Monochrome Monday

As a soul passes through the ephemeral plane…

It would be more accurate to call this image almost monochrome, as I left a bit of color in this shot from 2011…

Transition

This is another example of using movement to alter an image; in this case, I loosened the lens ring just enough to all the entire barrel to rotate without zooming in or out. Additionally, this is a long exposure (>30 s) allowing the taillights of cars to create a dance of strings moving through the image.

C.P. #6: In-Camera Abstraction

Dance of the Gwragedd Annwn

One of the approaches to changing up my photography game over the years is to experiment in lots of different directions. These experiments have always been more about finding out if there was something that connected for me rather than having a very precise target.

With this approach, I have found that there have been numerous blind alleys that didn’t resonate and a few paths that I keep returning to, as there’s just something that keeps pulling me in their direction. One such path is using the camera to create more abstract images, such as this…

Dance of the Gwragedd Annwn

This image from 2012 is an example of the abstract path that I called an exploration of kryptomorphaics; yes, I made the word up from the concepts of hidden (krypto) and changing the shape (morph) of what I saw in front of me. A lot of these images are whimsical, such as this one, where the bright bits of light among leaves allowed me to create a completely new form for them. Thus the title of this shot, as Gwragedd Annwn are beautiful water faeries.

The technique on this image is rather straightforward, as I did a simple tight, imperfect round motion with the barrel of the lens to create a more circular form during the 0.3 second exposure. This created the more dance-like movement of the light across a darker landscape, giving the illusion of water sprites flittering in front of us.

During my exploration I found many ways to create abstractions directly in my shots, and every once in a while I think of a new thing to try to see how it connects for me. As I used these various techniques there did come a point that I started ‘seeing’ the possibilities in various scenes that allowed me to create something interesting.

I’d love to hear of what your photographic explorations have created for you!

Experimental Photography

From rose to universe

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge has the theme of Experimental. Now, I have been know to experiment a bit in my photography, so I thought I’d share one of the the images from those experiments.

A number of years back, I was looking for ways to expand the realm of my photographic endeavors, as I had a sense of restlessness with what I captured; there had to be something more, something that would uncover that which lay just over the horizon of our perception.  One constraint that I put upon that work is that it had to be done in-camera, rather than post-production.  I had already done quite a bit of HDR work, for which post-production is a key component, and this had to be different.

So, on an evening of sitting around the campfire, I started trying out different zoom blur techniques, which led to a significant amount of output over the following years.

One of these images that generates a lot of interest is this one…

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Rose Particle

This was from 2011, as I was wandering around the garden at my mother’s house, searching to uncover the energy that is locked up in Nature.  This tea rose pulled me in and provided just the right amount of a pose!

Have a wonderful day!

The Ancient Elements – Air

Breezy air currents

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge has the wonderful theme of Elemental; I’ll be sure to cover all the Ancient Elements of Fire, Water, Earth and Air during this week, as each has presented ample opportunities to me photographically.

Today’s image is another one from my Kryptomorphaics series, which takes an abstract twist to uncover that what lies hidden just beneath the surface of our perception.  It captures the impact of the movement of the Elemental of Air through leaves of a tree in its Autumn livery…

 

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Autumn Winds

This particular image is part of a series that I captured during a visit to the wonderful Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts.  A beautiful Autumn day presented lots of opportunity for the creation of images both abstract and representational.  A slight bit of camera movement during this shot created the additional sense of flow in this shot.

Hope you enjoy!

The Ancient Elements – Water

Relaxed, yet with purpose

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge has the wonderful theme of Elemental; I’ll be sure to cover all the Ancient Elements of Fire, Water, Earth and Air during this week, as each has presented ample opportunities to me photographically.

Today’s element of Water has presented itself in many ways to me over the years; keeping with yesterday’s post of the element of Fire, I’m presenting another abstract image…

 

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Calm Motion

This image flowed forth from my studying this particular patch of rather rapid stream for a time, as I was intrigued by the interplay of water, plants and air getting pulled into a small vertex.  This study resulted in my playing just a bit with my lens’ zoom during this image that captured a bit of motion by extending the shutter time.

