August Challenge

I have to admit I was not doing very well collecting images this week. I was not exploring during lunch and when I got home everything seemed to work against me in my attempts to go out and explore after dinner (OK, it was the comfy chair that stopped me!). I did manage to try out the new trail along the Mohawk River (twice!) and luckily it provided me with a few of my images. I also finally got back to Delta Lake. While walking the river trail on Saturday an idea for one of the images popped into my head so I drove up to the park to give it a try. I ended up with two images for the challenge and I enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the beach.

I also finished reading Light, Gesture & Color this week. If you are looking for a photography book and you want see better than I would suggest reading this one. I think I’ll use my Barnes & Noble coupon to get another of Jay Maisel’s books, It’s Not About the F-Stop.  This is the book I read about online but decided to start with the other as the F-Stop book is second in this series.

08/07 – relax

This is the image that popped into my head as I was walking the Mohawk River trail. Of course, I forgot to bring the remote shutter release with me and I was too lazy to walk back to the car. I ended up changing the timer to 10 seconds and quickly getting in front of the camera. Due to shooting into the sun and the lower light levels, I captured a three exposure bracket and used an HDR workflow on this one.

iheartchallenge-relax
Nikon D7100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, {1/13, 1/25 & 1/50s bracket}, 15mm, f/16, ISO 100

08/10 – feet

I did walk around the shop one day after eating my lunch. I’m still tying to get the feel for my Olympus OM-D E-M10 camera. I love the size of this camera. It captures great images (when I point it as interesting stuff, lol). I just need some more time to learn how it works. The micro four thirds format is definitely different than my Nikon camera.

I was exploring some color and light in the shop when I looked down as I was capturing a tow motor sign. There were my feet across the yellow line and it hit me that feet was one of the challenge themes. I must have looked interesting standing there with the camera pointed straight down as I adjusted my stance to get the best view of my feet and the colors.

iheartchallenge-feet
Olympus OM-D E-M10, M. Zuiko 25mm f/1.8, 1/60s, f/1.8, ISO 800

08/11 – up high

This is from my first walk along the river trail. I was attempting to use what I had been reading and look for light and color. I also remembered what one of my Disney podcasters says… “always look up.” The color version of this image is pretty good too but I liked the B&W version for the detail it brings out in the tree.

iheartchallenge-up high
Nikon D7100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/180s, 17mm, f/8, ISO 400

08/14 – in the sun

Another of my images from my return to Delta Lake. I had some time before the sun would be in position for my relax image which allowed me to explore the beach area. The water level in the lake, actually a reservoir for Rome, NY, is pretty low. I could walk along the shore like I normally do in the winter. This is the view from the out cropping of trees in my relax image. Normally all those rocks are under water.

Again, this was a challenging lighting situation. I captured a five exposure bracket for what I knew would be an HDR image. The difficultly for me with this image was getting the tripod in the right position to capture the sun peeking around the upright log. I know the them is in the sun but all week I had it in my head that it was into the sun, but this image works for both. lol

iheartchallenge-in the sun
Nikon D7100 Tokina 12-28mm f/4, {1/10, 1/20, 1/40, 1/80 & 1/160s bracket}, 12mm, f/16, ISO 100

08/15 – circles

This one is an example of finding an image while not trying. The new river trail crosses Floyd Ave. in Rome. I must have walked ten to twenty feet past the crosswalk area when it hit me. The non-slip plate in the cement I just walked over is full of circles. I walked backed got down on my knees and started clicking away. I think the kids on the bikes were not sure what to think of me. Didn’t matter, I got the image!

iheartchallenge-circles
Nikon D7100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/250s, 35mm, f/8, ISO 200

I can cross off some more of the challenge themes this week. I did miss a couple but I have an idea for one and a thought for the other. I plan on getting out more this coming week. No more excuses. Stop back and see how I do…