Thursday, October 6, 2016

Door With Graffiti - New York

Making The Best Of A Bad Situation

Graffiti has made a rampant comeback in New York over the past few years. Bare wall space attracts the attention of aggressive taggers. Even pristine brick buildings get tagged; it's almost impossible to remove paint from brick.

Graffiti tagging doesn't cause bodily harm, but it's more than a petty nuisance. Graffiti tags are unsightly, destructive, expensive to repair, and blatantly corrosive to the ideals of society. Communities thrive on a sense of mutual respect and shared purpose. Graffiti signals the erosion of these values.



a photo of colorful graffiti in new york
Door With Graffiti - New York



Leave it to photographers to find the bright side of a bad situation. Urban blight is visually intriguing. Walk through a run down neighborhood, and you may walk away with some interesting photos. Exercise caution, of course. And be aware that copyright infringement could be an issue in some circumstances. (The graffiti could be considered a protected work of the visual arts.) But as long as you're not shooting an ad campaign, graffiti can provide ready-to-shoot backgrounds for your urban images. 

You might even consider making the graffiti your subject. The decaying plywood wall in the photo above has been bombarded by layer after layer of paint. The layers blend into a dadaist explosion of color and texture. (The fish is my favorite bit.)

When I walked past this wall, I felt compelled to do something with it. Initially, I envisioned a wider shot to capture more of the wall. But when I returned to the scene with my tripod, I had to work around some trash and the make-shift bed of a homeless person. I wanted to use a tripod, because this spot is under some scaffolding, and there isn't much light available. Eventually, I chose a portrait-oriented composition of only the door section. 

I'm pleased with the image. I think that it turned out well. Photographers know how to make something good in a bad situation. From chaos, composition!



Camera:    Nikon D810
Lens:        AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Friday, September 30, 2016

Cleaning The Square - Santorini

Welcoming An Unexpected Guest

There I was, spending a beautiful morning in an exotic location trying to capture as many shots as I could before the light faded to the bleached drab of mid day. I didn't want to waste time, so I moved from location to location as quickly as possible.

This square is adjacent to a famous church. When I finished photographing the church, I noticed this coral-colored wall with two benches. I thought that it would make an elegant composition if I could get a shot without people in the frame. (This spot is along the main pathway to the bus station. Lots of people pass through.)

Since, I wasn't planning to include people in the shot, I set my camera to base ISO and a slow shutter speed. I put the camera on the tripod and framed the composition. Just as I was about to take the shot, in walked this gentleman.



a photo of a man cleaning the square in santorini
Cleaning The Square - Santorini



Now, I had a choice to make. I could move on to the next spot, but that would mean losing a composition which could never be repeated exactly.

I could have waited for the man to leave, but I wasn't sure how long he might stay, and the tourist traffic was increasing by the minute.

The final option was to include the man in the photo. I figured, what the heck? I can try to get a shot when he leaves; I might as well try to get one that includes him, as well. When I get home, I can select the one that I prefer.

I knew that I had to make an adjustment to capture the shot with the man in it. My original shutter speed would be too slow. People move, and movement at slow shutter speeds is rendered as a blur.

I made a quick calculation and boosted the ISO from 100 to 400. This enabled me to quadruple the shutter speed with minimal impact to overall image quality.

After the man moved on, I dialed the ISO back down to 100 and took a shot of the original composition with no people. I prefer the shot with the man included, so I'm glad that I took the extra steps necessary to capture the moment. I would like to thank him very much for dropping by. His presence made the shot.



Camera:    Nikon D800E
Lens:        AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II



Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Wednesday, August 31, 2016

View From Madison Square

Evening's Golden Glow



a photo of the view from madison square park new york
View From Madison Square



A unique mix of modern and pre-war architecture photographed in the golden glow of sunset.


Camera:    Nikon D810
Lens:        Nikon PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED



Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South

All Rights Reserved

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Mason Jar With Flowers

From A Glade In The Shade

Simple and straightforward.

A jar of flowers hangs from a post in deep shade. 

I set the shutter speed fast enough to ensure sharpness while hand-holding the camera. 



a photo of a glass mason jar holding wildflowers
Mason Jar With Flowers


I tried a number of compositions, some in portrait orientation and some landscape. A few clicks later, this one popped out as my favorite. Magic!


Camera:    Nikon D810
Lens:        AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED



Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Place D'Armes - Montréal

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal on Easter Sunday

It was Easter Sunday, but the -6C weather felt like the middle of January. By the time I finished shooting in this square (La Place D'Armes), my hand were numb. 


a photo of la place d'armes in montreal by daniel south
La Place D'Armes, Montréal - Easter Sunday


But what a beautiful basilica! And what a beautiful view from the square! This shot was worth a bit of discomfort.



Camera:    Nikon D810
Lens:        Nikon PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Liquidity Factor

Abstract By Design

A sneak peek at an upcoming project based on abstract patterns (and a bunch of math and physics that you probably don't want to think about).



an abstract color photograph liquidity factor
Liquidity Factor




Camera:    Nikon D810
Lens:        Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Amsterdam After Dark

Blue Hour On A Tranquil Canal

Amsterdam is a delightful city, fun, appealing to the eyes, easy navigate on foot (and probably by boat - I just haven't had the pleasure).


a photo of the canals of amsterdam at night
Amsterdam After Dark



I captured this evening shot during one of my walks. I didn't have a destination or a schedule in mind. I just wandered through the center of the city to see what there was to see. 



Camera:    Nikon D800E

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



Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved


Sunday, February 28, 2016

Color Of Night - Blue Fountain

Night At The Museum



a photo of a blue fountain in new york at night by daniel south
Color Of Night - Blue Fountain



Camera:    Nikon D810

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


Wishing you great light and meaningful moments!

Copyright 2016 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved