Learning to See

Learning to operate a camera is something anybody can do. Learning to "see" photographs is an ongoing experience for me. As I stood under this yellow umbrella at a food vendor's stand at Folkmoot last Saturday, I thought it might make a good photo. The sun shining through the yellow fabric gave it a glow, and the spokes made an interesting pattern. I shot 3-4 photos from slightly different angles, which, of course, got me some puzzled stares from a few people standing close by. When you're learning to see, you have to get used to the puzzled stares. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Greek Food Vendor

I found some of the craft and food vendors to be as interesting as photo subjects as the dancers at Folkmoot. I just wish there was some way I could share the aromas coming from this man's booth! (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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From the "You got that right" department:

“It is no trick to support the free speech of somebody you agree with, or to whose opinion you are indifferent. The defense of free speech begins at the point where people say something you can't stand. If you can't defend their right to say it, then you don't believe in free speech. You only believe in free speech as long as it doesn't get up your nose.”

- Salman Rushdie

Glass Artist

Another of the artists at work at International Festival Day. Some of the artists were only displaying and selling their work. Others, like this woman, were actually fashioning their designs right before our eyes. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

I used the "Nostalgia" filter, available free from Xero Graphics, to get this effect. It reminded me somewhat of a hand colored B&W. Although I didn't start out trying for this look, I arrived at it in the process of experimenting, and decided I liked it best.
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"Let each man pass his days in that wherein his skill is greatest."

- Sextus Propertius

Spanish Dancer

This dancer was part of a group from Spain that performed Saturday at Folkmoot's International Festival Day in Waynesville. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Bright, contrasty sunlight made for difficult photography. Blown out highlights, and faces in deep shadow were often hard to avoid. I'm sure the crowds enjoyed the warm, sunny weather, but we shutterbugs would have appreciated some overcast skies!
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"I've lived in good climate, and it bores the hell out of me. I like weather rather than climate."

- John Steinbeck

I had it written down . . .

A few months back, I wrote about how I'm bad about not taking notes when I'm out making photographs. Later, I can't remember the names of people or buildings, or other important details. Well, yesterday I actually wrote down some information about this artist, and then I misplaced my notes!

The small portion of his name tag peeking out from behind his lapel in the photo reminded me that his last name is Joseph. I think he's from some town in Georgia. He was one of the artists showing and selling their work on Main Street in Waynesville as part of Folkmoot's International Festival Day. As you can see, he makes brightly colored paintings on old doors and windows. (Click on photo to enlarge.) He was kind enough to allow me to photograph him seated with his paintings in his booth. I think this is one of my better portraits, and I intend to send Mr. Joseph a print as a gift - as soon as someone from the Haywood County Arts Council (who sponsored the event) lets me know who he is and where he lives.

Festival Day Today!

This photo of a dancer from Mexico was taken at Folkmoot's Festival Day in 2007. (Click on photo to enlarge.) This is the kind of photography I'll be after today, which is quite a change for me. I don't normally get opportunities to photograph dancers. The first time I tried my hand at photographing dancers at Folkmoot, it turned out to be much more challenging than I thought it would be. The dancers are constantly moving! (Duh!) Twirling, leaping, moving closer, and then farther away from the camera. Try to compose too tight, and you invariably cut off an arm or leg. And since the performances are on Main Street, backgrounds (e.g., "tourist guy" in outlandishly loud, yellow "Hard Rock Cafe" t-shirt) are always a challenge. It's frustrating because my normal "keeper" ratio goes way down, but the few good photos I came back with make the whole experience quite satisfying!

It's Folkmoot Time!

What is Folkmoot? From the Folkmoot website:

"Folkmoot USA, North Carolina's Official International Festival, is a two-week celebration of the world's cultural heritage through folk music and dance. Held each summer across the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, Folkmoot features performances, parades and workshops by more than 350 performers from a dozen or so countries.

Performers demonstrate cultural heritage through colorful, authentic and original reproduction costumes, lively dance and beautiful music. During its 25-year history, over 200 folk groups from more than 100 countries have shared their heritage and culture at Folkmoot USA.

