Rendezvous with the Sensuous

"Every direction offers a lesson in form and aesthetic options; one element after another attracts the eye with texture, color and tension that provokes a spectrum of emotion."an excerpt from Rendezvous with the Sensuous: Readings on Aesthetics - Linda Ardito, John Murungi

Martha's Vineyard - Workshop

A extended Memorial day weekend workshop in Martha's Vineyard was absolutely fantastic.  Friday through Tuesday of great weather even though it was cold (very cold and windy).  The Ashley Inn a B&B was large enough to accommodate all 16 of us with great rooms and a homemade breakfast each morning.  Winters and erosion have taken their toll on the Island and the Aquinnah (Gay Head) Light House is in the process of being moved further inland.  4:30 AM departures and Midnight to bed resulted in very long but fruitful days for the group. Here are some comments and feedback from the participants:[audio mp3="https://shivverma.com//wp-content/uploads/2015/05/wscomments.mp3"][/audio]In-between classes and field instruction I was able to get a few shots and this is one of my favorites. (please click on the image for a larger view)

Testing Affinity from Serif

Have not had a lot time to test the 2nd Beta release of Affinity but gave it a good shot yesterday.  Still a lot to learn, but on the whole, I like it a lot.  Has some great features built in, the filters are great but not sure I like the fact that it creates an intermediate file.  The following is an image processed entirely using Affinity (Sony Raw to a TIFF export).

70 South Gallery - Lighting Workshop

The 70 South Gallery - Lighting and Model Photography workshop was a huge success.  Thanks to some great organization by "Adventures in Photography" (NJ, NY and New England) and the 70 South Gallery, Morristown, NJ.  The workshop was sold out and we were fortunate to have decent weather for some of the outdoor shoots.  I would like to thank the participants, the models and the organizers for all the hard work and support that made this so awesome.Studio lights were Profoto and Arri, outdoor speed lights were Nissin and personal on and off camera flashes.  Lastolite reflectors and the Phottix Luna but dish were also incorporated in the various sessions.

Martha's Vineyard - Memorial Day Weekend Workshop

In case you’ve missed it, Adventures in Photography (AIP) has organized a 5 day/4 night workshop on Martha’s Vineyard over the Memorial Day Weekend  where I will be instructing.This is rare opportunity for photographers and their non-photographer partners to share some quality time together.Photographers get to photograph the beauty and charm of this unique island community while their non-photographer partners explore the charming New England character of Martha’s Vineyard.Adventures in Photography (AIP) has reserved all of the Ashley Inn's 10 rooms from May 22nd until May 26th. We can accommodate 20 people based on double occupancy. The Ashley Inn is an upscale B&B and breakfast is included.We still have a few rooms available but expect that they will sell out.For a full description of this Adventure go CLICK HERE

Wine and Cheese

As the cold and snow continues, photographing indoors is always a good choice.  This is another image created using light painting.  Equipment: Sony A7R, Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8, Maglight (non LED) flashlight, Surefire LED flashlight.  Exposure triad f/16, 30 sec, ISO 400. 5 image composite.Please click on the image for a larger rendition.

Fog Photography - a new article in "Tips"

After the fog this weekend and some of the questions that have been asked, I have written an article on Fog Photography that you may find useful.  The article is posted in the "Tips" section of my web. Click Here for the article.

Fog - In the Dark

In continuation of yesterday's post, the second image I had pre-visualized was a barn nestled among some dark trees with a figure in some vintage clothing standing in the foreground.  I wanted to light the figure for some added effect.  Driving in a nearby town I notice this barn or shack, so my wife and I decided to check it out.  It was close to what I was wanting to capture.  My wife put on this vintage coat and trudged through the slush to the shack.  I in the mean while took a few test shots to check out the light and composition.  I had not worn proper boots and was wearing a pair of slip ons. In the rush to get out and shoot, as luck would have it, as I carried the light stand and soft box to the shack I realized I was ankle-deep in slush and freezing water.  Next my pocket wizards decided they would limit their range  so I had to get closer than I wanted as all I had taken with me was the 35 - 100 mm on my GH4.  To get the full shot I would have to take two images and stitch them.  The final image is composed of two images stitched in Photoshop and then textured.Please click on the image for a larger rendition.

 5:00 PM – Panasonic Lumix Gh5, 35 – 100 mm f/2.8 at 35mm. Exposure triad – ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/6 sec.

