Rose Tint My World

Oh, dear.  I got so busy writing up a humorous how-to grammar guide for work that I forgot I needed to post today.  Whoops.

So, let's rectify this problem!  Look, I'm posting; what a good girl am I.

Building on the past few themes we've had here at Silver Lotus Photography, I thought this week would be a good one to discuss/showcase some of my "tinted" photographs--or, rather, photos I have digitally manipulated by using a color filter, or making my own.  It's quite fun, and it can add some high-klass (with a "k") effects to your photos.

Harbor - Oslo, Norway (Apr. 2010)

This is what I mean by tinting: the entire photo has an orangey overtone, which adds a certain dimension to the composition's tone.  It appears to be very en vogue among our young hipster photographers (at least in Huntsville) to slap on an orange filter for a "vintage" feel, and I usually think that such a method cheapens the process.  But!  I like it.  And though I was being only slightly sarcastic regarding the hipster reference, I do believe that the use of a warming filter in certain photographs can lend to a more impressive end product--not just for practical purposes, such as color correction, but also for artistic purposes.  For me, the tinting of this photo actually brings back more memories than its original, but I suppose that's because it was a very pleasant time in my life: visiting an old university friend in her place of residence at the time, Oslo, Norway.  To be cheesy, the "warming" tint brings back "warm" memories.

Oh, God.  I'm a hipster photographer.

Heather - Green Mountain, Huntsville, AL (Jul. 2009)

Pictured right is another example of a warm tint over a photograph, but this time it's more of a yellowish hue.  I like how the yellow compliments and enhances the model's skin tones and also somewhat softens the harsher greens of the plants in the background.  However, the tint also provides a painterly aspect to the viewer, or at least a softer view of the picture overall. 

Additionally, the yellow hue heightens the greens, yellows, and oranges of the model and the background while providing that softness.  Neat, no?

No?  Aw.

Sloss Furnace, Birmingham, AL (Sept. 2010)

On the other hand, a cooler-hued tint can produce the opposite effect on a photo.  At left, we see that the blue overtones produce a cold persona, both in the photo and with the model.  Along with enhancing the blue shirt and eyes, the color filter brings a sort of overcast air to the photo, lending a feeling of melancholy and perhaps even loneliness.  (Perhaps a representation of how isolated we feel in this crumbling--OUCH, I was JOKING.)  While the photo would have looked fine on its own, the model's facial expression, along with his stance, gives itself well to a more isolated and colder tint than the sunny day had.


Well, that's it for me!  I'll see you Wednesday with some more awesomeness.

It Don't Matter if You're Black [and] White

Augh, my brain.  Things have been a bit hectic 'round here, but this blog is a nice, relaxing outlet for my snark and photo skillz.  Just...don't expect too much snark in this post, mainly because I haz teh dumbs.  I don't really know why I preface the actual post with how drained/stressed I am--as if I really need to apologize for it--but, since I usually ache for approval, that's just how it's going to be.  (Ohgod, ohgod, ohgod, you think I'm a flake; PLEASE LIKE ME.)

Although we discussed the relationship between color and light, this week's posts center more on the opposite: the effects of lighting without the backing of color.  Black and white photography is, of course, a classic theme, but there are many reasons for this:  1.) well-established lighting can be more dramatic without color; 2.) certain moments can become more powerful through the use of black and white; 3.) it's really fun, etc.  Black and white photography, of course, can be particularly tricky; to use black and white photography effectively, the blacks must be the richest blacks and the whites the most pristine whites, all the while running the risks of over- or under-exposure.

Black and white photography is treacherous.  Tread softly, else it eat you alive.  Just imagine your tiny, useless legs flailing about while your top half is engulfed by the B&W Monster's mult-fanged gaping maw.

Of course, if you stroke it just right, the B&W Monster will be your friend.

Teazer in Action - Athens, AL (Dec. 2010)

Take, for instance, this photo.  I did the B&W Monster some (entirely legal) favors, and he came through for me.  My cat, Teazer, is a neurotic Jabba the Hutt of a cat--but she's a sweetie and kind of redeems herself by being a decent feline model.  I managed to get this shot of her while she was shaking her head, but the shot turned out well enough that the action actually suited the frame's composition.  Shot originally in black and white, the lack of saturation seems to emphasize the shake of her head, and the shadow beneath Teazer's chin provides the appropriate dark balance for the cat's white chest and whiskers.  The blacks of her eyes also displays the eyes' slant, caused by the abrupt motion of the cat's head.  Thus, the balance between the darks and lights, along with the lack of color, places emphasis on Teazer's movement and makes it the focus of the photo.

