Hometown Mangroves

This section of mangrove is within walking distance of my home in Palmetto. I think it's interesting how the roots appear chaotic, yet the structures create a fortification against the erosion of the land. Half of Florida would be washed away if not for mangroves; they are an excellent example of how life evolves to overcome. It also seems like an example of order versus entropy, the seemingly disorganized root structure is well suited to ensure it, and the land survives in place. What you see here is an HDR image composed of five exposures. The mangrove roots were dark, so I blended an overexposed frame for that. The sky was bright in comparison, so I combined an underexposed frame for that. In the end, my seemingly haphazard approach to composition resulted in something slightly more enduring. It is my very own example of order from chaos. Perhaps that is what I should call mangrove photography. Or not.

South Beach Pier

I was down in South Beach for a couple of days, and the first thing I did was walk over to the pier. Looking back at the land helps me set my bearings. It was my first time to this spot; however, I'd seen it from cruise ships in the past as we sailed in and out of the Port of Miami. Now that's it's summer most of the ships are in Europe. With the hotter weather, the Miami Beach area is in low season. For me, it's the best time to visit because prices are low and wait times are non-existent. I came here to take photos, so I just wandered around. It's hot, but you expect that here. Ice cold refreshments are at every turn, so it's easy to stay hydrated. I drank twice my usual amount of water without even noticing. Even so, I prefer to be out in the morning or evening. This photo is the evening of the first day as the sun sets over the Miami downtown section.

Big Cypress National Preserve

I just returned from driving the Loop Road in Big Cypress National Preserve. It's a twenty-four-mile dirt road through the heart of some of the most stunning landscape in Florida. As a landscape photographer, I was in my element and overwhelmed at the same time. There was just too much to take in, but I tried. Living in an urban area, I find only scraps of nature as I look for it among the sprawl. So when I get the chance to emerge myself among hundreds of square miles, it's a good thing. It took me nearly five hours to travel the road because I stopped every quarter of a mile. A bike would have been faster. But, alas, I was in no hurry. This image is from one of my dozens of stops. It's the reflection of the cypress trees in the swamp. As I stood there taking photos I could hear the bullfrog-like bellows of alligators all around me At first, it's unnerving, but you grow accustomed to it. In reality, alligators prefer to mind their own business. At least from their bellows, you know where they are, and they know where you are; which is as it should be.

Lens Flare

The other day I went to Bean Point on Anna Maria Island to capture this image. I didn't notice it at the time, but there is quite a lot of lens flare. Nerd that I am, it got me wondering about the optics that produced it. Might another lens to create a different effect? Nevertheless, the photo was taken at f18 at its normal to get a starburst at that aperture; that's how we get the star effects on street lights at night. However, this looks like a combination of starburst and lens flare, and that's what made it a little unique, at least for me. The main reason I used such a small aperture was to get an extended depth of field; meaning I wanted everything to be in focus, from the plants up close to the clouds. Using a high f-stop number is a way to get that, however, because it restricts the amount of light coming in, you may need a tripod lest your images come out blurry from camera shake. In this case, the effect is like a splash of light and I kind of like it; which goes to prove that happy mistakes happen all the time.

So Many Stories

I've heard it said that eventually, everyone passes through Times Square. There's no way to describe it unless you've been there; it's electric. Last week I was talking about telling stories with simple images at the beach, but this is an example of a subject that's the polar opposite of serenity and sunsets. Regardless of the scene, success comes about by framing an image in a way that allows the viewer to enter it and muse about what is going on. If you want to tell stories with your photos, it doesn't matter what the scene is. It could be a beach, a farm, a city or anything in-between. I find that having a sense of depth draws us into the scene. We start at items close up and then wander around establishing distance and placement. It happens so fast we don't notice, but crafting scenes are what makes photography so enjoyable. It's a subtle version of virtual reality based on immersion. If we are, even for an instant, immersed in a photo, then we've experienced a form of virtual reality. Stories when told by a picture or a book, have always been a way to experience a different reality.

