Cherry Blossom Minimalism

As much as I have been enjoying the exploration of minimalism in photography, it was clear I needed to apply this idea to the current series of posts featuring the Washington DC Cherry Blossoms.

With these photographs, I have achieved the form of minimalism I was seeking.  Certainly the photographs give you enough information  to possibly identify the Jefferson memorial and the Washington Monument amidst the cherry blossoms.  But aaaah! The cherry blossoms!  These are even less distinct, and without the context or an accompanying narrative, it may be difficult for someone to identify the cherry blossoms or even the time of year.

I’m ok with the indistinctive inclusion of the cherry blossoms.  I think the photographs still work from the perspective of engaging the imagination of the viewer.  As is the case with all of the intentionally unfocussed photography I have made, these were shot with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.  Being close to the perspective our eye actually sees, this is a great lens for this form of photography.

The cherry blossoms have now passed, but never fear – I have a few posts worth of photography left.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

DC Cherry Blossoms–Black and White–Shallow Depth of Field

This post is closely related to my last post featuring the cherry blossoms encircling the tidal basin in Washington DC.  In the last post “DC Cherry Blossoms with Lensbaby Macro-Black and White” I featured extremely close up photography of the cherry blossoms.  The photographs featured in this post are similar because they are a) detail shots of the cherry blossoms, b) use a very shallow depth of field, and c) are black and white.

The shallow depth  of field (or appearance of) is achieved completely differently among the two lenses (Lensbaby in the previous post and Canon 50mm f/1.8 II here).  However, the relationship with respect to the feel of the product is much the same.  I enjoy shooting shallow depth of field to bring the viewer’s eye to what I feel is most important in that composition.

Processing in black and white furthers the process of drawing attention to a specific point by minimizing distractions that color can add.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Refocusing on Minimalism

Before my recent sidetracks to improve my food photography and shoot the heck out of the Washington DC cherry blossoms, I intended to dedicate some time to further exploring minimalist photography.  I still have several more posts focusing on the cherry blossoms, but this weekend I plan on dedicating time to shoot minimalist photography.

Speaking of the cherry blossoms, it appears that the Capitol Hill wrestling match over the budget will end in a stalemate tonight.  The relevance to the cherry blossoms are the Cherry Blossom Festival permits for activities set for this weekend.  Without a resolution to the budget, the National Park Service either cannot or will not honor the permits for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

However, I just heard rumor that the DC Police are stepping up and taking responsibility for the events and the permits will be honored.  I have no idea of the mechanism or requirements for doing this, but BZ to the DC Police.

To begin my rededication to exploring minimalist photography, these shots were taken this afternoon along the Potomac River in Piney Point Maryland.  It was raining while these shots were taken and a crab boat was working the waters.  The unfocused shots turn the crab boat invisible, but it is there – trust me.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms and Sunrise at the Jefferson Memorial

Each morning I have made a pilgrimage to photograph the cherry blossoms ringing the tidal basin adjacent to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC. I never get tired of this.  In order to challenge myself creatively, each day I take a different lens – and only one lens.

By limiting myself to a single lens a couple of things happen.  First, rather than towing along a bunch of gear, I have a free hand to hold my coffee.  In addition to this principal benefit, I am challenged creatively within the constraints of the lens I chose to bring.  This is a very helpful exercise.

For this visit to the cherry blossoms, I used the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.  I love this lens, and in my opinion, it is by far the best value in the canon line up.  If you know of anyone considering moving from a point and shoot to a DSLR, I recommend they buy the camera as a bare body.  Don’t pay the extra cash for the kit lens.  Rather, spend $100 for this great lens.

Check back soon as I continue to document my daily trips to the tidal basin.  And just for good measure, here is a photograph that does not include the Jefferson memorial.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

The Cherry Blossoms are Back. Welcome Spring!

My last couple of posts were a stark meditation on the passing of winter (A Mediation on the Passing of Winter Part I and Part II).  The temperatures of spring we have been waiting for in DC have not yet arrived (43 now and a high of 39 forecast for Sunday), but a sure sign of spring is here – cherry blossoms.  The trees are not yet in full bloom, but yet enough to brighten the spirits.

