Newsletter No. 89: December, 2012
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
CONTENTS:
1. Night Flight over Vancouver: It’s important to have fun!
2. Keeping a Sense of ‘Play’: Adventures of a full moon!
3. All About Composition: The Fraser River Photo Workshop
4. Find a Good Photo Subject? Photograph it often
5. Seasons Greetings
1. Night Flight over Vancouver: It’s important to have fun!
Last month when Rita and I were giving our Flyover slide presentation to the Langley Camera Club, Rick Church, one of the huge supporters of the Flyover book, invited us to join him and his wife Pauline for a once in a life-time night flight over Vancouver. It was amazing. So besides taking the usual, I decided to have some fun.
Touchdown….Lions win Grey Cup!!!
Technical Notes: To create this effect I both zoomed my lens and moved my camera while using the slow shutter speed shown below.
EOS 5D Mk II; iso 6400; f-10; 1/6 sec.; focal length: 55mm; Handheld |
When Rick offered me the flight, I had to embarrassedly tell him I didn’t have my camera with me. I’m always afraid to have my car broken into when in the big city.
Anyway, Rick lent me his camera so off we went. Let’s have some more fun!
The Burrard Bridge Tremor. Is Vancouver ready for this!!!
Technical Notes: To create this effect I moved my camera while using the slow shutter speed shown below. You can see the movement I used by examining the light streaks.
EOS 5D Mk II; iso 6400; f-11; 1/3 sec.; focal length: 47mm; Handheld |
Rick circled the city three times which gave me time to both experiment and shoot for real. It was a thrill.
Better than Fireworks. Vancouver Celebrates!!!
Technical Notes: To create this effect I zoomed my lens while using the slower shutter speed shown below. The slower shutter speed gave me longer streaks than the first image shown above.
EOS 5D Mk II; iso 6400; f-11; 1/2 sec.; focal length: 45mm; Handheld |
Thank you Rick for the flight of a life-time!
2. Keeping a Sense of ‘Play’: Adventures of a full moon!
This summer, Rita, Teresa, Mike and I were camped at Ape Lake in the Chilcotin Mountains. We were enjoying a late breakfast (6:30 am) when I suddenly realized that
the full moon we were all watching was going to collide with the mountain!
‘What a story’, I thought to myself. I got my camera set up on a tripod just in time to capture the collision!
The moment of collision!
Notes on Composition: Using the two white snow slopes to both balance and give the moon and mountain centre stage, I placed the moon 2/3rds up from the bottom and just right of centre. In reality, I made this composition intuitively. I did not spend time analyzing all these elements at the time. Analyzing the composition later, as I am now, is a very worthwhile exercise which improves my decision making for future occasions in the field.
EOS 50D; iso 400; f-9; 1/500 sec.; focal length: 300mm; On a tripod. |
By changing my location, I was able to capture the moon after it had bounced off the mountain top and was rolling down the other side!
Then it rolled down the mountainside!!
Notes on Composition: I changed the composition here to give space to where the moon was rolling. Placing the moon right of centre and rolling out of the picture space would not have worked. Almost always (never say always – remember, there are no rules), a moving centre of interest is shown moving into the picture space.
EOS 50D; iso 400; f-9; 1/640 sec.; focal length: 350mm; On a tripod. |
3. All About Composition: The Fraser River Photo Workshop
This is the summer photographic workshop I facilitated along the Fraser River’s mid-canyon, in conjunction with Douglas Green of Cariboo Chilcotin Jetboat Adventures.
I’d like to share four images I made over a period of 6 minutes to illustrate a point about composition.
One black boulder (7:41 a.m.)
Notes on Composition: In this image notice the play of the black boulder against the rock in the middle of the river. In looking at the image we see an implied oblique line cutting through the entire image; from the black boulder through to the black rock wall to the left to the river rock. Now let’s look at my next composition.
EOS 5D Mk III; iso 100; f-22; 5 sec.; focal length: 90mm; On a tripod. |
I carry one filter, a Vari-8-stop Neutral Density filter, and these image show why. I can use slow shutter speeds in broad daylight. The purpose is to soften the water, which generates the feeling I enjoy.