Making Up Stories

This image is an example of the kinds of things you'll see just by showing up to a location and observing. It's not staged, yet it has receding elements: a girl, a bird, and a sailboat, not to mention the evening sun. The objects are receding, and from a compositional perspective, that's pretty cool. Let me explain. There were other objects and people around, but I positioned the frame to simplify the image. Unconsciously our eyes are drawn from the close-up objects to those far away, and in that split-second traverse, each observer (you) creates a story. I refer to "story" a lot in my images, but what I mean is the musings of an observer (you). When you muse, you automatically make up a story. That makes me the story-teller, and now I've connected with you. It's pretty simple really, and it's the idea behind stories in photographs. We can create stories in different ways; for me, it often involves simplifying a scene and engaging the viewer. But each person is different, and we could take a complicated scenario and do the same thing, there are no rules. My photos at the beach are simple, but I also like busy city streets with a lot of things to explore. (In fact, I'll post one like that next week.) But I digress. When taking photos, you want to tell a story. No matter where you are, you can compose the shot in such a way that when I see it, I make up my own story.

Beach Bums

If I had a nickel for every one of these shots on the beach at sunset, I'd be, well, ...sitting by the beach at sunset. But that's what people do here, so I take pictures of it. When in Rome (or Florida as the case may be), you do as the Romans do. Switching topics for a moment, I have a lot of lenses for my cameras. Some are expensive lenses designed to operate under demanding conditions. While I use them in specific settings, I use an older cheaper lens for my landscape photos. I guess my point is, for my favorite type of photography, I'm happiest when using the inexpensive equipment. The reason I mention that is to say that photography should not be about the equipment. Any fool can buy a camera and take a picture; "yours truly" is a case in point. But framing an image that creates a story, that takes imagination. That can be done with any camera including the one on your phone. Everything has its use, but I think that when you are creating images, the best piece of equipment is between your ears. So there you have it, a little bit of photography advice from someone who'd rather be a beach bum. If you take that, and a handful of nickles you can buy a nice cup of coffee.

Hot Summer Nights

Last year I was in New York City on the hottest three days of the year. It was unbelievably hot and the only thing to do at night was to walk around Times Square in the pouring rain. I should be used to the heat from Florida, but it was no easier. Nevertheless, the rain and lights created fantastic photo opportunities that are entirely different than those I get back home. A nice effect is how the rainwater creates a reflective sheen on the pavement. Taking photos at night in a city is a matter of experimentation. With a camera, we have several choices to make. A wide aperture combined with a high ISO allows a type of street photography without a tripod. However, with a tripod, we can take longer exposures if we want to capture light trails. In this case, I just wanted to capture images of the scene without special effects. For me, the most exciting thing was watching people out having fun in the rain; which by the way, was what I was doing also.

Down by the River

After a rainy day last week the wind died down in the evening. When that happens, the water in the river becomes smooth like glass, which is the perfect time to take pictures. I made this near my home in Palmetto, just off the road next to the bridge. This scene is an HDR image made of four frames with different exposures. By combining frames, the greenery and sun appear without either appearing blown-out. I use Aurora HDR from Skylum to process my HDR compositions. After mixing the frames, I usually make three or four additional adjustments to get it just the way I want it. I may also process it in Luminar which is another tool from Skylum. This area is a little section by the river that few people notice. It's next to a major road that thousands drive by each day. As for me, I believe a photographer should work close to home as a way to practice seeing the familiar with new eyes. Seeing something new in the usual, or looking at it from a different perspective is a useful skill at home and abroad. So if you happen to be driving to work and see me standing by the river, now you'll know why.

Tunnel Trail

I'm always looking for new scenes so capture and so once in a while I'll go to the park in the middle of the day. I prefer the mornings and evenings when the light is softer, but being open to possibilities, even in the middle of the day, is a good idea. Showing up is half the battle, and once at a location, I'm open to interesting scenes to photograph. For this photo, I was walking along a path that had a canopy of brush on either side. When some folks rode past on bikes, I noticed the tunnel effect and took a photo as they receded. It's another variation on the leading line theme that's so popular in photography. This stretch of the path causes a little sensory deprivation because the sides are thick with growth and you can only see in two directions. That feeling was heightened one evening when I happened to be walking here as darkness closed in. The effect of being in a darkened tunnel caused my sense of hearing to become heightened. Before you know it, I could hear every little sound in the bushes. At that time of day, all the nocturnal animals begin to stir. It was no surprise that I started hearing sounds emanating from the brush all around me. My imagination started working in overdrive as I wondered what might pop out on the trail in front or behind me. Nothing happened of course, but that's maybe why I decided to come back here in the middle of the day.