For those of us who either live or work in Washington DC, the Cherry blossoms are bitter sweet.  They are certainly welcome for their beauty and sign of coming warm weather.  However, along with the blossoms come throngs of tourists.  Honestly, I don’t mind tourists.  I think everyone should take the opportunity to visit DC.  On the other hand, I am not a fan of the traffic that comes with the tourists.  DC traffic is never great, but when tourist season arrives, traffic can be unbearable.

But enough negativity – enjoy the photos of the cherry blossoms.  I am certain to be out shooting more over the next week as the blossoms mature.  Check back soon.

The three shots featured here were all taken with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II.  I decided to shoot with the 50 today with the intent of reproducing the perspective you would see if you were standing in my shoes.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Southern Maryland Landscapes

This past weekend I was out fulfilling my normal routine of early morning photography and made the photographs featured in this post.  As I was processing them (all HDR processed in Photomatix Pro and Lightroom) I realized that over the past few years I have accumulated a pretty extensive portfolio of Sounthern Maryland Photography.  At the same time, I noted that most of my photography sales have come from people interested in scenes of Southern Maryland.

Sales and portfolio make for a happy coincidence that encourages me to set up a web gallery dedicated to Southern Maryland Photography.  For some time I have intended to establish a web gallery but have not found the time.  I have finally decided to make the time.

Stay tuned for a forthcoming announcement of the “Southern Maryland Photography by Craig Corl” web gallery launch.  And now that I have told you about it, I have even further motivation to make it happen, and get it done soon.
By the way, the photographs featured here were all taken with my 50mm f/1.8 II – sticking with my committed relationship advice (click the “50mm” tag at the right for more on this).
Have fun and go make some great photography.
Craig

More Experimenting with Fireworks Photography

I have wonderful neighbors that look for any excuse to launch fireworks.  This being Labor Day weekend seemed to be one of those perfect excuses.  No complaints on my part – they are always entertaining, and another opportunity for me to experiment further with photography.

My experimentation comprised two components; 1) rather than my normal choice of a wide angle lens (17-40 would be my natural choice, or 24-105 if I were further away), I stuck with my committed relationship to my 50mm, and 2) rather than stick to my recommendation of a 5 – 8 second exposure (see my recommendations for shooting fireworks - “Independence Day Fireworks”), I extended the exposures to 30 seconds.  All of the photographs in this post were shot with my Canon 50mm f/1.8 II at ISO 200, f/5.6 and 30 seconds.

As is normally the case, I was happy with the use of the 50mm.  Nice sharp shots even with the long exposures.  However, I did not have enough room to get the shots I wanted and keep all of the bursts in the frame.  A wide angle is certainly a better choice when you are up close and personal with the display.

I was pleased with the results of the longer exposure.  By extending the exposure time, I was able to draw more color and definition from the background and introduce a strong gradient in the sky which in turn highlighted the horizon.  This combination provides greater context for the fireworks.

Have fun, and go make some great photography.

Craig

Sticking with the 50mm

In a couple of previous posts (Improving Your Photography Through a Committed Relationship, and Taking my own Advice – Commitment to 50mm) I recommended snapping on a fixed focal length (prime) lens, and challenge yourself to develop a committed relationship to that lens.  I continue my committed relationship with the 50mm and here are a few results.  Since my first post on this subject, my 50mm has not come off the camera.

These photographs were made at one of my favorite locations and favorite times.  The location is the Saint George’s Island in Saint Mary’s County Maryland, and the time was just after sunrise.  One hour either side of sunrise and sunset supply the most interesting light of the day.  These photographs came a little outside that one hour window, but still very nice light.

