Area 52: Week 3, Part One (Crumbling Landscapes)

This is a series from a long-abandoned Shell Oil facility.  Crumbling, aging, weathering....  Nirvana for me.

Processing was simple: a wee-little, teeny-tiny bit of cropping, then a preset designed to mimic Kodak 400 film with a tiny bump in brightness, and a little noise reduction is all it took.  I'll be going back to this spot occasionally to catch different seasons, lighting, and experiment with macro-photography.  

What Remains

Full Frontal

I liked the background in this shot as well.  The colorful mixers at the concrete plant on the left, the long-defunct water tower on the right.

Vertical Landscapes Are Go

What Through These Doors....

Not a Love Shack

Reclamation Creeps

Who's Gonna Pay for the Window?

Disconnect

Out of Service

 The following shots are a bit random.  The first is of a former drug house, which I captured as a burned out shell.  I always wonder about the history of such places....  Who built it?  Who were the first owners?  How did it come to be in such a state?  In the week since I took this shot, it has been bulldozed to the ground.  

It used to be someone's dream.....

When Good Homes Go Bad

Finally, a simple branch with some snow.  I just liked the depth of field and the lines; however, I think my favorite thing about the shot is the coloring.  This is the way the shot looks on its own--no post-processing for the color; no de-saturation, except that which came from the light and pine needles.

Area 52: Week 2 (Part the Second-Lanscapes)

To know me at all is to know I have an odd fetish for barns and other decaying bits of Americana as photography subjects.  The holiday season provides no relief from that affliction, so:

That Ol' Time Advertisin'

I found this glorified shed still standing on a rise just outside of Xenia, IL.  When I was growing up, I recall dozens of barns with advertising painted on the rooftops, but that redneck Mad Men strategy seems to have gone the way of the loon a long time ago.  The color version of this is kind of striking: a sun-bleached yellow roof, the line between the faded red paint protected by the overhang against the far more faded red beneath.  However, I LOVED the B&W treatment, so...here 'tis.  Much more tasteful than billboards, yes?  That motion just carried without objection. 

There was apparently a state license required to advertise this way.  The original metal plate is still on the west side of the building...gonna hafta go back for that pic, huh?

No...Really...?

I found the signage in this picture so...obvious.  I used a preset to mimic Kodachrome 400 film to excellent effect, I think.  Presets - and tweaking same - are a new addiction.












Finally, a sort of test shot:

Again with the Kodachrome treatment.  I found this old barn by accident.  It's on the outskirts of town, just east of a neighborhood in which I misspent many a night of my youth, yet I'd never seen this spot before.  I didn't have opportunity to get out and explore the property at the time this particular pic was taken...but was able to return today (1/13) for more detailed work.  Later for those, kids.






BONUS LEVEL:  The color version of the first shot:

I think that last will work better on a sunny day.  But photographers - even the hamfisted - take what they can get while planning to come back for more.

Area 52: Week 2 (Holiday Edition in Two Parts)

Of course the holidays offer great opportunities for snapshots and get me:  I'm only a coupla weeks late posting!


This first entry is family snapshots, some of which I am genuinely proud.  Because I knew we would be inside, I slapped the 50mm 1.8 on Betty (don't judge) and fired away.  Some were taken with flash (an SB 800, bounced) and some not.

Shot o' the Day, I Think

Dad, immediately reading from his Christmas present, a coffee table/photography book on the history of Harley Davidson.  I used a template on this shot, one that attempts to recreate the look of Kodachrome film.  Successfully, I might add.

To the right, my niece, Q.  I used a B&W preset on this one, then bumped a couple of levels to get just the look I wanted.

And another niece: Madison.  No flash, but did use a preset designed to mimic film.

Bub, In Repose

And not to be outdone: my nephew Stetson.  Or, as I prefer, Bub. 










These are just a couple of family snapshots in various treatments.  Enjoy!

Just Let Me Help, Pa-Paw

I Got Yer Present Right HERE

Cha-Cha-Cha-CHANGES! A Course Correction....and Week 1 of Area 52.

