The Invisible Photographer

~ A look at the widely varied world of light-created imagery.

Category Archives: Digital Photography

People over the Years

27 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, Film Cameras, film photography, Portraits and People, Uncategorized

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Tags

"photography", black and white, black and white film, black and white photography, candid portraits, film photography, people photography, portraits, portraiture, studio portraits

I took up the thought this morning:  “What if I tried to put together in one place a collection of people I’ve snapped over many years?” I thought about what I had seen in an old external drive I was perusing yesterday. So, I’ll try to do something here.

In spite of my somewhat retiring nature, I have managed to ask some strangers if I might take their pictures. Here I will also include some people close to me as well. They may be people from the long past, but they were at least close to me.

Some are street candids, some are street informal where subject is aware of the photo being taken, some are “studio,” some are taken at events and many different film formats as well as digital are used.

I think that although I consider myself more of a nature/landscape photographer, the human landscape it much more varied and interesting. There are limitless possibilities of expression in a single visage.

Young Woman in Studio_4726324804_o.jpg

Young woman at school where I taught, an assistant. Shot with Pentax 6×7 and studio lighting.

Young Teacher by Window Light_4731234461_o.jpg

Another teacher at same school. Taken with window backlighting and some shadow side bounce light with Hasselblad.

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Young man I saw in New Mexico.

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There’s a used bookstore in downtown Denton, Texas, called Recycled. This is one of the owners. Shot with Canon AE-1 Program.

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His name was Arleigh. Hasselblad 500 CM was the camera.

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Tom, a geography prof. Shot with a 4 x 5 camera using Polaroid’s type 55 Positive/Negative film.

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One of my students by window light using Hasselblad.

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Beatriz, overcast day, 35mm film camera.

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Twins. Shot with Hasselblad.

The Whole Trek Team_13749485633_o.jpg

I met this couple at a park as they were training for a hike along the Appalachian Trail, going into the part that traverses the Maritime Provinces. I hope they made it OK.

The River of Time Its Channels Dredged on Me_5109067796_o.jpg

Self portrait, playing with a soft box. Nikon D700.

The Beauty of Red_14045535464_o.jpg

I hope you can sense she was a flaming redhead. Digital, Canon 5D Mark III, at an event in Denton, Texas.

Polly, City Council Member, Silver City_9456142087_o.jpg

Polly, a city councilperson in Silver City, New Mexico. She owns the  Javalina Coffee Shop there, quite a unique place!

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Mrs. Grimes, my second grade teacher. Shot with a Pentax 6 x 7.Mary Grimes_9647672887_o.jpg

Mrs. Grimes shot with a 4 x 5 camera.

Lorenzo and Breeze_15601359701_o.jpg

Lorenzo and Breeze in Silver City, New Mexico.Lorenzo and Breeze_15418429930_o.jpgBreeze_HC_o.jpg_48A1119.jpg

I thought it might be worth more than one capture of them. Canon 5D Mark III.

Joe_12094467124_o.jpg

Young man I found at Dallas Whiterock Lake with his guitar, composing a song. Canon AE-1 Program.

Jimmy Porter.jpg

Jimmy Porter, mentioned in earlier post about platinum/palladium print of this image. Nikon FE on Kodak Technical Pan film, 25 ISO (ASA in those days).

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Young man sitting outside of a cafe in Denton, Texas. Canon 5D Mark III.

Informal Portrait in Silver City, Xinyan_16172932741_o.jpg

Young woman in Silver City, New Mexico. She goes to China to “rescue” traditional clothing and bring it back. Canon 5D Mark III.

Informal Portrait in Silver City, Russ_bw_o.jpg

Russ owns an equestrian supply store in San Lorenzo, New Mexico.

Informal Portrait in Silver City, Rudy_15987339228_o.jpg

Rudy lives in San Lorenzo.

Informal Portrait in Silver City, Joanie_16174040122_o.jpg

This is a psychologist in Silver City. I saw her in an art store and followed along to ask if I might take this photo. Of course she wondered, “Now, why…..?”

Informal Portrait in Silver City, Frank_15987539360_o.jpg

Frank, in Silver City. He is a Vietnam War veteran. Canon 5D Mark III.

Getting Ready.jpg

Same couple shot with Canon 5D Mark III through a lens designed for smaller sensor.

Erin and Littlefoot.jpg

In Silver City.