Self Portrait (Feb. 2011)

I'm a bit hesitant about this next photo, as it is a self portrait.  I'm not particularly concerned that you, our lovely reader(s), know(s) what I look like, but I do, in the age of social networking shots-from-above-duck-face profile pictures, sometimes question the validity of a self portrait used for an artistic study.  (I will make an argument in support for well done self portraits in a future post, but I do want to make clear that I do view it as a sensitive issue.)  However, this particular photo harkens back to my statement about lighting and black and white photography: notice the rich, black background, whose shadows engulf the model's hair and surrounds the face, while the face itself reflects the available light--providing a counterbalance to the powerful black.  The eyebrows, pupils, and shirt at the bottom corner of the picture also compliment the otherwise-white face.  The face's angle provides further interest to the photo, which the lighting captures well.  The fact that the face seems almost disconnected from the neck because of the intense shadows further adds a dramatic addition to the photo.  Had this picture been left in its original state as a colored photo, the shadows would not have been nearly as intense, the lighting wouldn't have been as effective, and the composition itself had the potential to fall flat.  So, good job, black and white--you done good with that thar desaturatin', y'all.

Dogwood Blossom - Athens, AL (Mar. 2011)

In direct contrast to the self portrait, this photo of a solitary dogwood blossom (everything is in full bloom here--ACHOO) focuses more on the blossom's highlights, particularly the whites of the flower itself.  Though the branches provide the shadows necessary for a successful black and white photograph, it's really white's show, here.  Taking advantage of natural midday light, the blossom reflects the light, though the photograph's angle prevents the subject from becoming over-exposed, a common problem when practicing in black and white (I admit, I do have this problem at times).  The highlights emphasize the singleness of the dogwood blossom, along with the neutral grey background that further makes the highlights pop.  The bottom-most branch also presents a nice, vertical line that cuts through the greys and balances out the highlights by catching the viewer's eye.  Ultimately, this shot further displays how light--in this case, highlights--makes the photo more appealing and the blossom more striking, which is a main factor of a black and white photograph's success.

I'm currently thinking that I will make black and white photography another future mini-study, like my texture study.  That would be fun, and it will also be beneficial when considering contrast, lighting, and how to deal with certain scenarios without the safety net of color.

Links and Such for a Showery Wednesday

Jen: Related to Monday's post, here are a few links that are making me happy this week concerning color and light.  First on the list is the clip to the actual song "Color and Light," from the live recording of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, performed by Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. 

On an only slightly related note, check out NPR's The Picture Show blog.  Besides featuring consistently excellent articles that feature impressive photographs, it also presents a few posts dealing with, you guessed it, color and light.  This one deals more with color, but it sort of reminds me of ye olde Impressionist paintings.  (Well, not all, not really--well, I guess I'm only talking about picture four.)  (Okay, the art enthusiast in me has to admit that most of them resemble more of early twentieth-century styles.)  (All right, I don't know what I'm talking about.)  If you like color and liquor, you'll enjoy this article.

Also, take a look at this article for a couple of extraordinary snow photos.  The top and bottom pictures display what I attempted to convey with Monday's post (the middle one is purdy, too).  If you like what you see there, I suggest also taking a look at these photographers' Flickr sites, which the blog provides in the captions.

That's it on my end!  Have a good evening.

Haley: So, here I am, rather late having had to sit out a tornado siren and collect cats.  I must say that I'm a bit at a loss as to what to write today, even with Jen having done the hard work of starting the post and choosing a topic.  Le sigh.

Okay, let's see... color and light... (*cracks knuckles and wiggles fingers*).  I suppose I'll begin with something I find fairly interesting.  In her post on Monday, Jen discussed the product of the combined efforts of color and light and how the two naturally go together.  So, here is a (somewhat simplified) scientific explanation of how color and light are indeed naturally linked.  Pretty spiffy.