As you may have noticed, I haven't updated the blog/Project 365 in quite a while.  First, I got a little sick.  Then I was VERY mildly injured.  Then...various Life issues simply got in the way.  Then...sick a-gain.  Also, my work schedule is so varied, it's difficult to maintain a photographic routine...not that "routine" is necessary, but Time is an issue. Taking an hour or so to go out and photograph every single day the way I want to do it seemed alternatively unwise, uncomfortable, and/or selfish.  Project 365 became less about pushing myself and my limits and more about just filling a void with just any ol' thing.  In just a little over a month...it became a chore, some days.  I was defeating my own purpose.

When I was significantly younger and more single, such an undertaking would have been more logistically feasible.  I still have no problem driving for hours to find a spot only to wait for the shot(s) and shoot for as long as it took, but when one gets to a certain age and level of responsibility...well, such pursuits have to be prioritized.  If I could just have my way just this once, I would be able to do literally nothing but scout/shoot/repeat as a way to make a living.  Alas....

So...re-vamping & re-dedication: The main thrust for Of D&D will be shifted from a photo/series per day to a photo/series per week.  I think I'll call it Area 52, but that's a working title.  Since I am who I am, I reserve the right to change that...and whatever else I damn well please.  So there...and stuff.  The purpose remains the same, but the means to get there has gently shifted.

Despite the weather, illness, and other issues, I have been shooting regularly, some with Betty (don't judge) and some with my cell phone camera, using the Retro Camera app (see earlier posts).  UNFORTUNATELY, I seem to have also mismanaged to get the photos I've been taking over the last several weeks jumbled into a disorganized mess.  Consider the following submissions to be a preview of what's to come:

First Snowstorm: Beginning

Playing With Light

This is a Test

 The last two shots are from an old, long-abandoned Shell Oil storage yard, both taken with my cell phone camera.  I revisit them with Betty (don't judge) later, but dig how these turned out.






 

This is Only a Test

Project 365 - Day 35 (Sick Day)

Nice...sinus infection....  Normally, I would skip the day and just wait 'til I felt better (and more up to going out with temps in the teens), but I said something about not taking a pic unless I could make "soup and/or Nyquil" interesting...and a friend posted lots of neat shots of that very thing.

So...I give you:

Italia Veggie Soup & Quinoa

That's right...quinoa.  Mmm, mmm, GREAT!  And I do pronounce it "KEEN-wah" because of the added flavor of "pisses off others, sometimes."  Hearty, healthy and no wannabe politician had to kill anything.

Yeah, I can be a little petty all the time when I'm sick.

Project 365 - Day 34 (More Night Shooting)

Some background: I bought Betty (don't judge) about two years ago, trading motorcycling for photography as a significantly less dangerous yet potentially more expensive hobby.  At the time, I intended to get a Nikon D300, the replacement for the D200 in the Nikon lineup.  But then, Best Buy had a one week clearance sale on the D200 at a price I couldn't refuse...so I didn't.  Once Betty (don't judge) arrived and I started playing with all the buttons, menus, wheels, gizmos, and thing-a-mabobs, I realized photography was not going to be a passing interest like learning guitar or speed-macrame; however, I floundered at it for quite a while, not really going about learning how to use this new tool to accomplish what I had in my head: creating highly personal artwork.

Quickly tiring of just getting the occasional great shot (mostly by accident),  I started to think I was becoming one of Those Guys with a fancy-schmancy camera forever stuck in "Program" mode using an expensive and huge camera to get...snapshots.  This project came about as a way to force myself to learn both the tools and art of photography as well as break myself of bad habits, chief among them: fear of shooting outside the Golden Hours (the time near sunrise and sunset).  While those times make for excellent lighting conditions, limiting myself that way was frustrating.  And forget shooting at night: Betty (don't judge) just doesn't handle low-light and night scenes well at all.

However, this project and Lightroom (especially the latest upgrade) have combined to break me of that mindset.  I feel like I can go shoot whatever/whenever I like, knowing I can handle nearly any lighting situation in-camera, in post, or a combination of both.

