Lake Lowell
I have a new portfolio that will soon be released at MoffettGallery.com entitled “Shorelines.” I began working on this portfolio just over one year ago while on the Oregon Coast and continued building on it in Hawaii last January. This Spring, I started incorporating some of the techniques I was using into some new images at Lake Lowell here in Canyon County, Idaho. It was then that I decided to expand the work to include more than just ocean shorelines. I became intrigued with the interaction of water and land at many different levels. I noticed that even in small lakes water has great power as it laps against the shore. Rocks become smooth, sandy shorelines erode and movement is exhibited.
While the motion of the water creates very interesting patterns and lines, I think what I am most interested in is the translucency of the water rushing over the shore. It matters not if it is a rocky shoreline or covered in sand, whether vegetation is growing or it is barren. From within this transparent substance comes power and life. Rocks are moved, erosion takes place and life is renewed. Without water, all would die, with it, life is revived. Capturing its beauty is something that I will always enjoy.
The techniques used to create these images of shorelines will be covered in my Landscape Photography class that begins on September 16 in Nampa, Idaho and runs for 3 weeks. For more information call or email.
by tmoffett | Aug 22, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Country Road
The road to Gotts Point is a favorite location of mine for an early morning stroll with my camera and tripod. It is always quiet, allowing me to think deeply about whatever is on my mind. It is a great place to meditate and ponder, and as I do I feel invigorated and ready to move on to the next challenge.
The series of images that I have made over the past couple of years around Lake Lowell has evolved as I have spent time here. I think that the photographs have become more thoughtful and evocative over time. As I look at my earlier work I realize just how far I have come as an artist in just the past 2 years. I am having much more fun as well. Taking time to review and think about what we do is such a critical part of everything we do, yet so many neglect this area and it really does hinder their work.
I want my photographs to have meaning. I want them to evoke feeling and emotions. I want you to feel like you are at the scene and feel what I feel when I was there. This will only happen if I truly put myself in my work. I must know what I am about and then go out and shoot from the heart. When I am out with my camera, I forget myself and lose myself in the environment. If I get a feeling like I should stop and make an image, I do. Intuition seems to take over, and often, not until I return home and view the results do I realize the impact, power and meaning of an image. If shot from the heart, the image will speak to me, not the other way around.
by tmoffett | Aug 19, 2010 | Black and White, Landscape, Photo tips, Photographic Philosophy
Early Morning in the Sawtooths
The Sawtooth Mountains are one of my favorite places to visit. The cool, fresh morning air makes waking up a pleasure. The scenery is incredible, especially first thing in the morning. Saturday I had the pleasure of being at Alturas Lake at sunrise. We had a light fog that created a mood and feeling that was calm and relaxing. It was wonderful just to be there and enjoy Gods creations. What made it even better was being able to photograph the experience.
What do I look for when I am out with my camera? How do I find the right subjects to photograph? I am asked these questions on occasion. I have thought about what I do and how I do it so that I can accurately answer. While out photographing I tend to not only look with my eyes, but also with my heart. I try to feel what is happening around me. What mood is surrounding me? When I feel something I get out the camera and try to produce the feeling in an image. Not always an easy task but always a worthwhile endeavor. By searching for feeling an image with deeper meaning is created. It is not just a pretty picture, it becomes a piece of art.
by tmoffett | Aug 16, 2010 | Landscape, Photographic Philosophy, Ramblings
Foggy Morning, Redfish Lake
When in Stanley, I struggle over whether to photograph in the morning or go fishing. Last week Photography won out! I still got in plenty of fishing, but the early mornings were perfect for making photographs.
On Friday morning as Christeena and I left our campground at about 6:00 the sky was clear and temperature cool. It was normal August weather for the area. However, just a mile down the road we saw the fog in the valley. It looked incredible. We stopped at several places to photograph (images to come later), then as we neared Stanley the fog got so thick we could hardly see. As we turned toward Redfish Lake, it thinned out a little. We stopped at Little Redfish Lake for a while, and after I was happy with what I had captured there we decided to drive on to Redfish and see what was there. I was totally happy with what I had to that point and was ready to go fishing. I am so glad that I didn’t, though. What we found was amazing! The fog and mist on the lake created the most unusual, surreal backdrop for the boats at the marina. I had never seen anything like it, especially in August! It looked more like a winter snow scene. I shot for about 30-45 minutes, and then the fog burned off and all was normal again. The morning was the most incredible 3 hour photo session that I can remember in a long time. I hope you enjoy the images as much I enjoyed creating them.
Timing is everything. If you want great images you must put in the effort. Getting up early is one of those things that must be done if you want to have great light for landscape photography. If I had nor got up at 5:30 and gone out in the cold I would have missed this phenomenon. However, I put in the effort and was able to not only enjoy the photographs, but was able to experience being there and creating the images. Just being there was worth it. Having the images to relive the experience is even better.
by tmoffett | Aug 15, 2010 | Color, Landscape, Photographic Philosophy
Summer Sky
Like it or not, we’re back! The fishing was good and the photography was great around Stanley, Idaho! We photographed around the Stanley Lake area, Little Redfish Lake and Alturas Lake. I have not had time yet to process out the images, but check back often, as they will be showing up in future entries. The morning fog in the valley was quite incredible. Very fun to photograph in. We had a great time, and it was much needed to get away from everything, including cell phones and the internet for a couple of days. It was very refreshing for the mind.
Due to not having finished any images yet from this trip, I have dug into the archives for today. This photograph is of a section of Lake Lowell that I pass frequently when riding my bike. The interesting thing about Lake Lowell, and just about any location, is the constant change. As the water level drops during the year due to irrigation, the shoreline changes. I think I could shoot along the banks every day and find something new. Sometimes it is the light that changes, sometimes the scene is changed and sometimes I see it differently because my attitude has changed. All of these things affect my photography, but of the three, I think attitude has the most effect. So if you find yourself in a rut and having a hard time finding an image, look inside yourself. I have found that if I have the right attitude and mindset, something will always present itself.
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