About the 365 Project

Haw Creek At sunset.

I was doing a project where I took an image every 60 seconds for an hour to see how the "quality" of light changes during that time period. Of course the most beautiful light was later in the hour. This image was taken about 20 minutes after the sun went below the horizon. For those who know this overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, they will notice that the image has been reversed. I do not usually do this kind of editing, but I felt the mood was better. It kinda shows the transition from a cloudy and fractured outlook to a clearer future. Yeah I know, a little too Philosophical for me, but there it is.

OK, to all of those who like to look at my photos, especially the 365 Project. Life keeps throwing unexpected, and for the most part unwanted “challenges” at me. I guess we all get funny jokers thrown in our life mix, yet some are easier than others to deal with.

In my case, I have been dealt a hand that is life changing. I am embracing the challenge. I am way far out of my comfort zone in this challenge, yet I am beginning to feel and reap the benefits. Lemons to lemonade, if you will. However, my photography has suffered. Truly, I have not even picked up a camera for a couple of weeks, much less made a conscious effort to work the 365 Project. This has been weighing heavily upon my shoulders and I plan on getting on that bandwagon again soon. Refocusing if you will, on learning and experiencing through my camera.

As a matter of fact, I answered an ad for a photographer the other day. He wants me to take some pictures of his music editing studio for his web site and other advertising media. I’ll write about that opportunity as it unfolds.

I have gone through my shocked, “deer eyed-car headlight” stage of this challenge and am starting a  new routine in my world. Either this week or next, I plan on creating and learning how to create new and better images. Soon after, I plan restarting the 365 Project discipline.

Humm, thinking about that last statement make me wonder…  

olc

Week #6 Picture-a-Day Project

I had a choice between this image and one of my Mother and Father. I think I'll make a separate post for that picture. Now about this one---Can you see the biggest flaw with it? Leave a comment letting me know what you see.

Sometimes even the most common bird can make a pretty Picture. 

This is the same Cross I have been trying to get a good image of. I like the way the gold reflects on the white background. What do you think?

I worked on this image for a bit trying to pull out some details in PS. Truth is, I was getting bored and did not want to wait until sunset, mostly because I did not have a tripod for the long exposure. I think I did a pretty good job, though.

It is becoming a thing, every week I seem to miss a day of photos. This is this weeks missed image. Maybe I'll have to keep track of just how many days I miss during the Project and extend the end to to include the missed days.

Boring, Huh?

However, the next day I pulled out my venerable 5D while I was at Owen Park and got this image right around sunset. Again this one is hand held, so I could not use a very slow shutter speed, but it came out alright though.

Whenever in doubt, I can almost always get one of the great hunter.

Here it is---this weeks' submission to the Picture-a-Day. I hope you enjoyed it!

Three missed days.


olc

A moment for the evening

Sometimes a totally random encounter can change everything that goes through your mind. Or, at least one’s perception of it.

This takes a minute, so please read on a bit and maybe you will see the cathartic nature of this post.

Today was kinda interesting. I had a really rough night’s sleep last night. Lately, I have been sleeping OK. Lately, I have been sleeping through the night, as opposed to waking at least once to go pee, or just lie there wondering why I can’t sleep. But last night was different. I kept waking up and not easily going back to the bliss of sleep. 

I think my inability to sleep may have had something to do with the upcoming portrait shoot I had scheduled. I was worried that I could not perform in a satisfactory way and let down the talent and me.

The shoot went well, but I felt there was no direction, or meaning to what we were doing. The talent did not really know what he wanted, or where he was going. So, I did the best I could. Maybe I’ll put some of his pics here, I don't know.

I stopped at a local place I go to when I have finished a shoot. It is kind of a way of closure, like a dog shaking off its’ latest bath. But, that did not clear my head today. So, I went home and had dinner. It was good, but I still had a dark thunder cloud over my head.

About that time, I looked outside and saw that there may be a nice sunset lining up. I have been trying to get a decent shot of the Cathedral at All Souls for a New York Minute. Father's Day is coming up and I want a really great shot for Dad, and this might have been the very moment for it.

I finally got to the site and fiddled with settings on the camera so I could get the Sky into a good exposure, but still have some really good detail on the building. I think I did a pretty good at it and will post the best ones a little later. I walked around the building to see if there was any other angles that could make the cut. Maybe I found some, we will see.

As I was walking around the building I came back to the entrance and saw the columns of the front porch and thought maybe I could do something with perceptive and light. 

I dunno, but these are the thinks that go through my underexposed brain. 

I started to line up the shot and saw a shadow walking in the distance. “Hmm, maybe I can get an interesting shot with a silhouette to give some depth.”

Well, here it is. I don’t really care if you like it or not, I’ll put a print on my wall, even though it is not sharp or balanced. It works for me.

So, there is my attitude—Deal with it-All of you!

On the bright side, I spoke with this person for a moment whose silhouette you see here. We shared a couple close memories, she had a nice smile, even though it only came out briefly. I was done at the Cathedral and headed home. But when I looked in the car rear view mirror for a turn, I saw a slight smile. There was a song on the radio, a happy song and my smile got even bigger. I felt my shoulders relax and my whole outlook changed.

I am not sure what happened, but here is the picture that started the metamorphosis.  

Please don't worry mystery woman, we cannot see your face very clearly, though I think I could capture your beauty with only a little thought.

olc

Sunset on Lexington Ave

Sunset on Lexington

I did a little post on this, just to enhance the colors as I saw them.

olc

Around Sunset in AVL

I got this shot about 15 seconds after the sun slide below the horizon. I did do a little post processing here, but for the most part it is straight out of the camera.

olc