Monday 31 August 2015

365:77

Day 77 - Photograph Light and shade

Well, today we have seen no sun. It is hiding behind deep cloud cover caused by a nasty cyclone that is coming our way.

We have had heavy rain, and I may get some images of the flooding tomorrow - if visibility clears enough.

So, the challenge today was to create an image that shows light and shade. I felt a bit stuck - then suddenly inspiration struck. It may not be the most inspiring image, but I think it shows the difference between light and shade.

So today I give you - Light and Shade:

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Sunday 30 August 2015

365:76

Day 76 - Photograph Texture

Texture. Wool, wood, grass, stone, concrete, rust, skin (maybe not!), textiles - texture is everywhere we look.

It becomes increasingly difficult to photograph the same idea, and stay original, at least I find it so. I imagine in another 150 days it will just be even more difficult.

So here goes - today I give you "Texture"

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Friday 28 August 2015

365:75

Day 75 - Photograph a subject with dominant negative space

Overcast again today - there is another big low on its way.

So I looked up to the sky for inspiration, no birds, planes or helicopters came into view while I had my camera at the ready.

I tried the wide angle - not enough negative space.

The wall of the house - hmmm - a light fixture on the wall?

Ahh - macro with creamy bokeh?

I give you - a subject with dominant negative space:




Until tomorrow
MerranG


Thursday 27 August 2015

365:74

Day 74 - Photograph Light and Shadow

What an awesome sunny day it has been here today. Perfect to photographing light and shadow.

All my life I have had a bit of a love affair with trees.

I remember the first thing I ever painted at Kindy was a tree. In fact, I think it might have been the only thing I painted unless someone told me to paint something else.

Trees fascinate me. I can watch the play of sunlight on the leaves for hours. I love to watch them change through the seasons - looking like dead creatures through the winter, then as spring starts to come around again, they get beautiful light green fuzzy halos. These halos very quickly turn into expansive coverage heralding summer. Then, as autumn comes around again, the leaves change colour, in some instances turning into firey halos, before they drop and cover the ground in their glory.

Trees, yes, I would say I have an affinity with trees. Their cycles are slower than ours. Their respiration rate so slow we really take little notice of it. Yet they are majestic living beings.

So today I give you - Light and shadow:

Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:73

Day 73 - Photograph a chair, stool or bench

Ok, so do I photograph a dining room chair? Or a barstool? Maybe go visit a church for a pew? Do I interpret it and take a picture of a bench seat in an old car - if I can find one.

Well, today, I drove again for the first time in 5 days. Just a short drive to see if I can drive without pain. All good. Uncomfortable, but not painful.

We went somewhere to walk the dog, somewhere I knew there was an interesting chair.

So I give you today - The chair:

Until later
MerranG

Wednesday 26 August 2015

365:72

Day 72 - Photograph Vertical lines

Vertical lines again. So I think to myself, what should I photograph today?

The doors? The telegraph poles? A fence? A wall? A line of trees? I look for vertical lines that lend themselves to a photo, but vertical lines that also have some interesting light on them. No good making a photo of vertical lines in the shade - unless of course the shade adds something to the image.

So today we have - Vertical Lines:

Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:71

Day 71 - Photograph patterns

This is actually the post for two days ago. I fell over on Monday night, and damaged my ankle. I have, for that reason, been unable to follow through. So I will try and catch up over the next few days.

Patterns.

I have been spending a lot of time lying down with my ankle elevated, in the hope of a quicker recovery. The older I get, the longer it seems to take to recover from an injury. Partly, I think, because I have already injured everything before, so now it is injury upon injury. Partially also because things just take longer when you are older and busier . . .

One could say that injury itself is a pattern - but to photograph that would require a chronological photo essay. That is not what I have here.

Instead, I give you a pattern from the room in which I have been spending far too much time the last 3 days:





Until later
MerranG

Monday 24 August 2015

365:70

Day 70 - Photograph light and shade

Another overcast day, but the sun escaped for a short while before it set, and I made this image.

Sent from my Android .
Until tomorrow
Merran G

Sunday 23 August 2015

365:69

Day 69 - Photograph texture

I seem to have missed putting this up yesterday - apologies.

Texture - we were at Lake Gilmore, photographing the IOM sailboats, and this beauty presented itself:

Until - not tomorrow, but later today :)

MerranG

Saturday 22 August 2015

365:68

Day 68 - Photograph an ornamental object

I had to think about this one. Not really one for ornaments much - I used to have plenty, but now tend to hang stuff on the walls to ornament the place.