Uncovering Gems

This image is another from the series I took while visiting Neal Preserve in Bradenton. The dry season is over, and thundershowers are now a regular occurrence until the end of summer. Water fills the ponds which in turn creates photo opportunities like this. Only a few weeks back this might have been bone dry. The image is an HDR; it's a combination of five shots of different exposures. Because I was shooting directly at the sun, I took exposures from -4 to 0. The software that I use, Aurora HDR, is smart enough to pick out the best from each frame to combine into one. Then I use the sliders and masking techniques to adjust the saturation, shadows, and highlights. After a while, it started to have a look and feel I was trying to uncover. Processing a photo is like polishing a stone, you work at it until it shines. That's a simple analogy but aptly reflects the process. So often I'll look at the raw photo that I have sitting in my library and think to myself it has little or no potential. But then, perhaps out of curiosity, I begin working on it and sometimes, I get a real gem. Not always, but enough times to keep me coming back for more.

Barcelona Night Scene

Here is a shot I took last year on my last night in Barcelona. I was "stuck" there while a Hurricane passed through my home in Florida. It's not something I'd wish on anyone, but as long as we were stranded, I could think of no better place to be. Barcelona has a unique energy to it, and it's super easy to pass the time. In a city like this, people are out walking and socializing late into the night. It's fun to be in the middle of it all while taking photos. For whatever reason, nighttime street photography is something that gets my creative juices flowing. There is something about the lighting that changes the mood completely. For this scene, I selected a particularly gritty looking corner. The idea is to use the light and leading line to draw the eyes across the image from left to right and into the busy intersection. This type of lighting reminds me of scenes from movies; it gives me an appreciation for good cinematography. In another life, I think I might spend my time here making film noir type movies.

The Path at Neil Preserve

Niel Preserve in Bradenton borders the intercoastal waterway. The boardwalks allow you to walk through and above the thick brush and mangroves. From a photography perspective, the perfect time to come is just after the rain and right before sunset. That way the clouds accent the natural elements and help set the mood. However there is one minor problem, the mosquitoes are thick as thieves. And they also love this particular time of day, perhaps as much as I do. They are quite active after the rain; so when I arrive, I typically spray myself down with a generous portion of repellant. That way the photographer and bugs keep a respectful distance and everybody gets along. The path in this image is a classic leading line. With our eyes and imaginations, we follow the trail and perhaps feel it leads to a safe place. That is the central principle behind this image, and it should be convincing as long as you don't think about the bugs.

Upgrades

I posted an image of this building last week. Since then I pulled this older one out of my archives and reprocessed it. It's the first image I took of the World of Science building, however since then I've made many more. I was using a Nikon at the time which I later upgraded to a Sony; not that the choice of the camera matters at all. Here is my original take on it (https://www.flickr.com/photos/justenoughfocus/9109050970/in/dateposted/). I don't reprocess images too often, but every once in a while I wonder what it would look like with newer software and updated sensibilities. My sensibilities are like software; they get upgraded every year or two as well. Because of its shape and location by the water, there are no bad angles. You could make a study of this building from different perspectives which is what I've done over the years. With the amount of construction in Vancouver, it seems that even the view gets upgraded every other year.

Sliver of Solitude

I'm standing on the western tip of a peninsula called Emerson Point. It's where I come to get away from it all, a little sliver of solitude. That's not me standing by the water, so apparently, it's not complete solitude. There were about a dozen people here, and typically I'm not the only one with a camera. But having people around ensures I can place one in the frame to tell a story. In this case, the story is about a solitary figure watching the sunset. Usually, when I frame a person in a shot like this, I try to ensure they are nondescript. In the movie industry, it's known as atmosphere. I used to work in the back office of a movie studio, and an atmosphere person was paid twenty-five dollars a day. That's not bad for just standing around; but in this case, I didn't spend a cent.

