Newsletter #115: February, 2015
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
Contents:
1. An Early Morning Drive Leads to Thoughts on Composition
2. What is the Story? How do I want to tell it?
3. The Chilcotin Princess: Canadian History Revealed
4. Being Aware of Tones & Contrast: Making stronger Compositions
5. Work your Subject Methodically for Creative Results
6. My Journey Through a Burnt Forest
7. 2015 Seminars & Workshops: Registration
Hi everyone,
The month of February has been mostly a stay at home month. I’ve been doing a lot of writing for my upcoming book which means not as much exercise and shooting as I would like. Fortunately, my dog Duggan reminds me continuously to get out for a walk. I oblige two or three times a day!
One trip Rita and I did make this month was to attend the North West Aviation Conference in Puyallup, Washington. I was a guest speaker and gave a slide show which centered around our book Flyover and the whole Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region of BC. We also had a booth, where we spoke with many of the hundreds of attendees who passed by.
Thank you all for your continued support. Please enjoy my 115th consecutive monthly Newsletter!!
Our goal at the Chris Harris Gallery is to share the creative process. Please share this Newsletter with friends. I appreciate your support for my work.
Chris
1. An Early Morning Drive: Thoughts on Composition
Last September, I was driving through the Cariboo region’s Beaver Valley, near Likely, on my way to a fly fishing expedition on the Mitchell River. I left home early that morning, to give myself plenty of time for the journey. I wanted to drive slowly, enjoy the autumn colours, and have time to stop should I wish to make some photographs.
It was 7:30 a.m. when I crossed the tiny bridge over Beaver Creek, with a mist rolling through the valley. A small cabin in the distance caught my attention, and then came that inner message saying to stop. Sometimes I disregard that message, but that day I listened. I pulled off onto the shoulder and walked back to the bridge.
It was so incredibly peaceful. Diffuse light, a silent stream meandering through lush vegetation, a tiny log cabin, and mist with autumn colours; it was serene, tranquil, and contemplative.
I felt excited about the photographic opportunity, yet completely composed in the mood of the light. I got my camera gear and tripod and returned to the bridge.
Notes on composition & technique: For this composition I placed the cabin in the bottom 1/3 of the picture space, I used the leaning trees on the left and the vertical trees on the right as a frame for the cabin, and I included the tops of the trees on the right. By positioning myself on the far right side of the bridge, I turned the stream into a diagonal line to guide the viewers eye into the picture space.
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 100; 1.3 sec.; f-22; 24-105mm lens; tripod |
Notes on composition & technique: In this composition, I moved to the centre of the bridge, changing the angle of the stream. All the other elements mentioned in the above composition have also changed. The cabin has been moved up to the centre horizon line, a greater emphasis has been placed on the land to the right of the stream, and the roll of the trees on either side of the creek have changed. Also, the tops of the tall vertical trees on the right have been cut off.
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 100; 2.5 sec.; f-22; 24-105mm lens; tripod |
I made several compositions that morning including vertical format. Each has a different ‘feel’ and communicates a slightly different message.
For those interested in visual design, study these two images and decide which composition you prefer. Study how your eyes move through the picture space. Determine what it is in each composition that makes you respond differently.
Making several compositions in the field and then studying them later in my workflow is one of the ways I continually study visual design.
2. What is the Story? How do I want to tell it?
In the summer of 2014, I was photographing at Ape Lake in the west Chilcotin, quite possibly my very favourite place to photograph.
Here in the foothills of the Coast Mountains, we are witness to the creation of a fresh new landscape, untouched by mankind. It is a moraine landscape recently revealed by the receding Fyles Glacier. No tourists have been here. The land is first generational. There is no disturbance of form; nature’s patterns are true here.
Notes on composition & technique: Note the major picture elements. There is the triangle of rock, glacier and mountain peaks in the upper left that balances with the triangle of soil and boulders in the upper right. In the bottom 2/3rds of the image are two broad shapes of soil. There is also a small semi-circle in the bottom right that counters the piece of wood on the left. EOS 5D Mark III; iso 100; 1/20 sec.; f-22; 16-35mm lens; tripod |
When I saw this small piece of weathered wood, I wondered, ‘where did it originate from?’ What had been its journey? Had it been captured by the advancing Wisconsin Glaciation 80,000 years ago and just recently released by the melting glacier seen here in the background? What was the story behind this small piece of wood?
To speak to this story I used my 16-35mm wide angle story telling lens. All the elements that pose, and possibly answer the question, ‘where did the wood come from’, are included. Context for all elements are provided.
