Old Sacramento

The other day a photo friend, Mike W., and I went to downtown Sacramento looking for pictures. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership is putting out a 2010 calendar and has solicited photographers to submit photos of the downtown area, along with interesting shots of shops, events, and generally anything that would serve to show that the downtown area is vibrant, fun and an all-round good destination. Mike and I thought we would give it a go and see if we could shoot something good enough that was appropriate for their needs.

We chose Second Saturday to go shooting, because when we were done in the late afternoon, we could get some refreshment and walk around and check out the art galleries that are open late once a month. A lot of people show up and bands play out on the sidewalks. A great time is had by all.

This guy already had his guitar in the case and was getting ready to go when I asked him if he would play a little more so I could gets some pictures. He graciously agreed, and we were serenaded with some fine slide playing while I fired away. Here I got against the wall so the historic looking building would be in the background, giving an indication that the location was Old Sacramento.

A motorcycle club had parked along one of the streets and was hanging out with their spotless machines. A close-in shot emphasizes the power and beauty of these bikes. (Squint your eyes and see the big white ‘check mark’ made by the seat and the top of the tank. I often look at scenes this way to get an idea of the large areas of light and dark to help in composition.)

I liked the busyness of this window scene. The reflections of the street behind me and all the items in the display made for a picture of organized chaos. Sort of two pictures for the price of one. The print shows much better all the shapes, colors and minute details than you can see here.

The I St. bridge reflects the late day sun, making its undersides glow.

Looking down a short alleyway I saw this collection of shapes. I used a short telephoto focal length to compress the image a bit and the result is this very geometric composition of shape and color.

I don’t know if anything we shot is likely to be submitted, or accepted for that matter, but we had a lot of fun. We’ll have to make another trip or two to get more images if we want a decent chance of getting anything in the calendar, but we added to our personal files and I came away with an idea or two for a series of photos that I can perhaps put to other purposes. Any day out photographing is a good day.

Lake Natoma photos

Today I’m posting a couple of photographs taken at Lake Natoma, Folsom, CA. This area is walking distance from where I live and is a great source of inspiration. It runs through nearby residential and commercial areas, but is removed enough to give the feeling of a more remote area. With a little effort it’s possible to make photographs that give no indication of how close civilization really is.

Sunset light catches on the edges of river rock. I believe these rocks were the result of work on the river during Folsom’s mining past. Still, they have a rough, natural quality to them and I’m attracted to their graphic shapes.

 

Another view of lichen-covered rocks. Here, I wanted to establish the warm-cool relationship of the light on the foreground and background. I find that contrasting light sources often make more compelling pictures. The rocks in the foreground are lit directly by the setting sun. The group of rocks in the distance are lit by indirect, overhead light which is very cool by comparison. The jagged edges of the rock ‘point’ toward the rocks in the background, leading the viewer into the photograph.

 

I found this branch nicely placed against the blue of the river. A bit of sunlight lights up the branch of  leaves on the left-two kinds of light again. The sun also illuminates a small area of the riverbed and some rocks lying just below the surface-maybe hard to see here. I like the ‘zen’ quality of the image.

A trip to Lake Natoma is always good for recharging the creative batteries.  I can settle in to traditional kinds of images-water, rocks, trees etc.-or I can stretch a bit and get more abstract, pushing my sense of design and composition. A place where you can go quickly, without too much time or effort, and create imagery when creativity is calling is a great resource for any visual artist. Lake Natoma is such a place for me.

Views of Coloma

Coloma, CA. is a picturesque Gold Rush era town about a 30 min. drive from where I live. It’s now a state park and is a great place to wander around. Old buildings have been preserved along with gold mining equipment and a reconstruction of the sawmill near where gold was discovered in 1848. All this sits alongside a beautiful stretch of the American River.

The Post Office has that perfect ‘bygone era’ look-small, but looking ready for business in it’s bright white paint job.

 

The Chinese store sits next to the road (Hwy 49), facing an open space and shaded by nearby trees.

 

Although it’s a park, it’s also a living town with a couple streets of residences, complete with white picket fences.

 

Elsewhere in town, a section of old, neglected fence seems as natural as the oaks it runs beneath.

 

The blacksmith shop is staffed with volunteers who actually make replacement items used in the park. Here, a collection of tools hangs quietly on one wall.

 

The shop must look quite a bit like it did over 100 years ago.

 

Although this was shot in August, the bunting must be left over from 4th of July celebrations. 

Coloma’s a great place to spend a few hours photographing. It’s got historic buildings, a visitor’s center, shops, and a great pioneer feel with lots of photo opportunities. Set along side the river, it’s a great picnic spot as well.

On the Wall

The exhibit at the Chanterelle restaurant went up on Jan. 10. It took about 2 hours to put up the photos and ‘info’ card. The restaurant was empty, so Gino and I had the place to ourselves. It was a little sticky getting around the tables, but it all went well. I wanted the spacing to look right, so a tape measure and a bit of math was all that was necessary to get everything even. Tags with titles and prices went on the wall just under each print, and an 8″x10″ flyer giving a little info about the photos was mounted on foam core and affixed to a pillar at the entrance to the dining area.