Countries performing in 2009 include Scotland, Serbia, Greece, Netherlands, Romania, Mexico, Togo, Spain and Israel. "

The courthouse decorated with flags of participating countries.

Tomorrow is Festival Day with free dance performances by the various groups on Main St. in downtown Waynesville. With all the beautiful costumes, it's photographic nirvana. I look forward to this every summer. It's just another bonus of living in the western North Carolina mountains.
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What does cheese say when it has its picture taken?
- George Carlin

Downspout With Vines

A while back I found a technique for a simulated selenium/copper look in Photoshop (or other image editor), so I decided to give it a try on this photo. This effect looked better on the example in the book, so maybe it's a more subject dependent technique. I'm just lukewarm on how this one came out. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Waiting For Their Orders

Civil War reenactors at a recent event in Clyde, NC. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

American Iron

I found this 1957 Chevy Bel Air parked in downtown Clyde, NC. My parents had one of these when they got married, and they went on their honeymoon in it. It was the car I came home from the hospital in after being born. I have only faint memories of it - I only remember it was white. I'm sure my parents had no idea that their family car would one day be on of the most sought after classic cars of all time. After two children they decided more room was necessary, and they traded the '57 in on a new 1962 Bel Air station wagon. Way to go, Dad. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

A Little Appreciation

Quirky signs, mis-spelled signs, or signs that don't seem to communicate exactly what the sign maker probably intended always catch my eye. It's one of the reasons I like to have a camera with me at all times, because I never know when I will come across a quirky sign.

While making a delivery at a Wal-Mart Friday, I spied this sign at a large home improvement store in the same complex. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to add it to my collection. So as not to embarrass the store, I won't mention its name. I'll just say it was a large, national chain not named Home Depot.

The wording of the sign leaves one wondering, is it the sale that is three days only, or the appreciation of commercial customers? To paraphrase Alfred Lord Tennyson, "It is better to have been appreciated for three days only, then to never have been appreciated at all."

Redeeming A Snapshot

Frequent visitors to My Viewfinder know that I have high regard for the lowly, much-maligned "snapshot". But sometimes a snapshot can be given a little help. As they said in the intro to the '70s TV show, The Six Million Dollar Man, "Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology."

Here's an original snapshot, right out of the camera. This is a friend of mine from church with his daughter. This photo was made behind the building while we were at a church fish fry yesterday. The back of the building, a storage shed, and a trailer don't make the most scenic background. Although the background is out of focus, it's still distracting enough to keep this photo in the "snapshot" category. It might be nice for a memory in the photo album, but probably not one you'd have made into a 16x20 to hang in the living room.

First, I went through my photo collection to look for a more suitable background. When looking for a replacement background, you have to consider the quality and direction of the light in both photos so it won't look like an obvious fake. I chose the photo below that had similar soft, hazy afternoon light. It was also one that worked with the way my subjects were dressed. The outdoor scenic I chose probably wouldn't have worked if my friend and his daughter were dressed like they were heading for a night at the opera.

I carefully made a selection of my subjects with Element's selection brush. Then I dragged my selection onto the background photo, making a separate layer. Since each photo was on separate layer, I was able to blur the sharp background photo to give the combined photo proper depth. Then with the eraser tool, I carefully went around the edges on the subject layer, erasing any unsightly halos left over from the original background. It's tedious work, but with a cup of hot coffee and some suitable music playing, it didn't seem to take long at all. Finally, I flattened the image, and used Xero Graphics' "Soft Mood" filter to soften the image slightly to make the edges between subject and background a little less distinct.

Yeah, it takes some work to get from snapshot to something better, but I enjoy the results of my efforts, and I also enjoy being able to give my friends a portrait that I hope they will enjoy for years to come (even if the daughter never remembers taking a picture with Dad at that location).

Now, that's a little better! (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Overgrown

Weeds take over at an abandoned building on the west side of Waynesville. (Click on photo to enlarge.

"The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities."
- Sophocles

Soldier 2

Another soldier portrait from the Civil War reenactment we saw last Saturday. The participants we met were very friendly. They were eager to tell you about their clothing and equipment, and to pose for photos. (Click on photo to enlarge.) These re-enactors take a lot of pride in striving for authenticity.

