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April 30, 2005

Rose Study #1

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
     Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II.

"Take time to smell the roses."
     Russian proverb.

"Gather ye roses while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying,
And that same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying."
     To The Virgins To Make Much Of Time, Robert Herrick.

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/3 at f/8 | Focal Length: 90mm

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/6 at f/11 | Focal Length: 90mm

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/4 at f/8 | Focal Length: 90mm

Posted by slewis at 3:48 PM | Comments (0)

April 29, 2005

Local Color

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: Not recorded | Focal Length: 21mm

One of the firehouses in Charleston, South Carolina.

Posted by slewis at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)

April 28, 2005

Impromptu Portrait

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: Not Recorded | Focal Length: 35mm

One of my favorite ways of taking pictures of people: waiting until they no longer notice the camera.

In some cases, this is easy. The natural excitement of the moment may cause people to not even notice that someone is present with a camera. Aside from such events, however, getting people to relax and ignore the camera can prove to be as much of an art as making the images once they've forgotten about the camera.

Rangefinder cameras help this. They are generally smaller than SLRs, and tend to make less noise (largely because there is no mirror popping up for the exposure and dropping back afterwards). They also have the added advantage of allowing the photographer to see the image at the moment the shutter opens. Notwithstanding that I've used SLRs for more than a quarter century, the rangefinder camera occupies a place in my heart.

This is a good example. I was walking through an Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel, with a man who had grown up there but no longer lived there. He was trying to show me the neighborhood bakery. At one point, we ran into this local who upon seeing my cameras started to walk the other way. When the man I was with struck up a conversation regarding the location of the neighborhood bakery, the local stopped for a smoke and a chat. During the chat, the local became comfortable enough that he didn't notice me with my Leica snapping pictures of him, including this impromptu portrait.

Posted by slewis at 7:11 AM | Comments (0)

April 27, 2005

Timelessness

Details: ISO: 400 | Exposure: 1/160 at f/5.6 | Focal Length: 57mm

One of the things I like most about black and white is that it gives images a timeless quality.

Posted by slewis at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

April 26, 2005

Horsing Around

Details: ISO: 400 | Exposure: Not recorded | Focal Length: 180mm

Sunbathers on South Beach give a police horse a beer.

Posted by slewis at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)

April 25, 2005

Reaching For A Goal

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: Not Recorded | Focal Length: 105mm

Posted by slewis at 6:41 AM | Comments (0)

April 23, 2005

Express Yourself

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: Not recorded | Focal Length: 35mm

A protester expresses his views in a typical Sunday morning at Speaker's Corner, Hyde Park, London.

Posted by slewis at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

April 22, 2005

Albert Memorial

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: 1/200 at f/8 | Focal Length: 35mm

A view of the Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens, South Kensington, London.

Posted by slewis at 7:09 AM | Comments (0)

April 21, 2005

Laughter (Emotions)

Details: ISO: 800 | Exposure: 1/80 at f/4 | Focal Length: 28mm

I've always been amazed at how when people express various emotions, the camera can catch a glimpse of who they really are.

Posted by slewis at 7:25 AM | Comments (0)

April 20, 2005

Reflections (Self Portrait)

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/400 at f/6.3 | Focal Length: 18mm

Catching my reflection at the Coconut Grove art festival.

Posted by slewis at 7:09 AM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2005

Enjoying The View

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/200 at f/6.3 | Focal Length: 35mm

A worker takes a moment to enjoy the view from twenty floors up.

Posted by slewis at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

April 18, 2005

More Track (From Saturday)

A few more pictures from Saturday's track meet at the University of Miami. These are from the javelin competition.

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Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/2000 at f/4 | Focal Length: 450mm

Posted by slewis at 7:34 AM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2005

Saturday Afternoon Track Meet

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/2000 at f/4.5 | Focal Length: 200mm

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/2000 at f/4.5 | Focal Length: 300mm

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/2000 at f/4 | Focal Length: 300mm

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/2000 at f/4 | Focal Length: 300mm

A few images from the track meet held at the University of Miami on Saturday.

Posted by slewis at 5:17 PM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2005

Dancing (Being Yourself)

Details: ISO: 1600 | Exposure: 1/125 at f/4.0 | Focal Length: 18mm

The best images of people are made when they are no longer aware of the camera and they can just be themselves.

