Thursday, June 30, 2016

Latest work: "No Curves Ahead"


A lot of experimenting and playing around going on right now, and lots of surprises. This was a surprise. The almost-symmetry is appealing and refreshing to me. And the “icebergs” in translucent turquoise “water” is kind of cool, too. And then there’s the fact that there are no curves in this image — straight lines only.

 ©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Latest work: "Just a Little Off Course"

This is a very spare, very minimalistic image that conjures up (in my wee brain) maps, charts, travel, movement — all with a slight skew. Skew is good.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Latest work: "Polaroid Abstracts"


Something a bit different today. Not sure what I'm doing yet, but I'm finding these two rather appealing.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Salty dogs . . .




As much as I'm out photographing boats and harbors, and as many dogs as there are in those areas, you'd think I'd have more "dogs on boats" shots.

These are about all I have. A spaniel aboard a sailboat in South Carolina, a floppy-eared dog aboard a fishing boat in Newport, Oregon, and an alert little guy on board a fishing boat in Bellingham, Washington.

The spaniel was particularly challenging to shoot. A light-colored body, a light-colored background, and then a black head. What do you meter for? Expose for the body and the dog's head will be way too black and will have no detail. Expose for the dog's head, and the rest of the scene will be way too light and bright.

I exposed for the area just to the right of the dog's head. But the details still didn't show well in the final image. So I used a layer mask in Photoshop and brought out the details just in the dog's ears and face, especially the eye. Now I have something that's acceptable to me.

Will I ever do anything with these dog photos? Nope. They're just a reminder to me to look more closely for possible photo subjects as I wander around.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Industrial art

Blue ladders with brassy hinges on display at the local hardware store. IPhone shot.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Around the island . . .

The Washington State Ferry "Salish" heads for the Keystone ferry landing on Whidbey Island, a 35-minute ride from Port Townsend.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Lighting and diagonality


Early morning. Two different locations. Two different lighting situations. And I like them both.

Up early and walking next to the water on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Very soft overcast light. A good time for a simple composition. Look how the dark-trunked tree in the center leads your eye leftward. So does the diagonal line of the tops of the trees. Nice feeling of movement as a result.

And then there is the early morning directional light on Martha's Vineyard. The lighting and the wide-angle lens make this a busier photo than the first, but shallow depth of field keeps the background out of focus yet enables it to add to the story. And look at the diagonal lines here, how the angle of the boat and the streak of sunlight in the sand move your eye into the frame.

Do we have to choose? The golden light of dawn on Martha's Vineyard versus the overcast skies of South Carolina? Both lighting situations can be excellent for photography.

What I really want to say is that it just doesn't matter. Get up, get out, take a look around. Work with what you're given. Keep it simple. But oh, please, do look at the light.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

More from the missing memory card . . .


Turns out the missing memory card contains a few images that look pretty good. A great blue heron flies in and lands on a piling at twilight, and a couple of sailboats moored offshore add interest to a quiet scene.

Both taken in South Carolina a year and a half ago, with painterly effects added here and there.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Monday, June 20, 2016

Monochromatic linearity


A picture from downtown Portland, Oregon that I particularly liked and tweaked to come up with these two variations. Lots of straight lines in both of them. Remember the class assignment to shoot pictures that were either all curves/no straight lines or all lines/no curves? That was a great (and challenging) idea.

Hmmmmm . . . good self-assignment for this week?

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Latest work: "Triple Lunacy Abstract"

I’m in the process of making a large (5’ x 7’) wall hanging that consists of smaller collages. As I’m working with the collages, I’m finding lots of bits that look good as separate pieces of art. So I bring them into the computer, add some other things to them, and create completely different compositions such as this. What you see here is a combination of hand-painted papers, ink stains, and a piece of very old, water-stained paper. Is this all carefully planned out in advance? Heck no! Is it a lot of fun? Oh, yeah!

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh. 

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Minimalism



[This is a long and circuitous post about minimalism. And yes, I see the irony!]

I've been thinking about my photography, how I don't see the big picture, just the smaller details, and have come to a conclusion.

Those of us who call ourselves photographers got into it for a variety of reasons. There are those who enjoy the gadgetry, the technical aspects, the cameras, the lenses, etc.

There are those who are the opposite, who couldn't tell you what's the maximum aperture on each of their lenses, who do not want to fuss with dials and numbers, who just want to shoot.

And there are those who dabble a bit in both ponds: who don't want to worry about numbers but lust for a longer lens; who don't have the patience to meter a huge landscape, but will wait an incredible amount of time for the pelican to turn its head just so, etc.

