Sunday, May 28, 2006

Light and Colour

In my opinion there are two essential ingredients in photography: light and colour. When there is a lack of either it is very hard for the photographer to compensate. When there is an abundance of both then it becomes very easy to create a memorable image.

The photo was taken at about 4:30 pm in late May. Camera: Konica Minolta 7D Settings: 1/125s, f8, ISO400, focal length 100mm

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

My Current Favorite (And Why I Like It So Much)

This is my current favorite photo. Here's why.

I like the light on the tops of the piles because it accentuates the bleached quality of the wood. I like the sky because it looks realistic and not overly processed or excessively filtered. I like the color temperature of the overall photo. It's a bit like Goldilocks - not too warm or too cold, just right. And I like the composition of the picture too. And one more thing - it looks good in print and in a frame.

But a part from those reasons why do I like this picture so much. Well here's a clue. The picture was taken with a brand new camera and the operator (me) was still learning how to use all the controls, knobs and switches.

Another clue is that until now I have never owned or been comfortable using SLR type cameras.
They can be intimidating, heavy and hard to handle for some people. Up until now I have avoided using them. Yes it is true I too sometimes get overwhelmed with technology.

Now for the punchline - your camera doesn't really matter. Your equipment isn't important except to help achieve your objective. So if, like me, you can still manage to take a nice photo with an unfamiliar camera then that's good news for us all because it demonstrates the eye of the photographer is hard at work. It is the eye that is the most important ingredient. Why is that? It is the eye that takes the photo. The camera like a car or computer merely follows our instructions.

That's why I really like this photo.

The photo was taken at about 1:30 pm in late April. Camera: Konica Minolta 7D Settings: 1/500s, f6.3, ISO200, focal length 28mm
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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

The Power and the Glory Part 2


The Power and the Glory, originally uploaded by setev.

As we sailed past the coast the sun slipped behind this large cloud but it was the sunbeams that made this a memorable photograph. Visually stunning and awesome in every way.

Remote Fiordland


Remote Fiordland, originally uploaded by setev.

As remote as can be Dusky Sound in Fiordland is accessible only by ship. There are no roads, farms, towns or any permanent dwellings for miles.

Sunset at Sea


Sunset at Sea, originally uploaded by setev.

I think the best place to see an incredible sunset is at sea. There are no distractions and the view goes on for miles.