Posted by slewis at 11:32 AM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2005

Eye Catcher

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/500 at f/9 | Focal Length: 18mm

A very loud ride: Romero Britto's vision of a Volvo station wagon. Displayed at the Coconut Grove art festival.

Posted by slewis at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)

April 13, 2005

More Details

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: 1/200 at f/5.6 | Focal Length: 140mm

Details in the West facade of Notre Dame, Paris.

Posted by slewis at 7:48 AM | Comments (0)

Monitor Calibration Target Added

After hearing that the images appeared differently on different monitors, I realized that most displays are not properly calibrated for viewing images. In order to help ensure that everyone can view the images the same way, I've added a gray scale at the bottom of the main page with instructions for using the scale to adjust monitor brightness and contrast settings.

Posted by slewis at 1:06 AM | Comments (0)

April 12, 2005

Details

Details: ISO: 400 | Exposure: 1/160 at f/4.5 | Focal Length: 57mm

Details in the masonry, Central Park, New York.

Posted by slewis at 7:42 AM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2005

Chasing Light

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: 8 seconds at f/8 | Focal Length: 300mm

All photographers, whether consciously or unconsciously, chase light. A photographer is constantly trying to freeze a moment, a time, a place, an event, by capturing light. In most cases, the amount of light captured is limited to what can be recorded in a fraction of a second.

At some point, every photographer experiments with longer exposures. I remember developing a particular fascination for longer exposures after reading Ansel Adams’ account of how he made the image "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico." Adams based his exposure on his memory of the luminance of the moon. What always fascinated me about the image was the way that the clouds seem to streak across the sky, all caught in Adams’ 1-second exposure. The image had a profound impact on my thinking about light and about making images.

So, in early 1988, I was in Paris for the first time. In addition to seeing the city, I wanted to buy a particular tripod that is manufactured just outside Paris. With limited language skills (I had learned enough French to ask where the bathroom was and to apologize for not speaking French), I made my way through the city to a camera store and placed my order. The only problem was the store would have to drive the tripod into Paris from the factory, and I would have to return to the store later that day to collect my order.

I returned to my hotel to find that the group I was with had booked an “illuminations tour” for the same evening to see the city at night. Knowing I was going to have very little time to pick up the tripod and still meet the group for the tour, I grabbed my cameras and ran back to the camera store. I arrived just as my tripod did, and after a few minutes of paperwork, I was on my way, new tripod in hand. All I had to do was get back to the hotel in time to meet my group.

Getting back to the hotel turned out to be something more of an adventure than I had originally expected. It was rush hour, and I had been told that the fastest way back to the hotel was using the Metro. Even though it was Winter and freezing above ground, the Metro packed with the rush hour masses was a steamy 85 degrees. The heat, coupled with the adrenaline rush of trying to get meet the group in time for the tour, coupled with my lack of understanding of the vast underground system of underground walkways, was exhausting. By the time I reached my hotel, I looked as if I had run a marathon.

I made it to the hotel just in time to board the coach for the illuminations tour. Much of what followed was a blur; I told my friends about my experiences with the Metro, about rushing through tunnels in an effort to find the exit for the hotel, and the purpose behind my adventure. By the time we reached the last stop on the tour, the Eiffel Tower, I had finally cooled off and was ready to put my new tripod to work.

The illuminations tour culminated with a trip to the top of the Eiffel. At the top of the Eiffel, the Winter wind blew bitterly cold. The wind was so cold and strong that as it blew, it felt like it went right through you. As my friends shivered and looked for cover from the wind, I looked down and visualized the image I wanted to make. I quickly set up my new tripod, mounted a camera on it, and started making images. At that moment, for me the wind and the cold disappeared, and I suddenly felt very warm with the image in my head and on film. When I was satisfied that I’d captured the image, I invited my friends to look through the camera and explained what I had just created.

And now, I share that image with you.

Posted by slewis at 7:50 AM | Comments (0)

April 9, 2005

Sunset, Port of Miami

Details: ISO: Not recorded | Exposure: 1/125 at f/2.8 | Focal Length: 300mm

Industrial structures at the Port of Miami reflecting the day's last light.

Posted by slewis at 9:33 AM | Comments (0)

April 8, 2005

Winter Jog

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/250 at f/5.6 | Focal Length: 27mm

Out for a jog in the park after a new snowfall.

Posted by slewis at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)

April 7, 2005

Open Spaces

Details: ISO: 100 | Exposure: Not recorded | Focal Length: Not recorded

Part of the desert near the Dead Sea.