I've never been much of a technician; but I can see and compose quite well. I've always considered technicians the superior photographic species, have felt less-than when around them, and often quite apologetic about my own apparent lack of expertise.

I'm an adult now. An older adult. And I can look back to see where I began and how I've evolved. And have decided there's nothing to apologize for. I'm really good at seeing. And I know just enough technical stuff to emphasize what I do see.

Would I be a better photographer if I were more disciplined and learned more about the technical side? Probably. Do I care at this point? No. At this point I'm thrilled that I have a good eye, that I notice things that other people don't, and that I take joy in the noticing. And it's the joy that keeps me going. All throughout my teaching years, it was the seeing that I emphasized, with the technical stuff sneaking in. And that's what my students picked up on -- the seeing aspect of photography. (My stock phrase being, "If you can't see it, you can't shoot it.")

Other photographers, more technically inclined, get their joy and satisfaction out of creating a finely crafted image, of really working a scene, tweaking the settings, and seeing the big picture. And thank goodness there are people like that, who show us things others do not see, do not create.

And equally important, thank goodness there are people like me, who show us things others do not see, do not create. But most important (to me), is the realization I no longer have to apologize for my lack of technical expertise, that I am not less-than.

It's therefore with a sense of calm and quiet satisfaction that I show you these three very minimalistic images, images that contain just a few elements and that, to me, look pretty cool.

The first shot, of the drainpipe, I took yesterday as we were walking around the little town of La Conner, Washington. The sun was very bright, very harsh, and so I was looking for shadows. (That's my personal rule of thumb. When the sun is bright, look for dramatic shadows.) I liked the repeating narrow vertical elements, each one separated from the other via shadow and/or texture. I took the shot using my iPhone. And I adjusted the exposure by metering primarily for the brightest, most glaring element, which was the drainpipe.

The next two images I discovered today. They were on a memory card that's been missing for a year and a half, and were taken looking down through the window of a condo we were staying in in Hilton Head, South Carolina. I used a longish lens to isolate little sections of the swimming pool down below.

The memory card also contained photos I took of pelicans, of a great blue heron, of a grebe, reflections of a lighthouse, some landscapes, etc. But, when I came to the two pool pictures, I felt that little zzzzzzz of excitement. This is what I'm good at and what I particularly love doing -- taking weird photos such as these, images that most people wouldn't see, and if they did, they probably wouldn't consider shooting. And I get that. But no way and no longer will I apologize for shooting the way I do. (But I will apologize for the long blog post!) 

Wishing you joy in whatever you create and however you end up creating it.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Latest work: "Soft Blue Enso Circle"

The yellow bits, to me, make this image more interesting. They're the result of handpainted stripes added to the mix.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Latest work: "Linen Weave"

Here I’ve combined my photos of book covers, hand-painted pages, fabric, the back side of a very old oil painting, and more to come up with this subtle image. The torn red fabric from an old book cover creates a bright yet subdued focal point for the picture, which I particularly like. Recently uploaded for sale at Fine Art America. And although FAA is primarily known for prints, this looks especially good as a throw pillow as well as a tote bag.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Latest work: "Trio of Vintage Dip Pens"

I placed these pens on a piece of hand-painted paper and then shot them with the cellphone. A bit of tweakage and ta da! Cool colors, no? Love the red and turquoise together.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Corrugated "W"

Some might call it desperation mode. Others may refer to it as artist's block. And others (many others) would simply say, "Snap out of it!"

Although I'm trying a variety of different techniques and styles in my work, nothing seems to be "sticking." No big "aha" moments.

Yes, there are some nice painterly-looking flower images being created. And I'm doing some black and white. But I keep coming back to what I loved in the first place: letters, numbers, and general photomontagerie. (Speaking of numbers, you out there, Bugsy?)

Back in March of 2010 I went on a little drive around Forest Grove and Carnation, Oregon. No expectations. Just exploring. I found quite a lot to photograph -- old buildings, farms, rust, signs, etc. It was a fruitful trip.

I stopped at a building that had been painted at least three times -- turquoise, reddish-brown, and white. And there were big letters on it. Bonus!

I concentrated on the "W," combined the resulting photo with another photo I'd taken of corrugated metal and rust, tweaked the image a bit more, and came up with this very cool (to me) "Corrugated W."

No, this isn't a big breakthrough. No "aha" moment here. But I take such joy in creating something that I think is rather different and interesting, that there's a quiet satisfaction when seeing the result.

