Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category

Winter’s Spring Buds

March 5, 2010

I am so behind on my editing that I am completely ignoring the people part of my photography and going with the fun (and to me) easy stuff.  We had, what I hope is, our last winter storm come through Atlanta the other day.  The weather man said that we may get a light dusting of now, but we ended up with a more than a few inches.  Not fun.

I went out my front door and saw these buds blossoming on a tree.  I loved how the ice crystals formed around them  I think it once again proves the fact that you  don’t have to go far to get some cool shots (pun not intended).  Sometimes just out your own front door.

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Posted in Nature | 8 Comments »

Southern Cold

January 9, 2010

I think my wife now thinks that I am officially crazy.  You would think that after 15 years of marriage, she would have figured that out long ago, but I digress.  I got up early yesterday and wondered around with my camera in the bitter (-5 w/ wind chill) weather.  I loved the light and what it was doing and to be honest, I wanted to take advantage of it.

When I looked over into my neighbors backyard, I saw this hay bale.  I knew 2 things when I saw it: 1) It had to be a BW shot and 2) I wanted the viewer to feel the cold.  I love the texture of it.  How you can see what it looks and feels like and, to me at least, it sure does look cold.

This afternoon I am driving over to Athens (about 2 hours away) to do an outdoor fashion shoot.  Let’s hope that the wind is not too nasty for us.  I, of course, will post the results later in the week.

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Posted in Nature | 4 Comments »

Christmas Week Stuff – Portraits & Cold Landscapes

January 5, 2010

The kids and I spent the Christmas week in North Georgia on Lake Hartwell.  The wife has abandoned us (ok not really, but it sounds better) to go see her father in India.  So the kids were left to our own devices and ended up having a blast togther.

Below are a series of images I took during the week.  The portait work is really just some fun, personal work;  Nothing outstanding, just fun stuff.  The landscapes: I wanted to try and capture the cold that has been running through Georgia this month.

As always, let me know what you think!!

I had a hard time with the below 2.  I could not decide if I liked the color or BW version better.  I shot this with the intent of turning it into a BW.  But in looking at it, I really think I like the color better.

Our two very good friends!!

I shot this @ 2.8 with an ISO of 8,000.  I am still amazed that I can do that!

And my favorite people in the world………..

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Posted in Nature, Personal, Portrait | 7 Comments »

Early Morning Fog

November 20, 2009

Just a quick post before we head off into the weekend.  We were up at Lake Hartwell this last week (North Georgia) and discovered that we had recently received so much rain that our dock gangway was almost completely underwater.  I was able to walk out to the dock but I was chest deep in water.  That is how much it has rained recently!

I shot this about 7am last Sunday.  The fog was intense;  But the sunrise made it all disappear.  It was simple amazing.  Not sure how that works.  If you look at the image on the right side you will see half a dozen ducks swimming away.  I must have just missed them.

Lake Hartwell Fog - nature

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Posted in Nature, Personal | 7 Comments »

Backyard Nature

September 25, 2009

I know that this is a “people” photo blog, but every once in a while I see something that I want to post that is unrelated to people.  Yesterday afternoon, the sun was finally shinning and filled our yard with a nice warm glow.  As I was looking out my office window, I saw a ton of butterflies, bees and other flying things around a series of plants.  I quickly grabbed my 70-200 and went out to see what I could discover.  I was thrilled that I was able to get some many close ups and seemingly fill the frame with color.

More rain is coming this weekend; they say about 3 more inches (like we need it!).  So this may be the last sun we see for a few more days.

Butterflys-14

Butterfly-7

Butterflys-36

Posted in Nature | 30 Comments »

13″ of Rain and Counting

September 21, 2009

We have had almost non stop rain for the last week.  Just in one week (at my house) we have had 13″ of of rain thus far.  And it is not stopping.  Based on predictions, this may go on for a few more days.  So we may get over 20″ by the time it is said and done.  It is so bad in parts of metro Atlanta that they have had to close schools down in certain areas.  I have just never seen anything like this before.

While I like rain and water, below is a better example of the type of water that I woudl like to see then what I see outside my office window right now.

Rain_Sunrise

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Posted in Nature, Portrait | 7 Comments »

Light Through the Forest

August 28, 2009

Sometimes it is hard to see what is going on because we are so focused on what we know and what we are familiar with.  However hard we try to change that, sometimes it is hard to take that step, to go towards the uncomfortable.  Well, I have been trying best that I can to improve my lighting skills.  Far from perfect, but I am finally feeling that I am getting there.

Case in point is the below.  Yes this was playing; but that is how we learn right?  You will laugh at this, but I just stuck a flash (at full power) in the kudzo and shot away.  Not great, but kind of a cool.  I wanted to create a glowing, almost a halo, effect. Getting there, little by little.  How are you going to learn this weekend?

Green_Light

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Posted in Nature | 3 Comments »

Sunrise Light

August 24, 2009

For some reason, I like getting up in the early morning when the light is low and the noise is almost non-existent.  It is a time that I relish and look forward to each and every day.  Even if I don’t have to rise that early, I still do.  Sleeping in to me is getting up no later than 7am.  It may have started when we used to live in San Diego and I had to drive up toward Los Angles every day for work.  Each and every morning, I used to see the sun rise over the mountains as I drove along the Pacific Ocean.  At night, I would drive that same path in the opposite direction watching the sun set into the vast ocean.  I felt as if I was all alone watching this magic occur each and every day.  Those images, which I saw hundreds and hundreds of times, are ones that I relish in my memory.

I must have given that gift to my youngest son.  When I have an idea that involves getting up early, he not only is up for the adventure, but wants to make sure that we get up as early as possible; even if it means at 4:45am.  This weekend was no exception.  It was about having him to try and fish for the first time.  It was so quiet, you could hear the water as it moved across the dock, back and forth.  The sun rose in a mixture of dark and light. I don’t think I could have recreated this in PhotoShop had I wanted to.

Morning_Fishing

And when I see images like this, I know why I get up so early in the morning.

Morning_CloudsAnd one shot from my son.  I loved what he did here.  No PS magic, he just turned the camera upside down.  And it works so well (at least to his Dad!).

Morning_upsidedown

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Posted in Nature, Portrait | 20 Comments »

Water Contrast

August 17, 2009

I have some great portraits coming up soon, but this one shot keep coming back to me and I finally acquiesced and decided to post it! At first, to be honest, it did not do much for me, but I added some tonal contrast to the shot and it just popped off the screen at me. The top shot is what I ended up liking the most, the 2nd shot is the original.

Do you see the orange spots in the water? Those are water droplets that the sun hit just perfectly to have them turn color.
Water_Contrast

And the original…………
Water_No_Contrast

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Posted in Nature | 4 Comments »