03-25-09 Katie & Brian

Here's another one with high sentimental value. I was asked by my recently-engaged son, Brian, to take engagement photos of him and his fiancée, Katie. Of course I said, "Yes." But I was nervous - partly because I hadn't done any studio portraiture in months and partly because I had never done any real formal portraiture of my own family. But both subjects were relaxed and easy to work with. And they were photogenic. (How could a father and future father-in-law say anything else?!)

Brian has been the subject of another post to this blog - Take A Leap (02). Some might argue that delving into a relationship and ultimately into marriage constitutes a sort of a leap of faith, as well. But as I observe Katie and Brian, I don't think this about them. Their relationship seems like the perfect mix of reason and emotion - but it's not a leap of faith.

Canon 5DII f/8.0 1/100 Canon 24-105 4.0L 88mm ISO 100

03-24-09 Tokyo Street Scene

There are so many lines and geometric shapes in this photo and perhaps too many places for the eye to look. But the main point is intended to be the dark figure closest to the camera. He seems solitary but that's a bit of an irony because the night we were in Tokyo every place we went was crowded with throngs of umbrella carrying people. This pedestrian walkway was the sole exception - at least at the moment I took this photo.

Did I work hard to get this picture? Did I have to wait for just the right moment? Nope. In fact this is really more of a snap shot. I was with a group of 4 other people and because it was raining, we were on the move and the rest of the group wasn't likely to be real patient with my attempt to capture the right moment.

Canon 1DII f/5.6 1/80 Canon 24-70mm 2.8L 40mm ISO 800

03-23-09 The Perfect Place

I often find that some photos become favorites more for sentimental reasons than for aesthetic considerations. This photo is perhaps the best example I have of that. Pictured is the Mission Creek area near the Little Bend of the Missouri River. I have spent the night in my sailboat, Ariel, which is named after a sea spirit in Shakespeare's play The Tempest. I have walked up on to a bluff and am looking northeast over a glass-smooth body of water.

Is this a great photo? No. Is is one of my favorites? Yes. But only because it helps me remember what it's like to be in (for me) the perfect place: warm, quiet and utterly peaceful.

Incidentally, I use this photo to illustrate the rule of thirds and the principle that the eye is typically drawn to the brightest part of the picture, which is my sailboat.

No photo info: this is a scan of a film image (so 20th century!)

03-22-09 Wild Grass

This is a good example of something as prosaic as wild grass growing in a country ditch becoming more interesting with the right lighting. In this case I was heading to an old farmstead I like to photograph when I noticed how the low sun seemed to bring the heads of the grass to life.

Like the gold oak leaf posted here several days ago, this grass wouldn't have caught your eye if you had seen it from the sunny side.

03-21-09 Early Morning On the Canal

It's good for a photographer to be a morning person and this photo is evidence. The light is good, the breeze has yet to pick up and there is a serenity in this scene that I doubt exists an any other time of the day.

This was taken is the picture-perfect city of Brugge, Belgium, on a trip Deb and I took in June, 2008.

03-20-09 Mauna Kea - View East At Sunset

13,350 feet

03-19-09 Iris

By Scott Shephard

03-18-09 Texas Book Depository

By Scott Shephard

03-17-09 Summer Roses

I'll let you in on a secret: I sometimes play the role of Mother Nature. In this case, I misted the flowers with a spray bottle. The beads of water add interest and I'll bet I'm not the only photograper who does this.

NOTE: I'm going where there is no wireless and because I am behind in my photo a day project, there will be no commentary on the next few photos. I have a feeling no one reads this stuff, anyway. :-)

03-16-09 St. Peter's Basilica - Rome

Visiting St. Peter's is an overwhelming experience and I'm guessing that the architects had that in mind when they planned this massive place. The dome that appears in this photo was designed by Michelangelo, but sadly he died before its completion. The structure with the darker, bronze pillars rising from the left corner of the photo is called the baldacchino, and was designed by Bernini. It is close to 10 stories tall (98 ft.). That, alone, give you a sense of the scale of the dome.

On the technical side, this camera and lens combination was the first time I was truly amazed by the capabilities of the Canon 5D. I shot with a high ISO and low shutter speed to get this shot and I was impressed by how little digital noise that showed up in the photo and how sharp the photo is - in spite of shooting without a tripod at 1/40 of a second.

Canon 5D Canon f/4.0 1/40 Canon 17-24mm 4.0L (17mm) ISO 1000

03-15-09 The Pantheon - Rome

The Pantheon was built close to 2000 years ago and I am still awed by its design every time I walk in. In fact, I would have to say that the Pantheon is my favorite structure in Rome. For this photo I stood towards the wall of the building and pointed the camera towards the ceiling. I wanted to get some of the oculus ("eye") in the shot, though the bright light flowing in caused a little lens flair. I shot using my 24-105mm lens and I was wishing I had the 17-24mm lens that I had decided to leave at home, though the image stabilization built in to the lens I used allowed me to use a an otherwise impossible shutter speed.

Canon 5D f/4 1/30 24-105 4.0L (24mm) ISO 650

03-14-09 Votive Candles - Zagreb Cathedral

This photo was taken the same day the other Votive Candle post was taken. This time I was experimenting with the amazing Canon 1.2 50mm lens I travel with. This lens is excellent for poorly lit interiors, such as a cathedral. It is also very good at creating a very narrow depth of field, as in this photo. I'm not sure that this is a good photo, given that there isn't a real good focal point. But some people have told me they like it.

Also, I use this photo to illustrate what photographers call bokeh, which is the term used to describe the brighter, out-of-focus points in a photo. Some lenses have good bokeh and many don't. Needless to say, the Canon 50mm 1.2 gives great bokeh.

Canon 5D f/2.8 Canon 50mm 1.2L 50mm 1/250 ISO 400