Still, my Mum is a ceramic artist, so there is a bit of funtional ornamental stuff about the house.

So, I went in pursuit of an ornament to photograph.

This was fun. The sky was a giant softbox, but even with the blinds full up, I had to go to ISO Hi1 in order to get enough light on the sensor. Ok - plan 2. Play with the flash.

So I set up the flash, and realised I needed a fill or bounce. I tried a bounce - na, not enough. So I got my very very old Canon flash, attached it to a slave, and had it slave off my Nissin, which was receiving from the transmitter atop the camera.

A little trial and error later, I came up with this:

An Ornamental object:





That was fun.

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Friday 21 August 2015

365:67

Day 67 - Photograph Water

Ok, so we live at the beach. HEAPS of water out there. What can I do that is a little different?

Different for me, or different from normal?
Oh boy - now we could get into a long discussion re normal - I mean - are YOU normal?

I AM NOT normal. I know this, because I have been told many times, by many people. In fact, in my whole entire life, only once has someone said to me "Yes Merran, you are normal". I tell you, it really came as a shock! I wanted to shout "I AM NOT NORMAL!"

So does this mean I am aberrant? Divergent? Insurgent? I mean, what is normal anyway? Without a dictionary or thesaurus, can you define what those lovely long words mean?

But I digress, this is about drawing water with light.

So without further ado - here is today's offering - Water:


Oh yes siree, I cheated. I have been preparing for this assignment now for over 3 years! That there is a Lagotto Romagnolo - an Italian Water Dog, bred by Italian peasants before the birth of Christ. Yes, she is a very very old dog. Looking pretty good huh? ;)

But, more importantly for this assignment, she is in her element - water. See the wee splashes as the water falls off her wool.

I love the ocean. I love the smell of it, the sound of it, and the feel of it beneath my hulls. It is only fitting that I have a water dog.

And yes, it is the middle of winter here - I almost got frostbite walking barefoot down the beach today. But Bella still runs straight into the water right up to her chest. LOVING IT!

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Wednesday 19 August 2015

365:66

Day 66 - Photograph a Circle

Circles circles everywhere.

A part circle turned up in the sky earlier - but it wasn't a full circle, so it didn't really count.

Then I noticed a circle right in front of me.

So I set up the camera, and captured this:





Until tomorrow

MerranG

365:65

Day 65 - Photograph texture

Texture - always looks so much more 'texturish' on a bright day. Diffused light really doesn't seem to do much for texture.

After all, you can see loads of texture on the face of a beautiful young woman if you position her correctly (or incorrectly!) in harsh, direct, full sun light. Harsh light lends itself so nicely to texture.

On the other hand, diffused light, beautiful light - when that big light in the sky is diffused by a huge soft box called complete cloud cover, hides texture, smoothing out all those pores and lumps and bumps and wrinkles we just don't want to see! Beautiful light is better than makeup or photoshop!

So, to photograph texture on an overcast, rainy day (we seem to be getting a lot of that lately) can provide a challenge or two.

So, today, I give you - Texture:


I had you fooled didn't I - you thought I was going to give you a portrait . . . well - it kinda is - but of oldhami, not a beautiful woman - I would never do that to anyone!

Until tomorrow
MerranG


Tuesday 18 August 2015

365:64

Day 64 - Photograph Light and Shadow

Hmm - light and shadow again. Again, difficult to find on a cold and cloudy day. but the sun came out for a few moments, enabling me to make this picture.

Light and Shadow





Until tomorrow
MerranG

Sunday 16 August 2015

365:63

Day 63: Photograph texture

Yes, texture again, two days in a row.

Lucky for me there is heaps of texture down on the beach, where we went for a walk this afternoon.

I love my life - Winter beach walks, photo shoots, happy smiley people holding hands . . . ..

Ok - umm - texture:





Keep smiling
Until tomorrow
MerranG

Saturday 15 August 2015

365:62

Day 62 - Photograph Texture

So I am thinking - what can I make an image of today, depicting texture?

I mean - texture seems to encompass so many different ideas.

Skin, textiles, grass, bark, the list is endless.

Today's contribution - Texture:





Yes - been playing with the macro . . .

Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:61

Day 61 - Photograph light and shadow

We had a beautiful sunny day today. It started with a gorgeous sunrise, and ended with a beautiful sunset. Now there are stars in the sky, with some cloud cover.