But anyway, on to the really fun stuff - books! *pushes glasses up nose*  These two books are both on my wish list, having thumbed through them both.  The first is Practical Artistry: Light & Exposure for Digital Photographers.  This book has a fairly extensive section on using lighting and various techniques and, more importantly, some truly awesome photographs. Next, we have Digital Lighting & Rendering. I've selected this book because it contains extensive chapters on light and also has a really good chapter each on color and shadows.

Aaaaaannnnnnd... yeah.  That's about it for our Wednesday post.  Enjoy, and join me on Friday for my post on color and light in portraiture and nature photography, using available lighting sources.

Color and Light

Well, it looks like the blog has gotten off to a pretty decent start, for two people who don't really know what they're doing.  (Just kidding.  We do.  I think.)  Once Haley and I iron out what's working, what needs improvement, and what absolutely rocks, we'll start publicizing SLP more on das Internets and locally in Huntsville.  I may (cough) even get a logo up and running (cough).  Regardless, we'll let you, our faithful reader(s), know of any publicity stunts we do, be they on Facebook, Twitter, or some combination of Twitbook.

Anyway, this week's posts center on color, light, and, moreover, how light affects the colors of certain photographs.  My post deals more with the role of light and color in unposed portraiture, while Haley's writeup will center more on her areas of expertise.

So, let's begin with a musical.

Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, 1984, is what comes to mind when contemplating the role of color and light in certain photographs.  In his song, "Color and Light" (Hey!  What a coincidence!), the artist George Seurat sings:

Color and light.
There's only color and light.
Yellow and white.
Just blue and yellow and white.
Look at the air, miss-
See whet I mean?
No, look over there, miss-
That's done with green...
Conjoined with orange...


Throughout the musical, Sondheim's Seurat obsesses over the role of color and light, along with how these two elements make art a living, breathing creation.  Seurat surrounds himself with the idea of color and light,  with the notion that light greatly influences the power of color and vice versa.  These beliefs are reflected in his major work, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–1886), which relies on the eye's understanding of the combined efforts of these two elements.

Crystal - Sloss Furnace, Birmingham, AL (Sept. 2010)

Though there is much, much more to the musical than that little blurb, my brain farted and thus got rid of the college constipation of literary analysis (I love LA, so I'm not really bashing it).  However, let's take what I did summarize and apply it to some of my (*beams*) images.  Simply put, light does influence the color, along with many other aspects, of a photo.  Take, for instance, this shot at Sloss Furnace, Birmingham, AL.  This particular lighting at once washes out and emphasizes the pinks and yellows that dominate the composition, creating a soft, delicate atmosphere. Because of the soft--and, as you see, stark--lighting, the model's dress, skin, and corset share a common pink, which is also visible in the concrete.  Additionally, the glow the lighting produces also affects the model's golden hair, giving her an almost ethereal persona.  Because of her pose (I basically let her go free reign on the posing, and she was unaware I was taking this shot at all) and how the midday light centered on her and scattered over the ground, I was able to get a striking photo.  Had the model been in the shadow, the shot may have been okay, but it would have lacked the life the color and light bring.

Looking at the Geese - Green Mountain, Huntsville, AL (Jul. 2009)

The following photos also demonstrate the roles of light and color, and how effectively these two work together to create striking photographs in unstaged portraiture.  In my personal experience as an amateur photographer, I've enjoyed utilizing color and light throughout the years; sometimes, through a fluke shot of awesomeness, and other times through planned perfection (hee, alliteration always absolutely amuses me).  I'm horribly laid back as far as photographers are concerned, but it's worked for me thus far, and it will continue to work.  This shot of Heather and Declan at Green Mountain was indeed a fluke shot.  As I recall, Heather was explaining turtles to her son, and suddenly a legion of geese were gliding on the water below.  I quickly snapped the shot, giggled at my evil glee, and then realized that the lighting did a wonderful job at emphasizing the bright yellows and greens of their apparel and the natural background.  Fluke?  Yes.  But the ability to take advantage of that fluke it also very important to understanding the relationship between color and light, as being able to notice the intricacies between the two lends to more opportunities.

