Tag: light

Photographing the Aurora Borealis

Featured by karenulvestad, posted in Featured, light
Canon 5D Mk II with Sigma 24-105 Art Lens; ISO 200, f22,1/100 sec. Copyright Karen Ulvestad. All Rights Reserved.

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.

Canon 5D Mk II with Sigma 24-105 Art Lens; ISO 1250, f4,8 sec. Copyright Karen Ulvestad. All Rights Reserved.

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?

Canon 5D Mk II with Canon 8-15; ISO 400, f4,10 sec. Copyright Karen Ulvestad. All Rights Reserved.

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

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, light, Location

copyright Karen Ulvestad

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. . .

copyright Karen Ulvestad

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.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

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

Backgrounds & Choices

by karenulvestad, posted in light, Tips

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The combination of background and available light affects the outcome of a photograph. Birds are adept at camouflage, and our cameras are great at hiding the subject. The photo above is a corn field and 7 sandhill cranes. The coloration of the cranes allows them to blend into the remaining brown corn stalks, and almost disappear.

The late afternoon lighting leaves long shadows for these cranes to blend into the field.

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In this photo of the trumpeter swans, the dark background helps the swans stand-out as the subject of the image. The swans are in shade (similar to the crane photo above), and their coloring allows them to be easily differentiated from the trees in the background.

Both of these images are taken with a 600 mm lens, yet the ease of see the subject is dependent on the background and exposure. Both are shot at F8. The difference is the location of the birds with the background. The cranes are in the field. The swans are flying past the trees.

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This last photo has the simplest background. The solid blue sky offers a background to easily see the subject, 2 sandhill cranes in flight.

Background choices can help or hinder the success of a photograph. Ultimately, it is dependent on opportunity, exposure, and choices made by the photographer.

Tip – Use backgrounds for your subjects that help convey the vision of the photograph.

Karen
Visualize ~ Create ~ Evoke

It’s All About the Light. . .

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, light

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Photography is possible because of Light. Without light, the image is black. With too much light, the photo is white.

How do we control this light? It is controlled through exposure.

Exposure = ISO + Aperture + Shutter Speed

It is the photographer along with the camera settings that creates the photograph. Every photograph is a reflection of the photographer’s intent for the image.

The use of light affects the subject, story, and quality of the photograph. It is the choices of the photographer!

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Digital Photography Basics Excerpt. . .

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

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“Ambient light is the naturally available light. Sources would be the sun, moon, or reflected light. Sunlight is the light source even on cloudy days or in the shade. Cloud cover offers soft, diffused light without harsh shadows or contrast. Ambient light can be dramatic like the previous photo, or soft like the photo to the left. Dramatic lighting often requires a wide range in tonal quality in the image. The previous photo was exposed for the light rays coming through the clouds.” ( for complete book excerpt  dpb-exp-comp-pg7 )

Photo Walks Are A Hands-on Way To Learn Photography

by karenulvestad, posted in Location, Workshops

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

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

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 Call of Iceland

by karenulvestad, posted in Location

As a photographer, specific places call to my spirit to visit. Iceland calls. It calls to the very core of my being. It’s all about the birds.

I’ve been watching the birds here on the Pacific Ocean shores, and it’s interesting to see their successes and slow disappearance. Iceland isn’t different. The largest colony of Atlantic Puffins have not had a successful breeding season in the past 5 years (from my online research). I want to see 500,000 birds before they disappear. I want to feel dwarfed by the amazing landscape, powerful sea, and the incredible bird colonies.

The water temperatures are changing, which is changing the food supply. This is a personal project for me. Those without voices look to those of us with words and photographs to speak for them.

I want to invite other photographers to join me in the isolated and breathe-taking landscape. I’m putting together lodging and guided trips to isolated areas. I’m hoping to connect with a biologist or two, and to experience the culture of Iceland.

Let me know if you’re in for the adventure. I’m going the end of May 2016.

The Spirit Of Place

by karenulvestad, posted in Tips, Workshops

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

Light & Composition In The City

by karenulvestad, posted in Location, Tips

copyright Karen Ulvestad
I seldom get the opportunity to stay in the city, and photograph all the different types of light. Composing in the city is similar to Landscape photography, but the lines are more linear and defined. I find that it give me a different perspective to take back to the natural world I love to document.

The shot above is an example of “outside” the box composing. This long exposure was taken through the hotel window at F22. The yellow cast to the image is the temperature of the street lights. The “spotting” effect is the dirt on the outside of the window. All this together creates a “grunge” feeling for the photo.

Photographing the city at night, illustrates the different temperatures of light. The colors that look “true” are most likely daylight balanced fluorescent or LED. The yellow is tungsten or incandescent. The green cast is most likely regular fluorescent.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Daylight brings another look to the buildings. I love the reflections in the modern glass buildings, mixed with the historical brick buildings. The strong use of diagonal line in the above photo guides the viewer’s eye through the picture. Diagonal lines add a feeling of motion to a static image. The reflection in the glass is the buildings across the street light by direct sunlight. I used a polarizing filter to enhance the blues, and was careful not to eliminate the reflection in the glass.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Cities are filled with contradicting images and ideas. The above image is bullet damage to a 1/2 inch glass window. I like the story it tells of prosperity (see inside the building) and the reflection of the historical buildings across the street. This building was a corporate headquarters, and is was situated in an area of diverse stories of prosperity and decline. The lines in this image are the arrangement of the bullet damage which are taped, and the diagonal lines of the buildings in the reflection.

The image below is a combination of a sculpture and the Tribune tower. I intentionally framed the tower with the brightly colored sculpture, and used a large depth of field to bring out sharpness in the foreground, mid-ground, and background.

Happy shooting. . .Karen

copyright Karen Ulvestad