Fog - January 4, 2015

Today was the first day in 2015 that I picked up a camera and stepped out to see if I could get two images that I have been envisioning. The first was a tall lone tree in fog or mist the other I leave for tomorrow. I wanted it to be a monochrome image, B&W or cyanotype - I settled on B&W.  The snow against the dirt and rocks adds to the scene creating a strong foundation for the rest that is mainly an ethereal sky. 

2015 Photography Project - 12 Pre-visualized Photographs

The Oxford dictionary indicates the term Pre-visualization as a Noun and Pre-visualize as a Verb as follows:Pre-visualization: The visualization of how something will look when created or finished.Pre-visualize: To visualize (how) a thing will look when created or finished; to imagine or predict (the result of a process or act).Ansel Adams was a pioneer of this technique. He pre-visualized the final print and based on this he determined what would be needed to achieve that result. This would become his game plan for what he captured and how he processed it in the darkroom.Ansel Adams definition of visualization was:The camera makes an image-record of the object before it. It records the subject in terms of the optical properties of the lens, and the chemical and physical properties of the negative and print. The control of that record lies in the selection by the photographer and in his understanding of the photographic processes at his command. The photographer visualizes his conception of the subject as presented in the final print. He achieves the expression of his visualization through his technique—aesthetic, intellectual, and mechanical.Pre-visualization should become a mandatory requirement to consistently make great photographs.When you do not pre-visualize, you are photographing without a plan for the end result. Authors have a story board or an outline of the book they wish to write, architects create blueprints before buildings are constructed, fashion designers sketch their designs before cloth is cut, so should you pre-visualize before you shoot. I do also believe this does not apply to all types of photography, in particular, sports, certain events, photojournalism and street photography to mention a few.Many photographers have challenged themselves to do 365 or 52 projects where they capture one image a day for a year or one image a week for 52 weeks. So here is a twist based on two of my mantras “pre-visualization” and “deliberate photography™”.The project is based on your pre-visualizing 12 images and then striving to capture them as you pre-visualized them.The way you go about doing this is through a process of journalling before the fact.  It is more like creating a story board sketch.  Each sketch is created to record your pre-visualized image and may also contain lens perspective and focal lengths, mood, lighting and some post processing notes.The 12 pre-visualized sketches can be individual images that have no connection to each other, they could be a part of a story or they could be based on a theme you choose.Keep these twelve sketches with you in your camera bag. More importantly flip through these pages every once in a while.  When you come across a scene that is representative of what you have pre-visualized, be deliberate, take your time, wait for the moment and capture the image.Once you have post processed the image, compare it to your sketch - see how well you achieved what you had set out to capture.This is something different but a project that will teach you to be on the look out for the images you desire, think and plan your photographs and help you create photographic art.Leave me a comment if you would like me to set up a page to display your project.

2014 Fall Wanderings

Columbus day weekend (Sunday and Monday) we drove to the Finger Lakes region in New York State.  Spent most of the time in and around Ithaca.  Our main objective was to photograph some of the region's waterfalls with some foliage as a bonus.Taughannock Falls is located in Ulysses, NY, within  Taughannock State Park.  Noted as the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains with a drop of 215 feet. Niagra Falls is about 170 feet.  The image is from the base of the falls in the gorge.  You need to hike about 45 minutes to get to the base of this waterfall. For the non hiking photographer there is a viewing deck and a parking lot that gives you an elevated view of the falls and the gorge.

Zakim - Three Views

Zakim Bridge is probably the most photographed bridge in Boston.  Google search and one sees thousands of views of this iconic structure.  The following three are my interpretations captured on August 23, 2014.  These were shot from the park below the bridge.  Please do click on the images to see a larger rendition.  

Diaphanous Flowers - Mandevilla

This mandevilla bloom was photographed last week.  This is the third flower in this series.  Currently I am working on a Rose of Sharon and hoping to post the result in a day or two. Please click on the image for a larger rendition.

Diaphanous Lily 2

This is the second image in the series.  The process is the same as Diaphanous Lily with the exception of lighting.  Here I used two lights instead of the single light in the first image.  Please click on the image for a larger view.

The Vast Icelandic Landscape

I posted this composite on facebook yesterday more as a "tiny" jab at a photography friend.  However, today I felt it worthy of a post on my blog.

Gullfoss - Iceland

I can never get tired of looking at images from Iceland.  This is an extract of Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall), one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland and a key stop on the the Golden Circle.  It is a multi tiered waterfall on the river Hvítá. The first is a wide but shallow three step fall and then it drops in two tall stages. The first is about 36 feet and the second about 70 feet.  This image is a small extract of the final drop. Canon 5D Mk II, 70-200 f2.8 at 200 mm, f/10, 0.8 seconds, ISO 250.