One of the nice things the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II brings to these photographs is super sharpness.  While you can get some sense of this via these blog sized photos, the full resolution versions are sufficiently sharp that they encourage you to explore all the details in the composition.  Several times I have stated that pursuit of perfect focus and sharpness is an unnecessary endeavor.  However, in the right context an extreme level of detail adds a great deal to the photograph.  The first and third photograph in this post are good examples.  In the second shot, the silhouette of the seagull on the piling, it is not an important aspect.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Taking My Own Advice – Commitment to 50mm

When posting recommendations to improve your photography, I feel compelled to follow my own advice.  Following one’s own advice is not always as easy as it sounds; there is often room for a notable gap between what we intellectually know to be true and our actions.  When it comes to photography, I try to keep my practice and advice closely aligned.  Either offering the benefit of my experience, or setting out to practice what I believe to be a sound approach.

In my last post “Improving Your Photography Through a Committed Relationship” I recommended snapping on a fixed focal length (prime) lens, and challenge yourself to develop a committed relationship to that lens.  Don’t “cheat” on that lens.  In other words, leave it on your camera, resist the temptation to use another lens, and fully explore the capabilities of that lens before returning to your normal practice.

Upon posting my last entry, I remained true to my advice and attached my 50mm f/1.8 II lens to my Canon 5D and committed to leaving it there until I am comfortable that I have fully explored this lens.  This morning I continued to put this into practice and made some landscape photography with the 50mm.  This was a useful exercise, because the 50mm is not my normal choice for landscape photography.  I would normally use a much shorter focal length (i.e. 24mm or less).

I am happy with the resulting photographs featured in this post.  The 50mm is a super sharp lens and even though I was generally shooting landscape scenes with plenty of fog, the sharpness is clear and offers some nice contrast with the softness introduced by the fog.
Each of the photographs featured here are from Saint Mary’s County Maryland and are three shot HDR images.
Have fun, and enjoy your committed relationship.
Craig

Improving Your Photography Through a Committed Relationship

So you want to improve your photography?  Here is a tip; your photography will improve through a committed relationship!  The relationship I am talking about is not a relationship with your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, but a relationship with your camera, and more specifically with a particular lens.

Many of us have a camera and several lenses.  There is a good chance that our lens kit includes more zoom lenses than prime lens (fixed focal length like a 50mm).  Continuing with the metaphor of a relationship with another person, zoom lenses can offer a good relationship, but there is some focal length in the range of that zoom that feels as though it is dealing with a cheating partner.  In other words, if you are shooting with a 24-105mm lens, 85mm feels cheated as you zip around between the very attractive 24mm and the cozy 105mm.  In the mean time, you have not fully realized all the benefits of a close and enduring relationship with 85mm.

My recommendation is to stop cheating…at least for a while.  Snapping on a prime lens, and leaving it there, is the best way to keep yourself from cheating and develop a committed relationship.  The idea is to stick to one lens (and one focal length) until you have mastered it.  By sticking to a single lens and focal length, and experimenting with it at the extremes of it’s capability, you will more quickly advance your skills.

While any prime lens will yield the same advances, I recommend a 50mm.  A 50mm lens is about the closest representation of what you actually see and makes critiquing your work a simpler task.  If you don’t have a 50mm lens, go get one.  For Canon shooters, this is about as cheap as it gets.  A new 50mm f1.8 II goes for under $100 and can be found used for as low as $50.  And by the way, this is a super sharp lens, is not imposing to your subjects (particularly if they are the eating, breathing, sleeping type).
During your period of monogamy, don’t take the 50mm off your camera even though the temptation may seem unbearable.  You will benefit from your committed relationship.
The photographs featured in this post are some street photography from Abu Dhabi, UAE.  All were taken with the Canon 50mm f1.8 II mounted to a Canon 5D.  The second shot, of the gardeners, was the most fun.  As I walked along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi, they were sitting on a bench relaxing and telling stories.  I asked if I could take a photograph, and they became very excited.  Sometimes just asking is all it takes.  They were very pleased to see themselves on the display screen of my camera.  The photograph also adds to the story I have been telling regarding immigrant labor in the UAE.  Click on the tags at the right to see more.
Have fun, and go make some great photography.
Craig