Mystery Barge

The other day I stopped my car to capture the sun sinking across the intercoastal. The tides were low and the clouds high. As I set up with my tripod, a gentleman approached asking if I knew anything about the barge; he thought that since I was taking pictures of it, I must know. But it was the first time I'd seen it. For me, it was nothing more than a foreground element that added interest to the scene. According to him, the barge is a bit of a mystery, and he had just attended a homeowners meeting where it was a topic of discussion. Presumably, it's violating some bi-law or perhaps cluttering the view. It seems the barge is a bit of a mystery and I was not helping at all. I expect the next time I drive by it will be gone. Nevertheless, I have at least produced photographic evidence to be used at the next meeting.

Something Odd

There's something odd about this picture; I can't quite put my finger on it. It could be any number of things; I'm not even sure what it could be. Now and then, a photo strikes me after the fact. There may or may not be any redeeming qualities about the image itself; this is perhaps one of those images. Now that I think of it, the image reminds me of an odd joke, that not even funny. Indeed it's entirely irrational.

View From Cambie Street Bridge

The geodesic dome on the right is the Telus World of Science. I took this photo while standing on the Cambie Street Bridge in Vancouver. I've made different shots over the years, here is one (https://justenoughfocus.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Canada/i-tVSr2t5/A) and here is another (https://www.flickr.com/photos/justenoughfocus/9109050970/in/dateposted/). To Vancouverites, this is a typical scene; in fact, the sight is just part of the scenery. That's true of anything we see day-in-day-out. But when I come back after being away, walking across the bridge at night is one of my favorite past times. In fact, you can walk all over Vancouver; you don't need a car. I rarely rent one when I'm here unless I'm traveling outside the city. Mostly I take the Skytrain which you can see in this picture. Anyway, the building is a science museum and is an icon of the city. I've spent a lot of time around it just taking pictures. It's an easy thing to do; and as its a geodesic dome, there aren't any bad angles. Nevertheless, one of my favorites is from the Cambie bridge like this.

Bench at Emerson Point

Last week I posted a picture of a bench in British Columbia. This one is a good deal closer to home. It's the bench at Emerson Point in Palmetto Florida. It sits at the very end of a peninsula facing west across the Gulf of Mexico. It's perhaps one of the best places to watch the sunset. Typically when I arrive at this time, the bench is already taken. But it rained earlier, and so there were only a handful of people. I've never sat in it myself; I'm usually too busy taking pictures. Benches make excellent subjects for photos. They draw our eyes in, then to the direction they point. At least that's my theory. Nevertheless, this one is in an excellent location, and if you are in the area, it's not too shabby of a spot to watch the day end.

Seagrapes at Sunset

In my mind, seagrapes are photogenic because of their shape, contrasting colors and the way the leaf surfaces reflect light. They make a fascinating subject for photography. If I get excited about little things to look at, you'll forgive me; it's what I do. When I find a new image like this of something simple, I'm pretty happy. All things considered, it's a reasonably simple pleasure. I'm fortunate to have a passion that, at its core, is based on noticing the scenery. For brief moments, it takes me away from all those other things that seem more important. The way I figure it, if you can enjoy the pure pleasure of the sight of seagrapes at sunset, it's not such a bad thing.

Away From it All

Robinson Park is a preserve in the middle of a suburban setting, and it's a place I come to get away from that same setting. Most people come during the day, but my favorite times are dawn and dusk. Of course, I'm looking for a rare kind of light. The image is five shots blended into one. I use HDR techniques when shooting these types of scenes because there is a combination of bright and dark light. It's closer to what I could see with my eyes but must resort to tricks to get the camera seeing the same thing. Not only is the light changing minute by minute, but the nocturnal animals also begin to stir. It's as if the whole place comes alive when the sun goes down. I'm usually rushing to get my last pics before being politely asked to leave by the ranger. Finally, as night falls I return to suburbia from whence, I came. At that moment I genuinely do feel that I've been away from it all.