Notes on composition & technique: This composition pertains more to fine art abstraction based solely on line, form, and texture. Colour and tonal contrast also play a role.
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 100; 1/10 sec.; f-22; 16-35mm lens; tripod |
Beyond the story, I was completely enthralled by the simplicity of line, form, and texture. I changed my perspective, along with my lens focal length, and made an entirely different image. Compared to the previous image, the question of ‘where did the piece of wood come from’ has been eliminated. All context has been removed. The image has now become more abstract. It could now become a stand-alone fine art print.
These two images point to some of the questions we must ask ourselves as landscape photographers. What is the message or the story (if any) we wish to tell? Then, how do we wish to tell it?
3. The Chilcotin Princess: Canadian History Revealed
Just recently, I received an email from Garry Weir who had come across a photograph I made of the Chilcotin Princes while visiting Namu this past summer. Garry was asking for permission to use the image on his website For Prosperity’s Sake.
Garry has created a website dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of those who served in the Royal Canadian Navy and the ships they served in. It’s a very comprehensive site which contains information and stories not found on government’s historical pages.
HMCS Laymore, circa 1946.
From the collection of CERA Doug Clark, RCN.
Courtesy of Jane Clark
Garry has traced the history of the Chilcotin Princess. Briefly, it was built and launched on April, 01, 1944 as HMCS Laymore. It has been re-designated several times before being sold to private interests in 1977 when it was renamed Chilcotin Princess.
Laymore has run aground several times, sometimes unintentionally, but her specially designed round hull was made for that very purpose. After spending time on the east coast, she was transferred to Esquimalt where she performed several tasks. In the late 1950s and early 1960s she was used to dispose of expired high explosive and chemical munitions into designated deep ocean valleys. Following a grounding in 1963, she was repaired and refitted to become an oceanographic research vessel – a duty she performed from 1966 until removed from service. After being removed from service on Feb. 15, 1976, Laymore was sold by Crown Assets in 1977 to Inter Coast Towing Ltd and was renamed Chilcotin Princess.
Chilcotin Princess, a rusting hulk at Namu, BC
In 1986 she was converted into a cruise ship with six cabins and would take up to 12 passengers to logging camps and First Nations villages. The Chicoltin Princess was later bought by a company in Namu, to help in the clean-up of the waterfront industrial area. It now appears she has become part of the neglect and is a rusting hulk on the waterfront.
For more complete information about the Chilcotin Princess’ history, please visit For Prosperity’s Sake. For more information and images visit these links. If any of you have stories and old photographs to share with Garry, please get in touch with him; he would love to hear from you. Thank you Garry.
4. Being Aware of Tones & Contrast: Making stronger Compositions
Photography tours on the BC central coast is big business these days and with good reason. The scenery and wildlife is unsurpassed. Last October, I joined Tom Ellison aboard the Ocean Light II; he was returning the boat to Vancouver after a summer of touring the BC coast.
As the weather was stormy, I found weathered seascapes to be a dramatic and dynamic subject. In terms of making stronger compositions, I thought I would share an important observation I made during the course of this trip.
Storm I
Contrast is important, not as an element of composition, but because of the way our eyes respond to it. In general, our eyes will go immediately to the areas of highest contrast; where white is seen against dark gray or black, or where black is seen against light gray or white.
In image 2 above, there is slightly greater contrast which usually provides more excitement and drama. Image 1 has less contrast and thus provides a gentler or more mellow mood.
Both images also have the complete tonal range; from white to black, but the way in which the tones are juxtaposed and how they relate to each other are both different and important to be aware of.
Examine how your eyes respond to each of these two images. In image 1, the brightest area and one of highest contrast is on the centre horizon, but there is also another bright area of contrast (although not as strong) in the upper right. This pulls our eye up to that area and can even take our eye right out of the picture space.
In image 2, the dark tones in the upper and lower parts of the photograph keep our eye within the picture space, in the single area of highest contrast.
A lot can be said about this topic, but in general, when we are out making photographs, we should try to be aware of the range of tones and how they relate to each other. This is critical in how we express ourselves through composition.
5. Work your Subject Methodically for Creative Results
This past weekend Rita and I attended the North West Aviation Conference in Puyallup, Washington. We had a booth there where we displayed aviation prints and autographed Flyover books. I was also an event speaker, giving a slide-sound presentation on the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region of BC as portrayed in the book Flyover.
