The Picture Within The Picture

It seems, I must have had something relevant to say after all. I was very pleased to see that people did look at my first blog post. They even asked when the second one was coming - unless it was just out of sympathy. Anyway, here goes BLOG number 2.

This past week-end, while at our cottage, I was reminded of something I learned a long time ago. So, I thought I would pass it on.

It was a bit bleak on Saturday. Not very cold, about -3 degrees. It was stormy, but not snowing. I was determined to go out and take a few shots. So, I took my trusty Canon 5D and 16-35mm lens - thinking I could do some scenic shots with a long depth of field. I planned to use slow shutter speeds, so I mounted the camera on my tripod. The snow was very deep - way over my knees - with a sheet of ice on top. As I broke through, the ice would scrape up my leg. It was actually quite painful. Anyway, I walked and walked, looking for something interesting to photograph. Unfortunately, there was nothing. As I got to the end of our land (the point), I sat on a rock and just looked out at the ocean. The shoreline was frozen and like I said, it was a very dreary "boring light" kinda day. I decided to take a couple of shots. My plan was to start out very low to the ground. With my lens at 20mm, I used hyper focal distance focusing to get a near to far sharp image. Honestly, the shots were boring, so I started to walk back to the cottage for a hot cup of coffee.

These next two images were taken on that day.

The one above was taken from the end of my piece of land and the one below taken from my wharf.

I think you will agree that because of the very flat light they are both very uninteresting.

About halfway back on the trail, I stopped and was looking at the snow hanging on the pines. I started to notice all sorts of things...icicles hanging from a pine tree, the broken branch of a tree, where the bark was a completely different colour against the white background, a few tips of pine needles poking through the snow and even a squirrel sat looking at me, while still nibbling away at his nuts at his stash.

At that moment, I remembered something I had learned a long time ago...

When you're out walking around - looking for images - every so often, you need to stop and put your camera up to your eye. This allows you to actually see, the "Image Within The Image". Our eyes can see close to 180 degrees with our peripheral vision. A big picture, that sometimes overshadows what we very often take for granted. I guarantee, if you look through the lens, you will see things you did not see before. By looking through the camera, you are focusing your attention on a smaller area. You are seeing what your lens will see. You can make this even more interesting, by getting very low to the ground or very near to an object. Try it ! You will be inspired ... I promise.

Now these next two images were taken only a matter of a few feet of the first images.

There is also another way to "see the image within the image" and believe me this works. When you're ready to take your shot - you have your scene or subject composed and ready to shoot - cup your hands around your eyepiece, blocking out all your peripheral vision and any extraneous light. By doing that, you are seeing exactly what your lens is seeing. Your composition will be way more exact - I promise.

Ever wonder why the pioneers of photography in the old days, had a black sheet pulled over their head to compose and take the shot? By the way, this concept is still used today with big view cameras. For those of you thinking, its to stop the stray light from entering the viewfinder on the camera, you're right! But, it's also a great composition tool. Just like cupping the eyepiece on your modern-day camera, it focuses your attention to what the lens is seeing.

The next two images, are a perfect example. The first image is of an old fishing stage in Salvage.
I have sold a large number of framed prints of this image. But, look very closely at the second fishing stage in the distance.

This next image is even more popular as a framed print in the gallery. I walked down the shoreline and looked at the second fishing stage.
The bright blue gloves immediately caught my attention.

The Picture Within The Picture.

Next time you find yourself searching for shots, try this tip ! If it works When it works for you, send me a comment or even a peek at some of your shots.

Until next time - Have fun.

History

Well here I go, head first again. “Flying by the seat of my pants”, as my wife would say. I have been thinking of writing a blog for a while now, but I really did not know if I had anything relevant to say. As a result, it always stayed on the back burner and never got started.

I guess this is it - and now is the time - I honestly do not know what direction this whole thing will take. It may be a photographic journal. It may be a teaching aid for some or just be a few stories from my photographic journeys over the years. The one thing I do know, is that it will be photography based. After all, it seems from a very early age, photography has been a part of my life. I don’t think I am as passionate about photography as some people, but in one form or another it has always been there in the background. I am hoping that as this blog gets going, it will take on a life and direction of its own.

