Ansel Adams Quote

"In the electronic age, I am sure that scanning techniques will be developed to achieve prints of extraordinary subtlety from the original negative scores. If I could return in twenty years or so I would hope to see astounding interpretations of my most expressive images. It is true no one could print my negatives as I did, but they might well get more out of them by electronic means. Image quality is not the product of a machine but of the person who directs the machine, and there are no limits to imagination and expression."
~ Ansel Adams, An Autobiography, 1985.

Framing the subject when making images

Framing the subject of your photograph can make it more interesting. I will usually pick something from the local environment to use regardless of weather it is man made or natural.

While photographing at Tumacácori National Historical Park I was checking out a display of the park it was very interesting. But then looking out the window I found this image, it was just asking to be photographed. I did use a flash for fill light on the stucco wall, and I am please with the results.

Framing your subject also adds depth to your image which is important in 2 dimensional media. When you are making images remember to look for those elements that will add to the aesthetic value of the image.

Years ago I was visiting an uncle on the east coast. One morning it was very foggy and I grabbed my camera and tripod and headed out the door to make some images. As I passed a someone on the street they said to me “it’s not a very good day to take photographs!” My response was too say “No its a great day to make photographs”

My point here is that when you have weather rather than sunshine do not think that you should not be making images. The attached image was made early one foggy morning, and it is the fog that really makes this image stand out.
So as long as you keep your equipment dry and clean get out and make images, You find the results very pleasing.

Not always what it seems

On occasion mother nature will give us a little surprise, and when she dose we just need to be thankful.
While on Molokai on day I realized we were in for a really nice sunset. The clouds, palm trees and the sun were begging to be photographed. The image making was fast and furious on that beautiful hawaiian evening.
I came away with several very nice images that all sell very well and even years latter it is still very satisfying.
Then at an Art Fair a customer came to me and said I love this image, however your Title “Molokai Sunset “ was all wrong and did I not see the real subject in the image? I thought about it for a bit and asked what they were seeing. They responded “why it’s Puff The Magic Dragoon”. I thought wow I never looked at it that way and since that dat on all I see is Puff.
There are times when others will see a totally different image than the artist had originally intended, and this is not a bad thing, it is what make us unique.