Wandering in Gruenewald, Berlin, Germany (May 2008)

This next one is the first in a series of People Walking Away from the Camera, but it is also yet another example of how light and color play nicely with one another.  (It's a little-known fact that those two were established enemies in preschool.)  It's also an example of planned lighting--not that I have any control whatsoever of the weather (though wouldn't that beat all?), but I recognized the lighting when I saw it and thus acted accordingly.  The light "freckles" its way from the model's feet to the almost blinding flood of light in the foreground, which the path's pattern emphasizes.  The almost overwhelming greens practically encase the model, but he remains visible because of his place in the shadows (unlike our first example).  The light's glow emphasizes the greens, and the greens emphasize the foreground's pool of light.  Much like Sondheim's Seurat, the photo seems to live and breath color and light, and their harmony makes all three photos visually interesting.  Like skittles.

There really is a lot more to be said on this theme, along with more color and light studies to be done.  Besides, I've been horribly lax on the snark factor in this post, which needs to be rectified.  Regardless, I expect to post much more on varying topics concerning this theme, such as shadow play, (effective) overexposure, etc., etc.  I look forward to it.  You should, too.

Monday Mayhem: Tantalizing Textures

Never let me use alliterative titles again.  Ever.

So, let's lay out the current plan for SLP's post schedule: we will/should post every Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  I, Jen, will post Mondays, and Haley will post Fridays.  Wednesdays are kind of up in the air at the moment, but the intent is to provide a collaborative post based on a specific photography topic.  Excited?  Of course you are.  Or just pretend you are.

That means you, the viewer, will be able to bask in the splendor of...oh, whatever, I'm tired and need to post.

This Monday's post deals with a study that I'm currently doing: textures.  I'm not really sure why I started doing texture studies, but I did, and the great thing is I get to write a blog post about it.  What had been a silly little pastime in between exciting naps and even more exciting Internet surfing over a lazy Sunday has now developed into a interesting way to develop my attention to detail, along with composition, lines, and how to make seemingly "uninteresting" objects (if such things do exist), such as a cat toy, into something visually curious.

Texture Study: Feather (Feb. 2011)

  The first current study I did concerned the aforementioned cat toy, a feathery little thing that my cat has never played with (aside: if you've seen my Jabba the Hutt of a cat, you'd glean she'd never actually exerted any energy other than meowing at the food bowl).  I had only been puttering around with the camera--named Ernst, by the way--, but I became increasingly more focused on the subject's own detail as I continued to fiddle around with Ernst's settings.  Upon snapping this extreme close-up, I noticed that, aside from the toy's vibrant colors, the texture itself was an intriguing subject, with its lines lending to the feathers' softness.  This brings me to the main point of this post, actually, as many good texture photographs should visually portray the feel of the object while retaining a good composition.  In this photo, the feathers look soft while also remaining aesthetically interesting through use of their fluid lines and the balance of sharpness and blurriness.  Although color is a large focus of a picture like this, the texture of the object causes the toy to stand out.

Texture Study: Purse (Feb. 2011)

Of course, some texture studies are constructed in such a way that it's sometimes difficult to tell exactly the object's identity, which can lend more...interestingness (oh, shut up; I can make up words if I want to because I edit military documents*) to the overall photo.  As seen with this purse study, we know that the texture has something to do with fabric because of the object's visual feel--but the fact that this is a purse doesn't really mean much.  The different directions of the lines within the fabric's squares lends a harsher feel than, say, the cat toy's soft feathers, while also giving the eye a maze of geometric shapes with which to contend.  The overall curvature of the bag also lends interest to the photo's composition, giving the object's visual texture a rough, yet still soft, feel.

Besides, I just like it.

*I don't know why editing military documents gives me permission to invent words, but it does, and I feel very empowered by this.

Texture Study: Blanket (March 2011)

Generally, texture adds an extra dimension to a photo and can contribute substantially to a photo's success.  For instance, if the detail on my grandmother's crocheted blanket, pictured left, had not been as sharp, the overall composition wouldn't really be all that interesting.  However, being able to see the individual stitches in the foremost square allows the blanket to pop out of the photo and looks cozy enough to touch (please don't; apart from "grawr-it's-my-blanket," you'll only muss up your computer screen).  Although it isn't the most captivating photo, it seems to establish a sense of comfort and warmth to the viewer, like most blankets have a habit of doing.  Perhaps that's my own sentiment (although it's kind of a scratchy blanket), but the point is that I can feel the blanket's texture just by looking at the photo.  And that's kind of cool, I suppose.

