Lighting 101

As the sun retreats behind the clouds and rain begins to plummet from the sky, the ambient light quickly begins to give way to man-made lighting.  I'm inspired to write about something I just learned in a "for dummies" book I am reading.  Here goes:

Light is everything in photography and each light source is a certain temperature, and therefore gives off a different color of light.  The cooler the light, the more red it is and the hotter the light, the bluer it is.  We don't necessarily see this because our brain adjusts it automatically to make everything balanced.  The camera however, does not...which is super cool and super crazy frustrating at the same time if you don't understand it.  "Why are my family photos all coming out orange-tinted?  Arrrgggg!!!" (my first experience with this phenomenon Christmas 2008)

So now that I'm starting to slowly understand this...I took some photos around 6pm, on a rainy day in downtown Schenectady.  Here's how it came out...

As you can see, the lights are green and the part of the sidewalk that reflected it is green too!  Cool...
There's something in that book about what produces the light, tungsten or halogen or something, I forget but it makes a difference...  Now that I recognize this, I can start visualizing how a picture might turn out, and how to embrace or correct it so as to avoid post-production depression.  That's all for today, here's a few more examples...and a sneak peak for the next post :)

A slightly different angle...

Underexposed obviously, but I like how you just see the light-it looked simply white to my eye!

Last one, for perspective's sake

Hey that's me!!!

Two love birds enjoying a leisurely stroll through SPAC and I had the pleasure of photographing them!

Till next time,

-Tim

Finding my niche...

Good morning!  Fall is in the air, sort of.  Date: September 26; leaves: turning; Temperature: 75 and sunny?  OK, despite the discrepancies and confusion by the weather pattern (perhaps the weather took a wrong turn in Florida...no one seems to be complaining though), it's turning out to be a beautiful and eventful season.

Quick update since I lasted posted.  I've taken over 500 pictures this week and am up to my eyeballs in editing and organizing.  Included in the lot are such things as baby's first birthday, foggy mornings with a horse, and engagement photos!  It's been busy!

So why am I posting today and why should you read it, and continue to read in the future?  I'm going to start posting with certain themes in mind and my current them is...finding my niche.  Huh?  I'm working on finding a small, possibly obscure subject/event/etc. that someone might knot know much about, unless they themselves were a part of it.  I think I've found it too...bear with me...I'm still new at this.  I've had the immense pleasure of spending time with an amazing creature, Ghost and his trainer/owner/lifetime friend, Joey.  This is by far the most beautiful horse I've ever seen!  This horse is part of a specific breed called a Tennessee Walking Horse which, unbeknownst to me, has quite a following.  More on this as it develops...for now I'll stop typing and let you enjoy some photos.  About time, right?

6:30AM came fast and with heavy fog.  Ghost didn't seem to mind and was happy to show off.

Good morning!

This is Ghost's signature move.  What a classic.

The blue eyes are completely natural.  He is a beautiful creature.

The loving and dedicated trainer/owner, Joey.  

Thank you, Joey for allowing me to learn and photograph the wonderful labor of love you've put into this horse!  

Up next...more on that niche, and the picture that traveled the U.S. in a matter of minutes.  (Hint: it's one of these!)

-Tim

Introduction

"He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.  He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame." - Proverbs 10:4-5


     If you want to grow in anything, don't wait around for something to happen, just start working and see where that takes you.  I've heard this in many ways, by many people of all different mindsets.  It seems to suit me; I'm more efficient and get so much more done if I am already busy.  The minute things slow down is the minute I lose any sort of drive and motivation.  I believe we are hard-wired that way; which is why, among other reasons, most of us have a hard time putting down the Blackberry on vacation.  I say all this to say that I like to stay busy.  I've tried many different vocations and hobbies during my short life.  In my 24 years of being on this earth I've done many things and experienced some awesome stuff, but  not nearly enough to allow me to sit back and reminisce quite yet; I'll save that for when I can start using the phrase, "now son, when I was your age..."  


So, here I am at the start of a new adventure.  This time it has so many different facets that I'm a bit overwhelmed by what steps need to be taken in order to achieve the end goals.  Here's my story:  Back in 2006, as I was failing my first semester of Culinary Arts at the local community college (yes, I failed hospitality 101-must be a Yankee thing...just kidding; that might be part of a future post, we'll see), I had the opportunity to go to Florida and work at Disney for a while.  Being that it was 6 degrees Fahrenheit I don't think I could have gotten down there any faster.  As a going away present I received my first digital camera and away I went.  Some 800 photos later I was hooked.  Now 10,000 photos and 5 years later I'm really hooked.  This blog, as well as a few other things are the start of my photographic journey, from hack to pretty cool photo guy.  


I've tried many new things that are outside of my comfort zone and this is definitely one of them.  I don't claim to have a single creative writing gene in my body and my love for broccoli just might surpass my love for writing and self-marketing.  Nevertheless, my love for photography drives me to put myself out there and share with the world this journey that I have set my sights upon.  I would love to have a few friends to share this adventure with and welcome all the advice (i.e. how to form a coherent thought for your reading pleasure) I can get.  Maybe you'll enjoy the writing, maybe you'l enjoy the pictures, who knows...but I'm putting myself and my photography on the front porch for all to see.  Join me as I grow... 


-Tim