photography
I found an area of Headlands Beach State Park that I was unfamiliar with, the dunes nature preserve. This area of the park has walking paths among the dune plants, and late in the evening the deer come out to feed. This was my first opportunity, albeit unplanned, to photograph animals in the wild.
I'll be heading back there again soon. It amazes me the beautiful scenery that's around area.
In the previous post I had a shot from a new location on the beach. I liked the overall composition but was unhappy with a few of the details. Here is a shot from a simliar location, but with more attention to detail. This shot will look very different in a couple weeks when the trees have all their leaves.
Another night watching the sunset on the beach. I went there intending to get some shots of a nice sunset (which turned out to be OK, but not as good as I hoped). I did go a little earlier than usual to see what I could find for other subjects. I processed the two pictures below and skipped all the sunset photos.
The other a group of us were having lunch with our friend, Kevin, who was in from Atlanta. We ate outside at the Greenhouse Tavern, across the street from Kevin's Martini Bar. Kevin wanted a picture before we left.
Using Camera+ on my iPhone I took the photo below. I know I didn't compose the shot very well, with the sun harsh on his face. But I was really impressed with the HDR filter in Camera+. With the filter at 100%, it's a bit much, but scaled down to 10-20%, it provides just enough character to the photograph.
Camera+ is my go to camera app. I think the pictures come out better than in the standard camera app, and the various filters and controls allow for improved cleanup and creativity.
Kevin's Martini Bar
I love the Camera+ app on iPhone and iPad. It's photo was shot with my iPhone and transferred via Photostream to my iPad where I used Camera+ to edit. The iPad version allows for more flexibility in editing, being able to add multiple filters and painting or erasing filters on selected portions of an image.
This photo started as an accident. But I really liked the folds and textures. With a little post processing it turns into an interestingness photo.
Last November my car was broken into and all my camera gear was stolen. Working with the insurance company, I was able to replace most of it. I upgraded a few thongs along the way.
My most recent purchase is the Tenba Messenger Bag. This bag is a designed for camera equipment, but also has room for my laptop. I ordered the bag in December, and after being on back-order, it arrived on Friday. I never saw a Tenba bag in person prior to ordering, but I have to say I am very impressed with the build quality. The bag is worth the wait.
This bag will be ideal for traveling with my camera and computer, which I do several times a year. The bag holds everything I need, with the exception of a tripod. It is large enough for my gear, but small enough to fit in the airplane overhead bin or under the seat.
Specs:
2 lbs. Inside Dimensions: 16"W x 11"H x 5-8"D. Can hold DSLR body, 2-3 lenses and accessories plus a 15" laptop.
Made of Military-grade nylon exterior; High quality hardware (clips and zippers); built-in padded sleeve for laptop; padded shoulder strap with rubberized non-slip material; removable padded photo inserts; a plethora of pockets; reinforced moisture and abrasion resistant bottom; and a padded back (the side that rests against your hip).
I have my first trip coming up in a few weeks, so we'll see how it works out. I do have a separate, smaller day pack I use for photo excursion.
If you are in the market for a new camera or computer bag, check out Tenba. http://www.tenba.com/@tenbabags
Exterior, front
Exterior, back
Interior, pockets
Interior, full of gear
Interior, empty
This building is about 1/4 mile from my house. It's an old building, not well maintained. I have no idea what it's used for, or even if it's still used. In the winter, the sun rises behind the building, and this particular morning I thought the sky was set for a nice sunrise. The building has a lot of character and makes you wonder about it's past.
Exposure: 25 sec
Aperture: f/22
Focal Length: 21 mm
ISO Speed: 200
This image was processed in Photomatix Pro, Lightroom and PS6
After about a two year hiatus from painting, I'm finally starting a new canvas. It feels good to work with paint again. I found the hardest part was getting started. The first evening I brought the canvases and supplies out from storage - can't do anything without those.
I was definitely inspired by my recent trip to San Francisco where I took hundreds of photographs. Next I had to narrow my inspiration and find a photo or two that I could use as a reference. I wanted something interesting, but not too detailed. I decided on merging two photos together. I really like the picture of the boat, with Alcatraz in the background. Alcatraz is really small in this picture. I have another picture of Alcatraz with much more detail. Here are the two reference pictures.
Each step of this project I'll post an update.