CD Album Art

On September 9th 2013, I received an inquiry from Colin Bates of Tantalus Pass, a folk band out of Squamish B.C. asking for permission to use one of my images he'd found on Flickr for their debut CD cover.  I thought about it for about  twelve seconds. Of course, I said YES!

Here's the original image as seen by Colin on Flickr



I'm honored to help out these folks and provided the Tiff file for free.  The image was, after all, a "grab shot" from my kitchen window.  I do like what the designer did with the color scheme.  Colin even sent me a copy to commemorate the event.

Book Cover

Every so often, I check for my image use using Google's search engine.  One day, much to my amazement, this turned up on Amazon.com.  When I looked into it, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that one of the iStock sales resulted in a book cover.  Here's the original image as shown in my collection.


I shot this in 2009 in my garage studio using one of my kid's pets as an unwilling subject.  At the time, I was learning how to light using Nikon Speed Lights and soft boxes.  I retouched the raw file using Adobe Lightroom and uploaded it just for fun.  Who would have know it would be selected for a book cover?

Natural Lenses

When I was about 12 years old,
I visited San Francisco's Exploratorium.  Outside they had a large sheet metal wall with a pattern of holes.  Sparse spacing on the right blending to dense spacing on the left.  The wall faced the park and you could walk around to the other side beneath the cool shade of the eves.  Here, there were frosted glass "paddles" that were attached to strings.  You could pick up a paddle and hold it up to the pattern of holes and see small inverted image of the park eminating form each hole.  I remember being fascinated by the effect.  An image without a lens!

It wasn't until much later,
that the physics was explained to me.  I'd imagined being inside a dark room looking at a screen opposite a pinhole.  My friend was outside shining a flashlight at the hole.  As he moved up, then down, the image I saw moved down, then up.  It made sense why the image was inverted.

This same effect occurs naturally.
As the sun filters through the leaves, it normally creates round images.  Unless... There is an eclipse.  This image was made during May of 2012 when the moon crossed in front of the sun.  The normally round images were replaced by these crescents.  Natural imagery without a lens.   Pretty cool!

Simple Caring

Our hired guide
led us to the banks of the "Perfume River" in Hue, Vietnam.  There, a long dock housed many colorful boats awaiting passengers.  Decorated in bright colors and shaped like dragons, these watercraft beckoned to passers by.

Ours was a small, unassuming boat with a young captain in his twenties who shook the hand of our guide.  His young wife, baby in arms, helped us step aboard.  Once we all were seated, she untied the line that bound us to the dock, and we glided away from our brightly colored neighbors.

The river was calm
and peaceful as we glided away.  It gave me a chance to take in my surroundings.  The tropical air, warm and wet with humidity, was fresh as the breeze blew through the open cabin.  I noticed the young mother playing with her son as they sat in a small area.  There was a rice maker in the corner and I wondered: "Do they live here?"

I imagined
what kind of life they must have, ferrying passengers, raising a family, living on a ship.  How do they survive?

I gazed out on the river and began to notice other boats passing by, some empty, some filled with passengers.  This must be the way of the river.  This must be what their lives are about.

Soon enough,
we reached our destination.  The captain skillfully motored in so that his young wife could tie us off.  We each stepped off the moving craft with the help of the firm handed guide, and the captain.  He and his young wife both smiled warmly as we bid them farewell.

Not Believing Your Mind

There is an ancient notion
that the heart knows the right way, the mind is not to be trusted.  All we see and feel and experience is filtered through the mind.  Stories are created by our minds, and changed so that our world all fits together and makes sense.

Yet we forget
about the wonder and mystery of who we really are:  How did we get into this body? What happens to our minds when we sleep or when we die?

Questions like these
can stump our minds and create mystery.  Mystery keeps us from knowing,  keeps our minds at bay and allows us to hear what our hearts are saying.

I enjoy the "not knowing" the expansiveness of the mind when its not always commenting, interpreting, and trying to make sense.  Who are we, really?

There's Plenty of Room

“As the bus slowed down at the crowded bus stop, the Pakistani bus conductor leaned from the platform and called out, “Six only!”  The bus stopped.  He counted on six passengers, rang the bell, and then, as the bus moved off, called to those left behind:  “So sorry, plenty of room in my heart – but the bus is full.”  He left behind a row of smiling faces.  It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it."

