Abstractions

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Scott Thomas Photography

Here are my photos for the Assignment 18: Abstract Photography.  Over the last couple of weeks I have tried to show you various ways to see and photograph abstractions.  Let’s see how I went about it.

Being more at ease with motion photography, the first two photographs will show those techniques. The first I took on the Syracuse Creekwalk last month using ICM (Intentional Camera Movement).

Intentional Camera Movement or ICM Abstract Photo

Intentional Camera Movement or ICM Abstract Photo. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/20s, f/18, ISO 200, EV +0.6, 55mm focal length.

The second uses the long exposure while zooming technique.  When the shutter is open, I zoom the lens from 300mm down to 28mm.  Anyone care to guess where this was taken?

Long exposure zooming abstract photo.

Long exposure zooming abstract photo. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 4s, f/22, ISO 200, EV 0, 3 stop ND filter.

This last one is an iPhone photo which I manipulated using a photo app to give an abstract look to it.  Taken at a local fundraiser where face painting got a little out of hand. I call this the All Seeing Eye. 😀

iPhone abstract.

iPhone abstract. 1/17s, f/2.8, ISO 160, 3.9mm focal length.

I am not totally satisfied with these.  They have wetted my appetite for more experimentation as I continue my photographic journey.

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View 221: Syracuse St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Scott Thomas Photography

For thirty years, the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Day Parade has had to put up with snow, sleet, cold, rain and wind.  Never has it had the day it had this year. Blue skies and temperatures in the low 70’s F (low 20’s C) brought out a record number of people to watch the three hour parade head down South Salina Street.

A high school band waits for their turn next to the Soldiers and Sailors' monument on Clinton Square in Syracuse, New York.

A high school band waits for their turn in the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade next to the Soldiers and Sailors' monument on Clinton Square in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/250s, f/13, ISO 200, EV 0, 52mm focal length.

Fittingly, St. Patrick lead off the parade played by Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh.

St. Patrick lead off the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York on March 12, 2012.

St. Patrick lead off the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York on March 12, 2012. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/160s, f/6.3, ISO 200, EV 0, 300mm focal length.

Kids on a float in the parade having their own kind of Irish fun.

Girls waving to the crowd from a float in the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York.

Girls waving to the crowd from a float in the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/400s, f/8, ISO 200, Ev 0, 300mm focal length.

Leprechauns kept showing up throughout the parade including this one riding on the front bumper of a fire truck.

A leprechaun riding on the front bumper of a fire truck in the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York.

A leprechaun riding on the front bumper of a fire truck in the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 280, EV 0, 300mm focal length.

The luck of the Irish was surely with us on this March 17th.

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Deep Photos

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Scott Thomas Photography
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Last week I read David duChemin’s ebook, A Deeper Frame, from Craft & Vision.  Normally a book by David is very..well, deep.  In this 22-page ebook, he talks about how to create photos with spacial depth in the flat medium of photography.  This was the jest of the second assignment we did on Storytelling three years ago.

In A Deeper Frame, David explains how to use perspective, seeing in three dimensions before clicking the shutter, using optics, focus, color and light to create depth in photography.  The narrative is further enhanced with photographs and graphics which bring his points clearer.

This ebook was fresh in my mind as I photographed at Taughannock Falls State Park last weekend.  In this first photo, I looked deeper into the scene to find subjects in the foreground, midrange and background.  Can you identify them?

Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/22, ISO 200, EV -0.6, 35mm focal length, tripod, HDR image.

Rock stacking around waterfalls has always intrigued me.  I wonder when Carl Sagan was at Cornell if he thought such art was really the work of an alien race. 🙂

In this next one, I used a combination of optics and leading lines.  The focal length of 45mm cut down the angle enough to lead your eyes from the sign down the path to the waterfalls in the background.

Warning sign at the start of the Gorge Trail in Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York.

Warning sign at the start of the Gorge Trail in Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/16, ISO 3600, EV 0, 45mm focal length.

I hope New York state covered all their liabilities on the sign.

In this photo, I tried to use the tree and the rocks on the talus hill to show distance up to the stone wall of the gorge and the ice formation hanging on the unseasonably warm day.

Ice formation on the gorge wall in the Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York.

Ice formation on the gorge wall in the Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/60s, f/16, ISO 5600, EV 0, 44mm focal length.

This is close to the place I photographed ice boulders a little over a year ago.

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Late Winter, Early Spring

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Scott Thomas Photography
Late Winter, Early Spring at Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York.

Late Winter, Early Spring at Taughannock Falls State Park near Ithaca, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 4s, f/22, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length, tripod.

In John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High album, he wrote a series of songs and music called the Season Suite.  The track titled Late Winter, Early Spring was a guitar instrumental and is a lovely piece of music which captures the feeling of time between the snow melt of winter and the greening of springtime.  This is the music that was going through my head as I was photographing at Taughannock Falls last weekend.

Below is a video done for an album of John Denver’s songs by his concert and album music arranger, Lee Holdridge.  Lee was a long time friend and collaborator who came out with an album of John Denver’s songs performed by an orchestra he conducted. I have the original vinyl record.  I am guessing when John saw the final video I have linked to below, he would have uttered his famous line, Far Out!  Enjoy!

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Abstracts in Motion

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Scott Thomas Photography

Motion photography is often referred to as a kind of abstract imagery.  Long exposures can transform something familiar into something else.

Innovention Fountains located in Innoventions Plaza in Epcot's Future World, Walt Disney World, Orlando, Flordia. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 25s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 42mm focal length, tripod.

A favorite place I like to play with long exposures is on the New York State Fair Midway with rides moving fast wrapped up in bright colors.

SKY Flyer abstract at The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 5s, f/22, ISO 200, EV 0, 28mm focal length, tripod.

Zooming in on fireworks display can yield colors and patterns not noticed during the show as people take in the entire sky.

Fireworks seen close up. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 12s, f/16, ISO 200, EV 0, 300mm focal length, tripod.

Grab your tripod or other stabilizing device and post your long exposure photos to the Abstract Assignment.

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