Geometric Skyscrapers

Art And Abstraction In Architecture

Perspective. 

How many different ways are there to look at a structure? 

Where can we stand in search of a fresh view of a well-known structure?

How will light interact with architecture, and how does that change with season and time of day?

How can lenses and two-dimensional perspective enhance and stylize the appearance of large, three-dimensional objects?

I visualized photographing this landmark New York skyscraper from its base, but the composition didn't work until I included the building across the street.

The symmetrical convergence of vertical lines draws attention toward the center of the frame. The reflections hint of a delicate interaction between giants.

Geometric Skyscrapers - New York City

To capture this image, I aimed my tripod-mounted camera straight up. I had to compose and focus from below.  Onlookers watched as I crouched and twisted into a series of uncomfortable positions.

Alignment was critical. Horizontal lines had to remain parallel to the edges of the frame, or the buildings would have skewed to one side.  I wanted the convergence to balance well between the building in front (bottom) and behind (top). 

Luckily, it all worked out in the end. The shapes and patterns blend together nicely, the quality of light reveals sharp detail, and the reflections add a special highlight to the composition.


Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lens: Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II (no movements applied)

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved

Stay Out And Keep Shooting

Fair Seas in Foul Weather

It had rained that day, heavily at times.  When it wasn't raining the sky was solid overcast.  I remember feeling that my visit the seaside had met with unfortunate timing. 

Expectations were low; I figured that I wouldn't take many photos, and to be fair, I didn't take many.

Lunch offered a chance to get out of the rain.  Well, more or less out of the rain - all of the cafes in this resort town had outdoor seating.  An umbrella over the table helped, but the air was chilly.  Thankfully, Croatian pizza is warm and satisfying.

After lunch I took a stroll along the water's edge.  Several small boats were moored along a simple dock.  I noticed a man waiting to board one of the craft as another fellow prepared it to sail.

I almost walked past this scene.  The weather was gray and foreboding, but something about the dock and the boats caught my eye.  I grabbed my camera and took a handful of test shots. 

Man on a Dock with an Umbrella, Croatia, 2010

At one point the man leaned on his umbrella in an interesting way.  I felt a rush of excitement as I pressed the shutter release.

This small gesture made all of the difference.  I was able to capture the moment, not by the grace of quickness or skill, nor with talent nor training, but rather with a willingness to be open to the possibilities that were unfolding before me.

If I hadn't been ready...  If I had kept my camera in the bag while moping about gloomy weather...  If I had opted to linger in a gift shop, the shot never would have happened.

I'm glad that I had the good sense to stay out, stay alert, and keep shooting.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lens: Canon 24-105 f/4L IS

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2013 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved

Nico

Portrait of Venice

I don't know the boy's name.

I don't know the name of the lady sitting in the window.

If I enlarge the image and look very closely, I can make out some of the names on the doorbells.

Nico - Venezia

But the boat's name is Nico.

And that's all that I really need to know.

Camera: Nikon D800

Lens: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8G ED

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2013 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved

Venezia La Bellissima

Challenging The Senses

As I walked the narrow passageways of Venice and crossed its countless bridges, a disorienting feeling came over me. Everything that I was seeing - every church, boat, bridge, and structure standing before my eyes - could not have been real. The views are incredible.

View Toward San Giorgio Maggiore

A city built on water, flooded aggressively by seasonal tides, more visually arresting than anything that the mind can imagine.  How could such a place exist?

Campanile di San Marco

Fortunately, after a few hours of walking and wading through flood waters, my argumentative mind capitulated. Better to enjoy the wonders before us than question their existence.

Gondolas Moored Near The Rialto Bridge

Venice is visually arresting. It's also a veritable maze. Be prepared to spend most of your time feeling slightly lost, even if you're not a first time visitor. Finding your way back to the hotel is part of the adventure.

Grand Canal - Venice

The weathered look of Venice adds to its charm. Think of of all of the people who have visited this grand city over the centuries and all of the great artist and musicians who have called Venice home.

