Saturday, April 28, 2018

Random boat bits . . .




Nothing like meandering around fishing boats to find little vignettes, examples of the tools they use, the things they need, and how traditional a lot of the gear is.

By isolating small bits and pieces, I can create pictures that offer hints of what's on board, making the necessary gear just as important as the entire boat.

A simple photograph of a ladder and a lantern turns into a Mondrian-esque scene of clean rectangles and squares.

Lures hang from a rustic piece of wood aboard a commercial fishing boat.

I liked the monochromatic look of the strongly-defined lines and angles that frame the curvy-ness of a hook of some sort. An overcast day helped emphasize the silvery-blue-grey metal, lighting all the visual elements equally.

And finally, the bold red handles on the Crowley tugboat "Protector" tied to the dock. From a design standpoint, I found the horizontal line of half-letters up top, the red handles, and then the thick red pipe at the bottom -- all parallel to one another -- very appealing. It's an unusual composition, and I like it!

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Contrast is everything . . .

Creativity is intelligence having fun.
-- Albert Einstein

As I was leaving an architectural salvage store in San Diego, bright sunlight created lovely shadows behind a decorative piece of ironwork. Had to photograph it. Not only was I attracted to the shadows, but the juxtaposition of the organic form of the spiral and the heavily linear criss-crossed metal bits was (to me) striking.

I'm noticing "contrasts" like this more and more. If there's something soft and curving, combining that element with straight, severe lines adds interest.

If there's something "real" and well-defined in the foreground, lighter and somewhat amorphous shadows in the background add to your visual story.

We see something similar when we compose a photo of, say, an old railroad depot in front of a modern skyscraper -- old against new. Or an in-focus flower against an out-of-focus background.
Opposites. Contrast. Light and dark. Squares/circles. Smooth/textured.

How often do we notice differences such as these? How often do we consciously (or un-) include/create them in our own work?

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Kitchen Art: Shadows



Over in my Photomotivation Facebook group, everybody's working on photographing shadows. So when I saw the sun shining through the kitchen window, I quickly grabbed something, anything, to put into that light. Sunlight can be fleeting around here . . .

I knew my subject had to have a strong, graphic shape. Well, the watering can that sits in the window certainly has a strong shape. I put it on one of the stove burners so its shadow would fall on the wall. I focused on the spout, which is nice and sharp. And see the little bit of blue metal? Bonus! The shadow is FAIRLY sharp, sharp enough to be acceptable.

The sun was still working with me, so quick, what else could I find?

I grabbed a fork out of a drawer and set it on the counter. Wham! Bold shadows, looking really elongated, were terrific. I couldn't include the fork AND the shadows in total, so I composed for just a bit of the fork and a lot of the shadows. The shadows were more interesting (to me) than the fork, so why not give them top billing?

But if I moved farther back (all these were taken with an iPhone), I COULD include both fork and shadows, so here's what they look like. I like the strong darks and lights, but the previous fork photo appeals to me more.

When you have good light, put SOMEthing in it to shoot. You may never have that light again.

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Little details


Small details found in the town of Edison, Washington. I liked the unusual shape of the "NO TRESPASSING" sign, and the fact that the scene was in shade really enhanced the original pale blue color.

The heart on weathered wood, however, was in bright sunlight, creating a feeling of depth and dimension.

I love finding little things such as these. And, as usual: small pleasures.

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Agave teeth . . .

Over in my Facebook "Photomotivation" group, our assignment this month is "Shadowplay." Here's one of the photos I posted of a closeup of an agave frond.

A number of people found it (understandably) confusing, with one person seeing birds flying, not the sharp spines of an agave plant.

Not unlike an artichoke, agave plants consist of tightly wrapped fronds which, as they grow, gradually pull away from the plant and eventually splay out and away from the "core." The right third of the frame is the agave frond as it has just begun lifting away from plant's core immediately below it. The bright sunlight coming from my right creates a dark shadow on the rest of the plant. I purposely made this a high-key image to add to the scene's simplicity and to create a strong abstract.

What pleases me is its simplicity, the fact that the picture is divided into three strong elements, and the impact of negative space. 

Confusing? Confused? Yeah, me, too . . .

P.S. If you'd like to see what's going on over in the Photomotivation group and maybe join us, here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2141715679386032/  Since the group is a private one, you may not be able to see much. Join the group and all will be revealed. 

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Small pleasures

I’d been photographing fishing nets, and as I walked back to the car, I noticed something different in the dark grey gravel alongside the parking lot. A light grey rounded form really stood out. What the . . .?

I picked it up. Heavy. Really heavy. Nicely rounded, a smooth, worn surface. How cool is THIS? Adrenaline rush. I looked some more. It was like an Easter egg hunt! I brought these five “mystery rocks” home with me. (I mean, wouldn’t YOU have?)

But what were they? Each had a hole on the bottom, and one had a hole and a rusty bolt. So, obviously they had been attached to something. But what? I’m thinking the metal must have something to do with fishing, that it probably wasn’t lead. What about zinc? I’ve seen hunks of shiny zinc attached to crab pots in Oregon. They’re there to prevent electrolysis, to prevent the metal in the crab pots from corroding. But they’re not round like these.

I determined that my “zinc balls” were worn, weathered, eroded, discarded zinc “anodes.” They begin their life as a thick (thicker than a hockey puck) chunk of zinc and gradually wear way down until they’re discarded and a new one is attached.

Mystery solved, but oh, don’t they look great gathered together like this, sitting on top of some very dark and very old Japanese papers?

Small pleasures.


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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Latest work: "Surfer Crossing"

I found this grungy old sign tacked to a stick in a Pacific Northwest boat yard. I got the feeling this guy would rather be out on the ocean than repairing boats on dry land!

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Watching where I'm walking



Have you noticed the small markers, usually placed alongside curbs, next to drains in the gutter? They warn us to not pollute nearby bodies of water -- lakes, harbors, oceans, etc. And they are surprisingly personalized, designed for just those particular locations.

This "NO DUMPING - DRAINS TO SOUND" marker tells us we're close to Puget Sound, and, in smaller print, that we're at the Port of Anacortes.

The message on the sewer cover, however, is simply rude! And what does ASS stand for? "Anacortes Sewer System," of course. This cover is apparently one of just a few remaining -- Anacortes won't be using this abbreviation in the future. A port employee passing by told us that it's probably the most-photographed subject at the Port of Anacortes!

And finally, the more colorful "ONLY RAIN DOWN THE DRAIN" marker shows you that yes, you're still in Anacortes, and that "Puget Sound Starts Here."

In a time when we're replacing words with cute little icons/pictures, it's refreshing to actually READ these informational exhortations. Even if Anacortes can sometimes be an ASS about it . . .

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Latest work: R/V Atlantis

The Research Vessel "Atlantis" docked in Astoria, Oregon. This U.S. Navy ship is operated by famed Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and travels worldwide. I feel lucky to have seen it during its brief visit in Northwest Oregon.

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. Thank you for your understanding and kindness.