Driver.jpg

In Fort Worth Stockyards.Dr Chapel.jpg

Former elementary school principal in Dallas.

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I met this young woman as she man….womanned a booth at an event in Denton, Texas. When I suggested she might consider modeling she told me she already IS a model!

Coco and Family_10697413005_o.jpg

I met this nice group near downtown Dallas one summer day. Canon AE-1 Program.

Chris_9650906828_o.jpg

My college roommate. Taken in Big Bend with a Wisner Convertible Classic 8 x 10 view camera.

Apparently I’ve reached my photo limit on this post. To be continued on next…and maybe next!

 

 

 

 

 

One Morning on the Beach

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by castl23 in Digital Photography, Travel, Uncategorized

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Tags

birds, dawn, dead shark, galveston, galveston island, galveston texas, gulf of mexico, morning, ocean, shark, sunrise, wildlife

We got up early in Houston to make the 40 something mile drive to East Beach on Galveston Island. My goal was really to catch some waves with camera on a tripod to get the dreamy blur effect. However, as soon as the sun was rising, I couldn’t use the shutter speeds needed for the blur. I got these:

 

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The Houston Ship Channel is here and I got this of a ship on the horizon:

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There was a shark on the beach that, apparently, his friend buried in the sand and then swam off and forgot to extract him:

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This could be his friend, a hammerhead supine nearby. Maybe he died from the exertion of burying this shark:

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While you would think other animals would be in mourning, these guys weren’t at all upset:

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Laughing gulls!

The camera was a Nikon D7100 with dirty sensor and a Nikon 16 – 85 zoom (using split graduated ND filter) except for the gulls which were captured the next day with same body and Sigma 150 – 600 Sports version of that lens.

 

Galveston, Oh, Galveston

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, Film Cameras, Travel, Uncategorized

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"photography", black and white, brazos bend state park, Digital Photography, film photography, galveston texas

Some shots taken with iPhone and Fuji 645 camera on 120 film.

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These were with iPhone. We found back alleys more interesting than the fronts of the buildings, mostly shops, of course.

Facade

Front of a church in Galveston.

Field of Grass and Tree

This was actually not in Galveston. It was at Brazos Bend State Park a week earlier. Just didn’t have roll of film developed yet at that posting, so I’ll just put it here if it’s OK.

Tree and Moss 2

Spanish moss on tree, also at Brazos Bend SP. I’ll beseech your indulgence for posting it here due to same reason as stated above. I look forward to actually printing these on silver paper or maybe even give it a shot on platinum/palladium.

Brazos Bend State Park

10 Sunday Apr 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, nature, Travel, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

brazos bend state park, Digital Photography, sigma 150-600 for nikon, super telephoto zoom lens, texas, texas wildlife, wildlife

This is a great state park in Texas just about 30 minutes south of Houston. It features alligators and a nice variety of bird life.

Camera was a Nikon D7100 and the lens a Sigma 150- 600, effectively with the crop a 225 – 900. It is a large lens, of course, and it is even suggested that a monopod is the minimum support requirement. However, use a high enough ISO and shutter speed and that impediment to quick response to wildlife subjects (the monopod) can be fairly well avoided.

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The shallow depth of field of a super telephoto allowed me to give sharp focus to the end of the snout and its reflection while making a pleasant blur in the other areas.

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While the alligator looks sluggish, it’s said that they can dart out of the water fairly quickly to seize its victim (or camera-wielding tormentor). I wouldn’t have done this with a 50mm lens! He or she seems somewhat perturbed.

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Now on the nicer side, a gallinule calmly graces the ripples with its vibrant beak looking like a corn candy.

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Here is a group of gallinules in the fen.

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The American bittern stalks its unwary fare.

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Maw and Paw blue-winged teal rest on the lounge log.

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I did shoot some black and white with a Fuji GA something or other 6 x 4.5 film camera, but here is a quickie digital rendition.

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The ibis prepares to pounce.

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The lazy gator a log mounts.

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Gallinule walks the branch.

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Double crested cormorant.

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Gallinule and cormorant.

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Great blue heron surveys his or her domain.

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Ibis shows off for the gallinules. They are common, after all.

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A herd of ibis feeds.

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Ibis herd, another view.

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Three ibises.

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Common grebe.

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More gallinule action.

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Common egret I.

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Common egret II.

