Posts in Category: Photography
Moeraki Boulders at Sunrise (Level 7 – Challenge)
Image by Trey Ratcliff
I love the golden colour of the light and the way it seems to bring out the colour of the sand.
I think this is an HDR image. Perhaps Trey used luminosity masks on the sky since the sun seems so hot. I love the grouping of spherical boulders. They remind me of very large turtle eggs. Perhaps Godzilla laid eggs here millennia ago and these are the petrified remains. I like how the tree stump continues the golden theme started by the sun.
Based on the EXIF data, this image was taken at sunrise on the east coast of New Zealand on a wide-angle lens.
Image by Trey Ratcliff. One of the images I used for the Level 7 assignment in the Arcanum.
Apprentice is to find 10 photos from at least three different photographers they admire and share them with the community specifically in the “Level 7 – Challenge” category. Additionally, they should talk about why they find the photos interesting or inspirational.
The End of the Path (Level 7 – Challenge)
Image Copyright Trey Ratcliff
I love this image on a purely emotional level. It reminds me of the places I visited with my family on the weekend when I was growing up in the West Indies. This one reminds me of the many beaches on island of Bequia where I spent much time as a kid. I remember playing on the beach in front of the bank house with my younger brothers.
Ok. I just started tearing up. The memories of good carefree times in the sun are strong. Whoa!
Based on the EXIF date and what Trey wrote on his site, this image was shot in the Virgin Island (Virgin Gorda) around 7PM in the evening around sunset. I think it’s and HDR but I have no way of knowing for sure. Isn’t it great when the sun rises and sets around the same time every day of every year?
I love the way the sun lights the bridge and the beach-plum tree. So golden. So glorious. I can see myself playing on those rocks enjoying the quiet sounds of high tide.
Image by Trey Ratcliff. One of the images I used for the Level 7 assignment in the Arcanum.
Apprentice is to find 10 photos from at least three different photographers they admire and share them with the community specifically in the “Level 7 – Challenge” category. Additionally, they should talk about why they find the photos interesting or inspirational.
Arcanum Level 5 Preparation
I was sick of complaining about the shitty weather. I may hate winter with the core of my very being, but as my wife said to me yesterday, “It is what it is.” To level up in the Arcanum I needed 10 new images.
So I cleared out my driveway and headed off “somewhere”. My plan was to visit every place I normally visit in the spring and summer and see what it looked like in the winter. It sucked. I don’t normally do black and white. I don’t think in black and white. I love colour. Lot’s of it.
I spent two and a half hours walking around my “neighbourhood”. These locations are all near my home. About 10 minutes to drive from one place to the other. Tripod, Nikon D5100 and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens. I had my iPhone streaming Spotify music to my Harmon Kardon Bluetooth headset. Trance music helps my creative process. Check out Armin Van Buren and Paul Oakenfeld.
I captured a total of 40 images of which only 14 were presentable (from my perspective). For the Level 5 assignment, here are the ten I submitted to the Arcanum Cohort to review.
I captured elements of the Kingston Millstone Historic District, Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, and the middle section of Princeton University.
Three image HDR of Kingston (old Kings Town) Mill House on the Old Lincoln Highway Bridge over The Millstone River. The Mill was built in the 1800s. After combining the images in Photomatix I cropped the result and added perspective correction. I then pulled the image into Nik’s Viveza and adjusted the saturation on the red parts of the house.
The Millstone River between Kingston and Rocky Hill along River Road divides the Kingston Mill Historic District in Princeton Township (Mercer County) from the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park and Historic District.Kingston Greenways
With white and grey everywhere why not leverage it? A three images HDR (Photomatix). I pulled the HDR into Nik’s Silver EFX Pro and applied one of the presets for the final result.
I drove from Plainsboro back through Kingston and down to Faculty Road near Princeton University. I had not walked this trail before and I thought perhaps I would find something of interest.??I was disappointed. I’m sure it’s a beautiful trail in the spring, summer and fall. Single image pulled into NIk’s Color EFX Pro.
I drove from Faculty Road and parked on William St. on the northwestern end of the Princeton University campus. Why not get some architectural images? I have lived in the area for fourteen years. Nothing changes. Even the new buildings are built to match the architecture and feel of the old buildings. Unless you see it being built it’s hard to tell what is new and what is old.??This is a three image HDR (Photomatix). I pulled the result into Nik’s Silver EFX pro and adjusted perspective in Adobe Lightroom.
The image HDR, treated in Nik’s Silver EFX Pro, then cropped to focus on the door itself.??Many of the older Princeton University campus buildings have these doors, seemingly place randomly on the perimeter. I have no idea where they lead.
I walked up Streicker Walk to McCosh Walk toward McCosh Hall. Three images HDR, Silver EFX Pro, cropping.??There was a metal post near the doorway just as you enter the arch. I spent some time with Photoshop’s content aware-fill and clone stamp tool to remove the post. I think I did a decent job there.
Three image HDR (Photomatix) pulled into Nik’s Silver EFX Pro. Lot’s of cropping and straightening. This is an image taken from inside the courtyard of East Pyne Hall facing toward the church.
It took me over two hours to complete my “walk” about. I walked back toward Washington Road and stopped for a “quick” photo. I have photographed this door in the summer. The stone is usually covered with ivy.
Three image HDR (Photomatix). I pulled the image into Nik’s Viveza and boosted the saturation, contrast and structure of the door and the lamp.