 

It did take some thought to figure out which pictures would go together. Some looked good next to each other, and others worked to transition to the next, creating that all important ‘flow’. They were framed without glass, so they were easy to handle and hold while hanging. I’m glad I framed everything in the square 24″ format. Verticals and horizontals look good together, which helped me with the overall presentation. I think the format also makes for a cohesive appearance and allows me to place otherwise disparate photographs next to one another.

 

I’m pleased with how things look, and look forward to comments and maybe even a sale during the 2 month show. The space is intimate and diners can really get a good, close look at the work. Management is happy with our efforts and I thank them for their generosity and enthusiasm.

 

Print Presentation

Every photographer/artist has their own way of presenting their work to the public. Some methods are considered conventional and are widely accepted as being the proper way to go about it. More cutting edge, or exploratory art is often presented in ways that are as offbeat or unorthodox as the art itself. Most photographic presentations fall into the former category. I’m no exception. I prefer to mount and frame my work in the traditional fashion, but I attempt to ‘freshen it up’ a bit with my choice of frame and matte proportion.

So here’s a concise explanation of what I’ve been doing lately when I frame a photograph for display. This and about nine other prints from the Oaxaca series will be on the walls at a restaurant this coming Jan. 10 in Sacramento. More on that at the end of the post.

 

I’ve started with a print on 16″x20″ size paper. The image size is 12″x18″. The paper is from Red River and is a bright white matte surface and at about 255 /gsm, is a little heavier than most giving it a nice fine art paper feel.

 

I’ve signed the reverse side of the print and also written the title and year in pencil. There are numerous ways to notate the print. Some photographers will have a stamp made (using archival ink) with places to write-in the details: name, date, type of print, edition etc. I’m keeping it simple. I’ll note also that signing the print itself ensures that the owner of the print can later re-mat or re-frame the print without losing this information. This can be lost if, as is often done, only the mat is signed.

 

Next, I use linen tape to hinge my mat to the foam core backing. I’ve had both of these  pre-cut at the frame shop to my specs. This step makes it easy to slide the print in under the mat and align it correctly in the window. For this project I’m going to frame the rectangular print into a 24″x24″ frame. It’s different enough to be eye-catching, but still retains the comfortable feel of a traditional photographic presentation. 

 

Here’s the assembled mat and foam core backing:

 

The print is positioned in the window:

 

I either tape the top of the print with archival linen tape or use clear photo corners and slip the corners of the print into them. With the tape, the print hangs nicely and will not buckle, providing it’s flat to begin with. If the print is later removed the tape has to come off. Quality tape will allow removal without tearing the print. Using photo corners means that the print can just be slipped out later-nothing ever attaches it to the backing board. Just be careful not to buckle the print when sliding the corners onto the print.

I’ve been using metal Nielsen frames and like them a lot. Here’s the print in the frame. I’ve opted to go without glass. I’ve signed the front mat in pencil.

 

And the finished piece ready to hang on the wall:

 

This print and a few more with be on display for two months in the Chanterelle restaurant at the Sterling Hotel in Sacramento. I was graciously invited by a photographer friend, Gino Creglia, to take part with him in Sacramento’s Second Saturday art festivities, which happens on the second Saturday of every month at galleries and other venues throughout the area. Thanks to Gino and the Sterling Hotel!

More of Egypt

I was thinking back to the great time I had in Egypt in February of 2005 and decided to pull a few images from that archive. No theme here, just a couple random shots that I like showing some of the visual delights that photographers visiting there can expect. 

 

Two world-class temple complexes sit within a short taxi ride from each other in Luxor-a great place, by the way, to base yourself in Egypt. The temples of Thebes and Luxor offer many shooting opportunities that get better as the light changes during the day.

 

At a rise in the desert called the Panorama you get a good look at the pyramids as group and can pay for a camel ride to them and back. I went to the edge of the elevation and caught a quick shot of a group returning. 

 

I can’t get enough of walking around the streets and finding colorful compositions. This is in Luxor, not far from my hotel.

 

The Valley of the Kings is a quick boat ride across the river to the west bank. Our guide got us the inside info on what tombs were the best to visit for the money. If I remember correctly, we got to visit 3 separate tombs for a flat fee. More tombs-more money. Since we didn’t know one from the other our guide’s recommendation was appreciated.

 

I came to what looked like a banquet being set up. Workers were raising huge banners to surround the area. The bright colors and patterns caught my attention, and I placed the worker, perched at the top of a ladder, in the corner of my shot.

 

Our guide Hamam. His ‘office’ was the seafront esplanade, where countless touts make deals for tours, boat rides, souvenirs and anything else that can be bought and sold. Here he’s enjoying a ’sheesha’ at a west bank cafe. 

