A Mutable Squall

March 31, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 20
California / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

_DSC2301_DxO11FC1ABlog

March 22, 2020 — San Mateo County Coast, California

Every pixel was spoken to softly and coaxed and cajoled into a new life because, you see, many of my influences lived a couple of centuries ago. They didn’t have pixels. They had pigments. And that’s what they did with pigments in those days.

Tech note: This was all done with varying degrees of microcontrast (Lightroom calls it Clarity) in DxO PhotoLab and then put into layers and selectively smart-sharpened and/or surface-blurred and finally blended in Photoshop. No paint filters. Ever.

Be well. Do good. Create.

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.2; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

First Poppy of the Year

March 28, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 29
California / California Poppy / Floral Photography / Flower / Impressionism / Inspiration / Nature / Photo Log / Photography / Poppy

_DSC1993_DxO11FC1Blog

February 20, 2020 — Los Gatos Creek Trail, California

A floral palindrome. Mother Nature is very accommodating in giving me a place to start.

(Nikon D850, AF-S VR Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.2; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

More fine-art photography at www.amagaphoto.com

What a Diff’rence a Crop Makes

March 27, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 22
Abstract / California / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

_DSC2331_DxO11FC2FlatBlog

March 22, 2020 — San Mateo County Coast, California

What a diff’rence a crop made

Ten percent’s left of pixels

And to pixels that were nixel’d —

You’ll be mourned; but this is unadorned

 

Though panorama has attraction

There is soul in abstraction

We see only a fraction

But the essence is clear

 

Oh, what a diff’rence a crop makes

Form and tone lay before me

Skies above are not stormy

Since that moment of bliss

The cropper’s kiss

 

It’s heaven when you

Find abstraction on your menu

What a diff’rence a crop made

And a diff’rence in hue

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBxVfQTuvI

Be well. Do good. Create.

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.2; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Calm

March 24, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 41
California / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Positivity / Seascapes

_DSC2308_DxO11Blog

March 22, 2020 — San Mateo County Coast, California

On Sunday, we took a ride along the coast. We were alone. The Pacific was calm…

We returned to California on February 2 when the virus situation was just brewing. In the next six weeks the world was plunged into turmoil.

These are uncertain times and as a general rule, people don’t deal with uncertainty very well. I’ve seen an entire spectrum of reactions and responses ranging from rolling with the punches to considerable emotional distress. A common feeling is one of being out of control — a carpet has been pulled out from under us, upsetting the balance of life. Confusion ensues.

Social distancing and a variety of degrees of restrictions of movement make life even more difficult and further take matters out of our hands. People deal with it in various ways, some better than others.

But there is one thing we each have complete control over: our ability to create. In the blog society that I’m a part of, many people are photographers. Others draw and paint. Still others craft words. There are musicians. Philosophers. Social commentators. Chefs. And more. All are extremely creative.

And we are all human beings. We create or lives, our relationships, our work, our friendships, our care of others, and more.

All of this is creativity and the act of creation. It all amounts to the expression and celebration of life in countless ways.

And that is completely under our control. We can create our way out of confusion and into peace of mind.

Be well. Do good. Create.

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.2; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Iceland Encore

March 22, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 21
Iceland / Nature / Photo Log / Photography

_DSC0676_DxO11FBlog1

January 27, 2020 — Jökulsárlón, South Coast, Iceland

Only when the last post actually published did I realize it might be just a bit on the bleak, somber side. That’s not how I want to leave Iceland, nor is it the parting thought of Iceland that I want to leave for you.

Here’s something a bit more on the bright side.

Now we’ll move on…

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Iceland Waves Bye Bye

March 21, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 27
Iceland / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Positivity / Seascapes

_DSC9982_NikFC3Blog

January 26, 2020 — Reynisfjara (Black Sand) Beach, Iceland

We’ve been home since the second of February. There has been enough time to sift through the bounty and select the best and you’ve seen quite a bit. It’s very possible that more will pop up after they’ve had a chance to marinate on the archive drive for a while. We shall see. One thing is certain: we will go back.

One more thing: Iceland has weathered many storms, as have we all. And we shall all continue to weather storms of all sorts. The Human spirit is strong and resilient by nature. Be well. Do good.

(Nikon D850, Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 Di VC USD G2. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop and NIK Silver Efex.)

Foss Means Waterfall — Revisited

March 20, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 26
Iceland / Landscape / Photo Log / Photography / Waterfall

_DSC9930_DxO11FC1Blog

January 25, 2020 — Kirkjufellsfoss, Snaefellsjökull Peninsula, Iceland

Ten minutes before sunrise. No place does blue hour like Iceland. And it’s amazing how much a tripod with a five-pound camera can act like a sail in a strong wind.

(Nikon D850, Tamron SP 24–70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Mt. Ghost Ship

March 18, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 18
Iceland / Impressionism / Inspiration / Landscape / Photo Log / Photography

_DSC0707_DxO11-1FC1Blog

January 26, 2020 — Jökulsárlón, South Coast, Iceland

Taken about a half-hour before the image in yesterday’s post — looking north, rather than east. The clouds and mist were in constant motion. Indeed, much of the time the mountains were obscured by clouds. My February 15 post shows one dramatic moment. The image above shows a pause in the turmoil of the cloudy cauldron.

Still wondering if JMW Turner would’ve liked Pink Floyd.

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Clouds and Berms and Lines, Oh My

March 17, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 35
Abstract / Iceland / Impressionism / Inspiration / Landscape / Photo Log / Photography

_DSC0798_M_DxO11FC2Blog

January 26, 2020 — Jökulsárlón, South Coast, Iceland

Iceland’s south coast has lots of berms. The ones parallel to the beach are breakwaters and, presumably, the ones perpendicular to the beach are for flood control.

Iceland also has lots of clouds — at least in the winter.

This photograph has both.

Iceland also has powerlines, which — much to my annoyance — clutter what would otherwise be many great shots.

I normally do all I can, including post-processing work, to be sure that my images don’t have human-made objects. Yet this one has powerlines shamelessly marching along the horizon. I have another version sans lines and towers, courtesy of careful use of content-aware fill in Photoshop, but after spending time with both versions I prefer this one.

It’s the exception that proves the rule. The towers and lines provide scale and just a bit of dissonance, supplying the image with needed tension and a hint of texture.

(Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Take It To The Limit

March 14, 2020
by Michael Scandling
comments 20
Abstract / Iceland / Impressionism / Inspiration / Landscape / Monochrome / Photo Log / Photography

IMG_0870_DxO11FC3Blog

January 26, 2020 — The Thórbergur Center, Hali Country Hotel, South Coast, Iceland

In a recent blog post, Bruce Percy articulated an aim I’ve had for quite a long time. I’ll quote him:

“For me, a picture isn’t about what is there. It’s not about trees, snow, sky, mountains, rivers, etc, etc. Instead, photos are about graphical forms and tone. They are pictures instead of photos. It’s a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless.”

To Bruce’s “graphical forms and tone” I will add texture.

This picture appeared when I enlarged the image shown in the last two posts to 100% in DxO to verify focus as part of my original selection process. There it was: pure form and tone with a juxtaposition of texture. It called to me instantly, and it’s obvious to me now that it’s a significant part of what called to me when I originally saw the scene outside the bus window on January 26.

The artifacts from the extreme enlargement are intentional. The requisite roughness.

And no, I’ve never personally met Mark Rothko. Somehow fittingly, I was born right around the time he was painting the canvases that speak to me so well.

(Canon G5X II. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)