When I was 16-years-old, I had just left school and started my first job - working for the Commodore Banqueting Rooms in Nottingham England. My job included helping with outside catering events or indoor catering events such as dances, weddings and parties etc. During some of the evening or week-end events, I would be there when the event photographers would arrive. I believe that might have been the first time I took an interest in buying a camera. I got to know the photographers quite well. It was Jock Thorburn and Dennis Philips or Pip as most people knew him. Their company was called Thorburn and Philips. Little did I know, our paths would cross many times in the future.

On a weekend, I would very often go downtown Nottingham to Jessop’s, a store with a photographic equipment display in one of the main windows. I would drool over the cameras. Of course, at 16-years-old, I could not afford to buy one and I was under age for financing. That is where my father came into the picture. I pestered the poor man, until he eventually agreed to sign the finance agreement to purchase the camera with the understanding I pay him back.

I was now the very proud owner of a Praktica Super TL. The hair on the back of my neck just stood up. Just as it did back then with the anticipation of my first images.

I used that camera for many years. Shooting mainly snap shots whilst on vacation and a lot of action photographs of my brother in his ice skating pursuits.

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These first two images were taken in 1972 with my Praktica Super TL on slide film, which was most probably Fuji Velvia.

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In 1972, I changed careers and joined forces with my father, a Dental Technician.  We rented a space on Arkwright Street in downtown Nottingham and opened our own business. I was thrilled to discover, the third floor of the building was rented to Thorburn and Philips Photographers. I would spend hours watching Pip develop and print all his commercial photographs. He would answer all my very basic and sometimes stupid questions. You know, there was something really cool about being in the darkroom with just the very dim orange safe lights on.

I remember him taking the films out of his cameras and lowering them straight down into huge, refurbished submarine battery tanks full of chemicals. Once developed, he would hang the strips of film to dry on a string of wires attached to the ceiling. While he was hanging the film, I would go down the row with my head tilted sideways looking at all the different shots.

Sometime in the early 1980’s, I changed from my trusty old Practika to Canon cameras and lenses. I now had a new hobby and it required a different sort of photography. Although I was still only an amateur, photography was exciting and I was looking for ways to develop my skills. My new hobby was Herpetology, which is the study of reptiles and amphibians. I found myself on many field trips, often out in the wilderness and at local zoos. I was usually in or behind the exhibits, taking lots of images of reptiles and things.

By now, I was using very slow slide film and close-up lenses, ring flashes and nearly always a tripod. In fact, even today when I go out shooting, I feel lost without my tripod.

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The following reptile images were taken in the early 1980s with my Canon T90 camera. My preferred choice of film at that time, was Kodachrome 64 slide.

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(Top Image): A young Adder, which is the only venimous snake in the UK. (Left Image:) A Slow Worm. While it looks like a snake, is actually a legless lizard. Its limbs having disappeared in its evolution.

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I really enjoyed those times. I had lots of great experiences - sometimes very scary ones - when we photographed poisonous snakes or nasty monitors. We even photographed crocodiles once - I still have the well earned scars to show for it.

In 1990, my wife and I emigrated to Newfoundland Canada with our three children. We started a small Hotel business and although I don’t take as many pictures now as I did in the UK, photography is still something that is always on my mind. I converted to digital photography in 1993. While reluctant, I could see it was the way of the future. Now I can't imagine doing any other sort of photography. What at first seemed like more of a point and shoot type of photography, has become by far the most challenging and rewarding type of photography I have ever done.

The next two images were taken in the early 1990's with a Canon 10D - My first Digital SLR.

My latest photography passion is lighting techniques. As always, I have thrown myself into it and I'm really enjoying it. I honestly think, I am bordering on being a “Gear Head”. I always seem to be buying some new piece of photographic equipment. I hope to be able to post some interesting lighting techniques here soon.

Well I guess that wasn’t so bad was it? If you're still reading and still awake, you now know how I got to where I am now. You know, not much has changed really. Yes, I am using different equipment, but one thing has stayed the same. When I take an image and look at that captured moment on the screen, its still the same “WOW” feeling that I saw when the slides came back from Kodak and I looked at them for the first time on the light box. If that is how you feel when you see your images, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. Right?

So...if this blog does grow, hopefully I can talk about how we can get the very best out of that feeling together.