flowers Archives -

Controlling the narrative

March 16, 2021 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

Photography is visual communication. What we put into the photograph communicates what we see in the scene or situation. We control the story through subject matter, composition, and exposure. Post processing the digital file enhances our narrative about the subject.

The narrative portrayed in a photograph is subjective to the photographer and the viewer. It is the culmination of light control, color / black & white, softness or sharpness. It is often defined by the interpretation of the subject by the photographer. In the image above, the tulip is photographed in soft, diffused light with a shallow depth of field. The light creates soft colors that are reminiscent of springtime.

The shallow depth of field is controlled by the aperture setting. The light is softened by clouds and the trees. This photograph was taken indoors by a window with a screen. The screen acted to diffuse the background colors, and the camera was close enough not to detect the pattern of the screen.

Equipment: Canon 5D Mk IV; Sigma Art Lens 24-105; Extension Tubes; Tripod

Filling the entire frame with color, texture, and shapes directs the attention to the subject. In this image, the viewer only sees the color of the flower and its petal pattern. The brightness of color is reminiscent of summer. This is a dahlia flower, and the light came through the roof of a greenhouse. The light is even due to the position of the light to the flower. The lens of the camera is parallel to the top of the flower. This allows the amount of focus in the photograph.

Equipment: Samsung Galaxy J7 Phone

This last photograph was taken at a very crowded urban area. There were several hundred people under the trees admiring the beautiful cherry blossoms, and tall buildings. This is a time where being selective and creative with the situation needs to happen when choosing the subject. In this scenario, the time of day is crucial for the right lighting of the blossoms and the photograph’s over-all color.

Equipment: Canon 5D Mk II; Canon Lens 17-40 at 17mm

May your Spring be filled with Great Photographs. . .Karen

Autumn is Coming!

September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 by karenulvestad, posted in light, Tips

The colors in Autumn are either amazing or subtle in the Pacific Northwest. After a long hot summer, the weather is turning to rain, cooler temperatures, and the days seem darker. The reds, yellows, and golds are beginning to peek through, and shine on these shortening days.

There are 2 different weather conditions I prefer to shoot fall color in. . .sunny (or partly cloudy) and over-cast. These offer 2 distinct opportunities to record the amazing color of the trees and flowers at this time of the year.

The sunny sky offers bright, vibrant leaf color, and a blue sky to place in the background. It is usually warmer, and more pleasant to be outside photographing nature. I use a polarizing filter to bring out the best color, and minimize the “hot” spots in the photo.

On the other hand, over-cast days offer even light and less contrast. The colors are often muted. The clouds at like a giant diffuser of the sun’s light, and offers a “softer” light on everything. I may or may not use a polarizing filter under these conditions. I do like the way it removes the “white” reflection of the clouds on the colors making them richer in color saturation.

Then, there is the rainy weather. I’ll save that one for another entry. . .

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Architecture & Gardens. . .

February 4, 2017January 30, 2017 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips, Workshops

Architecture lends itself to both color and black & white photographic images. Often times, it becomes a composition of lines, shapes, and color / tone. The photograph above shows a modern building with the reflection of historic architecture. The old and the new sit across the street from each other.

This is the story of downtown Oakland. It is a city rich in contrasts and opposites.

The historic Tribune building rises above other period buildings. In this incident, it is framed by a modern sculpture. The primary colors of red, yellow, and blue work together to make the brown & cream colored building stand out in the image.

Another way to frame a building or architectural element is with living elements. In the photo above, I used blooming cherry trees to frame the Gothic architecture of the University of Washington. In this case, the cloudless blue sky is the perfect background for the pink flowers and brick buildings.

It is great to contrast man-made structures against or with nature.

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

“Architecture & Gardens Through the Viewfinder” ULearn (Edmonds CC), Apr 27 – May 18, 2017 (Thursday nights)

Great Photography Weekend Destinations

August 31, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

Leavenworth is a wonderful day or weekend adventure for all ages. The town schedules year-round festivals, and is located in the scenic eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Highway 2 travels through the town, and is the easiest way to reach this beautiful destination.