Posted by slewis at 6:47 AM | Comments (0)

April 6, 2005

Modern Perspective

Details: ISO: 800 | Exposure: 1/30 at f/3.5 | Focal Length: 28mm
Noise reduced with Noise Ninja.

A view of the Museum of Modern Art in New York after undergoing renovations.

Posted by slewis at 7:53 AM | Comments (0)

April 5, 2005

Solitude

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/250 at f/5.6 | Focal Length: 28mm

Taking in a quiet moment in Central Park on a cold January day.

Posted by slewis at 7:45 AM | Comments (0)

April 4, 2005

Through A Child's Eyes

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 1/250 at f/5.6 | Focal Length: 57mm.

How do you see the world through a child's eyes?

Posted by slewis at 8:19 AM | Comments (0)

April 2, 2005

More Fun With Photoshop (Adjusting Contrast With Overlays)

I recently came across an article that appeared in Shutterbug describing a method for using Photoshop’s layering ability to adjust the contrast of an image. I started playing with this method and found that it could be used to give the photographer a tremendous amount of control over how the final image looks, and alter the final image so that it appears more like what was visualized rather than what was just recorded. Having learned such a useful method, I decided that it needed to be shared.

To demonstrate the method, I’m going to use the following image (appearing as it was recorded by the camera):

This is an image of the River Seine running through Paris at roughly mid-day. As recorded by the camera, the shadows do not reveal enough detail, the trees along the river blend into the buildings (even though they were a different tone), and portions of the clouds (highlights) are blown out (giving the clouds and overly-white look). Even the detail of the bridge across the Seine—particularly the iron work supporting the bridge—appears to be without detail. Even the people on the bridge are difficult to see.

To alter an image using this technique, load the image—probably a JPEG—into Photoshop. Then, using the Layers toolbox, right-click on the layer entitled “Background” (which should be the only layer you have if you loaded a JPEG) and select “Duplicate Layer…” You will be asked for the name of the new layer; you can accept the default “Background copy” as the name is only needed to identify the layer upon which you will make changes.

Having created a new layer, make sure that you’re working on it by highlighting it in the layers toolbox. Next, you will want to desaturate the image (from the Image menu, select “Adjustments” and then “Desaturate”). This will make the image look like a black and white image. Then you will want to invert the image (from the Image menu, select “Adjustments” and then “Invert”). This will make the image look like a black and white negative as follows:

Once the image appears to be a negative, change the layer’s properties in the Layers toolbox. You will see a box with the setting “Normal” by default; drop down the list and select “Overlay.” This should result in a somewhat strange looking image (almost as if the colors aren’t real). In order to reduce the obviousness of the overlay, select the “Filter” menu, and then “Blur” and “Gaussian Blur.” Now comes the interesting part. The Gaussian Blur tool will open, probably with a starting value of 4.0 pixels. You will need to use the slider in the Gaussian Blur tool until the image on screen appears reasonably close to the way you think it should (reasonably close, because this is not the last step; there's another step that will help blend the layers together). As you increase the pixels, you will see the image looking increasingly like it did originally. Once done with the Gaussian Blur tool, select OK to save your changes. To complete the blending, you will probably need to change the layer’s opacity. This can be accomplished by using the Opacity setting in the Layers toolbox. By default, the opacity is 100%; you will probably want to drop this to somewhere between 50% and 80%. As you reduce the opacity, you will see the image returning more to its original look.

Using this method, the original image was transformed into the following:

In the final version, you can now see the shadow detail in the bridge and the buildings along the river. You can also see the separation between the trees and the building. Finally, the clouds now have more detail. More importantly, the final image appears more like the image I visualized than the image simply recorded by the camera.

One final note: When you try a method like this, do not save over your original image. If you make a mistake, you may need to go back to that. Also, if you're saving the image as a JPEG, you shouldn't save the new (adjusted) image until it is done and ready to print/display. Since JPEG is a lossy compression format, repeatedly saving a JPEG will result in some loss of quality. If you're in the middle of adjusting an image and you want to save your work, you should save the file as a Photoshop file (which will also preserve the layers) rather than a JPEG.

Posted by slewis at 8:23 AM | Comments (0)

April 1, 2005

Time To Go...

Details: ISO: 200 | Exposure: 8 sec. at f/14 | Focal Length: 75mm

Posted by slewis at 7:46 AM | Comments (0)

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