Because of the interest we garnered within the aviation community, I thought I would share the story behind one of the photographic prints we had on display at our booth.
Notes on composition & technique: Compositionally, I was most aware of lines, using diagonal lines as much as possible for drama. Shooting from beneath the plane looking up gave it a sense of power, as if it was taking off. Also, with line in mind, I rotated the prop to this exact position.
EOS 1Ds Mark III; iso 100; 1/20 sec.; f-22; 16-35mm lens; tripod |
While visiting a hangar belonging to pilot Rick Church, a major contributor to Flyover, I asked him if I could photograph the shiniest Cessna 185’s I had ever seen. Sure, said Rick, and he rolled the plane out onto the tarmac where there was better light.
I went to work. I circled the plane, I sat in the cockpit, I stood on a ladder shooting downwards, and I lay on the ground shooting upwards. There is one thing I have learned over the years, and that is to stick with your subject, studying it from every angle and with every lens you possess. If you work your subject long and hard enough, you will discover creative perspectives you never thought existed.
The propeller eventually caught my greatest interest. I began to ‘work’ the shiny subject but my reflection always seemed in the way. Eventually, by rolling over a few times and changing to a telephoto lens, I was able to eliminate my reflection and capture an expression of the plane that said more by showing less.
Notes on composition & technique: Keeping the same diagonal line, this time from left to right, I filled 2/3rds of the picture space with plane and 1/3rd with sky. I included just enough of each blade to show what it was I was photographing. Even still, many people ask what this photograph is when they see the print!
EOS 1Ds Mark III; iso 400; 1/320 sec.; f-13; 100-400mm lens; handheld |
To give an idea of how long I worked this subject, the final image was made 45 minutes after my first image.
6. My Journey Through a Burnt Forest
It was during the last hour of our 8-day, horse supported, photographic hiking tour through the Rainbow Mountains that we found ourselves hiking through a forest that had burned two years prior.
Notes on composition & technique: The sense of balance is important here. I gave equal space to the right and left of the two vertical trees on either side of Mike. By changing my perspective, I also placed Mike just off centre to make it a more dynamic image.
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 250; 1/125 sec.; f-11; 24-105mm lens; handheld |
There was a stark beauty within the forest that made me want to stop, contemplate its colour and tonal contrasts, and then creatively capture its artistry. Unfortunately, we were the last in the party (probably due to me forever wanting to stop and photograph) and the rest would be waiting for us to celebrate the end of a magnificent trek. I would have to shoot quickly.
Notes on composition & technique: This was a decision as to how much picture space to give each of the three rectangular shapes. Centre of interest (trees and colourful vegetation) and balance is important here.
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 400; 1/200 sec.; f-14; 24-105mm lens; handheld |
We soon entered an opening where, beyond a small swamp, the fresh colours of new vegetation blatantly stood out against the black and gray tree trunks. I just had to go there!
Burnt forest abstract I
There would be many wonderful and creative ways to approach this subject, and I wanted to try them all. With limited time, however, I set my camera on ‘multiple exposure’ and with slight camera movement, I fired off 6 or 7 exposures. I made several such images, all aimed at tree trunks with colourful bouquets of fireweed in front. This was one of my favourites.
Burnt forest abstract II
Time for one more! It was hard to stop. I just wanted to enjoy the forest garden and keep shooting. This time I chose a single trunk and made several multiple exposures while moving my camera vertically upward.
The first two images in this series are representational in order to give context to the location. The final two images are more an expression of responsiveness to the beauty I found there.
I had to leave.
We all met at what had been the trail head 8 days before, except now, we were all celebrating an exceptional trip through an outstanding volcanic landscape. Our outfitters, Rainbow Mountain Outfitters, had orchestrated a remarkable experience for which we were all most appreciative.
7. 2015 Seminars & Workshops: Registration
workshop in action
Here is a chance to ‘learn & leap’ into the world of creative photography.
In photography, we express ourselves by the arrangement or juxtaposition of compositional elements, the techniques our cameras allow us to use, and our interest in the subject matter we choose.
Through illustrated lectures, in the field experiences, and critique sessions, you will learn to see the world around you differently; you will become a more creative photographer.
Please review the seminar and workshop options, then choose one that is designed for you.
To Register your camera club or group of friends for a “Customized Seminar” at the Gallery, or to have Chris travel to your location to give this seminar, please contact the office directly by email or phone and Rita will arrange your event with you.
Descriptions of these seminars and workshop, and how to register, are posted on my website.
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