Gondolas At Dusk - Venice

As night falls, the city remains breathtaking. Buona notte, la mia bellissima Venezia! Grazie per tutto! Sogno della nostra prossima avventura insieme. Ciao!

Camera:

            Nikon D800

Lenses:

            Nikon 24-70 f/2.8G

            Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR II

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved

My Time In California

Learning On The Go

I knew very little about cameras when I began to pursue photography seriously and I knew even less about creating good photographs.  I realized that I would need to invest time into practicing my new craft.

Shoot.  Evaluate.  Identify the mistakes and the lucky breaks.  Revise the approach, then go out and shoot again.  And again.

I spent a lot of time with my camera.  I got an 'A' for effort even though the results lingered in the 'C' range for quite a while.  A lot of film ended up in the trash, but lessons were learned with every roll.

Eventually, I had a small epiphany - there's value in visiting a location repeatedly.  One can observe the impact of weather, season, and time of day on the available light.  It's also possible to refine technique using information gathered from previous attempts.

I began to develop a list of 'favorite places' that I would visit with some frequency.  Most of these places were within a couple of hours of home, but I added a more distant destination to the list.  Coastal California.

Hurricane Point at First Light

I had visited California in the years B.E.C. (before expensive cameras).  It's a land of breathtaking scenery, and I wanted to capture its magic on film.

McWay Waterfall at Sunset

My earliest attempts at shooting the coast didn't yield remarkable results, but I learned a great deal about the location and local weather conditions in the process.  I also learned that there's a lot more to capturing a good photograph than just pointing a camera toward something interesting and making a 'correct' exposure.

As I explored the amazing Coastal California, I developed a understanding of light, its color, its quality, and its direction.  I developed a methodology for refining compositions from an initial idea to a finished image.  I experimented with techniques for focusing and stabilizing my cameras.

Point Sur Under Textured Clouds

Eventually, I learned how to predict the occurrence of certain camera-friendly conditions.

When would the light make its first morning appearance over a particular mountain?

Where do you need to park your car to get a particular vantage point?

It's helpful to know these things, and if you pay attention to your surroundings and take good notes, you can return to the scene at a later date to capture something spectacular.  It pays to know what's going to happen before it actually takes place.

Golden Gate Bridge At Dusk

Each excursion to my favorite places - near or far - was time well spent.  Even when the photos didn't turn out well, I was gaining insights that would transform my entire approach to photography. 

Camera:

            Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Lenses:

            Canon TS-E24 f/3.5L II

            Canon 24-105 f/4L IS

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved

Leveraging the Unexpected

When Plans Go Awry - Keep Shooting!

It was a bright, sunny day - I'm not kidding!  Every cable and rivet of the Golden Gate Bridge was in clear view when I parked my car on Conzelman Road.

As I set up the view camera and composed the shot, I saw one very small wisp of mist pass over the water from west to east.  At first I thought that I had imagined it, or perhaps that a piece of dust had adhered to one of my contact lenses.  But more wisps followed and collected into larger patches.

The bay was full of wind surfers, but now they were beginning to disappear from view.  The fog became so thick that I felt concern for their safety.  Would they be able to see well enough to navigate back toward the marinas?  Would they be able to withstand the sudden drop in temperature?

It took about twenty minutes for the bridge to disappear completely.  This photo was taken in the last few minutes of visibility.  Luckily, the fog rolled in as the setting sun cast an orange glow toward the towers of the span.

Golden Gate Bridge in Incoming Fog - Fuji Velvia 100

The fog eventually reached my position, and the warm sunlight faded into gray, cold darkness.  I packed up my gear into the car, turned on the heater, and headed to town for a warm dinner.


Ebony SV45TE view camera
Schneider 110mm lens
Fujichrome Velvia 100

Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2012 Daniel R. South

www.dansouthphoto.com

All Rights Reserved