Happy New Year!

You have now entered the second decade of this century.  Where did those first ten years go?

Have not been doing too much photography over the holidays except, of course, for family affairs.  Normally, I am not allowed to show any photos of the grandchildren but I got a special permission from Mrs Patrick the First and Mrs Patrick the Second.

Here are two shots of youngest grandson, Cameron. He has very definite opinions on what is in style and what is not.  During the unwrapping a presents he would decide on adding this or that to his attire.  And, to prove he was fair and balanced, it did not matter whose clothes it was (the boxer shorts are his eight year old brother's and the shoes are his six year old sister's).  

Hopefully Cameron will work with me this year to help me improve on my dress.

Here is hoping that everyone has a safe and happy 2011.

Concert on the Kemah Boardwalk #2

Again, I must show my ignorance.  I had a different image of what the paparazzi looked like.

Even though the band “took me back”, I think I was more surprised by what the audience looked like.  It was a very diverse-looking group—everything from senior citizens to preteens.  Most seemed to be listening to and enjoying the music.

I think this photo only works in context.  Without knowing who was performing on stage, you cannot really understand significance of the image.  I tried to get one of her and the band, but the angles were all wrong.  To me this photo only works when shown as part of the story, i.e., concert on the Kemah Boardwalk #2.

If you can only "get" this image when shown in context, why did I include it on my blog?  Good question.  I do not really have an answer.

Enjoy.

Camera settings:  Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 shot at ISO 200, f/2.8 and 1/400^th of a second.

Post Processing:  

Lightroom—Set black and white points and cropped photos.

Concert on the Kemah Boardwalk #1

This is probably not going to be a surprise to anyone who knows me:  I do not go to many concerts.  In fact, I think I have only been to about five during my entire life—Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon Jennings, Jimmy Buffet and Johnny Cash.  I am not "into" music.  My music taste include country and classical.  So, based upon my limited experience at attending concerts and the concert venues that I had attended, I was not really prepared for the concert at the Kemah Boardwalk a few weeks ago.

The concert featured “Sing Band” impersonators.  I knew nothing about Sing—including not knowing who the band was impersonating until I asked a few people.  I was told by several people in the audience that the band was doing a pretty good job performing Sing songs.  I will take their word for that!   To me, it was a lot of loud noise, made by people in funny looking costumes.

The lead singer seemed a little bazaar looking to me.  I wanted his photo to reflect what I was seeing in my mind—something between a horror show and a really bad dream.  In post-processing I enhanced details by using nik Color Efex Pro tonal contrast filter and then applied sharpening using the high pass method.     

Enjoy.

Camera settings:  Nikon D3, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 shot at 140mm, ISO 1800, f/4.5 and 1/250^th of a second.

Post Processing:  

Lightroom—Set black and white points, increased mid-tone contrast and changed saturation of various colors.

Photoshop—used nik Color Efex Pro tonal contrast to bring-out details and then sharpened the image using the high pass method.

Determination

Sometimes you do not need many words to describe what you saw as you were taking a photo. This photo is one of those times—RGB (red, green and blue) colors and the young man’s can do attitude.

Enjoy.

Camera settings: Nikon F3, Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 at 300mm, shot at ISO 200, f/11 and 1/180^th of a second.

Post Processing:

Lightroom—Set white and black points, added mid-tone contrast, clarity.

Photoshop—used Topaz adjust to bring out details and saturate the colors in the boy’s clothing and the stroller.

An Abstracted Family

Last night, I attended our club's annual awards banquet.  At the banquet, we present our Photographer of the Year award.  For 2008, Steve Schuenke was our Photographer of the Year.  Steve is a really good photographer, a good guy and has done a lot of great work for Bay Area Photo Club.  However, I was disappointed a little in his acceptance speech.  I can overlook the fact that he did not say thanks to mom, his wife or his dog (which he does not have one, but I am sure that Cindi would let him borrow one of her dogs for the evening).  No, I was disappointed because he did not recognize what really set him apart this year--being my VAL at Renaissance and Dickens festivals.  I just do not understand how he could have overlooked his most important photographic learning experience of his life.  Oh, well, I guess this is just another one of the many things that I have learned to live with.

All kidding aside, Steve deserved the award.  He produced some outstanding photographs this year, as he does every year.  I enjoy looking at his work, shooting with him or drinking a cold one after an event. Congratulations Steve, well done!

Now the race is "on" for 2009 Photographer of the Year.  Good luck, everyone!  I do have application forms available to be my VAL at various shoots, if any of you might be interested.

Now to today's photograph.  Not much of a back story here.  

I was over at my grandson's school shooting the Children's Mass over the holidays.  While waiting for the rest of the family after the mass, I spotted this family.  The light was wonderful.  I took a few "normal" shots, but then wanted to do something that captured the essence of the moment--the father and the little girl being very calm and the little boy moving every-which-way.  I decided on a nine multiple exposure shot that I hoped would do the trick.    Here is the attempt that I liked best.

Camera settings:  Nikon D3, 70-200mm f/2.8 at 120, ISO 200, f/8 and 1/30 of a second.

Post processing in Lightroom:  set black and white points, added mid tone contrast, selectively brightened area around family, and cropped to 11x14 format.

Night Shooting

One of my friends and I went over to a local carnival on Sunday evening to try a little night shooting.  I went without any plan or idea of what I wanted to get; so, for about an hour, I got nothing.  

Finally, I started watching the people look at the lights.  I decided that the people's reaction to the lights was what I wanted to show.  I found this mother and daughter going from one ride to the next, looking at the lights and then oahing and awhing.  They were having lots of fun.

This is the shot of them that I liked best.

Camera settings:  Nikon D3, 28-70 f/2.8 at 28mm, shot at ISO 3,200, f/8 and 1/45 of a second.

Post Processing: 

Lightroom—set black and white point and added mid-tone contrast, clarity and vibrance.