Saturdays Online: Clyde Butcher Comments on "Life in the Digital Fast Lane"

Ah, some of us can relate.  I am about to go on a field trip to photograph Colorado Ghost Towns.  And I can already see that the Itinerary and Time Lines are much to fast to really do much.  So we are planning an additional day to revisit places that need time to be "seen" completely.

Clyde Butcher, one of my photo influences, commented on a recent trip to Antelope Canyon.  A place, as he says "YOU could spend a lifetime photographing".

A Redux of our trip to Antelope Canyon

Take as much time as you need to compose the photo image AKA take time to smell the roses.  Two good images are worth more than 100 quick shots with your digital camera (And remember you still have to sort through those 100 shots to find the really good ones).  Digital doesn't demand quick shooting unless you are a photo journalist.  But people seem to think it does.

Going Out of Focus Part II

 With a lot more color and contrast.

Going Out of Focus with Eli Vega

We try so hard to achieve that perfect focus.  But Recently I saw a presentation by Eli Vega, Colorado Photo Artist, that emphasized looking at the abstract.

So I thought I would try some of his, multiple exposure and going out of focus techniques.  Obviously I need more practice to get the desired result.  But What do you think of Going Out of Focus?

Eli's Technique:

• Set your camera for multiple exposures (Mamiya 645 allows this)
• First take a sharp in focus image
• Second, go out of focus and take one or more additional images

 After looking at his website, I think that bright colors with lots of contrast with the background creates the best effect.  Of Course I looked at his website, after my attempts did not turn out as I wanted.

So, we'll try this one again, with brighter colors and more Contrast......

Denver in the Dark.......Up on the Roof

Here we end our Denver in the Dark Presentation.  We'll take a break and restart on Sunday........

Denver in the Dark.....Final "Harvest"

Our last Cropped Image Comparison......

Here we go very vertical.  Which version draws you in more?

Denver in the Dark.....Cropped Again

Some people crop in the camera.  I obvious do most of my cropping after the fact.    One way you capture it all and sort it out later; the other way you are more selective at the start, but you could also miss some interesting detail that you didn't see initially.

Often there are legitimate reasons for printing it either way...........

Denver in the Dark.......Another Case for the Crop

Removes the distraction of a partial doorway.....

Two more Crops before we wrap things up.

Denver in the Dark........Elevated

Denver in the Dark......At The Club

Denver in the Dark.........

Another anonymous alley.................

Denver in the Dark...........A Case for Cropping

A Case For Cropping......

The cropped image is much more interesting.......

Denver in the Dark.........Ghosts on Sherman Street

One fun aspect of long exposures is capturing ghost images of cars or people that are moving through your image:

Denver in the Dark..........The Brown Palace

For Wednesday a double-header...............At the Famous Brown Palace

Denver in the Dark........

From an anonymous alley........

Denver in the Dark........

More from the Denver Financial District:

Denver in the Dark Workshop.......On My Soap Box!

For the rest of this week posting 'Denver in the Dark' workshop photos.  We actually experienced quite a bit of security guard harassment.  Now really, if I were a terrorist would I come out at night, with a gang of people,  set up a tripod, and take my time composing the images?

Certainly Not! I'd get one of those new (almost more camera than smart phone) gadgets and take all the photos I wanted during regular daylight hours.  Besides which it is not illegal to stand on the sidewalk and take photos.  So take that idiots at an un-named bank in downtown Denver.  Because by the time you came out I was already done (and so was the rest of the class).

And never mind that you are already in Google Street View......It's the tallest building in Denver, prominent in any skyline view you may have seen, like these.

More from the Rollei

This was the first roll of film through the Rollei after my father in law gave it to us. The previous photo also from the same roll of C-41 B&W.  These turned out pretty well considering that I was guessing at exposures:

From the Arizona Cactus Garden at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.

(Donald used to work there)

Is this Photography?

I pose the question is a scanned image a photographic process?  My photo influence, Don Anderson, would say YES!

 What's your opinion?

Playing with Digital Negatives

 As I contemplate a return to Alternative Processes, especially to continue with the Family Project,

I'm working with digital negatives to use for contact printing cyanotypes and van dykes.

In a week or so I hope to show you some new alternative prints.

to see just how far you can go with this, visit Don Anderson's website.

Lake Waneka Fog

Our Blogger Friend Marius at Light Written Words, has many wonderful fog photos from Romania.

They obviously get better Fog than Colorado, but we work with what we find.

Our last Winter Photo for a While.  Lets warm up with some Spring and Summer scenes along the Front Range.