SO, OK, IT REALLY IS NOT A SECRET ANY MORE

Perhaps this is actually a vernal pond, and not a lagoon - I don't know.

I cropped this tighter and tighter this morning, and I think I have the composition that I finally want. I am not totally content with the colors, and I have not yet come to terms with a decision regarding the issue black and white or color.

I hope I don't bore the viewer with the many variation of this image. I am attempting to share my process, and what I have posted over the past few days reflect that process.

SECRET LAGOON

A Color Variation of My Little "in Plain View" Secret Lagoon

I am not yet ready to print this image in color, but this particular interpertation is getting close. I will assess this by comparing it with last year's very similar image. I think that it is going to be very challenging for me to surpass the senior image.

I do think that what this image has going for it is the values of the reflected alder trees. I love their contrasted brightness against the darker background. I think the reflections work better overall than the upper parts of the composition. I will do some work to see if I can make it clearer as to what is the actual subject of this photograph. I recall that in last year's image the subject or main focal point, became the green line that divides the image.

I intend to come back to this image again to share what progress I make with its interpretation.

SUBJECT TO INTERPRETATION

NEAR FRESHWATER LAGOON

This image is one possible interpretation of yesterday's photograph. I think that I will work on it next in color, but I just had to look at it in tinted black and white. If you look back to my entry of four days ago, you can see that this photograph is of the same subject. I took this one from a slightly different location, but they are very close.

The reason I went back to this particular scene is that I want to be sure that I have fully done the scene justice. In the past, I thought that I mostly get the composition right the first time. I still beleive that, but I think I must see if there is a barrier that I need to overcome. The only way that I can think of to do so is try, and try again.

Part of the process of "trying again" is in the post production work. I feel that my skills in developing digital negatives is at the level that my old darkroom skills were when I was working on a regular basis. I think that in some aspects of photography that my "darkroom" skills surpass those of the "wet" darkroom days.

It is my intent to share one more version of this photograph in the next few days. Meanwhile I am going back up there today before the rains come back for an extended stay tomorrow.

FRESHWATER LAGOON ALDER TREES

PICTURE PERFECT?

I took this photograph yesterday at the pond just past Freshwater Lagoon.  I think it works very well as a color shot of the reflected alder trees. I just do not think that it cuts it as a piece of art.

I do believe that great looking color photographs have their place. I am willing to bet that most people like something like this photograph over some of my more "moody" works. This is the type of photograph that may be found in certain publications, but it honestly does not convey the emotion that I felt there.

I do not wish to take any thing away from those photographers that take wonderful, and picture-perfect landscapes. I doubt that I can equal what they do. Many of their images bring the viewer (me) to their viewpoint. The problem for me is that they do not bring me into the image. I want to feel compelled to go inside the image - to have it speak to my soul. I want to feel goose-pimples, and lose my desire to ask the artist "how did you do this, and what camera did you use".

Somewhere in this argument there is a trail that leads to the question of soul. I ask "is there something of the artist in the image, or is it just a good rendering of a scene?" I hope this little ramble does not detract from this image. I like it, but it really does not move me. What does it do for you?

STONE LAGOON BARN

STONE LAGOON BARN

I felt compelled to go north today to get some shots of the last of the budding out alder trees. They should leaf out and turn green within the next few days. I used the 17mm tilt-shift lens for this shot, and I think it was the perfect choice.

I will post some of the alder shots in the next couple of days.

FINAL ANSWER?

The One I Finally Decided To Print

 

 

If you compare this image with my first one from yesterday's posting you will see only minor differences. I chose to brighten up the shore line yellow/green in the center of the composition. I feel that the brightness really draws my eye into the center, and then my eye is drawn upward into the trees. I like how it works here. I am looking at the prints of the two versions, and I am very pleased with how this one came out on paper.

I found out last week that my work was acceptable to the screening committee at the Humboldt Arts Council. That means that my application to exhibit my work in the downstairs "member's" gallery was confirmed. I will install a small exhibit of works for sale on April 2nd, and in time for the April Arts Alive. It is a small space, but is in a great location.

A REWORKED PHOTOGRAPH

DANCING SPIRIT TREES SERIES

 

 

I took this image a year ago in February. I printed and exhibited it last year in a couple of galleries. The difference is that I was showing it as a black and white print. This particular rendition, is actually a color image and not a toned black and white. I chose to interpret it in this manner so that I actually could have some subtle shades of green and yellow. The print looks even nicer!

DANCING SPIRIT TREES SERIES

This is my black and white version of the same photograph. Upon looking at it here I realize why I did work it in black and white. The print I have of this is all right, but it does not sing to me in the manner that I think it can. I think I will reprint it on the Canson paper that I am now using, and I suspect that the image will have a greater sense of life.

One small point I will make is that both of the above photographs are cropped from a slightly larger image. They were cropped almost a year apart, yet the crop is nearly identical. I suppose some things don't evolve at the same rate as others.

WORKING FOR THE SAKE OF WORKING

ALDERS ON THE BLUFF ABOVE LUFFENHOLTZ

I went out photographing yesterday evening. The alders are ready to open their leaves any day now, so I realize that if I wish to catch the wonderful hues of the unopened buds that I must do it now. I think this image is going to require that I sit with it for awhile. I worked it a lot last night, but I still am not satisfied that it is up to my "exhibition" standards. I did get to watch the sunset which was almost cloud-free.

I will be at the RAA Gallery in Eureka tonight for Arts Alive from six til nine.

SOME WONDERFUL COLORS

SUNSET AT THE MARSH

I sat on this image for a week or two, and this morning figured out how I wanted to interpret it.

Yesterday I  was at the studio of a really great painter, and we were discussing his current work. The piece that he is working on is a stunning landscape of the Elk River bottoms. The painter was showing me where he wanted to lighten up some hedge rows in an effort to bring the viewer's eye into the painting.

I have been doing similar things with my photographs in that I often lighten up areas of interest. In this photograph I lightened up the reeds so that they would stand out more so. I think it works.

ARCATA MARSH LANDSCAPES PART ONE

This is my photo-of-the-day from Sunday. 

This is my photo-of-the-day from Sunday. I am so gratified that nowadays I often get  a notion of what a composition will look like as a print even before I snap the shutter. Sunday while I was at the marsh, I was very aware of the possibilities for photographs. I was actually there to photograph the subject directly behind where I was standing for this image. I had been attempting to crop adjacent poles out of my landscapes when it dawned on me to embrace the towers and wires. I realized that they are there and a part of the experience. 

ARTS ALIVE THIS SATURDAY

My buddy Marc inspired me to make a poster - my first. Marc Chaton's exhibit is in the room next to mine. I invite everyone to come out.

FEELING THE NEED TO MAKE A POSTING

UNTITLED, ARCATA MARSH

I feel the need to post something. I took off a week from doing so, and have not really done much new work in the past seven days. I am particularly fond of this image. It is the manifestation of lots and lots of work. I think in many ways this image gives me as much satisfaction as any ever has. I was told yesterday that it has a strong mood.