[matthew]

Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I'm going to take tomorrow.
- Imogen Cunningham

We all have archives, and we all have photos on our wall. We've all taken some great shots that we're really proud of. This isn't the place for them.

For this assignment, go out and shoot something new. And by "New" I need two things: one, it was taken after you read this message. Two, it's a photo that makes you want to take more photos. It doesn't matter what the subject is. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece: in fact it's better to experiment and play and truly create something new.

And for anyone who's thinking of including a great photo that they took just a couple of days ago, don't do it. Give it its own thread in one of the photo forums instead.

[enviroguy]

Early Morning Dew on a Spider Web



This photo was taken this morning (complies with criterion1) as part of a test of my new camera (Canon Rebel XSi). I took some more shots in a deserted playground to test the colour tones, sharpness and image quality of the processor and lens. I'll want to do lots more with this camera (complies with criterion 2).

.....Dennis

[aine-caitlin]

Enviroguy, it looks like we've both been testing our new cameras for this assignment. This is a shot I took yesterday afternoon. I love these little birds. I started photographing them last year, and got some okay shots with my Sony, but nothing great. This is one of the first shots I’ve taken of a hummingbird with my new camera, and I am very happy with it. I enjoy taking pictures of birds in general, and this shot makes me want to go sit out in my backyard again today and shoot some more birds (photographically speaking, of course).

[matthew]

Something I've been working on recently is multi-image photos. And when I say 'recently', I mean this morning.



(six images combined to create a 28MP file)



(three images combined to create a 17MP file)


And even though this one is from a single photo, it's still a very new experiment for me as my interests are shifting more to graphic designs and type.

[Irma]

Great pictures all, and so different all of them.

Here I have something different too. This is a beautiful tree I can see from my window in the livingroom. I like to see it very much around 6.30 p.m. when the sun makes it shine and all its colors burst. Yesterday I tried something different. I took a picture with long exposure and moved the lens. The idea is to have the subject sharp in the background and also give a bit of movement. A bit crazy, I think... I don't know whether I will arrive to some really Wow! pictures but I keep trying.

I think I will need to have a rather long exposure, let's say 5 sec and after 2sec move the lens so the subject in the background will have more definition... Meanwhile I cheated in this one with a sharp picture of the tree behind and reduced opacity in the blured layer.



I like the effect.

Here are two more I took few days ago with the same idea, no cheating here, just a bit of color post processing in LR.

[Irma]

Yesterday was a good day. I got some more pictures with this new (at least to me) concept.

#4



#5



#6

[matthew]

Irma, I really like these. The idea of the multiple-image compositions works really well. Of the ones you've posted, #5 is my favourite. I love the colours and the different directions of the movement in the lines.

Have you read any of Freeman Patterson's books? (I know we had a discussion that included them a while back, but I can't find it right now.) I think you'd really like him.

I'm just back from Niagara Falls, which is a major tourist attraction and a difficult place to take a new photo. I don't think I've succeeded, but at least I think I'm funny. Here's the view:

[Irma]

Thanks Matthew.

I like very much to see where you are heading to with your new material. Despide of it is quite different from what I am trying, there are aspects from your pictures that will help to improve my work, as it could be the framing/croping.

I was today just thinking whether I should try a more drastic format as a square format and or panorama format, kind of golden rectangle.... I will see.

Yes, Patterson's Photography and the Art of Seeing is the one I bought and I like it very much. However, I blame this style/technique to Brenda Tharp's Creative Nature & Outdoor photography.

Both books with different approach to nature photography worth to try. While one is more in the field of experimenting, leaving room for things to happen, step out the conventionalism, imagine, imagine and see what you find, the other one is more in the field of thinking and planning. Thinking about your subject and what you want to say about it and why, and see what technique is the best to express your idea. What kind of equipment you need to get what you want too. She gives all the merit of a photograph to the careful planning of the photographer, because he/she was, at the end, the one that had the chance to choose all to make the photograph creative and expressive. I like this book a lot too.

I am reading both at the same time, and I haven't finished them yet. I am sure both will continue giving very useful advice, and help to answer my question... What is the way you want to approach your photography? Experimenting, imagining and leaving room for things to happen or a more thoughtful and planned strategy.

The funy thing is that #5 meant to be a well planned reflection with nice vertical stripes, the thing was that at the moment I set my camera to take the picture (10 seconds of the timer and 15sec of the shutter speed) a duck was crossing my frame, I just said thanks! you have destroyed my picture.... when I saw it in the camera I wanted the duck to cross the frame again to take another one... So I think after all, casualty has a roll to play in a nice picture.