It’s been a long 5 or so years since life as seemed semi-normal. It’s time to grieve for all the losses and get back into life. I hope you enjoy these photos from 2025. This year is just beginning, and looks so bright. . .
Tag: landscape
Photographing the Aurora Borealis
It was interesting photographing the Aurora Borealis for the first time. We arrived around 8:30 pm and left a little before 1 am. I always find it a balance between pure excitement of creating amazing photographs and life commitments. So, I did my research, but quickly realized that it was only a starting point to get a picture. The results of my experience unfolds below. . .
The photo above is the sunset before the show. I thought is was interesting to see the halos around the sun as it was setting. I took this like any sunset. I noticed the halo and soft appearance of the sun once I got home and looked at it on the computer. Truly, it was the perfect beginning of an evening photographing the Aurora Borealis.
This is my very first attempt at photographing the Aurora Borealis. I followed the instructions from online, and this was the result. I placed my Canon 5D Mk II with Sigma 24-105 Art Lens on my tripod. I adjusted it so the horizon was straight. I used the following exposure: ISO 1250, f4, 8 sec. I set my focus manually to infinity. Afterwards, I did some exposure adjustments in the digital darkroom, and this was the end result. I think it’s pretty good for the first time.
As I thought about the location, exposure, and composition elements, I realized that I needed to experiment with the exposure. I usually try to use lower ISO so I do less post-processing to reduce noise and pixelization. If it can be done in the camera, why should I spend time on the computer trying to “fix” it?
Finally, the show revved up! The whole sky filled with color and movement. I wanted to show it all, so I pulled out my Canon 8-15mm lens. The image above is taken at 8mm (fish-eye), and captured the entire scene. I like the people, buildings and lights around the edge. It gives it a sense of place, and shows the life of the event. People cheered as the Aurora shifted and showed its colors. At this point, I changed my exposure and approach to photographing the aurora. My camera was still mounted on my tripod. My exposure was ISO 400, f4, and 10 sec. I worked with fine tuning the exposure and color afterwards in the digital darkroom.
I think the biggest thing I learned about this event is to be open to experimenting with exposure and composition. Often, we are in a place or situation less than ideal for our vision. It is good to be adaptable and open to the opportunities available. What knowledge I can offer is simply. . .you need a tripod to get crisp, clean photos of the aurora or other night photography. The rest is up to your knowledge of your equipment and exposure.
Creating a Photographic Story
A photograph is the reflection of the photographer at the time the image is created. It reflects our mood, vision, and emotional state. The way the light is captured in the image, then post processed reveals the story hidden in the photograph. It is a visual communication between the photographer and their audience.
The image above was take this spring during the afternoon (during a short day escape during the Pandemic). The weather report called for rain, yet it hadn’t rained yet. The clouds were amazing and dynamic. The hillside viewpoint allowed me to include the Columbia River, Vantage, I-90, and the dynamic clouds. I brought more contrast into the post processing. I like how it look a ominous.
In the next image, I took a different approach. . .
What attracted my attention in this image is the dynamic clouds, the lines of the hillside, and the wild horse monument. I return to this place at least once a year to experience the high desert changes. I love the changing sky. Often this area is a treasure trove of opportunities to explore line, shape, textures, and other compositional elements. It usually isn’t over-run with people, and the hike to the top is relatively easy.
The biggest piece in creating a photographic story is the photographer’s vision or ability to compose in the field. It is the culmination of an idea, and the cooperation of the weather/other elements in the environment. The subject or important element needs to fill the frame. The following photograph focuses on the amazing cloud formations.
The clouds are far more interesting than the landscape, yet what sits on the horizon? This is looking west towards the Cascade Mountains, and the clouds have created a dark blue-gray background for the turbines in the distance. A small airplane sits in the sky against the background of the massive clouds. Both the turbines and airplane give some perspective on the size of these cloud formations.
Exposure for these images is important and contributes to the story. All three are shot with at F16 or F22. This is a large depth of field, and gives the viewer a visual reference to the fore-ground, mid-ground, and background. A larger depth of field gives an expansive feeling to the photographs, and contributes to the 3D feeling in the images. A shallower depth of field would give less visual information to the viewer, and feel more 2 dimensional.
Through all these social challenges we face today, may everyone stay well and continue to photograph the world around us.
Karen
Winter Light & Photography
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Photo Walks Are A Hands-on Way To Learn Photography
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.
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
Painting With Light on the Oregon Coast
Thought I would share my latest venture. June is the time to teach on the Oregon coast at the Sitka Center for Arts & Ecology. Hope you enjoy & please share. . .Life is Good!
Happy shooting. . .Karen
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.
This 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.
The 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.
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.
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
Photography is Painting with Light
Light is everything when it comes to photography. These three photographs were taken on the same evening. To the east towards the coastal mountain range, the weather was thunder and lightning. Along the coast, the clouds created a dramatic sky for the coming sunset.
The top photo shows the warmth of the late day light in the yellow tone to the green grass on the sand dunes. The dramatic clouds were either dark grey or white, and contrasted against the brilliant blue sky.
The photograph below is a simple composition of the sky and clouds. One of the tools used for the blue sky is a polarizing filter. For digital cameras, the filter must be a circular polarizing filter.
The white balance on these images is daylight, or simply use the AUTO setting. Minor adjustments can be made in the Digital Darkroom on the computer.
The bottom photograph is the sun peeking through the dramatic clouds. The sun starred because of the large aperture setting on the camera. Each of these photos was shot on the manual setting for maximum control over the final image.
Remember, using manual settings for exposure give total control over the final photograph. I am available for private consultations, lessons, and individual/group instruction (both in person and online).
Happy Shooting. . .Karen