Two black boulders (7:43 a.m.)
Notes on Composition: In my continual search for a better composition, I noticed another black boulder which I have included in this composition. Now I have an implied triangle between the two black boulders and the river rock; the image is not cut in half by an implied line. Along with a stronger foreground, the image now has better sense of balance and stability. I find this image better composed and easier to enjoy. I know this by how much more smoothly my eyes move throughout the picture space.
EOS 5D Mk III; iso 100; f-22; 15 sec.; focal length: 67mm; On a tripod. |
Next I saw that the sun was starting to hit the red rock wall in the distance. I ran to a new vantage point to take better advantage of the coloured reflections that
were about to start.
The river and the rock I (7:46 a.m.)
Notes on Composition: By including the rock in the foreground, I created a starting point from which my eyes could easily travel to the red rock in the river…an enjoyable visual journey to the centre of interest.
EOS 5D Mk III; iso 100; f-22; 15 sec.; focal length: 47mm; On a tripod. |
Drawn to the coloured reflections I moved my camera to the right. Was this a good move compositionally?
The river and the rock II (7:47 a.m.)
Notes on Composition: When I examine this composition compared to the previous one, I feel something is not right for me. Upon closer examination I see three parallel oblique lines; the line dividing the foreground rock from the water; the line dividing the blue water from the darker green; and the distant shore line. These lines draw my eye over to the upper right. Only the rock in the river keeps me within the picture space, so I find the previous composition much stronger.
EOS 5D Mk III; iso 100; f-22; 20 sec.; focal length: 35mm; On a tripod. |
In conclusion, when I have a good subject, I work it until I have exhausted all possibilities, or until the light has changed the whole dynamic.
For details about the 2013 Fraser River workshop, please visit my website. Registration is now open.
4. Find a Good Photo Subject? Photograph it often
Bridge River Glacier
After seeing this lake from the air, Rita and I flew to the Bridge River Glacier for four days this summer to photograph the proglacial lake which is filled with icebergs. Each morning I got up at 4 a.m. and hiked by headlamp to a spot where I overlooked the lake at sunrise. Each morning was as special as life itself.
First morning
Notes on Composition: Within the jumble of bergs, I made the best composition I could, to capture the pink reflection from the sunrise we see in the previous image.
EOS 50D; iso 400; f-8; 1/15 sec.; focal length: 180mm; On a tripod. |
Second morning
Notes on Composition: Different colours and a new perspective led to this composition.
EOS 5D Mk III; iso 200; f-18; 1/30 sec.; focal length: 105mm; On a tripod. |
Third morning
Notes on Composition: Once again, different colours and a new location.
EOS 50D; iso 400; f-18; 1/30 sec.; focal length: 285mm; On a tripod. |
Conclusion: If you find a good location, visit and photograph it often.
It would have been easy to sleep in the second and third mornings, but experience has taught me well. Each day brings different light with endless new possibilities.
In this case, the icebergs had also moved, yielding still further possibilities.
5. Seasons Greetings
My favourite winter photograph of 2012
Thank you for being a Newsletter subscriber and for sharing in the search for beauty in this wonderful Cariboo-Chilcotin region of Planet Earth. Your emails, thoughts, ideas, and supportive
comments have been greatly appreciated.
As I write this Newsletter, snow is falling and the cross-country ski trails are beckoning. This is the reason I moved to the Cariboo.
Rita and I have had a fabulous 2012.
The biggest event was the release of Flyover, Country Light’s 12th publication on the Cariboo Chilcotin region. Sage Birchwater and I co-authored this aviation book, and we had our grand
book launch in the 108 Mile Airport hangar with a full house in attendance. That was a wonderful evening.
Since then we have toured the province presenting the book, showing images, telling stories and meeting wonderful audiences, including many of you.
We feel so very grateful for all the organizers of these events, and the favourable and enthusiastic response we’ve received. The book has surpassed our expectations and is well on its way
to being a B.C bestseller.
To all, wherever you may live, we wish you health, friendship and peace.
Merry Christmas and a happy holiday.
Chris and Rita
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