Hinge

Last Sunday afternoon, I had planned to photograph some calla lilies, but the location was closed. So I decided to look for something else to photograph, and came across some old buildings. The overall view was not that interesting, but it offered many options for detail shots. I liked the texture of this hinge detail, and thought this would be a natural for a B&W. However, after experimenting with several variations, I ended up preferring this color version best. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Red Doors

Back in May, I posted a photo of a small, country church - white with red doors. Here is an abandoned garage, also with red doors. (Click on photo to enlarge.) Maybe if I find about a hundred more interesting buildings with red doors, a photo book could result. I've found two buildings with red doors in the last three months, so it's a start!

Union Soldier

I found this "Union soldier" at the Civil War reenactment Saturday. He was sitting in the open shade of the canopy in front of his tent.

One of the challenging factors at the location of this reenactment was keeping modern elements out of the background. Since there were no cars, BP stations, utility poles with transformers, and girls wearing shorts during the 1860s, I had to constantly maneuver around to keep distracting and incompatible elements out of the background. On this portrait, I positioned myself so that another tent provided a clean background. (Click on photo to enlarge.) Once back home, I added a sepia tone, some texture, and an edge treatment to give it an older look.

Haywood County's War

Quite by accident, we came across some Civil War reenactors yesterday in Clyde. They had the authentic uniforms, guns, tents, and other equipment, plus a surprising knowledge of the history of the Civil War. We learned that in the part of North Carolina where we live, there were a significant number of Union sympathizers, along with another sizable contingent who just didn't care about the disagreement at all. Western North Carolina was not a hot bed of Confederate loyalty like it was the eastern end of the state, or in our neighbors of Virginia and South Carolina.

Because we were just out running errands when we came across the reenactors, I only had my A2000 camera with me. In the bright, hazy sunlight, the LCD on the back of the camera was about useless for judging composition and exposure. It was better than no camera at all, but I longed for the viewfinder of my E-510.

This was one of the better shots I got of some of the "troops" firing their rifles. I converted it to sepia in Virtual Photographer, and then added an edge that I got from one of those British photo magazines a few years back. Unlike many Civil War soldiers, these were apparently well fed. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Bee Balm

I read that this common wildflower was recognized as a medicinal plant by many Native Americans. The strong antiseptic action of these plants was utilized in poultices for skin infections and minor wounds. A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections. I always wonder how they discovered these characteristics, and who was the first one brave enough to try it out. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Turk's Cap Lily

About this time each summer I start anticipating the appearance of Turk's Cap Lilies on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Last Saturday I discovered the first ones starting to bloom. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

A Boy And His Truck

"You can set my truck on fire, and roll it down a hill
But I still wouldn't trade it for a Coupe DeVille"

From "Pickup Man"
By Joe Diffie

Ansel Adams had his Pontiac station wagon with a camera platform attached to the roof. I've always preferred driving pickup trucks to cars, so my vehicle for photo expeditions is a 2005 Ford Ranger. Pickups are just so versatile when you've got bulky or dirty cargo to haul. And to me, they're just more fun to drive. My current truck is very basic. It's the base model with air conditioning and a CD player being the only luxuries. It's comfortable and reliable, and that's all I want. I took this self-portrait last Saturday on a photo trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Indian Pipe

Whenever I visit the Blue Ridge Parkway, I make frequent stops to explore the woods away from the roadway. That's how I found this Indian Pipe. (Click on photo to enlarge.) Often mistaken for a fungus because it has no chlorophyll, Indian Pipe is actually a member of the blueberry family. It is found in dense woods with moist soil made rich by lots of decaying leaf litter. You won't see anything like this from the road; you have to get out of your vehicle and explore!

This plant only gets to be about four inches tall, which would normally require laying on the ground to photograph it at an angle like this. Fortunately, this one was growing on a rather steep bank which allowed me to set up my tripod below it. I only had to squat down to peer through the viewfinder instead of laying on the moist ground. Even though I didn't have to lay on the ground for this shot, an articulated LCD screen and live view like on the new Olympus E-620 would still make setting up the shot so much easier. Maybe one day.
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What happened?

