Jack Carlson Photography

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Spring: Old clothes and short tripods

April 29, 2021

Get low for a group shot.

Why old clothes? Because eye level perspectives are not appropriate for small spring subjects unless they are new buds on trees. Sometimes, I find a large, clean yard-waste bag to lie on. Other times when I’m concerned about missing the light, I’ll just get down to the ground and shoot the shoots. While that works well from a photographic perspective, I don’t live alone so I’d better be wearing an old pair of Levi’s and a shirt that’s at least half my age.

Try to find time in either morning or late afternoon to get outside with your camera to take advantage of the long shadows that are often found among the soft pastel blossoms of spring.

Get closer when you can.

A tripod with no center column will allow you to place it directly on the ground.  Remember that manual focus is a must when photographing small subjects. Use live-view if your camera has it, and set the ISO to the lowest possible number. Assessing the light on a subject takes time, so welcome to life in the photo slow lane.

Yes, life in the photo slow lane is worth it.

Once you get a keeper image, send it over. I’d love to see your spring shots.

Jack

p.s. I’ve just added some classes, so remember to visit the Classes section of the site before you leave.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Weekly Photo Tip

Get an Infrared Filter to create snow

 

Infra-red filter creates eerie snow effect.

Magnus, the faithful camera clubhouse cat, thoughtfully dropped a B+H gift card in my Christmas stocking. I used the card to order an Infrared (IR) filter which, as you will remember knocks out all wavelengths of light below the filter rating. In this case, all light below 930nm doesn’t make it through the filter, and the wavelengths that do make it require 2 1/2 minutes of exposure time. This filter is so dark red, the composing and focusing must be done before the filter is attached to the front of the lens. In addition to a tripod and ballhead, it helps to have gloves and a mug of some type of warm liquid to keep hands and insides warm while walking around behind the camera for those 150 seconds while the shutter is open.

IR filters come in varying strengths which affect the price. Mine wasn’t priced in the low-end promo department, but the effects it creates are both enjoyable and worth the price. Get one and see for yourself.

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About Jack

A classically trained musician since childhood, Jack Carlson always had the “ear” of an artist. It was only a short step to develop the artist’s “eye” as well.

The portfolio of this certified photographer reveals images that emphasize mood and composition. Their purpose is to present a feeling in addition to portrayal of person, place or thing. Sometimes that feeling is nostalgia; other times it is serenity.

Each photograph tells a story.

Upcoming Classes

Jul 9
8:00 am - 11:00 am

Waterlily Workshop-back at CBG by popular demand-Saturday, July 9

Jul 12
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Intermediate Digital is GO for July 12 on Zoom

Jul 24
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Choosing the Right Lens: Zoom in for 2 hours of info you’ll want to have

Jul 31
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Composition: Back at the garden by student demand–5 Sundays–starts July 31

Aug 6
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Hidden Gems of the Garden: Just waiting to be photographed starting August 6

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