Hope you enjoy!

The Ancient Elements – Fire

Fires of creation

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge has the wonderful theme of Elemental, which immediately made me think of an image that I shot a number of years ago.

This photo not only attempted to capture fire, but also the forces of creation that lie within that fire. This image is titled Pyroplasm 3x.

Pyroplasm 3x

Additionally, this image was my first foray into photographing with a twist, literally, as it was my first attempt at using zoom blur. Mastering this technique allowed me to unlock otherwise hidden forms in a series that I titled Kryptomorphaics.

Hope you enjoy!

 

Warped Wednesday – pt. 3

Variegation to the max

The foray into abstract photography has very much been a voyage of exploration and discovery.  Along the way, I have learned to control the various techniques and improved my visualization skills, so that I can figure out how to get the image that I want just using the camera.

The process is a combination of taking in the landscape or environment, in which I find myself, allowing myself to become absorbed by my surroundings, and then opening my mind’s eye, so that I can see the morphed image.

These images are a series that I shot while visiting my mother in the Netherlands.  It’s a view of a wall covered with variegated vine; when I saw it, I noticed that there were some hidden patterns that were trying to emerge into the visible dimension.  I titled this series Cryptomorphosis 1-4, using the Greek roots for hidden and form.

I’m curious to hear what you see in these images.

 

Transmogrification – Kryptomorphaics

Rose particles flow

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is often very interesting, and this week is no exception with the topic of Transmogrification.  This topic is near and dear to my heart, as I have a series of abstract images that I title Kryptomorphaics.

The concept behind this series is to reveal that what lies hidden from the eye (crypt-) through transformation (morph-).  The details of this series are described in a series of posts that start with TTT – Abstract Photography – ep. 1.

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Rose Particle

This image is an example of revealing the energy that lies within this lovely rose; it truly vibrates and resonates with the frequencies that traverse the entire universe.

Technical Details

This image was captured with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II using an EF 24-105mm f/4L lens.  Exposure settings were 1/3 second with f/16 at 200 ISO; a zoom blur technique was used to create the effect in camera.

The Elusive Rose Particle

Between dimensions lies beauty

In the annals of Particle Physics there is always discussion about the next particle to be discovered.  At which energy level can we expect to find it?  Can we verify its theoretical mass?  How stable will it be?

Heady questions, all of these!  In the alternate reality that surrounds us within hidden dimensions, we simply need to uncover the pathways into these dimensions and let our mind’s eye guide us across them.  When we are in an adequate frame of mind to follow these pathways, we find untold beauty and a wealth of new knowledge.  One of these paths leads us to this elusive vision of beauty…

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Rose Particle

The Rose Particle is a rather elusive superposition of energies within interstitial dimensional space.  When perceived, it radiates universal energies, which have been known to establish beautiful patterns.

In response to Daily Prompt – Elusive.

Technical Details

This image was captured with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II using an EF 24-105mm f/4L lens.  Exposure settings were 1/3 second with f/16 at 200 ISO; a zoom blur technique was used to create the effect in camera.

Daily Prompt – Chaos

Maelstroms of energy

Today’s WordPress Daily Prompt is Chaos.  This immediately made me think of a number of works in my Kryptomorphaics series and particularly of the one that I share with you here.

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Swirling Tea

The world of the the Tea Rose may look serene to the casual observer, but when we delve deeper into the vibrations of this beautiful flower, we soon realize that there is a maelstrom of energies flowing at extraordinary speeds.  We are pulled into its world, where we find strength and solace at the speed of light…

Hope you enjoy this image!

Technical Details

This image was captured with a Canon 5D Mk II using an EF 24-105mm f/4L lens.  A camera twist was used at approximately 1/3 second of shutter speed and f/16 at 160 ISO.

Inspired  by Daily Prompt – Chaos.

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