Fog

I find fog to be one of the most interesting natural phenomena to use in a photograph. Whenever I see it I wish I had my camera with me to shoot. Couple nights ago I went out for a nighttime walk as it was very humid from raining all day. I had walked about 5 minutes to a major intersection and noticed how foggy it was. The sun had just gone down so the sky was a beautiful blue. I races home grabbed my tripod, camera and a housecoat and spent the next hour trying to get a good picture. The fog slowly dissipated but I think I got something I am happy with.

I still have a dozen ideas of photos with fog. And I have a specific photo in mind that I one day need to take. But I will have to continue to wait for the conditions to be right.

What is your photo you haven't taken yet but know one day you need to capture?

Self-portraits

I end up taking a great deal of self-portraits. I don't do it from conceit, but rather I am available when I feel the urge to take a photo. If I had friends that were potential models nearby or on hand regularly I think I would end up using other people more, but there are a great deal of benefits to using myself.

I know what I look like, and if I can pull off the look I want. I don't need to give myself any direction to obtain the look I want, it is more take a shot, look at LCD, adjust pose/look, repeat. Additionally, as many of my portraits are an exercise to improve my understanding of lighting techniques they may end up taking a significant amount of time before I achieve the look I am aiming for. People I have used in the path get obviously frustrated (and who doesn't get frustrated when mom or dad at family gatherings says "Wait, wait that didn't work everyone back together!!").

On the other hand, I would love to use other people as a model as there are many photos ideas I have recorded that just wouldn't work with myself, being an issue with build or more specifically gender!

I took this photo the other night and more or less happy how it turned out.


Do you prefer self-portraits or using models? And if so, where do your models come from?

Vacation photo

I went to Playa del Carmen after I submitted my Masters' thesis earlier this summer. Just went for a week to go scuba diving. I didn't take a ton of photos as I dove every day I was there. I went out a couple nights to take a few photos. The one above is from one of the last nights I was there. I liked how the colours came out a lot and the seeming bliss of the people on the beach.

Trying to work out a photo this weekend but I can't seem to make it work. I think I know what is wrong now, but I'll have to go out again in a couple weeks when I get a chance. Defending my thesis this friday so I should really focus on that!

Until next time.

Half-portrait

This photo came about as I was thinking of drawings one day and one particular drawing I have always liked was one a friend drew very quickly back in elementary school. It was a few simple lines, just an eye, a line down for a nose and ended with a line for a mouth. I am sure many others have seen it and I have tried to google for an example but been unable to find it. The simplicity of it always appealed to me.

So one night, I set out to try to recreate it. I began by getting a piece of cardboard and cutting out sections so when a flash fired through it, only those parts of my face would illuminate. I was at this for a couple hours, doing different cuts in cardboard. Different angles of the flash. Nothing worked. So I would call this a failure as I don't love this photo, but maybe one day, I can go back and try to create what I have in my head.

That is my biggest frustration with photography. I often have ideas what I know would look great if only I could some how have the skills to create it.

Such is life! Until next time.

Introduction

I started taking photos more seriously about two years ago when I was gifted a DSLR. I read everything I could on how to take pictures and brought it with me everywhere. Today, I often try to take a photo once-twice a week and typical I have a photo in my head before I ever pick up my camera.

I am started this blog as I want something to chronicle my continuing exploration of photography to see how it changes. I use flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamirvine/) for many photos but feel apprehensive about keeping it clean and a particular style of photos.

I have two photos I want to post. The above photo I took a couple weekends ago of my best friend, his girlfriend and myself as we went exploring at his cottage. It was just a bit of fun and a few drinks.

The second photo will be in a following post.

Please comment and critique freely! I am always looking to improve.