Composition. . .Man & Nature

101615-KLU-5201ws

Composition is one of those subjective topics. It varies from person to person and artist to photographer. . .or, is there really a difference between artists and photographers? At it’s core, composition is simply about the arrangement of the visual image.

From an artist’s perspective, it is broken down into lines, shapes, forms, color, etc. All these concepts span all the art forms. The combinations of these concepts help a viewer “see” the intent of the artist.

In the photograph above, the design of the man-made arch incorporates mirrors to reflect the natural environment surrounding it. The shapes of the clouds are similar to the circles on the arch. The composition brings both of these elements into focus.

033015-KLU-7771ws

The photographer adds a few other “rules” to the idea of composition. The rule of thirds is one of the best known. It brings the focus away from the center point of the photograph, offering another perspective.

The photography above uses columns to move the viewer’s eye through the photography. It is the perspective that allows that to happen. The columns are framed by natural elements. . .the trees and clouds.

The use of perspective as a composition element is valuable to a photographer. It gives a “feeling” to the viewer about the subject. The art of the photographic images is how the photographer chooses to compose the photograph.

In the last photograph, the surrounding scene is reflected in the lens of the lighthouse. It’s all about the creative point-of-view.

Karen
Visualize ~ Create ~ Evoke

050115-KLU-4071ws

Winter Light & Photography

WPHeader030215-5

The light through the winter changes in both color and intensity. The sun drops lower on the horizon, and travels through more of the Earth’s atmosphere. This changes the colors that we and our cameras see.

The photograph above is trumpeter swans in January at dusk. The light in the sky is soft and diffused. The swans reflect the color of the blue sky on their wings, and remain neutral colored on their underside.

WPHeader030215-4

The colors change in the landscape. Everything appears more pastel, and with less contrast. Even the blue of the sky changes to a softer hue. The clouds add interest to the photograph, and are perfect to include into the composition.

The photograph above was taken during the winter months. The soft light of late day is diffused by the broken clouds in the sky, offering a soft light bathing the scene. The colors are rich, yet softer than the summer months.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Winter can bring starkness of color with its snow, frost and/or over cast sky. It is a great time to explore monochromatic images. Enjoy the season!

Happy shooting. . .Karen

 

Sunsets and Vibrant Color

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Sunsets and color seem to go together. It’s hard to show the character of a sunset in black & white.

The sun isn’t always yellow. The Earth’s atmosphere affects the color of the sun, and the colors reflected in the sky.

The photo above was taken on the Oregon coast looking out over the Pacific Ocean. I love how the sun came out with 3 main colors, the sky was such an intense orange, and the small clouds in the top left side of the image.

Each sunset is unique in color, cloud formations, and the color of the sun.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Then, there is the pastel colors that can be produced at sunset. I love the pastel pinks in the photo above, and the way the color reflects off of the ferry boat. Adding a subject to the frame adds to the composition and interest in the photograph.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

My favorite time to photograph a sunset is after the sun sets. Usually, most photographers and people leave after the sun dips below the horizon. I find that the color may intensify after the sun sets.

I love the dramatic colors, and the ability to capture the stars / moon. Again, I added a ferry boat in the image above. I like how the lights on the ferry help define the boat, while maintaining to color of the sky.

Tip. . .under-expose sunset photographs. . .

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Excerpt from Summer Photography: Beaches & Sunsets. EdCC Extented Learning Program – July 12, 19, 26, 2017. 

Remember the Sky

copyright Karen Ulvestad

The sky is an important composition element. When included in the photograph, it can be a solid blue or grey, have texture from clouds, or have importance (depending on how much is included). Each of these composition choices affects the “feeling” of the photograph.

In the image above, the clouds are an important part of the composition. Their shape reflects the patchy snow on the meadow below.

WPHeader030215-2

In this photograph, the clouds come in two distinct textures. One is puffy and closer to the water’s surface. The others are higher in the atmosphere, and are linear. The puffy clouds mimic the headland, and islands (sea stacks). The higher clouds create a diagonal line, which draws the views eye through the image.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

In this last image, the sky is without clouds. The interest in this photograph is the flowers and building, without the sky competing with the subject for attention. A clear sky helps a specific subject stand out, or it simplifies the composition.

Happy shooting. . .Karen

Spirit of Place

copyright Karen Ulvestad

I cannot teach this workshop often enough! This is the core of a successful photography. The idea is to “capture” the subject’s essence in the 2 dimensional image of a photograph. . .to “tell” a story about the subject.

With people, it is often a smile, tears, or other emotion / action within the photograph. This ideal can be brought to a landscape, wildlife image, or macro subject. Each photographer has their own unique view of the world, and the objective is to share this with the viewer.

Accomplishing this vision includes camera knowledge, composition, “seeing”, and weaving all this into the photographic image.

I love this workshop the most, because we explore all these aspects of photography in the classroom, and strive to combine them in the field. The focus is on techniques, vision, and composition.

I look forward to meeting all the individuals that join this journey to photographic perfection.