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Common egret three, frazzled.

The Sigma 150-600 is a reasonable solution to the common wildlife photographer who’d like to “get out there” a little further!

 

 

 

Deep Ellum

06 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, Travel, Uncategorized

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Tags

dallas, deep ellum, iphone, iPhone photography, iphoneography, urban

Last week I was pleased to take a long bicycle ride with my wife from Dallas White Rock Lake (marathon fame) to Deep Ellum in downtown Dallas. “Ellum” is a quaint pronunciation of Elm, as in Street. This place has a lot of eateries, clubs, bars, performing artist venues, wall art adorning the buildings (Neiman Marcus version of graffiti if you will) and believe me, I wouldn’t be caught dead there at night.

First, for some iPhone pictures on the way to DE along the SF Trail. (SF means “Santa Fe.”)

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This was on the way to DE, as stated. I don’t know what it means, so if it’s objectionable, I apologize. Just pretend it’s the 23rd Psalm or something.

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This was on way to DE also. Again, I’m not sure what the author meant, but I liked the hoop that looks like someone did a major slam dunk on it, the textures and the shadows here. Well done, iPhone.

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I forget what they call this place, but here’s a sign.

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Here’s an interesting piece of artwork outside a piano-themed establishment. There are several of them in different poses.

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These are probably some well-known DE performers.

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Again, think 23rd Psalm….

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I tried to be abstract.

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This is a bonus picture. It’s actually in Houston, but it seems to fit the theme here.

I hope you liked my pictures I took in Deep Ellum. Thank you for looking today.

Santa Elena Canyon in HDR

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, nature, Travel, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

"photography", big bend, big bend national park, canyon, chihuahuan desert, desert, hdr, HDR photography, nature, rio grande, river, santa elena canyon, west texas

When shooting under extreme lighting conditions of light to dark tones, even our smart phone cameras know about the need for High Dynamic Range techniques (HDR). I decided on this hike into Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park to actually carry along a tripod and my Canon 5D Mark III. I used the Sigma 24mm f1.4 “Art” lens.

I was planning to bracket roughly 5-7  exposures for each photo, usually -3 stops through +3. Then I would use Photomatix Pro software to take the best rendition of values out of all those exposes and melt them into one that would ideally have the best of highlights and the best of shadows with everything else in between.

I would like to think that a single exposure would not have captured the range of detail seen here.

_Canyon  not HDR.jpg

Not HDR, as camera with single exposure and post processing render the scene. It’s OK…ish.

Canoeing in SA Canyon.jpg

Here’s the HDR. It has that “look” that many people find objectionable, sort of the comic book feel. Still there’s a feeling of seeing more detail and greater richness and vibrance.

_End of Trail not HDR.jpg

Not HDR.

_Santa Elena Canyon.jpg

Yes, HDR.

_Boulder not HDR.jpg

Not HDR.

_48A3212_3_4_5_6_7_fused.jpg

Yes, HDR.

Here in last shot I’m posting you can see how every nook and cranny gets opened up for a CLEARER view in HDR. I’m sure that with more post HDR conversion processing the images could have that less that Marvelous look to them (for you younger readers that’s as in Marvel Comic Books. Sorry.)

You be the judge and let me know!

Lucky Horse

12 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, nature, Travel, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

costa rica, fog, horse, landscape

Taken in Costa Rica where there’s plenty of food for horses.

 

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Not so Deep

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by castl23 in "photography", Digital Photography, nature, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

"photography", cactus, claret cup, fleabane, flower, gaillardia, narrow depth of field, nature photography, selective focus photography, shallow depth of field, wildflower

I have come to really appreciate the technique of selective focus. In this older shot I’m not so sure I selected any focus point at all. I used an 85mm f1.4 wide open with maybe even a close up lens attached. I still like the effect here:

Gaillardia_13954957100_o.jpg

Gaillardia in Texas

Here, a little more of an actual selected focus point. I believe the lens was a 70 – 200 f4 with close up lens:

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Claret Cups and Imago in New Mexico

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Claret Cups in Burro Mountains, New Mexico

The flowers below were with the 85f1.4 at maximum aperture. All shots with Canon 5D Mark III camera.

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Fleabane, Gila National Forest, New Mexico

Don’t underestimate the power of selective focus to simplify a complex array of objects in the photo and to provide a pleasing background for the focused element in your composition.

 

 

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