So...more night shots.  Today: scenes around the reservoir.

As always: Enjoy!

Looming

 Taken from about 100 feet away near midnight, the trees were front-lit by a street lamp behind me, giving the scene that coloration and texture.  Shot @ 18mm, f/10, 30 seconds on a tripod.

Hospital and Reservoir

I can't even guess how far away I was from this scene, but include it because Betty (don't judge) nailed it.  There was a slight haze in the air, adding to the mood.  Shot @ 40mm, f/29(!!!), 20seconds on a tripod.

All's Fair

I cropped this shot to give a panoramic effect.  Yes...it's cheating.  No...I don't care.  All's fair in Love and Art.  Shot @ 18mm, f/11, 4 seconds on a tripod.

Untitled

One of the rules for landscape photography is never shoot in the perpendicular.  I hate rules, sooo....  Shot @ 48mm, f/11, 6 seconds on...a tripod.

I have yet to master the noise reduction tools in LR3, but am confident enough to go get the shots to work on proficiency with that tool, as well.

Project 365 - Day 33 (I Told Ya to Watch This Space!)

Lightroom 3: I can't recommend it enough.  Thanks to the noise reduction capabilities in the latest upgrade to my editing software of choice, I can put off buying the $2,500 body I wanted that would handle such lighting conditions out of the box.  I LOVE this shot now, even for everything it isn't (like, in tack-sharp focus, but YOU try to nail this hand-held) because that helps make it everything it is: Evocative.

Untitled

The original picture (see Project 365 - Day 17 (Watch This Space!)) has all the color and clarity I wanted, but has way too much noise ("noise" makes a shot look unacceptably grainy) because of the extremely low light conditions.  However, thanks to the brilliant noise reduction capability in LR 3, I was able to smooth the grain away, leaving you with the above (much improved) result.

Yeah, it's cheating juuuust a bit to rework a photo for a 365 project; it's something I'll only do when the photo and rework make the re-post worth it.  I find this photo worthy, as the original was (charitably) halfway viewable as a snapshot; now, I think it's suitable for enlargement and framing.

Project 365 - Day 32 (More Memories & Details)

This small box of brass fasteners has been in my grandfather's desk for longer than I've been alive.  I used them as a test subject, playing around with lighting (a diffused LED flashlight in a dark room) and noise reduction.  While hardly a macro lens, I think the 18-70 served the B&W well.

Down to Brass....

Project 365 - Day 31 (I Think This Could Turn Into a Paying Gig)

OK, from the Dept. of Redundancy Dept., I bring more shots o' Cooper.  Why?  Well...crap weather + crap mood + easy target.  Then, there's the idea that pet portraiture is in demand, so practice makes perfect.

The trick, of course, is to capture the personality, of which Cooper has plenty to spare.  The other key to a good pet portrait is to get the focus on the eye, not nose.

And he was in a mood:

The Look of Meh

Then again, maybe he was just reflecting mine:

Oi....

 And again:

Untitled

But the crack gland is unpredictable in this one:

Who's-a What's-a Where, now!?!

Project 365- Day 30 ('Tis STILL the Season....)

My wife--Sweetie--has a fascination with Santa.  (The fact this bodes well for me growing old, going bald, getting fat, and lying around in strangely fetishistic pajamas is a subject for YET a different blog.)  So it should be no surprise that the tree and house has little...Santas...around this time of year.

Yup...Santa and baseball Baseball, that is...and he wears RED.

I like the idea of the following photo: Santa resting. But...no matter what I do...the pic comes off as unintentionally macabre.  Still...it ain't bad.

Project 365 - Day 29 (A Mixed bag)

Oops, I Did It Again...in B&W

I promised myself it would be different this time.  This time, I would make time and try to find, capture, and share something different.  I didn't know what, exactly...just something. And then...I saw the picture you see above.  Purty, ain't it?

