Homage to “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy

It has been a ridiculously long time since I posted!

Thought I’d jump back in with a photo I played with and the steps I took to get there.

This all started when I was looking at Photoshop tutorials available on www.wikihow.com.  I found one that demonstrated how to polarize an image in Photoshop here.  I have to admit, the last couple of years there have been many times I wish I had my circular polarizer in my bag – and yet it was back at the office.  So, I figured I’d give it a go.

After I played with the test image there, I decided to give it a go with one of my own images.  The one I selected isn’t anything to write home about.  However, it was an interesting place – I took a few photos with the intent to go back at another time and do it justice.

ISO 400, f/13, 1/15th second, 50mm – Nikon D300

I won’t repeat all the steps, as you can read about them in the Wikihow article, but here is the same photo after the polarizing tutorial.  I can see where I might use this in some situations.

If you are like me, on occasion you might start messing around with Photoshop, just to see what happens.  In this case, I had an interesting surprise that ties it back to the title of this post and the book called “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy.  (NY Times Review)

A theme from the book that always pops into my head is how the world is pretty much covered in dust and is very dark.

Well, when I changed the last step in the polarizing tutorial (where it says to change the blend mode to  “Overlay”) I decided to go with “Difference”.  With the result, I was transported directly into that bleak world of McCarthy’s – dark, foreboding and covered in dust.  It is kind of a creepy feel.  I’ve got no clue if this is what the author had in mind, but this sure worked for me.

 

I think most of my photos try to show the world and nature in its most beautiful light.  So, this is a bit of a departure for me!  I’m not sure if anyone else would like it, but it was fun for me to do.

Old Boots

 

File this under “They don’t make ‘em like this anymore!”

After I came in from shoveling this morning – I found myself staring at my snow boots.  I’ve had them for most of my life.  Started doing some math in my head… this is about the 29th winter with these boots.  I have had no desire to get new ones.  My parents bought these Sorel’s for me back in high school when we lived in northern Minnesota.  Granted, I don’t use them nearly as much here as I did up on the lake in the middle of the Superior National Forest, but they go on most winter trips with me.

Anyways, I thought they looked cool and I figured I’d play with some photos.  I’m still convinced the day to day, normal, simple things make the best photographs.  Things you generally just walk by on your way to photograph that flower or that sunset or beautiful bird in the feeder.

Here’s a black and white that I liked:

ISO 800, f/5.0, 1/60th sec, 28mm   - Nikon D300

And here are a series of different treatments of the same image.  All have been tweaked in Adobe Lightroom.  I used a number of different pre-sets.  If you want to know more – give a shout.  My personal favorite is probably the third one – but they all have some fun to them!

 

Wishing you the best of the season!  Hope to have more posted before Christmas and New Year, but you know how it goes!

A Winter Curse

 

You’ve heard of the old saying “It always rains after I was my car.”?

Here is the South Dakota winter version.  “The snowplow always comes after I finish shoveling the driveway.”

I figured as long as I’d have to shovel again, I could at least capture a photo of the darn thing.  Here it is – just for fun.

ISO 200, f/14, 1/125 sec, 30mm – Nikon D300

Stay warm!

Patrick

Pageant Program Book

First off – I’m apologize to all my friends here in LiveSpaces.  I’ve been away for quite a while with no updates at all!

Been a rather trying period as I deal with work and the economy, but I would like to say I’ve made some progress in that arena.  Thanks for your positive vibes sent in my direction.  I appreciate it.

Ok, on to photography.  In October, I was involved in shooting glamour/pin up style photos for the Miss ND USA and Miss ND Teen USA pageant program book.  For the most part, I tried to shoot my photos in an “old hollywood glamour” style.  It was a complex style to shoot, but SO much fun compared to normal modeling work that I do on a regular basis.

I’m going to post a couple of my favorites here, but I’ll post links to ALL the photos at the end of this message (if you want to see more!)