Using texture to your advantage, be it in portraiture, nature, etc., can transform an otherwise pleasant photograph into something that stands out from the rest, and I've discovered that conducting texture studies causes me to more critically examine texture in more and more photo opportunities.  It's fun.  It's a learning experience.  And it may just save the world.

Another Introduction

Well, hello and welcome.

Following Haley's lead, I suppose now would be a good time to introduce myself: I'm Jen, the second half of SLP, and it's very nice to meet you (and all that rot; get off my lawn; wait, who are you again?).  Like Haley, I have been into photography for several years, and, though it remains an amateur hobby of mine, I always try to learn new things when behind the camera and develop whatever skills I have while genuinely enjoying the hobby.  It will never pay the bills, but that's what soul-sucking corporate jobs are for.  I'll take quality photos when if I go postal.

Since Haley did a lovely job with her introductory post, I'll attempt to mimic her structure--starting with a couple of my favorite photos in two of my areas of focus.  To provide a bit of background, I tend to focus on certain types of photography, though these fluctuate over time.  For example, most of my portfolio consist of travel photography taken while I lived in Europe.  I also have a knack for finding seemingly uninteresting items and giving them their very own artistic (er, hipster) photograph, focusing on intricate detail to make the picture pop.  Other areas include: un-staged portraiture, nature, texture, and under-saturated-look-I'm-so-artistic-and-SAD photography.  I also like to manipulate my photos in, you guessed it, Photoshop.

Forced sarcasm set aside, I present you with two of my favorite photos (there are many others, and, dammit, it's hard to narrow them down).  They are not the best photos I've taken, but there is something about them that draws me to them again and again, either examining what makes them good pictures or critiquing their negative traits.

The Downs - Hassocks, England (March 2010)

This particular photo, taken at The Downs in Hassocks, England, displays many types of photography: travel, un-staged portraiture, black and white, etc.  It was taken on my last day in Hassocks that March when I had visited my relatives for the first time, so the picture also has a sentimental value for me.  However, what makes this photo interesting (to me) is its stark contrast between the women's coats and the cloud-ridden sky; the lines of the rightmost woman's outreaching arm, the fences, and the sloping hills; and the natural poses of the women, huddled together against the chill wind of a bleak, early spring day.  For me, it is an accurate portrayal of one of my favorite places in the world: the tranquil Downs of cozy Hassocks.

The photo is not without its faults, of course.  The overcast day makes it difficult to find a happy medium between over- and under-exposure, and the composition of the piece may not hold everyone's attention.  But, I do believe it's a good example of seizing the moment and making snap (hee, pun intended) judgments based on the opportunity (in this case, shooting a photo of two unaware strangers) at hand.  Haley explained the process very well in the previous post, so please refer to that entry for a better description.

Frozen Buds - Athens, AL (January 2011)

Though this is a very recent photo, I count it among my favorites because 1.) it's a good photo, 2.) I took it with my shiny Canon Rebel T2 DSLR, and 3.) OH MY GOD, IT ACTUALLY SNOWED REAL, MANLY SNOW IN ALABAMA.  I am fond of the absolute clarity of this photo, from the individual crystals of snow to the buds' razor-sharp edges.  The photo's composition was more or less carefully planned out beforehand and through trial and error, and I think it paid off.  The foremost buds are, of course, the most in-focus, but the mid-range and, finally, the blurred branch in the background provide an interesting line throughout the photo.  Though it was an overcast day (I promise I have bright and colorful photos, as you will see in future blog posts), this fact actually was in my favor in this situation, as the grey background contrasts nicely with the brown, dead buds and the crisp, white snow.  It reminds me of exactly how winter is supposed to feel: silent, lonely, and beautiful.

I will say, though, that nature photography is not my strongest suite.  Haley's Redbuds photo is one of the finest examples of nature photography between our two portfolios, and my repertoire in that area does not compare to hers.  However, it is on my list of Things to Improve, and I look forward to further developing my nature shots.

Phew.  There we have it; two of my favorite photos as an introduction to my work.  It's interesting to be blogging again, and I look forward to many more updates and tutorials.  So, welcome to the SLP blog.

...Maybe one day I'll create us a real-life logo and banner.  H-heh.