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Photo Walks Are A Hands-on Way To Learn Photography

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Sunsets and Photo Walks seem to go together. It is a great way to learn exposure, while photographing a sunset. Exposure affects the colors in the sunset, whether or not a foreground object becomes a silhouette, or simply how to prevent the flash from going off. It’s helpful to have a knowledgeable photography instructor to help hone these skills.copyright Karen Ulvestad

 

 

The Edmonds waterfront is a great place to see the sunset, and experience a photo walk. There is a great abundance of subjects to photograph, including the ferry boats, sail boats, gulls, bald eagles, harbor seals, and more.

I would love to see you at my next photo walk on August 25th, 2016. Sign up is through the City of Edmonds at http://www.reczone.org.

Life is Good!

Karen

Shadows, Highlights & Mid-tones

copyright Karen Ulvestad

So, I’ve been missing in action the past few months, and neglected my blog!

I’m back. . .at least until my next adventure that leads me away from the computer screen and the Internet.

I’ve been pursuing the Light. Without light, there cannot be a photograph. Light is a challenging subject, because our eyes see it one way, and our camera sees it in a different way. Our eyes can see the details in the brights (highlights) and darks (shadows) on the brightest sunny day. Our camera cannot.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Technically, this means the difference between shadow and highlight is greater than 2-stops of light. So, what does a photographer do?

One to compensate for this difference in lighting is to use the HDR setting in the camera, or a software program on the computer. The HDR setting on the camera will take 3 exposures (1 for the shadows, 1 for the highlights, and one for the mid-tones), and combine the 3 into one photograph. Computer programs work with highlight, shadow, and mid-tone settings within the photograph to accomplish a similar effect.

Life is Good!

Karen

copyright Karen Ulvestad

 

The Spirit Of Place

The Spirit of Place is one of my ideas or personal concepts about photography. At its core is the idea that photographs are created by the photographer through use of light, exposure, and composition. It is our personal view-point or way we translate the scene in a visual way.

copyright Karen UlvestadThis photo uses shadow and light, lines, and people to create the composition of the place. In this image, the viewer sees the blowing sand (top of dune), the rocky wall in the foreground, and the people making their way up the sand dune. It speaks of man and nature co-existing in the late afternoon light.

Nature is one constant in our lives that is ever-changing, yet remains the same. The challenge for the photographer is to take existing elements, and create a pleasing photographic image. Photography is a tool to document the world around us, yet our personal view-point is always present in our images.

copyright Karen UlvestadThe blowing sand in this photograph creates designs on the sand that mimic the wet sand reflecting the blue sky and the ocean waves. In this image, one could see the hillsides in the background as repeating the wavy shape created by the sand and ocean. The scene is completed by all the people enjoying the beach, whether walking along the water or sitting in the sand. By including people, I have given a reference to the size of the landscape.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Another way to look at this scene is to eliminate or hide the man-made or man’s influence upon the scene. By moving the point-of-view, this image the viewer sees the ocean waves and four gulls. Yes, there is some indications of civilization, but they are not the main components of the composition.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Now to end this entry, I’ve added a little different concept. This image is titled Windy. It leaves the question, how do we as photographers show wind or other elements in our images? What is that special ingredient that we have included to make our photograph stand-out from the millions of images on the internet?

Stay tuned for more. . .or simply join me for my Spirit of Place workshop on the Oregon coast in June.

Happy shooting. . .Karen

Best Places For A Fall Getaway Near Seattle

copyright Karen Ulvestad
Tumwater Canyon

This is my latest article on Fall Getaways. These are all great areas for fall color, and many opportunities for photographs.

“There are many places within a two-hour drive of Seattle that show intense color in the falls. The best viewing time for color varies from year to year, but usually falls between mid-September to the end of November. The higher elevations change first, and the lower elevations linger into November on a dry year. The brilliant yellows, oranges and reds of the deciduous trees stand out against the deep green of the evergreens.”

For the complete article, click here.

 

 

Sharing a Story in a Photographic Image

Photographs come in many different styles, such as landscape, wildlife, people, and commercial. There are many more that are not listed here. What separates a photograph from others is the clarity of the story it tells. What does the photographer share with the audience that isn’t shared in other images.

The photograph below is a shot of Proposal Rock on the Oregon coast. This area is photographed often by locals and visitors. So the challenge becomes, how does a photographer make his/her photograph different from every other photograph of this beach and rock? In this case, the difference is a pair of shoes with bright colored laces.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

This second photograph utilizes people in a landscape photograph. The viewer first sees the child holding the lens, the railing behind the child, and finally the landscape in the background. This shot is from Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauaii (Hawaiian Islands). The depth of field in this shot give value to its elements. . .the child, the railing, and the canyon. The clouds in the sky add further texture to the image.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

It seems fitting to end with this photograph of a Bald Eagle at sunset. The sunset becomes the sun, color of the sky, and the silhouetted eagle. This is a single shot in the camera, which means it was thought through before the photograph was taken. Planning can help create a one-of-a-kind photographic image.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

 

This is an excerpt from my upcoming workshop The Spirit of Place at the Sitka Center for Arts and Ecology in June.

More next time. . .Happy Shooting. . .Karen