~The Friendship Book of Francis Gay, 1977

The Way Into the Light

Each day,
as I drive by, my head instinctively turns toward the light. I pass this one spot just before the freeway on ramp.  Something draws me to look as I cross the bridge.  If I blink, I would miss it.

The shimmering steel
polished by the train passing over.  Its heavy wheels grind off the rust that forms so easily when things are not taken care of.  Persistence....

My eyes
are led onward around the bend, toward the unknown.

 

Thankfulness

I once heard a discourse on gratitude that delved deeply into everyday items which I feel particularly apropos this season:

Take something simple like a paper napkin. 
might not think much of this object; they're literally a dime a dozen.  But look again.  Imagine what it took to bring this napkin to your table.  You probably bought it but someone at the market had to place it on the shelf.

Someone had to drive it 
from the where house to the store.  Many people designed and built the truck in which in came.  Thousands of parts had to be assembled right down to the smallest nut.  Those thousand parts had to be designed, and fabricated from materials mined from this earth by hundreds more.

The road on which the truck traveled had to be planned, and built from material which were made by hundreds more.

The napkin itself
is made from paper which was milled by many people.  Before it was paper it was a tree, living rooted deep in this earth, soaking up rain and sun.  Many people had to harvest that tree and load it onto the truck to to mill.  Someone had to plant the tree to start it all off.

All told there are thousands of people involved in that little insignificant napkin you place on your lap at dinner and will throw away.

Be thankful
to all of those people who chose that line of work on that particular day so that you can enjoy your meal tonight.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Late Afternoon

In Paris, in the summertime,
the sun doesn't set until almost 10 pm.  The light echos through the tall buildings and makes things just glow.  Many shops were closing and people were on their way out for another evening.  A man makes plans on the phone while another walks past.  Both are lit from the setting sun and have that halo effect I do so enjoy.

I like the way his foot was caught
just before landing.  The flare from the lens just happen to land there which draws attention to this and gives the shot a feeling of liveliness.  His shadow draws me in as well.

Cycles of Life

Wandering the streets of Paris
at night the mood shifts from the busy aliveness of the day to a more mystical feel. Almost as if the carnival had come to town while we were eating. Gone were the crowds of shoppers of the day and out came the spectators to watch the city transform.  Musicians, skaters, performers all out to share the night with passers' by

We came upon this young lady
on our way back to our hotel.  Music blaring and her fire dance reminded me of the gypsies of old.  She spun her chains with bails of cotton soaked in kerosene to capture the crowds as they passed.  Many of us stood to watch as she moved into danger then out again.  Flirting with the fire and charming a few coins from the pockets of the crowd.

Image Use

It's been quite a while since I've posted. I've been going through a reassessment of my priorities in life, and shooting and blogging aren't near the top any more. My apologies to both of my readers ;)

I've been focusing on building myself up from the inside instead of relying on so many external things to keep me happy. Simple life, simple joy...

Meanwhile,

Google launched a new "Image Search" engine that I've recently found a great use for. As a microstock photographer, I often have no idea who buys my images or where they end up ultimately. I've taken to using image search seeded with a small sample image from iStock and found many of my images in the wild. Here are some of the results below:

This first image is by far the most popular to date. You may remember the fire station shoot I did in July of 2009. This one image has sold 51 times! Here are a few that I've found:

I even found one in print on a book cover available at amazon.com!

It is nice to know that the work is useful for some.

All in all,

my foray into stock photography has been a lesson in learning. I had such high hopes for the business to take off, but there is so much competition out there that I'd need to devote many more hours to this were it to become a career. Perhaps its something to fall back on should my employment situation change, or possibly when I retire.

Right now,

I am committed to enjoying life from the "inside-out" which has become one of the most profound realizations. Stock photography (and blogging for that matter) will probably remain little more than a hobby as opposed to a passion.

Until next time....

The Mystery of Black and White

There's something mysterious

about black and white photography. Perhaps it's because we are so conditioned to seeing the ancient imagery from the early days of the art, or perhaps its because the absence of color leaves a bit to the imagination.

