Photography is a never ending journey.
There are no one way roads and many exits to explore on your travels. There have been many changes since the first known photo and there will be many more. Be that change.
CONTROVERSIAL YES!
PENNHURST ASSYLUM, PHILADELPHIA PA
Making an image that brings smiles to someone's face can be hard. Making an image that can bring sadness can be harder but necessary at times. I have been doing a series of abandoned places. It's a challenge with low or no light, access restrictions and sometimes thought provoking subjects, not in a good way. Pennhurst is one of those places that is a challenge of the latter. You never know what you will get into when you go. There is never enough of time and after you leave you think of all the things you should have done. This trip there was too many people to take the time I would have liked to. There were many pictures that while you were waiting for the 30 second exposure to finish your mind wondered to what actually happened here. This photo was painted on the wall in a basement of one of the buildings where children came to play. They called it candy lane because of red and white stripes on a pole with a basket to play ball. I believe the paintings were therapy for the patients.
I watched as I waited my turn to photograph the area. I took the common photo of the kids on the wall. During that 30 seconds I saw something, the door. I don't know what everyone else sees but to me it is the GREAT ESCAPE. Pennhurst was a miserable place and I won't say much about it, too depressing. Take some time and look it up.
Fortunately I am photographing an abandoned place. To be continued>
I'd like to thank my brother Ken for allowing me to exhibit in his office some of the abandoned photos.
ITS CHRISTMAS HAVE SOME FUN
No they didn't burn the house down but knowing them they would have had fun. I had this concept in mind for a while and I borrowed some kids who I had taken photos of before. I usually have this policy to never shoot kids in their house and I should have used this rule. I have been shooting trying to improve in the people department. On this day they just didn't want to cooperate in the least. I also learned that the new style of lights weren't what I was looking for. More cord than light. I used one flash to light their faces. Of course the fire was added later for safety reasons. I am going to try this again but with a subject a little older, try some depth of field and I got some lights more to the old style. With every challenge there will be some problems and with problems a learning experience. So it didn't work the first time. Try try again.
TAKE FUN PHOTOS FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY
THOMAS THE TRAIN
Everyone wants to have an unique image that no one else has. Looking at another of the posts here I remind myself that taking the right image makes others happy. While chasing the eagles at Conowingo Dam we stopped at Strasburg which just happened to have one on the most famous trains in the world giving rides. I don't remember this story when I was little but if you were standing there watching hundreds of kids waiting to take a ride a photo was necessary. Deep in Amish country the train chugged along all day long spewing the smoke from the small steam engine each seat occupied by beaming kids and the parents who took them. Strasburg is a Steam engine museum that provides opportunity all year long for rides and education. Even if Thomas isn't there ride one of the other trains and take your camera along.
EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM
It's great to catch the extra Z's in the morning but you are missing the best time of day. SUNRISE! Of course the best time to catch a sunrise is in cold weather because the air is crisp with little distortion in the shy from haze or heat waves that can affect your photo. One half hour before the sun rises will produce some amazing colors in the sky. You need some clouds to help reflect the morning glow as the sun is about to peak on the horizon. Too late and the color will be gone. The sun is too hot to photograph unless you use some filters to compensate for the brightness. No clouds can give a nice glow but not a dramatic sky. Too many clouds and the sun can't peak through. You have a grey sky. Getting up that early also gives you a chance to enjoy nature at its best and usually no one to bother you. You still have the twinkling lights if a city scape to add some color. There are better times of the year as the sun moves and the earth tilts between seasons. But I do prefer the winter. If you haven't tried it you should. Just don't over expose or you will get a photo that looks like daylight especially if you are still shooting in the auto mode on your camera.
Stop by one of the coffee shops, bring a small flashlight and get there at least an hour early and enjoy the show.
LAST CALL
LAST CALL
NIKON D4, 1/250 SS, 400 F2.8, 1.4 EXT, AT 550 MM, ISO 8000
I often think about photography in terms of the next shot. Wildlife, sports, family and friends. I need purpose. I have gotten to the point that I think about why take the photo. At the beginning of the sports season I was thinking I had enough. I don't really know any of the kids anymore. I started because my nephew played. I ran into a friend who shoots sports right before the football season started. He ask me if I was shooting again this year. I said I was leaning towards no. He looked at me and said that would be a loss because I do it so well. It reminded me of another friend telling me that these photos may not seem to mean that much but when one of the players is showing them to their grand children they may not remember your name but they will remember the time. I usually do a poster of the seniors. One photo of action and then one of all the seniors together merged into one. This year I decided not to. I guess I left it become a job. Those who do this for a living best wishes. I just want to have fun. The coach retired after the season. The last game he came over and thanked me for all the photos I took and what memories he will have.
In that moment it all became clear. Thanks coach.
2015 GRADUATING CLASS FRONT LINE
