Tag Archives: monochrome

Monumental

Posted by Mike on

Taughannock Falls State Park

Saturday I drove down to Ithaca with the intent of visiting a few state parks. I assumed after my visit to Pixley Falls that there would be some good flow in the gorges in and around Ithaca. The forecast was for a partly cloudy day with a low chance for rain. I started my day at Taughannock Falls.

As I drove past the lower entrance I was surprised to see a fairly normal amount of water in the creek. I guess the middle of the state has had an earlier snow melt or possibly, this creek does not have the same amount of tributaries as the one feeding Pixley Falls. Either way, I drove up to the overlook location for a few images. I transferred one of the images to my phone and processed it with Snapseed and Prisma to give it a painted look.

 

Taughannock Art

 

After my obligatory post to my tens of fans on social media I started the walk up the gorge trail to the main attraction. There were only a few people on the trails but although the temperature was in the low forties, the gorge itself felt about ten degrees cooler. Luckily I was smart enough to bring my gloves since carrying the tripod does make my hands a bit cold.

At the end of the trail you are rewarded with a great view of the falls that are plunging from 215 feet above you. There was a slight breeze, I assume from the volume of the water, causing a mist to be working its way down the gorge. From the pedestrian bridge over the creek I was able to get a few images before everything started to get wet. The camera and lens are water resistant but why push my luck.

Without any of the color of spring yet visible in the gorge, or anywhere ese for that matter, I thought this image would look better as monochrome. I think it was a good choice. The details in the gorge walls definitely stand out…

 

Monumental
Olympus E-M1 Mark III, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 3.2s, 29mm, f/11, ISO 200

Sway

Posted by Mike on

Monochrome, Slow
West Canada Creek

I don’t know if I should call the last three weeks a break or an abandonment? I definitely wasn’t feeling the photography. The weather didn’t help, but that is a weak excuse, I really wasn’t into picking up the camera. Looking back through my files, February 20th was the last image I captured with my camera. I did a couple posts from my phone and I believe the last one was the kick-start I needed. I think I also had it in my head that after this weekend, as the clock jumps forward, I will have that extra time after I get home from work to go exploring.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and I took the chance there would be some good water flowing in the West Canada Creek. The water level was not Spring thaw category but there were opportunities along the creek. I was able to explore both sides of the creek below Morgan’s Mill Dam. The lighting in the creek is definitely better from the East side when there is an afternoon sun. I enjoyed a good hour of calming water flow before temperatures reached my finger tips. I’m hoping today will be another good for exploring…

 

Sway
Olympus E-M1 Mark III, M. Zuiko 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II, 0.5s, 75mm, f/16, ISO 200

Another Do-Over

Posted by Mike on

Monochrome Winter

The other day this image popped into my FB stream as a memory from 2012. I cringed when I first saw the post. It was from a very early time in my journey as a photographer. I was about a month away from purchasing my first DSLR (Nikon 5100) and was at the end of my time with the Sony DSC-H20 point & shoot camera. I had been learning about photography for about nine months and was only beginning to understand all the tools at my disposal. I had discovered an interest in monochrome images and was also experimenting with different toning processes, this obviously was my attempt at Sepia toning.

 

Into the Unknown

 

I do like the image. It definitely is something I would capture today. I know though that my processing would not be so heavy-handed. I thought it would be good to re-process this one with the knowledge and (hopefully) skill I have today.

As much as I read about “filling the frame”, sometimes an image needs breathing room. I like the lines of the tracks in the original but I feel this version is not conveying the mood very well. I didn’t modify the original crop scale (4×5) but I did bring more of the foreground into the image. This “pushed” the vanishing point farther back into the image and enhanced the mood I was originally going for as evidenced by the title, Into the Unknown.

 

Into the Unknown, Again

 

I decided to keep the sepia toning but turned it down a little. The subtle approach works best here, in my opinion. In the original the amount of toning overwhelmed the white of the snow and actually distracts from the image. I also adjusted the tonal range within the image. I allowed the variations within the trees to stand out better which increases the feeling of depth for this image.

I like the revision, you’ll have to let me know your thoughts…

Muted

Posted by Mike on

Monochrome Winter
Bellamy Harbor Park

It feels like forever but in reality it has only been two weeks. I suppose when you generally capture an image every day, the long, silent stretches can feel like an eternity. I wish I had a better reason for the silence other than “I wasn’t feeling it.” But, that is what it amounts to. There were opportunities but I chose not to engage. Maybe I needed it, maybe it is the excuse I keep in my head…

 

Muted
Olympus E-M1 Mark III, M. Zuiko 12-100mm f/4, 1.3s, 25mm, f/11, ISO 100