These days, digital cameras, color corrected monitors, and photo printers make color imagery saturate our daily lives. We see in color, we shoot in color, we print in color. Perhaps this too contributes to the added interest in the black and white realm.

The opening image

is one I see almost daily on my morning commute. This particular day, the soggy winter's rains had finally ceased and the glorious golden sun peaked through and made the landscape surreal. This lone tree stood bathed in warmth still drying out as marked by the moist dark streak of bark along the trunk.

Editing this image in Adobe's LightRoom gave me a great deal of control over the image. I was able to darken the spring grass and sky for a more striking contrast for the subject.

Enjoy!

Finding the Time

On my way

to work today, the first day after a holiday weekend, the traffic was heavy. I was hoping to get to work early to photograph the lake before the fog lifted, but by now the sun was already shining through, burning off the novelty and soft light.

As I drove slowly, bumper-to-bumper, I looked to my right at saw the wetlands along side the freeway. The sun was low in the sky and the reeds and cattails glowed in the yellow morning light. I saw a few ducks paddling in the water. The scene was just what I needed to pause and say: "Ahhhhh..."

I felt my shoulders relax and I thought to myself: "Why not? The traffic will still be here..."

I took the next exit and found my way to the frontage road just beside the wetlands. I scouted for the best place to park and explore.

Camera in hand,

I saw this scene almost immediately when I got out of the car. The small pond was still and reflected the bright morning sky. A few ducks paddled by feeding and bathing in the cold shallows.

I walked for just a bit before I realized that the bush was too high for me to get a clear shot of the marsh. I peeped through the reeds to get the opening shot. As I walked back to my car I noticed how the hard morning sun made the footbridge stand out.

I felt pretty good

about my little escape from traffic. The morning light and the spontaneity made for a calming excursion. Perhaps this may inspire you to take the next exit and spend a few moments noticing how special your life really is!

Enjoy

Good Light

Early in the morning
or in the evening, when the sky is clear and the sun is low, the world takes on a different glow. Light streams in from the side and illuminates everyday things in spectacular ways. Shadows deepen, colors brighten and the world just feels right.

Maybe its that most others are just waking up, or just having dinner, it does seem like the world slows down a bit.

In another case,
an overcast day can make for some nice images. Gone are the bright reflections and harsh shadows. Skin looks better and textures soften making this type of light flattering to the subject.

Often times
professional photographers will place a subject beneath a tree to shield her from the hot sun and harsh edgy shadows. An overcast day makes the light really soft. It lights your subject from all directions making it an ideal time for portraits.

So the next time
you see the sun low in the sky, or have overcast weather, take out your camera, find a willing subject, and experiment. You'll be glad you did!

Changes

Sometimes,
our lives take an unexpected turn. Some small decision we make turns out badly and the repercussions echo though our lives. We get upset on the freeway and end up in the hospital, we wink at a waitress and end up in divorce court, or we hurt someone deeply by failing to notice how your lives have been on auto pilot for so many years.

When we make
these seemingly small decisions, a chain of events is set in motion that runs out of control thorough our once happy lives, and we are left in devastation. Its as if our lives hang in this delicate balance and spin perfectly, but, once disturbed, our lives can spin violently out of control.

Only if
we could go back in time, Only if we could change that one thing....But we can't. Whats done is done, and now we move forward. Often we need guidance.


This photo
to me, is a reminder of lost dreams. A small shop glimmers in the early morning light beckoning those who are in need of guidance to help them through times like these.

I stopped in,
one day, to see If I could interview the owner about her life and the business she was in. I wanted to know her story, how she got started, and how she helps her clients. I thought it would be interesting to readers of the blog. I rang the bell.

I was greeted
by a small, caring woman with short brown hair, she'd said her name was Mary. We sat and talked a while but she seemed uneasy about something.

She told me
a little about her self but seemed to be in a bit of a hurry. I asked for an appointment to return for her portrait and to finish the interview. She said: "Maybe not today..." So I gave her my card and said good bye. I returned alone early the next morning to take the location photos before the shop was open.

The week passed,
and I noticed the shop hadn't been open at all, No Mary, no owner, no signs of activity. Then I saw the "For Sale" sign in the window. No wonder Mary hadn't returned my call.


