Burning out

by | Feb 27, 2006 | Photo - Macro, Photo - Misc, Photoblog

Burning out

It’s too cold outside, so I’ve been playing around inside with macro stuff and such. I’ve seen others do these types of shots with light bulbs so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s trickier than it might seem to be. Getting the glass off the bulb took some work to do it without breaking the filament inside. Then when you get one setup you only have a couple of seconds, or less on some bulbs, to get the shot before they burn out. So, 6 light bulbs later I got this and a couple of other shots that I liked. A bit of cold winter inside sort of fun.

White Rose

by | Feb 23, 2006 | Photo - Flowers, Photo - Macro, Photoblog

White Rose

This one turned out interesting because I didn’t really do much at all to it in photoshop. It had one duplicate layer set to overlay and one gradient map layer set to 40% opacity. The softness and the dark background were as it was shot and as I had pictured it in my head when I shot it, which is rare. Usually I have to work at it a bit to get the shot were it actually is in my head as I see it.

150 Watts

by | Feb 20, 2006 | Photo - Macro, Photoblog

150 Watts

I’m just amazed that something so simple can produce light and alot of it.
Shot taken with all three Kenko extensions stacked and 50mm Nikon f/1.8.

Number 2

by | Feb 19, 2006 | Photo - Macro, Photo - Misc, Photoblog

Number 2

I played with the Kenko Extension tube that I got this week. It takes some playing with to get used to these, but you can get in close! The tube consists of three seperate pieces that are placed on the camera and then the lens is attached. They basically just move your lens out further from the camera allowing for focusing up closer and getting in tighter. You can stack the three rings in whatever combination you want. The smallest one is 12mm, the second is 20mm and the third is 36mm. I’m pretty sure that on this shot I had all three together with my 50mm 1.8 Nikon lens. I shot for hours playing and trying to get a feel for them. I’m anxious to get them out in the spring and try to get some bugs with them.

Update: Check out my blog post on macro photography.

In the beginning…

by | Oct 3, 2005 | Photo - Church, Photo - Macro, Photo - Monochrome, Photoblog

In the beginning...

I’ve read alot of books in my life. Some on photography (I certainly need to read more of these.) Some on computers. Some fiction. Some non-fiction. But this is the book I’ve read the most and continue to turn to. It’ll change your life if you let it.

There was a discussion the other day on Chromasia about photography as either being or not being an art. A comment was made that art is only art if it “challenges ideas and preconceptions.” Like David from Chromasia said “I think this is an overly restrictive and highbrow definition…” But, isn’t that something to attempt to do from time to time? To challenge a person…to elicite some response? Sometimes it’s just a “hmmm” or maybe a “wow.”

I guess my point is, what does this photograph elicite in you? Maybe it’s joy and comfort. Maybe it’s anger or pitty. The book itself is nothing but ink and paper. But, the message that the ink conveys demands a response.