In a world that is frenzied, hurried, and superficial, a simple "W" takes me back to where I began, reminding me what initially drew me to photography (exploration, noticing little details), and that it's all still there for the finding if I just slow down and look.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Latest work: "Words on the Wall"

It's sort of monoprint mania around here at the moment. Yesterday I was playing around with bronze and purple colors, but a few days before that I put together this rather subdued image. It consists of a couple of monoprints -- one extreeeeeemly colorful -- and some scribbles I made with India ink. I removed the color and liked the "bunkerish" cement look that appeared.

It's now available at Fine Art America, and wouldn't it look good printed on metal for a modern, minimalistic vibe?

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Sixes on the Sixth Month and the Sixth Day



Here are a few sixes to celebrate the 6th of June, the sixth month of the year.

The first "6" was made a very long time ago, so long ago that I no longer know all the various components that went into it. But I do like the somewhat monochromatic and textural look that it has.

And then there's my "Numerical Flotation Device" picture with its bold colors and overall weirdness.

And finally another number "6" made of photographs of a metal grid, a bit of sidewalk, and a brass number. At least I think that's what's in there because again, this one's fairly old.

Welcome to June 6th. D-Day. And Abby's birthday. She's 12 now. With our luck, she'll probably live to be 35.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Hypericum flowers


Walking around Langley yesterday I spotted these lovely little Hypericum flowers in a shady courtyard. Small pleasures.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Friday, June 3, 2016

Daily weirdness

Typical conversation around our house ...

Chris, coming into the office and seeing this on the computer monitor: "Bridge at Florence?"

Me: "Nope. Palm tree."

Chris: "Of course."

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Around the yard




It was a cool, misty morning and so I wandered around the yard to see what I could find. I think we're going to have bright sunshine soon, and I always want to take advantage of morning magical overcast light.

This is my favorite tree in the yard. I don't know what it is. I don't think it will flower. But in the fall it turns a bright yellow. I have two handmade "things" hanging from it, which can only be seen in the winter. You stand underneath the tree, and you feel as if you're in a fort. Makes me feel like a kid. All those branches hanging down low and enclosing me.

Around the back are three flavors of hosta, which are flourishing. Deer and rabbits both like to nibble on them, but we've found something called "Deer Fence," which we spray on these and some other plants and (gasp!), the deer and bunnies keep their distance.

Thinking at first they were weeds, and almost yanking them out, turns out foxgloves have sprung up here and there around the yard. Lovely tall spires of flowers. The bumblebees love them, and it's fun to see them fly into an individual flower, and watch the flower vibrate with their activity.

And then finally a photo of the buoys we've attached to a post. We couldn't leave the Oregon coast without bringing a little bit of it with us.

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Boat detail

Another image from Anacortes. I like this one a lot. But why? There's really nothing to it, is there?

1. Contrast. I like the combination of color/no-color, the orange life ring and the light grey rope, both against white.

2. Contrast. I like the straight lines of the rope contrasted with the curve of the life ring.

3. Echoing lines. I like the swoopy-ness of the orange rope as it swings left and droops down. And then look at how that swing and droop are echoed in the two bits of grey rope just above the horizontal wrapping.

4. Mystery. I like that at first you may not know what this is, but that it then immediately becomes clear.

5. Awareness. I'm pleased that I noticed this possible composition. One of my strengths is making something out of apparently nothing. One of my weaknesses is that I don't see the whole picture. I see the trees, not the forest. And I'm old enough now that I (almost) accept that about myself.

Wishing you a day of self-acceptance and self-delight!

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

RABBIT! RABBIT! RABBIT!



It's June. Already. And so I offer you a trio of sixes to mark the arrival of the sixth month.

I've always loved photographing numbers, and now that I'm proficient in making photomontages, the joy increases exponentially. (Not that I know what "exponentially" means.)

Our friends have departed, alas, so today it's back to work. There are rhodies to be deadheaded, lawns to be mowed, laundry to be done. But bright yellow irises have shown up out front, so I anticipate a bit of photography will sneak its way in there sometime as well.

More guests arrive in a couple weeks, and how wonderful it is that we can greet and feed these people in such a lush and luscious environment.

Oh, and if it's not too late to remind you . . . On this, the first day of the month, it brings good luck to say "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit." It must be the first thing you say today, and you must say it aloud. So if you've not spoken to anyone yet, yell out "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit" and see if your luck changes this month.

How could it hurt?

RABBIT!
RABBIT!
RABBIT!

©Carol Leigh
All text, photographs, and other media are ©Copyright Carol Leigh (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Carol Leigh.