Sunny days give loads of potential for this assignment, so I really got lucky today.

Took the camera and the dog for a walk early afternoon, while light was brightest, and made this:

Light and Shadow:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

Thursday 13 August 2015

365:60

Day 60 - Photograph an imperfect object/subject

Great news today, my new lenses arrived! Yay!

So of course, I had to practice with them :).

Unfortunately, the seasonal inclemency prevents me from going outside to shoot. The poor visibility makes it impossible to check out the infinity focus on the wide angle lens. But a bit of wet blustery spring weather never stopped anyone from taking good photos . . .

Imperfection is around us everywhere. In fact, imperfections are what makes some things what they are. Imperfections can make something more valuable.

So I give you today - a photograph of an imperfect subject:





Until tomorrow
MerranG


Wednesday 12 August 2015

365:59

Day 59 - Photograph a subject with dominant negative space

I find this assignment a difficult one every time. Although I know there is, and see, dominant negative space, how to capture it with a subject in it that does not enter the frame is always a challenge.

This time I have indeed photographed a subject that enters the frame, all be it a very small entrance.

Today's assignment:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:58

Day 58 - Photograph horizontal lines

I went to Taupo today. Of course, I had to go down to the marina to have a look at the boats.

I met some salty sea dogs, and had some interesting conversations.

One of the things I love about being a sailor, is just how friendly sailors are, how down to earth. Over all, I find sailors to be a good bunch.

Took some interesting photos of boats. They will be up on my web site once I have processed them.

Meantime - horizontal lines:

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Tuesday 11 August 2015

365:57

Day 57 - Photograph vertical lines

Well, I don't know about you, but I see vertical lines everywhere.

Down at the beach today, I got there a wee bit too late to walk on the beach.
The tide had come in and eaten it all up, leaving no space for walking except on the rock walls.
The waves were coming right up to the rocks, and it was not even high tide yet.
No wonder the house owners are concerned about the ocean eating away their yards.

Todays image:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

Sunday 9 August 2015

365:56

Day 56 - Illustrate a Haiku

So I thought I would do something a little different today.

Down the road in Katikati, we have a walkway called 'The Haiku Walkway'. As you make your way along the walk, you come across boulders engraved with haikus on the sides of the walkway. Some have seats beside them so you may sit and contemplate the haiku.

Today's assignment:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

Saturday 8 August 2015

365:55

Day 55 - Photograph a subject with dominant negative space

Today I kept my eye open all day for an image tomake with dominant negative space.

I made up my mind that time was wearing thin to use natural light, and went for a look outside.

Natures beauty was unfolding before me.






Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:54

Day 54 - Photograph texture

Todays assignment is texture.

We went to the Camp Quality Pearl Anniversary Ball tonight, and there were so many opportunities to be had.

The company was good, the entertainment funny. A great time was had by all.

Today - Texture:

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Thursday 6 August 2015

365:53

Day 53 - Photograph a cross

Today I spent the day with my eyes open for crosses.

Not ones on churches, or in graveyards, just something that evokes that symbolism.

I saw a few possibilities, but the winner was:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

365:52

Day 52: Photograph a subject with dominant negative space.

Oh boy - what can I do today for dominant negative space.

I look around, I go for a drive, then a walk, checking out everything I see to look for dominant negative space.

The sky is full of clouds - too much texture there.
There is too much light for a long exposure - not enough for a high key image today.

Hmmm





I hope ou enjoy today's offering.

Until tomorrow
MerranG

Wednesday 5 August 2015

365:51

Day 51: Photograph Colour

Looking about for colour on a gloomy winters day.

Found it!





Until Tomorrow
MerranG

Tuesday 4 August 2015

365:50

Day 50: Photograph light and shadow


So here is today's offering:





Until tomorrow
MerranG

Sunday 2 August 2015

365:49

Day 49 - Photograph colour

Another colourful day. Still trying to think outside the square. Not a lot of colour at 4am when I am out capturing the night landscapes. So I had to get inventive.

Our beach walk this afternoon provided me with an interesting colour composition.

Colour:


Until tomorrow
MerranG

Saturday 1 August 2015

365:48

Day 48: Photography light and shade

I have to keep on trying to think up something different each time. It is getting more and more difficult to be original.

So, I waited for the sun to put in an appearance from behind it's cover, and rushed out looking for some natural light and shade.

Here is todays offering:






Until tomorrow
Merran G