Tag: photographic vision

Finding Vision in Your Photography

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

Finding a consistent vision in your photography takes one on a journey of self-discovery. It’s hard to create unique and breathe taking photographic images without delving into one’s self. If fear reigns, our photographs will convey this in the imagery. Our views of ourselves and the world are visibly shown in our photos.

This process is ongoing throughout the process of making photographic images. A well known photographer (that I had the privilege of meeting and taking workshops from) believed that our emotional state showed directly in our photographs. From experience, I would agree with this philosophy. I would add that on a bad emotional day, photography helps me find my way to a calmer emotional place. It becomes a meditative conduit.

Photography is art. It’s an immediate representation of ourselves in the moment that we press the shutter button. So, here are some questions to ask yourself about your photography. . .

Do I love what I see in front of my camera?

Does the subject bring an emotion to me? Or, is it just okay?

Do you feel rushed or pressured to take a photo quickly? Is this because of yourself? Or, another person?

Something to consider is simply that photography is an artform we can do with our phones, compact digital camera, DSLR camera, mirrorless camera, or film camera. We get to choose our medium as well as our subject. I think that it’s important to note that all of these mediums have the capability to create amazing and dynamic photographic images.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

I do find that creating a project of series of photographs helps hone one’s vision. It can challenge you to improve or modify your photos. The macro flower photo above started a project. I took most of the photos with my cell phone, then invested in a compact digital camera. This new camera can focus closer and the photos have less artifacts. Also, I can enlarge them to larger sizes.

So, that’s all for now. Happy Shooting. . .Karen

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Capturing Nature’s Mood

by karenulvestad, posted in light, Tips

Each season brings different moods to our natural landscape. Winter shows us a moody vision with clouds, rain or snow, and lower light. The colors shift from bright summer colors to subdued winter shades. The tonal quality moves towards the middle tones, and contrast is decreased. Clouds in the sky become a giant diffusion filter, diffusing the natural light and letting less light hit the landscape.

The image below shows low lying clouds nestled between hillsides, leafless trees, and rain drops on the water. Less light brings a “darker” feeling to the forest. The aperture is larger to bring sharpness to the entire photograph. So, what mood does it show?

copyright Karen Ulvestad

The composition affects the amount of light that shows in the photograph. Less sky leaves less light in the image. More sky includes more light. Each of these situations changes how the camera “reads” the available light. The exposure with more forest is easier to get a correct exposure, and details in the land features. When more sky is included, the exposure needs to over-expose the scene, if details are wanted in the forest and land features.

In the image below, the exposure allows more light to create the image. The mid-tones (Highlights and Shadows) are worked on through Adobe Camera RAW, which brings out more detail in both the clouds and the trees. A similar exposure can be created in-camera using HDR.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Drama in the image is created through working on contrast, keeping areas darker/lighter, or desaturating the color (including black & white). The best way to create “moody” images is to shoot RAW files, and refine the photograph on the computer. Sometimes, it is simple like darkening specific areas, and lightening others. The image below is desaturated color. There is still a little bit of color left in the green trees. The clouds contribute to the separation of the darker, tree covered hills. This image shows more contrast in this monochromatic form, than full color.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

As I navigate through the new reality of the pandemic and other challenges, I am teaching more classes and workshops online. If you would like more information on this topic, feel free to contact me directly. Thank you. . .

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

Simplicity or Chaos?

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction, Tips

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Composition is a direct reflection on the photographer. Certain aspects can be learned, yet your personal viewpoint seeps through in every photograph we create.

Our photographic vision reflects our inner self, and where we are emotionally at the point of the photograph. It is basically impossible to separate our inner turmoil from showing in our photographs.

Photography is the immediate recording of the environment, both in the physical world in front of the camera lens and our inner self. One does not exist without the other.

Like all other life adventures, photography is part of the journey to ourselves.

Tip of the Day. . .Even if the chaos in our lives shows through in our photographs, look for the qualities shown in the images that reflects a “story.” The best images show or trigger an emotion in the viewer. Remember, we are our own worst critics. . .

Happy Shooting. . .Karen

 

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

Finding Photographic Vision

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

copyright Karen Ulvestad

It’s been an exploratory year for my photographic vision. I started shooting photography focused on sports, events, and people. There was always a landscape to photograph or an animal, so I followed my camera’s viewfinder. I filled it with images, and learned everything about my equipment. Photography is a continual learning adventure.

The last couple years have been filled with searching. At the beginning of this year, we lost 3 family members. Two were ill for a long time, and the other was a surprise. All my focus and energy had been spent on creating positive memories for my son with his grandfather. I have no regrets for the energy expended in this adventure. . .just gratitude for all the incredible time.

So finding photographic vision. . .

I choose to control every aspect of a photograph that is within my power to control. The camera is merely a tool to convey the scene, animal, bird, story, people, etc. in the manner the photographer sees it. The photographer is the artist, who shows the world their vision. The photograph below is a single image created in the camera. Since I shoot RAW files, I worked on it in Photoshop to create an image file to share with others or print. Equipment plays a part in an image like this. It is important to use a tripod to keep the camera and lens stable.

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Much of this year, I’ve explored light, and refining my techniques for using it in my images. Above is soft, colorful, and flowing in composition. I experimented with exposure, white balance, and techniques.

Below is one of my favorite subjects. . .Snow Geese. This was taken on one of those perfect days in the field. The sky was sunny with billowing cloud formations. I think we ended up with most of the migratory birds (60,000 to 70,000) in the field in front of us. It was amazing to watch them fly in. It seemed like it would never stop. Then when it felt calm again, a Bald Eagle flew over head, and thousands of geese took to the air at one time. Their sound was amazing! I was about 25 feet from the edge of the flock. . .simply amazing!

copyright Karen Ulvestad

Happy Shooting. . .Karen