Week Three
Day eleven was another reminder that the days are short in January. When I realized what time it was, the sun had set along with my planned photo and any desire to take one. This would be a day to remember that desire has little to do with taking a photo or most creative endeavors. Many times it’s a battle to put effort into finding and taking the daily photo. It’s always worth it and beneficial. Too bad I seem to so quickly forget that. Being creative is work, inspiration is great when it comes spontaneously. But it more often comes from effort and tenacity.
So I rummaged through my Petersburg artifacts for a prop to shoot right outside my studio door. The long gallery space with its lights and exit sign at the far end allowed the Petzval Lens at f 1.9 and the diamond plate to create the bokeh effect I had been hoping for.
Day twelve was an almost perfect day for a photo walk thanks to the clear skies and unseasonably warm weather. I started my walk up Hinton Street and found enough compositions for an entire week! The photo you see was not my favorite but it told a story or at least hinted at past stories. The bright sun and blue skies really made the photo. On clear days like this, you should keep the sun at your back looking for surfaces bathed in full or partial light. Especially when the sun is getting low in the sky and the light warmer. But don’t forget to turn around and catch that light streaming through the trees or other subjects.
Become a hunter of the light!
Bonus Photos
Day thirteen was another attempt at using the Petzval with the diamond plate. I think this is the best use I’ve made of it so far. That cat statue drew me in with all that character and makes the composition.
Day fourteen came as a result of an attempt to photograph a massive movie production that had, to my amazement snuck into downtown with no fanfare. Production staff promptly chased me off so I headed back to an interesting group of weather-worn oak barrels behind the Trapezium Brewery. The composition was there but I couldn’t find it at first. Each shot was boring and uninteresting. Time to change my viewpoint and perspective. Slowly moving in closer the composition came together. This is one reason I prefer prime lenses. A photographer should always be moving in and around the subject. Up and down near the ground. A prime lens will force you to move and it’s good training.
Bonus Photos
Day fifteen was one of those days when the composition finds me. This was welcomed since I hadn’t given much thought to the photo. Placing my camera pack into the truck I looked up and there it was! The brightly lit window is what caught my eye. Later when editing this photo, I felt the colors were distracting from the mood. So conversion to black and white helped with a boost in contrast. Enhancing the brightness of the windows and adding haze helped to increase the moodiness I remembered.
Candidates
Day sixteen was a night spent walking around hoping the composition would find me again. I quickly found myself by the Old Market which has been a dependable subject even before the Crocker Spot moved in. Now that a popular restaurant is here the building is bathed in light with lots of activity! But no matter how interesting a subject is it can quickly become mundane for the photographer and the viewer. So after an attempt at capturing the light shafts rising out the cupola, I decided to continue my walk.
Day sixteen’s photo was the result of randomly shooting the interior of an antique shop that was closed. It’s not a good photo technically but it has some interest and it tells a story. If anything this photo is a good trial run for a proper attempt at photographing it. Possibly a good concept for a series of photos.
Day seventeen afforded time for a short trip to check off an item from a particular bucket list of mine. This list contains old signs, buildings, and ephemera from days gone past. Most of it lies on Route 1 which was a main artery of travel before the days of the interstates. Sadly just in my lifetime much of what remained is gone. So would be the case with this item on my bucket list. This particular relic was a derelict motel on Route 1 just south of Chester, Virginia. It had a metal sign wearing faded green paint and nicely rusted. It still retained some of the broken neon sign glass. To my disappointment the sign and motel were gone, the land had been cleared leaving no trace of the subject!
Chagrined I decided to keep driving north for there were other faded and rusted artifacts ahead. Or so I thought! Many of the areas that sported the old stuff have been cleaned up or redeveloped. On to Richmond then, for Hull Street would have something for me and it did! A classic 60’s space era metal and neon sign. For a change, this restaurant is still operating and using the sign and name. The advertisement for a kitchen helper in Spanish adds some nice character too. All in all a fun quest and a reminder to not put off photography trips!
