Week Two
On day four I wanted to try a composition in a very narrow alleyway on Sycamore Street. I was visualizing the walls running parallel to the top of the composition with just a sliver of the opening at the center. I would need to walk to the far end of the alley. Unfortunately, there was a parked car directly across from the alleyway and it didn’t fit with the empty street I wanted. It forced me to shoot at a higher angle cutting out the street level. Like many of the buildings downtown, the upper floors are empty. If there was a light on and even better a person standing at the window it would have created a story and elevated this composition. As it is, another photo takes the day four spot.
Out the opposite end of the alley are the back doors to many buildings and lots of interesting ephemera. In this case a large number of magazine honor boxes or dispensers. All plastic and a mix of faded reds and greens. But only one was tall and yellow. The composition I liked the most prominently featured the yellow dispenser resting at a slant with a dark alley and high walls behind.
On day five the weather was comfortable and the sky was filled with interesting light and dark clouds. The light and warmth of the sun reminded me of Spring and energized me for some exploration. Heading down to the old harbor I took a few aerial photos with the drone. I then set off into the wooded area that rests where the original river channel used to be.
The harbor area is usually like a small pond fed by Lieutenants Run and a creek that connects back into the river further east. Thanks to all of the rain the water is deeper and the creeks wider. This has caused a considerable amount of trash to accumulate along the wooded area. Most of it is plastic bottles. The sun was shining through the woods and illuminating the plastic and it made for some interesting compositions. But I found them depressing not only for the story they told but it was days weather had turned out too pleasant to focus on the negative. Heading back, I came out of the woods and noticed a tall tree by the harbor. The sun was lower and it was now bathing the tree in warm light. There is a blue sky but also an ominous cloud near the center. With the added focus distortion of the Petzval 80.5mm lens, I feel it became an interesting photo that told a story.
Day six was an attempt to use the Petzval lens again this time using one of the diamond-shaped aperture plates. These plates will distort out of focus lights into shapes such as a diamond, star, heart, etc. Although none of the lights were far enough outside the focal area it did create an interesting distortion in the lights. The composition would have benefited from at least one couple sitting at a table. But it was too cold for that!
Day seven was the first visit this year to a location I explored often during my 365-day photo challenge in 2019. Central Park now named Popular Lawn. It was golden hour and once again the Petzval lens was on the camera. There is something exceptional about how this lens can capture the warmth of the sunlight during this time of day.
Bridges are always good subjects. They can stir thoughts in the viewer about many things. My thoughts that day were on a renewed focus, as one might have as they cross a bridge focused on what’s on the other side such as a new beginning.
For the composition, I noticed how the tree branch framed the bridge. Sub framing usually takes forethought and planning so it was great to find it by accident! I moved around until I found the composition that best showcased the branch framing the bridge.
Day eight was a failed attempt at using the Petzval lens with the star aperture plate. I had hoped to catch the old train trestle piles as the subject with the bright LED lights of the Virginia State campus out of focus and in the shape of stars. But there just wasn’t enough distance between the two subjects to achieve this. What you see is an interesting but not very good composition. At least it shows what is possible with this lens and the aperture plates.
Day nine led me to a location that continues to confound my attempts for an interesting composition. City Point in Hopewell, Virginia. It’s a great location full of history and historic structures. Including the confluence of the Appomattox River and James River. And yet, after every visit, no matter how enjoyable, I’m always disappointed in my photos. This day was no exception. The river water was especially choppy and in my mind’s eye a good subject. But I could not translate what I saw into anything. So I chose to simply capture the form and shape of the water, its texture.
Day ten being a Sunday provided extra free time for exploring farther from home. I visited the R. Garland Dodd Park At Point of Rocks in Chesterfield, Virginia for the first time. There are excellent trails that take you along the Appomattox River and over a floating boardwalk through a freshwater tidal marsh. I liked how the trees, especially the green Holly tree framed the view of the Appomattox River as it wound towards the Point of Rocks. Interestingly the point of rocks no longer exist having been quarried after the American Civil War! The second photo was taken from the boardwalk. I liked how the golden detritus of the marsh created a linear contrast with the rest of the landscape.