Cloud Formations

I have a passion for unique and captivating cloud formations and felt rewarded on March 27th 2014.  We were on our way back from a trip around the Golden Circle in Iceland.  Driving to Reykjavik it was foggy with low visibility but the fog really looked like low clouds.  About a half hour to the hotel we saw  some openings with some blue barely showing through an exquisite wind swept cloud formation.  This image was converted to monochrome using Nik Silverefex Pro.  I feel that simplifying a scene in B&W can not only enhance the image but also the story.

We spent a while photographing the swirls across the wide snow covered landscape and headed west toward the hotel.  The sun set as a fiery ball but mostly obscured by clouds.  Soon after there was a semblance of an afterglow that we did stop and capture. I feel the juxtaposition of the warm and cool tones make this image.  The lower portion of the scene was intentionally cropped to eliminate a few man made structures that I found obtrusive.

Iceland 1 - Day 5 March 19, 2014

After a quick breakfast we check out of our storm shelter and headed out to Hali.  There is so much to see and photograph along the south coast of Iceland that two days do not do it justice. From a photographers point, at a bare minimum you need a week during each season. Our first major stop was the ice blue ridges of Svinafellsjokull (Pig Glacier) at Skaftafell. This is a beautiful glacier that has claimed a few lives. As you approach the glacier entrance sign shows the names of two who went missing 2007.  The sign was erected by their family and friends. Unfortunately due to ice on the ledges, the path that leads to an elevated vantage point was closed.  Yet there were many suitable spots to photograph from and some of the group trekked to the far edge to capture images of the glacial valley and the mouth of the glacier.   From here we set out to Jokulsarlon.  This is a large glacial lagoon where Vatnajokul, the largest glacier in Europe, calves and sends its magnificent large blue and crystal clear icebergs into the ocean.  

  With many images under our belt we were anxious to get to the black sand beach which is at the very end of Jokulsarlon.  There the Vatnajokul icebergs get pushed and deposited onto the black sand beach by the mighty waves and tides of the ocean.  The photo opportunities are endless and one has to be careful of the huge rogue waves that come ashore so fast that it is virally impossible to out run them.  I did experience my first soaking this morning.  Knees down I was wet and my boots were full of freezing cold sea water.  I guess I can say it took a dip in the ocean in Iceland in the winter. Fortunately this was soon before we had planned to wind up and head to our hotel to cheek in.  I had to use the reception facilities to get out of my wet clothes and change into a fresh set of dy ones.  I guess I was not the only one in the group who experienced the wrath of the tides in Iceland as many stories of rogue waves were told at lunch. Our plans were being formulated to come back for sunrise the next morning.We had a great lunch.  Most of us ate the traditional Icelandic soup while others had mushroom soup.  The weather started to turn for the worse so some of the group wanted to just relax while others wanted more ptography despite the weather. We headed out along the coastal route going North East.  En route we photographed some farm houses and a church.  We saw a herd of reindeer or caribou on the right side of the highway so pulled over.  None of us had really long focal-length lenses but it was still fun photographing these creatures.Reindeer and Caribou look a bit different, but they are the same species Rangifer tarandus.  Reindeer were domesticated in northern Eurasia about 2000 years ago. These animals have unique hairs which trap air providing them with excellent insulation buoyancy.   A old home in ruins was a great object of interest.  At this juncture the weather really turned for the worse so we headed back to the hotel.  The winds were gusting and the clud cover was dense.  The likelihood of any night photography or Aurora photography was just about a zero.We had dinner and retired to the rooms.  Some of us sat around in the kitchen area drinking a few beers and just relaxing.

Time-Lapse Imagery - Published

I am so thrilled. My book is finished and is available in the Apple Store.  It is an interactive iBook/e-Book that can be viewed using iBooks on a Mac or on an iPad.I am working on an interactive PDF version for all non Mac and iPad users. This should be ready in a week or so.

Winter Storm Nika Forces Indoor Photography

We have about 10 inches of snow, but with the rain the snow is is getting packed down and getting heavier by the minute.  It's just not conducive for any outdoor winter photography so decided to play with some water drops.  Using a TriggerTrap V1 hooked up to a Nissen 866 flash head, Rogue gels, a dropper and a pan of water.  Flash set at 1/64 power backlighting the water drop through an acrylic panel. Camera at ISO 100, aperture f/10 in Bulb mode.