I carved out just a little time to tromp around the back of an old cemetery adjacent to what passes for some sort of exotic animal ranch-like substance.  (Yes, I know I used that trick in yesterday's post, but I likes it, so I uses it when I wants to.)  I started by shooting a large, curious bird, but as I was shooting through a fence, I couldn't quite get what I wanted.  I did, however, like the framing of this next shot:

Home on the Range has Changed

I almost made that my Shot o' the Day, but the sky was a little bland.  I know...I guess the weather didn't get my request memo.

But then...on the drive home...the runway lights at the local, teeny-tiny airport concern were back.  I consider these "test shots" since I only had my 50mm mounted, having quite stupidly left the 18-70 at home.  Still, considering Betty really hates low light, I thought these turned out rather well.  I do plan to return when the moonlight and weather align with the image I have in my head.

But, for now:

Taken from the vantage point of...the frozen ditch.  Yes, I will suffer for my test shots. Love the starburst effect and the way the reeds on the right of the image were lit.  (Shot @ f/4 with a tripod.)

The shot to the right was taken nearly wide open, so the lights are softer, but you get more detail in the sky.









So today's subjects were a bit all over the place, but so what?  Matches the photographer.

Project 365 - Day 28 (Down a Lonely Road)

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that one of the most important aspects of photography is time.  While getting a good or great shot is often being in the right place at the right time, a planned subject, like rural landscape and still life, is about finding a spot and exploring it to get the right perspective, lines, light, etc.

For this post, I had decided to find a scene depicting the natural process of rural decay.  I set out, once again, to just go somewhere to find something before heading in to work.  I explored several back country roads, scaring stray chickens and a couple of feral meth cooks along the way, generally driving around like the reindeer looking for gramma at Christmas.  *Tic-toc*  To my dismay, I found a LOT of trash that had thoughtfully been returned to the Wild, but not much of actual interest.  Then just before I had to abandon the effort to get to work on time (damn you, Gainful Employment!), I passed an old cattle ramp in an overgrown *Tic-Toc*Tic-Toc* clump of woods...but I kept going.  I couldn't find a safe place to park, wasn't sure if the light was right, yet all the while thinking, "Just turn around and get that!"  *Tic-Toc*Tic-TOC* 

But I kept going.....

Then, I spotted an old cattle gate blocking a long, somewhat overgrown road-like substance.  A Road(ish) to Nowhere and a locked gate without a fence. *Tic-Toc*TIC-TOC*  Brain says, "So there's a picture everywhere, huh?"

I think what I was able to get is OK, but I didn't have time to observe the scene long enough to find the exact perspective that conveys how odd and lonesome this clearly abandoned scene actually is.  However, I think if I had a ladder and was able to shoot down across the gate with the gate still in the foreground, it might better convey the eeriness of the path and seeming ridiculousness of the electric and telephone lines.

I love the way B&W makes a scene feel, and yet....  At least the weather made for a pretty sky.

 

 

 

In short, the lesson is while rushin' might make a good salad dressing or mail order bride...it ain't a good photography tool.

And I'm not even a little sorry.

Project 365 - Day 27 (Splash of Color)

Southern Illinois in Mud Season is just a lot of dull and gray, stuck for a few weeks between the lush colors and textures of late fall and starkly beautiful light and lines of winter.  Sometimes we get some gray and dull, but it's usually just a nice shade of dull and gray.  So, for today, I wanted to grab a splash of color, but knew most if not all of the buds would be gone.  And then...a small park off an out of the way street....

And One....

For this effect, which I don't normally like, I desaturated everything but the blue, which is just that bright and oddly prominent as if you were standing where I was.  I wanted to emphasize the isolation of the court and basket as well as the unexpected color as opposed to just using this technique as just some gimmick.  In all the years I've lived in this town and passed this park, I've never seen anyone take a shot at this basket....

Here's the full color version:

 

This shot gives a sense of the isolation of the place.

The swing set...again, I've never seen anyone use it, though it's been well maintained for years.

A bit more detail, as it might be seen from the perspective of a 9 year-old boy, contemplating the climb....