I wonder
what happened to Mary that would cause her to close the shop. I wondered if, in some way, Mary's life had spun out of control forcing her to close up. For now, the shop stands as a reminder for me to pay attention to the things I take for granted. For me to have the courage and conviction in everything I do, because, somehow, it all comes back to in the end.

Keep smiling...

The People You Love

I've become quite close to my in-laws. My wife's family is very tightly knit and shares much of their lives together. We usually meet every other weekend at her mom's house nearby. Its a place where she cooks for us, we talk and laugh while our children play together.

When
we found out last year, that she had stage 4 lung cancer, it was a difficult time. All of us pulled together to provide support. One became the "medical director" of sorts researching the disease and helping her to make the proper treatment choices. Another suggested we all fold paper cranes hoping that there was some glimmer of hope in that Japanese legend. Three of us became photographers of her, bring our cameras almost every time, sneaking candids of her bravely living her life as normally as she could, not knowing what the future would bring. Each image took on a different, more profound, meaning.



She passed away last week surrounded by her family, all six of her children, and some of her 10 grandchildren. They all watched as she took her last breath and left this earth.

Now
she is alive only in our memories. Her influence lives on in each of us. She taught us all what joy the comfort of a big family brings. She taught us to keep going, no matter what life brings you, keep moving forward.



She will be missed.

Unsettled Weather

This time of year
makes you feel like staying inside. Icy temperatures and wet weather are not really good for photographic equipment (and wimpy photographers like us!) so we often opt to stay indoors where its warm and dry. You can't blame us right?

One thing about storms that is usually true is that, as they approach, the cloud formations will make for some nice imagery provided there is enough light to see by. I live in Northern California where the skies are relatively blue most days, so when a storm rolls in during the Fall or early Spring, the skies take on a whole new depth. Dark clouds add contrast that makes the whiter portions stand out.

In the opening photograph,
I attempted to use the contrasty clouds as the backdrop for this multi-layered image. The shed in the foreground also helps to add depth to the expanse of yellow blossoms in this old orchard in Morgan Hill. Had the sky been clear, the image wouldn't have been nearly as interesting to me.

As the storms pass over us,
they wet the streets and buildings making the light bounce around in wonderful ways. Often times, on movie sets, the producer will ask for a water truck to come by and wet the pavement (its called a "wet down") to take advantage of the reflectivity. Actors and Models take on a more pleasing appearance as the light bounces off the wet surface and into their faces.

As the ground dries out we have another benefit: Puddles! Puddles serve as little reflectors which can really add a great deal of interest.

In the photograph above, the dark roadway beneath the puddle really helps to cast a blue hue on the reflected sky that make this shot interesting to me. Had it not recently rained, I would have just kept on walking.

Don't be afraid
to go outside when the storms are approaching. You may end up with some fascinating photographs. Oh, yes, remember: Lightning loves tripods, so be careful out there!

Golden Light

What is "The Golden Hour"?
In the early days, I'd often heard of the phrase but wondered what it meant. Basically, the term refers to the time of day when the sun is low in the sky, where the color of light is stained by the atmosphere and the shadows are deep.

Think of it it like this:
Because we live on a spherical planet covered by a thin transparent atmosphere, the sun's rays penetrate and pick up the color of whatever the air contains. Water droplets, dust, even smog serve to color the light. When the sun is high above, say between 10 AM and 2 PM, the suns rays pass through the thinnest portion of the air. They pick up the least amount of color and make the light ordinary and mundane.

When the sun is low,
the light passes through a greater amount of air which colors the light either yellow or red. That's why sunrises and sunsets are often so beautiful. Generally the "Golden Hour" is considered to be the time early in the morning about an hour after sunrise, or in the evening about an hour before sunset.

During this time,
Light hits objects from the side giving us a broader view and letting us see into the depths. When shot from behind, this low angle light, wraps the subject and highlights the edges. Did you ever hear of a cloud's "silver lining"? Also, shadows elongate and darken, adding depth to the scene.

In the opening shot,
The model stands in the doorway looking out at some children playing in the yard outside. The light wraps her sweater and highlights the edges. Her hair glistens as it's bathed in the golden evening light. In the background, almost too subtle to notice, spring blossoms float on a gentle breeze.

