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

The earlier, the better for soft light

Soft light, f20 @ 1/800, 180mm focal length

There was more light than heat outside the Camera Clubhouse yesterday morning which made a perfect setting for some close-up flower pictures. I decided that an ISO of 400 would work well–especially in the shaded areas–and provide hand-holding shutter speeds. That plan worked quite well with only a few images that needed to be tossed into the garbage can. I had enough time to consider the options for camera settings which were mainly focal length and aperture. You’ll remember that these are the two controls that control both image sharpness and background blur. White Balance is only for changing the color from the light source so I set the full sun mode and forgot about it even when shooting into shaded areas. The images surrounding this article are from the morning shoot. Here’s my advice when the sun is out: Get UP and Get OUT with your camera. On days when the sun sleeps in, Get UP and Get OUT to find locations that are good shooting spots on sunny days.

This is more inclusive. F11 @1/250, 70mm focal length.

Be more inclusive. f11@1/400, 122mm focal length.

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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

May 15
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Water and Reflections Returns May 15-June 5

Jun 9
8:00 am - 10:00 am

Photographing Butterflies and Blooms, Monday June 9, One Day only

Jun 29
8:00 am - 11:00 am

Photographing the Rose Garden on Sunday, June 29

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