It seems that only about 5,000 people showed up outside the Staples Center for Michael Jackson's memorial service, not the zillions that was forecast. Did the hype finally reach saturation level?

Getting Used To Something New

One of the filters that comes with the latest version of Virtual Photographer is the "Ivy" filter. This filter converts your color image to a B&W with a greenish tint. I am used to seeing photos with various degrees of sepia, or even a blue (cyanotype) tint, but green was something new, and a little hard to get used to. I tried it on several photos. I liked it, but I didn't like it. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was just too different, or too unorthodox. So for a while I gave up on the "Ivy" filter.

Then the other day, while browsing some other photographers' portfolios, I came across a photo that looked very much like the "Ivy" filter. It was a still life of an old Coke crate with the old 10 oz. Coke bottles. I thought it looked great with the greenish tint, and made me re-think using the "Ivy" filter. Maybe I just hadn't found the right photo to use it on. After all, it's not an effect you'd want to use all the time. So here's another attempt with the "Ivy" filter, and I was satisfied with how this one turned out. (Click on photo to enlarge.) I did desaturate it just a little to tone down the green tint slightly. One of the great things about Virtual Photographer is that you can adjust each preset in an infinite number of ways to make your image look like you want it to.

Fruit Stand Lady

Coming down from the Blue Ridge Parkway on Hwy. 19 into Maggie Valley, I stopped at this produce stand to pick up some fresh corn for my 4th of July meal. Besides produce, this stand had many old farm tools, signs, cast iron pots and pans, etc. that you can see on the back wall. (Saturday's apple cider photo was made at this place.) The woman who owned the stand was patient with me as I walked around taking pictures before making my purchase. She was so nice and friendly that I decided to buy more than just the four ears of corn I stopped for. I picked up some locally grown blueberries, and some juicy South Carolina peaches as well. As I walked back to my truck, I decided to get one more photo of this woman and her little business. (Click on phot0 to enlarge.)

Holiday Rambling

I wish every weekend was a three day weekend! I used Friday to get all my usual around-the-house chores done, so I could have Saturday free to do what I wanted to do. So Saturday morning I got up early and drove up on the Blue Ridge Parkway to try to catch a sunrise. Sunrise photo opportunities are hit and miss on the BRP because you never know when you're going to be socked in with clouds. It could be clear down in town, but an impenetrable fog up higher. The clouds cooperated, and I got some nice shots of the layers of ridges fading into the distance (Click on photo to enlarge). It was a nice way to start my 4th of July holiday.

I got some other nice scenics and wildflower photos that I will be posting during the coming week. I've been working such long ours at my job lately, and it was nice to have some "me and my camera" time once again.

Thirst Quencher

Ice cold apple cider on a hot, summer day! Mmmmmm!!! Whatever your preferred beverage might be, have a safe and happy 4th!

More "Real Photography"

The Everlasting Pea was originally introduced from southern Europe, but now you can see them along roadsides almost everywhere in the mountains. It really stands out against the darker greens of summer foliage that we're now seeing. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Oh yeah, my real reason for this post was to show what you can do with a "point and shoot", snapshot camera, in program mode, no less. That's right, I made this photo with the Canon A2000, not my Olympus DSLR. Not bad for a snapshooter, huh? It looks like "real photography" to me !

Ham and Eggs

Not being a botanist, I'm not sure what the real name is for these flowers, but I've always known them as "ham and eggs". These are from my wife's garden. I've been so busy at work during the week, and with household chores on the weekend, that my wife's flower garden as been my only photo outlet lately. With a three day weekend coming up, I hope to be able to get out and do some photography beyond my own yard. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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Yesterday's Post

I was a little surprised at the lack of comments on yesterday's post. With the popularity of bare belly pregnancy portraits, I was sure this topic would stimulate some feedback. I'd love to hear other photographer's take on this, even if you disagree with my point of view. I'm a big boy, I can take it.
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Old School Color

You really need to see these color photos by Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky, made in 1909. I think the colors are amazingly realistic for the time, especially compared to other early color processes like autochrome. Remember, we're talking about 1909! Check it out by clicking here.