Photography can change the way you see the world.
When you become interested in the art for the first time, you begin to appreciate light and its qualities. Each of us knows, that at a certain time in your home, the light will take on a golden glow and reach in through the window making the room come alive!



Enjoy!

Your Own Worst Enemy

Have you ever wondered how people get so good?
What is it about them that allows their imagery to reach out and nourish another human soul? Then, when we look at our own work, we say to ourselves: "That shot could be better; The lighting is all wrong; The subject is in the wrong place..." Its as if we have our own little critic that speaks to us inside our heads. We begin tearing ourselves down, whispering to ourselves "Your not good enough..." ...sigh...

I think that good artists are those who know how to turn off the critic within; They know how to have fun being creative and experience the shear joy of it in a childlike way.



I remember the first shot I took that sent a chill down my spine. My wife and her sister were walking far ahead of me on a snowy path that curved out of the frame. I was just playing with the camera and I snapped the shutter. When I saw the image on the LCD, my heart skipped a beat. The image I'd just made touched my soul. That shot was THE one that showed me that, even I, could be creative.

After that,
I bought all the right gear, began listening to several podcasts, and began re-learning all the teachings of the masters that surround us. I got to the point where I thought I was good. But there are so many others who are so far beyond me that lately, I find myself not willing to pick up the camera as often; I listen to my inner-critic: "I am not good enough."

I heard
an excellent interview today where a photographer, Ibarionex R. Perello, spoke with an accomplished musician, Stephan Oberhoff. Stephan had a way of articulating how we grapple with our own self-doubt, and how it stops us from moving forward. He also spoke about allowing yourself the time of day to work on your art. The parallels from photographer to musician are many. Perhaps our own self-doubt is a quality all too human and thus difficult to recognize and deal with.

I was inspired by the interview.
It was as if I got a chance to know that even the most accomplished still have within themselves, that little voice that whispers.

I know now
that I have to keep trying. I have to give myself the time of day to just play, and create, then, I have to separate the "creative process" from the "critical process". I need to stop listening to the whispers

We all do!

Yellow iMac

Being an early adopter has its benefits....

and its issues. Normally, being a tech geek, I don't mind putting up with the little glitches that I find along the way to a mature product; at least it gives me stories to tell about the experience, and a sense of pride paving the way for the general public (you can thank me now ;) ).

I recently switched to the Macintosh platform for photography after years of sitting on the fence. I purchased a brand new 27" iMac back in November only to be surprised that the unit I purchased was a DOA. You can read about that experience here.

A few days ago,

I was reading Gizmodo and took note of a post about continuing screen issues. Of particular interest to me was the issue about a yellow tint toward the bottom of the screen. As a photographer, color accuracy is really, REALLY important. At the time I was reading the post on my Win7 laptop, but quickly woke up the iMac to run the test they suggested.

Sure enough,

the replacement unit I now own is affected. Here's what it looks like using the blue and white stripes in iTunes:

I'll agree, that its hard to see, but the images below show how drastic this issue is when you compare from top to bottom. The top of the screen is on the left, the bottom is in the right. Notice the conspicuous "Absence of Blue" on the left.

Apple's tech support process starts on the website: I entered my serial number, described my issue, and entered a phone number. Within a minute the phone rang and I was put into the support queue. After about 3 minutes on hold I spoke with a nice young lady by the name of Phoebe, from Niagra falls, Canada. After apologizing several times, she informed me that Apple is aware of the issue and will either:

1. Refund my money ...or...
2. Put me on the list for a new internal display panel which will be available at the local Apple Store in 3 weeks

The refund didn't sound like a good option; I'd be without a main computer for a while and then have to configure and reload all of my software. I opted for option 2.

Overall I was impressed with Apple's response to the manufacturing (or shipping?) flaw and how forthright they are about it. I'm also impressed with Gizmodo's excellent coverage of the issue complete with a leaked internal memo about it. I fully knew what to expect.

So for now,

I'll keep using my yellow iMac, and anxiously await the arrival of the new panel. I'll update the post when the issue has been resolved. I think I'll wait a few months before buying an iPad :/