On the way to Leavenworth, Stevens Pass is a beautiful area for photography. On the west side, there is Deception Falls, and it is well worth the stop. The trails lead to the falls (which can be seen on the south side of the highway), and along the river. Stevens Pass ski resort is at the top of the pass, and is a wonderful alpine area in the summer months. On the east side of the pass, Lake Wenatchee is about 5 +/- miles to the north, and the view looks into the Cascade Mountains. Highway 2 traverses through Tumwater Canyon, which has several pull-outs for safe observation of the scenery and wildlife.

In the opposite direction, the Olympic Peninsula offers incredible opportunities of photography. This area is home to a large temperate rainforest, Olympic National Park, beautiful waterfalls, Lake Crescent, and the Pacific Ocean. There are many hiking trails through-out the area, including the North-South trail through the heart of the Olympic National Park. Highway 101 travels through the area, and signs show the directions to the scenic areas.

Lake Crescent sits just west of Port Angeles, and has both a campground and cabins/lodge on its shores. It is part of the Olympic National Park, and the highway follows the shoreline of the lake. It’s nestled between tall foothills, and surrounded by forest. There are many pull-outs along the lake to view the area, or hike a trail. The light is incredible during the early or late hours of the day, and it is not uncommon to have overcast/foggy conditions in the area.

Further on, Highway 101 travels through the town of Forks, and onto the Pacific Ocean Beaches. There are several beach back-packing trails in this area, and Third Beach is one of the longest. It is a great way to see parts of the coastline that most people don’t see. There is a lot of wildlife in the area, and incredible landscape photography opportunities.

For more information, visit http://seatt le.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-weekend-getaways-in-the-seattle-area/.

Great Time of the Year to Photograph the San Juan Islands

August 9, 2013 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

The San Juan Islands sit in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receive less rain than Seattle 65 miles to the south. Explore 172 islands, which up the archipelago highlighted by Fidelgo, San Juan, Orcas, Shaw and Lopez. The islands are home to the largest concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states, three pods of orca and harbor seals. Explore the tallest peak, Mount Constitution on Orcas Island, or ride the ferry. This is a great time of year to explore and photograph the incredible scenery and abundant wildlife. For the rest of the article, visit http://seattle.cbslocal.com/top-lists/getaway-guide-one-tank-trip-to-san-juan-islands/.

Northern California Coast Adventures

October 16, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Location

Here is my latest article on the northern California coast. It is part 1 in a series. For the entire article, please visit Northern California Coast Adventures.

It’s a Small World. . .

August 26, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

Macro photography is the art of seeing the small. It is taking the miniscule, and making it the subject of a photograph. The subject could be printed larger than life-size, and it’s details could be tack-sharp. It requires a macro lens or extension tubes for true macro photography. These tools allow the lens to be closer to the subject, thus magnifying the subject in the photograph. Subjects for macro photography are as varied, though flowers or insects seem to be a favorite subject among photographers.

Close-up photography can be done with a macro lens or a short focal length lens (such as a 17-40mm). It is different from macro, because of the difference in magnification of the subject. Another difference is the lens “sees” the subject differently. It can feel more “sweeping” in perspective than a standard macro lens.

The pink image below was taken with a 100mm Macro lens. The photograph is a pink rose. The sweeping lines of the petals create an abstract pattern in pink. This rose was about 3-4 inches in diameter, and this is a small portion of the rose.

The lighting was a big factor in this image. It was a bright sunny day, around mid-day. I looked for a flower that was in the shade, so the lighting would be more uniform across the entire flower. It the flower had been in direct sunlight, there would have been a difference of exposure exceeding 2 stops of light. Translated this means that either the shadows would have been black, or the highlights would be white.

Close-up photographs can reveal the hidden beauty of the subject. The photograph below shows the subtle color changes and details of a succulent. The focus is on the tight grouping of new leaves in the center, and this is controlled by the Aperture. The Aperture is the Depth of Field (DOF). In close-up images, the DOF is more noticeable than a sweeping landscape, because the camera/lens is so close to the subject.

This image was taken with a 17-40mm lens at 40mm. Shorter focal length lenses allow the camera/lens to focus closer the subject. The DOF was f4.0.