Jenna - ISO 250, 1/250 sec, f/11 – Nikon D300

Kyla – ISO 250, 1/250 sec, f/11 – Nikon D300

Rachel - ISO 250, 1/250 sec, f/11 – Nikon D300

Lena - ISO 250, 1/250 sec, f/11 – Nikon D300

The rest of my photos are here on my Facebook Page. 

I only shot a portion of the contestants.  I encourage you too look at the rest shot by Matt Lentz here: Miss ND USA

I’m working on some other photos.  Hope to have another post soon.

Patrick

Interesting Video

 

Been a very busy person the last couple of weeks!  I do have some new photos coming, but it will be at least a few days until I can post.

However, in the meantime, I did come across a pretty interesting video from a photographer.  Kind of makes me want an iPhone, but the bottom line is this:  The best camera is the one that you have with you!  Brilliant.

Check it out:

http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2009/09/best-camera-iphone-app-book-community.html

Also, if you haven’t looked – my new webpage is www.pjandersonphotography.com  I’d love to hear your comments.  I’m still tweaking it, but it is getting close.

A Fun Discovery

 

I was trying to remember back to my first camera – it was a hand me down that either my parents or another relative had.  I’m not sure how it came to be in my possession.  Growing up, I was very accustomed to mom taking our photos with a Kodak Instamatic with the rotating disposable flash cube on top.  I also remember her following the advice in the instructions at the time – have the sun to your back as you are taking photos of your subject (that’s why there are so many photos of squinting family portraits!)

However, the camera I was looking for was some kind of Kodak Brownie camera.  In my search, I found this neat website: Camerapedia.org, a wiki site that “is a free-content encyclopedia of camera information, a repository of information about all still camera brands and models.”

So, there I found my first camera – when I first fell in love with the media!  The Kodak Brownie Starflash.

 

Brownie Starflash, in black
by Hillary Stein (image rights)

Other significant cameras in my life can also be found there:

My first 35mm SLR – the Nikon FG – a real workhorse of a camera all through my college years and the “dark ages” where my photography was not front in center in my life.

My first semi-pro camera/modern 35mm SLR – the Nikon N80 – the re-awakening of the passion.

My first professional DSLR – the Fuji S1 – I’m still convinced this camera had the best color of a digital camera that I’ve ever owned.  New possibilities!

Followed by the Fuji S2 and Fuji S3 – my work with models expands with these cameras.

And that brings me to my current “workhorse” the Nikon D300.  A wonderful camera that brought in the sharpness lacking in my previous Fuji cameras.  That sharpness necessary for stock work – although, I just don’t think you can beat Fuji color!

My next cameras?  Who knows – but I do still want the Fuji S5 (Fuji color built on the Nikon D300 body – the only camera I don’t find on Camerapedia.org) for my work with models/brides.  Perhaps it will be the Nikon D700 for even more sharpness and resolution.  Or if I win the lottery, I’ll be able to get the flagship Nikon D3 (or whatever Nikon comes up with next!)

Not sure if this is of ANY interest to you – but it was a fun distraction for me today!  Fun to think back to the equipment on my journey.

I’ll return tomorrow with some more photos.

Until then!  PJ

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September

 

September is a month that generally makes me a bit moody.  I always live in anticipation of spring and summer as I so enjoy getting outside and photographing nature.  September is a wake up call for me.  Autumn has arrived and summer is now a memory.  Cold winter is only a short time away.

So, I’ve been brooding a bit and haven’t gone out with the camera to catch what is still out there.   Several days ago, I noticed the peas in the garden have some beautiful flowers on what is left of the plants.  I’ve put it off, day after day.  Too bright, too windy, too many other things to get done first.

The calendar keeps marching forward and it was time for me to shake it off and get out there.  So, here are a couple of photos of the flowers.  It is rather windy out there today (you might ask, when isn’t it windy in South Dakota?) so, it required quite a bit of patience to wait for a lull in the wind and capture these tiny flowers in focus!

ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/80 second, 60mm – Nikon D300

 

ISO 200, f/5.0, 1/125 second, 75mm – Nikon D300

 

I have a few more shots from the garden that I’ll post over the next day or two.

PJ