Apple Hill

A recent afternoon outing with a fellow photographer resulted in about 100 images. We went up Hwy 50 to the vineyard and orchard land known as Apple Hill. Lots of apple orchards, pumpkin patches and a few wineries set in rolling, quiet landscapes.

We stopped at one winery early on, but the light wasn’t right and the grapes had, for the most part, been harvested. Still, the vineyard looked beautiful-even more so when we returned for our last stop of the day.

 

We pulled to the side at a wooded turn in the road. A tiny creek ran under the two-lane road through a culvert. Where it exited it dropped down a small step and continued its way into the forest. What looks to be a scene found after a long hike in the wilderness is actually just under the roadway, with cars passing overhead.

 

Along the same road the sun backlit the leaves of some trees. I underexposed a little to bring more color to the leaves. The trunks have a gentle right to left rhythm, while the background changes color as the eye moves across the scene.

 

Today’s final shot is near the small waterfall in the second photo. When I turned around after taking that image I saw the creek meandering into the woods. An open patch of sky reflected in the water, so I composed to include it. A long exposure was needed because of the dim light, but that also had the benefit of smoothing out the creek water, adding to the calm feeling of the scene.

Website is live!

Please visit the first edition of BuckleyPhotographs.com. It’s been a little difficult trying to categorize my images. Do all photos from each country go together? Should they be grouped by subject? For now I’ve settled on the galleries as you see them, reserving the right to change them at will. This is the first, or ’splash’ page. Some say you shouldn’t have an opening page-just get right to the images. But for now I’ll use this as my entrance. I’m trying to set a ‘tone’ here-fresh, artful and interesting enough to want to see more. 

When you click on the image on the first page you’ll be taken to the galleries. From there it’s go where you will. Have fun looking around and don’t hesitate to contact me with comments or questions, either here or by email from the site. Thanks in advance for looking. (The link is on the sidebar as well)

More of Greece

Today I’m pulling a couple more images from Greece out of the archives. I’ve tried to show a variety of shots, but I think the the type of picture I make is evident, even in this group. I hope you enjoy them.

Looking down on a tiny courtyard in Parakia, Paros.

 

Inside one of the monasteries of the Meteora.

 

White and blue in the village of Oia, Santorini.

 

Inside the Palace of the Knights of St. John in Old Town, Rhodes.

 

Pink church in Oia, Santorini.

Anatomy of a Photo

 

Today’s post is a little behind the scenes look at my thought process. Most of the time it is done subconsciously. I move the camera or myself around, perhaps zooming in or out, until things start to ‘click’. Sometimes I’m taking shots during this process, but often I work just by looking through the viewfinder and only begin to photograph when I’ve zeroed in on the composition.

In this example, I did take several photos as I was working on the scene. Although certain elements had my attention, I didn’t quite know what to do with them. So I photographed as I went along, looking at the results in the LCD. Here’s what I was thinking about:

 

Some flowers in a holder look beautiful as I stand in front of this small alcove just outside a cathedral in Oaxaca, Mexico. There are some textures and colors that look good together, but I’m not sure how much of what I’m seeing is really photo-worthy. I take the first picture.

 

Soon enough, I think that the focus should be on the flowers. I’m a big proponent of the ‘fill the frame’ philosophy, so that’s what I do and take the second shot.

 

I realize, though, that I’m missing out on some of the other elements that lend interest. I decide that the flowers can remain the ’star’ of the shot, but more of the scene can be shown. The other things in the scene will support the main subject, not detract from it. I switch to a vertical orientation and take a third shot.

 

Better. Now I’ve got the flowers standing out. They’re bright and the green really pops against the more subtle colors of the wood and wall. I also like the scroll shapes of the metal stand and how that complements the curves of the petals and leaves. Things are reasonably well balanced. I’ve given the frame of the glass cabinet some ‘breathing room’ on the right edge of the picture and put the bouquet in a nice ‘rule of thirds’ position. I’m pretty satisfied with the result. I don’t like the leaf extending out of the frame, but if I try to include it, the rest of the composition suffers. 

I keep what I have, but I return to the church on another day to find the lilies have been changed. Now the leaves lean inward toward the center of the frame. I recompose for a horizontal shot. This now my favorite.

A little color correction and sharpening and it’s done. As I said, this process usually goes on a lot more intuitively and without the deliberate step-by-step fashion I’ve described here. But when I stop to break it down, this is a very accurate portrayal of the decisions I’m making moment to moment.

Fortunately, as we get better as photographers, a lot of the esthetic and compositional choices we’re making all the time get shifted to ‘auto’ and we don’t have to slow to a crawl getting the elements in a scene to make sense. This comes with time and a lot of shooting, though. And it’s important to remember to not let the process run away from you either. Be deliberate about your choices and know why you’re doing what you’re doing and in time the camera really does become an extension of your eye and brain.