The image below is of one of my favorites. Water droplets act like a fish-eye lens, and show everything behind them within. This was taken with a 100mm macro lens at f4.0. There is a noticeable difference in the DOF between the succulent above and the fir needles and water droplets below. Each lens and technique give the photograph a different feel.

One additional note is to remember to use a tripod with Macro and Close-up photography. The slightest shake is magnified in this type of photography.

More Later & Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Rainy Day Photography

June 19, 2012June 19, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

With outdoor photography, it is inevitable that we get caught in the rain. I always enjoy those moments, because it adds a different “feeling” to my photographs.

The weather greatly influences the final photograph. This one of the Great Blue Heron rookery was taken in March, during a rain shower. The sun behind me created the rainbow behind the rookery. Without the rain or the sun, this would have been a very different image. It would have had a flat sky, with little color.

Rain can be damaging to camera equipment. It is good to shelter the camera from the rain, though remember that most cameras are water-resistant. All equipment should be dried off, if it gets rained on. A chamois cloth works well, dries quickly and fits into a camera bag pocket. Drying of the camera and lens keeps the it working well.

Also, it’s important to protect the camera and lens being used in the inclement weather. There are several ways to do this. If the camera is mounted on a tripod, an umbrella can be held over the equipment to protect it from the rain. When carrying the camera, a shower cap can work as protection. Currently, a clear plastic sleeve can be purchased at a camera store. It fits over the camera and lens, and allows the photographer to slid their hands in the sides to operate the camera.

One of the most important pieces of equipment, in wet weather, is the camera bag. It is important to have a bag that is water proof, or at least water-resistant. Many bags, such as backpacks by Tamerc, have waterproof zippers, and fabric that covers the them. They are built to be in wet weather, without compromising the camera equipment inside. Also, these bags are well padded to protect equipment from damage. Many other manufacture’s have good, protective camera bags too.

Happy shooting until next time. . .Karen

Shooting Nature in a Crowd

May 1, 2012 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

Event provide a great opportunity to photograph nature, though they can be very crowded with people. There are a few techniques that can be used to create the photograph that shows the elements the photographer wants his/her view to enjoy.

First, it is important to control the aperture or depth of field (DOF). Many times, a person in the background can disappear with a shallower depth of field. They become another shape or color without definition. In the photo above, the DOF is shallow enough to blur the tulips in the background.

Second, take the time to look at all the elements in the photograph. In the picture above, I missed the two women at the bottom of the picture. During the event, people were suppose to stay out of the field, but everyone wanted their picture taken with the tulips. In this instance, I should have waited until they left the field.

Third, selectively crop the photograph before taking the picture. At a crowded venue, it is important to take time to visualize the photographic image before taking the picture. This is where the elements of composition can help the photographer select what goes into the photo. This concept is shown in the image below.

Fourth, it is important to consider your perspective of the scene or point of view. Often times, the chosen perspective can naturally crop-out unwanted elements from a photograph. In the top image, the perspective eliminates the people and buildings from the photograph. In the third image, the perspective includes all of the different colors of tulips in the garden, while eliminating people, structures and the road from the photograph.

Also, it is important to experiment when composing a photograph in a crowded area.

Have a great photographic outing soon. . .Karen

Small Things in a Big Way. . .

September 5, 2011 by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

Macro is taking something very tiny, and composing a complete photographic image from the subject. I love macro. It helps change my perspective of all the “big” things that I photograph, such as birds, people, landscapes and. . .

Macros are mini landscapes. The composition comes from the lines, shapes, colors and textures. It becomes a focus on the minute.

The idea of exposure changes. The photograph shown here has a large depth of field (DOF). I used F32. The reason for the large DOF is that the closeness of the lens to the subject.

The most important tool for macro is a good tripod to hold the camera steady. This shot at a long shutter speed, and could not be hand-held. Also, a slight blur is more noticeable in macro due to the magnification of the subject.

More later. . .Karen

Tag: flowers

Controlling the narrative

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Autumn is Coming!

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Architecture & Gardens. . .

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Great Photography Weekend Destinations

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Great Time of the Year to Photograph the San Juan Islands

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Northern California Coast Adventures

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It’s a Small World. . .

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Rainy Day Photography

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Shooting Nature in a Crowd

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Small Things in a Big Way. . .

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